Crypto exchange Bithumb eyes IPO listing by 2028 SEOUL, August 4 (AJP) - Cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb has laid out a phased roadmap to pursue an initial public offering (IPO) by 2028. In a notice posted on X on Monday, the company said it has already begun IPO preparations by strengthening internal controls, improving accounting standards, and boosting transparency, with plans to file for a preliminary review in 2027 before completing the IPO in 2028. Bithumb said it is working with domestic and overseas securities firms, ac August 4, 2026

Democratic-led states seek to block U.S. forced-labor tariffs SEOUL, August 04 (AJP) -The legal foundation for U.S. tariffs on goods from South Korea and 59 other trading partners came under challenge Monday as a coalition of 25 Democratic-led states sued the Trump administration in federal court. Many nonexempt South Korean goods entering the United States have faced a combined tariff rate of 12.5 percent since July 24, after Washington replaced an expiring 10 percent global surcharge with new duties imposed under Section 301 of the Trade August 4, 2026

N. Korea threatens 'new level of deterrence' over S. Korea-led RIMPAC role SEOUL, August 04 (AJP) - North Korea on Tuesday condemned South Korea and Japan’s leadership roles in this year’s Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) claiming that trilateral military cooperation with the United States has become a “new security crisis” in the Asia-Pacific region and threatening to respond with a stronger deterrent. The Korean Central News Agency carried a commentary issued Monday by a North Korean military commentator under the title, &ldqu August 4, 2026

TSMC's Kumamoto chip hub returns to full speed after quake SEOUL, August 04 (AJP) - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) has restored normal operations at its first semiconductor plant in Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture after a powerful earthquake temporarily halted production last week, easing concerns over potential supply disruptions in one of Japan's key chipmaking hubs. TSMC said its Kumamoto Fab 1 resumed full production on Sunday after suspending manufacturing on July 28 to inspect and recalibrate equipment following August 4, 2026

Samsung chief receives highest stock dividends in South Korea in 1st half SEOUL, August 4 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong received the largest dividends in the first half of this year, according to data released by corporate tracker Leaders Index on Tuesday. Lee topped the list with 72.8 billion South Korean won (about US$50 million), followed by Hyundai Motor Group's honorary chairman Chung Mong-koo with 67.1 billion won and tycoon-turned-former politician Chung Mong-joon, the current chairman of the Asan Foundation, with 54.6 billi August 4, 2026

North Korea slams US and allies for spreading 'false information' over IT workers SEOUL, August 4 (AJP) - North Korea on Tuesday criticized a joint alert issued by about a dozen countries including Japan, South Korea, and the U.S. over its alleged illegal earning of foreign currency through computer and technology workers, dismissing it as "false information." In a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a spokesperson for North Korea's Foreign Ministry said the alert by the U.S. and its allied countries was a August 4, 2026

Korea's Lee risks losing the rich after stock retailers with property tax SEOUL, August 03 (AJP) -South Korean President Lee Jae Myung risks alienating both wealthy homeowners on top of retail investors as he pushes ahead with higher property taxes to curb housing speculation, following an earlier capital-market policy that fueled a speculative frenzy through leveraged single-stock exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Wealthier property owners face sharply higher tax bills under the latest overhaul, while millions of retail investors are still reeling from the c August 3, 2026

Drone scare costs Korean frontline chief post SEOUL, August 03 (AJP) - South Korea’s Defense Ministry on Monday relieved the commander of the Army’s I Corps from duty after the unit came under scrutiny over two separate controversies involving front-line readiness, including a near-miss incident in which a U.S. drone was mistaken for an unidentified aerial object. The ministry said Lt. Gen. Han Ki-sung, commander of I Corps, was removed from his post as an investigation continues into recent incidents involving the August 3, 2026

AI becomes K-drama ingredient as soaring costs reshape filmmaking SEOUL, August 03 (AJP) - A recent K-drama hit, Agent Kim: Reactivated, had all the ingredients of a blockbuster action sequence — North Korean agents, a former security-service commando, gangsters, explosions and a high-speed chase through a snow-covered tunnel ending in a plunge into icy water. None of it was filmed. The roughly three-minute sequence that fooled audience as an expensive location shoot was generated entirely with artificial intelligence. Described by its cr August 3, 2026

KOSPI slides after historic rally as chip stocks plunge SEOUL, August 3 (AJP) - South Korea's stock market tumbled on Monday, with Samsung Electronics and SK hynix both sinking more than 8 percent, sending the country's benchmark KOSPI back below 6,300 points. The decline erased much of Friday's historic rebound, which proved short-lived. The index closed 5.12 percent lower at 6,257.45 as foreign and institutional investors extended heavy selling despite aggressive buying by retail investors. Individuals snapped up a net 4.65 August 3, 2026