DMZ blast hits troops ahead of UNC inspection SEOUL, September 22 (AJP) - South Korean troops hit by a suspected land mine explosion inside the Demilitarized Zone were clearing a route ahead of a planned United Nations Command inspection of terrain changes detected near the inter-Korean military demarcation line, the military said Tuesday. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said South Korean surveillance assets had detected changes to the terrain near the Military Demarcation Line, or MDL, on the western front, prompting Seoul to reques September 22, 2026

KOSPI rises nearly 2% on chip gains as yields, oil ease SEOUL, September 22 (AJP) – Korean shares extended gains Tuesday on hopes that this week’s summit and United Nations meetings would bring greater clarity on U.S.-China relations and the war in Iran. The benchmark KOSPI stood at 7,135.97 as of 10:11 a.m., up 1.83 percent, after reaching 7,169.01 earlier in the session. Foreign investors bought a net 131.2 billion won ($96 million) of KOSPI shares, while institutions purchased 344.2 billion won and retail investors sold September 22, 2026

Hanwha Aerospace to invest $2.2 billion to build ammunition hub in Arkansas SEOUL, September 22 (AJP) - Hanwha Aerospace will invest US$2.2 billion (about 3 trillion South Korean won) in the U.S. over the next seven years to build a large-scale ammunition production hub, according to the defense company. The company's American subsidiary Hanwha Defense USA held an opening ceremony for its new office at Pine Bluff Arsenal, a U.S. Army installation in Arkansas, marking the first step toward building out the planned production base. Hanwha plans to manu September 22, 2026

Korea's corporate loan delinquency rate hit 10-year high SEOUL, September 22 (AJP) - South Korean banks’ loan delinquency rate rose to its highest July level in a decade, partly driven by overdue loans involving JoongAng Group affiliates undergoing corporate rehabilitation or debt workouts, regulatory data showed Tuesday. The delinquency rate on won-denominated loans stood at 0.63 percent at the end of July, up from 0.56 percent a month earlier and 0.57 percent a year earlier, according to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS). Th September 22, 2026

Atlas humanoids go to school at Hyundai's Georgia plant SEOUL, September 22 (AJP) - Boston Dynamics has opened a training center for its Atlas humanoid robots at Hyundai Motor Group's electric vehicle plant in Georgia, the U.S. robotics unit of South Korea's largest automaker said Monday (local time). The Robotics Metaplant Application Center, or RMAC, at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) near Savannah will serve as a testbed where Atlas is drilled in factory work before it steps onto Hyundai's production lines. September 22, 2026

Lee arrives in New York ahead of UN General Assembly address SEOUL, September 22 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung arrived in New York on Monday, kicking off his weeklong trip, which includes an address at the United Nations' General Assembly before a state visit to Mexico. Lee and first lady Kim Hea Kyung landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport, where they were welcomed by Cha Ji-hoon, who serves as South Korea's permanent representative to the United Nations, Kang Kyung-wha, South Korea's envoy to the U.S., and Kim San September 22, 2026

Korea, U.S., Japan reaffirm N.K. denuclearization, economic-security ties SEOUL, September 22 (AJP) -South Korea, the United States and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to North Korea's complete denuclearization while keeping the door open to dialogue, as the three countries broadened coordination on supply chains, energy security and critical technologies during talks in New York. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi met Monday on the sidelines of the 81st Unite September 22, 2026

Iran war reaches UN crossroads as Hormuz emerges as possible deal SEOUL, September 21 (AJP) - Trump-Xi diplomacy is not the only high-stakes encounter commanding attention this week. The United Nations General Assembly is opening a rare diplomatic window for the United States and Iran after nearly seven months of war, with the Strait of Hormuz emerging as the most plausible starting point for a limited deal. Middle East experts caution that New York may reveal the direction of the conflict rather than produce an immediate breakthrough. U.S. September 21, 2026

Giant hand to truck-boat, local projects raise questions on cultural spending SEOUL, September 21 (AJP) - Lee Ji-hye, a 33-year-old resident of Songdo in Incheon, took her young son to see a new sculpture that had appeared along the waterfront in their neighborhood. His immediate reaction was "Rock and roll," she said, copying the hand gesture. Her son also thought it looked like Spider-Man's hand. "There was a lot of discussion because we simply couldn't make it out," Lee told AJP. She could only laugh when she read the expl September 21, 2026

Operator of self-photo booths seeks KOSDAQ listing SEOUL, September 21 (AJP) - South Korean self-photo booth operator Seobuk filed for a preliminary review to list on the KOSDAQ on Monday, starting the formal process toward an initial public offering (IPO) for its flagship Photoism brand. The company applied to list 12.63 million shares including 2.6 million shares planned for the public offering, according to Korea Exchange (KRX). Founded in 2020, Seobuk is a global entertainment platform that operates flagship brand Photoism, a September 21, 2026