Indonesia's rout revives Asia's crisis ghosts, but risks diverge SEOUL, October 19 (AJP) — Indonesia’s stock market rout has reawakened the spectre of Asia’s 1997 financial crisis, but the diverging fortunes of neighboring markets suggest the turmoil has yet to become contagious. Indonesia is confronting a crisis of market credibility. South Korea is reckoning with the price of its AI boom. Both face the pull of higher U.S. bond yields, but economists caution against mistaking simultaneous market stress for a repeat of the finan October 19, 2026

FSS chief says Solidigm IPO conflicts with double-listing rules SEOUL, October 19 — South Korea's top financial regulator said Monday that SK hynix's plan to list its U.S. subsidiary Solidigm could violate the country's restrictions on double listings, raising questions over whether the proposed initial public offering (IPO) can proceed under Korean regulations. Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) Governor Lee Chan-jin told a parliamentary audit that both the FSS and the Financial Services Commission (FSC) believe the proposed October 19, 2026

LS ELECTRIC shares fall despite major deal for US data center project SEOUL, October 19 (AJP) - Shares of South Korean power equipment maker LS ELECTRIC fell more than 4 percent in early trading on Monday amid broader concerns over a potential artificial intelligence (AI)-related investment bust, despite securing a 168.9 billion won (US$125.2 million) contract to supply electrical equipment for a U.S. data center project in 2027. The stock fell as low as 150,000 won before recovering to 158,800 won as of around 9:50 a.m. LS ELECTRIC will supply swi October 19, 2026

AI debt scare knocks Seoul and Tokyo stocks at open SEOUL, October 19 (AJP) -Wall Street jitters over debt-financed AI spending amid expectations of faster interest-rate hikes weighed heavily on Asian markets Monday, hitting chip-heavy Seoul particularly hard. The KOSPI fell 3.2 percent at the open before foreign investors turned net buyers and helped halve the loss. They had sold more than 11 trillion won ($8.2 billion) of South Korean shares last week. Decliners outnumbered gainers 615 to 221. The benchmark traded at 5,576.1 October 19, 2026

South Korea's pension fund sees $128B drop in stock holdings' value SEOUL, October 18 (AJP) - The estimated value of South Korea's National Pension Service (NPS) stock holdings fell by 182.4 trillion won ($128 billion) in just over three months, driven largely by sharp declines in Samsung Electronics and SK hynix shares, industry data showed Sunday. According to financial data provider FnGuide, the combined market value of the NPS's stakes in 287 listed companies, in which it disclosed holdings of at least 5 percent as of June 30 or Oct. 15, October 18, 2026

BOK eyes January launch of cross-border won payment system SEOUL, October 18 (AJP) - The Bank of Korea (BOK) is testing an international version of its payment system to facilitate cross-border transactions in Korean won, with a formal launch targeted for January 2027, Governor Hyun Song Shin said Saturday. Speaking at the Group of Thirty (G30) International Banking Seminar in Bangkok, Thailand, held alongside the G20 and International Monetary Fund meetings, Shin outlined the central bank's plans to expand its large-value payment netwo October 18, 2026

AJP Factbox: October 2026 KOSDAQ IPO calendar Three companies had listed on the KOSDAQ as of Friday, with seven more tentatively scheduled to debut later in the month, according to Korea Exchange (KRX) data and IPO information website Kokstock. October 16, 2026

Korea's battered ants broaden their bets but keep chips on the table SEOUL, October 16 (AJP) — The adage goes, “If you’re going through hell, keep going" and South Korea’s mom-and-pop investors are not ready to chicken out. Some are, however, broadening their radar beyond chips and their strategies beyond a quick bet on a rebound. Playing smarter and safer is gaining appeal, even as leveraged wagers remain hard to resist. In the first half, as the KOSPI cleared one milestone after another to double by the end of June, October 16, 2026

Four firms win preliminary approval for KOSDAQ listings SEOUL, October 16 (AJP) — Four South Korean companies have cleared preliminary reviews for listings on the KOSDAQ, moving closer to initial public offerings (IPOs) on the country's junior stock market. The Korea Exchange (KRX) approved listing applications on Thursday from four companies across financial technology, pharmaceuticals, battery materials and manufacturing artificial intelligence (AI). They include E9pay, an international money transfer company, and Innovo T October 16, 2026

Foreigners end eight-day sell-off as KOSPI, Nikkei rebound SEOUL, October 16 (AJP) - Foreign investors turned net buyers of South Korean stocks on Friday for the first time in nine sessions, but the rebound after the previous day's crash recovered less than a quarter of the losses before losing steam sharply. The benchmark KOSPI rose 113.83 points or 2.05 percent to close at 5,668.05 after climbing as high as 5,809.94 during the session. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ also jumped 33.96 points or 4.46 percent, triggering a buy-sidecar, a five-m October 16, 2026