AJP Factbox: Korea's 2026 C/A surplus stretches on South Korea’s current account surplus reached $46.11 billion in August, its second-largest on record, as semiconductor exports surged, according to data released October 8 by the Bank of Korea (BOK). The January–August surplus totaled $279.20 billion, about four times the year-earlier figure. Net portfolio debt flows swung from $950 million inward in July to $10.82 billion outward in August as residents increased foreign debt investment by a record $6.44 billion and October 8, 2026

AJP Factbox: LG Energy Solution shares fly on record Q3 Investors cheered the stronger-than-expected and record third-quarter earnings of LG Energy Solution, with shares on Oct. 8 rising 5.12 percent to 411,000 won as of 9:31 a.m. The stock is up about 41 percent from its low of 290,500 won in late July. Third-quarter operating profit of 756 billion won was more than double the 326.4 billion won average forecast compiled by FnGuide. U.S. advanced manufacturing tax credits made up 416.9 billion won of that profit. Without them, operati October 8, 2026

AJP Factbox: Korean financial groups H1 profit at record $13 billion SEOUL, October 08 (AJP) - South Korea's 10 major financial holding companies posted a record 17.6 trillion won ($12.9 billion) in combined net profit in the first half of 2026, up 13.7 percent from a year earlier, according to the Financial Supervisory Service Thursday. Strong stock markets lifted trading fees and investment gains at securities units, while increased corporate lending boosted interest income. Financial investment profit jumped 72.8 percent to 5.1 October 8, 2026

AJP Factbox: Korea's first satellite swarm reaches orbit on homegrown rocket South Korea has begun adding a fleet of small, lower-cost satellites to its handful of large observation satellites, giving up some image sharpness in exchange for looking at the Korean Peninsula far more often. The first five NEONSATs, built by KAIST's Satellite Technology Research Institute and the private firm Satrec Initiative, reached orbit on the homegrown Nuri rocket on Oct. 7, and five more launching in 2027 will let the 10-satellite fleet photograph the peninsula at l October 7, 2026

AJP Factbox: South Korea's 2026 growth outlook brightens Major global investment banks raised their 2026 growth forecasts for South Korea to an average of 3.5 percent amid a stronger-than-expected chip boom, with J.P. Morgan lifting its estimate to 4.0 percent. The average forecast from eight banks rose from 3.3 percent a month earlier, according to end-September data compiled by the Korea Center for International Finance. October 7, 2026

AJP Factbox: Teen drug cases rise fivefold in Korea Drug cases involving teenagers in South Korea have risen more than fivefold over the past decade, from 121 in 2016 to 674 in 2025, with synthetic cannabis sold in vape-style cartridges recording its highest share of cases among teens last year, according to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and the National Forensic Service. The count is climbing again this year, with police arresting 370 teenagers from January to July, 78.7 percent of the 2025 total, according to data released October 7, 2026

AJP Factbox: South Korea's major hacking incidents since 2025 South Korea has suffered a string of major data breaches since early 2025, from a malware attack that exposed USIM data on about 23 million SK Telecom subscribers to the exposure of 33.7 million Coupang customer accounts. The latest wave hit Shinhan Bank, KB Kookmin Bank, Hana Bank and BNK Busan Bank between late September and early October 2026, and the Financial Security Institute found traces of ARTEX, an open-source AI hacking tool, on servers used in the attack. October 6, 2026

AJP Factbox: How big is South Korea's 2026 chip bonanza? SEOUL, October 02 (AJP) -South Korea’s chip bonanza has compressed almost two years of exports into nine months. Semiconductor shipments reached $340.3 billion in January–September 2026, nearly twice the $173.4 billion exported during all of 2025, according to provisional government data. September alone brought in a record $60.3 billion—nearly three times January’s monthly total and up 262.8 percent from a year earlier. Chips generated 49.9 percent of Kore October 2, 2026

AJP Factbox: When and where for fall foliage in S.Korea SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - South Korea's autumn foliage will start turning in the northern Gangwon mountains in early October and reach its nationwide peak later that month, the Korea Forest Service said Wednesday. Peak dates, defined as half a forest changing color, are forecast for Oct. 20 at Seoraksan, Oct. 28 at Songnisan, Nov. 4 at Naejangsan and Nov. 6 at Hallasan, about 0.8 day later than the average of the past five years. September 23, 2026