• North Korea's new DMZ roads seen as border-control project, not invasion route SEOUL, July 22 (AJP) - North Korea's expanding network of tactical roads, fences and bridges along the Demilitarized Zone is aimed at turning the armistice line into a de facto state border.
• Seoul mayor fined 10 million won for accepting illegal political funds SEOUL,, July 22 (AJP) - Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon was fined 10 million South Korean won (US$7,200) on Wednesday after being found guilty of accepting illegal political support by having opinion polls conducted ahead of the 2021 mayoral by-election.
• Hyundai Motor Q2 earnings seen down 17%, data due Thurs SEOUL, July 22 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor is expected to post a double-digit decline in second-quarter operating profit, as weaker vehicle sales combine with continued U.S. tariff costs and rising material and warranty expenses.
• Foreign holdings blunt Korea's wealth gains SEOUL, July 22 (AJP) - South Korea's national wealth grew at less than half the previous year's pace in 2025, as a record rally in domestic stocks produced an accounting paradox.
• KOSDAQ gains new life from robotics jolt SEOUL, July 22 (AJP) - Robotics stocks jolted the lethargic KOSDAQ market awake on Wednesday as investors bet that Samsung Electronics’ newly elevated robotics ambitions, military demand and Nvidia’s physical AI vision could turn South Korea’s equipment supply chain into the next major technology theme.
• Samsung bets on foldables — and fashion — at Galaxy Unpacked SEOUL, July 22 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics is set to widen its foldable smartphone lineup and make its long-awaited entry into the AI smart glasses market on Wednesday (KST), betting that premium hardware, artificial intelligence and fashion-forward wearables can help it challenge Meta in the next phase of consumer AI.

AJP Briefing

• Foreign investors' return lifts KOSPI ahead of key big tech earnings SEOUL, July 22 (AJP) - Foreign investors extended their buying streak to a third consecutive session on Wednesday, helping lift the benchmark KOSPI higher despite caution among investors ahead of U.S. big tech earnings, which could determine whether the recent rally in artificial intelligence (AI)-related stocks can be sustained. The KOSPI rose 0.74 percent to close at 6,797.70 points after surging as much as 6 percent during the session, but gave up most of its gains in late trading. The junio
• Lee to court AI giants before South America diplomacy on five-nation tour SEOUL, July 22 (AJP) -South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will begin a five-nation overseas trip on Friday with meetings in Silicon Valley alongside the world's leading artificial intelligence executives before heading to South America for summit diplomacy aimed at expanding South Korea's economic and strategic partnerships with the Global South. The trip, running from July 24 to Aug. 3, will take Lee to San Francisco, Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Germany, the presidential office anno
• Incheon Airport to open departure gates early during summer peak SEOUL, July 22 (AJP) - South Korea will open some departure gates at Incheon International Airport earlier and increase immigration screening staff during the peak summer travel season, the Ministry of Justice said Wednesday. The special immigration measures will be in place from Thursday through Aug. 8, as the country enters one of the busiest periods for overseas travel. At Terminal 1, departure gate No. 2 will open at 5:30 a.m., while departure gate No. 4 will open at 6 a.m. At Terminal 2,
• S&P lifts Samsung outlook as AI memory boom gathers pace SEOUL, July 22 (AJP) — Global ratings agency S&P Global Ratings has made its call on Samsung Electronics, betting that an AI-driven memory supercycle will drive at least two more years of strong earnings growth. The agency revised its outlook on the chipmaker to positive from stable, saying favorable industry conditions, including strong demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and a prolonged supply shortage, are likely to support memory prices through 2027. "The positive outlook

ASIA Insight

• Can a bigger World Cup keep its luster? SEOUL, July 22 (AJP) - The World Cup has never been just about football. It has been a global stage where countries show off their sporting power, shape their national image and increasingly compete for influence and economic gain. That is why FIFA's consideration of expanding the quadrennial tournament to 64 teams in 2030 has sparked a debate that goes far beyond simply adding more matches or making the event bigger. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has argued that a larger World Cup would by Lee Hugh
• Reality check for Korea's Lee and Japan's Takaichi as their honeymoons end SEOUL, July 20 (AJP) - The chemistry between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi appeared immediate, culminating in an impromptu drumming performance during their January summit in Nara. They also had much in common. Both took office as agents of change after periods of political turmoil. Both entered government with approval ratings that would be enviable in almost any mature democracy. Both benefited from weakened opposition camps and presented the by Lee Jung-woo

AJP Watch

• Busan fever sweeps Asia as Taiwanese lead new tourism boom SEOUL, July 22 (AJP) - Busan has emerged as one of Asia’s hottest urban escapes, drawing travelers with its beaches, seafood, cinematic coastal scenery and the hometown appeal of BTS members Jimin and Jungkook. Chinese can now be heard across the southern port city, but increasingly it is not the Mandarin typically associated with mainland visitors. Taiwanese travelers have become one of Busan’s largest and fastest-growing visitor groups, helping transform the city from a secondary
• Lee revives Korea's unfinished abortion debate SEOUL, July 21 (AJP) - For seven years, South Korea's abortion debate has remained trapped between a Constitutional Court ruling that struck down the country's abortion ban and a legal vacuum that has left women navigating an unregulated market for medication. President Lee Jae Myung has now thrust the issue back onto the government's agenda by questioning why women seeking to terminate pregnancies are still being driven toward illicit online sellers for a medicine that is legally p

AJP Focus

• K-pop's second act: Why groups no longer really disappear SEOUL, July 22 (AJP) - When NewJeans released a surprise anniversary film at midnight on July 22, it did more than celebrate four years since the group's debut. The video reunited Minji, Hanni, Haerin and Hyein in official group content for the first time in one year and four months after a prolonged contract dispute that had brought the group's activities to a halt. A court sided with their agency, ADOR, in both an injunction and the main lawsuit over the validity of their exclusive c
• Chip boom puts BOK on tightening path, but spillover debate clouds outlook SEOUL, July 21 (AJP) - South Korea's bond market is increasingly pricing in another interest-rate increase this year after the Bank of Korea's July hike, as Governor Shin Hyun-song argues that the country's chip-driven income boom is beginning to generate demand-side inflation despite a still-sluggish domestic economy. Investors now widely expect the benchmark policy rate to reach 3.0 percent by year-end after the central bank last week raised it by 25 basis points to 2.75 percent,