• South Korea waives feasibility review for nuclear submarine project SEOUL, November 06 (AJP) - South Korea has waived a feasibility study for its domestically developed nuclear-powered submarine program, clearing a major procedural hurdle as it seeks to begin development in 2027.
• Defense procurement chief tapped as new justice minister SEOUL, November 6 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung has nominated Lee Yong-cheol, head of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), as new justice minister, Cheong Wa Da said on Friday.
• Seoul tweaks margin loan rule to contain stock selloff SEOUL, November 6 (AJP) —South Korean brokerages will have greater discretion to defer forced liquidation of stocks bought on credit starting Monday, as authorities suspend the 140 percent collateral maintenance requirement for three months.
• South Korea's Lee pledges support for Timor-Leste SEOUL, November 6 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung on Friday pledged to strengthen ties with Timor-Leste, reaffirming that Seoul would remain a trusted partner as the Southeast Asian country pursues economic development and a greater role in the region.
• Samsung Biologics workers launch partial strike SEOUL, November 6 (AJP) - Unionized workers at Samsung Biologics began a strike on Friday, with about 400 employees taking part in a partial walkout as disputes over wages and other labor issues remain unresolved.
• Trump signals no tariff change despite election defeat SEOUL, November 6 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday defended his sweeping trade policy, reiterating that foreign companies could face tariffs of "up to 300 percent" if they fail to build factories in the U.S.

AJP Briefing>

• Overseas sales lift Coway's Q3 profit SEOUL, November 06 (AJP) - South Korean home appliance maker Coway reported a 7.3 percent year-on-year increase in third-quarter operating profit Friday, driven by continued growth in its overseas businesses. Operating profit reached 260.8 billion won ($184 million), while revenue rose 13.7 percent to 1.43 trillion won, the company said in a regulatory filing. Revenue from overseas subsidiaries jumped 26.2 percent to 591.8 billion won, led by growth in Malaysia and the United States. The Mala
• KOPSI plunges over 6% as AI selloff triggers trading halt SEOUL, November 6 (AJP) - South Korean stocks plunged over 6 percent on Friday as concerns over U.S. restrictions on artificial intelligence (AI) data centers triggered heavy foreign selling, briefly pushing the KOSPI below 5,000 and forcing a 20-minute trading halt. The benchmark KOSPI fell 6.02 percent or 324.11 points to close at 5,059.69. The index plunged more than 8 percent within minutes of the opening bell, triggering a circuit breaker that suspended trading for 20 minutes. A sell-side

AJP ScaleUP

• Auto parts maker C&M seeks to expand business amid IPO push SEOUL, November 6 (AJP) - Auto parts manufacturer C&M plans to raise up to 38.35 billion won (US$27 million) through a KOSDAQ listing to expand its automotive business. The firm also aims to expand into new business sectors including defense, robotics and cooling systems for artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. "The proceeds from the IPO will be used to establish new production lines and develop products as we seek to leverage our auto parts manufacturing expertise to offer integ
• Preneu, DamsTech win South Korea's drone warfare contest SEOUL, November 05 (AJP) - South Korean drone maker Preneu and a consortium led by DamsTech won top honors in a government-organized competition testing drones against counter-drone systems, the Defense Ministry said Thursday. The two-day competition was held on Nov. 3 and 4 at the Seungjin Training Ground in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, bringing together six teams selected through preliminary rounds in June. Three drone teams and three counter-drone teams competed in six matches, testing their

ASIA Insight

• Is regulation best answer to Korea's teen social media addiction? SEOUL, November 05 (AJP) - South Korea is mulling restrictions on children’s access to social media, joining a global push to shield young users from addictive feeds and harmful content. A country that once ordered teenagers off online games at midnight faces a déjà vu question over whether state intervention is the best answer. President Lee Jae Myung — himself an active social media user — instructed the Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC) at a Ca by Lee Jung-woo
• Chinese robots steal the Seoul show, Korea's work offstage SEOUL, November 04 (AJP) - China came to Robo World 2026 to show what its robots can do. South Korea came to show what its robots will keep doing, hour after hour, on factory floors no crowd will ever see. Three Unitree G1 humanoids danced in step to "Abracadabra" by K-pop group Brown Eyed Girls, while a Unitree robot dog wandered between booths. Service robots with holographic displays and small screens rolled through the aisles. At Rainbow Robotics' booth, HUBO, the Einstein-fa by Kim Dong-young

AJP Watch

• The no-sweat Namsan: A hiking guide in which nobody hikes SEOUL, November 06 (AJP) - One bus, three snacks, a churro, and a fortune about a crate of liquor. AJP takes the introvert's route up Seoul's favorite mountain. This is a hiking guide in which no hiking takes place. Namsan, the 265-meter peak in the middle of Seoul, is on every visitor's list, and in crisp late autumn it fully deserves its place. But you don't need boots, a training plan or a single conversation with a stranger to reach the top. You need a transit card, a bus t
• The 1,000-won souvenir: What foreign tourists are hauling home SEOUL, November 06 (AJP) - Scrub towels that sting, socks with ears, and enough pens to last a year. AJP followed the baskets and checked the prices. “It hurts a little,” Roy Yamamoto admits, turning a coarse green towel over in his hand. “But afterward, I feel really clean.” The 43-year-old from Osaka buys Korean scrub towels every time he visits. He first saw them in a Korean TV drama, where bathhouse regulars scrubbed themselves pink and looked oddly happy about it.

AJP Focus

• US midterm lays bare Korean chipmakers' exposure to AI politics SEOUL, November 06 (AJP) - A US midterm vote half a world away hit the Seoul bourse and its biggest chipmakers hardest. Foreign investors fled, and local players are split on whether this is excess panic or a rightful correction. SK hynix tumbled 10.76 percent Friday after 9.46 percent a day earlier after sweeping Democrat win became evident. Samsung Electronics lost 6.35 percent on top of Thursday's 7.57 percent retreat. They had been hammered even before the election results on concerns
• Qualcomm's AI shift could reshape Samsung chip ties SEOUL, November 05 (AJP) - Qualcomm is redefining itself beyond the phone chips that built its name, pursuing growth in AI data centers and autonomous vehicles in a shift that could give longtime customer Samsung Electronics a larger role as a supplier. The U.S. chipmaker’s processors power Samsung’s premium Galaxy phones. Its expansion into AI infrastructure could, in turn, create demand for Samsung’s memory chips — although any new supply arrangements remain unconfirme