• Washington's silence leaves Seoul fretting over first U.S. investment pick SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - Now it is Seoul’s turn to fret and wait. Washington which had openly pressed Seoul to move faster on its $350 billion investment package has gone quiet since South Korea announced its first proposed project, fueling speculation over the delay.
• DMZ blast probe slows due to mine-like objects SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - South Korean troops reported seeing what appeared to be wooden-box mines near the site of last week's explosion inside the Demilitarized Zone, the military said Monday.
• Samsung DX union elects new chief, sets sights on joint bargaining SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - A union representing workers in Samsung Electronics' Device eXperience (DX) division has elected a new chairman, with its incoming leadership set to push for joint wage bargaining with the company's Device Solutions (DS) division.
• South Korea secures final victory in Schindler ISDS case SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - South Korea’s victory in an investor-state dispute settlement case brought by Schindler Holding AG has finalized as the Swiss elevator company has not challenged the ruling within the legal deadline, the Justice Ministry said Monday.
• Finance minister, BOK chief pledge closer policy coordination SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) — South Korea’s finance minister and central bank governor agreed Monday to strengthen policy coordination and joint market monitoring as rising global bond yields, geopolitical risks and tighter cross-market linkages increase uncertainty.
• Korea's Q2 corporate card spending hit record amid chip boom SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) — South Korea's corporate credit card spending topped 60 trillion won ($45.4 billion) for the first time in the second quarter, rising 10.6 percent from a year earlier in line with a surge in corporate earnings from chip boom, central bank data showed.

AJP Briefing>

• Seoul's main index opens post-Chuseok session below 7,000 SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) -The South Korean bourse reopened after last week’s Chuseok holiday in a deeply sour mood, as foreign and institutional investors engaged in a panic-selling spree mostly targeting top chip stocks amid a global bond sell-off. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 2.7 percent to close below 7,000 for the first time in four sessions. Samsung Electronics lost 5.4 percent and SK hynix 5.1 percent, and foreign investors sold a net 3.23 trillion won ($2.4
• South Korea at 12th in global AI use ranking SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - South Korea's generative AI adoption rate reached 40.6 percent in June, lifting the country to 12th place globally from 25th a year earlier, Microsoft said Monday. The share was up 3.5 percentage points from the first quarter, according to Microsoft AI Economy Institute's latest Global AI Diffusion Report. Korea's adoption rate stood at 25.9 percent a year earlier, meaning it rose 14.7 percentage points over the past 12 months. Microsoft said Korea post

AJP ScaleUP

• NEX-I files for KOSDAQ IPO to raise up to 65 billion won SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - South Korean cancer drug developer NEX-I has submitted a regulatory filing for a KOSDAQ listing, seeking to raise up to 65 billion won ($47.8 million) through an initial public offering (IPO). The company plans to offer 5 million shares at a proposed price range of 10,500 won to 13,000 won apiece, putting the total offering at between 52.5 billion won and 65 billion won. Korea Investment & Securities is the lead underwriter. Founded in 2021, NEX-I develops antib
• Wiseplanet jumps nearly fourfold on KOSDAQ debut SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - South Korean consumer brand company Wiseplanet Company surged more than 270 percent on its first day of trading on the KOSDAQ Wednesday, after strong demand from institutional and retail investors ahead of its listing. Shares traded at 45,150 won ($33.2) as of 4:55 p.m., up 276.25 percent from the initial public offering price of 12,000 won. The stock opened at 42,750 won and rose as high as 48,000 won during the session before paring some gains. Wiseplanet had earl

ASIA Insight

• When history becomes a movie, what do viewers believe? SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - A South Korean title has returned to the top of the box-office rankings after a lengthy run by “Odyssey” and could become a social hot potato. “The Assassin(s),” directed by Hur Jin-ho, drew about 1.41 million moviegoers during the four-day holiday from Sept. 24 to 27. Its cumulative audience reached 1.57 million by Sunday. The reviews told a more complicated story. Early Monday, the film held a 92 percent CGV Egg Index and an 8.6 by Joonha Yoo
• What's in a face? In Korea, seemingly a lot SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) -A gifted physiognomist played by Song Kang-ho sits at the center of the 2013 Korean film The Face Reader, able to divine a person's character and destiny simply by looking at a face. His gift eventually draws him into a struggle over the Joseon throne. After studying the face of Prince Suyang, he sees the makings of a ruthless usurper. His judgment proves accurate. But knowing what is coming does not mean he can stop it. Despite his efforts to protect the young K by Kim Hee-su

AJP Watch

• Why buy when you can subscribe to the whole living room? SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - Wedding season has long been a peak period for South Korea’s white-goods makers since couples traditionally purchase their first major appliances with money from their dowries or savings. But as consumer habits change, manufacturers are trying to build relationships that extend beyond the initial sale. “I think this may be a first — holding a media event solely for a service, without a product,” Lim Sung-taek, vice president and head of Samsu
• For Gen Z, adulthood comes in small treats SEOUL, September 22 (AJP) - Once a week, a 28-year-old nurse working at a small hospital in central Seoul walks into a gift shop in Jongno-gu and buys herself something small. It has become a ritual since she changed jobs two years ago. She does not drink or have particularly expensive hobbies. After rent, student loan payments, food, transportation and her phone bill, she says there is little left to save. The life she once imagined for 28 looked very different. “When I moved from Nort

AJP Focus

• South Korea's unequal starting lines for love and connection SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - Young South Koreans are becoming more homebound and even reclusive, and a new study points to an educational divide in their social connections in a society still heavily preoccupied with university diplomas. Young adults without a four-year university education and those from outside Seoul showed weaker social connections across several measures, according to a National Assembly Futures Institute (NAFI) study based on a nationwide survey of 5,185 people aged 19 to 3
• AI giants go straight to memory makers SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - The artificial intelligence boom is beginning to reshape not only how memory chips are used, but who buys them. OpenAI and Anthropic are expected to begin purchasing memory directly from manufacturers in 2027 as leading AI developers take greater control over the chips and data centers that power their models, according to an industry report. The shift could create a new class of direct customers for Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, which have traditionally supplie