South Korea

Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings conducted a media tour in August of the facilities for releasing wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
International relations

China, South Korea response muted after 2nd Fukushima water release

But Beijing and Hong Kong no closer to lifting seafood bans over 'contamination'

6 October 2023
Kim Jong Un watches a naval vessel test-fire a cruise missile. (KCNA via Kyodo)
Aerospace & Defense Industries

North Korean hackers target South Korea's shipbuilding tech

Seoul detects new cyberattacks amid Kim Jong Un's push for stronger navy

6 October 2023
Korean Air Lines is resuming service to smaller Japanese cities like Kagoshima, Okayama and Niigata. (Photo courtesy of Korean Air Lines)
Travel & Leisure

South Korean airlines restart flights to Japan's regional airports

More travelers visit Japanese countryside, benefiting from weak yen

6 October 2023
Set 10 years after reunification, "2035" follows a crew of journalists as they travel the country interviewing people. (Photo courtesy of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival)
Arts

Korean reunification becomes horror-comedy film plot

Park Jae-in's mockumentary "2035" aims to make audiences shudder and giggle

30 September 2023
Hanwha Ocean looks to expand its warship business under the umbrella of defense contractor Hanwha. (Photo courtesy of Hanwha Ocean)
Engineering & Construction

Hanwha Ocean hones in on warships for long-awaited turnaround

Former Daewoo Shipbuilding invests in growth with $1.5bn capital increase

28 September 2023
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the opposition Democratic Party of Korea, said he was "grateful" after a district court rejected his warrant. (Yonhap via Kyodo)
Politics

South Korean opposition rallies behind leader amid legal drama

Lee Jae-myung's arrest warrant thrown out, giving party momentum ahead of 2024 vote

28 September 2023
The U.S. Federal Reserve maintains hawkish rhetoric, raising the prospects of further interest rate hikes and widening the rate differentials between U.S. and Asian economies.
Currencies

Asian currencies hit new 2023 lows as economic growth struggles

Fed's higher-for-longer stance weighs increasingly on Asian markets

27 September 2023
Indie game creators showcase their titles at the Tokyo Game Show in late September. (Photo by Ryohtaroh Satoh)
Media & Entertainment

TikTok targets Asia's red-hot video game market to boost ad revenue

ByteDance-owned platform says it can help smaller studios reach more players

27 September 2023
The wife of the chairman of SK Group, which owns chipmaking giant SK Hynix, is going after half his stake in the company in an explosive divorce. 
The Big Story

SK Group's divorce drama forces courts to weigh breaking up chaebol

South Korea's 'wedding of the century' allied her political dynasty with his family conglomerate. Now she wants her share.

27 September 2023
Tanks drive along a street during a military parade in Seoul on Sept. 26. (Photo by Ahn Seong-bok) 
Defense

South Korea shows off military hardware in display of might

Swaggering parade of weaponry comes as Seoul rises as an arms exporter

26 September 2023
South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Byung-won, center, Japanese Senior Deputy Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi, left, and Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Nong Rong pose for a photo in Seoul on Sept. 26 before meeting to discuss three-way cooperation and explore resuming a long-stalled summit of their leaders. 
International relations

China, Japan, South Korea agree to hold trilateral summit

Leaders meeting could provide opportunity to address trade, security concerns

26 September 2023
South Korea's LCD industry is shrinking as panel makers like LG Display change course. (Photo courtesy of LG Display)
Electronics

LG Chem to bow out of LCD films as panel makers pivot

Squeezed by Chinese competition, South Korean company focuses on battery materials

25 September 2023
A Chinese-built high-speed train at Tegalluar train depot in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia.
Your Week in Asia

Japan-China-South Korea meet, Vietnam GDP, Indonesia's train

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

24 September 2023
South Korea's Lotte has opened its new mall complex at West Lake Hanoi, offering retail, cinema and an aquarium. (Photo by Yuji Nitta)
Retail

South Korea's Lotte opens Hanoi mall in Vietnam investment drive

Conglomerate turns focus to Southeast Asia nation after China debacle

22 September 2023
Questions over the future of Lisa, above, a Thai member of South Korean K-Pop group Blackpink, and other members are weighing on YG Entertainment's shares.
Media & Entertainment

South Korea's YG Entertainment hit by Blackpink uncertainty

Agency's shares sink on talk of departure by Thai member Lisa, others

22 September 2023
Lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party ask leader Lee Jae-myung to stop his hunger strike at his office at the National Assembly in Seoul on Sept. 15, the 16th day of his fast. (Yonhap/pool via EPA/Jiji)
Politics

South Korean lawmakers vote to arrest opposition leader, oust PM

Conflict between parties reflects fissures over country's direction

21 September 2023
SM Entertainment, a leading South Korean entertainment agency, is one company that has been subjected to vocal shareholders.
Markets

Activist investors twist arms of underperforming South Korean firms

Stakeholders cite weak price-to-book ratios, want better governance and dividends

17 September 2023
 Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok of T1 competes at the League of Legends World Championship Groups Stage on Oct. 9, 2022 in New York City. 
Sports

South Korean esports star can skip draft with Asia Games gold

Controversy erupts as gamers able to skip duty as BTS members perform military service

16 September 2023
Japanese startup SkyDrive looks to develop its flying car in time for the  2025 World Expo in Osaka. (Photo courtesy of SkyDrive)
Startups

Japan's SkyDrive lands flying car pre-order from South Korea

Delivery of up to 50 cars to aircraft lessor Solyu set for as early as 2026

16 September 2023
A worker adjusts Hyundai's badge on a vehicle at the automaker's plant in India. (Photo courtesy of Hyundai Motor)
Business trends

Hyundai, Samsung develop India bases for Middle East, Africa exports

Governmental cooperation to set up local supply chain provides tailwind

14 September 2023
South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup has expressed his intent to step down, looking to avoid an impeachment process.
Politics

South Korea defense chief says he'll resign over probe of dead marine

Opposition looks to impeach minister, alleging interference in investigation

13 September 2023
A currency trader watches market movement at KEB Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul on Sept. 7, 2023. The tech-focused Kosdaq has jumped more than 35% so far this year.
Markets

South Korean retail investors eye 'meme' stocks for high returns

Financial regulator, experts, warn of risks from rumor-fueled volatility

12 September 2023
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stressed the importance of ideology at a People Power Party gathering on Aug. 28.
Comment

Fighting words by South Korea's Yoon stoke fears of blowback

Political battle in Seoul casts shadow over thaw with Tokyo

12 September 2023
SK Hynix is one of South Korea's biggest chipmakers and a major player in the global memory chip market.
Huawei crackdown

SK Hynix investigating use of its chips in Huawei's new phone

South Korea chipmaker says it stopped supplying Chinese company due to U.S. curbs

8 September 2023
South Korea has joined a rising tide of foreign issuers in Japan's yen bond market.
Bonds

South Korea to raise $475m in samurai bond debut

Warming relations and low interest rates set stage for offering

8 September 2023