Korea is shopping for real estate on the moon, and its newly established space agency has its eye on some of the lunar surface’s most forbidding neighborhoods. At a recent academic symposium, the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) revealed a shortlist of prospective landing sites for two robotic missions scheduled for 2032. The agency is weighing 20 candidate zones for its flagship lunar lander and nine for a precursor soft-landing demonstration craft, signaling a decisive shift toward boots-on-the-surface ambitions for a nation long playing catch-up in deep-space exploration. Rather than sticking strictly to the lunar south pole — a crowded target for NASA’s Artemis program and rival missions seeking water ice — Korean scientists are eyeing a broader, strategically varied grid. The candidate list spans ancient impact basins, jagged basaltic plains, and deep pit craters that could house underground lava tubes. Among the standout targets for the early 2032 verification probe is Lacus Mortis, or the "Lake of Death," a pitted plain that scientists suspect holds collapsed lava tub

Hana Financial Group said Sunday it participated in the 2026 Autism Race the day before to promote public understanding of autism and foster a culture of respect and inclusion. The group has officially sponsored the annual running campaign, organized by the Autism Society of Korea, for seven consecutive years since 2020. About 100 participants, including Hana Financial Group Vice Chairman Lee Eun-hyung, employees and their families, voluntarily joined Saturday’s event, running alongside participants with autism. All registration fees paid by the group’s employees will be donated to the association to support people with autism. The campaign aims to encourage people to view differences not as barriers or grounds for discrimination, but as diversity that enriches society. “It is meaningful to join efforts to broaden understanding and respect for people with autism and build an inclusive society,” Lee said. “We will continue providing sincere attention and support so that people with autism and other members of society can grow together as respected members of our communities.” Han

Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong visited the company’s semiconductor advanced packaging technology laboratory in Japan, Sunday, pledging to continue expanding its research workforce there and develop the lab into a global R&D hub for next-generation packaging technologies. According to Samsung Electronics, Lee visited Advanced Package Lab (APL) in Yokohama and discussed with researchers the latest developments in technologies for advanced packaging materials and processes, as well as ways to strengthen cooperation with Japan's materials, parts and equipment industries. Lee stressed the importance of securing advanced packaging technologies, as they are emerging as critical for artificial intelligence (AI) processor chips. APL was established in 2023 and held its official opening ceremony in September this year. Starting in 2024, Samsung Electronics has been investing 40 billion yen ($254 million) over five years to establish its research infrastructure in Japan and strengthen its competitiveness in advanced packaging technologies. APL specializes in developing and va

Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) has recommended that shareholders vote in favor of appointing Lee Jae-keun as chairman of KB Financial Group. In its voting recommendations report obtained by The Korea Times, Sunday, the world's largest proxy advisory firm said "a vote for this resolution is warranted given the absence of any known issues concerning the nominee and the company's board dynamics." ISS also noted that KB Financial Group maintains good disclosure practices regarding committee meetings, voluntarily providing attendance records to help shareholders better assess directors' effectiveness and contributions. Most companies in Korea follow a disclosure template provided by the Korea Exchange that does not require companies to disclose committee meeting attendance records. As a result, it is common for companies to omit such information from regulatory filings, ISS added. The recommendation comes ahead of KB Financial Group's extraordinary shareholders' meeting on Nov. 20, when shareholders will vote on Lee's appointment as group chairman. If appointed, Lee will lead the gr

CJ Olive Young has expanded its Olive Better wellness retail platform to five locations, adding branches tailored to office workers and tourists as it seeks to make wellness products part of consumers’ everyday routines. The expansion comes nine months after the first store opened in Seoul’s Gwanghwamun area in January. The company added stores at Starfield Coex Mall in southern Seoul and in Seongsu in eastern Seoul both last month, adapting product selections and experiences to each neighborhood’s customers. The Coex store focuses on “office wellness,” targeting workers seeking convenient ways to maintain healthy habits during busy schedules. Healthy snacks and protein products occupy the front of the store, helping shoppers quickly find items suited to their needs. A Daily Routine Bar offers products for individual purchase, allowing customers to try wellness items during commutes or lunch breaks. The Seongsu store, which opened Friday, is the chain’s largest and emphasizes experiences for trend-conscious shoppers and foreign tourists. It includes Better Bar, a food and beve

A miniature keyboard presented by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to Samsung Group executives is drawing attention, as the device is designed not for conventional typing but specifically for vibe coding using OpenAI's Codex. The gift is being seen as a glimpse into what Altman described to the executives as OpenAI's vision for the future of computer interaction. According to OpenAI and Samsung, Altman visited a Samsung Group training center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Saturday and engaged in a fireside chat with more than 50 presidents of Samsung Electronics and other affiliates. During the event, Altman presented the Samsung executives with Codex Micro keyboards, designed to be used with Codex. Altman said the keyboard reflects the idea that people may no longer need a full keyboard in a world where they can interact with computers through voice commands and artificial intelligence (AI), adding that the device could also help users work with Codex more quickly. The Codex Micro Keyboard is a miniature keyboard released as the first hardware product under the OpenAI brand. Developed in collaborati

KB Kookmin Bank has secured the lead arranger role in a 12.6 trillion won ($9.45 billion) project to build artificial intelligence (AI) computing infrastructure in Korea, the lender said Sunday. Led by Brookfield, one of the world’s largest alternative asset managers, the project involves acquiring major high-performance computing equipment, including graphics processing units (GPUs), and supplying the infrastructure to Naver Cloud. The deal marks the largest syndicated loan arrangement in Korea’s history. Such loans allow multiple financial institutions to jointly finance a large-scale project. It is also the country’s first GPU financing deal — a departure from conventional project financing, which has typically centered on assets like real estate or power plants. Rather than relying on immediate returns, the structure uses anticipated long-term revenue from supplying AI computing capacity to support the project's substantial upfront investment needs. Of the 12.6 trillion won in total costs, roughly 10.7 trillion won will be raised through loans. As lead arranger, KB Kookmin Ba

HD Hyundai Robotics is working with Palantir Technologies to integrate artificial intelligence (AI), simulation and human engineers’ expertise into robot programming, aiming to cut programming costs by more than half. According to HD Hyundai Robotics on Sunday, Ahn Sung-hwan, the company's chief technology officer and vice president, outlined the collaboration during a keynote address at Palantir’s recent Sovereignty Bootcamp in New York. He presented his company’s strategy for applying physical AI and its vision for the technology. The collaboration focused on changing how human engineers can solve problems on factory floors. Under the two companies’ collaboration, AI agents analyze existing robot programs and propose improvements. The engineers can then refine what the AI comes up with using their practical experiences. Traditionally, skilled engineers have had to observe robots on-site and repeatedly adjust work sequences, movement paths and speeds. This reliance on individual experience has made the process difficult to standardize. HD Hyundai Robotics said the two companies

Driving along the wide boulevards of Astana during a recent trip to the Kazakh capital, signs of China’s growing commercial footprint were everywhere. Chinese cars were becoming a common sight on the streets here, as brands from BYD to Changan made aggressive inroads in a market once dominated by South Korea’s Hyundai and Kia, said the driver who picked me up from the airport in a gleaming Changan electric vehicle. But it was not the rise of Chinese tech that had brought me to this energy-rich...

As Australia’s telcos lean on Starlink, a Helsinki satellite maker says it could build a sovereign alternative here.

It is generally considered less risky for companies to first establish a robust consumer base in the country where they are based, giving them a comfort zone for operations like marketing, administration and customer service. Expanding into overseas markets would be a logical next step. Major Korean firms almost always follow this approach, building operational know-how and a strong domestic following before venturing into uncharted territories. Global expansion has become increasingly encouraging for Korean beauty and food firms thanks to their growing presence on the global stage. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Korean beauty exports hit a record $11.4 billion in 2025, up 24.5 percent from 2021. Korean food exports also reached a record in 2025 at $10.4 billion, up 21.9 percent over the same period, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The booming global trade in these industries has encouraged some small and medium-sized Korean companies to aim high from the outset, targeting international consumers rather than the domestic market. These

Top executives from key Samsung affiliates met with Open AI's co-founder and CEO Sam Altman on Saturday and discussed future strategies for artificial intelligence (AI) transformation, Samsung said. The special session took place at a Samsung human resources center in Yongin, south of Seoul, as part of a series of leadership seminars designed to advance the company's drive for AI transition, Samsung officials said. The session focused on exchanging views on the future direction of AI technology and its potential applications, as well as business opportunities arising from related sectors. In particular, they discussed how AI will reshape a company's decision-making and operations, and the capabilities required of business leaders amid a rapidly changing corporate environment, according to Samsung. Altman highlighted that gaining a competitive edge does not hinge on simply adopting the AI technology, but on how to leverage it to move faster, make better products and get ahead of competitors. Around 50 Samsung executives from its tech, finance and bio units, including its crown jewel Samsun

WASHINGTON — Korean Ambassador to the United States Kang Kyung-wha has pledged to strengthen cooperation with U.S. authorities to support bilateral investment, describing Hyundai Motor Group's latest investment in Alabama as an example of the expanding economic partnership between the two countries. Kang made the remarks Wednesday while attending a ceremony announcing Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama's plan to invest about $450 million in its Montgomery plant, according to the Korean Embassy in Washington. The ambassador highlighted Hyundai's presence in the U.S. as an "outstanding example" of how the Korea-U.S. alliance has evolved over more than seven decades, expanding beyond its security foundations into cooperation in economic security and advanced technology. Kang also said the investment would combine Korea's advanced manufacturing capabilities with America's innovation and market competitiveness, allowing the two countries to "shape the future of the automotive industry together," according to the embassy. She added that the Korean government would work closely with U.S. fed

Apple’s long-awaited artificial intelligence features will be officially launched in China in December, ending two years of regulatory uncertainty as the US tech giant seeks to bring advanced technologies to its second-largest market with the help of Alibaba Group Holding. The first batch of Apple Intelligence services will roll out to Chinese iPhone users alongside the iOS 27.3 update in December, following an open beta test with developers starting November 4, the US company said in a...

TrendForce projects that Apple could ship 5 million iPhone Duo units this year. That puts it on course to challenge Samsung’s dominance in the foldable market.

The tech giant allegedly cleared hundreds of hectares of forest before environmental checks were done.

Only the Vivo X500 and X500 Pro Max are coming to Singapore’s shores. Availability and pricing details within!

Artificial intelligence is no longer merely the driving force behind global semiconductor demand, but is also actively reinventing how chips are designed and built, industry leaders and scientists said at a major science forum in Shanghai on Friday. Chen Yunji, co-founder of AI chipmaker Cambricon Technologies, predicted that the integration between AI and chip design would eventually automate the chip design process entirely. “In the [next] 10 years, the most important development … is the RSI...

Soaring artificial intelligence revenues have failed to shield Intel, Amazon and Google’s parent company Alphabet from a brutal Wall Street sell-off, as their latest quarterly results deepened investor jitters over mounting capital spending and delayed returns. Intel plunged about 23 per cent in extended trading on Thursday, while Amazon shed 7.3 per cent. Alphabet tumbled 12.6 per cent during the regular session in its worst day on record, dragging the Nasdaq Composite down 1.4 per cent and...

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called for a global political alliance to defend rules-based trade, urging Germany and Indo-Pacific economies to strengthen economic partnerships and diversify supply chains as geopolitical tensions and intensifying U.S.-China competition reshape the global economy. Speaking at the opening of the 19th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business (APK) in Seoul on Friday, Merz proposed establishing a "global political alliance for rules-based trade" to defend and strengthen the international trading system and coordinate joint action when it comes under threat. “When supply chains become political pawns, when access to key technologies is imperiled or when efforts to secure raw materials become a projection of power rather than of fair partnership, this jeopardizes growth, prosperity and, ultimately, the security,” he said. “Countries that decouple lose security, innovative strength, prosperity and scope for action. We do not wish to withdraw but rather to expand our freedom of action.” Turning to bilateral ties, the chancellor said Germany and Korea

Goldman Sachs is seeking to acquire a controlling stake in Tmap Mobility, operator of Korea’s leading navigation app, from SK Square by the end of this year, seeing an investment opportunity in its lower valuation and vast trove of mobility data as autonomous driving advances, industry sources said Friday. For SK Square, SK Group’s investment arm and the largest shareholder of SK hynix, the sale is part of a broader strategy to focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors. The global investment bank is looking to invest between 600 billion won ($450 million) and 800 billion won to secure a 60 to 70 percent stake in Tmap Mobility. It is in talks to buy shares from SK Square, the largest shareholder with a 63.23 percent stake, as well as other financial investors, including Affirma Capital and EastBridge Partners, which each hold 9.83 percent, and KB Kookmin Bank, which owns 6.39 percent. Tmap Mobility traces its roots to a navigation service launched by SK Telecom in 2002. The telecom operator spun off its mobility business into a separate company in December 2020, and Tm

Hanwha Systems has won a contract to develop synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites for Korea's microsatellite constellation aimed at enhancing national security and disaster response capabilities, data showed Friday. The defense solutions arm of Hanwha Group was selected for the SAR satellite development project commissioned by the state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD), according to the Public Procurement Service. The microsatellite development project is a joint initiative involving the defense ministry, the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) and the Korea Coast Guard to strengthen surveillance of security threats and natural disasters on the Korean Peninsula and in surrounding waters. SAR satellites can capture images of land and sea regardless of weather conditions or time of day. Operating a constellation of small satellites allows for more frequent monitoring of specific areas and faster intelligence gathering. Hanwha Systems has previously supplied SAR sensors and data links for Korea's military reconnaissance satellites.

LIG Defense & Aerospace's (LIG D&A) overseas expansion plans could be in jeopardy, as an ongoing bribery scandal threatens to disrupt its defense development and production pipeline through a potential two-year government bidding ban. The Seoul Administrative Court will hold a hearing on Thursday to review the company's request to suspend the enforcement of a two-year restriction imposed by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). Last week, the defense authority imposed the penalty on allegations that the firm’s executives offered bribes worth hundreds of millions of won to a DAPA employee during the bidding process for a weapons development project. LIG D&A denied the allegations and has taken legal steps for a temporary suspension of the penalty, which was originally scheduled to take effect on Thursday. The suspension will remain in place until Nov. 20. The potential disruption carries significant implications for the company's business structure. Its government and public institution clients accounted for 64.5 percent, or 2.78 trillion won ($2.07 billion), of LIG D&A

Volkswagen’s Atlas is positioning itself as a family-oriented large SUV, combining child seat-friendly design, spacious seating and advanced safety features. The model has earned recognition in the United States for its child seat installation convenience and crash protection, reinforcing its appeal to families with young children. Produced more than 1 million times in North America over the past nine years, the Atlas has established itself as one of Volkswagen’s flagship models in the U.S. market. It was also introduced in Korea last year, offering a spacious six- or seven-seat configuration. One of its key strengths is its ability to accommodate multiple child seats. The seven-seat version can fit three child seats in the second row, while the third row can accommodate two additional seats using seat belts and anchor points. The Atlas was named a Top Finisher in Cars.com's 2026 Best Cars for Car Seats evaluation. It received an A grade in nearly all installation categories, with the second-row booster seat installation receiving a B. Its second-row seats can also tilt forward witho

Kia has achieved solid earnings growth in the third quarter, supported by rising sales of hybrids, electric vehicles (EVs) and popular SUV models across major markets, the carmaker said Friday in a regulatory filing. The carmaker said its operating profit between July and September jumped 24.3 percent to 1.82 trillion won ($1.36 billion). Sales also increased 10.2 percent to 31.6 percent during the same period. The automaker's earnings growth was driven by its diversified electrification strategy, as it helped sustain growth despite weakening global auto demand, Kia said. Global vehicle sales rose 7.9 percent to 847,355 vehicles in the third quarter on balanced sales growth of its hybrids, EVs and SUV models. Kia's SUV lineup, including the Sportage, Carnival and newly introduced Telluride Hybrid, helped drive sales in the United States, where retail sales rose 7.8 percent to approximately 234,000 units. The automaker's U.S. market share reached a quarterly record of 5.8 percent. Hybrid sales in the U.S. surged 118 percent to 69,000 vehicles, significantly outpacing the market's 27 percen

The Seoul AI Foundation has signed an agreement with the state-run Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement (KIRIA) to develop joint projects that combine artificial intelligence and robotics to address the city’s needs, the foundation said Friday. The memorandum of understanding was signed Oct. 7 at Smart Life Week 2026, an artificial intelligence (AI) and smart city exhibition hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government at Coex in southern Seoul. Seoul AI Foundation Chairman Kim Man-gi and KIRIA President Cho Young-hoon attended the signing. The Seoul AI Foundation is a city-funded body that develops AI policies and services for Seoul. KIRIA operates under the industry ministry to promote the country’s robot industry. The agreement comes as AI expands into what is known as physical AI, in which AI systems control robots and other machines that operate in the real world. Under the agreement, the two organizations will share information and experts on AI and robot policy, technology and industry. They will also identify and carry out joint projects and cooperate on exhibitions,

Hyundai Motor Group said Friday it will set up two special purpose companies next month to build and operate an artificial intelligence (AI) data center in Saemangeum — a massive reclaimed coastal zone in southwestern Korea — accelerating its 9 trillion won ($6.3 billion) plan to turn the area into an advanced tech hub. Situated in North Jeolla Province roughly 200 kilometers south of Seoul, Saemangeum is a vast, government-backed development area created by damming tidal flats to claim new land from the sea. Long slated for economic transformation, the coastal territory is being developed as a strategic enclave for high-tech industry, green energy and tourism. Five affiliates — Hyundai Motor, Kia, Hyundai Mobis, Hyundai Engineering & Construction and Hyundai AutoEver — have made final decisions to invest in the data center, the group said. Hyundai AutoEver, the group’s information technology and software affiliate, approved its participation through a board resolution. One of the new companies will build the hyperscale data center and its infrastructure. The other will buy hi

Samsung Electronics and Korea Gas Safety Corp. have agreed to tighten safety controls at semiconductor facilities in Korea and overseas, seeking to prevent gas-related accidents and protect production continuity as the country's chip industry expands. The two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding Thursday at Samsung's Pyeongtaek campus, focusing on strengthening gas safety infrastructure at facilities designated as nationally critical semiconductor sites. The agreement calls for closer technical cooperation to stabilize newly built facilities, including inspections of pipeline integrity and verification that gas installations meet safety requirements. Under the partnership, the organizations will conduct regular inspections of facilities and pipelines at new sites, provide training to develop specialized safety personnel and share technical information on gas safety. They also plan to jointly identify regulatory obstacles affecting semiconductor operations and explore ways to improve relevant rules. Another key element involves conducting joint special inspections of gas faci

Growing volatility in the Korean stock market is prompting investors' attention to U.S. dividend-paying stocks, with some seeking regular income rather than relying solely on stock price gains, market watchers said Friday. One option is the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, which tracks 100 U.S. companies selected for their dividend records and financial strength. To qualify, companies must have paid dividends for at least 10 consecutive years. They are also assessed on their five-year dividend growth, return on equity and debt relative to cash flow. The index includes companies from a range of industries, including energy, consumer staples and health care. In Korea, Mirae Asset Global Investments' TIGER U.S. Dividend Dow Jones exchange-traded fund (ETF) had 4.56 trillion won ($3.41 billion) in net assets as of Thursday, making it the largest locally listed ETF tracking the index, according to the asset manager. Some asset managers are taking the strategy a step further by combining dividend-paying stocks with covered-call options, a strategy in which an investor sells call options on s

SK Group conducted its annual executive reshuffle Friday, retaining the CEOs of major affiliates, including record-setting SK hynix, while reshuffling management at its energy-related units. Having replaced numerous affiliate CEOs last year, the group focused this time on maintaining leadership stability while promoting executives with specialized expertise to enhance business competitiveness. SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung, who has led the company since March 2022, will retain his post. SK Group's holding company, SK Inc., also retained CEO Jang Yong-ho. However, Jang will step down as CEO of SK Innovation, a position he had held concurrently, to focus on leading the holding company. SK Inc. promoted Kim Sun-hyuk, head of strategy at SKC, to president overseeing portfolio management as part of efforts to accelerate the group's portfolio restructuring. In the energy and chemicals sector, the group appointed executives with expertise in managing external risks and developing new businesses to key leadership positions. SK Innovation named Cheong Seung-il, president in charge of future growth at