Korea doubles US rare earth imports to counter China quotas
Inbound deliveries of American rare earth oxides reached $19.06 million as manufacturers diversify magnet feedstocks, though midstream bottlenecks keep domestic processing costs elevated.
South Korea
All coverageSemiconductors, batteries, shipbuilding and defense — and the industrial policy behind them.
Samsung SDI buys GM stake in Indiana battery venture for ESS
The Korean cell maker will absorb General Motors' 49.99% stake in the 27 GWh facility and tap 4.45 trillion won from an affiliate…
DeepSeek cuts AI memory use 75%, rattling global chipmakers
The Chinese startup compressed key-value cache memory in its DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash model, erasing up to 3.5% of market value at…
Korea expands critical mineral refining pact with Uzbekistan
Seoul prepares to sign downstream smelting agreements during bilateral talks Sept.
Asyad Shipping orders two MR product tankers at HD Hyundai
The $103.6 million contract expands an eight-vessel building program at the South Korean shipyard, backed by five-year time…
HD Hyundai Robotics backs sensor maker AIDIN in $12M round
The 16 billion won financing funds five-fingered robotic hands and surface-treatment tools to replace manual labor across…
OpenAI denies Samsung foundry deal for custom AI processors
A clarification follows Seoul executive remarks on joint chip work, keeping TSMC as primary fabricator while preserving Samsung…
Hyundai, LG Energy launch used battery storage pilot for EVs
A five-company alliance will deploy 200-kilowatt-hour systems repurposed from E-GMP vehicles to buffer grid demand during peak…
SK hynix and foundries advance hybrid bonding for AI silicon in 2027
TSMC tasks Asian suppliers with developing five-micrometer microbumps while Samsung and SK hynix prepare direct copper…
KOGAS Plans LNG Carrier Tender to Test Domestic Tank Design
The planned 174,000-cubic-meter vessel would test KC-2 cargo containment systems on deep-sea routes to curb 20 billion won…
HD Hyundai Heavy commits 1.07 trillion won to power engines
The South Korean shipbuilder will construct a 3-gigawatt onshore engine plant and an SMR component line in Ulsan to supply…
Doosan Robotics targets 2028 humanoid trials on factory lines
The South Korean cobot builder aims to deploy worker-mimicking humanoid prototypes in 2028, combining proprietary torque sensors…
Korea Customs finds $410 million tariff-rate quota abuse across 10 firms
The agency will tighten declaration deadlines and surcharge caps after 10 food importers evaded 58.6 billion won in taxes by…
HMM confirms no new tanker order with HD Hyundai on Sept. 9Members
The South Korean ocean carrier continues to await four MR tankers ordered in 2024 for $104 million, while directing fresh capital…
Axcelis Invests $35 Million in South Korea Equipment Plant
The Massachusetts-based toolmaker will construct a 200,000-square-foot facility in Pyeongtaek to supply ion implanters directly…
Samsung Medical Center tests dual humanoid surgical robots
The 13.84 billion won state project deploys two collaborative machines alongside a human lead surgeon in a simulated operating…
Korea and France sign nuclear fuel and strategic tech pact
The bilateral agreements secure Western uranium enrichment for Korean reactors, establish high-level civil nuclear talks and back…
Samsung SDS develops robot orchestration platform for 2027
The IT services unit formed the Team REX alliance with 10 hardware makers to automate 1,000 internal lines and link legacy…
HD Hyundai widens Philippine naval pact at Subic shipyard
The South Korean shipbuilder discussed maintenance operations and follow-on frigate orders in Seoul, using its Subic yard after…
Samsung opens Yokohama chip packaging lab to rival TSMC lead
The $280 million research site secures Japanese state subsidies to integrate domestic materials suppliers into Samsung's backend…
Samsung develops humanoid robot prototype before 2027 debut
The South Korean technology company coordinates robot hardware and software under a unified division while preparing factory…
HD Hyundai Electric holds top US transformer market share at $8.5B
South Korean power equipment supplier retains its leading position in North America as AI data center grid bottlenecks push its…
Samsung deploys TSMC-tested photonics probers for CPO push
The South Korean chipmaker deployed FormFactor and MPI probe stations to inspect optical wafers internally, aligning with TSMC…
LG Energy Solution curbs gas in LMR cells for 2028 vehicles
Tests on 40-ampere-hour vehicle cells showed 92.2% energy retention after 883 cycles by adjusting operating voltages and lowering…
Semiconductors
More →
SK Hynix, Micron Shares Fall as Chip Sell-Off Hits Korea Market
A broad decline in Korean chip stocks on Oct. 13 dragged SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics lower, tracking losses in Micron shares…
Samsung backs chip suppliers as fab output rises in KoreaMembers
A 78.9 billion won incentive fund and free test wafers target domestic parts vendors as rising run rates test supplier balance…
SK hynix honors Onto Innovation for advanced HBM inspection
The US toolmaker was the sole supplier recognized for technology achievement after deploying its Dragonfly G5 system to catch…
Batteries & EV
More →
SK On Cuts Jobs at Stanton, Tennessee Battery Plant Amid Slower EV Demand
SK On trimmed staffing at its Stanton, Tennessee battery plant on Oct.
LG Energy Solution tests sodium batteries for US power grids
The South Korean cell maker plans a 30-megawatt-hour sample verification by early 2027, converting Ochang lines to counter…
POSCO Future M plans domestic LFP precursor supply by 2029
The battery materials maker is using steelmaking waste acid to forge non-Chinese lithium iron phosphate cathode inputs after…
Robotics
More →
HD Hyundai Offers Welding Robots to U.S. Naval Shipbuilders
The South Korean shipbuilder expanded its American robotics push on Oct.
Rainbow Robotics files US waiver to bypass robot import ban
The South Korean firm sought conditional approval after the FCC blocked equipment authorisations, halting American deliveries of…
Doosan Robotics and DEEPX develop AI nuclear welding robotsMembers
A 45-month South Korean state project targets a 50% cut in multi-layer cycle time at Doosan Enerbility, countering a severe…
Shipbuilding
More →
Hanwha Ocean Sets Up Dedicated Nuclear Submarine Development UnitMembers
The shipbuilder created the organizational unit on Oct. 13, a step that follows months of talks on US-Korea naval cooperation…
HD Hyundai and Siemens launch Busan digital shipyard center
The Global Marine Center deploys 50 engineers to test virtual shipyard tools, aiming to cut vessel construction time by 30% by…
HD Hyundai Marine Solution buys Goltens for $247.5 millionMembers
The South Korean firm acquired the repair specialist to secure 28 global hubs for green ship retrofits and service data center…
Energy & Minerals
More →
Gaon Cable builds US nuclear wire lines in North Carolina
The South Korean supplier will equip its Tarboro factory for reactor circuits, expanding beyond a $50 million distribution cable…
LS Cable backs Korea Future Materials in $15M US copper push
The South Korean wiremaker is taking up 40 million new shares to finance a recycling plant near LS GreenLink in Virginia, raising…
HD Construction Equipment wins $286M data center engine deal
The South Korean machinery group will supply 22-liter natural gas engine blocks to Enchanted Rock through 2028 to power North…
Trade & Policy
More →
Seoul Creates Chip Policy Office to Speed Up 800 Trillion Won Push
The new unit is meant to cut approval times for subsidies and permits tied to Korea's semiconductor investment plans, though its…
Commerce locks in Korean steel duties as mills press quota review
Countervailing rates of up to 3.68% land on Seoul producers as U.S.
Korea rejects Russia fuel breach claims as port checks widen
Trade authorities confirmed refined petroleum falls outside current export controls after reports alleged 176,000 tonnes moved…
Analysis
More →
Strong Won Cuts Samsung and SK hynix Profit Views by 21T WonMembers
A rapid 10.4% won appreciation wiped 21 trillion won off combined 2026 operating profit estimates for South Korea's top memory…