NCSoft to acquire 70% stake in German game developer JustPlay for W301.6b

NCSoft, a major South Korean gamemaker, said Tuesday it will acquire a 70 percent stake in Germany-based game developer JustPlay GmbH for 301.6 billion won ($204.8 million) as part of its push to expand its mobile casual game business. The deal is expected to close on April 30, after which NCSoft will hold the controlling stake in the German company, according to the company in a regulatory filing. Headquartered in Berlin, JustPlay operates a reward-based mobile gaming platform, along with its o

March 10, 2026

Samsung Electronics spends W37.7tr won in R&D in 2025

Samsung Electronics Co. said Tuesday it spent a record 37.7 trillion won ($25.6 billion) on research and development in 2025 as part of its push to gain an early lead in the global race for next-generation artificial intelligence chips. The amount represented a 7.8 percent increase from the previous year's 35 trillion won, the company said in an annual business report. Samsung Electronics said the massive investment was part of the company's strategy to preemptively cope with booming demand for

March 10, 2026

SK Inc. to retire record W4.8tr in treasury shares

SK Inc., the holding company of SK Group, said Tuesday it will retire about 4.8 trillion won ($3.27 billion) of treasury shares, marking the largest share retirement ever undertaken by a domestic holding firm. The board approved a plan to retire 14.69 million treasury shares out of the 17.98 million shares currently held by the company, excluding 3.29 million shares reserved for employee compensation. The retirement represents roughly 20 percent of SK Inc.’s outstanding shares and, based on curr

March 10, 2026

Seoul shares rebound more than 5% on eased Iran woes; won sharply up

South Korean stocks rebounded more than 5 percent Tuesday after suffering a sharp decline the previous session, as investors hunted bargains amid eased concerns over the US-Iran conflict. The local currency gained sharply against the greenback. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index moved up 280.72 points, or 5.35 percent, to close at 5,532.59. Trade volume was heavy at 913 million shares worth 28.4 trillion won ($19 billion), with gainers far outpacing losers 753 to 146. Individual investors sol

March 10, 2026

Korea has five years to act on AI gap with China: KAIST professor

As China accelerates its advance in foundation models, South Korea is not far behind in frontier model performance, according to Shin Jin-woo, ICT endowed chair professor at the Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI at KAIST. But performance is not the real issue. “The technology gap is often exaggerated,” Shin said in a recent interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul. “Based on the time required to absorb and reproduce publicly released technologies, the difference is closer to half a year.” Becaus

March 10, 2026

After DeepSeek: China shifts from breakthrough to AI scale

One year after DeepSeek unsettled the global AI landscape and signaled that China had narrowed the gap with the US in generative artificial intelligence, the question is no longer whether China can compete. It is whether China is beginning to define the architecture of the next AI order. “The difference between adopting AI and defining its architecture is huge,” said Ahn Jun-mo, a professor of public administration at Korea University. “Countries that set the standards have the power to shape ec

March 10, 2026

Kospi rebounds as oil prices fall on hopes of early end to war

South Korea’s benchmark Kospi surged over 5 percent Tuesday, rebounding from the previous day’s steep sell-off as hopes for an early end to the conflict in the Middle East lifted global markets. After US President Donald Trump said Monday that the war with Iran was “very complete,” oil prices fell below $90 per barrel, helping drive a recovery in equities worldwide, including in Korea. The Kospi reclaimed the 5,500 mark, closing the session at 5,532.59, up 5.35 percent from the previous session.

March 10, 2026

ISS backs Korea Zinc board nominees ahead of key vote

Global proxy adviser Institutional Shareholder Services threw its support behind the proposal by Korea Zinc's incumbent board to nominate five directors ahead of a general shareholders' meeting, as the company's standoff with major shareholder Young Poong and MBK Partners continues to escalate. The ISS recommendation arrives roughly two weeks ahead of the March 24 annual shareholders' meeting, at which investors in the world's largest zinc smelter will vote on competing board nominations put for

March 10, 2026

US investors drop Section 301 petition over Coupang probe

Two US investors in Coupang — Greenoaks and Altimeter — have withdrawn their petition urging the United States Trade Representative to investigate the South Korean government’s handling of the e-commerce platform following a massive data breach in November last year. The investors filed the petition in January under Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974, a law used to address unfair trade practices by foreign governments. “Over the last several weeks, we have had constructive discussions with

March 10, 2026

Korean AI chip startups ramp up hiring as new processors near launch

South Korea’s leading AI chip startups are sharply expanding their workforces as the sector enters a critical phase: commercializing next-generation processors designed to run artificial intelligence services. Industry sources and data from Korean startup investment database TheVC show that four prominent Korean AI fabless firms — Rebellions, DeepX, Mobilint and FuriosaAI — have significantly increased headcount over the past year as their latest chips move toward initial mass production or cust

March 10, 2026

SK hynix unveils world’s first 1c-based LPDDR6 chip

SK hynix said Tuesday it has developed a next-generation 16-gigabit LPDDR6 DRAM built on its 10-nanometer-class sixth-generation 1c process, designed to support on-device artificial intelligence in mobile devices. LPDDR, or low-power double data rate memory, is widely used in smartphones and tablets because it operates at a lower voltage to reduce power consumption. The company recently completed what it said was the world’s first certification for a 1c-based LPDDR6 product after unveiling the c

March 10, 2026

Stablecoins can cut costs of cross-border payments: Woori Financial digital chief

Woori Financial Group is exploring global partnerships to expand stablecoin-based cross-border payments as the government moves toward regulating digital assets. “Companies with overseas subsidiaries constantly need to send money abroad,” Ok Il-jin, executive vice president of digital innovation at Woori Financial, said in an interview with Herald Business in Seoul. “Stablecoins can significantly shorten settlement times and reduce transaction costs.” The group is reviewing ways to integrate sta

March 10, 2026

Korea Zinc to showcase strategic minerals at InterBattery

Korea Zinc said Tuesday it will highlight its role in strengthening Korea’s resource security by producing strategic minerals essential for advanced industries — including batteries, semiconductors and defense — at InterBattery 2026. Having participated in the exhibition for five consecutive years since 2022, the company plans to showcase its 52 years of technological expertise as one of the world’s leading non-ferrous metals smelters, presenting a broad portfolio spanning battery materials and

March 10, 2026

LG CNS takes stake in Silicon Valley robot startup Dexmate

LG CNS has taken a stake in Silicon Valley robotics startup Dexmate as the Korean technology services company moves to deploy humanoid robots in industrial workplaces such as warehouses and factories. The investment, announced Tuesday, was made through LG Technology Ventures, the venture capital arm of LG Group. Financial terms were not disclosed. Dexmate, based in Santa Clara, California, develops mobile humanoid robots designed for logistics and manufacturing environments. According to LG CNS,

March 10, 2026

Hyundai Mobis expands Mercedes-Benz partnership with Hungary facility

Hyundai Mobis said Tuesday its newly operational plant in Hungary will supply chassis modules to Mercedes-Benz, expanding their partnership beyond North America. Located in Kecskemet in central Hungary, the facility is Hyundai Mobis’ first European production base dedicated to global customers outside Hyundai Motor Group. It is the company’s fourth manufacturing site in the region after plants in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Turkey. The Hungary plant will mass-produce chassis modules for ele

March 10, 2026