Kyochon expands China footprint with new Wuxi store

Korean fried chicken chain Kyochon F&B said Friday it has opened a new store in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, as the company steps up its expansion in the Chinese market. According to Kyochon, the newest Chinese foothold offers access to both local residents and visitors in an area where tourism and commercial activity overlap, as Wuxi is frequently visited alongside Shanghai with high-speed rail services connecting the two cities in less than an hour. The 79-square-meter store will present Kyochon Ch

Oct. 2, 2026

Boston Dynamics gives Atlas humanoid new four-finger hand for complex industrial tasks

Boston Dynamics, the robotics arm of Hyundai Motor Group, unveiled a robot hand with four fingers on Thursday. The hand was developed to help its humanoid robot Atlas perform continuous and complex tasks. Humanoid robots are expected to work in spaces and use tools designed for humans, making versatility and flexibility important. Robotic hands are a key component in the capability. The new hand has 13 degrees of freedom across four fingers, with four in the thumb and three in each of the other

Oct. 2, 2026

Hyundai rolls out all-new Tucson in New York

Hyundai Motor unveiled the all-new Tucson in New York on Thursday, aiming to bolster its global market position with a bestselling compact SUV that now features bold styling, an upgraded hybrid system and artificial intelligence-powered infotainment. The South Korean carmaker held the world premiere of the fifth-generation Tucson, marking its first full redesign in six years, for global media and influencers. "Millions of families around the world count on the Hyundai Tucson, and this is the bes

Oct. 2, 2026

HD Hyundai Heavy secures Taean offshore substation contract

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has secured a contract to build an offshore substation for the Taean offshore wind farm, expanding its presence in the renewable energy sector. The company signed the deal Friday with Taean Wind Power for engineering, procurement, manufacturing, installation and commissioning. The signing ceremony was attended by Won Kwang-shik, head of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Offshore Energy Business Division, and Clement Helbig de Balzac, CEO of the Taean Wind Power project. Ta

Oct. 2, 2026

Seoul stocks open lower despite US gains

South Korean stocks opened mildly lower Friday, despite overnight gains on Wall Street. After opening 0.47 percent lower, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 10.17 points, or 0.15 percent, to 6,961.18 as of 9:15 a.m. Overnight, US stocks finished modestly higher as benchmark Treasury yields eased from fresh multi-decade highs, although gains were capped by rising crude oil prices. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.04 percent, while the benchmark S&P 500 gained 0.19 percent

Oct. 2, 2026

Some 25,000 customers' info leaked from Shinhan Bank in apparent AI agent-assisted hacking

Personal information of around 25,000 customers has been leaked from Shinhan Bank, the lender said Thursday, prompting the financial watchdog to conduct an on-site inspection. According to the bank, loan borrowing by customers, their annual income, names and phone numbers were leaked on Wednesday via hacking. Shinhan said it took emergency steps to minimize potential damage from the leak. Sources said the hackers, currently suspected to be based overseas, utilized advanced artificial intelligenc

Oct. 1, 2026

Seoul stocks rise nearly 2% to end 3-day losing streak on chip gains

South Korean shares rose nearly 2 percent on Thursday, snapping a three-session losing streak, as institutional investors scooped up major chip shares. The Korean won weakened against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 133.31 points, or 1.95 percent, to close at 6,917.35. The index opened lower as investors digested a series of negative factors, including persistent pressure from elevated US Treasury yields, but pared its losses as chip stocks gained. Overnight

Oct. 1, 2026

Samsung Life-backed Hayfin opens Seoul office

Hayfin Capital Management opened a Seoul office on Thursday to deepen ties with Korean institutional investors and expand its investments in the country, particularly in maritime finance. The European alternative asset manager, which oversees 40 billion euros ($45 billion), has appointed Chris Choi, former head of private equity, Asia-Pacific at UBS Asset Management, to lead the office. It manages nearly 1 billion euros on behalf of Korean investors. “Hayfin has been investing on behalf of Korea

Oct. 1, 2026

Texas power project puts Korean battery makers in spotlight

South Korean battery makers could find fresh opportunities in the US energy storage market as Seoul's decision to invest in a multibillion-dollar gas-fired power complex in Texas underscores growing demand for reliable electricity to power artificial intelligence data centers. On Wednesday (US time), US President Donald Trump announced plans for South Korea to invest $200 billion in US projects under Seoul’s broader $350 billion strategic investment package agreed as part of a trade deal with Wa

Oct. 1, 2026

Herald's Global Biz Forum kicks off 10th edition

The Global Business Forum, hosted by The Korea Herald and Herald Business, held an opening ceremony for its 10th edition in Seoul on Wednesday at the Ambassador Seoul — A Pullman Hotel. Launched in 2021, the biannual forum involves executive networking and lecture programs that bring together business leaders, experts and diplomats for sessions spanning business, technology, culture and global affairs. During the opening ceremony, Sejong City Mayor Cho Sang-ho introduced the city and its role as

Oct. 1, 2026

Cho Hyun-joon sees bio-materials powering Hyosung’s next century

Hyosung TNC has begun commercial production at a $1 billion bio-BDO plant in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, completing an integrated supply chain that turns sugarcane-based raw materials into spandex. The plant can produce 50,000 tons annually, with infrastructure in place to expand capacity to 200,000 tons as demand grows, the Korean spandex maker said. The chemical bio-BDO is made by fermenting sugars extracted from sugarcane, replacing fossil-based feedstocks used in conventional BDO production.

Oct. 1, 2026

Samsung to launch first AI glasses in November, taking aim at Meta

Samsung Electronics will launch its first artificial intelligence glasses in November, entering a still-nascent wearable AI market where Meta has built an overwhelming early lead with camera-equipped, display-less smart glasses. Samsung first showed the Android XR-based device with Google at Google I/O in May, then revealed more of its design and features at Galaxy Unpacked in London in July. A Samsung Electronics official has since confirmed the November launch to The Korea Herald. Pricing has

Oct. 1, 2026

Memory shortage deepens, extending boom for Korean chipmakers

Micron Technology expects the global memory shortage to worsen through 2028, with more than 75 percent of its planned fiscal 2027 output already committed to customers, adding weight to expectations that the current memory boom could run longer for Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. The US memory chipmaker said Wednesday that fiscal fourth-quarter revenue reached a record $54.23 billion, nearly five times the $11.32 billion reported a year earlier and above Wall Street expectations. Chief Executi

Oct. 1, 2026

Hyundai to build Tucson Hybrid in US with $500m investment

Hyundai Motor will invest $500 million in its Alabama plant to produce hybrid vehicles and extended-range electric powertrains, expanding US manufacturing as it seeks to reduce tariff exposure and meet growing demand. Hyundai Motor President and CEO Jose Munoz announced the investment at the Automotive News Congress in Detroit on Tuesday. The plant will begin producing the Tucson Hybrid, followed by an extended-range electric version of the Santa Fe. The investment will support the development a

Oct. 1, 2026

LG Energy Solution to supply 46-series battery cells to US EV startup Indigo

LG Energy Solution said Thursday it had signed a memorandum of understanding to supply 46-series cylindrical battery cells to Indigo Technologies, a US commercial electric vehicle startup, from 2027 through 2030. The nickel-manganese-cobalt cells, which get their name from their 46-millimeter diameter, will power Indigo’s next-generation commercial EVs, including its Flow Ride and Flow Cargo models. The companies also plan to explore ways to extend driving range, shorten charging times and impro

Oct. 1, 2026