KH Explains In series
Major issues broken down to the basics.
#Explained
# Issues
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KH Explains In series
Major issues broken down to the basics.
Would you like to subscribe?
Why Korea's industrial giants want a piece of Westinghouse
South Korea's leading conglomerates are considering a multitrillion-won investment in US nuclear power company Westinghouse Electric, in a move that could give Korean businesses a stronger foothold in America's expanding nuclear energy market. But the proposed investment raises a central question: Will buying a stake in Westinghouse translate into construction and equipment contracts for Korean companies? SK Group, Samsung C&T, Hyundai Engineering & Construction and Doosan Enerbility are reviewi
Oct. 15, 2026 - 15:21:05
Behind the numbers: Why women still die in childbirth in Korea
South Korea has made remarkable gains in keeping people alive. Life expectancy has risen sharply over the past several decades, while deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth have generally declined as access to medical care and obstetric treatment improved. That progress, however, is beginning to reverse. Maternal deaths from direct obstetric complications reached a nine-year high last year, with 27 deaths — up nearly 60 percent from a year earlier, according to Statistics Korea’s 2025 cause-
Oct. 13, 2026 - 17:11:14
Why Hyundai’s Atlas has four fingers — and Tesla’s Optimus has five
Four fingers or five? The answer could help determine which humanoid robots make it out of the lab and onto factory floors first. Hyundai Motor Group’s Boston Dynamics has settled on four fingers for its electric Atlas humanoid, concluding that a fifth adds cost and complexity without due benefit for industrial work. Tesla has taken the opposite approach with Optimus, giving it five fingers in pursuit of humanlike dexterity. The contrasting designs reveal two different bets on the humanoid marke
Oct. 13, 2026 - 13:46:28
Why Samsung’s memory boom is squeezing Galaxy profits
“We will not pass the full (cost) increase on to consumers,” Samsung Electronics co-CEO Roh Tae-moon told reporters in London in July as he unveiled the latest Galaxy foldables. Two weeks later, the Z8 series drew a record 1.44 million preorders in Korea. But by October, Samsung was raising prices on seven-month old Galaxy S26 phones by nearly 150,000 won ($112) in Korea and $100 to $200 in the US. Then came Thursday's earnings. Samsung projected record third-quarter operating profit of 107.4 tr
Oct. 8, 2026 - 15:14:58
Big AI ambitions, cautious lenders: Naver’s $10b financing test
Naver’s plan to build one of South Korea’s largest AI data centers in Sejong has heavyweight names behind it: Nvidia, global asset manager Brookfield and potentially some of the country’s biggest banks and securities firms. Yet financing a $10 billion AI infrastructure project is proving anything but straightforward. Naver and Brookfield are discussing up to $9 billion in financing for the first phase of an expansion of Naver’s Gak Sejong AI factory, which would increase its capacity to 200 mega
Oct. 8, 2026 - 11:17:54
Hyundai closes in on Ford in US. Can it pull ahead?
Hyundai Motor Group is closing in on Ford’s position as the third-largest automaker in the US, with strong hybrid sales putting a potential third-place finish on an annual basis within reach. Hyundai Motor and Kia outsold Ford in July and August, building a lead of more than 15,000 vehicles over the two months. But sustaining that momentum could become harder as Washington relaxes fuel economy rules, giving US rivals more room to focus on their profitable gasoline-powered SUVs and pickups. The c
Oct. 6, 2026 - 14:26:38
Korea’s first homegrown GLP-1: Can Hanmi’s Eppe undercut Mounjaro and Wegovy?
Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s Eppe is poised to challenge Wegovy and Mounjaro in Korea’s fast-growing obesity drug market, with price emerging as a potentially decisive advantage. The homegrown glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1, drug is expected to launch before year-end, pending approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Hanmi has yet to announce a final price, but industry estimates suggest a four-week supply could cost around 150,000 won ($111). That would undercut the lowest prices listed
Oct. 5, 2026 - 11:21:20
Court says Jang Yoon-gi should never go free. Can it bar parole?
A Korean court called for a convicted killer to spend the rest of his life behind bars — but lacks the legal authority to exclude the possibility of parole. The Gwangju District Court on Wednesday sentenced Jang Yoon-gi, 23, to life imprisonment for killing a 16-year-old student after attempting to sexually assault her. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty, which the victim’s family had also demanded. In explaining its decision, the court noted that Korea has not carried out an execution sin
Oct. 2, 2026 - 18:05:22
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 - 15:24:44
Why TSMC’s capacity crunch opens the door for Samsung’s foundry
Samsung Electronics has spent years trying to fix one of the biggest weaknesses in its semiconductor empire. It is one of the world's largest memory-chip makers, yet its foundry business, which manufactures chips designed by other companies, has struggled to make money. Industry estimates say the business has been operating at a loss since 2022. Its market position has continued to weaken even as its financial picture improves. Samsung's foundry revenue rose 1.8 percent from the previous quarter
Sept. 30, 2026 - 14:33:08
Why Korea’s banking day could get shorter — and who pays the price
South Korean banks could give customers half an hour less at the counter each day under a tentative labor deal aimed at cutting employees’ working time. The agreement, reached Monday after five months of talks between the Korean Financial Industry Union and employers, would push branch opening to 9:30 a.m. from next April while keeping the 4 p.m. closing time. The aim is to bring pre-opening duties into regular working hours. The trade-off is less time for branch visits — with no guarantee yet t
Sept. 29, 2026 - 17:36:46
Why SK hynix is weighing US memory production
“I think we need to build a factory in the United States. If possible, I believe we should build it,” SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won said in July, describing the "enormous pressure" from customers and governments to supply more memory chips. SK hynix was already preparing a US production base, but only for the later stages of making its most valuable artificial intelligence memory. Its more than $4 billion Indiana plant, which broke ground last month, will receive advanced DRAM wafers made in So
Sept. 27, 2026 - 14:14:29
Do South Korea's sidecars still serve purpose?
South Korea's stock market was one of the world’s most volatile earlier this year, fueling growing questions about whether the country's sidecar remains effective. The key market safeguard, a five-minute halt on program trading, has been triggered far more frequently this year than ever before. The benchmark Kospi has seen 49 sidecar activations, nearly double the 26 recorded in 2008 at the height of the global financial crisis. The secondary Kosdaq has also seen 32 sidecar interruptions this ye
Sept. 23, 2026 - 13:01:44
Why VIG Partners could pair Air Premia with Eastar Jet
Airlines make for tricky bets in private equity, where fuel swings, currency moves and lease bills mean that more passengers don't always add up to bigger profits. Yet for VIG Partners, a Seoul-based buyout fund that already owns budget carrier Eastar Jet, it seems one airline isn't enough. Industry sources said Tuesday that VIG was weighing a bid for Air Premia, a long-haul hybrid carrier that undercuts full-service airlines on fares while still offering perks like roomier seats and in-flight m
Sept. 22, 2026 - 14:08:56
Will Europe become next proving ground for Hyundai’s Atlas robot?
Hyundai Motor Group is exploring plans to deploy Atlas humanoid robots at its Czech manufacturing plant, positioning Europe as the next strategic proving ground after the US for its robotics-powered smart manufacturing vision. Developed by its US subsidiary Boston Dynamics, the robot’s deployment in Hyundai’s own European lines offers a critical real-world testbed to validate operational reliability, safety and workplace integration. If successful, it could pave the way for broader commercial ro
Sept. 21, 2026 - 14:34:42
