Nvidia’s Jensen Huang brings ‘sovereign AI’ push to Kazakhstan, shrugs off bubble fears

South China Morning Post - Oct 23, 2026

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is pitching the concept of “sovereign AI” in Kazakhstan – part of his global crusade urging nations to build domestic computing infrastructure using the firm’s chips – as the energy-rich nation emerges as a US-China battleground for artificial intelligence. Speaking at a fireside chat in Astana on Friday with Kazakh AI and digital development minister Zhaslan Madiyev, Huang said AI was reshaping every industry in a transformation that “affects every single person and...

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Oct 23, 2026

Nongshim brings Shin Ramyun heat to Musinsa pop-up in Osaka

Nongshim is bringing the flavors of Korea’s instant noodles to Japan’s fashion-conscious young consumers, joining forces with fashion platform Musinsa for a 17-day pop-up event in Osaka that pairs Korean food with fashion and beauty. The Korean food company is operating a Shin Ramyun brand booth at Musinsa Osaka Pop-up Store 2026 at VS in Umeda through Nov. 8. The collaboration aims to introduce Japanese shoppers drawn to Korean fashion to Korean food culture through hands-on experiences, with Umeda serving as a busy commercial district frequented by young consumers and international tourists. At the booth, visitors can sample freshly prepared Shin Ramyun Tomba, using an instant noodle cooker modeled on machines popular along Korea’s Han River, where people cook noodles on-site. Visitors who follow Nongshim Japan’s official Instagram account can try the dish, while those who complete a survey after tasting it can receive Shin Ramyun Rose, with additional branded merchandise available through a prize draw. Shin Ramyun Tomba combines spicy seasoning with a creamy flavor and has gain

Oct 23, 2026

Beauty of Joseon expands to 1,263 Boots stores across Britain

Beauty of Joseon, Korean beauty brand known for its traditional ingredients and modern skin care, has expanded to 1,263 Boots stores across Britain, marking one of the largest retail footprints for a Korean beauty brand in Europe. The brand, owned by Goodai Global, entered Boots in June 2024 and has since expanded rapidly across the British health and beauty retailer’s network, according to a company announcement Friday. Beauty of Joseon also operates dedicated brand displays in 100 Boots stores, the largest such presence among Korean beauty brands at the retailer. The expansion comes as the brand continues to rank among Boots’ top-selling Korean beauty brands, reflecting growing demand for K-beauty products in physical retail stores beyond online channels. In April, Beauty of Joseon held the first solo pop-up by a Korean beauty brand at Boots, at the retailer’s store in Westfield Stratford in London. During the pop-up month, Beauty of Joseon ranked fifth among about 200 skin care brands sold at Boots and first among roughly 20 Korean beauty brands, according to company data. It also

Oct 23, 2026

Bereaved family members denounce labor inspection results on Coupang

Bereaved family members of industrial accident victims at Coupang on Friday denounced the results of a labor inspection into the online retailer, accusing the labor ministry of giving the company a "free pass." After an inspection of the company, the labor ministry said Thursday it decided not to recommend a criminal investigation into cover-up allegations surrounding the death of a Coupang logistics worker in 2020. The worker died of acute myocardial infarction following an overnight shift, raising suspicions of overwork. While the probe found that Coupang founder Kim Bom-suk had made orders not to keep records indicating the employee had worked hard, the ministry said the statute of limitations for the case had already passed. "(We) denounce the labor ministry for giving Coupang a free pass without a proper investigation," the family members said in a press statement. The bereaved family members said they have requested the state auditor to launch an inspection into the ministry, arguing the government's failure to properly investigate the Coupang case led to the expiry of the statute o

Oct 23, 2026

HD Hyundai, Kiewit to form JV to build shipyard in US

Korean shipbuilding giant HD Hyundai Co. said Friday it will establish a joint venture with U.S. engineering and construction company Kiewit to build a new shipyard in the United States. HD Hyundai and Kiewit signed an agreement in Houston on Thursday (local time) to establish the joint venture, tentatively named HD-Kiewit Shipbuilding LLC. The joint venture plans to begin construction of the shipyard next year, with full-scale operations targeted for 2029. Under the partnership, HD Hyundai will provide shipbuilding technology and production expertise, while Kiewit will leverage its engineering and construction capabilities to support the development of the facility. HD Hyundai said the project is significant as it involves building a new shipyard rather than upgrading an existing facility, a move expected to help expand U.S. shipbuilding capacity and strengthen domestic supply chains. The joint venture will explore business opportunities in U.S. Navy logistics support vessels and commercial ships, while also considering the production and supply of ship blocks and modules to U.S. shipyar

Oct 23, 2026

SK hynix halts Solidigm IPO plan amid regulatory pressure

Potential government regulatory scrutiny may have been the main factor behind SK hynix’s decision to halt plans for a U.S. listing of its subsidiary Solidigm, according to industry sources Friday. Earlier in the day, SK hynix announced that its U.S.-based NAND flash memory subsidiary will halt its review of potential pre-initial public offering (IPO) fundraising and IPO options, citing volatile capital markets and recent trends in semiconductor stock prices, the chip giant said Friday. “Even though SK hynix cited market conditions, the government’s warnings may have played a greater role in the decision,” an industry source said. After reports emerged in August that Solidigm was considering a U.S. IPO as early as next year, potentially valuing the company at up to $150 billion, concerns arose that the listing could undermine SK hynix’s shareholder value. Since then, SK hynix has repeatedly responded to reports of a possible U.S. listing by saying that no decision had been made. However, amid mounting controversy over Solidigm’s potential dual listing, financial authorities war

Oct 23, 2026

Delinquency ratio on bank loans up for 2nd month in August

The delinquency ratio on loans extended by banks rose for the second consecutive month in August, data showed Friday. The delinquency numbers on banks' won-denominated loans stood at 0.69 percent as of end-August, up 0.06 percentage point from a month earlier, according to the data from the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS). The amount of newly overdue loans came to 3 trillion won ($2.26 billion) in August, down 0.2 trillion won from the previous month. The amount of write-offs of such loans, on the other hand, came in at 1.5 trillion won, up 0.1 trillion won over the cited period, according to the FSS. The delinquency ratio for corporate loans stood at 0.86 percent as of end-August, up 0.08 percentage point from a month earlier, and the ratio for household loans rose 0.03 percentage point to 0.45 percent over the same period.

Oct 23, 2026

China’s humanoid robots hunt for work in South Korea as Seoul bets on physical AI

This article was first published by The Korea Times in a partnership with the South China Morning Post. Chinese humanoid robot makers are accelerating efforts to gain a foothold in South Korea, moving beyond dance performances and showroom displays to factory trials and commercial deployments, as Seoul ramps up investment in physical artificial intelligence. A growing number of Chinese robotics companies – including Hong Kong-listed UBTech Robotics, start-up Anyverse Dynamics, Shanghai-based...