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 Korean memory giants aren't rushing to expand DRAM supply
The world suddenly cannot get enough memory chips. Artificial intelligence data centers are consuming unprecedented volumes of DRAM, pushing prices higher and squeezing supply for everything from smartphones to laptops. The two companies at the center of that boom, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, earned more than 72.1 trillion won ($48.7 billion) in operating profit last year. And yet the shortage continues. The question seems obvious. If demand is booming and profits are soaring, why not simp
March 12, 2026 - 14:55:08
How Boston Dynamics IPO could unlock Hyundai Motor Group’s ownership overhaul
Hyundai Motor Group’s decadeslong effort to streamline its complex ownership structure could finally gain momentum. The catalyst is not a new SUV, but the company behind the back-flipping humanoid robot Atlas. Boston Dynamics, the auto-to-steel conglomerate’s US robotics unit, will work toward a long-anticipated initial public offering on the Nasdaq this year, according to sources. With a potential listing as early as 2027, the company is expected to select underwriters and file for a preliminar
March 9, 2026 - 15:20:58
Lee Jae Myung’s war on housing speculation
President Lee Jae Myung has declared war on housing speculation, using X as both a megaphone and a pressure tool. “For the sake of a sensible and prosperous nation, I will rein in, by any means, real estate speculation that can ruin the country,” Lee wrote in an X post on Feb. 3. In just over a month, he has posted more than two dozen times on real estate, framing it not as a narrow property issue but as a broader distortion of the national economy. “Housing speculation robs young people of hope
March 8, 2026 - 14:19:00
Search built Naver. Now AI commerce may define its future
Type “sofa” into Naver’s shopping app these days, and something different happens. Instead of a grid of product listings, an AI agent asks questions. Do you live alone? Do you have pets? It notices browsing patterns suggesting a dog in the household and recommends waterproof fabrics and scratch-resistant materials. Then it proposes a specific product: a three-seat Aquatex sofa from Carrem Furniture, discounted 41 percent to 347,000 won ($235), rated 4.74 stars. Ask it to compare brands, and it i
March 4, 2026 - 14:27:02
How humanoid robots are rewriting Hyundai–Toyota rivalry
With the humanoid robotics boom accelerating, Hyundai Motor Group and Toyota — longtime Asian rivals in the global auto industry — are emerging as striking contrasts in how they view robots as the next engine of growth. For years, Hyundai traded at a valuation discount to Toyota, widely seen as the more technologically advanced and globally dominant automaker. Now, that perception is shifting. As robotics moves from concept to commercialization, investors are reassessing Hyundai’s growth traject
March 3, 2026 - 13:38:07
Korea's market rally shifts tone in shareholder activism
Activist hedge funds were once treated as unwelcome agitators in South Korea, often turned away at corporate doorsteps. Wary of short-term pressure and hostile campaigns, management viewed them as disruptive forces threatening their control and stability. While a full detente has yet to emerge, the mood is shifting. Amid a blistering stock market rally, shareholder activism has moderated, as rising valuations ease the urgency for direct confrontation. On top of that, corporations appear increasi
Feb. 26, 2026 - 15:40:23
Premium vs scale: Hyundai, Tesla clash in robot pricing
Hyundai Motor Group and Tesla are heading toward a second realm following their automotive rivalry — this time in humanoid robotics, extending a competitive dynamic first forged in the electric vehicle market. Tesla’s history of using aggressive pricing to defend and expand its EV dominance suggests it could deploy a similar strategy in robotics, setting up a potential price war as the market begins to scale. According to a recent report by the Export-Import Bank of Korea, Hyundai is expected to
Feb. 22, 2026 - 15:18:01
Domestic policy, global impact: Why Korea’s platform bill draws US pushback
South Korea’s proposed online platform law has yet to be finalized, but Washington has already begun raising concerns through diplomatic and trade channels. The bill is still under review by the government and the National Assembly. Discussions center on market dominance, self-preferencing and data governance, and no final framework has been agreed upon. Fair Trade Commission Chair Ju Biung-ghi has stressed that any rules would apply equally to domestic and foreign firms. Yet US engagement has s
Feb. 19, 2026 - 14:10:39
From slump to surge: Renault Korea’s strategic turnaround
Once struggling with shrinking sales and an aging lineup, Renault Korea is now reemerging as one of the most resilient foreign carmakers in South Korea — not by retreating, but by upgrading its role within the global group. At a time when global supply chains remain volatile, and Korea’s position as an export base is under pressure, Renault Group is doing something few rivals have: turning its Korean unit into a development and production hub for next-generation vehicles. The shift is part of Re
Feb. 18, 2026 - 14:13:19
15,000 invited to BTS’ free Gwanghwamun concert — how can the rest watch?
BTS' free concert at Gwanghwamun Square in March will have 15,000 invited fans, organizers said Wednesday. But how can those in Seoul without a ticket watch? The question has been raised as an estimated 260,000 people are projected to gather near the venue — more than 11 times the square’s official capacity of 18,000. For fans who were not among the 15,000 ticket holders, the concert will be broadcast live on large digital billboards installed on buildings surrounding Gwanghwamun Square, in cent
Feb. 11, 2026 - 15:12:37
Korean battery-makers face US EV reality check
Korea’s leading battery-makers are reworking their North American playbooks, shifting from electric vehicle batteries to energy storage systems, as US automakers retreat from aggressive electrification targets and dissolve joint ventures. However, with EV batteries long serving as their main profit driver, a prolonged downturn in the sector is raising concerns that the strategic shift may not be enough to sustain meaningful growth. According to Bloomberg on Wednesday, Stellantis is exploring an
Feb. 11, 2026 - 14:59:51
Beyond a ‘fat finger’: Bithumb and the hidden risks of crypto exchanges
A bitcoin misallocation at South Korea’s major cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb has laid bare structural vulnerabilities in centralized crypto trading, where internal ledger entries can become market-moving events within minutes. The incident occurred during a routine event payout. An intended reward of 2,000 won ($1.20) per user was mistakenly entered as 2,000 bitcoin, resulting in about 620,000 bitcoins being credited to 249 customer accounts. Bithum said it intervened in just minutes, but abou
Feb. 9, 2026 - 15:22:05
What Samsung means by ‘agentic AI’ in upcoming Galaxy S26
Samsung Electronics celebrated record fourth-quarter earnings last month, largely due to booming memory chip demand, but the picture was less triumphant for its smartphone division. The Mobile Experience, or MX, unit reported its weakest quarterly operating profit in three years under mounting pressure from soaring component costs. Still, one line buried deep in Samsung’s earnings release stood out: “MX will expand sales centered on flagship products with the launch of Galaxy S26, and strengthen
Feb. 9, 2026 - 11:54:47
Samsung, SK paths diverge on high-bandwidth flash
As the artificial intelligence market pivots toward inference, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are moving to develop high-bandwidth flash, a so-called extension of high-bandwidth memory, though their strategies in this next phase of the AI memory race diverge. With HBM now a key component of AI chips, the two Korean memory makers are seeking an early foothold in the next-generation memory cycle. “The NAND market has faced a prolonged slowdown driven by weak demand and falling prices, but HBF co
Feb. 4, 2026 - 15:23:26
Hyundai Motor’s humanoid push meets labor wall
“Not a single robot will be allowed onto the factory floor without a labor-management agreement.” That warning, issued Jan. 22 by Hyundai Motor Group’s labor union and reiterated a week later, has cast a shadow over the automaker’s much-hyped push into humanoid robotics — and may offer a preview of a broader labor challenge facing the global auto industry. At issue is Atlas, the humanoid robot developed by Boston Dynamics, which Hyundai plans to begin deploying at its new plant in Georgia from 2
Jan. 30, 2026 - 16:32:12
