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Edition of Sunday, 1 November 2026English edition
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The Geopolitician

Country risk, from the local press

South Korea · Country watch

Samsung Expands in Japan, Korea's Record Exports

Samsung strengthens chip R&D in Japan; South Korea's exports surpass $900 billion for the first time.

· · 6 articles read

The picture Improving How this is judged →

Business conditions in South Korea are improving as Samsung expands its R&D capabilities in Japan and the country's exports reach a record high. These developments bolster the technology and trade sectors, enhancing economic growth prospects.

Flare-up watch: Calm (−0.3) · How this is judged → · All South Korea briefings →

In this briefing Lee Jae-yong · Samsung Electronics · Advanced Package Lab · Korea Exchange · Hanwha Life Insurance · Hyundai Steel · Lee Jae Myung · South Korea

Companies

  • Technology
  • Manufacturing

Samsung expands chip R&D at Japan facility

The Samsung headquarters
The Samsung headquarters — Oskar Alexanderson, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong visited the company's semiconductor advanced packaging technology laboratory in Yokohama, Japan, on Sunday. Lee pledged to expand the research workforce and develop the lab into a global R&D hub for next-generation packaging technologies. The visit underscores Samsung's focus on securing cutting-edge packaging technologies to enhance its competitive edge in AI chips, according to The Korea Herald.

Impact Samsung's expansion in Japan affects technology and manufacturing sectors by boosting R&D capabilities in semiconductor packaging.

Sources: The Korea Herald ↗, Korea.net ↗

Markets

  • Finance
  • Retail

151 firms flagged for low valuations by Korea Exchange

The Korea Exchange has publicly flagged 151 companies, including Hanwha Life Insurance, Hyundai Steel, and Lotte Shopping, for persistently low valuations. The move aims to push these firms to improve their corporate value, focusing on companies that have consistently traded at low price-to-book ratios, Korea.net reports.

Impact Investors in Hanwha Life, Hyundai Steel, and Lotte Shopping face pressure on corporate governance and valuation improvements.

Sources: Korea.net ↗

Trade

  • Public sector
  • Logistics

South Korea's exports exceed $900 billion

South Korea's exports have surpassed $900 billion for the first time, President Lee Jae Myung announced on Sunday. He emphasized the role of 'national interest diplomacy' in expanding the country's economic territory. The milestone reflects South Korea's robust trade performance amid global economic challenges, according to Yonhap News Agency.

Impact Exporters and logistics firms benefit from South Korea's record export performance, enhancing trade and economic growth.

Sources: Yonhap News Agency ↗

Nothing significant reported today in Regulation · Disruption · Internal tension · Safety & health · Politics.

Also today in the local press

Sources in this briefing

Sources: each headline links to the original article on the publisher's site.

All South Korea briefings →

The same day elsewhere