South Korean President Jae-Myung Lee is coordinating a meeting with SoftBank chairman Masayoshi Son, expected to take place in 2025. The discussion is speculated to focus on AI investments and collaboration on the Stargate Project

Samsung's P5 plant at the second campus in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, will begin construction, with operations expected to start in 2028. Due to the weak memory market, P5 was previously put on hold. With the memory supercycle emerging, analysts state that the start of P5 construction means subsequent investment plans have also begun to take shape

Samsung Electronics has been in active discussions with Samsung Electro-Mechanics (Semco), Japan's Ibiden, and Shinko Electric Industries regarding collaboration on semiconductor glass substrates. However, reports indicate that they have not yet advanced to formal sample evaluation because of Samsung's assessment of the technology and market potential of glass substrates

South Korea-based JL Standard showcased its AI-driven video services for memorials, events, and digital content at the 2025 Pangyo Global Media Meet-Up. The presentation at Pangyo Techno Valley's startup campus highlighted the district's growing role as a launchpad for AI applications targeting niche markets across Asia

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has raised concerns about developing countries adopting Chinese AI models, mostly because of cost. According to Business Insider, Schmidt stated on a podcast that many US AI models are closed-source and expensive, pushing budget-conscious nations toward Chinese AI, which is often free and risks becoming the global standard

Chris Miller, the influential author of Chip War, is warning that while the West is focused on advanced AI, China is quietly weaponizing the market for older legacy semiconductors

Taiwan's National Security Bureau (NSB) has issued an urgent warning about several China-developed generative AI language models, saying they contain severe security vulnerabilities and politically steered outputs that could compromise users and distort information across global technology ecosystems

Hunan Heshun Petroleum Co. announced a controlling acquisition of MSquare Technology, a Shanghai-based semiconductor IP and chiplet-interconnect developer. The November 16, 2025, disclosure marks the fuel distributor's move beyond its energy roots and into China's high-performance computing and advanced chip-design landscape

Stratio, a Korean deep-tech startup founded by three Stanford Ph.D. graduates, is introducing what it claims is the first germanium-based short-wave infrared sensor designed for large-scale commercial use. During a live pitch session in Pangyo, the company said its "infrared AI" can solve problems that traditional vision AI and standard cameras cannot, including identifying mixed plastics inside recycling facilities, detecting narcotics, and enabling new capabilities inside future smartphones

Despite surging global demand for solar energy, South Korean manufacturers are seeing export volumes contract as China deepens its dominance over upstream silicon wafer and module production. Industry experts caution that rising domestic consumption alone will not revive local manufacturing unless supported by protective measures and mandatory local-sourcing requirements

To carve out new growth in the highly mature smartphone industry, Oppo, on November 14, launched its Apex Guard technology suite designed to safeguard user experience with quality in hardware and software. The company positions this initiative as a key foundation for strengthening brand power and product sales

Korean startup Jably detailed its AI-driven recruitment and visa-management platform, K-tag, during the 2025 Pangyo Global Media Meet-Up, positioning the service as a data-centric solution to rising global talent demand in Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. The platform, launched in September 2024, generated US$770,000 in revenue within its first four months

South Korea and the United States have released a Joint Fact Sheet that industry observers say reduces earlier tariff uncertainty and creates new room for cooperation. With global production shifting and supply chains realigning, South Korean conglomerates that had been cautious are now speeding up domestic investment plans

Alibaba has been accused by the US government of providing data and technical support to China's military, posing a threat to American national security. Both Alibaba and the Chinese Embassy in Washington have strongly denied these allegations, criticizing the US for lacking evidence