The South Korean government announced plans to invest KRW464.5 billion (approximately US$316 million) in the automotive sector in 2026, targeting research and development as well as infrastructure upgrades to accelerate the country's transition to next-generation vehicles. Key priorities will include end-to-end artificial intelligence (E2E AI) for autonomous driving, software-defined vehicle (SDV) standard systems, and extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) powertrains
As the global electric vehicle market grapples with mounting concerns over collapsing resale values, China—the world's largest and most experimentally regulated EV market—is moving decisively with a sweeping policy overhaul
A single regulatory notice issued recently by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has made the country the first in the world to formally declare the end of what might be called the automotive industry's "era of invisibility." Under the new rules, beginning Jan. 1, 2027, all new vehicles sold in China will be prohibited from using fully electric hidden door handles. The regulation effectively applies the brakes to an industry-wide push toward ever more electronic, futuristic design, forcing automakers to return to a basic principle of physical safety
South Korea is moving ahead with plans to develop what it bills as the world's largest semiconductor cluster in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, where SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics plan to build up to 10 advanced wafer fabs. Infrastructure issues that once drew intense scrutiny, particularly power supply, have eased after authorities adopted an unconventional approach that integrates power grids into road construction
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung recently convened a meeting at the Blue House titled the "Corporate Roundtable on Youth Employment and Expanded Regional Investment," bringing together leaders from the country's 10 largest conglomerates, including Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor and LG Group, along with representatives from the financial sector. Lee urged companies to work with the government to promote youth employment, entrepreneurship and more balanced regional development
