South Korea

38 North | English | AcademicThink | Oct. 17, 2025 | North Korea

In the third quarter of 2025, Kim Jong Un held his first summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping since 2019, marking a significant diplomatic event. Despite positive official statements from North Korea about strengthening DPRK-China relations, coverage and subsequent interactions suggest the relationship has not been fully restored. North Korea's foreign minister met with Chinese counterparts but did not meet Xi, and initial reports of a “full consensus” in talks were later downplayed to “important consensus,” indicating some lingering distance between the two countries.

North Korea extended diplomatic overtures toward former U.S. President Donald Trump, hinting at the possibility of renewed talks if the U.S. abandons its denuclearization demands. Kim Yo Jong and Kim Jong Un emphasized North Korea’s status as a nuclear-armed state and expressed willingness for dialogue focused on peaceful coexistence rather than denuclearization. Conversely, North Korea reaffirmed its hostile stance toward South Korea under the new Lee government, rejecting any desire for improved relations or unification and insisting on legally formalizing the division between the two Koreas.

These developments show North Korea’s strategic signaling, seeking concessions from Seoul while opening a cautious door for dialogue with the U.S., particularly excluding South Korea from potential U.S.-DPRK engagement. Kim Jong Un reiterated that the policy renouncing peaceful unification, established in 2023, remains firmly in place, framing it as a long-standing recognition of the political realities and South Korea’s hostility, rather than a recent shift.

고개 숙인 도세호 SPC 대표 "사고는 인재...안전인력 늘리겠다"

ZD Net Korea | Local Language | News | Oct. 17, 2025 | Accidents

Doh Se-ho, CEO of SPC, admitted at a National Assembly hearing that the fatal machine entrapment accident at SPC Samlip’s Siwha factory in May 2025 was man-made. Lawmakers criticized the company's insufficient safety management, inadequate investment in safety personnel, aging machinery, and poor operation of the Safety Management Committee. Despite a presidential visit and SPC's recent measures, safety rules reportedly remained unchanged, and safety managers were primarily at junior levels, lacking necessary experience.

At the hearing, lawmakers highlighted ongoing safety breaches, including workers entering machines unsafely and aging equipment without proper emergency devices. The Safety Management Committee, established in 2022, was criticized for poor performance, spending excessive funds on unrelated external lectures, and failing to address over 500 safety deficiencies found across SPC workplaces in a recent joint labor-management inspection.

SPC reported having 102 safety personnel against a legal requirement of 58 and pledged to increase this number to 116 by year-end, focusing on hiring experienced staff. However, actual financial investment in safety personnel was minimal (300 million won) compared to 13.1 billion won spent on aging equipment classified as safety costs. After the accident, President Lee Jae-myung criticized SPC leadership, prompting SPC to introduce a new production work system to reduce night shifts and improve worker safety through a three-shift operation model.

현대차, 中 전기차와 정면 승부…첫 '전기 SUV·세단' 투입

ET News | Local Language | News | Oct. 17, 2025 | UndeterminedTech Development/Adoption

Hyundai Motor is launching a significant comeback in China, the world's largest electric vehicle (EV) market, with its first locally produced pure electric compact SUV, the Ilexio (EO). Produced by Beijing Hyundai, a joint venture with BAIC, the Ilexio began pre-sales on October 16, and a compact electric sedan using the same platform is slated for launch next year. By 2027, Hyundai plans to introduce six new energy vehicles, including extended-range electric vehicles (EREV), to compete directly with domestic brands like BYD and Geely.

The Ilexio features a 27-inch display and the latest infotainment system to meet local consumer preferences, and is built on the E-GMP dedicated electric vehicle platform. It uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries from FinDream, a BYD subsidiary, offering a driving range of up to 722 km under the Chinese CLTC standard, along with an 800V ultra-fast charging system. The forthcoming compact electric sedan is expected to be equally competitive in both technology and price, leveraging LFP batteries.

Hyundai aims to export over 10,000 of the 35,000 planned annual Ilexio units to emerging markets, including Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, as part of its strategy to diversify sales. Despite past sales declines after 2017 due to geopolitical tensions, Hyundai is committed to the Chinese market, a key region alongside the US and Europe. The company’s CEO José Muñoz announced a goal to reach 440,000 sales in China by 2030, representing 8% of Hyundai's global sales target of 5.55 million units.