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Intelligence for Better Decision Making

Hyundai Launches Domestic AI-Driven Autonomous Vehicle Initiative for 2028 Commercialization
Jan. 13, 2026 | Technology & Innovation

Hyundai Motor and its partners are developing a domestically engineered AI-driven autonomous vehicle set for commercialization by 2028.

**Hyundai aims to integrate a homegrown AI autonomous driving model to manage core vehicle functions, narrowing the technological gap with global automakers and boosting its competitiveness.**
LG Electronics, Hyundai Mobis and HL Mando will jointly build the ADV platform—combining vehicle architecture and software—by the end of next year, while HL Clemoove and Kakao Mobility develop a specialized AI model for software-defined vehicles by 2027. Additional partners including Naver will support data integration and AI infrastructure.

**Mass production of the ADV is scheduled to begin in 2028, with broader applications rolling out by 2030 to strengthen South Korea’s AI mobility ecosystem.**
Hyundai plans to announce key milestones at the K-AI Future Car Alliance signing ceremony in January 2026. Chairman Chung Eui-sun has stressed the strategic shift toward in-house AI development to position Hyundai as a world-class automaker and reduce reliance on external solutions.

**In parallel, Hyundai is expanding its AI capabilities through collaborations in robotaxi and robotics.**
Partnerships with Motional and Boston Dynamics will foster AI expertise transferable across mobility and robotics ventures. Naver will extend mobility services by integrating AI agents, infrastructure and data to support future vehicle ecosystems.

**Gwangju city will serve as South Korea’s first autonomous driving testbed, hosting around 200 AI-equipped robot vehicles from mid-2026.**
Backed by a 62.2 billion won national investment, these vehicles will collect urban driving data in snow, rain, congestion, construction zones and narrow alleyways to refine autonomy algorithms and enhance performance.

**The K-Autonomous Driving Collaboration Model in Gwangju pairs large corporations developing vehicle control platforms with startups providing autonomous driving software.**
The downtown area will act as a demonstration zone, leveraging an existing national AI data center and a major driving simulator in Advanced Industrial Complex 3. Plans call for a triangular industrial belt linking Jingok, Bitgreen and the Future Car Industrial Complexes, later expanding citywide to mirror global autonomous driving hubs.

**Government support includes regulatory easing within designated autonomous driving pilot zones to encourage industry participation.**
These measures align with the national Master Plan to Foster the Future Car Materials, Parts, and Equipment Industry and aim to build a sustainable ecosystem that drives long-term local economic growth.
Motional advances full driverless robotaxi rollout in Las Vegas for 2026
Jan. 13, 2026 | Transportation & Logistics

Fully driverless Level 4 robotaxi services promise to redefine urban transportation in major cities.

**Motional, a majority Hyundai Motor Group joint venture, plans to launch fully driverless Level 4 robotaxi services in Las Vegas by the end of 2026.**
Since early 2026, the company has run pilot services with modified Hyundai IONIQ 5 vehicles alongside ride-sharing platforms such as Uber and Lyft to validate safety, driving quality, and customer experience before full commercialization.

**The company’s autonomous driving efforts began in 2018, with pilot programs in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and Singapore.**
Motional chose Las Vegas for its dense traffic and high tourist volume, creating rigorous test conditions. To date, it has provided more than 130,000 public rides and logged over 2 million autonomous miles without any at-fault incidents. A fleet of 109 vehicles operates under daily monitoring by a central control team based in Las Vegas.

**Motional follows a safety-first approach, meeting US NHTSA Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and earning validations from German testing and certification bodies.**
Its robotaxis integrate 29 sensors—including cameras, radar, and LiDAR—for multimodal redundancy. On January 8, 2026, a 35-minute Level 4 test drive in Las Vegas demonstrated the vehicle’s advanced perception and decision-making: it detected a flying plastic bag, stopped, activated hazard lights, and smoothly navigated commercial districts, tourist areas, hotels, and the busy Strip. The only issue noted was noticeable computer fan noise inside the cabin, which the team will resolve before commercialization.

**Motional is shifting from a modular autonomous architecture to an end-to-end AI and machine learning system that unifies perception, decision-making, and control into a single model.**
This new approach aims to boost performance in complex settings, reduce software complexity, speed up updates, and support global scalability. Current pilot vehicles operate both architectures in parallel to gather data and refine the end-to-end system.

**Hyundai Motor Group will integrate Motional’s Level 4 operational know-how and safety systems with 42dot’s software-defined vehicle platform to strengthen its autonomous driving capabilities.**
Having invested approximately $3 billion in development, Motional is also evaluating service expansion into South Korea and other markets based on insights gained from its US rollout.

Monitored Intelligence for South Korea - Jan. 13, 2026


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Taiwan expected to leapfrog Korea on GDP rankings amid weak won, slow growth

Joongang Ilbo | English | News | Jan. 13, 2026 | UndeterminedEconomic Growth

In 2025, South Korea’s per capita GDP declined by 0.3 percent to $36,107, marking its first drop in three years, driven by slow economic growth and a weaker won. Korea’s nominal GDP in dollars decreased 0.5 percent to $1.87 trillion, with real GDP growth estimated at 1 percent, the slowest pace since 2020. The depreciation of the won by 4.3 percent against the dollar further dampened Korea’s dollar-denominated GDP figures, despite a 28.9 percent increase in won-based GDP from 2021 to 2025.

Meanwhile, Taiwan experienced strong economic growth fueled by its semiconductor export sector. Taiwan’s projected per capita GDP for 2025 is $38,748, allowing it to overtake Korea’s per capita GDP ranking for the first time in 22 years. Taiwan’s exports surged 34.9 percent to a record $640.7 billion, significantly outpacing Korea’s 3.8 percent growth to $709.7 billion. Taiwan’s exports now represent 90.3 percent of Korea’s export value, up from 69.5 percent in 2024.

Taiwan’s GDP growth forecast remains robust at 7.4 percent for 2025, supported by its export-driven economy and the global AI boom. Projections for 2026 suggest Taiwan’s per capita GDP will reach $40,921, surpassing the $40,000 mark and further distancing it from Korea, whose per capita GDP is expected to reach $37,932. Observers note that the shift reflects currency effects and Taiwan’s semiconductor-led growth momentum, urging Korea to review its policy and investment strategies in response.

Kyowon Group shuts down internal network after suspected ransomware attack

Joongang Ilbo | English | News | Jan. 13, 2026 | Cyber Attacks and Data Loss

Kyowon Group shut down parts of its internal network on January 10, 2026, after detecting what it believes to be a ransomware attack. The company identified abnormal activities in its systems around 8 a.m. that day and immediately isolated the network to block access. Several websites operated by Kyowon Group affiliates were unavailable as of January 12, 2026.

The company is investigating the incident to determine the cause, the extent of its impact, and whether any customer or personal data was compromised. It reported the breach to the Korea Internet & Security Agency and other relevant investigative authorities promptly. Kyowon Group is working with security professionals and related agencies to conduct a thorough investigation and is restoring its systems while conducting security checks.

Kyowon Group stated it will notify customers transparently and promptly if any personal information leakage is confirmed and emphasized that it is prioritizing customer protection during the recovery process. The group plans to gradually restore access to its websites and related services as it mobilizes resources to stabilize operations.

Kyowon Group operates education brands such as Kyowon Kumon and Red Pen, and lifestyle and travel businesses including the Wells home appliance brand, Kyowon Life, The Suites Hotel, and Kyowon Tour.

Where does Korea stand in stablecoin adoption?

Joongang Ilbo | English | News | Jan. 13, 2026 | UndeterminedTech Development/Adoption

Koreans are increasingly using stablecoins, particularly the dollar-pegged USDT, for everyday payments through overseas fintech platforms such as Redotpay, despite Korea's historically conservative stance on digital assets. Stablecoin transactions on Korean crypto exchanges surged from 7.1 trillion won in June 2025 to 23.4 trillion won in October 2025, reflecting growing adoption amid the absence of a domestic regulatory framework.

The Korean government plans to introduce a new stablecoin law in early 2026 to address regulatory gaps. Currently, stablecoin payments in brick-and-mortar stores rely on overseas platforms and established card networks like Mastercard and Visa, which convert stablecoins to fiat currency. Experts predict this intermediary phase is temporary, anticipating future transactions to occur directly via stablecoins without intermediaries.

A local example includes Kona I's won-pegged stablecoin (KSC), which can integrate with Samsung Pay and prepaid cards for local transactions. While corporate benefits such as lower overseas transaction fees and faster settlement times are expected soon, broader consumer advantages may take longer to materialize. Stablecoins could significantly reduce remittance fees from around 6% to 1%, with potential for micro-payments as low as 10 won.

Regulatory disagreements have slowed progress in won-backed stablecoin issuance. The Bank of Korea (BOK) favors bank-led consortia controlling issuance, whereas the Financial Services Commission (FSC) seeks a more flexible approach allowing technology firms to participate to foster innovation. Korea is leaning toward an initial bank-led issuance model with gradual inclusion of fintech companies. There is also debate over establishing a new licensing body for stablecoin issuers.

This regulatory uncertainty has led major Korean companies to take cautious, strategic steps without concrete plans. Recent acquisitions of crypto exchanges by Naver and Mirae Asset Group signal interest but remain undefined in scope. Unlike in the U.S., where legislation such as the Genius Act promotes stablecoin growth, Korea lacks similarly clear legal structures, contributing to a slower market evolution.

Globally, stablecoins are projected to exceed $2 trillion by 2028, with Korea facing the risk of foreign-issued won-pegged stablecoins gaining traction due to delayed domestic regulation. The first won-pegged stablecoin, KRWQ, launched domestically but remains trade-restricted for Korean residents, already reaching significant volume shortly after release. Delayed regulatory action could increase challenges for Korean authorities to manage the stablecoin ecosystem effectively.

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