Volkswagen’s Atlas is positioning itself as a family-oriented large SUV, combining child seat-friendly design, spacious seating and advanced safety features. The model has earned recognition in the United States for its child seat installation convenience and crash protection, reinforcing its appeal to families with young children. Produced more than 1 million times in North America over the past nine years, the Atlas has established itself as one of Volkswagen’s flagship models in the U.S. market. It was also introduced in Korea last year, offering a spacious six- or seven-seat configuration. One of its key strengths is its ability to accommodate multiple child seats. The seven-seat version can fit three child seats in the second row, while the third row can accommodate two additional seats using seat belts and anchor points. The Atlas was named a Top Finisher in Cars.com's 2026 Best Cars for Car Seats evaluation. It received an A grade in nearly all installation categories, with the second-row booster seat installation receiving a B. Its second-row seats can also tilt forward witho

Kia has achieved solid earnings growth in the third quarter, supported by rising sales of hybrids, electric vehicles (EVs) and popular SUV models across major markets, the carmaker said Friday in a regulatory filing. The carmaker said its operating profit between July and September jumped 24.3 percent to 1.82 trillion won ($1.36 billion). Sales also increased 10.2 percent to 31.6 percent during the same period. The automaker's earnings growth was driven by its diversified electrification strategy, as it helped sustain growth despite weakening global auto demand, Kia said. Global vehicle sales rose 7.9 percent to 847,355 vehicles in the third quarter on balanced sales growth of its hybrids, EVs and SUV models. Kia's SUV lineup, including the Sportage, Carnival and newly introduced Telluride Hybrid, helped drive sales in the United States, where retail sales rose 7.8 percent to approximately 234,000 units. The automaker's U.S. market share reached a quarterly record of 5.8 percent. Hybrid sales in the U.S. surged 118 percent to 69,000 vehicles, significantly outpacing the market's 27 percen

The Seoul AI Foundation has signed an agreement with the state-run Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement (KIRIA) to develop joint projects that combine artificial intelligence and robotics to address the city’s needs, the foundation said Friday. The memorandum of understanding was signed Oct. 7 at Smart Life Week 2026, an artificial intelligence (AI) and smart city exhibition hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government at Coex in southern Seoul. Seoul AI Foundation Chairman Kim Man-gi and KIRIA President Cho Young-hoon attended the signing. The Seoul AI Foundation is a city-funded body that develops AI policies and services for Seoul. KIRIA operates under the industry ministry to promote the country’s robot industry. The agreement comes as AI expands into what is known as physical AI, in which AI systems control robots and other machines that operate in the real world. Under the agreement, the two organizations will share information and experts on AI and robot policy, technology and industry. They will also identify and carry out joint projects and cooperate on exhibitions,

Hyundai Motor Group said Friday it will set up two special purpose companies next month to build and operate an artificial intelligence (AI) data center in Saemangeum — a massive reclaimed coastal zone in southwestern Korea — accelerating its 9 trillion won ($6.3 billion) plan to turn the area into an advanced tech hub. Situated in North Jeolla Province roughly 200 kilometers south of Seoul, Saemangeum is a vast, government-backed development area created by damming tidal flats to claim new land from the sea. Long slated for economic transformation, the coastal territory is being developed as a strategic enclave for high-tech industry, green energy and tourism. Five affiliates — Hyundai Motor, Kia, Hyundai Mobis, Hyundai Engineering & Construction and Hyundai AutoEver — have made final decisions to invest in the data center, the group said. Hyundai AutoEver, the group’s information technology and software affiliate, approved its participation through a board resolution. One of the new companies will build the hyperscale data center and its infrastructure. The other will buy hi

Samsung Electronics and Korea Gas Safety Corp. have agreed to tighten safety controls at semiconductor facilities in Korea and overseas, seeking to prevent gas-related accidents and protect production continuity as the country's chip industry expands. The two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding Thursday at Samsung's Pyeongtaek campus, focusing on strengthening gas safety infrastructure at facilities designated as nationally critical semiconductor sites. The agreement calls for closer technical cooperation to stabilize newly built facilities, including inspections of pipeline integrity and verification that gas installations meet safety requirements. Under the partnership, the organizations will conduct regular inspections of facilities and pipelines at new sites, provide training to develop specialized safety personnel and share technical information on gas safety. They also plan to jointly identify regulatory obstacles affecting semiconductor operations and explore ways to improve relevant rules. Another key element involves conducting joint special inspections of gas faci

Growing volatility in the Korean stock market is prompting investors' attention to U.S. dividend-paying stocks, with some seeking regular income rather than relying solely on stock price gains, market watchers said Friday. One option is the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, which tracks 100 U.S. companies selected for their dividend records and financial strength. To qualify, companies must have paid dividends for at least 10 consecutive years. They are also assessed on their five-year dividend growth, return on equity and debt relative to cash flow. The index includes companies from a range of industries, including energy, consumer staples and health care. In Korea, Mirae Asset Global Investments' TIGER U.S. Dividend Dow Jones exchange-traded fund (ETF) had 4.56 trillion won ($3.41 billion) in net assets as of Thursday, making it the largest locally listed ETF tracking the index, according to the asset manager. Some asset managers are taking the strategy a step further by combining dividend-paying stocks with covered-call options, a strategy in which an investor sells call options on s