[Minute to Read] Hyundai Motor appoints 1st foreign CEO as Trump era looms

The Minute to Read (Weekdays) series provides a quick overview of significant events in Korea everyday, conveniently condensed into a one-minute read. Here’s a recap of what happened yesterday: Nov. 17.

Hyundai Motor CEO Jose Muñoz (left) and President Sung Kim

Hyundai Motor appoints 1st foreign CEO as Trump era looms

Hyundai Motor has appointed José Muñoz, head of the company’s U.S. business and global chief operating officer, as its first foreign CEO, and named former U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia, Sung Kim, as president. The leadership change, part of a year-end reshuffle, is seen as a strategic response to the challenges posed by Trumpism, including potential subsidy cuts and tariffs under U.S. President-elect Trump’s second term. The reshuffle also promoted Chang Jae-hoon to vice chairman, where he will oversee Hyundai’s entire vehicle operations.

Samsung stock rebounds, but semiconductor recovery may take until 2026

Samsung Electronics’ stock rose 7.21% to 53,500 won, yet its price-to-book ratio remains below 1, signaling concerns over valuation. The company faces challenges in its semiconductor division, with increasing competition from Chinese rivals like CXMT. Analysts predict that Samsung’s recovery in memory chip profitability may not fully materialize until 2026, driven by a projected rise in demand for AI-enabled devices and a rebound in smartphone and PC markets.

BTS members achieve new solo records during military hiatus

While on military hiatus, BTS members continue to break solo records, dominating global charts. Jimin’s track “Who” surpassed 1 billion Spotify streams, becoming the fastest Korean song to do so this year. V became the first K-pop soloist to reach 19 million Spotify followers, while Jin’s “I’ll Be There” charted on the U.K. Official Charts. Jungkook’s hit “Seven” reached 2 billion streams, setting a new milestone as the fastest K-pop act to achieve this feat.

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