[Edaily Reporter Kim Hyung-wook ] “When first-half earnings were announced, we had expected the war in the Middle East (the Iran war) to be largely resolved by the third quarter, but our prediction was off, and as a result, third-quarter profitability fell short of expectations. The ripple effects are not limited to disruptions in Middle Eastern sales but are also driving up the prices of all raw materials and logistics costs. As the war continues and its repercussions are expected to last at least until the end of this year, we anticipate that these conditions will persist into the fourth quarter as well. The exchange rate has also fallen to the 1,300 won per dollar range, creating additional challenges. However, we do not believe these external factors will persist for the long term. At some point, raw material prices will stabilize, and we will recover from this situation through comprehensive cost-cutting measures.”..KIA CORPORATION’s third-quarter earnings conference call on the 30th