Policy & Regulation
- Korea Sets 2026 Minimum Wage at 10,700 Won an Hour
South Korea's minimum wage will rise 3.7% to 10,700 won per hour in 2026, a 380-won increase that lifts the full-time monthly floor to about 2.24 million won.
- US June Inflation Eases to 3.5%, Below Market Forecasts
US consumer prices rose 3.5% year over year in June, a slower pace than economists had expected, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics release.
- Post Offices to Fill the Loan Gap in Bankless Korean Towns
Korea Post will let residents of 20 rural counties apply for loans from the four major banks at post office counters, starting the 20th.
- Lee to Chair Public Debate as Seoul Pushes Supply Over Taxes
President Lee Jae-myung will lead a July 23 public forum on housing, as Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon urges a focus on supply and rental stability over tax hikes.
- Korea Moves to 24-Hour FX Trading in Bid to Globalize the Won
Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol calls round-the-clock won trading a "starting point" for the currency's global rise and a more attractive Korean capital market.
- Korea to Create 'Future Response Fund' From Semiconductor Tax Windfall
Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik says Korea will channel surplus semiconductor tax revenue into a new fund for future generations.
- Korea to Split Car-Crash Complaint Handling Between Insurers' Body and FSS
From September, Korea's insurance association will handle car-accident fault-ratio and poor-service complaints, while the FSS keeps formal disputes.
- Korea's Financial Sector Stages Record 82-Firm Job Fair at DDP
Korea's FSC will host its largest-ever financial recruitment fair on Aug. 19–20 at Seoul's DDP, drawing 82 banks, insurers and other institutions.
- Korea's Fuel Subsidy Hits 98% Uptake, 6.11 Trillion Won Paid
Korea's high fuel-price relief program closed with a 98% final application rate and 6.11 trillion won disbursed, signaling near-universal reach among eligible r