Policy & Regulation
- Bank of Korea Chief Points to Gradual Rate Hikes Over the Next Six Months
After a 6-1 vote for a second straight rate increase, Governor Hyun Song Shin says he expects gradual hikes ahead, with board forecasts topping out at 3.50%.
- Korea's 3-Year Treasury Yield Falls to 3.816% Ahead of Bank of Korea Rate Decision
Korea's 3-year government bond yield fell for a third straight session to 3.816% on Aug. 26 as markets braced for the Bank of Korea's rate decision.
- Korea's Financial Services Commission Rotates Director-Level Officials
South Korea's FSC has carried out a round of director-level transfers, reshuffling the mid-ranking officials who run day-to-day financial policy work.
- Korea's FSC Chief Anchors Redevelopment Loan Limits to Member Sale Prices
FSC Chairman Lee Eog-weon told lawmakers relocation-loan LTV will be based on cooperative member sale prices, while banks pick the benchmark for balance loans.
- South Korea's August Economic Readout: Inside the Finance Ministry's Monthly Assessment
South Korea's finance ministry has released its August economic trends assessment, the government's monthly diagnosis of growth, prices, and markets.
- Why 2028 Is the Quiet Deadline in South Korea's New Property Tax Plan
South Korea's latest tax overhaul sequences its housing measures around 2028, effectively telling owners of multiple homes when to sell.
- Korea's Ruling Party and Government Agree to Ease Homeowner Residency Rules
Korea's ruling party and government reached consensus on recognizing unavoidable non-occupancy as residency, easing tax rules for single-home owners.
- South Korea Pulls Mid-Rate Loans Out of Second-Tier Lenders' Household Debt Caps
Korea's FSS will fully exclude mid-rate loans at savings banks and other second-tier lenders from household debt quotas to protect lower-credit borrowers' acces
- Asleep Recruits Handok as Second Pharma Partner to Distribute ChronoTrack Sleep Device
Korean sleep-AI firm Asleep signed a domestic distribution deal with Handok for ChronoTrack, its contactless sleep-rhythm recorder, after a similar pact with Ch
- Seoul Mayor and Land Minister Deadlock Over Housing Inside Yongsan Park
Kim Yoon-deok and Oh Se-hoon met August 20 over building homes in Yongsan Park but stayed split on the park itself, agreeing only to explore nearby sites.
- Seoul Pairs Its August Economic Assessment With a 2026 Tax Code Overhaul
Korea's finance ministry released its August economic trends report and unveiled the 2026 tax reform plan, setting the fiscal agenda for the autumn session.
- Korea Extends Margin Rules for Non-Cleared OTC Derivatives by Another Year
Korea's Financial Supervisory Service renewed its margin-exchange guideline for non-cleared OTC derivatives, keeping the 3 trillion won threshold in place.
- Seoul's Wealthiest Districts Mobilize as Residents React to August 3 Property Tax Overhaul
Seocho-gu has delivered resident feedback on Korea's August 3 property tax reform to the finance ministry, while Gangnam-gu plans a briefing for 500 residents.
- US National Debt Tops $40 Trillion for the First Time
The US national debt has crossed $40 trillion for the first time, adding $10 trillion since January 2022 — a pace with real consequences for global markets.
- FSS Union Demands Immediate Halt to Plan Moving Korea's Financial Watchdog Out of Seoul
The Financial Supervisory Service's labor union called a government push to relocate the regulator a grave misstep, warning it would weaken front-line oversight
- Korea's Q2 Earnings Split: Builders and Fintech Surge While Food Giant SPC Samlip Craters
Second-quarter results diverge sharply in Korea: HL D&I Halla, Aton and Pulmuone post double-digit profit gains while SPC Samlip's operating profit nearly vanis
- South Korea's FSS to Co-Host International Climate Risk Conference on September 2
Korea's Financial Supervisory Service and Ewha Womans University will co-host an international conference on climate risk in finance on September 2.
- Record Bank Profits, Crypto Slump: Korea's Q2 Earnings Split in Two
SC First Bank and Citibank Korea posted record quarterly profits while Bithumb swung to a loss and Dunamu's income fell 60% in Korea's Q2 disclosures.
- Seoul's Greenbelt Hangs Over Korea's Coming 73,000-Home Land Package
Korea plans to unveil public housing districts of 73,000-plus homes as early as next month. Whether Seoul greenbelt land is included remains unresolved.
- Foreign Banks and Toss Post Record Quarters as Korea's Crypto Exchanges Slump
Q2 results split Korea's financial sector: SC First Bank, Citibank Korea and Toss Securities hit records while Bithumb and Dunamu saw profits collapse.
- Seoul Digs In Against Government Push to Build Housing on Yongsan Park Land
Seoul's city hall and Yongsan District oppose central government plans to put housing on Yongsan Park and greenbelt land under the August 13 supply package.
- Yongsan District Joins Seoul in Opposing Housing on Yongsan Park Land
Yongsan District has joined Seoul's city government in opposing the land ministry's review of Yongsan Park for housing, calling the site a national symbol.
- Korea East-West Power Brings In 121 New Hires With Safety and Digital Skills at the Forefront
Korea East-West Power inducted 121 second-half hires at its Ulsan headquarters, stressing safety, digital capability, and broader equitable recruitment.
- Korea's Housing Fix Hinges on Speed — and on Yongsan's Long-Locked Land
South Korea's land minister pairs early-construction incentives with a review of Yongsan Park and damaged greenbelt land to accelerate housing supply.
- Record Quarters for Foreign Banks as Korea's Crypto Exchanges Slide
SC First Bank and Citibank Korea posted record Q2 profits while Bithumb swung to a loss and Dunamu's income fell 60%, a widening split in Korean finance.
- Seoul Housing Push Turns to Yongsan Park Land as Ministry Courts City Hall
Korea's land ministry will consult Seoul on converting the Yongsan Children's Garden site to housing, as Minister Kim Yoon-deok touts smooth ties with Mayor Oh.
- Gangnam Apartment Prices Turn Lower as Korea's Tax Overhaul Hits High-End Owners
Seoul apartment price growth is slowing, and Seocho and Gangnam have swung to declines after the 2026 tax reform plan raised the burden on high-priced homes.
- Seoul Metro Area to Get 230,000-Plus New Homes as Government Pairs Land Release With Easier Loans
South Korea unveiled a plan for over 230,000 additional homes in the capital region, including greenbelt sites, alongside expanded loans for young buyers.
- Democratic Party Convenes First Meeting of Housing Market Stabilization Task Force
Korea's Democratic Party launched its Housing Market Stabilization Task Force on August 12, with acting leader Han Byung-do presiding at the National Assembly.
- Hanwha Taps Three National Universities for AI and Aerospace Talent in Korea's Southeast
Hanwha has agreed with three national universities in southeastern Korea to train AI and aerospace talent, anchoring the region's growing space industry cluster
- Korea to Define Legal Strike Boundaries Through Decree Under Yellow Envelope Law
Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon said the ministry is weighing an enforcement decree or ministerial rules to set criteria for lawful disputes under the amended Tra
- US Inflation Holds at 3.4% in July, Weakening the Case for Another Fed Hike
US consumer prices rose 3.4% from a year earlier in July, matching forecasts — an in-line reading that eases pressure on the Fed and shifts the calculus in Seou
- Korea's Two-Speed Second Quarter: Record Exports, Record Retail Decline
South Korea's Q2 2026 exports hit an all-time $275.5 billion on the chip boom, while hypermarket sales fell a record 9.4% amid Homeplus's rehabilitation.
- Seoul Orders Rethink of ISA Reform After Backlash From Both Parties
President Lee Jae Myung ordered a review of the ISA overhaul and the stock-price suppression bill, and the finance ministry says it will seek fixes.
- Korea's Youth Savings Push Ends With 1.385 Million Enrolled, and a September Encore in View
Korea's Youth Future Savings scheme closed its first round with 1,385,000 final enrollees out of 2.34 million applicants, and regulators may reopen it in Septem
- One in Eight Korean Wage Workers Is Paid Below the Legal Minimum
Minimum Wage Commission data show about one in eight Korean wage workers earned below the hourly floor last year, with temporary workers hit hardest at 39%.
- Opposition Escalates Attacks on Seoul's Property Tax Overhaul as Ruling Party Cries Foul
South Korea's tax reform plan has ignited a partisan clash, with the People Power Party branding it a "tax on hatred" and the ruling party decrying fear tactics
- Korea's Industry Minister Wants Profit-Linked Bonuses Put to a Shareholder Vote
Trade Minister Kim Jeong-kwan opposes bonuses pegged to a share of operating profit and is pushing to make shareholder-meeting approval mandatory.
- Stemco Commits 150 Billion Won to Expand Its Ochang Plant in Cheongju
Inductor coil maker Stemco signed a 150 billion won agreement with North Chungcheong Province and Cheongju on Aug. 6 to enlarge its Ochang factory.
- Academics Warn Korea's Property Tax Overhaul Could Squeeze Rental Supply
Public finance scholars caution that Korea's property tax reform, built on treating multi-homeowners as speculators, may shrink rental supply and push up rents.
- Korea Turns From Property Taxes to Supply as Housing Package Enters Its Final Stretch
Fresh off its real estate tax overhaul, Korea's government is finalizing a follow-up housing supply package due this month, calling builders back for input.
- Korea's Bond Market Leans Toward an August Rate Hold as July Inflation Cools
Slowing July consumer price growth has Korea's bond market expecting another Bank of Korea rate hold in August, even as core inflation edges higher.
- Korea's Inflation Slips Back Below 3% as Oil Price Cap Shaves 0.3 Points Off July CPI
Korea's consumer prices rose 2.8% in July, the first sub-3% reading in three months, helped by slower oil and farm price gains and a fuel price-cap scheme.
- South Korea Unveils 2026 Tax Reform Plan Ahead of Autumn Assembly Session
Korea's finance ministry has unveiled the 2026 tax reform plan, opening the annual revision cycle that now heads to the National Assembly this fall.
- Korea's Property Tax Overhaul Spares Owner-Occupiers, Squeezes the Top of the Market
Seoul's new real estate tax plan protects owner-occupied single homes while sharply raising levies on non-resident and ultra-high-value housing through 2029.
- Seoul Eyes Greenbelt Release and Military Sites in Coming Housing Supply Package
Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yun-cheol says a housing supply plan easing greenbelt limits and tapping military sites is imminent, defending new high-end home taxes
- Dongwon Systems, Hyundai E&C Post Double-Digit Operating Profit Gains in Q2
Dongwon Systems lifted Q2 operating profit 21.1% on green packaging exports, while Hyundai E&C's profit rose 20.7% to 261.8 billion won.
- Korea Clears KTX-SRT Merger, With 10% Fare Cut Coming in September
Korea's antitrust regulator has approved the Korail-SR merger, uniting KTX and SRT from September with fares cut 10% and about 15,000 extra weekday seats.
- Old Bundang Apartments Out-Price Newer Wirye Stock in Seongnam's July Trades
MOLIT transaction records for July 2026 show 1990s Bundang complexes in Seongnam trading at higher per-square-meter prices than newer Wirye apartments.
- Bundang's 30-Year-Old Flats Outprice New Seoul Apartments in July Trades
July 2026 MOLIT filings show aging Bundang small units trading above new Seoul stock per square meter, while Ilsan, Incheon and Busan lag far behind.
- July Filings Show an Eightfold Price Gap Across Korea's Capital-Region Apartments
MOLIT transaction records for July 2026 show capital-region apartment prices ranging from 186 million won in Incheon to 1.475 billion won in Bundang.
- Korea's Half-Year Tax Haul Swells 33 Trillion Won on a Stock-Trading Boom
South Korea collected 223 trillion won in taxes through June, up 33 trillion won, as securities transaction tax jumped 482% and bonuses lifted income tax.
- A Sixfold Price Gap: What Late-July Apartment Sales Reveal About Seoul's Commuter Belt
MOLIT transaction records from July 24–28, 2026 show capital-region apartment prices ranging from 205 million won in Incheon to over 2 billion won in Wirye.
- Korea Moves to Cap Each Investor's Bets on Single-Stock Leveraged ETFs
Korea's financial authorities will cap individual exposure to single-stock leveraged ETFs, with a 20% ceiling discussed at an emergency market meeting.
- Korea's July Economic Snapshot: Ministry Releases Monthly Trends Note
South Korea's finance ministry published its July 2026 economic trends reference as daily market and FX tables landed for July 28. What's confirmed so far.
- Korea Signals Property Rules Still in Flux as Officials Weigh Multi-Home Exit
Korea's presidential policy chief says housing measures are not finalized, with a cap on the capital-gains long-term holding deduction and an exit path for mult
- Court Orders SK's Chey Tae-won to Pay 944 Billion Won to Ex-Spouse
A Korean court has ordered SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won to pay 944 billion won in a marital property division — a settlement that reaches deep into one of the
- Korea's Finance Ministry Reshuffles Its Director-General Ranks
South Korea's Ministry of Economy and Finance announced director-general-level personnel changes, part of a broader reshuffle touching the maritime ministry as
- Korea's July Economic Assessment: Inside the Government's Monthly Review
South Korea's finance ministry issued its July 2026 economic assessment as weekly market and currency data circulated the same day. Here's what the release cove
- Korea's Q2 Growth Surprise Revives Talk of a 3% Year and an August Rate Move
A stronger-than-expected 0.6% second-quarter GDP reading has revived hopes for 3% annual growth and put an August Bank of Korea rate decision in play.
- Gyeonggi Apartment Sales Split Wide in July 2026 Registry Data
July 2026 filings with Korea's official transaction registry show Gyeonggi and Incheon apartment prices ranging from 160 million to 2.13 billion won.
- Coway Crowns 26 Top "Cody" Planners as Star Earner Averages 15M Won a Month
Coway named 26 standout "Cody" home-care planners for the first half of 2026, with its top performer averaging 15 million won in monthly pay.
- Korea Recovers 590 Billion Won in Public Funds in Q2 2026
Korea's FSC recovered 590.1 billion won in bailout funds in Q2 2026, lifting cumulative recovery to 123.0 trillion won and a 72.9% recovery rate.
- Korea's Finance Ministry Releases Its July 2026 Economic Assessment
The Ministry of Finance published its July 2026 monthly economic review as daily market and exchange-rate indicators were reported for July 21.
- Songdo and Suwon Lead Mid-July Korean Apartment Deals
MOLIT July 2026 data show Songdo and Suwon apartments outpricing older Incheon stock, with location and building age outweighing floor area.
- Koo Yun-cheol Puts Trade Stability and Felt Relief at Center of Seoul's Second-Half Agenda
South Korea's finance chief says the year's back half carries a heavy policy load, with US trade management and household-level results as priorities.
- Korea Plans Won Accounts at Foreign Banks Under New Roadmap
Korea's finance ministry unveiled a won internationalization roadmap that would let non-residents hold won accounts abroad and trade the currency with each othe
- Korea's Apartment Market Splits: Seoul Records, Suwon Discounts
July filings to Korea's real-transaction registry show a Seoul record at 1.4 billion won while Suwon units of the same era trade under 500 million.
- South Korea's College-Graduate Jobless Total Tops 480,000, a Five-Year High
Unemployed South Korean college graduates passed 480,000 in Q2 2026, the most in five years, with people in their 20s and 30s making up 64%.
- Bank of Korea Raises Rates, Ending a 3.5-Year Easing Cycle
The Bank of Korea lifted its benchmark rate on July 16, its first hike in three and a half years, pressuring housing and opening a tightening cycle.
- Korea's FSC Meets Vietnam Finance Ministry to Deepen Capital Market Ties
Korea's FSC Vice Chairman Kwon Dae-young met Vietnam's deputy finance minister in Seoul on July 16 to advance capital market cooperation after the April summit.
- US Inflation Cools More Than Expected in June as Prices Broadly Retreat
US consumer prices eased to a 3.5% annual rate in June while producer prices fell 0.3%, with both readings undershooting forecasts and reviving rate-cut hopes.
- Why Korea's Daily Trading-Volume and FX Reports Matter in July 2026
A look at what Korea's mid-July 2026 market snapshots track — the most actively traded stocks, the won's exchange rate, and the economy behind them.
- 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.
- One 84㎡ Flat, Four Different Prices: Inside Seoul's Metro Housing Split
Early-July 2026 MOLIT registry data shows near-identical apartment sizes trading from 480M to 1.88B won across the Seoul metro ring — a widening geography of pr
- 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
