The Korea Pulse
- 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. Read more →
- LS Electric Clinches Second Straight No-Bargaining Labor Deal
LS Electric has settled its 2026 wage and collective agreement without a single formal bargaining round for the second year running, signaling durable labor pea Read more →
- LS Electric Settles Labor Pact Without Bargaining for Second Year
LS Electric reached its 2026 wage and collective bargaining agreement with no negotiation for a second straight year, freeing management to focus on strategic i Read more →
- Shinhan Investment Securities Drops Front-End Fees on New Light Fund
Shinhan Investment Securities launched Light, an online-only fund lineup that removes front-end sales charges under an aggressive low-cost pricing policy. Read more →
- Chip Optimism Lifts KOSPI Back Above 7,400 as KOSDAQ Jumps
Korean stocks rallied on July 10 as improving semiconductor sentiment pushed the KOSPI up 2.5% past 7,400 and the KOSDAQ up more than 5%. Read more →
- SK Hynix's Splashy US Debut Draws Global Attention
SK Hynix's high-profile American debut drew foreign press coverage and praise, spotlighting a memory-chip giant with 66 trillion won in annual revenue. Read more →
- China Halts Helium Exports, Widening Its Chip-Material Squeeze
China's Commerce Ministry ordered an immediate, temporary ban on helium exports, extending Beijing's control of critical semiconductor inputs beyond rare earths Read more →
- iM Securities Raises 150 Billion Won via Hybrid Capital Notes
iM Securities issued 150 billion won in hybrid capital securities to fund an expansion of its asset-management and investment-brokerage businesses. Read more →
- Korea Moves to Cut Highway Rest-Stop Coffee to 2,000 Won
The government is overhauling how highway rest stops operate, pushing a 4,800-won coffee down to 2,000 won for travelers. Read more →
- Korea's Chip Frenzy and the 2x Samsung–SK Hynix ETF Bet
A leveraged ETF on Samsung and SK Hynix that listed on May 27 has come to embody Korea's semiconductor mania — and its risks. Read more →
- Korean Brokerages Cut E-Mart and Hanwha Aerospace Targets on Q2 Doubts
Korea Investment & Securities and KB Securities lowered targets on E-Mart and Hanwha Aerospace on July 10, expecting second-quarter profit to miss forecasts. Read more →
- Korean Won Hovers Just Above 1,500 to the Dollar at Daily Fix
The won held near the 1,500-per-dollar line at the 15:30 reference fix, closing at 1,506.1 before easing back to 1,501.4 the following session. Read more →