Celltrion (068270.KS): Q2 Op Profit Up 77%, Shares Down 20%
Celltrion (068270.KS), South Korea's largest biosimilar maker, reported preliminary second-quarter 2026 results on July 3 showing operating profit up 77.3% to ₩
Samsung SDI (006400.KS) Converts Idle EV Lines to Storage
Samsung SDI (006400.KS), South Korea's second-largest battery maker, is converting stalled and underused electric-vehicle battery lines in the United States and
SK Telecom Targets 15 GW AI Data Center Capacity by 2035, Partners AWS and Nvidia
South Korea's largest carrier plans 15 GW of AI compute capacity by 2035, anchored by an AWS hyperscale facility in Ulsan. SK Group affiliates including SK Hynix will supply chips across the value chain.
LG Chem Enters Semiconductor Stripper Market With Amkor Technology Deal, Eyes KRW 2 Trillion Materials Revenue
LG Chem entered the semiconductor stripper market on July 5, announcing a mass-production supply deal with Amkor Technology. The customized stripper cuts photoresist removal time by 50% and supports the company's target to double electronic materials revenue to KRW 2 trillion by 2030.
Bank of Korea Flags KOSPI Concentration Risk as Samsung and SK Hynix ETFs Surge — While 'Chipflation' Hits Consumer Wallets
Bank of Korea warns Samsung and SK Hynix ETF concentration has reached 55.3% of KOSPI market cap, while chipflation pushes storage device prices up 45.6% year-on-year — highest among 458 CPI basket items.
Korean Won Logs Second-Worst H1 Since 1998 as Foreign Investors Unload ₩156 Trillion in KOSPI Shares
The Korean won fell 5.92% in H1 2026, posting its second-worst first-half average since the 1998 Asian financial crisis. Foreign investors sold ₩156.56 trillion in KOSPI shares, more than 4.5 times the full-year 2008 total.
Korea's Fake News Law Takes Effect July 7: Kakao and Naver Face New Platform Liability Rules
South Korea's revised Information and Communications Network Act takes effect July 7, 2026, exposing Kakao (035720.KS) and Naver to punitive damages and CEO liability for content moderation failures.
Samsung (005930.KS), SK Hynix Rise 8–11% as Kospi Tops 8,000
South Korea's chip duo staged one of the sharpest reversals of the year on Friday, July 3, and the pattern of the move matters more than its size. The Kospi (Ko
Seoul Court Terminates Homeplus Rehabilitation, Korea's No. 2 Hypermarket Faces Liquidation
Seoul Bankruptcy Court terminated Homeplus' rehabilitation proceedings on July 3 after the MBK Partners-owned retailer failed to raise KRW 200B in operating capital. With a 14-day appeal window, Korea's second-largest hypermarket faces liquidation — with implications for E-Mart, Lotte Shopping, and Meritz Financial.
Samsung Targets Third Straight DRAM Price Hike in Q3, Seeking Up to 20% Rise After 90% Jump in Q1
Samsung Electronics is seeking a 20% DRAM price hike for Q3 2026, marking the third consecutive quarter of double-digit increases after +90% in Q1 and +50-60% in Q2, with TrendForce projecting 13-18% actual gains.
LG Energy Solution Locks In Humanoid Battery Contracts With Tesla, Boston Dynamics and Figure AI
LG Energy Solution (373220.KS) confirms battery supply deals with Tesla, Boston Dynamics, and Figure AI for humanoid robots, betting on high-nickel ternary chemistry to outpace Chinese LFP rivals.
SK Hynix Weighs Record $29B Nasdaq ADR as July 10 Debut Nears
SK Hynix targets up to $29B in Nasdaq ADRs (largest ADR ever), with July 10 trading start and BofA/GS/Citi/JPM as underwriters. Proceeds earmarked for Yongin fab and Cheongju P&T7 packaging plant.
Hanwha, Hyundai Pledge Combined KRW 97 Trillion to Transform Yeongnam Into Defense-Aerospace Hub
Hanwha Group and Hyundai Motor Group pledged a combined KRW 97 trillion for the Yeongnam region, with Hanwha focusing on space sovereignty via launch vehicles and satellites, and Hyundai on next-generation EVs and clean energy.
₩350T Q2 Memory Surge: Samsung (005930.KS), SK Hynix Records
The global memory-chip market is on track to approach ₩350 trillion ($254 billion) in the second quarter of 2026, a figure that sets up record earnings for Kore
Verizon's $3.2B Spectrum Sweep Puts Samsung's 5G Network Unit Back in Focus
Verizon won 91% of the FCC's first spectrum auction in four years, committing USD 3.2 billion for mid-band capacity. Samsung Electronics, Verizon's primary 5G network-equipment partner under a ₩7.9 trillion supply contract, stands to benefit as US regulators bar Chinese-made telecom components.
Samsung (005930.KS) Pledges ₩60T for Korea Physical AI Hub
Samsung on July 3 pledged to invest ₩60 trillion ($43.8 billion) in the Yeongnam region — the industrial belt of southeastern Korea centered on Busan, Ulsan and
KOSPI Whipsaws to 5.8% as Funds Catch Samsung, SK Hynix Dip
South Korea's benchmark KOSPI index staged one of its wildest sessions of the year on Friday, July 3, swinging from a 3.5% intraday plunge to a sharp "V-shaped"
Hanmi Science (008930.KS) Heir Stake Tips Family Past Shin
The younger son of Hanmi's founding family has sold a 2.5% stake — roughly ₩82.07 billion ($59.9 million) worth of shares — to a fund aligned with his mother an
Daewoo E&C Returns to US Real Estate After 20-Year Hiatus With $291M New Jersey Project
South Korea's Daewoo E&C returns to US real estate after a 20-year absence with a $291 million investment in Palisades Park, New Jersey, partnering with Tamares Group on an 18-story, 540-unit residential complex through its US unit DUSAI.
KB Financial (105560.KS) Narrows Chairman Race to Six
KB Financial Group (105560.KS), South Korea's largest financial holding company by market value, narrowed its chairman succession field to six candidates on Jul
Hyundai and Kia Post Record 920,383 H1 US Sales as Hybrids Surge 65.5%, EVs Drop
Hyundai Motor and Kia delivered 920,383 vehicles in H1 2026, setting a new record as hybrid sales surged 65.5% YoY while EV deliveries fell 9.7%.
Samsung, SK Hynix and Celltrion Pledge KRW 392 Trillion to Chungcheong in Korea's 'Second Tokyo Declaration'
Samsung, SK Hynix CEO Kwak No-jeong and Celltrion commit KRW 392 trillion to Chungcheong as President Lee calls it Korea's 'second Tokyo Declaration.' Anthropic also eyes Samsung 2nm foundry.
LG Energy Solution (373220.KS) Ohio EV Plant Pivots to ESS
A $3.5 billion battery plant that Honda and LG Energy Solution broke ground on to build electric-vehicle cells has instead started churning out cells for the po
Celltrion (068270.KS) Q2: Margin 33%, Record ₩430B Profit
Celltrion (068270.KS), Korea's largest biosimilar maker, said its second-quarter operating margin leapt to roughly 33% — the sharpest profitability move in the
KOSPI Sinks 7.9% as 'Meta Shock' Routs Korean Chip Stocks
KOSPI plunged 7.89% to 7,648.09 on July 2, 2026 as Meta's AI cloud plans sparked fears of AI compute overcapacity, sending SK Hynix down 14.57% and Samsung down 9.06% in a 'Black Thursday' rout.
Seoul and Washington Clash Over ₩624.7B Coupang Fine as US House Labels Korea's Data Enforcement Discriminatory
South Korea's Foreign Ministry and NIS push back against a US House Judiciary Committee report that labels the PIPC's record ₩624.7 billion ($403 million) privacy fine against Coupang as 'discriminatory.' The fine stems from a Chinese-employee data breach exposing 37 million Coupang users.
Google's €4.1B EU Fine Sealed, Samsung (005930.KS) in Focus
On July 2, the Court of Justice of the European Union (the EU's highest court, whose rulings cannot be appealed) dismissed the final challenge from Alphabet's G
Hanmi Pharma (128940.KS) Promotes Obesity, Licensing VPs
Hanmi Group, a Korean pharmaceutical group whose listed drugmaker Hanmi Pharmaceutical (128940.KS) is a KOSPI large-cap, on July 2 promoted six executives in it
SK Hynix Pledges ₩100 Trillion ($64B) for New Memory Capacity
SK Hynix CEO announces ₩100 trillion ($64B) Cheongju investment: ₩80T for NAND fab M17 (2029) and ₩20T for advanced HBM packaging (2027), as KOSPI fell 4.46% on AI capex fears.
Hanmi Semiconductor Chairman Buys ₩5B Stock Before HBM4 Ramp
Hanmi Semiconductor Chairman Kwak Dong-shin adds ₩5B in personal stock purchases, bringing three-year total to ₩69.5B, signaling conviction in TC Bonder demand ahead of HBM4 ramp.
BYD's First Korea Recall Part of 146,505-Vehicle Sweep
South Korea orders 146,505-vehicle recall. BYD faces first-ever Korean recall; Hyundai Tucson leads volume at 54,792 units.
SK Inc. and KKR Form Korea's Largest Renewable Energy Joint Venture, Targeting 10 GW by 2031
SK Inc. and KKR sign a KRW 2 trillion JV to create Korea's largest renewable energy platform at 1.7 GW initial capacity, targeting 10 GW by 2031.
Samsung Reaffirms 1.4nm for 2029, Bets on Ecosystem vs TSMC
Samsung used SAFE Forum 2026 to confirm 1.4nm (SF1.4) mass production for 2029 and reframe its foundry pitch around AI ecosystem partners, not raw pro
Samsung (005930.KS): 1.4nm Node for 2029, Ecosystem Play
Samsung Electronics, Shinhan and 11 Other Korean Firms Join 140-Company OUSD Dollar Stablecoin Consortium
Samsung Electronics, Shinhan Financial Group and 11 other Korean firms join the 140-member Open Standard consortium alongside Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, Coinbase, and BlackRock to co-launch OUSD — a zero-fee B2B dollar stablecoin — before end-2026. Kakao Dunamu, Kakao Bank, KBank, Samsung Card and eight card networks round out Korea's 13 founding participants.
Samsung SDI CEO Targets 2026 Performance Turnaround, Calls for Full 'AI Native' Transformation at 56th Anniversary
Samsung SDI CEO Choi Joo-seon pledged a 2026 performance turnaround and full AI Native transformation at the battery maker's 56th anniversary ceremony in Yongin.
SK Hynix Files Amended Nasdaq F-1, Disclosing KRW 11.94T EUV Equipment Budget Ahead of July 10 Debut
SK Hynix files amended SEC F-1, detailing KRW 11.94T for EUV equipment, KRW 31T for Yongin Y1 fab and KRW 19T for Cheongju HBM plant ahead of July 10 Nasdaq debut.
KB Financial Deploys KRW 188.5B From Social Fund to 148 Enterprises, Portfolio Revenue Surges Tenfold
KB Financial Group has deployed KRW 188.5 billion from its social investment fund across 148 enterprises, recording tenfold revenue growth for portfolio companies.
South Korea Unveils KRW 896 Trillion Southwest Semiconductor Megaproject as Samsung and SK Anchor Gwangju Cluster
South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung unveiled KRW 896T in Samsung and SK pledges for a new Gwangju-centred semiconductor cluster, anchored by Samsung's KRW 400T fab commitment, KRW 17T national AI computing center and SK Group's KRW 470T buildout.
South Korea's KFTC Opens $547 Million Case Against Google Over App Store 'Project Hug'
Korea's Fair Trade Commission formally accuses Google of market abuse via its Games Velocity Program, citing USD 9.1B in affected revenue and a potential USD 547M fine.
SK and KKR Seal 49:51 Renewable Energy JV to Launch Korea's Largest Clean-Power Platform
SK Inc. and KKR finalize a 49:51 joint venture to consolidate South Korea's largest renewable energy platform, targeting 10 GW of capacity by 2031 from a 1.7 GW base.
Lotte Group Nears KRW 1.3 Trillion Sale of Rental Unit to TPG, Igniting Kakao Mobility Merger Speculation
Lotte Group sells 61.18% of Korea's top car-rental firm to TPG at KRW 58,000/share, a 25% discount vs Affinity. TPG may merge it with Kakao Mobility for a KRW 8T mobility platform.
Chip Boom Vaults South Korea Into the $100 Billion Monthly Export Club, Fourth Country in History
South Korea posted USD 102.25 billion in exports in June 2026 — its first time exceeding the USD 100 billion monthly threshold — joining Germany, China, and the US as only the fourth country in history to reach this milestone. Semiconductor exports led at USD 44.8 billion, up 199.5% year-on-year.
BOE Exits Galaxy S27 OLED Bid as Samsung Display Locks In All Flagship Models
BOE halted Galaxy S27 OLED development after Samsung Display lobbied against Chinese supply, keeping all four S27 models on South Korean panels and risking a consumer price hike.
EcoPro BM Prices KRW 1.2 Trillion Rights Issue to Fund Indonesia Nickel Push, Shares Plunge 19%
EcoPro BM launched a KRW 1.2T rights issue to expand its Indonesian nickel smelter stake, triggering a 19% after-hours stock drop on dilution fears.
Kolon Industries Puts PCB Resins and OLED Coatings Up for Sale as Lee Kyu-ho Steers Group Toward AI and Clean-Energy Materials
Kolon Industries is divesting its PCB epoxy-resin and OLED display-coating businesses via a Samjong KPMG process, while retaining its strategically valuable mPPO (AI semiconductor material) unit. Fourth-generation heir Lee Kyu-ho is driving the restructuring amid Kolon Global's high leverage of ~332% debt-to-equity. Q1 2026 operating profit rose 130% YoY to KRW 61.9 billion.
Korea's NPS Faces KRW 20–74 Trillion Rebalancing Sell-Off as KOSPI Hits 8,476
Korea's NPS faces mandatory equity rebalancing of KRW 20–74 trillion starting July 1, as the KOSPI rally near 8,476 has pushed the pension fund's domestic equity ratio to ~30%, above its 28.8% upper band.
Wemade Founder Sells KRW 920 Billion Stake to China-Linked NeoPulse, Handing Mir IP Control to Alibaba-Tied Investor
Wemade (112040.KS) founder Park Kwan-ho is selling his entire 39.33% stake to China-linked NeoPulse for KRW 920B (USD 593M), with the Hong Kong-registered Shengsong Investment affiliate set to become the largest shareholder at 40.25% by October 30, 2026.
Samsung SDI and SK On Gain Edge as Korea Mega-Project Plans Embed KRW 3.4 Trillion in Battery Demand
Samsung SDI and SK On are positioned to capture the bulk of Korea KRW 3.4-4.3 trillion ESS and data-center battery pipeline embedded in the mega-project blueprint, while LG Energy Solution faces capacity constraints.
Korea's Battery Trio Moves Fastest to Claw Back US Tariff Cash as Hyundai Stays on the Sidelines
LG Energy Solution leads Korea's battery makers in reclaiming over KRW 100B from US tariff refunds after Supreme Court ruling, while Hyundai Motor stays cautious amid Trump retaliation threats.
KakaoBank FinTech Lab Lands Four Papers at ICLR, ACL and LREC, Staking Out Korea's Bank-Side AI Safety Frontier
KakaoBank's FinTech Research Institute had four financial AI safety papers accepted at ICLR 2026, ACL (with KAIST), and LREC — covering prompt injection defense and a financial-risk AI safety taxonomy.
Samsung Electronics Union Chief Survives Confidence Vote With 87.5% Mandate, Eyes Separate DS Chip Bargaining in 2027
Samsung Electronics' largest union reconfirms chair Choi Seung-ho with 87.5% approval (33,550/38,336 votes), plans to push for DS division as separate bargaining unit in 2027 wage talks.
L&F Signs Pre-IPO Stake in CIS Chemical as Korea's Battery Makers Race to Internalize Critical Mineral Recycling
L&F (066970.KQ) has inked a pre-IPO strategic investment in CIS Chemical, a Korean battery mineral recycling specialist with 20,000 t/year NiCo MHP capacity and proprietary SSX lithium recovery technology, targeting KOSDAQ Q3 2026.
LG Chem Clears FDA Hurdle for LG00313112, a Novel Covalent TP53 Inhibitor for Rare Solid Tumors
LG Chem (051910.KS) won U.S. FDA IND clearance for LG00313112, a first-in-class covalent TP53 Y220C inhibitor licensed from Frontier Medicines, targeting ovarian, lung, and breast cancers in Phase 1/2 trials.
US Consumers File 'Chipflation' Antitrust Suit Against Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron in California Federal Court
US consumers and small businesses have filed a class action antitrust suit against Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron, alleging the DRAM oligopoly coordinated supply cuts — hiding behind the HBM pivot — to drive a 700% price surge in standard memory.
SK Bioscience Q1 2026: CDMO Revenue Surges as IDT Biologika Ramps Up, R&D Spend Triples Operating Loss
SK Bioscience (302440.KS) Q1 2026: Revenue KRW 168.6B (+9.1% YoY), CDMO 75.8% of mix. Operating loss KRW -44.5B triples as R&D hits 35.4% of revenue. IDT Biologika utilization improves to 59.4%.
Samsung's Chip Division Caught Off Guard by Honam Fab Plan, Insiders Warn of Logistics Gaps and Cycle Risk
Samsung DS working-level executives were reportedly blindsided by President Lee's KRW 800 trillion Honam fab announcement. Insiders flag Yongin already stalled 7 months, logistics inefficiency, engineer shortage, and memory cycle timing risk as key concerns.
Foreign Investors Post All-Time KRX Net Sell Record of KRW 7.7 Trillion in Samsung, SK Hynix
Foreign investors offloaded a record KRW 7.7 trillion of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix on June 29, while KOSPI closed just -0.2% as capital rotated into LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, and infrastructure stocks.
Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Q1 2026: Solvency Ratio Climbs to 207% as Net Profit Reaches KRW 223 Billion
Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance posted Q1 2026 standalone net profit of KRW 223.3B with K-ICS solvency ratio reaching 207.2%, while FY2025 consolidated profit rose 19.9% YoY to KRW 1.02T.
IMM Private Equity Acquires CGBio for KRW 1.1 Trillion, Backed by USD 1.6 Billion J&J Novosis Contract Through 2040
IMM Private Equity acquires 51% of CGBio for KRW 561B, valuing the Korean regenerative medicine company at KRW 1.1 trillion, underpinned by a USD 1.6B J&J DePuy Synthes distribution contract through 2040.
Lee Jae-yong Maps Samsung's Four-City Blueprint: Songdo for Bio, Gwangju for Chips, Gumi for Robots, Ulsan for Batteries
Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong unveiled a four-sector, four-city industrial roadmap on Sunday, designating Incheon's Songdo district as what he called "the world's largest bio cluster" whil
Samsung Group Backs 6,700 Partners With KRW 3.5 Trillion Mutual-Growth Fund as 12 Affiliates Sign Pact
Samsung Group's 12 affiliates committed a combined KRW 3.5 trillion fund for roughly 6,700 supply-chain partners, guaranteeing faster payment terms and cost-sharing as South Korea's FTC calls supplier
Hyundai Elevator Q1 2026: Revenue Falls 8.2% as Korea Construction Slump Deepens
Hyundai Elevator (017800.KS) reported Q1 2026 consolidated revenue of KRW 545.8B (-8.2% YoY) and operating income of KRW 40.5B (-16.3%), with operating margin shrinking 70 bps to 7.4%. Net income fell 22.4% to KRW 27.1B. Korea elevator installations fell 26% in 2025, pressuring new-unit demand. The company maintains a KRW 2.24T order backlog and is expanding globally with its modular ENOBLOC installation system.
Kiwoom Securities in Exclusive Talks to Acquire Bithumb Stake as Korean Brokers Race for Crypto Foothold
Kiwoom Securities is negotiating to acquire a stake in Bithumb through a third-party share issuance, joining Samsung Securities and Mirae Asset in Korea's broker–crypto exchange consolidation race.
Kakao Workers Stage Full-Day Walkout as Bonus Dispute Deepens, Shares at 52-Week Low
Kakao union stages full-day walkout with about 2,100 participants across five entities, escalating a bonus dispute as shares sit at a 52-week low despite record profits.
Binance Offers 50x Leverage on Samsung and SK Hynix Stocks, Bypassing Korea's Retail Safeguards
Binance lists 50x leveraged derivatives on Samsung, SK Hynix, and Hyundai Motor stocks, drawing USD 6.42B in volume while Korea's domestic leverage cap sits at 2x for retail investors.
Kangwon Land Q1 2026: Casino Revenue Up 4.5%, Net Profit Dives 47% on Cost Surge and Lower Returns
Korea's only domestic casino posted Q1 2026 revenue of KRW 378.9B (+3.4% YoY) but net profit fell 46.8% to KRW 39.7B as SG&A expenses jumped 17.6% and investment income contracted 30.4%.
Apple Lobbies Trump for CXMT Memory Clearance, Putting SK Hynix and Samsung Pricing Power at Risk
Apple is pressing the Trump administration to allow DRAM purchases from China's CXMT, a DoD-blacklisted chipmaker. The move could erode pricing leverage held by SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics in the global memory market.
LG Chem Passes Government Naphtha Relief to SME Customers, Cutting Supply Prices Up to KRW 200,000 Per Ton
LG Chem CEO Kim Dong-chun announces a temporary KRW 100,000–200,000 per tonne price cut for small and medium-sized customers, passing on a government naphtha subsidy to ease downstream cost pressures.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics in Talks for KRW 500B AI MLCC Deal, Inks Glass Substrate JV With Sumitomo Chemical
Samsung Electro-Mechanics finalizes KRW 500 billion AI server MLCC supply talks with a US cloud provider while launching a glass substrate joint venture with Sumitomo Chemical to begin production at Pyeongtaek in early 2027.
Shinhan Financial Weighs Lotte Non-Life Insurance Buyout at KRW 1 Trillion as JKL Cuts Ask in Half
Shinhan Financial Group reviews acquisition of Lotte Non-Life Insurance at KRW 1 trillion as JKL Partners halves asking price, sending shares to the daily upper limit of +30%.
Samsung and SK Group Pledge Up to KRW 1,000 Trillion as President Lee Unveils Korea's Tripolar Mega-Project Plan
South Korea's President Lee Jae-myung on Sunday formally unveiled the country's largest-ever private-sector investment programme, anchored by Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) and SK Group (000660.KS), at a nationally televised ceremony that put two of Asia's most powerful corporate chairmen on stage