K-Beauty M&A Trap: Western Giants Watch Brands Wither as Domestic Players Eye Buybacks
Unilever, Estée Lauder, and L'Oréal paid billions for Korean beauty brands only to watch earnings decline. Now domestic operators are buying back at deep discounts.
Flashlight Capital Takes USD 40 Million Stake in Samsung Affiliate S-1 Corp, Demands Independent Directors and Cash Return
Activist fund Flashlight Capital discloses a USD 40 million (approximately 2%) stake in S-1 Corporation (012750.KS) and issues a five-point governance overhaul plan targeting Korea's largest security company, citing a 3.3x EV/EBITDA valuation versus 12.0x for domestic peer SK Shieldus.
Kia Union Demands KRW 2.72 Trillion Bonus and Veto Over Robot Deployment as Korea's Yellow Envelope Act Takes Hold
Kia Corp's union has demanded KRW 2.72 trillion in bonuses and veto power over spending plans and new vehicle programs, citing Korea's Yellow Envelope Act effective March 2026.
POSCO DX Q1 2026: Operating Profit Collapses 84% as Parent Group's Capex Pullback Deepens
POSCO DX reported Q1 2026 operating profit of KRW 3.7 billion, down 84% year-on-year, as revenue fell 18.6% to KRW 241.5 billion amid reduced capital spending across the POSCO Group.
South Korea Stays in MSCI Emerging Markets for Third Straight Year as Won Convertibility Gap Delays USD 24 Billion Inflow to 2028
MSCI keeps South Korea classified as an emerging market in its 2026 review, citing limited Korean won convertibility. A developed-market upgrade—worth an estimated USD 24 billion in passive fund inflows—is now deferred to 2028 at earliest.
Microsoft and Chevron Sign 20-Year Power Deal for 2.67 GW Texas AI Data Center, Boosting Korean Memory Demand Outlook
Microsoft and Chevron have signed a 20-year power supply agreement to develop Project Kilby, a proposed West Texas AI data center with 2.67 GW of capacity — one of the largest in the US. The deal, backed by Engine No. 1 ESG fund, targets a 2028 production start and signals sustained hyperscaler demand for Korean HBM and DRAM chips from Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.
U.S. Solar Makers Seek Anti-Circumvention Probe Into Hanwha Qcells' South Korean Cell Imports
A U.S. coalition led by Canadian Solar, SEG Solar, and Heliene filed an anti-circumvention probe petition against Hanwha Qcells on June 18, 2026, alleging the Korean solar maker evades Chinese anti-dumping tariffs by routing cell production through South Korea.
Toyota and BYD Target Korea's Vacant PHEV Market at Busan Show as Hyundai Motor Sits Out
Toyota and BYD are staging competing PHEV launches at the Busan International Mobility Show (June 26–July 5, 2026), targeting a domestic market niche that Hyundai Motor and Kia have vacated since 2021. Korean PHEV registrations fell 26% year-on-year to 4,745 units in Jan-May 2026, accounting for just 0.8% of the domestic auto market.
Hanmi Semiconductor Bets KRW 50 Billion on SpaceX, Citing AI and Satellite Demand as Long-Term Growth Rationale
Hanmi Semiconductor (042700.KQ) disclosed a KRW 50 billion open-market purchase of SpaceX shares, equivalent to 7.24% of its shareholders' equity, citing explosive AI and satellite demand as the long-term growth rationale.
Krafton Bets KRW 50 Billion on HyperAccel's LPU Chips to Cut AI Inference Costs, Marking Rare Game-to-Chip Move
PUBG maker Krafton is investing KRW 50 billion in Korean AI chip startup HyperAccel's Series B, backing LPUs designed to cut LLM inference costs by 90% versus Nvidia GPUs.
Kakao Pay Buys Out Kakao Pay Securities for KRW 173 Billion, Ending Dual-Listing Overhang and Clearing Path for Stablecoin Push
Kakao Pay will spend KRW 172.98 billion to lift its stake in Kakao Pay Securities from 72.93% to 100% by July 20, removing dual-listing concerns and accelerating its stablecoin and STO strategy.
Hanwha Life Insurance Posts 29.5% Jump in Q1 2026 Operating Profit; K-ICS Solvency Ratio Rises to 162.1%
Hanwha Life (088350.KS) posted KRW 480.8 billion in consolidated operating profit in Q1 2026, up 29.5% year-on-year, as new-contract CSM hit KRW 610.9 billion and its K-ICS solvency ratio improved 4.6 percentage points to 162.1%.