
KOSPI Plunges 9.99%, Triggering Circuit Breaker, as Samsung and SK Hynix Each Lose Over 12% in Largest Single-Day Crash of 2026
South Korea's KOSPI fell 9.99% to 8,203.84 on June 23, 2026 — its steepest single-day drop of the year — as Samsung Electronics and SK hynix each shed more than 12%, triggering a full circuit breaker halt.
LG Chem Commits KRW 15 Trillion to R&D by 2035, Targeting Semiconductor Packaging and Robotics Materials
LG Chem commits KRW 15 trillion (USD 9.74 billion) in R&D through 2035, with 70% targeted at semiconductor, EV, and robotics materials and 30% at anticancer drugs, as the company pivots from petrochemicals to high-margin specialties.

Samsung and SK Hynix Target Hundreds of Trillions of Won in Honam and Chungcheong Semiconductor Clusters as Minister Urges Speed
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are reviewing plans to build semiconductor fab clusters in Honam and Chungcheong regions, with investment discussed at hundreds of trillions of won as Korea's industry minister urges speed.

Kakao Unveils Kanana Agentic AI at KPAIX 2026, Positions KakaoTalk as Korea's Government Service Gateway
Kakao Corp. (035720.KS) unveiled its Kanana agentic AI at KPAIX 2026 in Goyang, partnering with South Korea's government to turn KakaoTalk into a national AI service hub while launching Commerce Catalog Advertising.

Samsung Electronics HBM4 Sales Top USD 1 Billion Four Months After Launch as Nvidia Vera Rubin Demand Accelerates
Samsung Electronics crossed the USD 1 billion milestone in HBM4 chip sales just four months after its February 2026 launch, targeting USD 1.2 billion by month-end as Nvidia Vera Rubin ramps.

CJ Corporation Q1 2026: Revenue Climbs 8% but Operating Profit Slides 13% as BIO Segment Stumbles
CJ Corporation posted Q1 2026 consolidated revenue of KRW 11.45 trillion (+8.0% YoY) but operating profit fell 13.2% as the BIO amino acid segment's profit collapsed 62.3% year-on-year.

JB Financial Group Posts Q1 2026 Net Profit of KRW 166.1 Billion as Net Interest Income Rises 8.5%
JB Financial Group posted Q1 2026 net profit of KRW 166.1B (+2.1% YoY), with net interest income growing 8.5% and provisions declining 9.7%.

SK Biopharmaceuticals Signs USD 2.5 Billion AI Drug Discovery Deal With Insilico Medicine at BioUSA 2026, Expanding CNS Reach Beyond Epilepsy
SK Biopharmaceuticals (326030.KS) signed a USD 2.5 billion AI drug discovery deal with Insilico Medicine at BioUSA 2026 to develop neuroimmune CNS therapies, as 51 Korean biotech firms set new partnership benchmarks at the San Diego event.

South Korea Wins Softer EU Steel Quota Carve-Out Days Before July 1 Cutoff, Shielding POSCO and Hyundai Steel
South Korea secured preferential treatment under the EU new steel safeguard regime effective July 1, 2026, protecting POSCO and Hyundai Steel from the full 46% duty-free quota reduction targeting global exporters.

SK Hynix Eyes Nasdaq ADR Debut by August, Targets Up to USD 20 Billion as AI Memory Gains Peak
SK hynix (000660.KS) plans to list American Depositary Receipts on Nasdaq as early as July 2026, targeting proceeds of USD 14 to 20 billion to fund AI memory expansion.

LG Energy Solution Debuts Polish-Made JF2S Battery at ESS Europe 2026, Targeting AI Data Center Power Market
LG Energy Solution showcases JF2S DC Link 5.0 (~5 MWh, Polish LFP), JP6 UPS and 2170 BBU at Messe Munich (Jun 23-25), backed by USD 1.6B DTE Energy deal and KRW 3.4T in 2026 ESS contracts.

Samsung Display, LG Display Begin Apple H2 2026 OLED Mass Production as BOE Is Shut Out of Premium Lineup
South Korea's Samsung Display and LG Display have begun mass production of OLED panels for Apple's entire H2 2026 lineup, securing over 228 million units combined. BOE was excluded from iPhone 18 Pro supply after LTPO+ quality failures at its Mianyang facility.