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Seoul shares opened higher on Thursday as investors bought bargain-priced chip stocks following the previous session's steep sell-off. The KOSPI rose 3.3 percent, with Samsung Electronics and SK hynix leading gains, though U.S. markets ended mixed overnight.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump held follow-up talks on Trump's request for Seoul's assistance in building U.S. military vessels during a NATO summit dinner in Ankara. Lee pledged full cooperation and the leaders agreed to continue working-level consultations, while also recalling a golf promise and discussing a potential Lee visit to the U.S.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara and pledged $100 million in humanitarian aid. The aid is limited to non-lethal support, reflecting Seoul's ongoing policy.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on July 8 to mark the 32nd anniversary of the death of his grandfather, state founder Kim Il Sung. Both TASS and Yonhap reported the ceremony, which included floral tributes and was described by the Korean Central News Agency as the nation's greatest memorial day.
South Korea's acting national police chief is returning early from the U.S. amid growing controversy over the police handling of a high-profile murder case, with allegations of ties between local investigators and the suspect's father, a serving police officer, prompting a special investigation.
Oil prices jumped over three percent as the US and Iran exchanged strikes following attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Washington revoked a sanctions waiver, while Iran accused the US of violating a memorandum of understanding. Regional alerts sounded in Bahrain and Kuwait, and Jordan reported shooting down Iranian missiles.
Seoul shares tumbled 5.4% on Wednesday as technology stocks extended losses amid investor reassessment of the AI trade. The Korean won strengthened, and heavy trading volume marked the session. Institutions were net buyers in late morning, partially paring earlier declines.
The SSG Landers have signed Venezuelan right-hander Pedro Avila to replace Anthony Veneziano, who was released after a poor start to the KBO season. Avila brings experience from Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball, while the Landers look to improve their league-worst team ERA.
South Korean stocks plummeted 5.4% on Wednesday as technology shares extended losses amid investor reassessment of the AI trade. The KOSPI closed at 7,246.79, with Samsung Electronics and SK hynix leading the decline.
LG Energy Solution has started producing lithium iron phosphate battery cells for energy storage systems at its joint venture plant with General Motors in Tennessee, and has also begun mass production of ESS battery cells at its Honda joint venture in Ohio, as the company pivots to offset slowing electric vehicle demand.
South Korea's economy continues its recovery, driven by strong semiconductor exports and improving domestic consumption, according to the finance ministry and state-run think tank KDI. Despite a manufacturing slowdown, exports hit a record high in June, and the finance ministry raised its growth projection for 2026.
Former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, Rep. Song Young-gil, and Rep. Ko Min-jung have announced their candidacies for the leadership of South Korea's ruling Democratic Party, setting up a potential four-way contest ahead of the Aug. 17 convention. Kim vowed sweeping party reform, while Song and Ko highlighted the need to support President Lee Jae-myung's administration.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, pledging deeper bilateral ties and cooperation. The two also joined US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for trilateral talks reaffirming commitment to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and signing an MOU on small modular reactors.
The collaboration 'Dracula' by Jennie of BLACKPINK and Tame Impala has reached a new peak on the Billboard Hot 100, rising to No. 8 and later to No. 5. The song's resurgence follows a remix release in February, with reports also crediting Jennie's festival performances. Other K-pop acts, including Ateez and Yeonjun, also made chart moves.
South Korea will require large listed companies to disclose ESG information starting in 2028, expanding to smaller firms by 2030. Critics warn the rules may outpace corporate governance reforms, citing recent investment decisions made without board approval.
Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol announced a 14.9 trillion won package of loans and guarantees to support small- and medium-sized enterprises hit by recent foreign exchange volatility. He also pledged to implement three megaprojects and unveil a second-half growth strategy, despite May's record current account surplus.
The South Korean action thriller 'Agent Kim Reactivated' extended its run at No. 1 on Netflix's non-English chart, accumulating 8.2 million views in the latest tracking week. The series, starring So Ji-sub, has maintained the top spot for three consecutive weeks, while 'The East Palace' debuted at No. 2.
South Korea's current account surplus hit an all-time high of US$38.61 billion in May, driven by robust semiconductor exports, according to Bank of Korea data. The country also saw corporate excess funds reach a record in Q1, reflecting strong earnings.
South Korea and NATO have agreed to launch negotiations on a procurement framework, potentially opening NATO's joint defense market to Korean firms. The decision came during President Lee Jae Myung's meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the Ankara summit, where Seoul also pledged $100 million in non-lethal aid to Ukraine.
The foreign ministers of South Korea, the United States, and Japan signed a memorandum of understanding on the sidelines of a NATO summit, establishing a framework for trilateral cooperation to accelerate small modular reactor deployments in the Indo-Pacific. The U.S. announced over $10 million in new funding to support the initiative, which officials say aims to meet growing energy demands while upholding high standards of nuclear safety and nonproliferation.