Korean Stock Market Surpasses 8000 Points, Eyes Global Top 5 The KOSPI index has crossed the 8000-point mark for the first time in history, marking a significant milestone for the South Korean stock market. Once labeled as 'Parkspi' due to its undervaluation, the market is now gaining recognition as a key player globally, driven by the semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) boom, along with an influx of foreign capital. According to the Korea Exchange, the KOSPI reached an intraday high of 8002.62 at 9:13 a.m. on May 15. The index opened at May 15, 2026

NS Home Shopping Celebrates 25th Anniversary, Aims for Food & Life Platform Growth NS Home Shopping announced on May 15 that it held a vision declaration ceremony on May 8 at the Saemaul Undong Central Training Center in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, to celebrate its 25th anniversary. The event was attended by Kim Hong-guk, Chairman of Harim Group, along with representatives from major affiliates and NS Home Shopping employees. The company declared its new vision as the "No. 1 Food & Life Shopping Platform," aiming to provide substantial value to customers' lives acro May 15, 2026

Kim Jeong-soo Appointed Chairman of Samyang Foods Amid Global Expansion Samyang Foods has appointed Kim Jeong-soo as chairman to accelerate its global business expansion. On May 15, the company announced that its board of directors approved Kim's promotion during a meeting held on May 12. He will officially take office on June 1. This marks a significant milestone for Kim, who was promoted from general manager to vice chairman in December 2021. The company stated that this decision aims to enhance accountability and respond to the growth of its global oper May 15, 2026

Jang Dong-hyuk Criticizes Jung Won-o's Housing Policy and Past Assault Case Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, launched an attack on Jung Won-o, the Democratic Party's candidate for Seoul mayor, on May 15, addressing his housing policies and a past assault incident. Jang criticized Jung, stating, "Following Lee Jae-myung's intentions is the priority, while Seoul citizens are left behind." During a meeting of the Central Election Countermeasure Committee at the National Assembly, Jang warned, "If Jung Won-o becomes mayor, a tax bomb will drop, and 'Hell Se May 15, 2026

KOSPI Surpasses 8000 Points for the First Time, Marking a New Era The KOSPI index has crossed the 8000-point mark for the first time, signaling an unprecedented bullish phase in the South Korean stock market. Just a week after surpassing 7000 points for the first time, the index has risen by another 1000 points in only seven trading days, ushering in the '8000-point era.' Analysts attribute this rapid increase to a rally in the semiconductor sector, inflows of foreign capital, and expectations surrounding government policies. According to the Korea Exch May 15, 2026

Kang Jun-hyun to Announce Candidate Unification with Progressive Party for Ulsan Mayor The Democratic Party is set to announce a candidate unification with the Progressive Party for the Ulsan mayoral race ahead of the June 3 local elections. Kang Jun-hyun, the party's spokesperson, held a press conference on the morning of May 15 in Yeouido, Seoul, addressing local election issues. He stated that the unification involves "the Ulsan mayor, local council heads, and provincial council members," adding that "the secretaries of both parties are scheduled to meet today for final May 15, 2026

Kim Yong-hyun Summoned Again Amid Rebellion Charges; Special Prosecutor Pressures Yoon and Former Minister The second special prosecutor team, led by Kwon Chang-young, has notified Kim Yong-hyun, former Minister of National Defense, of a summons scheduled for May 21. According to legal sources, the special prosecutor's team informed Kim that he is to appear as a suspect in a rebellion case under military law. Kim is accused of conspiring with former President Yoon Suk Yeol and others to incite a riot by sending armed soldiers to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission durin May 15, 2026

Hanwha Aerospace Partners with Milrem Robotics for Romanian UGV Project Hanwha Aerospace has announced a partnership with Milrem Robotics, a leading European unmanned systems company, to collaborate on unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) projects in Romania. This initiative aims to expand Hanwha's European portfolio, traditionally focused on firepower systems, into the unmanned systems sector, enhancing its competitive edge in future ground warfare markets. On May 14, during the BSDA 2026 international defense exhibition in Bucharest, Hanwha Aerospace signed a coop May 15, 2026

KakaoTalk Expands Message Reaction Feature, Supports 114 Types Kakao has significantly enhanced the message reaction feature and revamped user convenience functions through a regular update to KakaoTalk. On May 15, Kakao announced the expansion of its existing reaction feature and the introduction of new functionalities, including improvements to open chat and call features. The core of this update is the enhancement of the reaction feature. Users can now leave up to 30 different reactions on KakaoTalk message bubbles, with the total number of rea May 15, 2026

Government Warns of Economic Downside Risks Amid Ongoing Middle East Conflict 정부는 최근 우리 경제가 중동전쟁 장기화에 따른 지정학적 리스크로 경기 하방 위험이 이어지고 있다고 진단했다. 국제유가와 원자재 가격 불안이 지속되면서 물가 상승과 민생 부담 확대 우려도 함께 커지고 있다는 판단이다. The government has assessed that the South Korean economy continues to face downside risks due to geopolitical uncertainties stemming from the prolonged Middle East conflict. Concerns over rising prices and increased burdens on households have also intensified amid ongoing volatili May 15, 2026