Retail Investors Shift Focus to ETFs Amid Market Surge As the domestic stock market continues to rise sharply, driven by semiconductor stocks, retail investor funds are rapidly flowing into the exchange-traded fund (ETF) market. Following the KOSPI's historic breach of the 7,000 mark, expectations for the '8,000 KOSPI' have grown, with nearly 100 ETFs surpassing 1 trillion won in total assets under management (AUM). According to the Korea Exchange on May 14, the number of ETFs with AUM exceeding 1 trillion won reached 96 as of the previous da May 14, 2026

Oh Se-hoon Proposes Debate with Jung Won-o Ahead of Local Elections Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party candidate for Seoul mayor, reiterated his call for a one-on-one debate with Jung Won-o, the Democratic Party's candidate, on May 14, just six days before the local elections. Oh suggested that Democratic Party leader Jung Cheong-rae could moderate the debate, stating, "I hope at least one or two debates can be held." Speaking at a forum hosted by the Korean Newspaper and Broadcasting Editors Association in central Seoul, Oh said, "I am open to any format, time, May 14, 2026

Seoul Office Transactions Plummet as Q1 Sales Halve In the first quarter of 2026, the Seoul office sales market experienced a significant contraction, with transaction amounts dropping by more than 50% compared to the previous quarter, alongside a decline in office sales. According to a report released on May 12 by Real Estate Planet, a commercial real estate platform, based on data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the volume of office building transactions in Seoul totaled 23 cases, with a transaction amount of 8 May 14, 2026

Major Reconstruction Projects in Gangnam Set to Begin in May The reconstruction market in Seoul's Gangnam district is entering a competitive phase this May. With the selection meetings for construction companies for Apgujeong districts 3, 4, and 5 scheduled throughout the month, major reconstruction projects in Shinbanpo and Songpa are also gaining momentum. Industry experts are viewing this month as a critical turning point for Gangnam reconstruction. According to the construction industry on May 12, selection meetings for construction comp May 14, 2026

Korea's Drug Safety Agency Official Advocates for Fast-Track Approval System to Boost K-Bio Global Competitiveness "To secure market leadership opportunities, a fast-track approval system is essential for domestic pharmaceutical and biotech companies," said Park Hyun-jung, head of the Bio-Pharmaceutical Approval Division at the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). She made these remarks on May 14 during the 16th Global Healthcare Forum (2026 GHF) held at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, organized by Aju Economic Daily. Park emphasized the necessity of establishing a fast-track approval system to f May 14, 2026

Emart Plans 500 Billion Won Capital Increase for Shinsegae Construction Emart is moving forward with a capital increase of 500 billion won for its subsidiary, Shinsegae Construction. According to a filing with the Financial Supervisory Service on May 14, Emart will participate in the capital increase through cash and asset contributions. The cash contribution will amount to 240 billion won (48%), while the asset contribution will be 260 billion won (52%). The assets being contributed include land and buildings owned by Emart at the Myungil branch. Ema May 14, 2026

Supreme Court Rules Semiconductor Purification System Technology is Industrial Technology The Supreme Court has determined that the technology for an eco-friendly ultra-pure water system used in semiconductor manufacturing qualifies as industrial technology. Therefore, leaking related materials constitutes a violation of the Industrial Technology Protection Act.On May 14, the Supreme Court's second division, led by Justice Kwon Young-jun, overturned a lower court's three-year prison sentence for an individual identified as A, who was charged with violating the Industrial Technology P May 14, 2026

AI and Big Data Essential for Drug Development, Says Jeong Yoon-taek "High-quality data is essential for successful drug development," Jeong Yoon-taek, head of the Pharmaceutical Industry Strategy Research Institute, stated on May 14 at the 16th Global Healthcare Forum (2026 GHF) held at the Korea Press Center in Seoul. He emphasized the need for a transition to an AI-driven pharmaceutical industry. During his presentation, Jeong noted that the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors are entering the 'Pharma 5.0' era. He explained that the industry is facing ch May 14, 2026

Special Prosecutor Summons Kwak Jong-geun as First Suspect in Military Coup Investigation The second Comprehensive Special Investigation Team, led by Special Prosecutor Kwon Chang-young, summoned former Special Warfare Commander Kwak Jong-geun on May 14 as a suspect in connection with the state of emergency declared on December 3. This marks the first time the special prosecutor has summoned Kwak as a suspect.The special prosecutor's team is currently investigating Kwak regarding charges of rebellion under the Military Criminal Act, having called him in for questioning at 2 p.m. On M May 14, 2026

Pharos AI Bio CEO Nam Ki-yeob: AI Era in Drug Development Enhances K-New Drug Success Rates Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming drug development from a race for speed to a competition for success rates. The technology has evolved to not only identify candidate substances more quickly but also to filter out toxic risks in advance and derive optimal drug candidates. South Korea's AI drug development company, Pharos AI Bio, is accelerating the development of treatments for rare and intractable diseases and expanding into next-generation modalities with its proprietary platform.Na May 14, 2026