South Korea's Current Account Surplus Hits Record $37.3 Billion in March In March, South Korea recorded a historic current account surplus exceeding 54 trillion won, driven by strong semiconductor exports. Despite ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, the surplus trend is expected to continue. According to preliminary statistics released by the Bank of Korea on May 8, the current account surplus for March was $37.33 billion (approximately 54.4 trillion won), marking the second-longest streak of surpluses since 2000 at 35 consecutive months. This figure signifi May 8, 2026

Song Eon-seok: The Democratic Party Should Change Its Name to 'Arrogant Party' Song Eon-seok, floor leader of the People Power Party, criticized the Democratic Party on May 8, suggesting it should change its name to "Arrogant Party" due to recent gaffes. He warned that the party would face public judgment in the upcoming local elections. During a meeting at the National Assembly, Song remarked, "The recent outrageous comments from the Democratic Party reveal its arrogance." He cited a statement from Democratic Party lawmaker Park Seong-jun, who claimed that most c May 8, 2026

Controversy Surrounds Bang Si-hyuk's Arrest Warrant The debate over an arrest warrant for Bang Si-hyuk, chairman of HYBE, continues. Police argue for the necessity of an arrest based on allegations of fraudulent trading under the Capital Markets Act, while prosecutors have rejected the warrant due to incomplete investigations. The process is as crucial as the outcome; what is needed now is careful deliberation based on principles and strict adherence to procedures.It is essential to clarify that actions undermining the capital market cannot be ta May 8, 2026

Naver Launches Special Page for 9th Local Elections with Enhanced Comment Policies Naver is taking steps to ensure accurate election information and combat false comments and automated activities ahead of the 9th Local Elections on June 3. Naver launched its "Special Page for the 9th Local Elections" on May 7, detailing its comment policies for political and election news, as well as a feature for reporting false comments. The special page includes curated election articles from various media outlets, localized election news, public opinion polls, key election dates, and May 8, 2026

KISA Invests 12 Billion Won to Foster Next-Generation Security Companies The South Korean government is taking steps to nurture next-generation security companies, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) security. As cyber threats evolve with the rise of AI, the initiative aims to enhance the technological competitiveness and commercialization capabilities of domestic cybersecurity firms. On May 8, the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) announced the selection of 50 companies to undertake 18 projects focused on developing next-generation May 8, 2026

Coway Reports 1st Quarter Operating Profit of 250.9 Billion Won Driven by Water Purifiers and BEREX Growth Coway reported strong growth in the first quarter of 2026, driven by increased sales of its core products, including water purifiers and BEREX beds. The company attributed its performance to a rise in domestic rental accounts and stable sales growth from overseas subsidiaries.On May 8, Coway announced that its consolidated revenue for the first quarter reached 1.33 trillion won, with an operating profit of 250.9 billion won. This marks a year-on-year increase of 13.2% in revenue and 18.8% in ope May 8, 2026

CIA: Iran Can Endure Maritime Blockade for 3-4 Months U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that Iran could endure a maritime blockade for at least three to four months. This analysis contrasts with President Donald Trump's public claims that Iran's economy and military are rapidly collapsing. According to the Washington Post, a confidential assessment delivered to the White House this week indicates that Iran could withstand U.S. sanctions for 90 to 120 days, and possibly longer. Sources familiar with the matter stated that Iran would face May 8, 2026

InBody Hits Upper Limit Following Strong Q1 Earnings Report InBody's stock has surged to its upper limit following a significant increase in its first-quarter earnings compared to last year. According to the Korea Exchange, as of 10:20 a.m. on May 8, InBody's shares rose by 8,850 won (29.85%) to 38,500 won, reaching the maximum allowable price increase. The company reported that its consolidated revenue for the first quarter of this year was 68.445 billion won, a 23.1% increase from the same period last year. Operating profit soared by 86% to 1 May 8, 2026

HMM Approves Relocation of Headquarters from Seoul to Busan HMM held an extraordinary general meeting on May 8, approving a change in its headquarters from Seoul to Busan. The company plans to first relocate the CEO's office to Busan, followed by a gradual organizational transition.The meeting took place at Park One Tower in Yeouido, Seoul, where the board voted to amend the company's articles of incorporation to reflect the new headquarters location in Busan.Choi Won-hyuk, HMM's CEO, stated, "As a leading national shipping company, we are committed to c May 8, 2026

Celltrion's U.S. Strategy Boosts Sales of Jimpenetra, Achieving Record Prescriptions Celltrion's tailored sales strategy in the U.S. has paid off, with its subcutaneous infliximab treatment, Jimpenetra (known as Remsima SC in South Korea), achieving its highest quarterly prescription volume ever in the first quarter of this year, surpassing the total prescriptions from the first half of last year.The company is optimistic about the second half of the year, anticipating continued growth for Jimpenetra as prescription trends show a consistent upward trajectory.According to Celltri May 8, 2026