1500 Years of Friendship Between Chungnam Province and Nara Prefecture Highlighted at Cultural Seminar Chungnam Province and Japan's Nara Prefecture are continuing their 1500-year relationship, rooted in the exchanges between Baekje and ancient Japan, through future cooperation centered on world heritage.On July 29, Chungnam Province, in collaboration with the Chungnam History and Culture Research Institute, held the "2026 Korea-Japan Cultural Seminar" at the Lotte Resort in Buyeo, focusing on the theme of "Baekje and the Ancient Capital of Japan."Approximately 250 attendees participated in the s July 29, 2026

LG Uplus to Buy Back 90 Billion Won in Shares, Invest 1.3 Trillion Won in AI Data Center LG Uplus announced on July 29 that its board of directors has approved a share buyback worth 90 billion won. The repurchased shares will be used to enhance shareholder value through measures such as retirement.This buyback is part of LG Uplus's 'Value-up Plan,' announced in November 2024, aimed at increasing corporate value. Since the announcement, the company has consistently pursued share buybacks and retirements as part of its medium- to long-term financial goals and shareholder return policy July 29, 2026

KAI Reports 43% Drop in Q2 Operating Profit Due to Delays in Light Helicopter Deliveries Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) reported that its operating profit for the second quarter of this year fell by 43.1% compared to the same period last year, due to delays in the delivery of light armed helicopters.KAI announced on July 29 that its consolidated operating profit for Q2 was 48.4 billion won, while sales exceeded 1 trillion won, reaching 1.1679 trillion won, a 41% increase from the previous year. However, net profit dropped by 35.2% to 37 billion won. The significant decline in oper July 29, 2026

Government to Double BRT Exclusive Lanes by 2030, Increasing Bus Speeds by 20% The government plans to double the exclusive lanes for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system by 2030 and increase bus speeds by approximately 20% to enhance the competitiveness of regional public transportation.The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Metropolitan Transport Committee announced on July 29 that it has finalized and published the 'Second Comprehensive BRT Plan (2026-2030).'The BRT comprehensive plan is a statutory plan established every five years to create an efficient BR July 29, 2026

Doosan We’ve the Zenith Daeyeon to Open Gallery on July 31 Doosan We’ve the Zenith Daeyeon, located in Daeyeon-dong, Nam-gu, Busan, will open its gallery on July 31 and begin its sales schedule. Doosan Construction announced on July 29 that the gallery for Doosan We’ve the Zenith Daeyeon, being developed at 1756-9 Daeyeon-dong, will open on July 31. The complex will consist of two buildings with a total of 258 units, rising from five basement levels to a maximum of 42 stories. Of these, 176 units with floor areas ranging from 59 to 84 square meters will July 29, 2026

New Bio ETFs Launch Amid Poor Performance This Month The competition among asset managers to dominate the bio exchange-traded fund (ETF) market has intensified, but the results have been disappointing. A significant drop in common stocks with high weightings in bio shares has dragged down the overall performance of ETFs.According to the Korea Exchange, there are currently nine ETFs that invest in domestic bio companies. Among them, two were newly listed this month. Korea Investment Trust Management and Midas Asset Management launched the 'ACE K Bi July 29, 2026

KB Kookmin Bank Tightens Household Loans, Increases Non-Face-to-Face Mortgage Rates by Up to 0.53% KB Kookmin Bank is set to raise interest rates on key household loan products. Following a reduction in the limits for mortgage loans aimed at home purchases, the bank is accelerating its management of total loan volumes.According to the financial sector on July 29, Kookmin Bank will increase interest rates on major credit loans, mortgage loans, and jeonse loans by 0.06 to 0.53 percentage points starting July 31.Specifically, the interest rate for the non-face-to-face product 'KB Star Apartment July 29, 2026

Krafton Moves Beyond PUBG with Subnautica 2 and New IP Development Krafton has alleviated concerns about relying solely on its PUBG intellectual property (IP) by achieving record results in both the first half and second quarter of this year, driven by the performance of PUBG and the new title Subnautica 2. The company plans to launch new games based on Subnautica 2 and other IPs, marking the beginning of a multi-IP era.In the second quarter, Krafton reported revenues of 1.29 trillion won and an operating profit of 410.9 billion won, representing increases of 9 July 29, 2026

Korea's Food and Drug Administration Launches Investigation Research Group to Enhance Special Police Expertise The Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) has launched its first investigation research group to enhance the expertise of special judicial police (SJP) responsible for investigating food, drug, and medical narcotics crimes. The initiative aims to improve investigative capabilities by sharing knowledge of the criminal justice system and exemplary investigation cases.On July 28, the KFDA announced the establishment of the investigation research group named 'Sherlock Holmes' and held the '1st F July 29, 2026

South Korea and Brazil Collaborate on Rare Earth Supply Chain The South Korean government has announced a partnership with Brazil to establish a sustainable supply chain for critical minerals, including rare earths, that extends beyond securing stable supplies to include local processing and product manufacturing.Kang Yu-jung, the chief spokesperson for the Blue House, stated in a written briefing on July 28 that this agreement was reached during President Lee Jae-myung's state visit to Brazil, resulting in a joint statement on critical strategic minerals July 29, 2026