Growing Opposition to NH Agricultural Cooperatives' Relocation Plans 농협중앙회의 지방 이전 논의가 본격화되면서 이전에 반대하는 목소리가 점점 커지고 있다. 농협 이전은 막대한 비용만 발생할 뿐 경제 효과가 미미하며 농업인 지원 축소로 이어질 수 있다는 주장이다. 농협노조는 29일 서울 광화문에서 진행된 '농협중앙회 본사 지방 이전 저지 결의대회'에서 "농협은 정부가 만든 기관이 아니라 농업인들이 만든 협동조합"이라며 "공공기관 이전이라는 잣대를 그대로 들이대는 것은 맞지 않는다"고 비판했다.이번 결의대회는 지난 23일 정부세종청사 국토교통부 앞에서 July 29, 2026

Increased Scrutiny on Single-Stock Leverage Products as Lee Ok-yeon Considers Adjustments Lee Ok-yeon, the chairman of the Financial Services Commission, officially mentioned the possibility of additional regulations on single-stock leverage products, including lowering leverage ratios and restricting access to professional investors. This marks a shift in the financial authorities' stance, which had previously deemed such adjustments impractical.During a report to the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee on July 29, Lee stated, "The issue of adjusting leverage ratios is a July 29, 2026

South Korea Considers Stockpiling Petrochemical Raw Materials Amid Supply Concerns The South Korean government is exploring stockpiling strategies for petrochemical raw materials and products, including naphtha, in response to potential supply disruptions due to instability in the Middle East. The plan aims to establish a permanent response system that encompasses stockpiling targets, scale, and the roles of both public and private sectors.According to the Public Procurement Service on July 29, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy has recently commissioned a study on "St July 29, 2026

Growing Opposition to Proposed Merger of Major Port Authorities The South Korean government is accelerating restructuring of public institutions, leading to increased opposition regarding mergers, functional reorganization, and regional relocations. Following the push for the consolidation of power generation companies under Korea Electric Power Corporation, discussions are now underway about merging the four major port authorities: Busan Port Authority (BPA), Incheon Port Authority (IPA), Ulsan Port Authority (UPA), and Yeosu-Gwangyang Port Authority (YGPA) July 29, 2026

Retail Investors Favor Leveraged ETFs Amid Market Decline As the domestic stock market experiences significant corrections, individual investors are opting for leveraged exchange-traded funds (ETFs) rather than inverse ETFs that bet on declines. During a period when semiconductor and single-stock leveraged ETFs plummeted by 60% to 70%, retail investors continued to purchase leveraged ETFs, viewing the downturn as a buying opportunity.According to the Korea Exchange, from June 1 to July 29, inverse ETFs like KODEX 200 Futures Inverse 2X and TIGER 200 Fu July 29, 2026

Kumamoto Earthquake Disrupts Japan's Semiconductor Production On July 28, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture, prompting local manufacturers to halt operations and assess damage. Kumamoto is home to major semiconductor production facilities, including Taiwan's TSMC, Sony, Renesas Electronics, and Tokyo Electron, raising concerns about disruptions in Japan's semiconductor supply chain.According to the Nikkei, a seismic intensity of 5+ was recorded in Kikuyo, where TSMC's factory is located. This level of shaking can cause damage to some bu July 29, 2026

Woori Financial Group Launches 'Jeonbuk Woori WON Financial Town' in South Korea Woori Financial Group has established a financial hub in Jeonbuk Innovation City, consolidating asset management, corporate finance, and startup support to foster a regional financial ecosystem.On July 29, Woori Financial announced the opening of the 'Jeonbuk Woori WON Financial Town.' The event was attended by Lee Won-taek, Governor of Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province; Kim Sung-joo, Chairman of the National Pension Service; Jo Ji-hoon, Mayor of Jeonju; and Lim Jong-ryong, Chairman of Woo July 29, 2026

TEO Expands into Film Distribution with 'The Drama' Starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson TEO is expanding into film distribution.On July 29, TEO announced a strategic partnership with Waterhole Company to distribute A24's new film 'The Drama.'Waterhole Company has invested in and distributed a variety of works, including 'Everything Everywhere All at Once,' 'Demon Slayer: Mugen Train,' 'Whiplash,' 'Love Letter,' 'Decision to Leave,' 'Broker,' and 'Confidential Assignment 2.'Through this collaboration, TEO aims to extend its existing content production capabilities into film distribu July 29, 2026

Samsung C&T Trading Division Sees 77.5% Increase in Q2 Operating Profit Samsung C&T's trading division significantly improved its performance in the second quarter, driven by strong market conditions in steel, chemicals, and fertilizers, as well as achievements in renewable energy development. The trading division reported sales of 4.703 trillion won and an operating profit of 142 billion won, according to a disclosure on July 29. Sales increased by 24.5% compared to the same period last year, while operating profit surged by 77.5% during the same timeframe. Sam July 29, 2026

Rising LNG Prices Raise Concerns Over KEPCO's Power Purchase Costs 국제 액화천연가스(LNG) 가격 상승분이 국내 발전원가에 반영되면서 한국전력의 전력구입비 부담이 빠르게 커지고 있다. 최근 국제 LNG 가격까지 다시 오르면서 한전의 하반기 실적과 재무구조 개선 속도가 예상보다 둔화할 수 있다는 우려가 나온다. ◆7월 SMP 전년比 10.5% 상승…사흘 연속 140원대 29일 전력거래소에 따르면 이달 1일부터 29일까지 육지의 일별 가중평균 계통한계가격(SMP)을 단순 평균한 결과 1㎾h당 132.57원으로 집계됐다. 지난해 같은 기간의 119.96원보다 10.5%, 지난달 같은 기간의 113.67원보다 16.6% July 29, 2026