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

Actor Jeon Seung-jae Passes Away After Two-Year Illness Actor Jeon Seung-jae, who collapsed while filming the KBS 2TV historical drama 'Goryeo-Khitan War,' has died at the age of 47.According to reports from the broadcasting industry and Yonhap News on July 29, he passed away earlier today.Jeon was found unconscious due to a brain hemorrhage while waiting to film 'Goryeo-Khitan War' at a drama set in Suwon in 2024. He was immediately transported to a hospital for emergency surgery and had been battling health issues for nearly two years.Making his de July 29, 2026

Government Cautious on Redevelopment, Seoul City Emphasizes Supply in Urban Projects The South Korean government is showing caution regarding the easing of regulations on redevelopment and reconstruction, revealing a policy divergence with Seoul City, which is actively promoting urban revitalization.According to the real estate industry on July 29, the government has recently addressed the easing of regulations on private redevelopment and reconstruction at a series of real estate policy forums. However, it reaffirmed its cautious stance on relaxing regulations for urban project July 29, 2026

Chinese Stock Market Rebounds as Bargain Hunters Enter Amid Stabilizing Liquidity After a decline the previous day, the Chinese stock market rebounded. Bargain buying during the afternoon session helped stabilize the market. On this day, the Shanghai Composite Index closed up 0.40% at 3,828.47, the Shenzhen Component Index rose 1.10% to 13,658.44, and the ChiNext Index increased by 1.55% to 3,378.70. The People's Bank of China announced plans to inject approximately 2.1 trillion yuan in short-term liquidity into the market through reverse repos from now until early August. Wh July 29, 2026

Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin Advocates for Respectful Workplace Culture Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin emphasized on July 29 that a workplace culture free of abuse begins with small acts of respect and consideration.To eradicate abuse within the organization and promote a culture of mutual respect, Mayor Shin engaged in direct communication with employees during his commute.On that morning, he conducted a 'Zero Abuse' integrity campaign at the entrance of the city hall, where he interacted with employees as they arrived for work.The campaign aimed to improve authorita July 29, 2026

South Korea Launches New Public Policy Proposal System The Blue House announced it will establish a new public participation policy platform, tentatively named the 'Public Proposal Policy System,' starting July 29. This initiative aims to clarify the president's governance direction.President Lee Jae-myung emphasized that "citizen complaints are a treasure trove," highlighting the importance of identifying and improving inefficiencies and abnormalities in government as a crucial starting point for national innovation.The Blue House plans to identify July 29, 2026

Black Wednesday: SK Hynix Reports Record Earnings Amid Semiconductor Stock Plunge Following "Black Tuesday," "Black Wednesday" has become a reality. Despite SK Hynix announcing record earnings, it was not enough to revive investor sentiment. A sharp decline in U.S. semiconductor stocks, coupled with disappointing earnings expectations, led to a widespread collapse of domestic semiconductor shares, with both the KOSPI and KOSDAQ indices dropping more than 10% during trading. For the first time in history, circuit breakers were triggered on both the KOSPI and KOSDAQ markets for July 29, 2026

Toss Reaches 26.6 Million Monthly Users, Faces Profitability Challenges Toss, operated by Viva Republica, is accelerating its platform expansion, leveraging its large user base. However, as the company expands its business, the challenge lies in how quickly it can convert the increased user traffic into revenue.As of the end of June, Toss reported 26.6 million monthly active users (MAU), with an average monthly usage time of 155 minutes per user, ranking among the top in the banking and finance app sector.Toss is enhancing the integration of its financial services t July 29, 2026

Mokdong Reconstruction Accelerates Amid Heightened Concerns Over Height Restrictions Seoul's Mokdong new town reconstruction projects are accelerating their timelines for selecting construction companies and obtaining permits. This push comes in response to uncertainties stemming from the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) revised height restriction standards. As multiple bids converge, construction firms are facing complex calculations, and concerns are growing over potential rental shortages due to large-scale relocations.According to the construction industry July 29, 2026