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  Survey: 7 in 10 South Korean fintech firms operate without e-finance registration South Korea’s payment gateway (PG) industry is expanding rapidly, but about seven in 10 fintech companies are operating without registering as an electronic financial business, a new survey found. Despite tighter oversight of PG operators, many firms still take part in payment functions outside the regulatory system, raising concerns about blind spots in supervision. According to the Korea Fintech Industry Association’s “2025 Fintech Industry Survey,” released Monday, only 32% of 322 sur March 25, 2026
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  Hana Bank, Knight Frank Korea to Expand Advisory Services for Ultra-High-Net-Worth Clients Hana Bank said Tuesday it signed a business agreement with global real estate consultancy Knight Frank Korea to expand financial advisory services for family office clients. Knight Frank is a real estate consulting firm with more than 125 years of experience and publishes an annual “Wealth Report” analyzing investment trends among wealthy individuals. At a signing ceremony at Knight Frank Korea’s headquarters in Seoul’s Euljiro area, the two sides agreed to provide an integrated wealth m March 25, 2026
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  Woori Bank Launches AI System to Detect Suspicious Transactions Woori Bank said on the 25th it has launched an artificial intelligence-based fraud detection system (FDS) inspection platform to help prevent financial incidents and automate work. The system is designed to let AI learn transaction patterns on its own and flag new types of financial wrongdoing. Using the bank’s full set of financial transaction data, it screens for unusual signs and uses AI to automatically generate inspection data and preliminary scenarios. After the scenarios are check March 25, 2026
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  KBO preseason sets attendance record with 440,247 fans in 60 games The KBO League drew a record number of fans to its preseason schedule this year. The Korea Baseball Organization said Tuesday that 440,247 fans attended 60 games in the 2025 Shinhan SOL KBO League preseason through Monday, the highest single-season total in preseason history. The previous record was 321,763 set last year. With the regular season a week away, attendance topped 80,000 on consecutive days March 21-22, for a combined 163,626. On March 22, the KBO set a single-day preseaso March 25, 2026
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  Kang Daniel Shares New Photos in Army Uniform After Enlistment Singer Kang Daniel has shared an update since enlisting in the military. Kang posted a photo to his account on March 24. The image showed a military uniform bearing the Taegeuk emblem and his name. Two photos were also posted the same day on Kang's official account. In one photo, Kang smiled while holding a paper-flower bouquet with messages reading, "Congrats on completing training, Private Second Class Kang Daniel," "Our Daniel, you worked so h March 25, 2026
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  Park Jihoon to Return as Singer With 'RE:FLECT' Single Album on April 29 Singer and actor Park Jihoon is returning with a new release for the first time in three years. YY Entertainment said it posted a coming-soon image for Park’s first single album, ‘RE:FLECT,’ on its social media accounts at midnight on the 25th. The album is set for release at 6 p.m. April 29. The poster features a white envelope and white feathers. The word ‘RE:FLECT’ and an angel illustration on the envelope create a mysterious, dreamlike mood. ‘RE:FLECT’ will be Park’s first new music March 25, 2026
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  BTS’ ‘ARIRANG’ Tops 4 Million Sales in Three Days, Hanteo Says BTS’ new release “ARIRANG” is extending its strong run in the market. Hanteo Chart said on the 25th that the album sold more than 4 million copies in three days, taking the No. 1 spot on its weekly chart. On the first day alone, it sold 3.98 million copies to top the daily chart. The sales figure is being read as more than a measure of popularity. If the group’s comeback performance in Gwanghwamun created a widely shared “return” moment, the 4 million mark shows how strongly that moment March 25, 2026
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  Comedian Park Mi-seon Says She’s Studying for Insurance License Exam South Korean entertainer Park Mi-seon said she is preparing for a certification exam. On March 24, Park posted a photo on social media with a message urging students to study early. “There’s a time for studying, too. If any students are seeing this, study while you’re even a year younger,” she wrote. She added, “Does the brain age, too? I can’t memorize anything. This is driving me crazy.” Asked by a fan what test she was taking, Park replied, “An insurance exam.” When another fan aske March 25, 2026
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  Public Golf Course Visits in South Korea Fell 4.2% in 2025; Green Fees Also Down The Korea Public Golf Course Association said average visits to public golf courses in 2025 fell 4.2% from 2024. In data released March 25, the association said the average number of visitors per 18-hole course was 85,642 in 2025, down from 89,376 in 2024. It said attendance has declined each year since 2022. Green fees also fell. In the Seoul metropolitan area, the average weekday fee was 146,000 won, down 8.2% from 159,000 won in 2024. The average weekend fee was 188,000 won, down 8.7% March 25, 2026
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  South Korea Changes Korean Spelling of Mongolia’s Capital to ‘Ulaanbaatar’ The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the National Institute of Korean Language said on the 25th they reviewed the Foreign Ministry’s request to change the Korean spelling of Mongolia’s capital and decided to revise it from “Ulaanbaatar” written as “Ulan Bator” in Korean to “Ulaanbaatar.” The capital’s name has long been written in Korean by convention as “Ulan Bator (Ulan Bator).” Officials said that form reflects a Russian-language spelling and differs from local Mongolian spe March 25, 2026