SK hynix Profit Surge Fuels Bonus Pressure as Big Chip Investments Loom SK hynix has posted a record first-quarter operating profit of more than 37 trillion won, prompting talk that it could climb into the world’s No. 4 spot on an annual basis. But as earnings surge, management faces rising pressure from the labor union over performance bonuses, adding to the company’s burden. According to securities-industry consensus estimates released on April 23, SK hynix is projected to post 358.037 trillion won in revenue this year, with operating profit as high as 27 April 23, 2026

Korean Brokerages Ramp Up Marketing for Domestic Derivatives as Retail Trading Grows A bull market is drawing more retail investors into derivatives, intensifying marketing competition among brokerages. Firms are cutting fees and offering gift-card promotions. Experts warn that if the rally fades, losses from leveraged derivatives trading could fall squarely on individuals. According to the securities industry on the 23rd, brokerages are stepping up campaigns tied to domestic derivatives. Brokerage A said it will offer up to three months of discounted fees for domestic April 23, 2026

Court Jails Driver Accused in Union Protest Death, Member Accused of Ramming Police Barricade A court has ordered the detention of a truck driver accused of running over and killing a union member at a Cargo Truckers Union rally and a union member accused of injuring a police officer by driving into a barricade. Legal officials said the Changwon District Court’s Jinju branch on the 23rd issued arrest warrants for a truck driver in his 40s, identified only as A, on suspicion of murder and other charges, and for a union member in his 60s, identified only as B, on suspicion of obstru April 23, 2026

South Korea to Check Crypto, Financial Assets in Debt Relief Reviews to Curb Abuse The South Korean government has secured a legal basis to let debt workout agencies review a debtor’s virtual assets, along with other financial holdings, during screening for debt relief programs. Officials said the goal is to curb moral hazard and focus support on people who genuinely need help. The Financial Services Commission said Thursday that a revision to the Credit Information Use and Protection Act passed the National Assembly’s plenary session the same day. The key change allows April 23, 2026

South Korea’s Lee Meets Vietnam’s Prime Minister, National Assembly Speaker on Cooperation South Korean President Lee Jae-myung met Thursday (local time) with Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and National Assembly Speaker Tran Thanh Man, the country’s No. 2 and No. 3 leaders, to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation. The meetings followed Lee’s talks the previous day with To Lam, Vietnam’s top leader, the Communist Party general secretary and state president, completing two days of meetings with the country’s newly formed leadership. At the prime ministe April 23, 2026

Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Association Names Moon Jong-hoon PR Committee Chair The Public Relations Committee under the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Association held its regular general meeting on April 22 at the association’s office in Bangbae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, and completed the election of a new chair and the formation of its executive team, the association said April 23. The committee is a consultative body of public relations and external communications professionals from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Moon Jong-hoon, a director at Cho April 23, 2026

South Korea to Auction 19 Trillion Won in Treasury Bonds in May; 1.1 Trillion Won FX Stabilization Bonds The Ministry of Economy and Finance said it will issue 19 trillion won in Korean Treasury bonds next month through competitive auctions with primary dealers participating, citing improved market conditions including inflows tied to the World Government Bond Index. The amount is up 1 trillion won from the previous month. The ministry said Thursday the issuance by maturity will be: 3 trillion won in 2-year notes; 3.1 trillion won in 3-year notes; 3.2 trillion won each in 5-year and 10-year n April 23, 2026

JB Financial Posts Q1 Net Profit of 166.1 Billion Won, Lifted by JB Woori Capital JB Financial Group said in a regulatory filing on the 23rd that it posted first-quarter net profit of 166.1 billion won, up 2.1% from a year earlier. The group reported a return on equity attributable to controlling shareholders of 11.2% and a return on assets of 0.94%. Its preliminary common equity Tier 1 ratio stood at 12.61%, up 0.03 percentage points from the end of last year. By affiliate, JB Woori Capital led results with net profit of 72.7 billion won, a 24.3% increase from a year April 23, 2026

South Korea Chicken Market Shifts to bhc Lead as BBQ, Kyochon Battle for No. 2 South Korea’s chicken franchise market is increasingly taking on a “one leader, two challengers” structure centered on bhc. With bhc pulling further ahead on sales, BBQ and Kyochon Chicken are locked in a close fight for second place. As of April 23, industry officials said Dining Brands Group, which operates bhc, posted 614.7 billion won in standalone sales last year, becoming the first in the sector to surpass 600 billion won in annual revenue. Sales rose 19.9% from 512.7 billion won a April 23, 2026

Bank of Korea to Issue Up to 6.6 Trillion Won in Monetary Stabilization Bonds in May The Bank of Korea said on the 23rd it plans to issue up to 6.6 trillion won ($) in Monetary Stabilization Bonds next month. It will sell 6 trillion won through competitive bidding and 500 billion to 600 billion won through subscription-based sales. Competitive auctions will be held seven times: four auctions for 91-day bills (May 4, 11, 18 and 26) and one each for 1-year (May 13), 2-year (May 6) and 3-year (May 20) maturities. The subscription auction is set for May 27. For early red April 23, 2026