Market Preview: U.S. Semiconductor Stocks Remain Weak as Focus Shifts to SK Hynix Earnings U.S. semiconductor stocks have plummeted, raising questions about whether the KOSPI, which fell over 10% the previous day, can rebound. Market participants are closely watching SK Hynix's second-quarter earnings and the outlook presented during its conference call as key indicators for potential bargain buying.On July 28, the Nasdaq Composite Index, which is heavily weighted with technology stocks, closed down 0.22% on the New York Stock Exchange. Semiconductor stocks continued to struggle, with July 29, 2026

Song Young-gil Criticizes Jo Jung-sik's Remarks on Lee Jae-myung's Re-election Song Young-gil, a candidate for the leadership of the Democratic Party, criticized National Assembly Speaker Jo Jung-sik's statement that 'the re-election of President Lee Jae-myung depends on the choice of the sovereign,' calling it 'inappropriate' and suggesting that it would be difficult to gain agreement within the ruling party.In an appearance on MBC's News Today on July 29, Song stated, 'Jo's remarks are misleading.' He added, 'President Lee has clearly stated that the current president is July 29, 2026

Kim Jong Un Celebrates Victory Day with War Veterans Kim Jong Un met with war veterans and distinguished contributors to the Korean War on July 28 during a ceremony marking the 73rd anniversary of the armistice agreement. According to the Korean Central News Agency on July 29, Kim stated, "It is a great joy for our party, state, and people that the victorious generation, which has engraved the heroic status and reputation of our homeland in history, stands before us today as the embodiment and witness of miraculous victory." He expressed his w July 29, 2026

China Achieves Domestic Production of Key DUV Lithography Equipment China has reportedly succeeded in the domestic production of deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography equipment, a critical tool in semiconductor manufacturing. This development follows the successful listing of CXMT (Changxin Memory Technologies), the country's largest DRAM producer, and has generated positive momentum in the Chinese semiconductor industry. However, the news has had a severe negative impact on the stock prices of South Korean semiconductor firms, with Samsung Electronics dropping 13. July 29, 2026

Meritz Securities Lowers Hanmi Pharmaceutical's Target Price by 8.7% Meritz Securities announced on July 29 that it has lowered its target price for Hanmi Pharmaceutical from 69,000 won to 63,000 won, a decrease of 8.7%, citing slower-than-expected recovery for Beijing Hanmi. However, the firm maintained a 'buy' rating, considering the upcoming domestic launch of the obesity treatment GLP-1 new drug in the second half of the year and the momentum in new drug development.Kim Jun-young, a researcher at Meritz Securities, stated, "We are adjusting the target price t July 29, 2026

NH Investment & Securities Lowers HYBE's Target Price Amid Market Volatility NH Investment & Securities has lowered its target price for HYBE from 300,000 won to 270,000 won, citing deteriorating investor sentiment due to increased market volatility. The firm maintained its 'buy' rating.Lee Hwa-jung, a researcher at NH Investment & Securities, stated, "Despite the earnings surprise, concerns over profitability due to the increased share of concert revenue have led to an excessive drop in stock prices. This overlooks the record-high growth in overall revenue." She explain July 29, 2026

KB Securities Lowers Hanwha Systems Target Price Despite Strong Q2 Performance KB Securities announced on July 29 that it has lowered its target price for Hanwha Systems from 120,000 won to 85,000 won, despite the company reporting strong second-quarter results that exceeded market expectations. The adjustment reflects anticipated declines in profitability for the second half of the year and recent market volatility. However, the investment rating remains 'buy' due to the company's long-term growth potential.In a report, analyst Jeong Dong-ik stated, "The consolidated resu July 29, 2026

Hwang Jae-kyun Shows Off Dramatic Weight Loss and Long Hair Former baseball player and current broadcaster Hwang Jae-kyun has recently shared updates about his life.On July 28, Tving Sports posted a video titled 'Chuno Appears on Tving' on social media.In the video, Hwang Jae-kyun appeared with his long hair tied back. When the production team remarked, 'You look just like Jang Hyuk today,' Hwang jokingly responded, 'I need to go catch someone from Chuno.'When asked how long he plans to grow his hair, he replied, 'I’m growing it until I can tie it up. I July 29, 2026

Trump Calls U.S.-South Korea Alliance a Pillar of Peace in Indo-Pacific President Donald Trump marked the 73rd anniversary of the Korean War armistice by describing the U.S.-South Korea alliance as a pillar of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, vowing to defend freedom against communist threats.The White House released a message from President Trump on July 27, recognizing the contributions of veterans on the anniversary of the armistice.In the message, Trump stated, "The United States and South Korea remain a steadfast alliance, forged through shared s July 29, 2026

Bitcoin Holds Steady Around $63,000 as Investors Await FOMC Meeting Bitcoin is trading steadily around $63,000. The outlook for a potential interest rate hike by the U.S. Federal Reserve, due to rising inflation risks, has led to a cautious investment sentiment.As of 8 a.m. on July 29, Bitcoin was trading at $63,695, down 0.41% from the previous day, according to global cryptocurrency market site CoinMarketCap.Major altcoins are showing mixed trends. At the same time, Ethereum rose 0.44% to $1,908.81, and Binance Coin increased by 0.28% to $568.38. In contrast, July 29, 2026