Joo Hyung-hwan Publishes Book on 700 Days of Population Policy Shift, Offers Low Birthrate Plan Joo Hyung-hwan, who served as vice chair of the Presidential Committee on Ageing Society and Population Policy, has published a new book detailing 700 days of policy work during his tenure, titled “A 700-Day Record of a Major Population Policy Shift: From Freefall to Rebound.” The book chronicles a shift from narrow low-birthrate measures to a broader population strategy spanning the full life cycle. With pessimism growing that “nothing works” despite years of policies and budget spend March 23, 2026

K Bank Posts 112.6 Billion Won Net Profit in 2025, Targets 18 Million Customers K Bank said in a regulatory filing on the 23rd that it posted 112.6 billion won ($112.6 billion won) in net profit last year. The figure was down 12% from a year earlier, but the bank recorded net profit above 100 billion won for a second straight year. The bank said it added 2.78 million new customers last year, bringing its total to 15.53 million. As of the end of last year, K Bank’s deposit balance stood at 28.43 trillion won. Crypto-asset deposits fell amid a weaker asset market, wh March 23, 2026

KDB Names Lee Bong-hee Senior Executive Vice President Korea Development Bank said Monday it has appointed Lee Bong-hee, head of its corporate finance division, as executive director and senior executive vice president. Lee joined the bank in 1993 and has handled key functions for about 30 years, including strategy and planning, organizational management, corporate finance, restructuring, international finance and dealing, the bank said. Since being named head of corporate finance in 2024, he has strengthened KDB’s role as a core policy lende March 23, 2026

Middle East War Raises Risks for South Korea’s $1B Pharma-Biotech Export Market As the Middle East is shaken by war between the United States and Iran, South Korea’s pharmaceutical and biotech industry is bracing for fallout in what it calls a 1 trillion won export market. The region has been a strategic growth hub for high-margin products such as biosimilars and botulinum toxin, and companies with heavier exposure are watching for a threefold hit: shipment disruptions, delayed payments and rising costs. According to foreign media reports and industry officials on th March 23, 2026

LG Chem-Licensed Gout Drug Enters Phase 3 Trial in China; Other Korea Pharma Updates LG Chem-licensed gout drug enters Phase 3 trial in China LG Chem said March 23 that Innovent Biologics, which holds the China license for its gout drug candidate Tigulixostat, has begun dosing the first patient in a Phase 3 clinical trial in China. Innovent, known for developing new cancer and immunology drugs, has recently added related programs including a gout-flare treatment as it moves into the gout market. The Phase 3 study will enroll 600 gout patients and compare Tigulixostat March 23, 2026

Lee Young-ae, Yoo Ji-tae to Reunite in New Drama 25 Years After 'One Fine Spring Day' Actors Lee Young-ae and Yoo Ji-tae will reunite in a drama series for the first time in 25 years since the film ‘One Fine Spring Day.’ Production company IWill Media said on the 23rd that it has cast Lee and Yoo as the leads of its new drama ‘Jaei’s Youngin.’ The two previously starred in ‘One Fine Spring Day,’ released in 2001, a film long regarded as one of South Korea’s signature romance movies. ‘Jaei’s Youngin’ is a mystery melodrama about two people left alone in the world. Afte March 23, 2026

KPGA Says Busan Assault Suspect Was Expelled in 2015, Not a Current Member KPGA said on the 23rd that the man accused in a recent sexual assault and beating case involving a golf lesson student in Busan is not affiliated with the association. The association said it has confirmed the suspect is a 60-year-old man identified only by the surname Kim, who was expelled in January 2015 and is not a current KPGA member. JTBC's "Case Chief" reported in February that a man working as an instructor at a golf practice range in Busan repeatedly sexually assaul March 23, 2026

BTS’ ‘Arirang’ album sparks debate as most key tracks use English lyrics The name “Arirang” carries unusual weight in Korea — a shorthand for shared sorrow, emotion and centuries of collective memory. So when BTS announced its fifth full-length album would be titled “Arirang,” many listeners expected something overtly traditional. But reactions split after the release, especially because most major tracks — including the title song “SWIM” — are largely in English. For some, an album called “Arirang” with English lyrics felt jarring. The debate raises a broade March 23, 2026

Kakao Pay Confirms CEO Shin Won-geun’s Reappointment, Pledges AI Shift and ‘Next Finance’ Push Kakao Pay said it confirmed the reappointment of CEO Shin Won-geun at its annual shareholders meeting held on the 23rd. The company said Shin’s new term will focus on expanding its existing businesses while accelerating a shift to artificial intelligence, improving user experience and building out a digital-asset ecosystem as part of its next-generation finance vision. Shin first took office as Kakao Pay’s CEO in March 2022 and had his term extended in March 2024 in recognition of his m March 23, 2026

New Book '2026 Financial Products and Taxes' Covers Latest Tax Changes A new guidebook has been released that compiles this year’s changes to financial products and tax revisions. Tax & Finance News said on the 23rd that it has published “2026 Financial Products and Taxes (Revised 11th Edition),” fully reflecting financial tax rules revised and implemented starting in 2026. The book organizes key updates, including the introduction of separate taxation for dividend income from high-dividend companies, taxation of profits from comprehensive investment a March 23, 2026