Seoul St. Mary's Hospital: Young Adults with Depression Face Double the Risk of Fatty Liver Disease Young adults in South Korea with depression symptoms are more than twice as likely to be at risk for fatty liver disease compared to those without such symptoms, according to a study by researchers from Seoul St. Mary's Hospital.The research team, including Huh Yeon (co-first author) from the Department of Family Medicine at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Oh Sang-hoon (co-first author) from the Department of Psychiatry at Eulji University Hospital, and Nam Ga-eun (corresponding author) from the Depa July 28, 2026

KOSPI Plummets 10.84% Amid Market Turmoil, Marking Sixth Drop This Month The South Korean stock market has once again collapsed, marking its sixth significant drop this month. Concerns over China's semiconductor industry and the weakness of U.S. tech stocks contributed to the KOSPI index falling by more than 10% during trading, while the KOSDAQ index also dropped over 8%.According to the Korea Exchange, the KOSPI closed at 6,023.66, down 732.09 points (10.84%) from the previous trading day. This decline is the second largest this year, following a 12.06% drop on Marc July 28, 2026

Hyundai to Unveil Physical AI Strategy at Upcoming Investor Day Hyundai Motor Company will reveal its strategy for physical artificial intelligence (AI) at an investor briefing next month. The agenda is expected to include plans for expanding its stake in Boston Dynamics and a detailed blueprint for its robotics business.According to industry sources, Hyundai will hold its '2026 CEO Investor Day' on August 26 at the Conrad Hotel in Yeouido, Seoul. Hyundai President Jose Munoz and Chief Financial Officer Lee Seung-jo are expected to present the company's mid- July 28, 2026

Defense Industry Sees Mixed Results Amid Export Boom The ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, as well as the U.S. and Iran, have sparked a boom in South Korea's defense industry. The combined operating profit of five defense companies surpassed 1.5 trillion won in the second quarter, setting a new record for quarterly performance. However, the results varied significantly among the companies due to gaps in export volumes.According to the Financial Supervisory Service and industry sources, the consensus for the second-quarter operating pro July 28, 2026

Rising U.S. Tariffs and China's Double Taxation Leave Small Businesses in Distress A company supplying LCD TV components to major domestic electronics firms is closely monitoring industry trends amid reports that the U.S. has raised tariffs on China. The company expressed concerns about the potential impact on its operations in China, fearing that major manufacturers may adjust their supply chains, deepening its worries. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with production bases in China are increasingly alarmed by the intensified push to exclude Chinese products from the July 28, 2026

Is Early Private Education for Young Children Beneficial? Experts Say Play and Experience Matter More In the midst of the so-called 'early childhood private education craze,' the Education Ministry and experts have issued a warning to anxious parents concerned about their children falling behind. They presented scientific analyses showing that stable relationships and proactive play experiences are more crucial for long-term learning capabilities than simply mastering letters and numbers at an early age. On July 28, the Education Ministry and the Child Policy Institute published the 88th issue o July 28, 2026

Hoban Construction Automates Concrete Volume Calculation with AI, Expanding to Sites by August Hoban Construction is enhancing productivity on construction sites by automating the calculation of concrete volumes using artificial intelligence (AI). On July 28, the company announced that it has developed an AI-based 'automated concrete volume calculation technology' and is currently applying it at pilot sites. This technology automatically calculates the amount of concrete needed for structural pouring, such as in basements. The AI analyzes blueprints uploaded to a server, and when site tec July 28, 2026

Hanmi Pharmaceutical Reports Strong Q2 Earnings Driven by Global Licensing Deals Hanmi Pharmaceutical reported a 116.9% increase in operating profit for the second quarter, driven by global technology transfer achievements and growth in its domestic pharmaceutical business.On July 28, Hanmi announced its preliminary consolidated results for Q2 2026, showing sales of 467.2 billion won and operating profit of 131.1 billion won. Compared to the same period last year, sales increased by 29.3%, and operating profit rose by 116.9%. The company recorded a net profit of 84.1 billion July 28, 2026

Korean Women Golfers Aim for Most LPGA Wins in Six Years Korean women golfers are steadily reclaiming their status as a dominant force in the sport, achieving six victories on the 2026 LPGA Tour and positioning themselves to regain the title of most wins by a country for the first time in six years.On July 26, Shin Ji-eun secured a wire-to-wire victory at the ISPS Handa Scottish Open held at Dundonald Links in North Ayrshire, Scotland, finishing with a total score of 9-under 279. This marks her second career win, coming nearly 10 years and two months July 28, 2026

Japanese Expert: Kumamoto Earthquake Similar to 2016, Larger Quake Possible A magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan has been analyzed as a 'strike-slip' earthquake, similar to the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake.According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei), the earthquake occurred at 4:27 p.m. on July 28, with a depth of approximately 9 kilometers. The highest intensity of 7 was recorded in Uki City and Hikawa Town in Kumamoto Prefecture.Strike-slip earthquakes occur when fault lines shift horizontally under pressure. While the shaking from these July 28, 2026