KOSPI Surges Over 1,000 Points, Setting Record for Largest Daily Gain Concerns over artificial intelligence (AI) and the semiconductor industry were alleviated as foreign and institutional investors flocked to the market, leading the KOSPI to achieve both the largest daily gain and percentage increase in history. This surge quickly reversed the steep declines seen over the past three days.On July 31, the KOSPI index closed at 6,595.45, up 1,001.89 points (17.91%) from the previous trading day. This marks the first time the index has risen by over 1,000 points in a July 31, 2026

First Management Improvement Order After TMON and WEMAKEPRICE Crisis; Financial Authority Demands Capital Increases from 10 Firms Including Travel Wallet The management improvement system for electronic financial service providers was activated for the first time following the large-scale settlement crisis involving TMON and WEMAKEPRICE. The financial authorities have demanded capital increases from 10 companies, including Travel Wallet, and warned that failure to comply by the deadline could result in operational suspension. The Financial Services Commission announced on July 31 during its regular meeting that it has decided to require capital July 31, 2026

HD Hyundai Reports 262.2% Increase in Q2 Operating Profit HD Hyundai announced on July 31 that it recorded consolidated sales of 22.4094 trillion won and an operating profit of 4.1246 trillion won for the second quarter. This represents a 30.2% increase in sales and a 262.2% increase in operating profit compared to the same period last year. The strong results were driven by solid performances across its key sectors, including shipbuilding, construction machinery, refining, and power equipment. For the first half of the year, the company achieved cumul July 31, 2026

Ulsan City Allocates 7 Billion Won for Outdoor and Internet Advertising Ulsan Metropolitan City has conducted a comprehensive analysis of 1,963 government advertising expenditures from January 2024 to May 2026. The first part of this report examined the distribution of advertising costs across various media outlets, including television and newspapers. The second part focuses on the structure of outdoor and internet advertising, which accounts for 40.8% of the total advertising budget.The total budget allocated for outdoor and internet advertising during this period July 31, 2026

Top Five Financial Groups and Banks Designated as Systemically Important for 2027 The top five financial groups and their affiliated banks, including Shinhan, KB, Hana, Woori, and NH, have been designated as systemically important financial institutions for 2027. These institutions are required to maintain higher capital reserves than regular banks and prepare their own recovery plans for crisis situations.The Financial Services Commission announced on July 31 that it has selected the five major financial groups along with Shinhan Bank, KB Kookmin Bank, Hana Bank, Woori Bank, July 31, 2026

Toss Payment and Remittance Firms to Enhance Risk Management Amid Regulatory Changes Toss Group's payment and remittance electronic financial service providers will now be included in the group's internal control and risk management framework. This measure aims to eliminate regulatory gaps that previously excluded certain providers from oversight based on their industry classification. The Financial Services Commission announced on July 31 that it approved amendments to the 'Supervision Regulations for Financial Conglomerates' during its 14th regular meeting. On July 15, the c July 31, 2026

Construction Company Change Stalled Again for Sangdaewon 2 District The redevelopment project for Sangdaewon 2 District in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, has once again reached a crossroads regarding the selection of a construction company. The association's attempt to terminate its contract with DL E&C and switch to GS Construction has been halted by a court ruling that intervened in the annual general meeting. The association now faces the challenge of either renegotiating terms with DL E&C or enhancing procedures to pursue the change in construction companies, July 31, 2026

Construction Company Executives Arrested After Fatal Parking Garage Accident The labor authorities have arrested the CEO and site manager of a construction company involved in a fatal accident during the demolition of a mechanical parking facility in Gangnam, Seoul, which occurred in 2024.According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor on July 31, the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office arrested the CEO of the parking equipment construction company and the overall safety manager on July 25 on charges of violating the Serious Accident Punishment Act and the Occup July 31, 2026

Former Employees of Law Firm Found Guilty of Insider Trading Two former employees of the law firm (Yoo) Kwangjang were sentenced to prison for trading stocks based on insider information obtained from unauthorized access to lawyers' emails. While some charges related to insider trading were dropped, resulting in reduced fines and restitution, the court emphasized the severity of their actions.On July 31, the Seoul High Court's Criminal Division 3, led by Judge Lee Seung-han, sentenced former employee A to three years in prison, a fine of 2.96 billion won July 31, 2026

Financial Supervisory Service to Inspect ETF Sales Practices at Major Banks The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) will conduct on-site inspections of major banks to verify the appropriateness of commission charges and sales processes for exchange-traded fund (ETF) trust products.According to the financial sector on July 31, the FSS plans to examine the ETF trust sales practices of KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, Woori, NH Nonghyup, and SC First Bank in August. The inspection will focus on whether banks provided adequate guidance on commission structures that align with cus July 31, 2026