Yuhan-Kimberly Plants 13 Million Trees in Mongolia Over 23 Years Yuhan-Kimberly will showcase its reforestation achievements in Mongolia, where it has planted 13 million trees over the past 23 years, to the international community.The company announced on July 31 that it will participate in the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17), taking place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from August 17 to 28, to share its reforestation results in the Tujinar region.UNCCD COP17 is a global conference aimed at di July 31, 2026

Ruling Party Election Commission Issues Warning to Jeong Cheong-rae and Supporters The Democratic Party's Election Commission has reportedly issued a warning and corrective order to Jeong Cheong-rae, a candidate for party leader, and candidates from his faction participating in the August 17 convention, citing election misconduct.According to the party on July 31, the commission reported its findings to the Supreme Council, determining that Jeong and Supreme Council candidates Lee Sung-yoon, Choi Min-hee, and Han Min-soo violated party regulations by attending unauthorized mee July 31, 2026

Kakao Bank Union Strikes for the First Time, Over 700 Members Participate Kakao Bank's labor union has gone on strike for the first time since its establishment after negotiations with management over performance bonuses and wage increases broke down.According to the financial sector on July 31, more than 700 of the approximately 1,000 corporate union members at Kakao Bank participated in the strike.The strike is being conducted by union members taking annual leave to withdraw from work.The Kakao Bank union is demanding that employee wages and performance bonuses be i July 31, 2026

Hanmi Pharmaceutical's Pyeongtaek Bio Plant Achieves Top Safety Rating for Second Consecutive Time Hanmi Pharmaceutical's Pyeongtaek manufacturing center, a global biopharmaceutical production base, has received the highest rating in the Process Safety Management (PSM) evaluation conducted by the Ministry of Employment and Labor. The Pyeongtaek facility is a key site for producing the obesity treatment drug 'efegleneratide,' which is set to launch in the second half of this year, and has once again been recognized by the government for its safety management system and capabilities.On July 31, July 31, 2026

Trump Administration Pressures China on Rare Earth Supply Ahead of Xi's Visit The Trump administration is pressuring China to fulfill its commitments on rare earth and critical mineral supplies ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the United States in September.The U.S. is demanding that China increase its rare earth supply while also working to prevent critical minerals from used batteries and electronic waste from being exported overseas. This move aims to reduce the U.S. reliance on China for critical mineral procurement.On July 30, U.S. Treasury Secretary July 31, 2026

Choi Yoon-bum of Korea Zinc: South Korea and Chile as Key Mineral and Clean Energy Partners Choi Yoon-bum, chairman of Korea Zinc, emphasized the need for cooperation between South Korea and Chile in the key mineral supply chain and clean energy sectors during the 'Korea-Chile Business Roundtable' held in conjunction with President Lee Jae-myung's visit to Chile.On July 31, Korea Zinc reported that Choi stated, "If South Korea and Chile join forces, we can create the most exemplary cooperation model that leads the carbon-neutral era beyond a stable key mineral supply chain."He added, " July 31, 2026

Controversy Erupts Over Apartment's Delivery Protocols in Busan A Busan apartment complex has sparked controversy online after requiring delivery drivers to remove their helmets and provide personal information. Delivery drivers have criticized some apartments for imposing excessive entry procedures, coining the term 'Cheonryongin Apartment' to describe them.The issue began when a delivery driver, identified as A, posted a video on his YouTube channel on July 21, showing the delivery process at the apartment. The two-minute video features A explaining the en July 31, 2026

HMM Completes Sale of Mombasa to Panstar, Launching Arctic Route Trials The final piece of the government's Arctic route trial has fallen into place. HMM has sold its container ship, the Mombasa, to Panstar, paving the way for the Arctic route trials to commence. However, it is reported that HMM faced significant challenges balancing profitability and operational needs during the sale process.According to a report by Aju Economy on July 31, Panstar Group and HMM finalized the sales contract for the 2,758 TEU container ship Mombasa and completed the necessary procedu July 31, 2026

KOSPI Surges Over 17% on Strong U.S. Tech Earnings and Semiconductor Stocks The KOSPI index closed up more than 17% on the back of strong earnings from major U.S. tech companies and expectations for increased investment in artificial intelligence (AI). Foreign investors made net purchases exceeding 8 trillion won, focusing on semiconductor stocks, prompting a simultaneous buy-side activation in both the securities and KOSDAQ markets early in the session.On July 31, the Korea Exchange reported that the KOSPI finished at 6,595.45, up 1,001.89 points (17.91%) from the prev July 31, 2026

Hanon Systems Reports 61% Increase in Q2 Operating Profit Automotive thermal management solutions provider Hanon Systems has reported improved performance in the second quarter, driven by increased sales of electrification components in Europe.On July 31, Hanon Systems announced that its consolidated operating profit for the second quarter reached 103.7 billion won, a 61.2% increase compared to the same period last year. Revenue rose by 0.6% to 2.8752 trillion won, while net profit turned positive at 86.1 billion won.The performance improvement is attr July 31, 2026