Jokuk Innovation Party Appoints Local Leaders Ahead of General Election The Jokuk Innovation Party has appointed 11 local leaders, including Jokuk Innovation Policy Institute head, ahead of the upcoming general election. The head will take on the role of local leader for Pyeongtaek, a position he sought during the June by-elections.At a press conference held on the 13th at the National Assembly, Secretary-General Jeong Chun-sang, who chairs the party's Organizational Strengthening Special Committee, announced the list of local leaders, stating, "We have selected ind September 13, 2026

Despite Falling Exchange Rates, Korean Investors Sell U.S. Stocks Korean investors, known as 'Seohakgaemi,' have shifted to net selling of U.S. stocks despite a decline in the exchange rate. The won-dollar exchange rate fell below 1,400 won, creating a favorable environment for U.S. stock investments. However, growing caution about further gains in the U.S. market has led to profit-taking actions. Notably, there was a significant sell-off of leveraged exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that invest in U.S. semiconductor stocks, resulting in sales exceeding purchases. September 13, 2026

Hana Bank Expands Financial Cooperation with Uzbekistan, Plans Local Office Hana Bank announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Uzbekistan Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade to enhance mutual cooperation in investment and finance. The agreement was established to strengthen financial and economic cooperation between the two countries ahead of the upcoming '1st Korea-Central Asia Summit' scheduled for September 16 in Seoul. Under the MOU, both parties will explore financial cooperation opportunities in Uzbekistan and support Hana September 13, 2026

NH Nonghyup Bank President Kang Tae-young Assists in Jeju Tangerine Harvest Kang Tae-young, president of NH Nonghyup Bank, along with executives from the bank's sales division, visited tangerine farms in Jeju to lend a helping hand. NH Nonghyup Bank announced on the 13th that Kang and the sales executives assisted with the tangerine harvesting and sorting at a greenhouse farm in Seogwipo, Jeju, on the 11th. This initiative was organized ahead of a two-day sales division meeting starting on the 11th, aimed at reflecting on the value of agriculture and rural areas while September 13, 2026

Lotte Duty Free Launches Promotions for Chuseok Holiday and Fall Travel Season Lotte Duty Free is launching a large-scale online and offline promotion to attract travelers during the Chuseok holiday and the fall travel season.The company announced on the 10th that it will hold the 'FALL IN SALE' discount event at its online duty-free shop until November 11. The event will feature popular fall items from brands such as Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Dalba, and Jeong Kwan Jang, with discounts of up to 70% available on products updated every two weeks. Customers making purcha September 13, 2026

AI Industry Faces Slowdown as Companies Adjust Development Pace The AI industry, which has been rapidly advancing, is now entering a phase of slowdown. Leading companies in the sector are voluntarily slowing their development pace, driven by internal crises triggered by researcher resignations and the recent disclosure of AI weaponization by state-linked organizations.On September 12, Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, published a 4,000-word essay on the company’s website titled "We Must Pace the Frontier," stating that the speed of improving AI models must be September 13, 2026

French and Canadian AI Companies Expand Presence in South Korea South Korea's artificial intelligence (AI) market is attracting attention from various countries, including France and Canada, as companies look to expand beyond the U.S. and China. Following Canadian AI firm Cohere, French AI company Mistral is also establishing a local presence and increasing its hiring efforts.According to industry sources, Mistral is actively pursuing entry into the South Korean market. In June, the company posted a job listing for a 'Senior AI Business Strategist' to work i September 13, 2026

Roberto Moreno Arrives as Interim Coach of South Korean National Soccer Team Roberto Moreno, appointed as the interim coach of the South Korean national soccer team, arrived at Incheon International Airport on the morning of September 13 with five members of his coaching staff.Moreno succeeds Hong Myung-bo, who stepped down after the team was eliminated in the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The Korea Football Association implemented a public recruitment process for the first time in history, selecting Moreno as the final candidate on September 1.This September 13, 2026

Yong Hye-in Resigns as Minister of Gender Equality and Family Candidate After 14 Days Yong Hye-in has resigned from her position as the candidate for Minister of Gender Equality and Family. She indicated her decision was made to avoid burdening the government's operations amid a stalled confirmation hearing and requests from the ruling party for her to step down.Yong Hye-in held an emergency press conference on the 13th at the National Assembly's communication hall, stating, "I am officially resigning from my position as the candidate for Minister of Gender Equality and Family in September 13, 2026

Highway Toll Evasion by Repeat Offenders Surges to 370,000 Vehicles More than 370,000 vehicles were reported as repeat offenders for failing to pay highway tolls at least 20 times last year, marking an 80% increase over three years. Nearly half of all unpaid tolls originated from these habitual offenders.According to data submitted by the Korea Expressway Corporation to Jeong Jong-tae, a member of the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, the number of vehicles that failed to pay tolls 20 or more times rose from 210,000 in 2022 to 374 September 13, 2026