Food Companies Expand Restaurant Ventures Despite Economic Slowdown Despite a sluggish restaurant market, food companies are launching new dining brands and expanding their presence. As consumer sentiment tightens and commercial districts shrink, the food industry is focusing on overcoming declining profitability in manufacturing and securing new growth drivers, leading to renewed interest in the restaurant business.According to industry sources, CJ Foodville has been aggressively opening locations since launching its Italian bistro brand, Olifepe, in December. July 26, 2026

AI Initiatives Surge, Straining Companies South Korea's government, which has declared itself one of the top three nations in artificial intelligence (AI), is pursuing numerous related initiatives. However, more than half of these projects are being conducted in a survival format, leading to increased fatigue among companies. While the government aims to draw public interest, critics argue that the focus on survival-style competitions detracts from meaningful engagement in AI development.According to industry sources, since the start of July 26, 2026

Naver Secures $10 Billion Investment from Nvidia and Brookfield for Global AI Expansion Naver is poised to transition from a domestic search and commerce-focused internet platform to a global artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure and platform company. With investments from Nvidia and global alternative asset manager Brookfield, Naver plans to establish a 'sovereign AI' ecosystem that is not dependent on specific global tech giants or nations, while expanding its data center, cloud, and AI capabilities into the global market.On July 26, the information technology (IT) industry July 26, 2026

OpenAI and Anthropic Refuse to Join Distillation Regulation Opposition Amid China's Push Twenty-five major U.S. tech companies issued a statement opposing regulations on AI model "distillation" technology, but leaders like OpenAI and Anthropic did not sign. As the U.S. AI industry divides over openness and regulation in response to China's distillation push, South Korea finds itself unable to align with either side due to a growing atmosphere of self-censorship regarding the adoption of distillation.According to the IT industry on July 26, companies including Nvidia, Microsoft, Meta July 26, 2026

Lee Suggests Building Next Generation of Samsung and SK at Global VC Meeting Lee Jae-myung, the President of South Korea, proposed expanding the scope of cooperation between South Korea and the United States from security to technology, innovation, and startups during a meeting with global venture capital representatives in Silicon Valley. In line with this, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the National Pension Service established a cooperative framework to support overseas investment attraction and market entry for promising K-startups. On July 25, local time, a July 26, 2026

Strengthened South Korea-U.S. AI Value Chain: From Neural Networks to Humanoids The AI alliance between South Korea and the United States has taken a significant step forward during the AI Summit in San Francisco. Major South Korean companies, including Samsung, SK, and Hyundai, reaffirmed their partnerships with leading U.S. tech firms such as Google, NVIDIA, and Waymo to develop AI infrastructure. This strong integration of the South Korea-U.S. AI value chain is expected to help domestic companies maintain leadership in the upcoming era of Physical AI.According to industr July 26, 2026

Korean Department Stores Accelerate Global Expansion with K-Fashion and K-Beauty South Korean department stores are ramping up their overseas market strategies by promoting K-Fashion and K-Beauty. While they continue to perform well domestically due to increased spending by foreign tourists and luxury sales, they are looking to expand into international markets with significant growth potential.According to the retail industry on July 26, Hyundai Department Store launched its regular store, 'The Hyundai,' in Tokyo's luxury shopping district, Omotesando, on July 10, marking t July 26, 2026

U.S. Imposes Higher Forced Labor Tariffs on South Korea Compared to Taiwan and EU South Korean exporters are facing heightened price competitiveness challenges as major rivals like Taiwan and the European Union benefit from lower tariffs imposed by the United States. Concerns are growing that a widening tariff gap could hinder the achievement of this year's export targets, particularly for consumer goods such as chemicals, cosmetics, and food products. According to relevant authorities on July 26, the U.S. government has imposed a 12.5% tariff on South Korean products due July 26, 2026

U.S. Tariff War Enters New Phase as Forced Labor Tariffs Take Effect The United States has entered a prolonged trade conflict as it implements forced labor tariffs under Trade Law 301, following the expiration of temporary global tariffs under Trade Law 122. The South Korean government now faces the challenge of maintaining the agreed 15% tariff limit while also responding to item-specific measures under Trade Expansion Act 232. ◆301 Tariffs Replace Global Tariffs; South Korea Faces 12.5% Rate According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the U.S. Tr July 26, 2026

Iran Blames U.S. for Recent Maritime Tensions in Hormuz Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister, accused the United States of unilaterally establishing a slower and more dangerous alternative route in the Strait of Hormuz, leading to recent military confrontations. He placed the responsibility for these tensions squarely on the U.S.In an interview with the Iranian daily 'Iran' on July 25, Araghchi claimed that the U.S. violated agreements regarding the reopening of the Strait and sought to undermine Iran's authority over the waterway, which escalated July 26, 2026