NH Nonghyup Financial Reports Record Half-Year Profit of 1.78 Trillion Won NH Nonghyup Financial Group achieved a record half-year net income of 1.78 trillion won, surpassing 1.7 trillion won for the first time this year.Growth in interest income and an increase in non-interest income due to a strong stock market drove the results, with NH Investment & Securities leading the way with more than double its profit growth.According to Yonhap News and NH Nonghyup Financial, the group's net income for the first half of the year was 1.7791 trillion won, a 9.2% increase compar July 24, 2026

Investigation Confirms Shincheonji Members Joined Democratic Party The Joint Investigation Team is examining allegations that members of the Shincheonji Church joined the Democratic Party. According to legal sources on July 24, the team has identified evidence suggesting that Shincheonji encouraged its members to join the Democratic Party to resolve local grievances and has begun investigating related individuals.In the past, Shincheonji attempted to purchase properties in areas such as Gwacheon, Goyang, Gapyeong, Incheon, and Iksan for religious use but faced July 24, 2026

President Lee forgoes summer vacation to focus on diplomatic efforts 이재명 대통령이 여름휴가를 반납하는 대신 외교 일정을 소화하기로 했다.청와대 관계자는 24일 "대통령이 이번 여름휴가를 반납하고 '세일즈 외교'에 집중하는 것으로 대체하기로 했다"고 전했다.이 대통령은 지난해 8월 경남 거제 저도 청해대에 머물며 취임 후 첫 휴가를 보낸 바 있다.이 대통령은 이날 7박 11일 일정으로 미국 샌프란시스코, 남미, 독일을 방문하고 돌아오는 순방을 떠났다.대통령의 여름휴가는 통상적으로 7월 말이나 8월 초에 잡히는데, 공교롭게도 이 기간에 부동산 대토론회, 해외 순방, 부처 July 24, 2026

Woori Investment & Securities Reports 47.1% Increase in First-Half Net Profit Woori Investment & Securities has reported improved performance in the first half of the year, driven by growth in non-interest income, particularly in its investment banking (IB) sector.The company announced on July 24 that its net profit for the first half of the year reached 24.7 billion won, a 47.1% increase compared to the same period last year. Operating profit also rose to 29.4 billion won, marking a 93.3% increase.First-half net operating revenue was 146.2 billion won, up 58.7% from the July 24, 2026

SK Hynix ADRs Trade at Significant Premium, Experts Warn Investors SK Hynix American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) are trading at prices nearly 50% higher than their domestic shares, prompting warnings from U.S. financial experts about the unusual investment behavior of South Korean individual investors. According to Yonhap Infomax on July 24, Owen Lamont, a portfolio manager at Acadian Asset Management and an authority on behavioral finance, stated in a recent report that "the price difference between the same company's stock in the U.S. and Korea has widened too July 24, 2026

Chinese Stock Market Declines Amid Rising Oil Prices; Defense Sector Gains The Chinese stock market, which had risen the previous day, fell across the board on July 24, attributed to the surge in oil prices stemming from the Middle East.On this day, the Shanghai Composite Index closed down 1.61% at 3,814.20, the Shenzhen Component Index dropped 2.47% to 13,774.68, and the ChiNext Index fell 2.65% to 3,480.87.Brent crude oil prices reached as high as $102 per barrel during the day before trading around $100. Concerns over oil supply disruptions have intensified followin July 24, 2026

Court Orders Choi Tae-won to Pay 944 Billion Won to Noh So-young A South Korean court has ruled that Choi Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, must pay 944 billion won to Noh So-young, director of the Art Center Nabi.The Seoul High Court's Family Division, led by Judge Lee Sang-joo, made the decision on July 24 during the remand hearing for the couple's property division lawsuit. The court also specified that a 5% annual interest on the payment would accrue from the day after the ruling until the full amount is paid.The court determined that the SK stocks held by C July 24, 2026

Korean Lawmaker Apologizes After Physical Altercation Over Committee Assignments 국민의힘 내에서 국회 상임위원회 배정에 대한 불만으로 물리적 충돌이 일어나면서 파문이 커지고 있다. 정점식 원내대표의 멱살을 잡은 권영진 의원이 하루 만에 사과와 반성의 뜻을 밝혔지만, 징계 요구가 나오면서 논란이 가라앉지 않고 있다. 정 원내대표는 24일 국회에서 열린 원내대책회의에 불참했다. 회의에 참석한 정희용 사무총장은 "어제 국민께 부끄럽고 참담한 일이 발생했다"며 "상임위 배정에 불만을 품은 의원이 항의하는 과정에서 급기야 한 의원은 원내대표의 멱살을 잡았고, 이를 말리던 전임 원내대표의 멱살까지 July 24, 2026

Kia Reports Record Sales of 33 Trillion Won in Q2 Amid Tariff Challenges Kia achieved record sales and the highest quarterly sales figures in its history in the second quarter of this year, driven by increased sales of electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid vehicles (HEVs). However, operating profit saw a slight decline due to U.S. automotive tariffs and expanded sales incentives.On July 24, Kia announced in a regulatory filing that its consolidated revenue for the second quarter reached 33.037 trillion won, with an operating profit of 2.6285 trillion won. This represent July 24, 2026

KOSPI Falls Below 6,700 Amid Global Risk Aversion Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have led to a surge in international oil prices, triggering a wave of risk aversion in global markets. Following a decline in the New York stock market, South Korea's stock exchanges experienced significant sell-offs, with both the KOSPI and KOSDAQ dropping more than 5%.On July 24, the Korea Exchange reported that the KOSPI closed at 6,690.02, down 406.87 points (5.73%) from the previous trading day. The index opened at 7,000.78, down 96.11 points (1.35%) July 24, 2026