Government to Hold Real Estate Policy Forum Led by Prime Minister on July 27 The government will hold another national forum on real estate policy next week.The Prime Minister's Office announced on July 23 that a 'National Real Estate Policy Forum' will take place on July 27 at 4 PM at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung-gu, Seoul, chaired by Prime Minister Han Seung-sook.A representative from the Prime Minister's Office explained that this forum aims to gather additional insights on topics that were not fully addressed in the previous discussions.During a July 23, 2026

US Expands Regulations Targeting China Across Multiple Sectors The United States is intensifying its technology and industry regulations targeting China, expanding its focus to include automobiles, artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors, and electronic device components.On July 22, the Senate Commerce Committee passed the "2026 Connected Vehicle Security Act," which restricts the import, manufacture, and sale of connected vehicles linked to hostile nations such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.The legislation prohibits the sale of vehicles from July 23, 2026

Uber Acquires South Korea's Top Delivery App Baedal Minjok Amid Market Concerns Uber's acquisition of South Korea's leading delivery platform, Baedal Minjok, marks a significant turning point in the delivery ecosystem. While the merger is expected to create strong synergies, there are concerns that the heated marketing costs and potential increases in delivery commission fees could escalate into a capital war, exacerbating market polarization.According to industry sources, Uber plans to maintain the 'Baedal Minjok' brand until the acquisition of its parent company, Germany' July 23, 2026

Alphabet Reports Strong Q2 Revenue Amid Increased AI Investment Costs Alphabet, Google's parent company, reported second-quarter results that exceeded market expectations, driven by explosive growth in its cloud business. However, concerns are rising over the company's investments in artificial intelligence (AI), which led to its first-ever negative free cash flow (FCF).On July 22, Alphabet announced that its second-quarter revenue increased by 24% year-over-year to $119.8 billion (approximately 177 trillion won), surpassing the market forecast of $116.9 billion c July 23, 2026

Hyundai Reports Record Revenue Amid Declining Operating Profit Due to U.S. Tariffs Hyundai Motor Company reported record revenue for the second quarter of this year, yet its operating profit plummeted by over 20% compared to the previous year. Factors contributing to this decline include the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, U.S. tariffs, and a slowdown in global automotive demand. The company plans to rebound in the second half of the year through aggressive new vehicle launches and sales of high-value models such as electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids (HEVs), although cha July 23, 2026

Korean Botulinum Toxin Companies Anticipate Growth Amid High Exchange Rates and U.S. Market Expansion The combination of high exchange rates and expansion into the U.S. market is boosting expectations for the second-half performance of South Korean botulinum toxin companies. As demand for cosmetic and aesthetic procedures increases in the latter half of the year, seasonal trends are expected to accelerate export growth.According to industry sources on July 23, the export value of South Korea's botulinum toxin from January to May this year reached $233.88 million (approximately 340 billion won), July 23, 2026

Dong-A Socio Holdings to Absorb Dong-A Pharmaceutical, Transition to Holding Company Structure Dong-A Socio Holdings will absorb its wholly-owned subsidiary, Dong-A Pharmaceutical, transitioning to a holding company structure. On July 23, Dong-A Socio Holdings announced that its board of directors has resolved to proceed with the merger, which is set to take place on October 1. The merger will be conducted as a small-scale absorption without issuing new shares, and there will be no changes to the existing shareholder composition or ownership ratios. This decision is seen as a strategic mo July 23, 2026

KB Financial and Shinhan Financial Report Record Half-Year Earnings KB Financial Group and Shinhan Financial Group have both reported record half-year earnings. The banks maintained stable interest income while their securities arms boosted non-interest income, contributing to their strong results. Notably, KB Financial is nearing entry into the '6 trillion club,' solidifying its position as the leading financial institution.On July 23, both KB Financial and Shinhan Financial announced that their net profits for the first half of the year reached 3.8846 trillion July 23, 2026

SK Telecom Establishes AI Data Center Subsidiary 'SK Hyper' with $675 Million Investment by 2030 SK Telecom (SKT) has established a new subsidiary dedicated to its AI Data Center (AIDC) business, marking a significant step towards building an AI infrastructure hub in Asia.On July 23, SKT's board of directors approved the formation of 'SK Hyper,' a company focused on AIDC business development, and committed to investing a total of 750 billion won (approximately $675 million) by 2030 to establish a solid business foundation.SK Hyper will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary responsible for se July 23, 2026

Kia Drives Growth as Hyundai and Kia See 6.5% Increase in June European Sales Hyundai Motor and Kia sold nearly 100,000 vehicles in the European market last month. While Hyundai struggled, Kia's growth was notable. However, the expansion of the European automotive market slightly impacted their brand market share.According to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) on July 23, Hyundai and Kia's sales in Europe last month totaled 99,523 units, a 6.5% increase compared to the same period last year. By brand, Hyundai sold 46,482 units, a 2.4% decrease, while July 23, 2026