Public Submissions on Real Estate Policy Reach 7,476, with Housing Finance Leading at 39% The government received a total of 7,476 opinions through its online platform, 'realestateforum.kr', aimed at gathering public feedback on real estate policy. Opinions related to housing finance accounted for the largest share at 39%. The Ministry of Finance announced on July 31 that the operation of realestateforum.kr would conclude at midnight. As of midnight on July 30, the platform had approximately 43,000 visitors. The breakdown of submissions showed that housing finance received 2,943 opin July 31, 2026

Kia's Green Light Project Achieves Success in Albania and Zimbabwe Kia announced on July 31 that it has successfully completed its Green Light Project initiatives in Albania and Zimbabwe, transferring operational authority to local communities.The Green Light Project is Kia's flagship social contribution initiative, launched in 2012 across 19 locations in 15 countries in Africa, Europe, and Asia. With this transfer, Albania and Zimbabwe become the 13th and 14th self-sustaining sites of the project.Since 2023, Kia has established a treatment center for children July 31, 2026

Korean Government Launches $13.5 Million Project for Agentic AI Development The Ministry of Science and ICT has officially launched a research and development project aimed at developing core technologies for agentic artificial intelligence (AI).On July 30, the Ministry and the Institute for Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP) held a kickoff meeting for the 'Real-World Active Behavior Agentic AI Technology Development' project at the AI·SW Maestro Seoul Center in Mapo-gu, Seoul.This initiative is a key task under the government's recentl July 31, 2026

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix Surge in Pre-Market Trading Amid U.S. Semiconductor Rally Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix experienced significant gains in pre-market trading on July 31.According to NextTrade, as of 8:37 a.m., SK Hynix shares rose by 207,000 won (15.66%) to 1,529,000 won. Samsung Electronics also saw an increase of 27,500 won (13.29%), trading at 234,500 won.The surge in domestic semiconductor stocks follows a rebound in U.S. semiconductor shares, which has improved investor sentiment. Analysts suggest that the recent sharp declines in stock prices have led to a wave July 31, 2026

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won Makes Major Purchase of SK Hynix Shares 최태원 SK그룹 회장이 처음으로 SK하이닉스 주식을 직접 매입했다. According to industry sources, Chey purchased 3.62 trillion won worth of SK Hynix shares, equivalent to 4.8 billion won, on July 30. Under the insider trading pre-disclosure system, executives or major shareholders of listed companies must disclose their trading plans 30 days in advance if they intend to buy or sell shares that exceed 1% of the total issued shares or 5 billion won in transaction value over the past six months and July 31, 2026

U.S. Stocks Surge on Microsoft Earnings and Semiconductor Rally; KOSPI Set for Rebound The U.S. stock market closed sharply higher, buoyed by strong earnings from Microsoft and a significant rebound in semiconductor stocks. As concerns over a slowdown in the artificial intelligence (AI) investment cycle eased, the South Korean market is expected to attempt a strong rebound, particularly in semiconductor stocks.On July 30, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 613.92 points (1.19%) to close at 52,208.06. The S&P 500 gained 121.48 points (1.66%) to finish at 7,437.63, while the t July 31, 2026

Samsung Expands Supply of Home EHS Heat Pump Boilers to Target High-Efficiency Heating Market Samsung Electronics is intensifying its efforts in the high-efficiency heating solutions market by installing home EHS heat pump boilers in single-family homes in Jeju Island.On June 25, Samsung installed an EHS heat pump boiler in a home in the Aewol area of Jeju, and on June 30, the company held a ceremony to announce the expansion of its supply at the same residence.The EHS heat pump boiler is an integrated solution that absorbs heat from the outside air and amplifies it using electricity for July 31, 2026

Korea Investment Securities Raises Samsung Electronics Target Price to 650,000 Won Korea Investment Securities announced on July 31 that it has raised its target price for Samsung Electronics from 590,000 won to 650,000 won, reflecting structural changes in the memory business and the company's shareholder return policy. The firm maintained its 'buy' rating.Chae Min-sook, a researcher at Korea Investment Securities, stated, "While it is difficult to predict when market concerns will ease, the current valuation does not fully reflect the strong performance, cash generation abil July 31, 2026

President Yoon Proposes Expanding LS-Codelco Partnership to Advanced Manufacturing and Defense President Yoon Suk Yeol on July 30, local time, presented the joint venture between South Korea's LS Group and Chile's state-owned Codelco as a successful model for cooperation in critical minerals, suggesting its expansion into advanced manufacturing and defense industries.Speaking at the Korea-Chile Business Roundtable held at a hotel in Santiago, Yoon expressed hope that "the joint venture model between LS and Codelco can be further expanded in the future." He emphasized that by joining force July 31, 2026

Nationwide Fire Safety Inspections to Cover 190,000 Factories and Warehouses The government will conduct comprehensive inspections of 190,000 factories and warehouses identified as having potential fire hazards by the end of next year. This decision follows a major fire at a Coupang logistics center in Incheon earlier this month and a tragic incident at an auto parts factory in Daejeon in March, prompting a thorough review of structural vulnerabilities and safety management practices.On July 31, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Ku Yun-cheol chair July 31, 2026