Democratic Party Faces Backlash Over Allegations of Shincheonji Involvement As allegations of Shincheonji involvement surface within the Democratic Party, former leader Jung Cheong-rae and his supporters are intensifying pressure on Kim Min-seok, a former Prime Minister who raised the suspicions.On July 23, Jung posted on Facebook, stating, "I will respond strongly to the baseless Shincheonji allegations," and added, "I will act with the intention of saving the party from actions that put it in danger. I will protect the party, so I ask party members to support me." Ear July 23, 2026

KOSPI Opens with 2% Gain as Samsung and SK Hynix Rally The KOSPI index is showing a gain of over 2% in early trading. Expectations for increased semiconductor demand due to Alphabet's expansion in artificial intelligence (AI) investments are driving up shares of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. As of 9:04 a.m. on July 23, the KOSPI rose by 183.40 points (2.70%) to reach 6,981.10, briefly surpassing the 7,000 mark during the session. In the stock market, foreign investors have made a net purchase of 153.8 billion won, while individuals and instituti July 23, 2026

KB Securities Raises Samsung C&T Target Price Amid Discount Rate Expectations KB Securities has raised its target price for Samsung C&T from 400,000 won to 490,000 won, reflecting an increase in the value of its holdings and the potential for a reduced corporate value discount rate. The investment recommendation remains a 'buy.'Jang Mun-jun, a researcher at KB Securities, stated, "The target price was adjusted upward by changing the target net asset value (NAV) discount rate from 45% to 40% and reflecting the increase in the value of holdings. In the future, we can expect July 23, 2026

Ensuring Consistent Quality: Inside Twosome Place's Awesome Pairing Plant On July 22, at the Twosome Place Awesome Pairing Plant (APP) in Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province, automated equipment was in full operation. Roasted coffee beans moved along rails installed on the ceiling, while yellow 'delta robots' continuously packed the beans into boxes. Only eight workers managed this expansive production line, showcasing a futuristic factory where most processes, from bean input to roasting, packaging, and loading, are automated.Opened in July 2022, APP is a 20,000-squ July 23, 2026

SK Magic Supplies Air Purifiers to Woori Bank Branches Nationwide SK Magic has supplied air purifiers to Woori Bank branches across the country and will also provide regular maintenance services. The company is expanding its business-to-business (B2B) air management operations by combining product sales with installation, filter replacement, and parts inspection.On July 23, SK Intellix, the health platform brand of SK Magic, announced the completion of air purifier installations at Woori Bank branches nationwide.The installed product is the 'All Clean Air Puri July 23, 2026

Research Validates Social Performance Compensation Proposed by Choi Tae-won, Published in International Journal The research on Social Performance Compensation (SPC), supported by the Center for Social Value Studies (CSES), has been published in an international social science journal, providing academic evidence for the policy effects of SPC.According to industry sources, SPC is a compensation system that measures the social value created by social enterprises in monetary terms and provides incentives proportional to their performance. This concept was proposed by Choi Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, at t July 23, 2026

Bithumb Introduces Video Call Verification for Seniors to Protect Vulnerable Users Bithumb announced the implementation of an additional identity verification process using video calls for users aged 80 and above on July 23. As non-face-to-face financial transactions become more common, the risk of financial crimes targeting the elderly, such as identity theft, account lending, and cryptocurrency investment scams, continues to rise. This is particularly concerning for seniors with limited experience in digital financial services, who are at a higher risk of having their accoun July 23, 2026

OCI Reports Q2 Operating Profit of 43.3 Billion Won, Returns to Profitability OCI has successfully returned to profitability in the second quarter of this year, driven by increased sales of petrochemical products and improvements in its semiconductor materials business.On July 22, OCI announced that its consolidated revenue for the second quarter of 2026 reached 535 billion won, with an operating profit of 43.3 billion won. The rise in sales volume and prices of petrochemical products, along with improved performance in the semiconductor materials sector, significantly bo July 23, 2026

Fire Breaks Out at Coupang Logistics Center in Incheon A fire broke out at the Coupang Logistics Center No. 15 in Hyangdong 7-ga, Jemulpo District, Incheon.According to Yonhap News, the fire started around 6:55 a.m. on July 22 at the logistics center.Fire authorities responded to a report from a center official stating that the fire ignited beneath the rental area of the frozen storage on the sixth floor and was initially extinguished with a fire extinguisher.As of now, there have been no confirmed injuries.Fire officials plan to investigate the ext July 23, 2026

Bitcoin Stabilizes at $66,000 Amid Rising Global Oil Prices Bitcoin has been stabilizing around the $66,000 mark after recently surpassing that threshold.As of 8 a.m. on July 23, Bitcoin was trading at $66,008, down 0.39% from the previous day, according to global cryptocurrency market site CoinMarketCap. After recovering the $66,000 level for the first time in nearly a month since June 16, it has struggled to break past the $67,000 mark, showing slight adjustments.Market sentiment improved with rising expectations for the passage of the Clarity Act, a c July 23, 2026