Bae Jae-kyu: Pioneer of Korea's ETF Market and Advocate for Investment Democracy A pioneer has transformed the financial industry landscape, and Bae Jae-kyu, president of Korea Investment Trust Management, is a key figure in the story of Korea's ETF market. He opened a new era in the Korean capital market by introducing the country's first ETF, KODEX200, in 2002. Subsequently, he launched Asia's first leveraged and inverse ETFs, laying the foundation for the growth of the ETF industry. Today, it is no exaggeration to say that the domestic ETF market, which has surpassed 500 June 5, 2026

Can Gyeonggi Province Compete in the Global AI Semiconductor Arena? "Governor, Gyeonggi Province is the world's largest semiconductor production base. However, in the age of AI, the winners will not be the producers but the regions that create ecosystems. Will you have Gyeonggi remembered as a 'semiconductor factory' or as the 'heart of AI innovation'?" (ABC AI Era's Question) Where is the heart of South Korea's economy in the 21st century?In the past, it was Ulsan, known for its automotive and shipbuilding industries. In the 1990s, it was Yeouido in Seoul, the June 5, 2026

South Korea and Canada Discuss Defense Cooperation Amid Submarine Project Ahn Gyu-baek, South Korea's Minister of National Defense, held a call with David McGuinty, Canada's Minister of National Defense, on June 4 to discuss key defense issues and cooperation between the two nations. According to the Ministry of National Defense, the ministers praised the recent docking of South Korea's 3,000-ton submarine, the Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, at Canada's Victoria base, along with the ongoing joint training exercises between their navies. Both ministers agreed that the June 5, 2026

Andong Yean Hyanggyo Daejeong Designated as National Treasure The Andong Yean Hyanggyo Daejeong in Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do, has been tentatively designated as a national cultural heritage treasure, the National Heritage Administration announced on June 5. Despite the threat of submersion due to the construction of the Andong Dam, the Daejeong has maintained its original location, preserving the community's identity. It is a historically significant architectural heritage that played a key role in Confucian education and the organization of rural s June 5, 2026

Police Clash with Protesters at Jamsil Polling Station Amid Election Tensions A shortage of ballots occurred at the second polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa District, Seoul, leading to a clash between police and protesters as officers attempted to retrieve ballot boxes. According to Yonhap News, around 1,000 police officers from 18 riot control units were deployed to the scene starting at 7:30 a.m. They attempted to enter the polling station through a back door at approximately 8:20 a.m., but about 50 protesters formed a human barricade to block their access June 5, 2026

Anthropic: AI Could Eventually Develop Its Own Models, But Speed Must Be Managed Artificial intelligence (AI) company Anthropic has raised the possibility of AI systems eventually designing and developing their own models through a process known as recursive self-improvement. While the company acknowledges it has not yet reached this stage, it emphasizes the need to manage the pace of development. On June 4, Anthropic shared insights on its official blog, stating, "For most of AI history, humans have led every stage of the development cycle, but we are increasingly d June 5, 2026

Hana Securities Raises PSK Target Price Amid Optimistic Earnings Outlook Hana Securities announced on June 5 that it has raised its target price for PSK to 160,000 won, citing expectations for increased semiconductor investments and improved profitability. The firm maintained its investment rating at "buy." In a report released on the same day, analyst Kim Rok-ho stated, "Investment from memory and foundry companies is expected to ramp up significantly in 2027 compared to this year. In 2027, new fabs from three major domestic and international memory companies June 5, 2026

KB Securities Raises LG Innotek Target Price to 2 Million Won Amid AI PCB Demand KB Securities announced on June 5 that it has raised its target price for LG Innotek from 1.6 million won to 2 million won, citing a structural supply shortage in the artificial intelligence (AI) printed circuit board (PCB) market as a long-term growth driver. The firm maintained its "buy" rating on the stock. Kim Dong-won, head of research at KB Securities, stated, "Currently, major U.S. clients are competing to secure production capacity by offering investment support and long-term supp June 5, 2026

Kiwoom Securities Raises Park Systems Target Price Amid Surge in Orders Kiwoom Securities announced on June 5 that it has raised its target price for Park Systems from 300,000 won to 355,000 won, an increase of 18.3%, citing a rapidly growing order backlog that is expected to boost performance in the second half of the year. The investment recommendation remains a 'buy.' Oh Hyun-jin, a researcher at Kiwoom Securities, noted, "Although interest in the semiconductor industry has waned due to the growth potential of existing mass production equipment, Park Syste June 5, 2026

Anthropic Reports Claude Writes Over 80% of Its Code, Signaling New Era of AI Self-Improvement The concept of AI improving itself through recursive self-improvement is becoming a reality. Anthropic has issued a warning that this trend is advancing much faster than anticipated, based on its internal data. On June 4, Anthropic released a report titled "When AI Builds Itself," revealing that as of May 2026, over 80% of the code integrated into its codebase is generated by Claude, its AI system. Prior to the launch of Claude's code in February 2025, this figure was in the single digi June 5, 2026