AI Insights: Companies Struggle to Implement Chatbots Effectively “Many companies expect that adopting artificial intelligence (AI) will lead to immediate operational innovation, but the reality on the ground presents entirely different challenges,” said Yang Young-mo, CEO of Redbrick, while discussing the current atmosphere surrounding corporate AI transformation (AX) projects. The surge in generative AI has led to a rapid increase in the implementation of chatbots, document summarization, and report automation systems. However, unexpected limitations a May 21, 2026

U.S. Stocks Rebound as Oil Prices and Treasury Yields Decline U.S. stocks rebounded on Tuesday, buoyed by easing pressures from oil prices and Treasury yields. Amid expectations of negotiations with Iran, oil prices plummeted, while the rise in interest rates moderated, reviving buying interest in technology and semiconductor stocks. On May 20, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 645.47 points, or 1.31%, at 50,009.35. The S&P 500 index, which is heavily weighted toward large-cap stocks, rose 79.36 points, or 1.08%, to finish at 7,432.97. Th May 21, 2026

Trump: Iran Negotiations in Final Stages, Military Action Possible Donald Trump, the President of the United States, stated that negotiations with Iran have entered their final phase, warning that if an agreement is not reached, further military action could follow. On May 20, local time, Trump made these remarks to reporters as he left the White House for a visit to the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. "We are in the final stages regarding Iran," he said, adding, "Let’s see what happens." He continued, "We will either reach an agreement o May 21, 2026

Nvidia Reports Record Revenue for 12 Consecutive Quarters, Driven by Data Center Growth Nvidia, the world's most valuable company by market capitalization, has achieved record revenue for the 12th consecutive quarter. The surge in data center sales, fueled by demand for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, has led to results that exceeded market expectations. On May 20, Nvidia announced that its revenue for the first quarter of the fiscal year (February to April) reached $81.62 billion (approximately 122 trillion won). This marks a 20% increase from the previous quart May 21, 2026

Trump Plans to Speak with Taiwan's President, Praises Xi-Putin Meeting Donald Trump, President of the United States, announced on May 20 that he plans to speak directly with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen. According to Bloomberg News, Trump made the statement before boarding Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland when asked by reporters if he would have a conversation with President Tsai. "I will talk to him. I talk to everyone," he replied, though he did not specify when the call would take place. He added, "We are managing that situation very we May 21, 2026

South Korea Launches Soil-Based Carbon Capture Technology to Meet 2035 NDC Goals The South Korean government is officially launching the development of soil-based carbon capture and removal technologies to secure new carbon sinks aimed at achieving the country's 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for greenhouse gas reduction. On May 21, the Ministry of Climate Energy and Environment held a kickoff meeting for the "Soil-Based Environmental Technology Development Project for NDC Achievement" at the Sangyeonjae Seoul Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, announcing the start o May 21, 2026

Producer Prices Surge 2.5% in April, Largest Increase in 28 Years Producer prices in South Korea surged by 2.5% in April, marking the largest increase in 28 years. The rise is attributed to a sharp increase in oil product prices due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, raising concerns that this will pressure consumer prices. According to preliminary statistics released by the Bank of Korea on May 21, the producer price index for April was recorded at 128.43, the highest increase since February 1998. This marks six consecutive months of rising pr May 21, 2026

Lotte Chemical and HD Hyundai to Launch Integrated Corporation in June Lotte Chemical and HD Hyundai Chemical are set to begin preparations for the launch of their integrated corporation next month. Following an organizational restructuring, they plan to gradually merge their Daesan naphtha cracking center (NCC). According to industry sources on May 20, Lotte Chemical and HD Hyundai Chemical will officially launch the spinoff company, tentatively named Lotte Daesan Petrochemical, on June 1. Employees from Lotte Chemical's Daesan plant in Seosan, South Chungch May 21, 2026

Strategies for Achieving Carbon Neutrality in the Era of 100GW Renewable Energy The South Korean government's commitment to expanding renewable energy is clear. The ambitious goal of reaching 100GW by 2030 reflects a determination to accelerate the energy transition. However, the term "ambitious" implies that achieving this target will not be easy. Increasing the share of renewable energy complicates the balance of supply and demand in the power grid, particularly as it interacts with the rigid nature of nuclear power. As the process of expanding renewable energy con May 21, 2026

Five Candidates Compete for Next Head of Credit Finance Association Five candidates have confirmed their applications for the position of the next president of the Credit Finance Association. The upcoming election is shaping up to be a competitive five-way race, with candidates from both the private sector and political circles entering the fray. According to the credit finance industry on May 20, the association's candidate recommendation committee closed applications for the next president at 6 p.m. the previous day. A total of five individuals have appli May 21, 2026