news highlight

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  Korea to test tokenized government bonds in 2027 SEOUL, October 8 (AJP) — South Korea plans to test tokenized government bonds next year, whiled the the International Monetary Fund (IMF) worried a hasty shift could amplify liquidity shocks. The Bank of Korea (BOK) and IMF on Thursday jointly held a forum on “Scaling Tokenization: New Efficiencies, New Vulnerabilities,” a chapter of the fund’s October Global Financial Stability Report. “The Bank of Korea and the government are collaborating to launch a pilot prog October 8, 2026
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  Seoul named world's best big city in Condé Nast Traveler SEOUL, October 08 (AJP)— Seoul was named the world's best big city by readers of U.S. travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler. South Korea's capital ranked first in the magazine's 2026 Readers' Choice Awards, followed by Tokyo, Phnom Penh, Shanghai and Sydney, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Friday. The city topped the Best Big Cities ranking for the first time, rising from fifth place in 2025 and overtaking Tokyo, which had held the top spot for two consecutive October 8, 2026
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  Korean stocks slip despite spectacular Samsung Q3 SEOUL, October 08 (AJP) -South Korean stocks edged lower Thursday morning as foreign and institutional selling continued to retreat despite stellar third-quarter earnings guidance from Samsung Electronics and LG Energy Solution. The benchmark KOSPI fell 0.2 percent to 6,793.26 as of 10:30 a.m. (0130 GMT) after trading between 6,731.75 and 6,810.83. Foreign investors sold 635.7 billion won ($475.2 million) worth of shares, while institutions unloaded 300.7 billion won. Retail investors bought October 8, 2026
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  KOSPI slides nearly 2% as Samsung earnings caution weighs SEOUL, October 07 (AJP) — South Korean stocks fell nearly 2 percent Wednesday, extending losses for a second session as heavy foreign selling hit semiconductor shares and investors turned cautious ahead of Samsung Electronics' preliminary third-quarter earnings due Thursday. The benchmark KOSPI closed at 6,803.90, down 1.98 percent from the previous session. The index opened 1.11 percent lower at 6,864.25 and briefly reversed into positive territory in morning trading before renewed October 7, 2026
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  BOK taps market, FX experts for senior posts SEOUL, October 7 (AJP) — The Bank of Korea named two career officials with extensive financial-market and international finance experience to senior posts Wednesday, appointing Choi Young-joo as deputy governor and selecting Yoon Kyoung-soo as its next chief economist. Choi, currently director general of the Financial Markets Department, will oversee international finance and cooperation for a three-year term beginning October 8. He joined the Bank of Korea (BOK) in 1997 and spent much o October 7, 2026
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  KOSPI falls as foreign selling outweighs Wall Street rally SEOUL, October 07 (AJP) - South Korean stocks fell Wednesday morning as heavy foreign selling outweighed overnight gains on Wall Street, while Samsung Electronics and SK hynix moved in opposite directions. The benchmark KOSPI fell 0.9 percent to 6,883.09 as of 10:30 a.m. (0130 GMT), after trading between 6,861.56 and 6,977.77. Foreign investors sold a net 940.2 billion won worth of shares, while institutions unloaded 144 billion won. Retail investors bought a net 856.8 billion won. Samsung El October 7, 2026
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  FSS calls for stronger internal audits as compliance violations persist SEOUL, October 07 (AJP) -South Korea's financial watchdog on Wednesday urged securities firms to strengthen preventive audits after recent inspections found repeated basic compliance failures. The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) made the request at a meeting with auditors from 21 securities firms, including 10 large investment firms and 11 mid-sized brokerages, aimed at strengthening preventive, investor-centered internal controls. At the meeting, the watchdog urged firms to move away October 7, 2026
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  Shinsegae invests $1 billion in Paramount-Warner deal SEOUL, October 07 (AJP) - Shinsegae Group is investing $1 billion in the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount Skydance. The deal marks a major push by the South Korean retail group into the global entertainment business. The investment, worth about 1.36 trillion won, will be made through an offshore investment vehicle that will acquire shares issued in connection with the transaction. Shinsegae said the move is aimed at combining global entertainment content with its retail, prope October 7, 2026
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  Foreigners sink KOSPI below 7,000; Nikkei tops 70,000 SEOUL, October 6 (AJP) - Foreign investors dumped South Korea's memory chip giants again on Tuesday and pushed the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) back below 7,000. The slide came even as the Nasdaq hit an all-time high and Tokyo's Nikkei 225 closed above 70,000 for the first time in about three months. SK hynix fell 3.7 percent and Samsung Electronics 1.4 percent as foreigners sold a net 1.75 trillion won ($1.30 billion) of main-board shares. Brokers tied the selling to U.S. October 6, 2026