Won extends gains on second day of 24-hr FX trading SEOUL, July 07 (AJP) - The Korean won strengthened further Tuesday, the second day of round-the-clock trading in the domestic foreign exchange market, even as foreign investors sold local stocks. As of 12:30 p.m. (0300 GMT), the won was hovering around 1,521 per dollar, up more than nine won from the previous daytime closing level. South Korea shifted its dollar-won spot market to a 24-hour trading system on Monday, allowing continuous trading from 6 a.m. Monday to 6 a.m. Saturday. The won' July 7, 2026

Korean households' stock and fund buying nears $40 bn in Q1, nearly matching foreign sales SEOUL, July 07 (AJP) - South Korean households’ purchases of equity securities and investment fund shares nearly doubled to 61.4 trillion won ($40 billion) from 34 trillion won in the first quarter, the latest data underscoring the stock craze that gripped the country as investors watched the benchmark KOSPI surge in the first half. Foreign investors sold nearly the same amount, offloading a net 62.1 trillion won worth of Korean equities and investment funds, more than seven times the 8.5 July 7, 2026

Investors take profit instead of celebrating Samsung Elec record Q2 SEOUL, July 7 (AJP) — South Korea's main bourse sank Tuesday along with chip giants as investors took Samsung Electronics' second-quarter earnings as a cue to take profits rather than celebrate the record performance. As of 11:00 a.m., the benchmark KOSPI had plunged 4.29 percent to 7,697.18. The junior KOSDAQ edged down 0.41 percent to 843.60. Samsung Electronics estimated second-quarter operating profit at 89.4 trillion won, a figure that could approach 10 trillion won excludin July 7, 2026

Korea-India Future Society to host economic cooperation forum on July 21 SEOUL, July 07 (AJP) -The action plans and business opportunities emerging from the upgraded Korea-India economic partnership following President Lee Jae Myung's state visit to India will be outlined at a special forum hosted by the Korea-India Future Society on July 21. The forum will feature Ambassador Lee Seong-ho, South Korea's ambassador to India, and Cho Choong-jae, head of the Delhi Office of the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP), according to the society July 7, 2026

Samsung Elec Q2 profit nears 90 trillion won even after bonus package SEOUL, July 07 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics on Tuesday estimated second-quarter operating profit at 89.4 trillion won ($58.4 billion) beating consensus of around 84.60 trillion won, as hot chip selling prices more than offset the cost of record performance bonuses for semiconductor employees. The preliminary figure compares with operating profit of 57.2 trillion won in the previous quarter and 4.7 trillion won a year earlier and fueled a red-hot earning streak for the third quarter. It also sug July 7, 2026

Even government bonds can bite, South Korea's regulator warns SEOUL, July 06 (AJP) — South Korea's financial regulator on Monday warned that even government bonds, long regarded by many retail investors as one of the safest investments, can generate significant losses if interest rates rise. The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) issued the warning as part of its latest investor education campaign on common investment disputes after complaints increased from investors who suffered unexpected losses after buying low-risk bonds, including Korean July 6, 2026

KOSPI slips as investors turn cautious ahead of Samsung's 2Q earnings results SEOUL, July 6 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI surrendered an early gain of nearly 3 percent on Monday and ended lower, as foreign and institutional investors resumed selling ahead of Samsung Electronics' preliminary second-quarter earnings set to be announced on Tuesday, which are seen as a key test of whether last week’s chip selloff was excessive. The index shed 37.01 points, or 0.46 percent, to close at 8,051.33. The retreat masked a split in the chip trade. Samsung Elec July 6, 2026

AI boom lifts KOSPI in H1 but focus shifts to earnings SEOUL, July 6 (AJP) - Artificial intelligence (AI) stocks were South Korea's biggest gainers in the first half of this year, as the AI rally spread beyond semiconductors into infrastructure such as power equipment and cables, according to a Korea Exchange analysis released Monday. Investors now watch whether second-quarter earnings will turn those expectations into results. Top gainers on the country's benchmark KOSPI for the first six months of this year included semiconductor giants S July 6, 2026

Korea's Lee orders speed in "Chip Republic" projects SEOUL, July 06 (AJP) -South Korea's ambition to transform itself into a "Chip Republic" is expected to gain traction as President Lee Jae Myung on Monday ordered officials to fast-track implementation of the country's three AI mega projects, declaring that "speed is everything" in the global race for technological supremacy. "The outcome will depend on who moves faster," Lee said during a public-private review meeting on the projects at the presidential off July 6, 2026

China extends lead in global shipbuilding as South Korea focuses on high-value vessels SEOUL, July 6 (AJP) - China maintained its dominance in the global shipbuilding market in the first half of this year, accounting for 72 percent of global orders. South Korean shipbuilders held just 19 percent, as they focused instead on high-value ships like liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers. According to data released by London-based Clarkson Research Services on Monday, cumulative global ship orders in the first six months of this year reached 42.95 million compensated gross tons (CGT), o July 6, 2026