Chip sell-off sends KOSPI below 8,000 SEOUL, June 8 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI closed at 7,484.41, down 676.18 points, or 8.29 percent, from the previous session, falling below the 8,000-point level According to the Korea Exchange, the KOSPI opened at 8,048.09, down 112.50 points, or 1.38 percent, from the previous close, before extending its losses throughout the session. The index fell as low as 7,442.73 during intraday trading. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ also declined sharply, ending the day at 911.39, down 91.05 poin June 8, 2026

KOSPI opens sharply lower after Wall Street chip sell-off, prompting sidecar halt SEOUL, June 5 (AJP) - South Korean stocks plunged in early trading on Friday, prompting a temporary halt on program sell orders as investors dumped semiconductor shares following an overnight sell-off in U.S. chipmakers. Just 30 minutes into Friday's trading session, the benchmark KOSPI was down 5.65 percent at 8,151.63, while the junior KOSDAQ shed 3.67 percent to 1,011.25. According to the Korea Exchange, a sell-side sidecar was activated at 9:08:25 a.m. after a sharp decline in KOSPI 20 June 5, 2026

Anthropic Surpasses OpenAI with $965 Billion Valuation Following $65 Billion Funding Round Artificial intelligence (AI) company Anthropic is positioning itself for an initial public offering (IPO) this year, having achieved a valuation of $965 billion, surpassing OpenAI to become the world's highest-valued AI startup. According to the IT industry on May 29, Anthropic, the developer of 'Claude,' raised $65 billion in its Series H funding round on May 28 (local time), significantly increasing its valuation from $380 billion in February. This marks a valuation nearly reaching $1 trilli May 29, 2026

Stocks, bonds tumble as BOK chief signals potential rate hikes in 2nd half SEOUL, May 28 (AJP) - South Korea's stock and bond markets were jolted on Thursday after the Bank of Korea (BOK) hinted at potential rate hikes in the second half of the year. While the benchmark KOSPI recovered most of its intraday losses near the close on institutional interpretations of a "healthy" rate hike, government bond prices collapsed, ending sharply lower as monetary tightening was seen as almost certain. The index finished at 8,185.29, down 0.53 percent, while the tec May 28, 2026

Nationwide Startup Initiative Attracts 60,000 Participants, President Lee Optimistic President Lee Jae-myung praised the success of the 'Everyone's Startup' initiative, the first project of the 'National Startup Era,' stating that it opens the path toward becoming a nation centered on practical entrepreneurship.On May 16, President Lee shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) from Han Seung-sook, Minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, which read, "Everyone's Startup begins with 60,000 passionate challenges." He expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Minister Han Seung May 16, 2026

Seum Hosts Startup Investment Negotiation Competition for Law Students Seum, a law firm specializing in startups, hosted a mock consultation competition for law students to experience practical startup investment negotiations. This initiative comes as the demand for legal advice in the growing AI startup sector increases, sparking interest among aspiring legal professionals in the startup legal field. On May 13, Seum announced it conducted the "2026 Night Where Startups Meet Law - Legal Battle Field" for students from Seoul National University’s Startup Law Societ May 14, 2026

South Korea’s Top 5 Financial Groups to Invest 1 Trillion Won in Venture, Startup Support KB Financial Group, Shinhan Financial Group, Hana Financial Group, Woori Financial Group and NH NongHyup Financial Group will invest 1 trillion won to support venture companies and startups. The Financial Services Commission said the government and the five financial groups (KB, Shinhan, Hana, Woori and NH) signed a business agreement on Wednesday to boost venture investment and 추진 the “Startup for All Project.” Attendees included Minister of SMEs and Startups Han Seong-sook, Financial Ser April 30, 2026

KOSDAQ hits 25-year high as Asia trades mixed on oil, Middle East tensions SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) - Korea’s junior index KOSDAQ emerged as the winner on Friday as it hit a 25-year high, while broader Asian markets stayed mostly sidelined under pressure from rising oil prices and escalating Middle East tensions. The KOSDAQ rose 2.5 percent to close at 1,203.84, swinging between 1,172.32 and its intraday high. Foreign investors bought a net 729.3 billion won ($491 million) worth of shares, while institutions followed with 187.7 billion won. Retail investors sold 90 April 24, 2026

World-OKTA wraps up entrepreneurship training for global AI startup hopefuls SEOUL, March 09 (AJP) - The World Federation of Overseas Korean Traders Associations (World-OKTA) said on Monday it has completed a four-day online entrepreneurship training program designed to sharpen the skills of aspiring founders ahead of its 2026 OKTA Global AI Startup Pitch Competition slated for March 31 in Seoul. Faculty from UC Berkeley, Stanford University and San Jose State University, alongside active venture capital professionals based in Silicon Valley, delivered six sessions span March 9, 2026

Value-up index hit record highs in pre-war rally in Seoul SEOUL, Mar 05 (AJP) - The South Korean "Value-up Index", a specialized stock market benchmark launched by the Korea Exchange (KRX) as a centerpiece of the government-led corporate value-up program, reached an all-time high last month. The index was buoyed by a wave of share buybacks, cancellations, and enhanced shareholder return policies, alongside improving earnings across sectors including semiconductors, industrials, and finance. According to the "Monthly Corporate Value En March 5, 2026