Lee revives Korea's unfinished abortion debate SEOUL, July 21 (AJP) - For seven years, South Korea's abortion debate has remained trapped between a Constitutional Court ruling that struck down the country's abortion ban and a legal vacuum that has left women navigating an unregulated market for medication. President Lee Jae Myung has now thrust the issue back onto the government's agenda by questioning why women seeking to terminate pregnancies are still being driven toward illicit online sellers for a medicine that is legally p July 21, 2026

Bio, fashion IPOs seek to inject life into subdued KOSDAQ SEOUL, July 20 (AJP) — South Korea's KOSDAQ, which turned 30 this month but has fallen 14 percent this year while the KOSPI has surged more than 60 percent, will look to a handful of biotechnology and fashion IPOs this week to revive its subdued listing market. The listings come as the KOSDAQ's fundraising market remains sluggish. Only 25 companies debuted on the exchange in the first half, down from 37 a year earlier, while total IPO proceeds fell to 740 billion won ($534 million July 20, 2026

Rate gap with US narrows to lowest level as BOK signals more hikes SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - The gap between South Korea and U.S. interest rates narrowed to 1 percentage point, the smallest since February 2023, after the Bank of Korea (BOK) on Thursday raised its benchmark rate by 0.25 percentage point to 2.75 percent. The central bank also indicated that further rate hikes may be needed to control inflation and manage financial risks. The rate gap could narrow further if the BOK continues tightening while the Federal Reserve holds rates steady, although its gove July 16, 2026

Korean sovereign bonds emerges as Asia's standout bond trade: MarketAxess SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) — While foreign investors have grown increasingly selective across Asia's bond markets, South Korea has emerged as the region's lone standout, attracting uninterrupted monthly inflows into government debt as global funds bet on the country's semiconductor-driven economy and forthcoming inclusion in one of the world's most influential sovereign bond indexes. "Korea has certainly been an interesting market when we look at Korean Treasury Bonds," July 15, 2026

Home ownership becoming a pipe dream for young Korean SEOUL, July 14 (AJP) - Home ownership among young South Koreans has fallen at one of the fastest rates in recent years, underscoring how soaring housing costs are pushing ownership further out of reach even as the government expands housing support that remains largely centered on public rentals rather than ownership. An analysis of anonymized household microdata from the Survey of Household Finances and Living Conditions, reported by Munhwa Ilbo on July 13, showed that the owner-occupancy rate July 14, 2026

BOK dismisses peak concerns over chip cycle as AI demand still outpaces supply SEOUL, July 13 (AJP) - The Bank of Korea has dismissed concerns that the global semiconductor cycle has already peaked, saying investment in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure is driving demand faster than manufacturers can expand supply. According to a report submitted to People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker Park Seong-hoon and released on Monday, the Bank of Korea (BOK) said the current semiconductor upcycle differs from previous ones because it is being driven by intense investment as July 13, 2026

Teen's killing tests South Korea's family exemption law SEOUL, July 10 (AJP) - A serving police officer destroyed evidence in his own son's murder case, and under South Korean law he cannot be prosecuted for it. That fact, uncovered during the investigation into the killing of a high school girl in the southern city of Gwangju in May, has pushed South Korea into a national debate over a decades-old provision of its Criminal Act that shields relatives from punishment when they hide offenders or destroy evidence on their behalf. Prosecutors say J July 10, 2026

Koreans don't fight summer. They accessorize it SEOUL, July 9 (AJP) — When Europe melts, people flock to rivers, lakes and public fountains. When South Korea swelters, shoppers head to Olive Young and Daiso. To withstand increasingly early, longer and more punishing summers, Europeans seek out whatever water they can find. Koreans, long accustomed to humid East Asian heat, have developed another survival strategy: buying a growing arsenal of cooling products that seems to evolve every summer. Cooling patches. Frozen neck wraps. Sun po July 9, 2026

Asian soccer officials face 'fallout' after poor World Cup performance SEOUL, July 8 (AJP) - Disappointing results by Asian teams at this year's World Cup in North America have sparked criticism and calls for accountability across the region's soccer community, including in South Korea and Saudi Arabia, the Associated Press (AP) reported on Monday. "The fallout in Asian football continues as the continent comes to terms with an underwhelming World Cup performance," the AP said, adding that the criticism has gone beyond the results on the field an July 8, 2026

Samsung Elec shines above peers with Q2, but spooks investors SEOUL, July 07 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics on Tuesday estimated second-quarter operating profit of 89.4 trillion won ($58.4 billion) on revenue of 171 trillion won, a bar-raising figure that, instead of sparking excitement, triggered panicky profit-taking on fears the AI heyday may have peaked. The guidance beat market consensus of around 85 trillion won, while revenue slightly fell short. Compared with the previous quarter, revenue rose 27.7 percent and operating profit increased 56.2 percent July 7, 2026