Rare Edvard Munch Artwork Now Available for Viewing on Samsung TVs Samsung Electronics has partnered with Norway's Munch Museum to showcase 37 works by the expressionist master Edvard Munch on the Samsung Art Store. According to Samsung Electronics, the Munch Museum collection includes iconic pieces such as 'The Scream,' 'The Garden with Trees,' and 'Two People at the Table,' featuring many rare and previously unreleased works that are not easily accessible to the public. Some of these pieces have been restricted from public display at the museum in Norway due to concerns about preservation. The Samsung Art Store allows users to enjoy Munch's works in high definition through various art TV models, including 'The Frame Pro,' 'The Frame,' 'Micro RGB,' Neo QLED, and OLED. Samsung has expanded its art offerings through collaborations with renowned institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, providing around 5,000 artworks in the Art Store to enhance everyday art appreciation. Through partnerships with major art institutions worldwide, Samsung has secured works from over 800 artists, establishing itself as the largest art platform in the industry. Tommy Nielsen, director of Samsung Electronics Sweden, stated, "The Samsung Art Store helps more people encounter art naturally in their daily lives. We hope you enjoy the Munch Museum collection vividly from your home." Tone Hansen, director of the Munch Museum, emphasized, "This collaboration provides an exciting and meaningful opportunity to present Edvard Munch's intimate artistic world to a broader audience beyond the physical limitations of the museum."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-01 08:42:00

NVIDIA's Anticipated Visit Boosts Expectations for LG and Semiconductor Stocks Last week, the New York Stock Exchange reached new all-time highs again, buoyed by ongoing optimism over peace negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, as well as a surge in stocks benefiting from increased investment in artificial intelligence (AI). However, geopolitical risks remain, as President Donald Trump has withheld final approval of the agreement. In South Korea, the stock market is expected to experience volatility in early trading due to profit-taking pressures and expectations surrounding AI momentum, following a record high in the previous session. Notably, pre-market trading showed a significant rise in LG Group stocks, stimulating investor sentiment. According to the financial investment industry, on May 29 (local time), the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 50,032.46, up 363.49 points (0.72%). The S&P 500 rose by 16.43 points (0.22%) to finish at 7,580.06, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite gained 55.15 points (0.20%) to close at 26,972.62. All three major indices set new records, driven by strong performances in AI-related stocks, alongside positive earnings expectations for software companies like Microsoft and Oracle. In contrast, the Russell 2000 index, which focuses on small-cap stocks, fell by 0.59%. Market analysts attribute the stock market's rise to optimism surrounding the U.S.-Iran peace negotiations. President Trump indicated via social media that he would make a final decision regarding the peace talks and mentioned the potential lifting of the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. As a result, international oil prices declined, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil falling by 1.73% to $87.36 per barrel, and Brent crude dropping by 1.70% to $91.12. However, it is important to note that the negotiations have not yet reached a final agreement. Reports over the weekend indicated that President Trump had postponed approval of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) draft and sent a revised proposal to Iran, which has also been preparing its own amendments. Analysts suggest that fluctuations in oil prices and interest rates may have a more significant impact on the market than the geopolitical situation itself. U.S. Treasury yields fell, with the yield on the 10-year note dropping to 4.4355%, down 1.2 basis points, while the 2-year yield fell to 4.0041%, down 1.6 basis points. The dollar index also decreased by 0.08% to 98.942. However, the won-dollar exchange rate was expected to open slightly higher at 1,506.64 won in the offshore non-deliverable forward (NDF) market. In South Korea, the stock market may be influenced by both AI-related momentum and profit-taking desires. On May 29, the KOSPI closed at 8,476.15, up 290.86 points (3.55%), marking a record high. Given the recent rapid rise, concerns about profit-taking are growing, particularly with the upcoming visit of Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, which could serve as an additional catalyst for further gains. In pre-market trading, LG Group stocks showed strong performance, with some LG affiliates, including LG Electronics, rising over 10% between 8:00 and 8:50 a.m. This surge is attributed to expectations that CEO Huang will discuss collaboration in the AI sector with LG Group. The market is particularly focused on potential synergies in AI servers, robotics, and automotive sectors. This week, the anticipated earnings report from Broadcom and CEO Huang's visit are also seen as key factors for domestic semiconductor and AI-related stocks. Han Ji-young, a researcher at Kiwoom Securities, noted, "Broadcom's earnings will be an event linked to the sustainability of the AI infrastructure investment cycle," adding that Huang's visit could stimulate expectations for collaboration with major groups like Samsung, SK, and LG. However, analysts are cautious about the potential for increased volatility following the KOSPI's rapid rise. One researcher commented, "The symbolic significance of the KOSPI nearly doubling since the beginning of the year may trigger short-term profit-taking desires," and warned that fluctuations in growth stocks could increase depending on U.S. employment data, manufacturing indicators, and interest rate trends this week. Today, the South Korean stock market may find support from the optimism surrounding AI investments from the U.S. and the strong performance of LG Group stocks in pre-market trading. Conversely, uncertainties related to U.S.-Iran negotiations, exchange rate pressures, and profit-taking from recent gains could limit upward movement. The market is expected to be influenced by the supply and demand dynamics of large-cap semiconductor and AI-related stocks, which will likely determine the KOSPI's direction.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-01 08:39:00

Oil Prices Rebound Amid Stalled U.S.-Iran War Negotiations As negotiations surrounding the end of the Iran war remain stalled, international oil prices began the week on a rebound. According to Bloomberg, as of 8:30 a.m. KST, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose by 2.45% ($2.14) to $89.50 per barrel, while Brent crude futures increased by 2.10% ($1.91) to $93.03 per barrel. Oil prices had plummeted nearly 20% in May amid expectations that the U.S.-Iran conflict could soon conclude, but renewed geopolitical uncertainties and stalled negotiations have led to a rebound. This trend reflects the lack of a definitive agreement regarding the cessation of hostilities between the U.S. and Iran. The New York Times reported that President Donald Trump has intensified the conditions for a potential agreement. In a Fox News interview the previous day, President Trump stated that he would not rush into a deal with Iran, asserting, "Slowly but surely, I believe we are getting what we want. If we do not get what we want, we will end it another way." Reports also emerged that the U.S. Navy targeted a commercial vessel attempting to evade an Iranian port blockade, according to the Associated Press. Experts have cautioned that the recent decline in oil prices was overly reliant on optimistic forecasts. Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management, noted in a report, "The market is acting as if the U.S.-Iran war is winding down and that the oil market will soon return to normal. While the war may be approaching its final phase, physical energy systems do not recover as quickly as financial markets." U.S. stock index futures are also showing slight gains. At the same time, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rose by 5.90 points (0.01%) to 51,038.60. S&P 500 futures increased by 10.80 points (0.14%) to 7,590.90, while Nasdaq 100 futures climbed by 68.40 points (0.23%) to 30,401.60. This performance is attributed to strong expectations surrounding artificial intelligence (AI), which have buoyed semiconductor and related stocks, despite ongoing uncertainties in the Middle East.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-01 08:39:00

Real Estate Tax Evasion Reporting Center Receives 780 Reports in Five Months The National Tax Service's Real Estate Tax Evasion Reporting Center has received 780 reports since its opening five months ago. More than 80% of these reports are concentrated in the capital region, reflecting the overheating of the real estate market in that area.According to data submitted by Rep. Cha Kyu-geun of the Justice Innovation Party to the National Assembly's Finance and Economy Planning Committee, the reporting center has recorded a total of 780 reports from its opening on October 31 last year through March of this year.The monthly breakdown shows 136 reports in November, 129 in December, 291 in January, 98 in February, and 126 in March. Notably, January accounted for 37% of the total reports, marking a 2.3-fold increase from the previous month.The concentration of reports in the capital region is significant. The Seoul Regional Tax Office, the Central Regional Tax Office, and the Incheon Regional Tax Office collectively received 633 reports, representing 81% of the total. In contrast, the non-capital regions, including Daejeon, Gwangju, Daegu, and Busan, accounted for only 147 reports.In January alone, the capital region saw 270 reports, making up 93% of the total, while non-capital regions had just 21 reports. By regional offices, the Seoul office increased from 53 reports in December to 125 in January, while the Incheon office surged from 17 to 102 reports, a sixfold increase. The Central office also rose from 15 to 43 reports, indicating a sharp rise in reporting across the capital region.Rep. Cha stated, "The fact that 780 reports have been received within five months of the center's opening indicates a strong public willingness to monitor real estate tax evasion. The National Tax Service must promptly and rigorously verify the reports to ensure they lead to actual tax recovery."He added, "I will closely examine follow-up measures in the National Assembly to ensure that these reports do not merely remain as submissions but lead to the realization of substantive tax justice."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-01 08:36:00

Korea Credit Guarantee Fund Launches Crisis Response Insurance with Up to 90% Compensation The Korea Credit Guarantee Fund has introduced a tailored insurance program to support businesses facing operational difficulties due to unexpected domestic and international crises, such as the Middle East conflict and natural disasters. On June 1, the fund announced the launch of its "Crisis Response Special Insurance," which offers differentiated premium discounts and compensation rates based on the level of crisis. This special insurance categorizes crises into two levels: "emergency level" for global and industrial crises, and "general level" for disasters and population decline crises, adjusting the support accordingly. For businesses classified under the emergency level due to global and industrial crises, the program significantly enhances benefits, providing a compensation rate of up to 90% and discounts of up to 30% on calculated premiums. For those in the general level affected by disasters and population decline, the program offers a fixed premium product with a compensation rate of up to 90% and a 0.2 percentage point reduction in premium rates. A representative from the fund stated, "We hope this special insurance will provide substantial assistance to businesses in crisis. Moving forward, we will closely monitor economic crises and continue to expand effective support for business stability."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-01 08:30:00

Bespin Global Wins Contract to Operate AI Research Environment for Woori Financial Bespin Global, an artificial intelligence (AI) service and solutions company, has secured a contract to operate the AI research environment for Woori Financial Group, marking a significant step in supporting AI transformation (AX) in the financial sector. This initiative expands its support beyond individual projects at financial institutions to encompass AI transformation efforts at the group level. On June 1, Bespin Global announced that it will establish an independent research environment architecture based on Amazon Web Services (AWS), enabling the testing of cutting-edge AI technologies, including generative AI and large language models (LLMs), even within the regulatory constraints of network separation in the financial sector. The project will utilize Bespin Global's AI platform, 'Help Now AI Foundry.' This platform serves as an AI orchestration tool that integrates the entire process from planning to development and operation of AI services. Through this platform, various AI models and services can be easily linked and validated, while also providing an environment for designing and operating AI agents based on natural language. Additionally, it supports the management systems and governance features necessary for operating AI agents, facilitating the rapid adoption of new AI technologies. Bespin Global anticipates that this project will serve as a foundation for financial sector organizations to apply AI in their actual operations and accumulate practical experience. The company has previously developed its capabilities through AI projects with financial institutions such as Lotte Card and KB Life. With recent moves to ease network separation regulations and expand the use of software as a service (SaaS) in the financial sector, Bespin Global plans to build a model for AI research environments that considers both regulatory compliance and AI utilization in collaboration with Woori Financial. Han Sun-ho, Chief AI Officer at Bespin Global, stated, "We will focus on providing a safe and scalable AI research environment suitable for the financial sector, ensuring compliance with financial regulations and security requirements while supporting the rapid validation and utilization of the latest AI technologies." 2026-06-01 08:30:00

Iran Denies Resignation Rumors of President Masoud Fazelshakian The Iranian presidential office has denied rumors regarding the resignation of President Masoud Fazelshakian, dismissing the reports from some foreign media as a "media game." On May 31, local time, Mehdi Tabatabai, the deputy head of communications for the Iranian presidential office, stated on X that the reports of Fazelshakian stepping down were "false." He criticized a specific foreign outlet for continuing to stir political unrest. "President Fazelshakian will not step back from serving the Iranian people," Tabatabai said, emphasizing that Iran will not retreat from the path of unity and solidarity. He claimed that there are forces attempting to undermine Iran's national unity, adding, "Such winds will be taken back to the grave." The presidential office views these claims as external attempts to highlight internal divisions. This controversy arises amid ongoing tensions from the Middle East conflict and stalled negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. Anadolu Agency reported that the U.S. and Israel began airstrikes against Iran in late February, prompting Iran to respond with attacks targeting Israel and U.S. allies in the Gulf region. A ceasefire was established on April 8 through mediation by Pakistan, but subsequent negotiations have not led to a permanent agreement.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-01 08:27:00

President Lee: No Tolerance for Illegal Real Estate Speculation and Tax Evasion President Lee Jae-myung emphasized on June 1 that "illegal real estate speculation and tax evasion can no longer be tolerated," asserting that the nation will escape from a "disastrous real estate income republic."The president made these remarks while sharing an article on his X (formerly Twitter) account about the ongoing reports to the National Tax Service's reporting center aimed at eradicating tax evasion related to real estate.According to the article, the National Tax Service has received 780 reports of tax evasion allegations since the center's launch five months ago, with 81% of these cases concentrated in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon, as analyzed by the office of lawmaker Cha Kyu-geun from the Planning and Finance Committee.In January, during the center's initial month, 291 reports—37% of the total—were submitted, reflecting a surge of accumulated tips following the announcement of the center's establishment.The center was established in November of last year to detect tax evasion practices, including illegal gifting, ownership under false names, and the use of false contracts.As various tax-saving techniques have been shared through online communities and social media, tax evasion methods have become increasingly sophisticated, prompting the government to actively utilize public reports.Under this system, whistleblowers who provide significant evidence leading to the recovery of over 50 million won in taxes may receive rewards of up to 4 billion won, depending on the amount of tax evaded.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-01 08:24:00

KAIST and Seoul National University Quadruple Fuel Cell Efficiency Using Electric Field Control Researchers from KAIST and Seoul National University have developed a catalyst design technology that significantly enhances the efficiency of key reactions in batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. This method improves performance by adjusting the surrounding electric field environment without altering the catalyst's structure, potentially paving the way for advancements in next-generation energy technologies. KAIST announced on June 1 that a team led by Professor Hwang Seung-jun from the Department of Chemistry and Professor Ryu Jae-yoon from Seoul National University successfully increased the selectivity of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) from 12% to as much as 52% by arranging cations (+) around the catalyst to create a localized electric field. The oxygen reduction reaction is a critical process for generating electricity in next-generation energy devices, such as fuel cells for hydrogen vehicles and metal-air batteries. Previous research focused on improving performance by changing the type of metal used, such as switching from iron (Fe) to cobalt (Co) or nickel (Ni), or redesigning ligand structures. This study stands out by precisely controlling reaction characteristics solely through adjustments in the electrical environment without changing the catalyst material or form. The research team believes that this principle could also be applied to catalyst technologies for converting carbon dioxide (CO₂) or hydrogen into useful substances, with expectations for expansion into carbon reduction technologies and environmentally friendly hydrogen production. Professor Hwang stated, "This case demonstrates that we can finely control reaction characteristics using only the surrounding electrical environment without altering the catalyst's structure. We expect this to provide a new direction for the development of next-generation batteries, fuel cells, and eco-friendly energy catalyst technologies." The study, co-authored by doctoral students Jo Hwi-yul and Kang Bom from POSTECH and postdoctoral researcher Kim Dong-young from KAIST, was published online in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS) on May 12. It was conducted with support from the Samsung Future Technology Development Project and the National Research Foundation of Korea.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-01 08:24:00

Leverage ETFs Join 'Trillion Club' as Korean Market Surges, 100 ETFs Now Available ◆ Ajou Economic Major News ▷ Leverage ETFs Join 'Trillion Club' as Korean Market Surges, 100 ETFs Now Available - The number of ETFs with total assets under management (AUM) exceeding 1 trillion won has surpassed 100 for the first time. - As of May 28, there are 102 ETFs listed in Korea with AUM over 1 trillion won. - This marks an increase of 36 from 66 at the end of last year, achieved in just six months. - The rise of mega ETFs is also notable; the number of ETFs with AUM exceeding 5 trillion won has grown from 6 at the end of last year to 16 currently. - The overall size of the ETF market is rapidly expanding, with total AUM nearing a record 500 trillion won, the highest level ever. - The concurrent bullish trends in domestic and international stock markets this year are key factors driving the growth of the ETF market. - High-risk, high-reward products based on single stocks have also gained popularity, broadening the ETF market's appeal. - Recently launched single-stock leverage ETFs for Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, including Samsung Asset Management's KODEX Samsung Electronics Single Stock Leverage ETF and KODEX SK Hynix Single Stock Leverage ETF, surpassed 1 trillion won in AUM shortly after their listings. - The proportion of ETF investments through retirement and personal pension accounts is steadily increasing, with more investors utilizing ETFs as long-term investment tools. ◆ Major Reports ▷ Beyond Space: Back to the Essence of Securities Industry - Despite expectations for record earnings this year due to the stock market boom, other securities stocks are increasingly being overlooked. - This is attributed to a concentration of demand in Mirae Asset Securities due to anticipation surrounding the SpaceX listing. - Once the SpaceX listing and related momentum dissipate, there may be a shift in demand towards stocks with improved market conditions and earnings. - In the process of setting new records for the KOSPI, Kiwoom Securities and Korea Financial Group are highlighted as top picks. - In the event of increased market volatility, NH Investment & Securities, with an expected 6% dividend yield, warrants attention. ◆ Major Announcements After Market Close (May 29) ▷ Caregen terminates two overseas supply contracts for hair loss products, totaling 39.9 billion won. ▷ KCC Construction secures a contract for the construction of business facilities in the Gwanseong 8 district redevelopment project worth 139 billion won. ▷ RNTX changes its CEO from Seong-Young Cheol to Hwang Seong-Hwan after transferring management rights. ▷ RNTX appoints Min Shim-Sook and Kim Hyun-Soo as new outside directors following the resignation of Lee Jae-Ho. ▷ Hanmi Pharmaceutical receives approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) for Phase 3 clinical trial plans for HCP1803-4. ▷ Nexton & Roll Korea decides on a capital increase of 4 billion won. ◆ Fund Trends (as of May 28, excluding ETFs) ▷ Domestic Equity: -191.9 billion won ▷ Overseas Equity: -166.8 billion won ◆ Key Schedule for Today (June 1) ▷ South Korea: May exports ▷ China: May RatingDog Manufacturing PMI ▷ Japan: Q1 capital expenditure ▷ Germany: April retail sales ▷ United States: May ISM Manufacturing Index * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-01 08:18:00