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Jung Jeom-sik Calls for Special Disaster Designation for Flood-Hit Busan and Gyeongnam Jung Jeom-sik, the floor leader of the People Power Party, urged the government on August 18 to designate Busan and Gyeongnam as special disaster areas following record rainfall that caused significant damage.In a post on his Facebook page, Jung stated, "Busan and Gyeongnam have faced a series of natural disasters, including extreme heat and drought, followed by this heavy rainfall, exacerbating the difficulties for local residents and farmers."He noted, "During the Liberation Day holiday, record rainfall in the Busan and Gyeongnam regions led to landslides and flooding. Due to the sudden downpour, hundreds of residents in areas such as Busan, Geoje, and Tongyeong have been forced to evacuate to temporary shelters or the homes of relatives and friends. Reports indicate that one person has died in Geoje due to a landslide."Jung expressed his condolences, saying, "I extend my deepest sympathies to the bereaved family," and emphasized that "the government and local authorities must prioritize preventing further damage and ensuring the safety of residents, concentrating all administrative efforts on the swift recovery of affected areas and the restoration of residents' daily lives."He also stated, "The suffering in Busan and Gyeongnam is a national disaster," calling on the government to comprehensively assess the cumulative damage from the recent heatwaves, drought, and heavy rainfall, and to implement practical support measures, including the designation of special disaster areas."On the same day, Jung canceled a scheduled floor strategy meeting in the National Assembly to visit the areas affected by the heavy rainfall in Gyeongnam for an inspection.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-18 08:36:00 -
Market Preview: New York Stocks Decline Amid Middle East Uncertainty; KOSPI Eyes 7000 Mark The New York Stock Exchange experienced a decline due to uncertainties surrounding the Middle East and rising Treasury yields. However, the domestic market is showing signs of resilience, with the KOSPI potentially continuing its upward trend on August 18, bolstered by strong performance in U.S. semiconductor stocks during the holiday period and improved foreign investor sentiment.On August 17, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 272.63 points (0.51%) at 53,459.78. The S&P 500 fell 40.70 points (0.52%) to finish at 7,745.06, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq dropped 84.25 points (0.32%) to close at 26,644.91.Investor sentiment has been dampened by the uncertain outlook for U.S.-Iran peace negotiations. President Donald Trump has expressed a desire not to extend the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran, while Iranian officials have warned of a potential shift to a more aggressive stance if negotiations fail, increasing geopolitical uncertainty.International oil prices have also risen amid ongoing instability in the Middle East, raising concerns about inflationary pressures. Long-term U.S. Treasury yields have increased, with the 30-year bond yield rising to 5.31%, the highest level since June 2007. This rise in yields has added downward pressure on stock valuations, contributing to the decline in the New York market.In contrast, semiconductor stocks have shown strength. Micron Technology rose 4.13% as concerns over intensified competition with Chinese firms eased. Major semiconductor stocks in the domestic market are also expected to support a rebound in the index.As of 8:25 a.m. on August 18, Samsung Electronics was up 2.3%, and SK Hynix increased by 3.8%. Other key semiconductor and technology stocks, including SK Square (3.0%) and Samsung Electro-Mechanics (2.0%), are also trending upward.Market analysts suggest that while there may be profit-taking due to short-term surges, the internal strength of the domestic market is improving, indicating a likelihood of continued upward momentum.Han Ji-young, a researcher at Kiwoom Securities, stated, "The KOSPI is showing signs of a directional shift following a halt in foreign net selling, with a broad-based rebound emerging across multiple sectors. While there may be temporary profit-taking pressure due to recent surges, we expect to maintain the continuity of the rebound throughout the week."She added, "Foreign net buying, which drove last week's KOSPI surge, continues, and 21 out of 26 sectors are recording positive returns, indicating a recovery trend that is not solely focused on semiconductors. If the robustness of August exports is reaffirmed, the KOSPI could stabilize above the 7000 mark as profit-taking volumes are absorbed, centered around semiconductors."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-18 08:32:00
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Epson Korea Unveils Four New Industrial Printing Products at K-Print 2026 Epson Korea announced on August 18 that it will participate in 'K-Print 2026,' taking place from the 19th to the 22nd at KINTEX in Ilsan, where it will showcase key new products and specialized printing solutions.The company will present its unique 'PrecisionCore' print head technology under the theme 'One Flow, One Epson.' It has significantly expanded its lineup to meet the diverse demands of segmented markets, including apparel, goods, industrial printing, and commercial printing.The core new products include four models: the DTF printer 'SC-G9040,' the dye-sublimation printer 'SC-F340,' the flatbed UV printer 'SC-V4000,' and the commercial printing line head printer 'AM-C10000.'The SC-G9040 enhances apparel production efficiency with a maximum print width of 64 inches and fast production speeds. The SC-F340, supporting A3 size, is suitable for small goods production.The SC-V4000 can print directly on various materials, including metal, wood, and acrylic, with a thickness of up to 200mm. The AM-C10000, designed for commercial printing, features 'heat-free' technology, allowing for a maximum output of 100 sheets per minute while improving energy efficiency.Visitors will also experience solutions in fashion, photo, and label sectors, including the digital textile printer 'ML-13000' and the label press 'SurePress L-5034.' The event will feature technical seminars, print demonstrations, unmanned printing experiences, and private consultations.Jun Morohushi, President of Epson Korea, stated, "This is an opportunity to showcase various technologies that respond to the segmented demands of the industrial field. We aim to continuously expand the application areas of printing technology to enhance the business competitiveness of our Korean customers."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-18 08:32:00
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Toss Revamps Website to Highlight 10 Years of Service Expansion 토스가 지난 10년간의 서비스 확장 과정과 향후 비전을 담아 공식 홈페이지를 전면 개편했다. 토스 운영사 비바리퍼블리카는 공식 홈페이지 내 70여개 페이지를 전면 재구성했다고 18일 밝혔다. 새 홈페이지는 간편 송금에서 출발해 주식과 쇼핑, 앱인토스 등으로 다양한 서비스를 넓혀온 과정을 보여주는 데 초점을 맞췄다. 개별 서비스를 각각 소개했던 기존 방식에서 벗어나 '금융부터 일상까지, 마침내 토스 하나로'라는 메시지 아래 토스의 사업 확장 과정을 하나의 이야기로 엮었다. 메인 화면에서는 스크롤을 내리는 순서에 따라 지난 10년간 선보인 주요 서비스가 실제 앱 화면 형태로 나타난다. 이후 앞으로 10년간 토스가 지향하는 방향을 보여주는 화면으로 바뀐다. 서비스 기능을 글로 설명하기보다 이용자가 홈페이지를 둘러보는 것만으로 앱을 직접 사용하는 것과 유사한 경험을 할 수 있도록 구성했다. 서비스와 회사소개, 뉴스룸 등 주요 카테고리는 홈페이지 상단에 배치했다. 토스는 향후 글로벌 이용자를 위한 영문 홈페이지도 순차적으로 선보일 예정이다. 토스 관계자는 "앱에서 느끼던 토스의 경험을 웹에서도 그대로 전하는 데 초점을 뒀다"며 "고객이 토스를 만나는 모든 접점에서 일관된 경험을 제공하는 서비스로 자리매김해 나가겠다"고 말했다. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-18 08:28:20
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Hana Securities Lowers CJ Target Price Amid Profit Concerns Hana Securities announced on August 18 that it has lowered its target price for CJ from 240,000 won to 200,000 won, reflecting a decrease in the value of its shares due to falling stock prices of major listed subsidiaries and declining profitability at its unlisted companies, CJ Olive Young and CJ Foodville.In a report released that day, analyst Choi Jeong-wook explained, "In the second quarter, CJ's consolidated revenue reached 11.5 trillion won, a 3.7% increase compared to the same period last year, but operating profit fell by 14.1% to 531.8 billion won, significantly missing market expectations."Regarding the decline in operating profit at CJ CheilJedang, he noted, "Despite growth in domestic processed food and global food sales, profitability was weaker than expected due to increased logistics and packaging costs from rising oil prices."As for CJ Logistics, he stated, "Thanks to strengthened competitiveness in daily O-NE, parcel volume increased by 12.1% year-on-year, but operating profit fell by 11.8% due to a drop in delivery prices, costs for service enhancements, and cost pressures from the Middle East."Choi also mentioned that while CJ Freshway saw positive growth in size and market share, its operating profit decreased by 14.2% year-on-year due to spending on online advertising and promotions to acquire new customers.Performance from unlisted companies also fell short of expectations. Choi assessed, "Both CJ Olive Young and CJ Foodville underperformed expectations, indicating that while most subsidiaries are growing in size, profitability is deteriorating due to increased cost burdens."In contrast, CJ ENM reported a 16.9% increase in operating profit, driven by Tving achieving its first quarterly operating profit of 6 billion won since its launch. CJ CGV also saw a 576.5% increase in operating profit, benefiting from the recovery of the domestic film market and a reduction in losses from its theater operations.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-18 08:28:00
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SGA Solutions Reports $21 Million Operating Profit in First Half of 2026 SGA Solutions, a specialized IT security company, has reported a return to profitability in the first half of 2026. This turnaround is attributed to the full integration of Creon Unity, acquired last year, and the restructuring of its security business portfolio.In a disclosure on August 14, SGA Solutions announced that its consolidated revenue for the first half of 2026 reached 75.1 billion won ($57 million), with an operating profit of 2.13 billion won ($1.6 million). Revenue increased by 309.4% compared to the same period last year, marking a significant shift to profitability.The company stated, "The expansion of our business portfolio and the restructuring of our integrated security operations have been fully reflected in our results. We have reached a turning point where we can achieve both growth and profitability simultaneously, resulting in both revenue growth and a return to profit."The growth in the core security solutions sector has been strengthened. Cyber threats, including phishing and malware attacks utilizing generative artificial intelligence (AI), have become increasingly sophisticated, leading to a rise in hacking and ransomware incidents targeting businesses and institutions. Additionally, the demand for server security products, which protect critical systems, has increased due to the expansion of cloud transitions, server infrastructure, and AI data center (AIDC) developments, thereby heightening the need for server infrastructure security.In the public sector, new security demands arising from the transition to the National Network Security Framework (N2SF) are also rapidly expanding. The company anticipates a significant increase in demand for zero-trust-based access control and account authentication, which continuously verifies users, devices, and access rights while granting minimal privileges.In response to these market changes, SGA Solutions is implementing a strategy to expand its integrated security business, moving beyond individual security product offerings to protect customers' entire IT infrastructure. The company has established a foundation for integrating products and sales organizations through the merger of its access control subsidiary SGN and endpoint security subsidiary SGA EPS. It plans to respond comprehensively to the demands for N2SF and zero-trust transitions by linking solutions in server security, endpoint security, cloud security, access control, and account authentication.The solutions division has seen proactive investments in sales and technical support organization restructuring and the expansion of large project acquisition activities to enhance integrated security sales. The company aims to accelerate revenue conversion and improve profitability in the solutions division by securing server security and zero-trust projects in the public and financial sectors in the second half of the year.The integration of Creon Unity, acquired last year, has been a key driver of revenue growth and the return to profitability. From the first half of 2026, its performance has been fully reflected in consolidated results, generating 47.66 billion won ($36 million) in revenue and 2.95 billion won ($2.2 million) in operating profit from hardware supply and operations. The investment sector also benefited from liquidation profits from Axis Investment, contributing to performance improvement.SGA Solutions is also building its business references in the zero-trust field. Starting in 2023, it began a proof-of-concept project for the zero-trust security model and has been involved in the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Internet & Security Agency's (KISA) zero-trust projects for three consecutive years until 2025. Last year, it participated in establishing a zero-trust security model for Shinhan Bank in the financial sector. In July of this year, it joined three out of six consortiums in KISA's N2SF implementation support project, working on building authentication and access control systems for public institutions.Choi Young-cheol, CEO of SGA Solutions, stated, "The return to profitability in the first half signals that the integration of Creon Unity and the restructuring of our business portfolio are beginning to show results. As the sophistication of AI-driven cyberattacks and the transition to N2SF rapidly increase the demand for server security and zero-trust solutions, we will quickly convert our integrated security business into revenue and sales in the second half to achieve both growth and profitability."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-18 08:24:10
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NH Investment & Securities Lowers SK Square Target Price Amid SK Hynix Stock Adjustment NH Investment & Securities announced on August 18 that it has lowered the target price for SK Square from 2.7 million won to 2.28 million won, reflecting the recent adjustment in SK Hynix's stock price. The investment rating remains at 'buy.'Analyst Ahn Jae-min stated, "The recent decline in SK Hynix's stock, driven by concerns over peak operating profit, has also affected SK Square's share price. However, the market's worries about limited price increases in memory due to long-term contracts (LTA) are excessive."Ahn noted, "Considering the explosive growth of neo-cloud companies like Nebius and CoreWeave, demand for AI infrastructure remains robust, and the semiconductor industry is expected to continue its positive trend."He analyzed that once Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix reveal their shareholder return policies, investor sentiment in the semiconductor sector will recover, leading to a rebound in SK Square's stock price. Ahn pointed out, "During the recent stock price increase, SK Square demonstrated greater price elasticity compared to SK Hynix, suggesting it will recover more quickly in a rebound phase."Ahn also positively assessed the proactive shareholder return policies. SK Square distributed a dividend of 1,500 won per share, totaling 204.3 billion won, in June. It plans to buy back 40 billion won worth of shares this year and 70 billion won next year.The anticipated increase in dividend income due to SK Hynix's expanded shareholder returns is also seen as a positive factor. Ahn projected, "SK Hynix's strengthened shareholder return policy is expected to be announced during the third-quarter earnings release. If SK Hynix's dividend per share increases to 13,600 won, SK Square could secure approximately 2 trillion won in dividend income."He added, "With the increased dividend income, SK Square may actively pursue mergers and acquisitions (M&A) targeting promising companies within the semiconductor value chain."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-18 08:24:10
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Yuanta Securities Raises Nongsim's Target Price Amid U.S. Sales Recovery 유안타증권이 18일 하반기에도 해외 성장세가 이어질 것으로 보고 농심의 목표주가를 57만원으로 올렸다. 농심은 미국 판매량 회복과 해외 사업 성장에 힘입어 2분기 시장 기대치를 웃도는 실적을 기록했다. 18일 유안타증권에 따르면 농심은 2분기 연결 기준 매출액 9561억원, 영업이익 593억원을 기록했다. 전년 동기 대비 매출은 10.2%, 영업이익은 47.6% 증가했다. 영업이익은 시장 기대치를 웃돌았다. 실적 개선은 해외 사업이 이끌었다. 국내 법인 매출은 전년 동기 대비 1.8% 증가하는 데 그쳤지만 해외 법인 매출은 30.6% 늘었다. 특히 미국 매출이 17.9% 증가했고 판매량도 3.1% 늘어나며 1분기 -3%에서 플러스 성장으로 전환했다. 코스트코와 월마트 등 기존 채널 판매가 유지되는 가운데 신규 메인스트림 채널 입점이 확대된 영향이다. 중국 매출도 신제품과 간식점 채널 확대에 힘입어 28.2% 증가했다. 유럽 매출은 430억원으로 1분기 372억원에서 증가하며 성장세를 이어갔다. 수익성 개선도 해외 사업이 주도했다. 해외 매출 비중 확대와 미국 가격 인상 효과가 반영되면서 2분기 북미 영업이익은 약 204억원, 영업이익률은 12% 수준으로 추정됐다. 미국의 상호관세 관련 환급금도 일회성으로 반영됐다. 국내에서는 8월 평균 5.8% 가격 인상을 단행한 만큼 하반기 수익성 개선도 기대된다. 연환산 기준 매출 증가 효과는 약 700억원으로 추정되며 4분기부터 효과가 본격화될 전망이다. 수출 성장과 함께 하반기 광고·마케팅비 부담도 상반기보다 완화될 것으로 예상됐다. 손현정 유안타증권 연구원은 "미국 판매량 회복과 유럽 채널 확대, 녹산공장 가동으로 해외 성장 가시성이 높아지고 있다"며 "과거 내수 중심의 저성장 식품업체보다 글로벌 라면 기업에 가까운 밸류에이션 적용이 가능하다"고 판단했다. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-18 08:24:00
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Bitcoin Recovers to $64,000 Amid Weak Dollar and Improved Investor Sentiment Major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, saw a rise in prices as expectations for interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve weakened due to disappointing U.S. economic indicators. The decline of the dollar also contributed to improved investor sentiment towards risk assets.According to CoinMarketCap, Bitcoin was trading at $64,234, up 2.36% from the previous day as of 8 a.m. on August 18.The price of Ethereum increased by 1.63% to $1,902. Binance Coin (BNB) and Solana also rose by 0.48% and 1.90%, respectively, reaching $604 and $75. Ripple (XRP) recorded a 0.81% increase, trading at $0.99.This increase is attributed to the lowered likelihood of interest rate hikes in the U.S. Recent data showed that July retail sales fell short of expectations, leading the market to significantly reduce the chances of a rate increase by the Fed. Consequently, the dollar weakened, reviving interest in risk assets like Bitcoin.As of 8 a.m. on the same day, Bitcoin was trading at approximately 90,636,000 won ($64,290) on the domestic exchange Bithumb, marking a 0.67% increase from the previous day. The 'Kimchi Premium' was recorded at -0.523%, indicating that the price of Bitcoin in South Korea is lower than that in international markets.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-18 08:24:00
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Samsung Art TV Partners with Vienna Art History Museum to Enhance Masterpiece Collection Samsung Electronics is adding 43 representative works from the Vienna Art History Museum to its Samsung Art Store.According to Samsung on August 18, the featured pieces include Pieter Bruegel the Elder's 'Tower of Babel,' Johannes Vermeer’s 'The Art of Painting,' and Gustav Klimt’s 'Nuda Veritas.' The collection also features landscape paintings by Canaletto and Bernardo Bellotto, as well as Giuseppe Arcimboldo’s 'Summer,' alongside masterpieces by Rubens, Velázquez, Caravaggio, Titian, Rembrandt, and Raphael.Subscribers to Samsung's art service can now enjoy world-renowned masterpieces from the Vienna Art History Museum, following collections from the Louvre Museum in France and the Prado Museum in Spain, all from the comfort of their homes.Samsung has applied its proprietary anti-reflective display technology to the high-resolution images provided by the museum. This special coating disperses light from multiple angles, ensuring clear image quality without reflections, even in bright sunlight or well-lit environments.Dario Casari, head of Samsung's Austria and Switzerland operations, emphasized, "Through this partnership, we will convey the world’s cultural heritage preserved by Vienna’s history to audiences worldwide using Samsung’s innovative display technology."Jonathan Fine, director of the Vienna Art History Museum, also stated, "Thanks to the Samsung Art Store, we can share masterpieces without the constraints of location, and we hope that the experience on screen will lead to actual museum visits."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-18 08:20:00