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  • Market Preview: U.S. Stocks Pause as Oil Prices Surge; Will KOSDAQ Continue Its Rally?
    Market Preview: U.S. Stocks Pause as Oil Prices Surge; Will KOSDAQ Continue Its Rally? Following a strong rebound in the domestic stock market centered on KOSDAQ, investor sentiment is expected to be constrained by a pause in U.S. stocks and a surge in international oil prices. However, the recent slowdown in U.S. job growth has eased concerns over interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve, and the upward trend in small-cap and non-semiconductor sectors in the domestic market suggests a potential continuation of overall index recovery.On August 10, the KOSPI closed at 6,299.66, up 40.89 points (0.65%) from the previous trading day. The KOSDAQ surged 55.66 points (6.97%) to finish at 854.47. Notably, the KOSDAQ has shown a significant rebound, outperforming the KOSPI due to perceptions of excessive declines and improved supply and demand.On the same day, U.S. stocks closed slightly lower amid concerns over recent record highs and uncertainties surrounding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.11% to 53,975.98, while the S&P 500 dipped 0.06% to 7,753.11, and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.32% to 26,605.36.A key factor pressuring U.S. stocks is the rise in international oil prices. Negotiations between the U.S. and Iran have stalled, diminishing expectations for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, leading to a more than 5% increase in oil prices, with WTI surpassing $80 per barrel. Additionally, the yield on 10-year U.S. Treasury bonds has risen above 4.70%, increasing the discount rate burden on growth stocks.Semiconductor stocks remain a variable. Major semiconductor companies in the U.S. saw declines overnight, with Nvidia down 2.86%, Micron down 1.89%, and AMD down 2.85%. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index fell 2.94%. Intel's announcement of a $15 billion capital increase has raised concerns about funding for AI investments and potential dilution of shareholder value.Reports indicate that Nvidia is working with large asset management firms and financial institutions to establish a substantial funding structure for AI infrastructure. As AI investment expands beyond semiconductors to include data centers and power grids, the need for significant capital could impact related domestic stocks.However, it remains to be seen whether semiconductor stocks will follow the U.S. market's downward trend. In the domestic market, the recent concentration in semiconductors has eased, with supply and demand diversifying into sectors such as power equipment, MLCC, defense, and biotechnology. If semiconductors face a correction, buying interest in other sectors could support the index.Today, the focus in the domestic market will be on profit-taking from the recently surging KOSDAQ and small-cap stocks. The KOSDAQ has risen approximately 32.5% since its low on July 30, while the KOSPI's increase during the same period was about 12.6%. Given the significant short-term gains, there is a possibility of profit-taking in certain stocks today.However, some analysts argue that the KOSDAQ's strength should not be viewed merely as a short-term theme. The KOSDAQ experienced a maximum decline of about 47% compared to its peak during the July crash, which was greater than the KOSPI's drop. This recent rebound is attributed to a correction from excessive declines and supply and demand dynamics aimed at narrowing the performance gap with the KOSPI.Among external factors, oil prices and interest rate trends are considered the most critical. With the U.S. and Iran at an impasse over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, oil price volatility may increase in the near term. If rising oil prices rekindle concerns about inflation in the U.S., it could counteract the recent easing of expectations for interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve due to slowing job growth.This week, the upcoming release of the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) for July is also a variable. As market attention shifts back to inflation following the slowdown in job growth, a CPI reading higher than expected could trigger both interest rate increases and profit-taking in risk assets. Conversely, if the CPI aligns with market expectations or confirms a slowing trend, it could alleviate the recent interest rate burden and support the recovery of the domestic market.Han Ji-young, a researcher at Kiwoom Securities, stated, "Compared to the market's entanglement during the semiconductor concentration in June and July, the warmth of the market is spreading across sectors, which is positive. With potential upward catalysts for the KOSPI, such as U.S. tech stock performance and expectations for shareholder returns from domestic semiconductor stocks, the overall recovery momentum in the domestic market remains valid."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-11 08:32:10
  • One Month After Stricter Delisting Criteria, 7.4% of Listed Companies Fail Market Cap Standards
    One Month After Stricter Delisting Criteria, 7.4% of Listed Companies Fail Market Cap Standards One month after the implementation of stricter delisting criteria aimed at eliminating underperforming companies, 7.4% of domestic listed companies have failed to meet the required market capitalization standards.According to an analysis by the corporate research institute Leaders Index, as of the end of July, 192 out of 2,578 listed companies, including 833 on the KOSPI and 1,745 on the KOSDAQ, did not meet the average market capitalization requirement for maintaining their listings.As of July 1, the market capitalization thresholds for maintaining listings were raised to 30 billion won for KOSPI companies and 20 billion won for KOSDAQ companies.Among KOSDAQ-listed companies, 152, or 8.7%, fell short of the 20 billion won requirement, while 40 KOSPI companies, or 4.8%, did not meet the 30 billion won threshold.The criteria for delisting have been strengthened not only regarding market capitalization but also concerning stock prices, capital impairment, and disclosure violations.New rules stipulate that companies whose stock prices remain below 1,000 won for a certain period may face delisting. Additionally, the criteria for substantial review of listing eligibility now include complete capital impairment over a half-year period. The threshold for cumulative penalties due to disclosure violations has also been lowered from 15 points to 10 points over the past year.Next year, the market capitalization requirements are set to increase further, with thresholds of 50 billion won for KOSPI and 30 billion won for KOSDAQ, raising concerns that more companies may fall short of these standards.Applying the upcoming criteria to the average market capitalization from July, it is projected that 18.6% of all listed companies, or 479 firms, would not meet the requirements.By market segment, 367 KOSDAQ companies (21.0%) would fail to meet the criteria, exceeding one in five, while 112 KOSPI companies (13.4%) would also fall short.There remains a significant number of 'penny stocks' with prices below 1,000 won. Based on the average closing prices in July, 200 companies, or 7.8% of all listed firms, had stock prices below 1,000 won, including 156 KOSDAQ companies (8.9%) and 44 KOSPI companies (5.3%).If a common stock price remains below 1,000 won for 30 consecutive trading days, the company is designated as a management issue. If the stock price does not exceed 1,000 won for at least 45 out of the following 90 trading days, it may meet the criteria for delisting.A representative from Leaders Index stated, "If stock prices do not recover in the second half of this year or if companies fail to increase their market capitalization through capital increases, the number of companies at risk of being designated as management issues may increase with the stricter criteria next year."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-11 08:32:10
  • IBK Securities Raises GS Retail Target Price to 35,000 Won Amid Recovery Signals
    IBK Securities Raises GS Retail Target Price to 35,000 Won Amid Recovery Signals IBK Securities announced on August 11 that GS Retail has met market expectations for its second-quarter performance and is expected to continue its growth into the third quarter. As a result, the firm has raised its target price for GS Retail to 35,000 won while maintaining a 'buy' rating.Nam Seong-hyun, a researcher at IBK Securities, stated in a report that "GS Retail's positive performance is attributed to improvements across all business divisions."In the convenience store segment, GS Retail reported a same-store sales growth rate of 7.5% and an operating profit of 71.4 billion won, marking a 12.4% increase compared to the same period last year. Nam explained that the improvement in performance is due to enhanced efficiency from store scrapping, increased sales of seasonal products, and a rise in foreign customer sales.Additionally, the supermarket division recorded a same-store sales growth rate of 5.2%, with both customer traffic and average transaction value increasing. Analysts noted that the stable growth was supported by the opening of new stores and an expanded share of online and offline purchases centered around quick commerce.Nam projected that while the same-store sales growth rate for convenience stores may decline in the third quarter compared to the second quarter, the increase in foreign demand and continued operational efficiency will sustain profit growth. He forecasts that GS Retail will achieve sales of 3.3084 trillion won (up 3.2% year-on-year) and an operating profit of 119.5 billion won (up 7.5% year-on-year).* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-11 08:32:10
  • Two Die from Heatstroke in Incheon, Bringing Yearly Total to Three
    Two Die from Heatstroke in Incheon, Bringing Yearly Total to Three Two individuals died from heatstroke in Incheon over the weekend.According to Yonhap News and the Incheon city government, a family member reported that a woman in her 70s collapsed at her home in Yeonsu District at 10:05 p.m. on August 8. She was transported to a hospital but was pronounced dead.On the same day, a man in his 50s lost consciousness on the stairs of a building in Gyeyang District at 12:35 p.m. He was taken to the hospital after a passerby alerted authorities but also died.The Incheon city government reported that medical staff believe both individuals succumbed to heatstroke and are investigating the circumstances surrounding their deaths.It is reported that the body temperatures of the woman and man were close to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) at the time of their deaths.On the day of their deaths, a heatwave warning was in effect in Incheon, with temperatures reaching a high of 37.5 degrees Celsius (99.5 degrees Fahrenheit) and a maximum perceived temperature of 36 degrees Celsius (96.8 degrees Fahrenheit).* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-11 08:32:00
  • Seoul Office Sales Market Rebounds in Q2, Transactions Surge 417%
    Seoul Office Sales Market Rebounds in Q2, Transactions Surge 417% In the second quarter of this year, the Seoul office sales market rebounded. The total sales amount for office buildings exceeded 1.7 trillion won, with office sales transactions increasing by over 400% compared to the previous quarter.According to a report released on August 11 by Real Estate Planet, the number of office building sales transactions in Seoul for Q2 was recorded at 26, with a total transaction amount of 1.7717 trillion won. This represents an 8.3% increase in transaction volume and a 79.3% increase in transaction amount compared to the previous quarter, which had 24 transactions totaling 988.2 billion won.However, compared to the same period last year, transaction volume decreased by 7.1% and transaction amount fell by 40.5%.Regionally, the Yeouido area (YBD) saw a significant increase in transaction amounts. The 'Hana Securities Building' was sold for 811.2 billion won, marking a staggering 4,816.4% increase from the previous quarter.In the Central Business District (CBD), the 'Orange Center' in Jung-gu was sold for 350 billion won, while the 'Hana Insurance Building' in Jongno-gu fetched 136.9 billion won. Consequently, the total transaction amount in the CBD reached 701.9 billion won, a 910.4% increase from the previous quarter.In contrast, the Gangnam Business District (GBD) experienced declines in both transaction volume and amount. The Gangnam-Seocho area recorded six transactions totaling 128.3 billion won, down 14.3% in volume and 64.5% in amount from the previous quarter.The office sales market also expanded significantly. In Q2, the number of office transactions in Seoul reached 360, with a total transaction amount of 2.5956 trillion won, representing increases of 30.4% in volume and 417.6% in amount compared to the previous quarter.The surge in office transaction amounts was largely driven by large-scale deals. In Insadong, Jongno-gu, 33 transactions worth approximately 1.4198 trillion won were recorded at 'G1 SEOUL', while 45 transactions at 'G-Tower' in Guro-gu totaled 573.4 billion won, and 18 transactions at 'Eulji Twin Towers' in Jung-gu amounted to 442.4 billion won.The proportion of corporate transactions was also high. In Q2, corporate transactions accounted for 1.5996 trillion won, or 90.3% of the total office building transaction amount. For offices, corporate transactions reached 2.4934 trillion won, making up 96.1% of the total.The total asset size of domestic REITs also increased. As of June, the total assets of domestic REITs amounted to 127.49 trillion won, a 3.45% increase from the previous quarter. By asset type, residential properties accounted for 43.7%, offices 34.7%, logistics 6.5%, and retail 6.3%.Supply indicators also showed improvement. The total floor area approved for office facility use in Q2 was 443,774 square meters, a 102.0% increase from the previous quarter. The total floor area for building permits was 482,788 square meters, up 5.8%, and the number of building permits issued rose by 51.9% to 41.Despite concerns over high interest rates and economic slowdown, large corporate transactions are driving the market, leading to varying demand across different regions in the Seoul office market.Jung Soo-min, CEO of Real Estate Planet, stated, “In Q2, corporate transactions accounted for 90.3% of the total office building transaction amount and 96.1% of the total office transactions, indicating a significant share.” He added, “On the supply side, both the number and floor area of building permits for office facilities have increased, and the approved floor area has more than doubled compared to the previous quarter. With large office supplies and sales continuing in urban areas, we expect large transactions to persist in the future.” 2026-08-11 08:32:00
  • Bitcoin Drops Back to $63,000 Amid Strategy Sell-Off
    Bitcoin Drops Back to $63,000 Amid Strategy Sell-Off 6,500-dollar Bitcoin has fallen back to the 63,000-dollar range. This decline is attributed to a drop in investor sentiment following news that Strategy, the world's largest Bitcoin holder, sold off some of its holdings. According to CoinMarketCap, a global cryptocurrency market site, Bitcoin was trading at $63,939 as of 8 a.m. on August 11, down 1.63% from the previous day. Just a day earlier, Bitcoin had recovered to the $65,000 mark but has since retreated to the $63,000 range. Recently, Bitcoin has struggled to find clear upward momentum, fluctuating between $60,000 and $65,000. Major altcoins also experienced declines. At the same time, Ethereum fell 2.25% to $1,873.93, while Solana dropped 0.83% to $76.13. Ripple (XRP) was trading at $1.01, down 2.54%. Market analysts believe the sell-off by Strategy has impacted prices. On August 10, Strategy announced that it had sold 1,690 Bitcoins, acquired between August 3 and 9, for a total of $108.6 million. The funds are reportedly intended for stock buybacks and other purposes. Meanwhile, on the domestic exchange Bithumb, Bitcoin was trading at approximately 90,404,000 won ($63,687), down 0.82% from the previous day. The so-called 'Kimchi premium,' where domestic prices are higher than international ones, was actually at -0.41%.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-11 08:28:00
  • Jung Cheong-rae Criticizes Kim Min-seok and Song Young-gil for Blame Game
    Jung Cheong-rae Criticizes Kim Min-seok and Song Young-gil for Blame Game Jung Cheong-rae, a candidate for the leadership of the Democratic Party, criticized fellow candidates Kim Min-seok and Song Young-gil for blaming him for the results of the June 3 local elections and for suggesting that President Lee Jae-myung dislikes him. He called them "experts in blaming others" and urged them to refrain from making inappropriate comments. Jung also expressed his willingness to embrace Kim if he becomes party leader.On August 11, Jung appeared on the YouTube channel "Kim Eo-jun's Humble News Factory" to respond to claims made by Kim and Song that the local election defeat was due to Jung's capabilities and that President Lee is reluctant to work with him.Jung stated, "Four years ago, during the local election defeat, Kim also attacked President Lee. Despite the achievements in the recent local elections, he continues to criticize me. I believe Kim is a habitual blame expert."Addressing Song's assertion that President Lee dislikes him, Jung said, "I am the person who has spoken with President Lee the most. While we may have different views, Song's comments are highly inappropriate. I ask him to refrain from such remarks."Jung also promised to improve relations with Kim, stating, "I am not petty. I have always engaged in broad-minded politics and have not mixed personal feelings with my political actions. If I become party leader, I will embrace Kim in the spirit of unity and for the greater good of the party."However, regarding Kim's allegations of a connection to the Shincheonji cult, Jung acknowledged that measures must be taken at the party level to address these concerns.Additionally, with the Democratic Party's primary election set to take place in Honam, a stronghold for the party, on August 15, Jung is focusing on winning over local party members. He stated, "I will uphold my loyalty to President Lee, and I ask party members to support Jung Cheong-rae. I will become a more powerful reformist leader to meet the expectations of the people in Honam."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-11 08:24:10
  • Samsung SDS Launches National AI Research GPU Computing Service
    Samsung SDS Launches National AI Research GPU Computing Service Samsung SDS has introduced the latest GPUs for national AI research, enabling domestic researchers to utilize a world-class computing environment.On August 11, Samsung SDS announced that it has been selected as the GPU resource supplier for the '2026 AI Research Computing Support Project,' supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Institute for Information and Communications Technology Planning and Evaluation (IITP). The service commenced on July 20.This initiative aims to provide AI research GPU resources to researchers in academia and research institutions in South Korea.The project focuses on supplying computing resources to research entities that struggle to secure large-scale computing infrastructure independently, allowing them to conduct research on ultra-large AI models and large language models (LLMs).The project has a budget of approximately 15.3 billion won and will provide services until March 2027. The evaluation criteria for selecting the supplier included GPU supply plans, resource scale, research environment quality, operational support systems, and security capabilities. According to the company, multiple suppliers were selected, with Samsung SDS ranked first.Samsung SDS will provide not only NVIDIA H100 (Hopper) GPUs but also the latest B300 (Blackwell Ultra) based GPU cluster. The B300 exceeds the specifications required in the request for proposal (RFP) for Hopper-level GPUs. It offers significantly improved performance and large memory capacity for training and inference of large parameter models compared to previous generations.The domestic research community has raised concerns about the urgent need to bridge the gap between available resources and global infrastructure levels due to competition for the latest GPUs. Samsung SDS's direct investment in the national AI research GPU computing project is seen as a foundation for domestic researchers to conduct their work in a top-tier computing environment.Samsung SDS also provides a large-scale clustering configuration that pools multiple GPUs into a single resource pool, along with a high-speed interconnect network.This setup allows researchers to flexibly respond to both long-term large projects and short-term experimental tasks. Beyond simply supplying GPUs, the company pre-configures and provides CPU, memory, storage, network, and development environments. This support alleviates the burden of infrastructure setup, allowing researchers to focus on their work.Additionally, Samsung SDS launched NVIDIA's B300 GPU-based GPUaaS (GPU as a Service) through its Samsung Cloud Platform (SCP) in March, becoming the first in South Korea to do so. In July, it integrated the second-generation NPU, Renegade (RNGD), based on the domestically produced neural processing unit (NPU) called FuriosaAI, into SCP, launching NPUaaS (NPU as a Service).Lee Ho-jun, Vice President and Head of Cloud Services at Samsung SDS, stated, "Through this project, we will provide stable services so that domestic researchers can achieve innovative results based on world-class AI infrastructure. We will continue to contribute to expanding the national AI research infrastructure and enhancing South Korea's AI competitiveness."Samsung SDS has been building its capabilities in operating high-performance AI infrastructure, having introduced NVIDIA A100 and H100-based GPUaaS in 2021 and 2023, respectively. The company has experience supplying GPU resources to over 60 AI SMEs, startups, research institutions, and universities as a cloud service provider in the high-performance computing support project led by the Ministry of Science and ICT. 2026-08-11 08:24:00
  • Webtoon Entertainment Reports Q2 Revenue of 507.9 Billion Won Amid Currency Impact
    Webtoon Entertainment Reports Q2 Revenue of 507.9 Billion Won Amid Currency Impact Webtoon Entertainment reported a revenue of 507.9 billion won for the second quarter of this year, a 2.8% decrease compared to the same period last year, primarily due to currency fluctuations. However, on a constant currency basis, revenue increased by 5.2%, driven by strong growth in its Korean operations and balanced growth across paid content, advertising, and IP sectors.The company announced its second-quarter results on August 10. Revenue amounted to $338.47 million (approximately 507.9 billion won), based on an average quarterly exchange rate of 1,500.74 won. Excluding the impact of currency fluctuations and non-consolidated businesses, revenue on a constant currency basis was $366.4 million, reflecting a 5.2% increase year-over-year.By business segment, paid content revenue was $263.9 million, a 4.0% decrease from the previous year. However, on a constant currency basis, it grew by 4.3% to $286.7 million, supported by product improvements such as AI recommendations and customer relationship management (CRM) systems in Korea, which contributed to double-digit growth.Advertising revenue reached $47.1 million, a 4.2% increase compared to the same period last year. On a constant currency basis, it grew by 11.5% to $50.4 million, driven by growth in Korea and other regions (excluding Japan).IP business revenue was $27.4 million, down 2.6% year-over-year, but on a constant currency basis, it increased by 4.2% to $29.3 million, fueled by strong performance in Japan and other regions.Regionally, growth in Korea was particularly notable, with revenue on a constant currency basis increasing by 20.0% year-over-year, driving the global platform business.In Japan, the company is investing in three key areas to recover growth: expanding local original content, enhancing user engagement throughout the user acquisition process, and diversifying user acquisition channels through local partnerships. The first webtoon from 'Studio White,' a collaboration with Redice Studio and Kadokawa, titled 'Record of Lodoss War' spin-off, has been launched, and 'Line Manga' gift cards are now available at approximately 15,000 Lawson convenience stores across Japan.In other regions, the company is strengthening its growth foundation through fandom expansion, partnership enhancement, and increasing its presence in Gen Z pop culture. A marketing campaign for the webtoon 'For Grand' has been launched, and a webtoon in collaboration with Duolingo and Paramount has been released. At San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC), three original Marvel webtoon series, 'X-Men Korea,' 'Tony's Girl,' and 'Deadpool,' have been confirmed.Webtoon Entertainment has strengthened the virtuous cycle structure of the webtoon ecosystem on both on-platform and off-platform fronts in the second quarter. The core of the on-platform business is content development for discovering original IP, which serves as the driving force for the off-platform IP business. The strategy involves continuously producing successful works with a solid fanbase on the platform and expanding the IP business externally based on this foundation.Kim Jun-gu, CEO of Webtoon Entertainment, stated, "In this quarter, we made progress on two strategic priorities to further strengthen the webtoon ecosystem's flywheel. Innovations such as the AI story chat 'Bias' and 'automatic translation' are driving deeper user engagement on the platform." He added, "We are continuously experimenting with AI-based initiatives like short animations while enhancing our IP strategy to secure more long-term value generated by the ecosystem through direct investments in IP."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-11 08:24:00
  • Samsung Electronics Showcases Full-Stack Gaming Solutions at Gamescom 2026
    Samsung Electronics Showcases Full-Stack Gaming Solutions at Gamescom 2026 Samsung Electronics will showcase a range of gaming products, including monitors, mobile devices, and storage solutions, at the world's largest gaming exhibition, Gamescom 2026, from August 26 to 30 in Cologne, Germany. This strategy aims to expand its business beyond individual device performance to create a connected gaming experience across PC, console, and mobile platforms.The company announced its participation on August 11, noting that approximately 1,500 gaming and hardware companies are expected to attend this year, following last year's attendance of 360,000 visitors.Under the slogan '#PlaySamsung,' Samsung will display its gaming monitor, the Odyssey G8, high-performance SSDs like the 9100 PRO, and the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra.The 32-inch Odyssey G8, released in May, supports dual modes of 6K at 165Hz and 3K at 330Hz. Attendees will also have the opportunity to experience Pearl Abyss's open-world game, 'Crimson Desert,' at Samsung's booth.The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and Galaxy S26 Ultra will be showcased as mobile gaming devices, marking a shift to connect gaming products traditionally focused on PCs and consoles with smartphones.As of January this year, Samsung's mobile gaming hub has reached 160 million monthly active users, indicating its efforts to expand not only hardware but also game distribution and user engagement.Additionally, Samsung will host the 'Play Galaxy Cup' World Finals on August 27-28, featuring 10 teams that advanced from regional qualifiers in North America, Latin America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, competing for the championship in 'PUBG Mobile.'Samsung is broadening its gaming business to include monitors, TVs, smartphones, and cloud gaming. At Gamescom, the company plans to combine hardware displays with content experiences to enhance its engagement with global gamers.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-11 08:24:00