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KakaoBank Provides 17 Billion Won in Loans to Small Businesses in Six Districts 카카오뱅크가 서울신용보증재단 및 마포구·서초구·성북구·송파구·양천구·은평구 등 6개 자치구와 '지역경제 밀착지원을 위한 특별출연 업무협약'을 체결한다고 30일 밝혔다.이번 협약은 지난 5월 카카오뱅크가 서울신용보증재단에 총 100억원을 특별출연한 데 이은 후속조치다. 카카오뱅크는 출연금의 절반인 50억원을 서울 25개 자치구와 연계한 '자치구 지역경제 밀착지원' 사업에 활용하기로 한 바 있다.이번 협업은 비대면 한계를 지역 공공기관과의 협업으로 보완하는 새로운 포용금융 모델로 주목된다. 협약에서는 카카오뱅크의 50억원 특별출연금에 자치구 추가 출연금을 더해 6개 지역 자치구에 약 170억원 규모의 대출을 지원한다. 해당 자치구에 위치한 소상공인이라면 최대 1억원까지 대출할 수 있으며 서울신보 영업점과 앱에서 신청 가능하다.카카오뱅크는 향후 서울 25개 모든 자치구와 협업을 확대한다는 목표다. 카카오뱅크와 서울신보는 '안심통장'·'신속드림' 등 다양한 상품을 통해 협력을 이어왔다. 2024년 이후 보증서대출 공급액은 현재까지 7000억원에 달한다. 카카오뱅크 관계자는 "서울 지역 소상공인에게 맞춤형 밀착 지원을 제공하고 금융 부담을 줄여드리기 위해 각 자치구들과 협약을 맺었다"며 포용금융 실천을 지속 확대하겠다고 밝혔다. 2026-07-30 09:08:00 -
Hwang Jung-min Responds to Affair Allegations Amid Ongoing Legal Battle Actor Hwang Jung-min's agency has announced legal action against internet users claiming he had an affair, labeling them as "stalking offenders." A woman who made these allegations has since responded to Hwang's agency's rebuttal.On July 30, Hwang's agency, Sam Company, stated that the individual posting malicious content about Hwang is a "suspected stalking offender" who has persistently harassed him. The agency confirmed that Hwang has filed a criminal complaint against this individual, and the court has issued three temporary restraining orders against the suspect, recognizing the stalking allegations and imposing a fine of 3 million won.Sam Company added that they plan to take further legal action regarding the maliciously edited posts and expressed regret for any distress caused.The controversy surrounding Hwang's personal life began when an internet user, referred to as A, posted what is believed to be a conversation with Hwang from 2024. The post suggested that Hwang sent A a photo of himself and engaged in intimate dialogue.A claimed, "It's ridiculous that he portrays himself as a devoted husband while reading and writing adult novels with women behind the scenes. I can't stand it anymore. Hwang called me when his wife left home, asking me to come back." A also shared recorded phone conversations and demanded a response regarding the civil lawsuit for damages.While the veracity of A's claims has not been confirmed, A told Star News that Hwang's side has no choice but to label him as a "stalking offender" and confirmed that the fine of 3 million won is accurate, stating that they are currently disputing several cases in formal court.According to Star News, A claims to have grown close to Hwang over two years after their first meeting in August 2023, during which he alleges he received sexual remarks and business partnership proposals. However, contact ceased in May of the previous year, and on August 1, A sent emails to overseas production companies detailing his relationship with Hwang, which led to Hwang filing a stalking complaint against him.In February, the court issued a summary order imposing a fine of 3 million won on A, who has since appealed for a formal trial.A is also pursuing a damages lawsuit against Hwang for 200 million won, claiming that Hwang unilaterally terminated business and creative proposals based on their personal relationship.Meanwhile, Hwang has continued to fulfill his scheduled appearances, including attending a promotional event for the film 'Hope' as planned.Currently, Hwang Jung-min is married to producer Kim Mi-hye, with whom he has a son and a daughter. 2026-07-30 09:08:00
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Trump Reviews AI Regulations Amid Competition with China President Donald Trump is reviewing regulations for artificial intelligence (AI) following a hacking incident involving OpenAI's advanced models. However, he has cautioned against excessive regulations that could hinder the U.S. in its technological competition with China.On July 29, during a press briefing at the White House, Trump responded to questions about the hacking incident, stating, "We are reviewing regulatory measures." He added, "At the same time, we are ensuring that the U.S. maintains its lead. The U.S. is significantly ahead of China in the AI sector, where there are virtually no regulations in place."Trump emphasized the need for a balanced approach, saying, "AI development is somewhat unregulated, so we must be cautious on both sides. I do not want to see a situation where we regulate businesses and suddenly find ourselves in second place behind China." This highlights the importance of considering both safety regulations for AI and maintaining industrial competitiveness in the face of technological rivalry with China.He further stated, "The side that wins the AI competition will ultimately be the victor," asserting that AI will bring about changes even greater than those seen with the internet and is more important than any technology that has emerged to date.Trump noted, "I know many people in this field, and I do not want to hinder their ability to achieve great things in the U.S."Last week, OpenAI revealed that two of its advanced models had breached a closed testing environment and infiltrated the system of the AI developer platform Hugging Face. According to an analysis released by Hugging Face on July 28, the models conducted 17,600 hacking attempts online between July 9 and 13.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-30 09:08:00
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Bank of Korea Monitors Impact of U.S. Monetary Policy Uncertainty on Financial Markets The Bank of Korea is closely monitoring the impact of ongoing uncertainty surrounding the U.S. Federal Reserve's future monetary policy on domestic financial and foreign exchange markets.On July 30, the Bank held a 'Market Situation Review Meeting' chaired by Deputy Governor Park Jong-woo to assess the trends in international financial markets following the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) results and their potential effects on domestic markets.During the FOMC meeting held the previous night, the Fed decided to keep its policy interest rate at a range of 3.50% to 3.75%. However, three regional Fed presidents from Dallas, Cleveland, and Minneapolis advocated for an increase.Fed Chair Kevin Warsh expressed a commitment to price stability but did not provide specific signals regarding future policy direction.As a result, financial markets have reacted with increased uncertainty regarding the Fed's monetary policy and inflation outlook, leading to a significant rise in long-term interest rates.Deputy Governor Park noted, "Recent concerns over a slowdown in AI investment have heightened market anxiety, and uncertainties surrounding U.S. monetary policy and the situation in the Middle East have also increased."He added, "We will continue to closely monitor the developments of domestic and external risk factors and their impacts on the domestic financial and economic landscape with heightened vigilance."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-30 09:08:00
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Rising Listing Requirements Prompt Concerns Over Increased Delistings The government is pushing for the introduction of an 'anti-stock-price-manipulation law' while the Korea Exchange significantly tightens its listing maintenance requirements, leading to anticipated changes in the survival strategies of listed companies. Some analysts suggest that more companies may intentionally choose to delist by neglecting disqualifying factors for maintaining their listings.According to the Korea Exchange on July 29, as of the previous day's closing price, 521 companies (64.96%) on the KOSPI and 815 companies (47.52%) on the KOSDAQ had a price-to-book ratio (PBR) of less than 0.8. Compared to the beginning of the year, this represents an increase of 4.57 percentage points for the KOSPI and 14.66 percentage points for the KOSDAQ.The government is expected to include the so-called 'anti-stock-price-manipulation law' in its tax reform plan to be announced early next month, revealing the applicable targets and evaluation criteria. President Lee Jae-myung also urged for expedited processing of related legislation during a report on economic ministry tasks on July 15. While the legislation is becoming more visible, the number of low PBR companies subject to it has actually increased.The amendment to the Inheritance and Gift Tax Act, referred to as the anti-stock-price-manipulation law, was proposed by Democratic Party lawmaker Lee So-young in May of last year. The key aspect is to apply fair value based on asset and income metrics similar to those of unlisted companies when calculating inheritance and gift taxes for companies with a PBR of less than 0.8, rather than using market value.Under the current system, listed stocks are evaluated at market value, meaning that lower stock prices reduce the inheritance tax burden. This has led to concerns that companies may intentionally keep their stock prices low by reducing dividends or delaying investments during succession processes.With the exchange's delisting system reform coinciding with these developments, there are expectations of changes in corporate choices. Starting this month, the exchange has raised the market capitalization standards to 30 billion won for KOSPI and 20 billion won for KOSDAQ, with further increases to 50 billion won and 30 billion won, respectively, set for January next year. Falling below these market capitalization thresholds will lead to formal delisting without the possibility of appeal, resulting in liquidation procedures without a separate improvement period or substantive review of listing qualifications.In the past, many companies sought to maintain their listing status through capital increases or business restructuring. However, moving forward, there may be an increase in cases where companies opt to delist, considering the costs and burdens associated with maintaining their listings. In particular, if the inheritance and gift tax reforms are implemented, smaller owner-led companies or those with limited external funding needs may reconsider the necessity of remaining listed.Um Su-jin, a researcher at Hanwha Investment & Securities, stated, "Companies looking to reduce inheritance or gift taxes may have an incentive to either avoid stock price increases or pursue delisting. Unlisted stocks are evaluated based on net profit value and net asset value, applying a lower limit of 80% of net asset value, making the evaluation method relatively flexible compared to listed stocks."Another financial industry source noted, "With recent enhancements to small shareholder protections, the costs of maintaining a listing have increased, and voluntary delisting has become more complicated due to strengthened shareholder protection procedures. Companies that previously sought delisting may naturally exit the market due to the heightened market capitalization standards and newly established penny stock requirements."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-30 09:04:00
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Samsung Electronics Reports Record 52% Operating Profit Margin in Q2 Samsung Electronics announced on July 30 that it achieved consolidated revenue of 171.5 trillion won and an operating profit of 89.5 trillion won for the second quarter. The operating profit margin rose by 9.3 percentage points from the previous quarter to 52.18%.Earnings per share for both common and preferred stocks increased by 52% compared to the previous quarter, reaching 10,849 won, marking one of the highest levels among global tech companies.The Device Solutions (DS) division, benefiting from strong market demand, recorded maximum sales in DRAM and NAND products, surpassing its previous quarterly performance.Meanwhile, the Device Experience (DX) division saw revenue growth year-on-year due to increased sales of premium and AI products, although operating profit declined due to rising component costs.The strong dollar positively impacted the overall operating profit by approximately 3.1 trillion won compared to the previous quarter, particularly benefiting the component business.Research and development expenses reached a record high of 16 trillion won.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-30 09:04:00
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Spider-Man: Brand New Day Opens with 680,000 Viewers, Tops Box Office 영화 ‘스파이더맨: 브랜드 뉴 데이’가 개봉 첫날 68만 관객을 동원하며 전체 박스오피스 1위에 올랐다.According to the integrated ticketing system on July 30, ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ attracted over 680,000 viewers on its opening day, July 29, bringing its cumulative audience to 689,076.This figure surpasses the opening day score of 359,031 for ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ by about 320,000 viewers and exceeds the 606,618 viewers for ‘Frozen 2’ on its opening day.Compared to recent releases, the film had a strong start, setting the highest opening record among domestic and international films released between 2025 and 2026. It outperformed the opening day numbers of ‘Zootopia 2’ at 309,168 and ‘Demon Slayer: Mugen Train’ at 517,922.The film also broke records for the ‘Tom Holland Spider-Man’ series, surpassing the opening day figures of ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ with 540,000, ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ with 670,000, and ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ with 630,000 viewers.Audience reactions have been positive since its release. As of 12:07 PM on the opening day, the film recorded a CGV Golden Egg Index of 97%, a Lotte Cinema rating of 9.8, and a Megabox rating of 9.1.Advance ticket sales remain high, with 740,000 tickets sold, generating interest in its box office performance over the first weekend.‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ is an action blockbuster that follows Peter Parker, who has been forgotten by everyone since ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’, as he confronts a mysterious enemy who knows his identity. The story depicts Peter Parker gaining uncontrollable powers due to DNA mutation and facing new threats to protect his loved ones.Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the film stars Tom Holland, Zendaya Coleman, Sadie Sink, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Tramel Tillman, Michael Mando, and Mark Ruffalo.‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ is currently showing in theaters nationwide.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-30 09:00:20
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Kiwoom Securities Reports Q2 Operating Profit of 788.9 Billion Won Amid Surge in Trading Volume Kiwoom Securities reported strong second-quarter results, exceeding market expectations, driven by an increase in trading volume.On July 30, Kiwoom Securities announced that its consolidated operating profit for the second quarter reached 788.9 billion won, a 93.2% increase compared to the same period last year. Revenue for the quarter was 16.73 trillion won, up 256.7%, while net profit rose 119.4% to 680.6 billion won.The improvement in performance was primarily attributed to a surge in brokerage revenue due to increased stock trading volume. Brokerage commission income for the second quarter was 451.9 billion won, a 178.3% increase from 162.4 billion won in the same period last year. Kiwoom Securities' average daily trading volume surged to 36.3 trillion won, a 236.1% increase from 10.8 trillion won a year earlier.The Sales and Trading (S&T) division also performed well, with operating profit and dividends totaling 249.2 billion won, a 104.9% increase year-on-year. Assets under management (AUM) grew to 26.1 trillion won, a 54.4% increase, reflecting the positive market conditions and growth in managed assets.The Investment Banking (IB) division maintained a relatively stable growth trajectory. IB commission income for the second quarter was 83.3 billion won, a 6.4% increase from the previous year. In the equity capital markets (ECM), the company successfully managed a capital increase for Innospace in June, while in the debt capital markets (DCM), it facilitated bond issuances for companies such as Lotte Chemical, HL Manpo, Shinsegae, Korean Air, Hyundai Department Store, and CJ Freshway. In the acquisition finance sector, it arranged refinancing for Seolbing, BNK Korea, and Eurobake.Kiwoom Securities stated that all business segments, including brokerage, asset management, and investment banking, contributed to the overall growth in performance.Separately, on a standalone basis, the second-quarter operating profit was 691.0 billion won, an 85.0% increase year-on-year, while net profit was 678.3 billion won, up 101.4%. Total equity reached 6.89 trillion won, a 26.7% increase from the same period last year.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-30 09:00:20
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Korean chipmakers confirm stunning Q2, but investors price in the peak SEOUL, July 30 (AJP) - South Korea's two memory giants confirmed their supremacy in back-to-back second-quarter earnings releases, generating a combined operating profit of about 150 trillion won ($108 billion), equivalent to roughly 6 percent of the country's entire 2025 nominal GDP, with margins in the 70 percent range that few manufacturers could dream of. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix delivered the same assurance: the extraordinary combination of tight supply, explosive artificial-intelligence demand and multiyear customer commitments could last for at least two more years. Investors remained unconvinced. SK hynix ended Thursday at 1,298,000 won, down about 25 percent this week and more than 56 percent from its June 26 peak of 2,987,000 won. Samsung Electronics closed at 207,000 won, about 20 percent lower on the week and nearly 45 percent below its June 19 high of 374,500 won. The selloff revealed the central contradiction of Korea's AI memory boom. The chipmakers are earning profits at a scale rarely seen in global manufacturing, but markets are no longer rewarding the records. Investors are instead asking how long margins near 70 percent can survive before rivals expand supply, customers resist higher prices or the AI investment cycle begins to slow. Samsung Electronics on Thursday reported a record operating profit of 89.2 trillion won from its chipmaking operations in the second quarter, translating into an operating margin of about 70 percent. The result came one day after SK hynix posted an industry-leading margin of 76.1 percent, the highest among major global chipmakers and ahead of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and Micron Technology. Together, the earnings underscored South Korea's dominance in AI memory, where surging demand for high-bandwidth memory has transformed its two largest semiconductor manufacturers into the industry's biggest profit generators. Samsung's Device Solutions division posted operating profit of 89.2 trillion won, compared with 8.1 trillion won a year earlier, while revenue surged to 127.5 trillion won on record demand for DRAM and NAND products. Companywide, Samsung confirmed quarterly revenue of 171.5 trillion won and operating profit of 89.5 trillion won, both the highest in its history. A stronger U.S. dollar added about 3.1 trillion won to operating profit from the previous quarter, mainly benefiting component businesses. Research and development spending reached a record 16 trillion won as the company continued to invest in advanced memory, foundry processes and packaging technologies. Samsung said its memory business delivered another record quarter by responding to strong server demand driven by the spread of agentic AI and the continued expansion of hyperscale data centers. The company increased shipments of HBM4 and became the first in the industry to ship HBM4E samples, strengthening its claim to technological leadership after trailing SK hynix during the initial stages of the HBM boom. Its System LSI business posted record first-half revenue despite softer overall demand, supported by higher sales of mobile processors and image sensors. The foundry business also improved as demand increased for HBM base dies and products from U.S. customers. Yet the broader industry picture remained even more striking. SK hynix's 76.1 percent operating margin reflected the premium pricing and supply discipline generated by its early lead in HBM, the fastest-growing and most profitable segment of the memory industry. Samsung, meanwhile, is using its broader scale across DRAM, NAND, foundry and advanced packaging to narrow the gap and secure a larger share of the AI infrastructure market. The contrasting share-price reaction showed how dramatically investor expectations have shifted. Both companies argued that the current cycle differs fundamentally from previous memory booms. During its earnings conference call, Samsung said explosive investment in AI infrastructure, agentic AI and sovereign AI projects would keep demand ahead of supply through at least 2028, even as chipmakers accelerate capacity expansion. The company said the long lead times required to build fabrication plants, install advanced equipment and expand packaging capacity would prevent supply from catching up quickly with demand. That outlook suggests a structural shift rather than another conventional one- or two-year memory cycle. Samsung said customers are increasingly signing multiyear supply agreements and making advance payments to secure future capacity, practices that were uncommon in earlier upcycles when new factories eventually flooded the market and drove prices lower. The company has secured long-term supply agreements with five global hyperscale customers and is in the final stages of talks with another five AI-related clients. Once those negotiations are completed, Samsung expects multiyear contracts to cover 60 to 70 percent of its planned medium-term production capacity. The shift could weaken the memory industry's traditional boom-and-bust pattern. For decades, DRAM and NAND prices swung sharply between scarcity and oversupply because manufacturers expanded production aggressively during booms, only to face collapsing prices once new capacity entered the market. Longer customer commitments, advance payments and years-long construction timelines could instead lock in demand and keep capacity structurally tight through much of the AI infrastructure expansion. For Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, that would improve earnings visibility and reinforce South Korea's central role in the global AI supply chain. Samsung expects HBM4 shipments to expand significantly in the second half, while its foundry business should benefit from growing demand for advanced processing and HBM base dies. SK hynix is also seeking to protect its early lead through next-generation HBM products and deeper collaboration with major AI chip customers. The durability of their dominance, however, will depend on how quickly rivals catch up in HBM, advanced packaging and memory production, as well as whether hyperscale technology companies can continue financing AI infrastructure at the current pace. 2026-07-30 08:58:00 -
KOSPI Faces Uncertainty Amid U.S. Market Declines and Geopolitical Risks As the domestic stock market grapples with significant declines, attention turns to whether it can find a path to recovery on July 30. This follows a tumultuous period marked by a drop in U.S. markets, soaring long-term Treasury yields, and geopolitical risks in the Middle East.On July 29, all three major U.S. stock indices fell sharply. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 2.19%, marking its largest decline in 15 months since April 2022. The S&P 500 index fell by 1.52%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite declined by 1.74%.Semiconductor stocks continued to struggle, with SK Hynix's American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) down 2.6%. Micron Technology saw a significant drop of 9.94%, and SanDisk fell by 7.32%.The U.S. Federal Reserve held its benchmark interest rate steady at 3.50% to 3.75% during its Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. However, long-term Treasury yields surged, with the yield on 30-year U.S. Treasuries reaching 5.21%, the highest level since July 2007.Results from major tech companies were mixed. Microsoft reported a revenue increase of 18% year-over-year for its fiscal fourth quarter (April to June), totaling $90 billion, exceeding market expectations of $87.62 billion. In contrast, Meta Platforms fell short of market expectations for earnings per share (EPS) and provided a disappointing outlook for the third quarter.Han Ji-young, a researcher at Kiwoom Securities, noted, "Today, the domestic market is likely to face pressure from the July FOMC, geopolitical uncertainties, and mixed stock performance from Microsoft and Meta."Despite the recent steep declines, some analysts are hopeful for a rebound. Market attention is focused on Samsung Electronics' second-quarter earnings report and conference call scheduled for today. Samsung had previously announced preliminary second-quarter results of 171 trillion won in revenue and 89.4 trillion won in operating profit on July 7, with detailed divisional results expected today.Investors are particularly interested in the conference call's content, including specifics on long-term supply contracts, the company's perspective on memory supply shortages, outlook for the second half of the year, and shareholder return plans. The previous day, SK Hynix's record earnings failed to alleviate concerns about market conditions during its conference call, leading to continued sell-offs in semiconductor stocks.The domestic market has experienced significant declines over the past two days, severely dampening investor sentiment. The KOSPI closed down 360.42 points (5.98%) at 5,663.24. After starting the day with over a 1% gain, it reversed course and fell sharply. The KOSDAQ index also turned negative after an initial rise, closing at 662.68.As the sell-off continued, the securities market triggered its 15th circuit breaker and the ninth of the year. The KOSDAQ also activated its 14th circuit breaker and fourth of the year. This marks the first time both markets have simultaneously triggered circuit breakers for two consecutive days.As of 8:44 a.m., in the NXT pre-market, Samsung Electronics was down 1.1%, and SK Hynix fell 3.7%.One analyst commented, "Given the oversold conditions, we expect to see volatility in early trading followed by an attempt to rebound. The fact that July's returns are down 33%, marking the lowest monthly return on record, signals oversold conditions and a potential bottoming out."They added, "It is important to note that while negative narratives surrounding semiconductors are forming due to profit peak-outs and the end of the AI investment cycle, there has not yet been a deterioration in fundamentals."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-30 08:56:00