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  Toss Bank faces FSS investigation after transaction glitch SEOUL, March 11 (AJP) — The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) is set to conduct an on-site inspection of online banking platform Toss Bank on Wednesday. The inspection comes a day after an error in Toss's foreign exchange system that resulted in massive financial losses. At around 7:30 p.m. the previous day, a glitch in its mobile app allowed users to exchange yen at a rate of roughly 470 Korean won per 100 yen. Given that the actual market rate was approximately 934 won March 11, 2026
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  Samsung, SK to retire $14 bn worth shares to steady KOSPI after war shock SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) -South Korea’s two most influential corporate names unveiled more than 21 trillion won ($14.3 billion) worth of share retirements on Tuesday, a sweeping shareholder-return move that could help stabilize the country’s stock market after the Middle East war abruptly halted its record rally. Samsung Electronics said it will retire roughly 87 million treasury shares in the first half of this year, equivalent to about 16 trillion won based on Tuesday&r March 10, 2026
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  Korea spearheads Asia rebound as crude falls below $90 SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) -South Korean stocks posted the strongest advance in Asia on Tuesday, reversing course after leading the region’s losses a day earlier as oil prices retreated sharply from above $100 a barrel and eased fears of a prolonged energy shock from the Middle East conflict. Korea’s benchmark KOSPI closed up 5.35 percent at 5,532.6, recouping much of Monday’s nearly 6 percent drop triggered by the surge in crude prices. The rally gathered momentum March 10, 2026
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  KOSPI recovers to 5,500 as Asian stocks rebound on easing oil fears SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) - Asian stock markets rebounded on Tuesday as oil prices retreated after U.S. President Donald Trump said the conflict in the Middle East is "going to be ended soon," while G7 ministers hinted at a possible release of strategic oil reserves to ease surging prices. South Korea's benchmark KOSPI rebounded to the 5,500 level just a day after a sharp selloff, as investor sentiment improved following Trump's remarks as well as a drop in global oil March 10, 2026
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  KOSPI swings back up 5% on easing oil prices and Trump comment on war SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) — South Korean shares swung back as sharply as their fall, riding on a rapid retreat in oil prices after the U.S. president vowed the fighting in the Middle East could be “ended soon” and G7 ministers scrambled to take concerted action to ease prices through a possible release of strategic reserves. A sidecar was issued as soon as the opening bell on Tuesday, but unlike the previous morning it was triggered to cool buy-side momentum as both March 10, 2026
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  Coupang investors withdraw U.S. trade probe petition as Seoul shifts toward arbitration SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) - U.S. investment firms backing Coupang Inc. have withdrawn their request for a U.S. trade investigation into South Korea’s treatment of the e-commerce company, as the dispute shifts toward an investment arbitration case under the Korea–U.S. Free Trade Agreement. Greenoaks and Altimeter said Monday they had withdrawn a petition filed under Section 301 of the U.S. Trade Act, which had asked the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR March 10, 2026
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  Korea and India beef up institutional financing to prepare for expanding business ties SEOUL, March 09 (AJP) - Institutional financing links between South Korea and India are gaining traction as the world's most populous nation accelerates economic expansion and seeks advanced manufacturing capabilities in sectors ranging from small modular nuclear reactors to defense and shipbuilding. A closed-door investor relations conference jointly hosted by SK Securities and India's ICICI Group in Seoul on Monday underscored the growing momentum. The event drew major Kor March 9, 2026
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  S&P Global inspectors arrive in Seoul to conduct annual review SEOUL, March 9 (AJP) - American credit rating agency S&P Global is set to conduct its annual review of South Korea's sovereign credit rating. A delegation led by Kim Eng Tan and Andrew Wood, executive directors responsible for the agency's Asia Pacific region, arrived in Seoul on Monday for a three-day consultation ahead of the upcoming review, the Ministry of Economy and Finance said. They are scheduled to talk with key financial and economic officials including thos March 9, 2026
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  Asian stocks tumble as oil surge rattles markets; Korea triggers circuit breaker SEOUL, March 09 (AJP) - Asian stock markets fell sharply Monday as surging oil prices and escalating tensions in the Middle East triggered a broad risk selloff across the region, with Korea and Japan among the hardest hit. Korea’s benchmark KOSPI closed at 5,251.9, down 6 percent, after plunging more than 8 percent throughout the trading session and briefly falling to 5,096.2. The sharp drop triggered a Level-1 circuit breaker, temporarily halting trading for 20 minutes. March 9, 2026
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  Black Monday exposes vulnerabilities of external-reliant Korean economy SEOUL, Mar 09 (AJP) - The Black Monday bombshell in South Korean capital markets has once again laid bare the vulnerabilities of the country’s external-reliant economy, now facing the dreaded triple highs of oil prices, the dollar and interest rates — a classic recipe for stagflation. Crude prices touched above $110 per barrel for the first time since the early months of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, marking one of the fastest climbs since the oil crises March 9, 2026