Asiana Airlines to cut int'l flights amid soaring oil prices SEOUL, March 31 (AJP) - Asiana Airlines will cut about a dozen flights on four international routes this spring amid rising oil prices caused by the prolonged conflict in the Middle East. The flagship carrier said on Tuesday it canceled seven flights from Incheon to Changchun, China; three flights to Harbin; and two flights each to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Yanji, China for the months of April and May, as jet fuel prices surged sharply. "We will minimize inconvenience for March 31, 2026

Korean Economy/Business Calendar SEOUL, March 31 (AJP) - Apr. 2 (Thu) Mar. 2026 Consumer Price Index (Preliminary) - Ministry of Data and Statistics Apr. 8 (Wed) Feb. 2026 Balance of Payments (Preliminary) - Bank of Korea Apr. 9 (Thu) 2025 Flow of Funds (Preliminary) - Bank of Korea Apr. 15 (Wed) Feb. 2026 Money and Liquidity - Bank of Korea Mar. 2026 Export/Import Price & Trade Indexes - Bank of Korea Mar. 2026 Employment Trends - Ministry of Data and Statistics Apr. 22 (Wed) Mar. 2026 March 31, 2026

KOSPI slides as Korean won hits 17-year low amid deepening Middle East conflict SEOUL, March 31 (AJP) - With Asian markets mostly opening mixed on Tuesday, South Korean stocks took the brunt of losses as the won weakened to around 1,520 for the first time since the 2008 global financial crisis. The escalating conflict in the Middle East, along with fading hopes for ceasefire talks, further weighed on market sentiment. The possible deployment of U.S. ground forces further heightened fears of the conflict turning into a massive regional war. With Asian markets March 31, 2026

Korean won at crisis lows, but no crisis, says BOK chief nominee SEOUL, March 31 (AJP) -The South Korean won weakening past the 1,520-per-dollar mark — its lowest level since the global financial crisis in March 2009 — should not be overstated as a sign of crisis, as the country's financial system is far more resilient than in the past, Bank of Korea governor nominee Shin Hyun-song said Tuesday. “What matters more than the level itself is whether the financial system can accommodate it,” Shin told reporters as he arriv March 31, 2026

Korean banks' BIS ratio turn lower as weak won inflates FX assets SEOUL, March 31 (AJP) - South Korean banks’ capital buffers edged lower at the end of last year as the won’s sharp weakening inflated foreign-currency assets, underscoring growing pressure from exchange-rate-driven balance sheet expansion, data showed Tuesday. The common equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio of domestic banks stood at 13.51 percent at end-2025, down 0.12 percentage point from the previous quarter, according to the Financial Supervisory Service. The decline c March 31, 2026

Korea's postwar securities issues rise modestly on frontload demand amid rising yields SEOUL, March 31 (AJP) -South Korea’s corporate direct financing rose in February, with stock and bond issuance climbing 8.5 percent from a month earlier, buoyed by a pre-war equity rally and a rush to secure funding ahead of further rate increases, data showed Tuesday. Total public offerings of stocks and corporate bonds reached 19.25 trillion won ($14.2 billion), up 1.5 trillion won from January, according to the Financial Supervisory Service. Equity financing led the incr March 31, 2026

Little sign of relief for the Korean won and bonds amid capital flight SEOUL, March 30 (AJP) - South Korean stocks are holding up — still more than 20 percent above year-end — but the won and bonds are taking a far heavier hit as capital flees amid the Middle East crisis, with little relief in sight unless Gulf shipping routes reopen. Seoul markets opened the week under pressure as the war in the Persian Gulf dragged into a second month with widening fronts and no clear resolution. Both the KOSPI and KOSDAQ fell about 3 percent Monday March 30, 2026

Korean stocks tumble as oil surge rattles markets; Shanghai stands out as rare gainer SEOUL, March 30 (AJP) - Korean stocks tumbled Monday as surging oil prices and escalating geopolitical tensions triggered a broad selloff across Asia, while China's Shanghai Composite stood out as the only major regional index to close higher. The benchmark KOSPI fell 2.97 percent to close at 5,277.30, after plunging as much as 5.3 percent in early trading. The index pared some losses toward the close as retail and institutional buying emerged, but remained under pressure throug March 30, 2026

Korea to adopt a new overnight repo benchmark SEOUL, March 30 (AJP) -South Korea will overhaul its benchmark interest rate system, phasing out vulnerable quote-based rates and shifting to a transaction-based standard to prevent manipulation risks and strengthen market credibility. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) finalized the reform plan Monday at a joint meeting with the Bank of Korea (BOK) and the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), marking one of the most comprehensive changes to the country’s rate-setting f March 30, 2026

Chicken prices surge as prolonged avian flu cuts supply SEOUL, March 30 (AJP) - Surging chicken prices are putting South Korea's poultry industry on alert. The spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza has cut broiler supplies, while a weaker won has added to feed-cost burdens, increasing pressure for broader price hikes. According to market insiders on Monday, major poultry producers, including Harim, Allpum, and Maniker, have recently raised prices to large retailers by about 5 to 10 percent. The increase comes amid a supply sh March 30, 2026