South Korea breaks into global top 10 millionaire markets SEOUL, July 01 (AJP) - South Korea has joined the world's millionaire elite, breaking into the global top 10 by millionaire population thanks to a bull run unprecedented by global standards. The country's millionaire population reached 1.3 million in 2025, placing it joint eighth globally with the Netherlands, according to UBS's Global Wealth Report 2026 released Tuesday. Australia ranked seventh with 1.6 million millionaires, while the United States remained the w July 1, 2026

South Korea's foreign direct investment rises for 3rd consecutive quarter SEOUL, June 30 (AJP) - South Korea's foreign direct investment (FDI) rose in the first three months of this year, extending its growth streak to a third consecutive quarter. According to data released Tuesday by the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the country’s FDI reached $21.74 billion in the first quarter, up 36.2 percent from a year earlier, led by investment in financial and insurance services and a sharp increase in flows to the U.S. The growth followed a 5.7 per June 30, 2026

AI investment push, chip rally lift KOSPI; KOSDAQ slips SEOUL, June 30 (AJP) - South Korean stocks ended mixed on Tuesday as semiconductor heavyweights led a sharp recovery in the benchmark KOSPI after morning losses, helped by stronger U.S. chip stocks overnight and the South Korean government's fresh support for artificial intelligence semiconductors, while the junior KOSDAQ slipped as investors took profits in battery and biotechnology shares. The benchmark KOSPI closed up 0.97 percent at 8,476.48. The index had fallen as low as June 30, 2026

Margin-driven stock selloffs quadruple amid volatile KOSPI swings SEOUL, June 30 (AJP) - Involuntary stock selloffs more than quadrupled last week after a sharp market decline left many retail investors unable to pay for shares they had purchased. According to the Korea Financial Investment Association (KOFIA) on Tuesday, stocks forced to be sold due to margin calls totaled 271.7 billion won (US$200 million) last week, more than four times the 64.8 billion won recorded a week earlier. Stocks worth 50.9 billion won were sold off last Friday alon June 30, 2026

FSS holds brokerage financially liable for wrap account losses SEOUL, June 30 (AJP) -South Korea's financial regulator has for the first time ruled that a brokerage must compensate investors for losses caused by improper discretionary asset management, setting a precedent that securities firms can be held financially liable for mishandling client assets. The Financial Supervisory Service's Dispute Mediation Committee said Tuesday it ordered investors to be reimbursed for 60 percent to 70 percent of losses stemming from the management of June 30, 2026

Korea sees sharpest rise in zombie firms among major economies SEOUL, June 30 (AJP) -Despite the benchmark KOSPI's spectacular run, South Korea saw the largest increase in the share of zombie companies among major economies between 2017 and 2025, with more than one in four listed firms unable to cover interest expenses with their earnings for three consecutive years, the country's largest business lobby said Tuesday. The Federation of Korean Industries said marginal companies accounted for 27.6 percent of Korea's listed firms in 20 June 30, 2026

Overdue loans hit record as small business owners struggle to repay debts SEOUL, June 30 (AJP) - Small business owners are falling deeper into debt, with loans and overdue payments both hitting record highs in the first quarter amid a prolonged economic downturn. According to data submitted by the Bank of Korea to lawmaker Park Sung-hoon of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Tuesday, outstanding loans of the self-employed reached 1,095.5 trillion won (US$803 billion) as of the end of March, the highest level since relevant records began in 20 June 30, 2026

Pension overhang drags KOSPI, Tokyo rallies SEOUL, June 30 (AJP) - Korean stocks opened lower Tuesday as investors positioned for the National Pension Service to resume domestic equity sales from July, a supply overhang that dragged the KOSPI down even as Tokyo rallied and the local tech-heavy KOSDAQ climbed. The benchmark KOSPI fell 0.2 percent, shedding 20.19 points to 8,374.46, while the KOSDAQ rose 0.9 percent to 929.33. Foreigners drove the move, selling a net 808.7 billion won (522.0 million dollars) on the main boar June 30, 2026

KOSPI's volatility deepens on fragile foundation SEOUL, June 29 (AJP) - South Korea's stock market still looks spectacular despite its recent correction. Underneath, however, the rally is becoming increasingly narrow, speculative and volatile—three characteristics that help explain why the Korean won remains stuck near crisis-era levels despite the soaring benchmark. The latest evidence came Monday as the market's advance-decline ratio (ADR), a widely watched measure of market breadth, remained in oversold territory, June 29, 2026

Battery frenzy lifts KOSDAQ while chip stocks drag KOSPI down SEOUL, June 29 (AJP) - A battery-led frenzy on South Korea's junior KOSDAQ masked a flat, chip-heavy KOSPI on the main bourse on Monday, splitting the country's stock market into two sessions running in opposite directions. The secondary-battery rally drove the KOSDAQ up 8.1 percent to 920.57, while the KOSPI slipped 0.2 percent to 8,394.65 as key chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix fell. Foreign investors turned net buyers on the main board, while institutional a June 29, 2026