South Korea online shopping hits record as travel demand defies fuel surcharges SEOUL, May 04 (AJP) - South Korea's online shopping transactions hit an all-time monthly high in March as travelers booked spring holidays despite soaring fuel costs driven by the Middle East conflict. Data from Statistics Korea showed monthly transactions reached 25.6 trillion won, marking the first time the figure has surpassed 25 trillion won since tracking began in 2017. Total volume grew 13.3 percent compared to the same period last year. Travel and transport services May 4, 2026

BOK deputy governor flags rate hike possibility, bond yields tick up SEOUL, May 4 (AJP) — Bank of Korea Deputy Governor Ryoo Sang-dai on Sunday signaled that South Korea’s monetary policy may be shifting toward tightening rather than easing, becoming the first monetary board member to publicly lean toward a rate hike amid mounting inflationary pressure tied to Middle East tensions. “Given the external shock and broader economic conditions, my personal view is that monetary policy is moving closer to a hiking cycle than a r May 4, 2026

KOSPI tops 6,800 on AI-driven chip rally amid easing Hormuz tensions SEOUL, May 04 (AJP) - South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI jumped more than 3 percent at the open on Monday to test a new plateau above 6,800 on strong institutional buying in chip and other large-cap stocks. Market sentiment was also influenced by geopolitical developments after U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States would begin safely escorting ships from “neutral and innocent” countries through the Strait of Hormuz under a new initiative referred to as &l May 4, 2026

Asian stocks fall across the board as oil prices surge SEOUL, April 30 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI fell 1.38 percent to close at 6,598.87 on Thursday as rising oil prices dragged Asian markets lower. Brent crude futures jumped more than 5 percent in Asian trading, pushing regional stocks down over 1 percent. The junior KOSDAQ also dropped, closing at 1,192.35, down 2.29 percent. The main index rose to as high as 6,750.27 during the intraday session, setting a new intraday record. However, it later fluctuated and decline April 30, 2026

At War 60 Days: Decoupling deepens in Korean markets as stocks rally alone SEOUL, April 30 (AJP) — Decoupling across South Korean asset markets has intensified over the past two months of war in the Middle East, with equities extending a solo rally while the currency and bond markets remain under pressure. With few safe havens in a wartime environment, equities have emerged as the primary risk asset. In contrast, the won and government bonds — more exposed to macroeconomic stress — have been weighed down by disruptions to the Strait o April 30, 2026

KOSPI tests 6,700 milestone amid heavy tug-of-war SEOUL, April 30 (AJP) - South Korea's main index is set to end weekly session at fresh historic high, breaking above the 6,700 mark for the first time as foreign buying fended off local profit-taking. The KOSPI rose 0.4 percent to 6,713.16 as of 11:20 a.m. Thursday, testing above 6,700 mark for the first time. Foreign investors bought 332.7 billion won($224 million), while institutions and retail investors sold 214.9 billion won and 90.4 billion won, respectively. The marke April 30, 2026

KOSPI rebounds to fresh high, shrugging off AI jitters SEOUL, April 29 (AJP) - Korea’s benchmark KOSPI stood out in Asia on Wednesday, closing at a fresh record high after rebounding from early losses driven by concerns over the sustainability of the artificial intelligence-driven rally. The KOSPI rose 0.8 percent to close at 6,690.90, after hitting a low of 6,596.03 throughout the trading session. The index later reversed course to hit today's high of 6,702.38, highlighting resilient buying momentum despite external headwin April 29, 2026

Korean Inc. turns to 91-day financing as corporate debt market remains icy SEOUL, April 29 (AJP) — South Korean companies are turning to three-month financing to meet debt obligation, as new bond issues become increasingly difficult with lower-rated yields hovering above 10 percent amid icy demand. Bond issuance by non-financial companies fell 6.5 percent from a month earlier to 4.78 trillion won in March, even as overall bond issuance rose 3.8 percent to 19.98 trillion won ($13.56 billion), according to data released Wednesday by the Financial S April 29, 2026

Korean women still do 3 times more unpaid housework, men on faster rise SEOUL, April 29 (AJP) - South Korean women would effectively be 2.7 times richer than men — if unpaid household work were properly compensated — though the gap has eased from 3.2 times five years ago as single life forces more men to take on domestic responsibility, data showed Wednesday. The value of home management in South Korea — encompassing childcare, cooking, cleaning and elder care — was estimated at 582.4 trillion won ($420 billion) in 2024, equiva April 29, 2026

South Korea's FX trading hits record high in Q1 as foreign capital inflows surge SEOUL, April 29 (AJP) - South Korea's foreign-exchange (FX) trading volume hit a record high in the first quarter amid heightened volatility and foreign capital inflows, the Bank of Korea said on Wednesday. According to the central bank, average daily foreign-exchange trading by banks in the first three months of this year including spot and derivatives trading totaled US$102.65 billion, up $18.03 billion, or 21.3 percent, from the previous quarter's $84.62 billion, and th April 29, 2026