BOK's new chief to start work Tues after last-minute confirmation SEOUL, April 20 (AJP) — South Korea’s incoming central bank chief Shin Hyun-song is set to begin his term Tuesday under a cloud of unresolved personal controversies, after the National Assembly approved his confirmation report Monday following two earlier rejections. Shin marks the first nominee for the Bank of Korea governorship to fail to secure initial approval from the parliamentary Strategy and Finance Committee since confirmation hearings became mandatory in 20 April 20, 2026

BOK's Rhee swan song: central bank must act as think tank beyond rate tools SEOUL, April 20 (AJP) — Bank of Korea Governor (BOK) Rhee Chang-yong emphasized the central bank’s dual role as a think tank in his swan-song remarks before retiring Monday, even as critics argued the Bank of Korea strayed into non-monetary areas such as housing and education under his watch. In his final speech before stepping down, Rhee reflected on the limits of traditional policy tools after navigating multiple crises over the past four years. “Managin April 20, 2026

Asian markets open the week on positive note despite Hormuz uncertainties SEOUL, April 20 (AJP) - Most Asian markets opened the week higher Monday despite conflicting developments in the Middle East ahead of the Tuesday expiration of the truce between the United States and Iran. Hopes had risen last week that the conflict might ease and that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen, but Iran said over the weekend that the strait remained closed. Reports that two Indian-flagged vessels were forced to turn back added to concerns over the security of shipping thr April 20, 2026

Korean stocks slip as foreign investors offload $1.34 billion in shares SEOUL, April 17 (AJP) - Korean stocks closed lower Friday, retreating from recent highs as foreign investors led broad-based selling. Lingering geopolitical uncertainty continued to cap risk appetite despite signs of potential de-escalation in the Middle East. Other Asian markets also traded lower, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 falling 1.21 percent, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dropping 1.2 percent, and China’s Shanghai Composite edging down 0.2 percent. The benchmar April 17, 2026

Hanwha Solutions trims capital raise to 1.8 trillion won after regulator pushback SEOUL, April 17 (AJP) - Hanwha Solutions announced it will scale back its planned rights offering to 1.8 trillion won ($1.21 billion) from an initial 2.4 trillion won, retreating from a contentious fundraising plan that drew a rare regulatory rebuke and sharp criticism from shareholders. The revised offering, approved by the company's board on Friday, comes just eight days after the Financial Supervisory Service ordered Hanwha Solutions to refile its securities registration, cit April 17, 2026

Asian shares edge lower ahead of U.S.-Iran talks; Samsung Electro-Mechanics hits record SEOUL, April 17 (AJP) - Asian markets traded lower Friday as recent rally momentum faded, with investors weighing mixed signals from the Gulf over whether the conflict may begin to wind down through renewed U.S.-Iran talks and separate negotiations between Israel and Lebanon. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.98 percent to 58,937.04, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index lost 0.81 percent to 26,180.23 and China’s Shanghai Composite slipped 0.18 percent to 4,048.38. South Korea& April 17, 2026

KOSPI flirts around record highs amid signs of de-escalating Gulf tensions SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) -Korean stocks extended gains Thursday, with the benchmark KOSPI hovering near a record close on signs of de-escalating Gulf tensions and renewed institutional buying. The KOSPI rose 2.2 percent to close at 6,226.10, a tad below last record finish of 6,307.27 on Feb. 26. Institutions led the advance, purchasing 1.10 trillion won($746.7 million), while foreign investors added 464.4 billion won. Retail investors sold 1.81 trillion won, locking in gains afte April 16, 2026

Asian markets rise on hopes for upcoming US–Iran talks as KOSPI stays above 6,000 SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - Asian markets opened broadly upbeat on Thursday as hopes for a possible end to the conflict in the Middle East started to rise ahead of another round of talks between the U.S. and Iran in Pakistan this month. Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 1.73 percent to 59,139.58. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.73 percent to 26,137.49, and China's Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.17 percent to 4,033.92. South Korea's benchmark KOSPI also extended its gains, r April 16, 2026

Foreigners dump over $30 bn KOSPI shares and turn net bond sellers in March SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) -Foreign investors staged a record monthly sell-off in South Korean equities in March amid risk aversion and concerns over the energy-dependent economy from the outbreak of the conflicts in the Gulf and de-facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. According to the Financial Supervisory Service on Thursday, foreigners net sold 43.5 trillion won ($31.8 billion) worth of locally listed shares last month, more than doubling from February’s 19.6 trillion won out April 16, 2026

KOSPI recovers above 6,000 for first time since Trump's war in Iran SEOUL, April 15 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI closed at 6,091.39 on Wednesday, up 2.07 percent from a day earlier, regaining the 6,000 mark for the first time in about 30 trading sessions. The index had last closed above that threshold on Feb. 27, when it was at 6,244.13, just a day before the U.S. and Israel launched joint airstrikes on Iran, throwing the already volatile Middle East region into deeper conflict. The gain was driven by foreign investors, who bought ab April 15, 2026