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  Rising subprime borrowers face delinquency risk amid fast rate rises in Korea SEOUL, March 26 (AJP) - A growing pool of overleveraged, subprime borrowers is emerging as a key financial risk in South Korea, with war-driven surge in market and dollar rates amplifying repayment stress. Data released Thursday by the Bank of Korea (BOK) showed the share of “subprime borrowers” — defined by the BOK as individuals with loans from three or more financial institutions, belonging to the bottom 30 percent income bracket and holding low credit rating March 26, 2026
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  KOSPI slips on chip concerns as hopes for Middle East ceasefire lift Asian markets SEOUL, March 26 (AJP) - Asian markets mostly opened higher on Thursday amid growing hopes for a possible ceasefire in the Middle East. In contrast, South Korean stocks fell as semiconductor shares dropped over concerns that Google's "TurboQuant" could reduce demand for memory chips. Earlier investor sentiment improved as signs of possible talks between the U.S. and Iran lifted Wall Street overnight. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.66 percent to 46,429.49, the S March 26, 2026
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  Asian stocks climb as easing Middle East tensions push oil prices lower SEOUL, March 25 (AJP) - Asian stock markets rose broadly on Wednesday as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz were somewhat eased, pushing oil prices lower, lifting sentiment across the region. The move followed comments from U.S. President Donald Trump the previous day, signaling progress in peace negotiations with Iran, raising expectations for a possible end to the conflict in the Middle East and also reducing fears of disruptions to global energy supplies. Brent crude hovered ne March 25, 2026
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  Korea's relative 'under-globalized' may underpin Korean Inc. strength SEOUL, March 25 (AJP) - South Korea’s financial sector may look under-globalized next to the country’s export-driven industrial giants, but that is not necessarily a weakness, former Bank for International Settlements (BIS) General Manager Agustín Carstens said Wednesday. Speaking at the 19th Asia-Pacific Financial Forum (APFF) 2026 in Seoul, Carstens said Korea’s financial system has played a strategically effective role by channeling resources into the March 25, 2026
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  Asian markets open higher on US peace plan for Iran; KOSPI lifted by SK hynix's IPO filing SEOUL, March 25 (AJP) - Asian markets opened higher on Wednesday after reports that the U.S. had sent a proposal to Iran to end the conflict in the Middle East, while Israel had reportedly proposed a one-month ceasefire. But amid continuing conflicting signals from Washington and Tehran, U.S. stocks closed lower the previous day, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 0.18 percent, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell 0.37 percent and 0.84 percent, respectively, as earlier opti March 25, 2026
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  BOK chief nominee's hawkish instincts to face Gulf-driven inflation test SEOUL, March 24 (AJP) —The choice of former Bank for International Settlements (BIS) economist Shin Hyun-song as the new central bank chief reflects a “firefighting” role against the Gulf War-driven perfect storm South Korea faces, and according to a former BIS colleague, he is best suited for the job. How far and how fast the Bank of Korea governor nominee will translate his hawkish academic stance into policy is now the market’s central question, as Shin March 25, 2026
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  Asian stocks rise on Trump remarks on Iran despite lingering volatility SEOUL, March 24 (AJP) - South Korea's KOSPI closed up more than 2 percent on Tuesday, tracking gains across Asian and U.S. markets as investors reacted to U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks delaying potential military action against Iran, despite swirling intraday volatility. The benchmark index rose 148.17 points or 2.74 percent to close at 5,553.92 points. It opened more than 4 percent higher, rose to an intraday high of 5,643, fell to 5,395.2, and later recovered to cl March 24, 2026
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  Asia advances on easing Middle East tensions and oil price drop SEOUL, March 24 (AJP) — Asian markets found modest relief Tuesday on signals of a potential truce after U.S. President Donald Trump suspended his ultimatum over attacks on Iran’s power infrastructure, though gains were pared amid mixed signals from Tehran and Gulf states. Japanese stocks rose at the open on expectations of early de-escalation in the Middle East, with the Nikkei 225 rebounding after plunging more than 5 percent in the previous session on fears of prolon March 24, 2026
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  LG Electronics sells over 3 million washers globally SEOUL, March 24 (AJP) - The cumulative sales of LG Electronics' high-end washing machines have exceeded 3 million units, the home appliance giant said on Wednesday. Since its launch in the U.S. in September 2020, the Tromm WashTower, a washing machine that combines a washer and dryer in a single stacked unit, has been sold in about 77 countries, with some 1.2 million units sold in South Korea as of February. Buoyed by its energy efficiency and convenience, demand is risin March 24, 2026
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  KOSPI jumps as Iran strike fears ease, oil prices tumble SEOUL, March 24 (AJP) — South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI opened sharply higher on Tuesday upon expectation of a potential truce. Seoul’s main index rose 4.39 percent to 5,643.00 at the open, while the KOSDAQ gained 3.47 percent to 1,135.00. Gains later pared to around 2 percent as conflicting remarks from Washington and Tehran over a possible truce tempered early optimism. U.S. President Donald Trump delayed a potential strike on Iran by five days and signaled op March 24, 2026