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Jun Ji-hye

Korea Times Finance Reporter

Hello, I am Jun Ji-hye, a reporter at The Korea Times. I primarily cover financial authorities and write articles on a wide range of topics related to finance and capital markets. If you have any information to share, feel free to email me at jjh@koreatimes.co.kr, and I will review it carefully. I am committed to always doing my best to communicate with readers through high-quality articles.

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KOSPI retains 8,000 level despite renewed US-Iran conflict

The benchmark KOSPI dipped Thursday amid renewed U.S.-Iran tensions but held firm above 8,000 after a record-setting two-session rally that pushed the index beyond 8,200. KOSPI opened 62.97 points, or 0.77 percent, lower at 8,165.73 and finished the session at 8,185.29, down 43.41 points, or 0.53 percent, from the previous trading day. The index briefly tumbled to an intraday low of 7,841.01 amid aggressive selling by foreign investors of market heavyweights Samsung Electronics and SK hynix before recouping most of its losses on the back of strong retail buying. Investor sentiment deteriorated as renewed U.S.-Iran tensions overshadowed expectations for a ceasefire breakthrough. Concerns intensified after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was reported to have launched attacks on U.S. military bases in Kuwait in response to recent U.S. strikes in southern Iran. Seo Sang-young, an analyst at Mirae Asset Securities, said Asian stock markets, including Korea, extended losses as investors priced in escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran. “The latest developments drove inte

May 28, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
KOSPI retains 8,000 level despite renewed US-Iran conflict
Law & Crime

Customs agency's secondary mail screening nets 3 drug smuggling cases in 60 days

The Korea Customs Service (KCS) said Thursday that its newly launched secondary drug screening system for international mail has resulted in the seizure of three narcotics smuggling cases totaling 1,159.3 grams within just 60 days, demonstrating its effectiveness as an additional barrier against drug trafficking. Dubbed the second line of defense, the system subjects international postal items to a second round of X-ray screening and physical inspection at inland mail centers after they have already cleared initial checks at airports and seaports, creating a dual-layer screening framework. The measure was introduced to counter the growing use of international mail for drug smuggling and increasingly sophisticated concealment methods. Since April, the system has been operating at five major logistics hubs nationwide, including Seoul, Anyang and Busan. To support the initiative, KCS and Korea Post overhauled the international mail logistics network so that all inbound postal items pass through the five designated hubs, each equipped with enhanced X-ray screening and inspection capabilities

May 28, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
Customs agency's secondary mail screening nets 3 drug smuggling cases in 60 days
Banking & Finance

Brokerage employment hits 17-year high amid KOSPI rally

Brokerage employment in Korea has climbed to its highest level in 17 years, nearing the 40,000 mark as the KOSPI's record-setting rally boosts hiring demand across the industry, data showed Wednesday. Data from the Financial Supervisory Service, the country's financial watchdog, showed that the number of employees at securities firms totaled 39,514 at the end of last year. The figure includes staff employed at overseas branches of Korean brokerages as well as domestic branches of foreign securities firms. The latest tally marks the industry's largest workforce since September 2008, when employment stood at 40,341 during the early stages of the global financial crisis. Data from the Bank of Korea showed a similar trend. According to the central bank's Economic Statistics System, securities firms employed 39,711 people as of the end of the first quarter, up 181 from the previous quarter and 819 from a year earlier. It was the highest level since the central bank began compiling the data series in the third quarter of 2014. By firm, Mirae Asset Securities remained the industry's largest emplo

May 28, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
Brokerage employment hits 17-year high amid KOSPI rally
Others

Chip rally, ETF debut propel KOSPI to record close above 8,200

KOSPI extended its rally Wednesday and climbed above the 8,200 level to set another high after breaching the 8,000-point mark for the first time a day earlier. Investor sentiment was buoyed by a sharp rally in U.S. technology stocks and growing expectations surrounding the launch of single-stock leveraged exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tied to Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. Samsung Electronics also received a boost after its wage agreement was approved in a labor union vote with 73.7 percent support. The deal eased concerns over short-term strike risks, reinforcing positive sentiment toward the tech giant's stock. The benchmark index opened at 8,242.12, up 194.61 points, or 2.42 percent, from the previous session, and at one point surged 5 percent to 8,450.26, marking its first-ever move above the 8,400 threshold. It later pared some gains to close at 8,228.70, up 181.19 points, or 2.25 percent, rewriting its record closing high just a day after reaching the previous milestone. The strong gains in early trading prompted the activation of a buy-side sidecar, temporarily suspending progra

May 27, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
Chip rally, ETF debut propel KOSPI to record close above 8,200
Others

LEE’S 1ST YEAR IN OFFICE KOSPI heading toward 10,000: Fundamentals, policy fuel Korea’s market rally

Korean stocks have extended an unprecedented rally despite uncertainties stemming from the Middle East conflict, with the benchmark KOSPI soaring from the 2,000-point range to above 8,000 within a year of President Lee Jae Myung taking office. KOSPI’s gains this year, the strongest among major G20 economies, have been driven largely by a global semiconductor supercycle fueled by rising artificial intelligence (AI) demand, which boosted earnings at Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, alongside the government’s market value-up and stock market revitalization policies. KOSPI closed at 2,770.84 on June 4, 2025, the day Lee took office. Less than a year later, the index finished at 8,047.51 on Tuesday, surpassing the 8,000 mark on a closing basis for the first time after briefly topping the level intraday on May 15. The rally continued Wednesday, with KOSPI reaching 8,228.70, up 181.19 points, or 2.25 percent, and setting another closing high just a day after the previous milestone. Data released by business tracker CEO Score on May 13 showed that the combined market capitalization of Kore

May 27, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
[LEE’S 1ST YEAR IN OFFICE] KOSPI heading toward 10,000: Fundamentals, policy fuel Korea’s market rally
Cryptocurrency

KOSPI hits fresh record above 8,000 on foreign buying, easing oil fears

The benchmark KOSPI hit another record Tuesday, closing above the 8,000-point milestone for the first time. The previous closing high stood at 7,981.41, set on May 14. After opening at 8,070.91, up 223.20 points, or 2.84 percent, from the previous session, the index maintained strong upward momentum and climbed to 8,131.15, surpassing the previous intraday high of 8,046.78 recorded on May 15. It eventually closed at 8,047.51, up 199.80 points, or 2.55 percent, from the previous session. Foreign investors began the session as net sellers but later shifted to net buying, marking their first net purchase in 13 trading sessions. Heavyweight shares led the rally, with Samsung Electronics advancing 2.22 percent, SK hynix surging 5.72 percent and Hyundai Motor gaining 5.19 percent. Investor sentiment improved on hopes for progress in ceasefire negotiations between the United States and Iran and expectations that the Strait of Hormuz would remain open. Reports suggested the two sides were nearing a memorandum of understanding that could pave the way for a final agreement. Easing geopolitical conce

May 26, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
KOSPI hits fresh record above 8,000 on foreign buying, easing oil fears
Others

KRX provides tailored insider trading prevention training for listed firms

The Korea Exchange’s (KRX) Market Oversight Commission has offered tailored training aimed at strengthening unfair trading prevention among listed companies, the KRX said Tuesday. The program, held May 18 at its Seoul headquarters, drew about 60 executives and employees from about 40 listed firms. It was designed to bolster internal control systems and enhance corporate compliance capabilities against insider trading and other unfair market practices. Focusing on employees with greater access to sensitive corporate information, including those working in disclosure, finance, accounting and investor relations, the training offered role-specific content incorporating frequently discussed issues and notable violation cases. Participants received guidance on unfair trading regulations, representative breach cases and recent regulatory changes, including expanded sanction measures. The session also introduced the K-ITAS insider trading alert service, the exchange’s reporting and reward schemes and procedures for filing unfair trading reports and claiming rewards. “Preventing unfair trad

May 26, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
KRX provides tailored insider trading prevention training for listed firms
Others

KOSPI soars more than 8% on Samsung wage agreement, Nvidia earnings beat

The benchmark KOSPI staged a strong rebound Thursday, rising more than 8 percent in a single session on the back of a labor agreement at Samsung Electronics and Nvidia’s better-than-expected earnings results. The index opened at 7,486.37, up 277.42 points, or 3.85 percent, and extended gains throughout the session to close at 7,815.59, up 606.64 points, or 8.42 percent. It was the KOSPI’s strongest daily advance in 34 trading sessions since an 8.44 percent jump on April 1 and marked the index’s sixth-largest one-day gain on record. The KOSPI had briefly topped the 8,000 mark intraday on May 15 before tumbling amid heightened market volatility. After two straight sessions of losses, the benchmark index rebounded sharply. Shares of Samsung Electronics also surged 8.51 percent to close at 299,500 won ($199), helping lift overall market sentiment. The firm's management and labor unions reached a tentative wage agreement late Wednesday, preventing a planned strike at the world’s largest memory chipmaker. Positive momentum was also fueled by overnight gains on Wall Street, particularly a

May 21, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
KOSPI soars more than 8% on Samsung wage agreement, Nvidia earnings beat
Companies

Ex-Samsung chip researcher takes 'Korean Palantir' to Kosdaq debut

A former researcher at Samsung Electronics has successfully taken his physical artificial intelligence (AI) company MakinaRocks to the Kosdaq. The company, co-founded in 2017 by Yoon Seong-ho, also known as Andre S. Yoon, debuted on the tech-heavy market on Wednesday, soaring fourfold from its initial public offering (IPO) price on its first day of trading. After earning a PhD in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he worked as a semiconductor researcher at Samsung Electronics and as a machine learning manager at SK Telecom before launching MakinaRocks. MakinaRocks provides physical AI solutions powered by “Runway,” an enterprise AI operating system designed for industrial environments, earning the company the nickname “Korean Palantir Technologies.” When launching the company, Yoon focused on AI solutions designed for physical industrial environments, including manufacturing equipment, robotics and defense systems. He has since spearheaded the adoption and operation of AI across a range of industries such as semiconductors, batteries, heavy machinery, automobi

May 21, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
Ex-Samsung chip researcher takes 'Korean Palantir' to Kosdaq debut
Others

Foreign investor exodus from Korean stocks accelerates amid chip sell-off

The benchmark KOSPI remained under pressure for a second straight session Wednesday as foreign investors continued pulling funds out of the Korean stock market. Persistent selling in semiconductor shares, coupled with the sharp depreciation of the Korean won and rising U.S. Treasury yields, added to concerns over weakening market liquidity and investor sentiment. The country’s benchmark index opened up 52.86 points, or 0.73 percent, at 7,324.52, but reversed course within minutes and later dropped to an intraday low of 7,053.84. Volatility persisted throughout the trading session before the index ended the day at 7,208.95, down 62.71 points, or 0.86 percent. Data from the Korea Exchange showed that foreign investors extended their selling streak in the KOSPI market to 10 consecutive trading sessions from May 7 through Wednesday. Their cumulative net selling during the period surpassed 43 trillion won ($28.5 billion), already well above the previous monthly record of 35.88 trillion won set in March. Foreign investors were seen rapidly reducing exposure to major semiconductor stocks, such

May 20, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
Foreign investor exodus from Korean stocks accelerates amid chip sell-off
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