KOSPI fell 4.58% while KOSDAQ edged up 0.26%, exposing sharp market dispersion. Kakao’s preliminary second-quarter operating profit rose 35.9% year on year to KRW 277.0 billion. New supply-chain and product-safety measures, plus Hormuz talks, still require execution and traffic data.
Korean equities rebounded as foreign investors bought large-cap chipmakers and the won strengthened. AMD’s data-center growth reinforced the AI-demand signal, while a possible Hormuz shipping arrangement could ease imported-cost pressure. Futures positioning and verified vessel traffic remain the key counterchecks.
Korea’s July consumer inflation eased to 2.8% year on year as the government moved forward semiconductor-cluster timelines, manufacturing-AI deployment and strategic export finance. The briefing also examines the Bangladesh CEPA, labor reforms and heat-related livestock losses, with implementation tests and counterarguments.
Korea broke ground on a national AI computing center targeting 15,000 advanced AI chips by 2028. June online shopping reached KRW 24.6067 trillion, up 10.7% year on year, while early trading split sharply: the KOSPI fell as the KOSDAQ rallied and semiconductor heavyweights weakened.
DAILY KOREA BRIEFING Korea’s AI and critical-mineral diplomacy now faces the execution test A fact-led review of grid infrastructure, European EV production, localized power-equipment capacity, climate shocks and early-market divergence. CreatedAugust 3, 2026, 10:10 KST News windowAugust 2, 2026, 00:00–23:59 KST Early-market snapshotAugust 3, 2026, 10:05 KST Contents One-line assessment Executive summary Korea news priorities … 더 읽기