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DEEP ANALYSIS
Are Foreign Tourists Really Increasing in Korea?… The Current Status of Inbound Tourism in the First Half of 2026 Told by Numbers
In a media interview, Professor Ji Yoon-ho of the Department of Tourism at Kangwon National University diagnosed that the visit patterns of foreign tourists are moving away from specific countries or Seoul-centric destinations, and that the so-called 'glocal' strategy linked with regional tourist spots is proving effective following the spread of K-contents. He added that a structural approach to strengthen the regional tourism ecosystem will be necessary in the future. As travel remains a non-constant demand, some tourism specialized reports late last year warned that since travel demand, unlike daily necessities, can be canceled at any time, a high number of visitors last year does not guarantee more this year, necessitating precise responses tailored to the sensibilities of travelers from various countries.
최수진 기자 · 06/11/2026
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DEEP ANALYSIS
What Jensen Huang's 4-Night, 5-Day Trip Left Behind: Can South Korea Become a 'Core Hub' in NVIDIA's AI Supply Chain?
박소유 책임기자 · 06/09/2026
ISSUE BRIEFING
Retail Funds Flock to AI Semiconductor ETFs: Why Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix Value Chains are Chosen
이우리 선임기자 · 06/09/2026
DEEP ANALYSIS
The Reality of the 'Gift' Jensen Huang Brought to South Korea: Strategic Implications of HBM Demand, AI Infrastructure, and Robot Cooperation
류현진 선임기자 · 06/05/2026
ISSUE BRIEFING
The Taxi Hailing App Era: Why the Elderly Face Longer Waits
강지혜 선임기자 · 06/05/2026
ISSUE BRIEFING
What Changed in SME Policy Funds for 2026: Risk Assessment and Financing Strategies
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups plans to supply SME policy funds for 2026, including loans and interest rate subsidies, focusing on promoting innovative growth and improving demand-centric support systems. Amid a shift in screening criteria from collateral-based to technological and growth potential evaluations, concurrent changes are underway in guarantee requirements from the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund and Korea Technology Finance Corporation, alongside stricter loan screenings by the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency. Small and medium-sized enterprises must proactively review risks related to policy fund dependency concentration, interest rate fluctuations, and repayment schedule management, while concurrently pursuing portfolio diversification strategies with private finance.
이우리 선임기자 · 05/28/2026
ISSUE BRIEFING
5 Macroeconomic Variables That Korean Companies Must Track This Week
While the Bank of Korea signals a potential rate hike in July and strong semiconductor exports are driving growth rates, a significant gap remains with domestic consumption sentiment. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 2.6% year-on-year in April, sustaining inflation pressures, with rising oil prices cited as a major cause. A hawkish stance was confirmed in the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) minutes, and some market experts project that there may be no U.S. rate cuts in 2026, making an urgent reassessment of foreign exchange and financing strategies imperative for Korean companies.
이지영 기자 · 05/27/2026
DEEP ANALYSIS
Semiconductors Pull GDP Up by 1.7%, But Why Doesn't the Economy Feel It? — Dissecting the Illusion of South Korea's Economic Structure
Amid a structural bias where a single item, semiconductors, accounts for 46% of total exports, the temperature gap between the vitality of logistics sites and the domestic economic sentiment is wider than ever. As of May 12, 2026, the numbers surrounding the South Korean economy are fractured.
이지영 기자 · 05/12/2026
DEEP ANALYSIS
Did the GTX Really Drive Up Housing Prices? A Complete Analysis of Price Fluctuations in Station Influence Areas Before and After Opening
GTX-A is undergoing phased openings starting with the Suseo-Dongtan section in March 2024, with the connection of the Seoul Station-Suseo Station section scheduled for the second half of 2026. While the Metropolitan Express Railway (GTX) has garnered high expectations from market participants for years under the label of a 'transportation revolution,' the actual movement of housing prices around station areas following the actual openings has drawn attention for tracing a trajectory quite different from those expectations.
이태민 기자 · 05/11/2026
DEEP ANALYSIS
The Real Reason Highway Rest Area Udon Became So Expensive Finally Revealed
A bowl of shrimp tempura udon at a highway rest area costs 7,500 won, and 40% of that price goes toward commissions rather than the food itself. The true face of a 40-year cartel revealed by an audit of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is contained within this single bowl. [Photo = Korea Business Review DB] On May 7, 2026, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport officially announced the results of an audit into the operational adequacy of highway rest facilities, which had been underway since January of this year, targeting the Korea Expressway Corporation (EX) and 'Dosunghoe,' an association of retired EX employees.
최수진 기자 · 05/10/2026
