South Korea's food industry is ramping up baseball marketing through collaborations with the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) and professional teams. Companies including Nongshim, Lotte Wellfood and Starbucks Korea are rolling out limited-edition products, team-themed packaging and goods, and holding in-stadium events. The push follows strong pro baseball attendance, with the KBO expecting crowds to rise to about 13 million this year. Some collaborations have already sold out in pre-orders and annual releases.

First-quarter results at South Korea's four biggest financial holding groups were decided by non-interest income and the competitiveness of non-bank units, with net interest income holding steady. A stock market recovery and money flows lifted fees and capital markets earnings, widening performance gaps. Combined net profit rose 8.1 percent from a year earlier to 53.3 trillion won, topping 50 trillion won for the first time. KB Financial remained No. 1, while Woori Financial was the only group to post a decline due to one-off factors.