South Korea’s first domestic single-stock 2-times leveraged ETFs tracking Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix could debut as early as May. Financial regulators are preparing detailed rules and say investor protection and market-stability safeguards must come first because of the products’ high-risk structure. Demand for leveraged products has been evident, including net buying by local investors of a Hong Kong-listed Samsung Electronics product. Authorities also raised concerns about volatility, tracking gaps and credit-funded concentration.

South Korea's dairy industry is ramping up competition in ready-to-drink protein beverages by increasing protein content and rolling out derivative products. Namyang Dairy Products launched a renewed Take Fit Monster with 45 grams of protein, while Binggrae raised The Protein to as much as 40 grams. The domestic protein market has expanded rapidly since 2018, with beverages accounting for about 60 percent. Companies are also moving into amino acid-based energy gels as competition intensifies.