South Korea\'s KOSPI keeps setting record highs, rising well above 7,000 and nearing the 8,000 mark as foreign buying focuses on large-cap semiconductor and AI shares. The rally is also linked to expectations for government policy and global liquidity, although several factors are seen as potential volatility risks. Investor money is shifting into policy funds, ETFs and tax-saving accounts, while banks expand corporate finance and strategic tie-ups. AI adoption is spreading across financial services.

South Korea\'s National Tax Service has launched an irregular tax audit into Meritz Securities after spotting suspected tax evasion. Investigators from the Seoul Regional Tax Office’s Investigation Bureau 4 visited the firm’s headquarters in Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo district to secure accounting and other materials needed for the probe. The move comes three days after similar audits began at Hana Financial Group and Hana Bank, prompting attention to a possible expansion across the wider financial industry.