Lotte Chemical said on May 11 it posted first-quarter sales of 4.99 trillion won and an operating profit of 73.5 billion won, swinging to a profit from a year earlier. Net profit came to 33.5 billion won. The company said it improved profitability through more agile feedstock sourcing and flexible operating rate adjustments despite rising raw material prices and increased geopolitical risks in the Middle East.

The focus of global ESG is shifting rapidly toward corporate governance, as shareholder proposals in the United States increasingly target board structure and capital policy. In South Korea, a series of Commercial Act revisions and mandatory treasury share cancellations are strengthening governance rules and raising pressure on major groups. Some companies are moving early to cancel shares, while others are adding exception clauses or reshaping board structures, prompting warnings of longer-term governance risk premiums.