Business Community Launches All-Out Effort to Block Yellow Envelope Act [3-Minute Brief]

[At a Glance]
1. Passage of the Yellow Envelope Act in the National Assembly likely... Business community continues to oppose
2. One month after lending regulations, sharp decline in apartment rental transactions in the Seoul metropolitan area
3. Mixed Q2 results for the top 5 construction companies... Overall industry profitability on the rise

MARKET INDEX

○ New York Stock Exchange rebounds across the board after overcoming 'employment shock'

○ Nasdaq rises 2% on expectations of a rate cut in September

○ Tech stocks surge... Nvidia up 3.6%, Tesla up 2.2%

TOP 3 NEWS

■ Government and business community launch final public opinion campaign ahead of main vote on Yellow Envelope Act

○ Main vote at the National Assembly scheduled for the afternoon of the 4th
○ Ministry of Employment and Labor continues to express support for passage
○ Business community considers excessive legislation and constitutional appeal

■ "Let's postpone moving for a while"... Sharp drop in monthly rental transactions in the Seoul metropolitan area due to strict lending regulations

○ Monthly rental transactions recorded in the 40,000 range
○ Monthly lease transactions fall below 20,000
○ Demand for moving shifts to a wait-and-see stance due to lending regulations

■ Divergent Q2 results among top 5 construction companies... 'Sorting the wheat from the chaff' expected to intensify in the second half

○ DL E&C and GS Engineering & Construction report 'surprise earnings'
○ Samsung C&T and Daewoo E&C show 'poor performance'
○ In the second half, companies to focus on restoring profitability and securing new businesses

Graphic News: Will the abolition of the US de minimis exemption shake up K-beauty and fashion-led cross-border e-commerce?

○ On the day of the Korea-US tariff agreement, Trump abolishes the 'de minimis exemption system'

○ Korea's cross-border e-commerce market falls within the 'direct impact zone'... Concerns about disruptions to small business exports

○ President Lee urges special attention... Ministry of SMEs and Startups says "to review closely"

Money-making Law

■ Real estate developer CEO receives confirmed fine for arbitrarily supplying unsold apartment units to family

○ Unsold units illicitly supplied to family and acquaintances
○ First trial rules "This constitutes improper housing supply"
○ Appeals court and Supreme Court uphold same decision
☞Read the article:  https://www.asiae.co.kr/article/social-general/2025080418411878467

■ Supreme Court orders Samsung C&T to fulfill collective bargaining with Metalworkers' Union for past nine years

○ Metalworkers' Union won the 2019 lawsuit against Everland Union over invalid establishment
○ In first trial, Samsung C&T won... "Retroactive application impossible"
○ "Collective bargaining rights of Metalworkers' Union not guaranteed from 2011 to 2020"
☞Read the article:  https://www.asiae.co.kr/article/social-general/2025080418461042435

■ "Investigation and prosecution should be separate organizations... 'Mandatory cooperation' must be ensured"

○ Academic conference held on 'Issues in criminal justice reform - separation of investigation and prosecution'
○ Some argue for 'organizational separation' beyond 'functional separation' in the four major prosecution reform bills
○ Discussion on the obligation of cooperation between the Prosecution Office and investigative agencies
☞Read the article:  https://www.asiae.co.kr/article/social-general/2025080418492893450

※ 'Money-making Law,' a content partnership section between Asia Economy and Law Times, is published every Tuesday and Thursday.

Today's Key Schedule

○ Domestic

KOSDAQ Kyobo No. 18 SPAC subscription, confirmed public offering price: 2,000 KRW

KOSDAQ G2G Bio subscription, planned public offering price: 48,000 ~ 58,000 KRW

KOSDAQ Samyang Comtech subscription, confirmed public offering price: 7,700 KRW

○ Overseas

10:45 China Caixin Services Purchasing Managers' Index (July)

12:35 Japan 10-year JGB bond auction

22:45 US Services Purchasing Managers' Index (July)

23:00 US ISM Non-Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (July)

◇Lunch & Evening Commute Weather

○ Lowest temperature: 27°C (▲1°C) ｜ Highest temperature: 33°C (▲2°C)
○ Precipitation probability: 30% in the morning ｜ 30% in the afternoon
○ Fine dust: Good in the morning ｜ Good in the afternoon

All you need in 3 minutes: essential, value-for-money economic news. Published daily at 8:00 AM.