Q3 Growth at 1.3%... Domestic Demand Recovers in Consumption and Investment [3-Minute Brief]

[At a Glance]
① Q3 GDP grows 1.3%... up 0.1 percentage points from preliminary estimate
② Coupang considers abolishing remote work in wake of data breach incident
③ Foreign exchange reserves reach largest level in 3 years and 3 months

MARKET INDEX

○ U.S. New York Stock Exchange rises for the second consecutive day

○ Risk appetite recovers on AI theme

○ Expectations for interest rate cuts intensify

TOP 3 NEWS

■ Annual 1% growth is now closer... "Private consumption and exports in Q4 are key" (Comprehensive)

○ Bank of Korea announces preliminary national income for Q3 2025
○ Construction investment turns positive... government spending and exports increase
○ Even if Q4 is -0.4%, annual 1.0% can be achieved

■ [Exclusive] "We are victims too, but they're shifting the blame" Coupang employees unsettled by review of remote work abolishment

○ Aftermath of data breach affecting 33.7 million people
○ Some departments suspend external meetings and schedules
○ Employees increasingly anxious amid rumors of reduced remote work

■ Foreign exchange reserves exceed 430 billion dollars... highest in 3 years and 3 months

○ Bank of Korea, "Foreign Exchange Reserves as of End-November 2025"
○ Korea's foreign exchange reserves rank 9th in the world
○ Increase in investment returns and foreign currency deposits at financial institutions

Graphic News: Education tax doubled in the end... Second-tier financial sector faces increased tax burden amid sluggish core business

○ On the 2nd, the National Assembly passed a supplementary bill to raise the education tax rate to 1% in the plenary session

○ From 2027, insurance companies are expected to bear 700 billion won and card companies 300 billion won in education tax

○ Consumer benefits may decrease due to higher insurance premiums and reduced card benefits

Money-Making Law

■ Criminal appeals exceed 3,000 cases per month

○ Based on "Court Statistics Daily" from the Judicial Information Disclosure Portal
○ Criminal appeals filed with the Supreme Court: 3,141 in May and 3,319 in September
○ First time since January 2015 that monthly cases exceeded 3,000
☞Read the article:  https://www.asiae.co.kr/article/lawtimes/2025120314511123703

■ [Ruling] Conviction of Renbel Capital coin scam recruiter overturned and remanded

○ "Possible to recognize implied intent"
○ Fraud conviction not recognized in first and second trials... "Could be a victim"
○ Supreme Court: "Sufficient grounds to consider the investment funds were misappropriated"
☞Read the article:  https://www.asiae.co.kr/article/lawtimes/2025120314513428580

■ "Lawclerks outperform 3rd- and 4th-year lawyers"

○ Outstanding case understanding and legal analysis
○ Law firms say "immediately deployable"
○ Highly rated for 'practical competence'
☞Read the article:  https://www.asiae.co.kr/article/lawtimes/2025120314515535541

* "Money-Making Law," a content partnership section between The Asia Business Daily and Law Times, is published every Tuesday and Thursday.

Today's Key Schedule

○ Domestic

06:00 Korea's foreign exchange reserves (USD) (November)

AimedBio to be listed on KOSDAQ, final public offering price 11,000 won

Meritz No.1 SPAC KOSDAQ subscription, final public offering price 2,000 won

TMC KOSDAQ subscription, final public offering price 9,300 won

Acryl KOSDAQ subscription, expected public offering price 17,500~19,500 won

○ Overseas

00:00 U.S. construction spending (MoM) (September)

00:00 U.S. ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI (November)

00:30 U.S. crude oil inventories

18:30 Construction Purchasing Managers' Index (November)

21:00 Brazil GDP (YoY) (Q3)

22:30 U.S. initial jobless claims

22:30 Canada trade balance (September)

◇ Lunchtime & Commuting Weather

○ Lowest temperature: -9℃ (▼1℃) ｜Highest temperature: 3℃ (▼6℃)
○ Precipitation probability: 10% in the morning ｜ 60% in the afternoon
○ Fine dust: Good in the morning ｜ Good in the afternoon

All the essential, time-saving economic news in three minutes. Published every day at 8 AM.