Canada, US Hold Fresh Trade Talks as August 19 Tariff Deadline Nears 
UK Economy Posts Surprise June Growth as World Cup and Hot Weather Lift Activity 
Pandora Shares Rise as Q2 Results Beat Forecasts, 2026 Outlook Raised 
Trump Imposes New US Tariffs on Drone Imports Over National Security Concerns 
Google Pushes Gemini AI Overhaul as Sergey Brin Targets Model Supremacy 
China Automakers Accelerate Global Expansion as Domestic Car Sales Slump 
US Dollar Holds Firm as Fed Outlook and Iran Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
LG, Nvidia Expand AI Partnership With Humanoid Robots, AI Factories 
Asian Currencies Steady Ahead of US CPI as Oil Prices Rise 
Aviva First-Half Operating Profit Jumps 24% as Direct Line Deal Boosts Growth 
Super Micro Stock Jumps 19% as AI Server Demand Drives Strong 2027 Outlook 
Bernstein Picks BYD and Xiaomi as Top China EV Stocks Despite Weaker Demand 
Canada-US Trade Talks Gain Momentum Ahead of Aug. 19 Tariff Deadline 
Japan Government Backs Earlier BOJ Rate Hike as Inflation Pressures Build 
Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square Returns to Netflix With Major New Stake 
Asian Currencies Steady as Dollar Holds Firm After U.S. Inflation Data 
Oil Prices Slide as OPEC, IEA Cut 2026 Demand Forecasts 
Add as a preferred source on Google
A number of Hybe Corporation’s staff were referred to the prosecution after they were accused of insider trading, which violates the country’s Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act. The employees were said to have sold their Hybe shares last year almost immediately after learning that the BTS boy band is taking a break.
As mentioned on Korea Bizwire, the employees' move to sell their shares is considered an insider trading offense because BTS’ hiatus was a piece of confidential information at that time. The band’s temporary halt of activities as a group was not yet publicly announced thus, only some employees of the company may have come to know about it.
As requested by the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office, the financial regulator in South Korea launched an investigation into the suspicion of insider trading, and on Wednesday, May 31, the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) said it has already passed the case to the prosecution after probing the claims.
The FSS pointed out that Hybe Corporation announced BTS’ hiatus via YouTube streaming. The company did not issue an official statement like it always does, so the announcement caused confusion among the investors as well.
On June 16, 2022, one day before the company’s announcement of BTS break from activities, Hybe’s shares dropped by almost 25%. Three of the company’s staff were able to avoid losses amounting to KRW230 million or about $173,910 because, as the FSS alleged, they already knew about the hiatus, so they sold their shares before the numbers went down.
“The primary artists and their activities are integral to the management of a listed entertainment company and can significantly impact company share prices,” Korea’s FSS stated.
Meanwhile, Korea Joongang Daily reported that to avoid similar incidents, the FSS is urging entertainment companies that are listed on the stock market to create a system where all the information should be openly shared with investors, too, especially details that were already relayed to some employees. The FSS said that this system will “strengthen internal control so its employees cannot utilize inside information."
Photo by: Jason Briscoe on Unsplash
