Hancom With Woos Japanese Startups, Showcases Security Technology

*Editor's Note: 'AI PRISM' (Personalized Report & Insight Summarizing Media) is an 'artificial intelligence (AI)-based customized news recommendation and summary service' developed with support from the Korea Press Foundation. It selects and provides six customized news items by reader type.

1. Hancom With Presents AI Security Solutions to Japanese Startups, Accelerates Local Push

- Key Summary: Hancom With introduced AI-based security solutions to 16 executives from promising Japanese startups. The delegation visited Hancom With's headquarters in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, as part of the "Korea-Japan Nikkei Open Innovation Cooperation Day," co-hosted by the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and Nihon Keizai Shimbun. The company demonstrated its facial authentication solution "Hancom OS," its non-perceptible continuous authentication solution "Hancom XC OS," and its certificate automation management solution "Hancom UCLM." Hancom With is positioning Japan's financial and public sectors as a key base for overseas expansion, conducting technology reviews and business model discussions with local partners and potential clients.

2. KB Financial (105560) Establishes 'AX Digital Asset Fund' to Build Future Finance Ecosystem

- Key Summary: KB Financial Group established the 100 billion won "KB AX Digital Asset Fund," which invests in digital asset companies including stablecoin firms. The fund invests in domestic technology companies related to the group's digital asset business, such as stablecoins and central bank digital currencies (CBDC), while also conducting proof of concept (PoC) work. Major affiliates including KB Kookmin Bank and KB Securities participate as limited partners, with KB Investment managing the fund. It is a strategic investment fund focused on securing the group's future growth engines rather than simple financial returns, and it also plans to invest in technology companies related to artificial intelligence transformation (AX).

3. Homeplus Fails to Last a Month on 200 Billion Won Injection…"Realistic Rehabilitation Redesign Needed"

- Key Summary: Homeplus secured a foundation to continue its rehabilitation process by confirming 200 billion won in emergency funding (DIP financing). Meritz Fire & Marine Insurance, Meritz Securities, and Meritz Capital approved the funding support plan on the condition of a joint guarantee from MBK Partners Chairman Michael Byungju Kim, and Homeplus plans to file an immediate appeal with the Seoul Bankruptcy Court on the 20th. However, a sharp drop in creditworthiness led suppliers to halt transactions, leaving shelves empty at stores nationwide, while public-interest claims grew from 332.8 billion won in March last year to 1.0999 trillion won in May this year. In the industry, a realistic alternative being raised is to abolish the current rehabilitation process, lower the liquidation value, and attempt a merger and acquisition (M&A) again.

4. Naver Launches New Fulfillment…Expands Dawn and Weekend N-Delivery

- Key Summary: Naver launched the open beta of "N-Delivery FBN," which reduces the logistics burden on Smart Store sellers. Sellers can manage inventory and delivery through Naver's Smart Store management center without signing separate contracts with logistics firms, while actual storage and delivery are handled by logistics companies belonging to the Naver Fulfillment Alliance (NFA). This enables dawn delivery and Sunday delivery, and expands delivery items to fresh food, health food, and children's products. Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon had previously stated that the company would raise the share of products covered by N-Delivery to 25% within the year.

5. [Exclusive] Coupang Raises 'Free Return' Hurdle to Block Bad Consumers

- Key Summary: Coupang is partially tightening the standards of its free return system for Wow membership members. The company will attach an additional thread-loop tag (TAG) that is difficult to reattach to hanbok products, and will restrict returns if the tag is removed or damaged. Hanbok has been cited as a representative item of abuse, with return rates soaring to around 60%, double the usual level, right after holidays. The company expects this measure to reduce recovery and inspection costs as well as the burden of dead inventory. Coupang is considering expanding similar standards to other product categories after reviewing the results of the pilot operation.

6. 79 Trillion Won for Faltering PayPal…What Is Stripe Aiming For

- Key Summary: Payment service company Stripe and private equity fund (PEF) Advent International are pursuing the acquisition of PayPal at an enterprise value of approximately $53 billion (about 79 trillion won). The two companies submitted a proposal to jointly acquire PayPal Holdings at $60.50 per share, a figure reflecting a premium of about 28% over the previous closing price. When the news broke, PayPal's stock surged 17.21% to close at $55.52, and is being evaluated as a major deal that could reshape the global payment and fintech industry. However, PayPal's board remains reserved about the proposed price, and procedures such as antitrust regulatory review remain to be cleared.