1. South Korea and the United States kicked off its Freedom Shield exercise Monday amid heightened tensions caused by North Korea's missile tests and hardening rhetoric against the allies.

2. According to South Korea's finance minister Monday, the collapse of the U.S.-based Silicon Valley Bank is expected to have limited impact on the global financial market, although uncertainties will linger amid monetary-tightening moves.

3. The takeover battle of SM Entertainment, which has heated up the entertainment industry and the stock market for the past month, has come to an end with Kakao acquiring the management rights of SM, while HYBE and SM agreeing to collaborate on platforms.