South Korea's leading presidential candidate, Lee Jae-myung, pledged on Monday to revive legislation to curb abuses by controlling shareholders, as part of a plan to boost the stock market and eliminate the so-called "Korea Discount".

South Korea's acting President Han Duck-soo said on Monday he expected trade talks with the United States this week in Washington to be the start of meaningful cooperation, but added that negotiations may not be easy.

South Korea and the US will kick off trade negotiations this week as the Asian export powerhouse seeks to persuade Donald Trump’s administration to ease the punitive levies that are starting to bite the economy.