Most Popular
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'Super Rich in Korea' will leave viewers appreciating Korea more: producers
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Probe of first lady on Dior bag allegations set to begin
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Top prosecutor pledges 'speedy, strict' probe into first lady's luxury bag allegations
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Indonesia’s KF-21 fighter jet deal cut back -- what’s next?
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[KH Explains] Can tech firms' AI alliances take on Nvidia?
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Police seek arrest warrant for med student who killed girlfriend
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Korean battery makers heave sigh of relief over 2-year IRA reprieve
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Local filmmakers criticize ‘The Roundup: Punishment’ monopoly of screens
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Over 80,000 millionaires, 20 billionaires in Seoul: report
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Will China's self-sufficient dream in HBM come true?
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Thingsflow's AI chatbot becomes global featured on Google Play
An artificial intelligence chatbot developed by Thingsflow, a South Korean startup, has been selected as Global Featured on Google Play for the first time as a Korean chatbot service, according to the company Sunday. Thingsflow's Hellobot is a first-generation AI chatbot platform where anyone can easily create and distribute chatbots with unique expertise, such as love tarot, personality and psychological analysis, fortune telling and others. With the selection as Global Featured on Google
Feb. 11, 2024
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S. Korea's coffee imports top $1 bln for 2 yrs in row
South Korea's imports of coffee topped $1 billion for two straight years on its growing popularity here, customs data showed Sunday. The combined value of imported green and roasted coffee beans reached $1.11 billion in 2023, compared with $1.3 billion a year ago, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. Last year, the country imported 193,000 tons of coffee, down from 205,000 tons a year ago. South Korea's coffee imports had been on a steady rise since 2018 as an increasi
Feb. 11, 2024
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Soju exports surpass $100 mln for 1st time in 10 yrs: data
Exports of soju, distilled Korean liquor, topped $100 million for the first time in 10 years in 2023, data showed Saturday. According to the Korea Customs Service, outbound shipments of soju reached $101.4 million in 2023, an increase of 8.7 percent from 2022. The last time soju exports surpassed $100 million was in 2013. Soju is a distilled liquor made of ethyl alcohol and water, with the addition of sweeteners. An industry source said soju sold overseas had been mostly consumed by South Korean
Feb. 10, 2024
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Industry ministry launches support group ahead of S. Korea-Africa summit in June
The industry ministry has launched a support group ahead of a summit between South Korea and African nations slated for June, aiming to enhance bilateral economic cooperation, according to officials Friday. The Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation Public-Private Support Group will make efforts to prepare for the upcoming summit that will pave the way for South Korea's deeper cooperation with the continent with a 1.4 billion population, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. &
Feb. 9, 2024
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Prosecution appeals court acquittal of Samsung chief Lee
Prosecutors on Thursday appealed a recent court acquittal of Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong in a controversial Samsung affiliate merger case, sources said. On Monday, the Seoul Central District Court delivered a not-guilty sentence for Lee, who was charged over alleged engagement in market irregularities over the course of the controversial merger of two Samsung affiliates, Cheil Industries Inc. and Samsung C&T Corp., in 2015. In response, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Of
Feb. 8, 2024
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Former Posco CEO named as group’s next chairman
Posco Holdings said Thursday it has named Chang In-hwa, former CEO of steelmaker Posco, to lead the nation's fifth-largest business group as its next chairman. The result was announced after seven members of the CEO Candidate Recommendation Committee of Posco Group interviewed six candidates in the final list on Wednesday and Thursday. If approved at the group’s annual general meeting of shareholders and board meeting on March 21, Chang will be appointed as chairman of the country&rsq
Feb. 8, 2024
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Conglomerates hesitant to hire
South Korean conglomerates are becoming more reluctant to finalize their hiring plans this year or downsize the number of new employees as their business prospects are shrouded in uncertainty, a poll on job recruiters showed on Thursday. Some 67 percent of conglomerates with over 1,000 employees confirmed that they have recruitment plans this year, falling for the third year in a row from 72 percent and 73 percent in 2023 and 2022, respectively, according to a report by online job portal Incruit
Feb. 8, 2024
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Anticipation grows over Samsung chief's next move
As the legal charges have been cleared for Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong in a recent ruling, anticipation is growing that the tech giant will now go in search for mega mergers and acquisitions to secure future growth engines at full throttle. The Seoul Central District Court this week acquitted Lee of charges including stock manipulation linked to the merger of two of Samsung affiliates in 2015. In Korean business culture, legal risks surrounding a company's leader are often per
Feb. 8, 2024
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Kakao Bank racks up record earnings on mortgage sales
Kakao Bank, South Korea's internet-only bank, announced on Wednesday it achieved a record-high net profit of 354.9 billion won ($267.67 million) last year, a 34.9 percent increase from a year earlier. Its operating profit also soared by 35.48 percent to 478.5 billion won. The online lender's credit expanded mainly on housing mortgage loans, the firm explained. In the fourth quarter, Kakao Bank's deposit balance was approximately 47.1 trillion won, increasing by 14 trillion won fro
Feb. 7, 2024
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HMM sale slips off table
The sale of top container shipper HMM drifted away late Tuesday, as negotiations between two state agencies and a local consortium broke off after weeks of remaining at odds over the terms. The state-run Korea Development Bank and Korean Ocean Business Corp. holding a combined 57.9 percent stake in HMM, had been in talks with a local consortium formed by agri-food giant Harim and private equity firm JKL Partners, to sell off the shipper. The stock purchase agreement deal was to be worth 6.4 tril
Feb. 7, 2024
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Samsung chief heads to Middle East after cleared of merger case charges
Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong took off on a business trip to the Middle East and Southeast Asia shortly following Monday’s court ruling that cleared him of stock manipulation charges in a high-profile 2015 merger deal. According to industry sources on Wednesday, Lee took off to the United Arab Emirates on a private jet on Tuesday to inspect local operations and meet partners there. He is also expected to visit Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, to meet with employees and boost
Feb. 7, 2024
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Lotte to sell off 7-Eleven's ATM unit
As part of its business restructuring aims for this year, Lotte Group has decided to sell the ATM business of Korea Seven, formerly known as Lotte PSNet, which oversees the operation of the nation’s 7-Eleven convenience stores. According to Lotte Corp. on Wednesday, the group recently appointed accounting firm Samjeong KPMG to oversee the sale process and identify a suitable company to acquire Korea Seven's ATM division. Korea Seven is a distribution company that manages the 7-Eleven
Feb. 7, 2024
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HD Hyundai to set up relief fund for shipyard accidents
South Korean shipbuilding giant HD Hyundai said Wednesday that it will set up a foundation to support bereaved families of victims of industrial accidents at shipyards – the first of its kind within the industry. According to the group, the idea was proposed by HD Hyundai Chairman and co-CEO Kwon Oh-gap who also donated 100 million won ($75,477) out of his pocket. The group’s three shipbuilding affiliates – HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, and Hyundai Samho H
Feb. 7, 2024
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[Photo News] Boosting Shipping Logistics
Hyundai Glovis, Hyundai Motor Group's logistics affiliate, said Wednesday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korea Ocean Business Corporation under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to secure four pure car and truck carriers, or PCTCs, to bolster Korea's vehicle exports. The Korea Ocean Business Corporation will place the orders for the ships, which have the global top-class capability of loading 18,000 cars per ship and are expected to be delivered in 2027. I
Feb. 7, 2024
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Hanshin E&C cements foothold in Southeast Asia
With decades of know-how in the infrastructure building business, Hanshin Engineering & Construction is taking a big leap by tapping deeper into the Southeast Asian market and diversifying its business portfolio. Hanshin E&C Chairman Choi Yong-sun singled out Indonesia and Ukraine as the builder’s “future markets.” “Indonesia is Southeast Asia's largest economy and has a high demand for infrastructure construction and urban development. Hanshin E&C purs
Feb. 6, 2024
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LIG Nex1 bags $3.2bln missile interceptor deal with Saudi Arabia
South Korean defense firm LIG Nex1 has clinched a US$3.2 billion deal to export mid-range surface-air-to missiles (M-SAM II) to Saudi Arabia, Seoul's defense ministry said Tuesday. LIG Nex1 inked the contract with the Saudi defense ministry to sell Cheongung M-SAM II in November, the ministry said. It marks LIG Nex1's second overseas sales of Cheongung-II following a deal with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in January 2022. The hit-to-kill missile system is capable of intercepting in
Feb. 6, 2024
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Woori mulls acquiring Korea Foss Securities
Woori Financial Group is actively considering the acquisition of local online brokerage firm Korea Foss Securities, in a move to add a missing puzzle piece -- a securities arm -- as a leading banking giant. "We are reviewing all potential companies (for acquisition) to make inroads into the (securities) industry, with the brokerage mentioned among them," the group's Chief Financial Operator Lee Sung-wook said Tuesday during the company's conference call. Speculation about the
Feb. 6, 2024
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Hanwha Ocean propels Navy with stealth submarines, frigates
Hanwha Ocean, the South Korean maritime defense systems provider, is playing a vital role in modernizing the nation’s naval prowess by providing advanced stealth submarines and multi-purpose warships. For more than four decades, the company has been building vessels for the Navy, with the most recent deliveries including KSS (Korean Submarine-III) submarines, KDX-III (Korean Destroyer-III) destroyers and FFX (Future Frigate eXperimental) Batch-II frigates, with more advanced vessels in the
Feb. 6, 2024
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From bees to polar bears, Korean banks' love of animated characters
Top financial groups here have put forward animated characters as their faces in a bid to woo a wider range of customers. Woori Financial Group has recently brought back its band of animated characters, WiBee Friends, pulling them out of a six-year hiatus. Woori Bank CEO Cho Byung-kyu pushed for the return of the characters, seeing the need to appeal to customers with a softer, friendlier image, according to the firm. With Woori jumping on the bandwagon, all four of Korea’s top financial g
Feb. 6, 2024
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High foreign reservations buoy Seollal tourism boom
The upcoming Seollal holiday is expected to see a significant rise in foreign tourists visiting Korea, prompting travel agencies and relevant tourism industries to prepare for a mass travel rush. According to global travel service provider Trip.com's report on Tuesday, reservation rates for foreign travelers between Feb. 9 to 12 have surged by approximately 40 percent, compared to the previous holiday season. The increase encompasses various regions, with Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailan
Feb. 6, 2024