Most Popular
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Blinken calls on China to press N. Korea to end its 'dangerous' behavior
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New celebrity-endorsed therapy for face contouring requires only a pair of rubber bands
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Tensions heighten ahead of first president-opposition chief meeting
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Seoul to provide housing subsidy to married couples with newborns
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Rapper jailed after public street fight with another rapper
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[Weekender] How DDP emerged as an icon of Seoul
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[KH Explains] No more 'Michael' at Kakao Games
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Woman gets suspended term for injuring boyfriend with knife
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Doctor group's incoming head renews call for govt. to scrap medical school quota hike for dialogue
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NewJeans pops out ‘Bubble Gum’ video amid troubles at agency
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Nearly one-third of S. Korean investors are overseas stock traders
As the number of South Koreans investing in the local stock market nears 10 million, about one-third of those investors are also overseas stock traders, according to local securities firms Sunday. The recent data, compiled by 10 major brokerages here including Mirae Asset Securities and Kiwoom Securities, showed that the number of active equity accounts for overseas stock trading was 3.21 million as of March. The number of trading accounts at local investment firms came to 435,000 at the end
April 4, 2021
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S. Korea’s W200b New Deal policy fund sees fast sales
Retail investors have snapped up almost all of a 137 billion-won ($121 million) fund aimed at promoting government-led projects under the Korean New Deal as of Sunday, as individuals seek to take advantage of the state policy fund to use as a financial cushion against losses. The 137 billion won was earmarked for retail investors out of a larger 200 million-won fund. The 137 billion won was parceled and sold via five major commercial banks on Thursday. The ones offered by the commercial lender
April 4, 2021
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South Korea’s stock market cap increases 2.7% in Q1
The valuation of the South Korean stock market has risen 2.7 percent in the first quarter of this year from the end of last year, falling behind other global stock markets that logged an over 4 percent gain, according to Bloomberg data Sunday. Buttressed by ample liquidity, the combined market cap of 86 nations came to some $107.86 trillion as of Wednesday, up 4.5 percent from $103.23 trillion marked at the end of last year. The market size of global stock markets fluctuated widely in the Janu
April 4, 2021
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Listed firms' 2020 net profit jumps nearly 20% despite pandemic: KRX
South Korean listed firms saw their net profit increase nearly 20 percent last year despite the fallout from the pandemic, the bourse operator said Sunday. The combined annual net income of 694 KOSPI-listed companies, excluding financial firms, came to 63.45 trillion won ($56.25 billion) on a consolidated basis, up 18.15 percent from the previous year, according to the Korea Exchange (KRX). Their combined operating profits rose 3.2 percent on-year to 107.4 trillion won, while sales decreased b
April 4, 2021
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Manufacturing sentiment hits over 6-year high amid post-pandemic recovery
South Korean manufacturers' business sentiment has improved sharply, hitting an over 6-year high, amid hopes that the economy may recover from the coronavirus pandemic faster than expected, a poll showed Sunday. A survey of some 2,200 manufacturing firms put the business sentiment index (BSI) at 99 for the April-June period, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) said. The figure is up 24 points from the previous quarter and at the highest level since the third quarter of 2014. A r
April 4, 2021
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Farm goods exports hit record high in Q1
South Korea's exports of agriculture products reached an all-time high in the first quarter of the year on the back of strong demand for kimchi and processed foods, data showed Sunday. The record amount of $1.98 billion represents a 13.7 percent rise from the previous year, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. By category, outbound shipments of fresh products remained sluggish, but those of processed goods increased 9.3 percent to hit $359 million.
April 4, 2021
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Public firms' planned job additions remain 40% lower than last year
More than 35 public firms in South Korea plan to hire more than 5,000 new employees this year, but the number is still almost 40 percent lower than last year's job additions amid extended pandemic fallout, data showed Sunday. Thirty-six public firms plan to hire 5,089 regular workers this year, compared with 8,350 people hired last year, according to data posted on the state portal All Public Information in One (ALIO). Korea Railroad Corp. (KORAIL), the operator of railway services, plans to h
April 4, 2021
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Korean shipbuilders bask in robust new orders in Q1
South Korean shipbuilders clinched orders in the first quarter worth ten times more than the total orders logged for 2020, as the shipyard industry is recovering from the fallout of the pandemic, data showed Sunday. Korean shipbuilders led by Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. won new orders for 126 ships or 5.32 million compensated gross tons (CGTs) in the January-March period, according to the data provided by global market researcher Clarkson Research Service. The tally compared with orders for 5
April 4, 2021
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Petroleum consumption at 5-year low in 2020 amid pandemic
South Korea's consumption of petroleum declined to a five-year low last year amid the pandemic, data showed Sunday. The country's consumption of petroleum reached 878 million barrels last year, down 5.8 percent from the previous year, according to Korea National Oil Corp. The tally marked the lowest since 2015, when the country consumed 856 million barrels. It also marked the first time in five years that such consumption dipped below 900 million barrels. The consumption of jet fuel declined
April 4, 2021
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[Weekender] New era opens for frozen mandu
Dumplings have long been one of the popular staples Koreans have in their daily meals. Served steamed, fried or boiled, the dish, called mandu here, would make for a good snack, or a tasty and filling meal. Yet there was also nothing spectacular about the humble dish of chopped meat, seafood or vegetables wrapped in dough. That is until food companies began to rediscover the potential of frozen mandu, propelling it into a new heyday with growing global recognition. According to data from Ni
April 3, 2021
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Seoul stocks tipped to see gains next week on US stimulus hopes
South Korean stocks are likely to see gains next week as optimism for a massive infrastructure project by the United States is expected to continue to sway local financial markets, analysts said Saturday. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 3,112.8 points Friday, up 2.36 percent from a week ago. The KOSPI finished the week at its highest level since Feb. 17, backed by an increase in foreign buying that was spurred by the US president's unveiling of a US$2.25 trill
April 3, 2021
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Genesis to launch sedan, SUV in China
Genesis, the independent luxury brand of Hyundai Motor Co., said Friday it will debut its flagship sedan and sports utility vehicle (SUV) in China to target the high-end segment in the world's largest vehicle market. Genesis showcased G80 sedan and GV80 SUV in a media event in Shanghai, which will be the first duo to enter the Chinese market this year. "Genesis will bolster its luxury brand image to target the young generation, a key customer group in the fast-rising Chinese luxury car m
April 2, 2021
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Hanjin KAL management feud comes to rest as KCGI-led alliance disbands
The power struggle over Hanjin KAL, the holding company of Hanjin Group, seemed to settle at last as the three-way alliance of an estranged sister of the Korean Air chairman, an activist fund and a builder officially disbanded, industry data showed Friday. In a regulatory filing, Grace Holdings, which is a special purpose firm of the activist fund Korea Corporate Government Improvement, Bando Engineering and Construction and Cho Hyun-ah said they have ended their agreement for joint ownership
April 2, 2021
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Watchdog vows to ramp up ESG oversight of Korean financial firms
Yoon Suk-heun, chief of South Korea‘s financial watchdog, pledged on Friday to beef up its oversight to prevent a spillover of risks associated with environmental, social and governance factors in the Korean finance industry. In a keynote speech at a seminar held in Seoul on Friday, the Financial Supervisory Service governor pledged to shape up a framework to gauge climate risks that could undermine the health of financial companies, in the nation where such standardized framework is pra
April 2, 2021
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Consumer price growth hits 14-month high in March
South Korea’s consumer prices grew at the fastest clip in 14 months in March, since the coronavirus pandemic dealt a serious blow to the nation’s economy early last year, according to a report Friday. The price for spring onion, in particular, grew by more than 300 percent over the course of a year, marking the steepest growth in 26 years and 11 months. The surging price of scallion is thought to be one of the main reasons behind the soaring prices of agricultural products. The
April 2, 2021
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SK Telecom-Sinclair joint venture to commercialize next-generation broadcast solution this year
Cast.era, a media technology joint venture between South Korea's top wireless carrier SK Telecom Co. and US media giant Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., will launch a next-generation broadcast solution that boosts television content quality this year, the South Korean company said Friday. The telecom operator said Cast.era has completed testing of the 5G-ATSC3.0 platform, which boosts broadcast quality using SK Telecom's 5G cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Cast.era is planning
April 2, 2021
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Hanwha to set up US office for space biz expansion
Hanwha Systems, the affiliate spearheading Hanwha Group’s space and defense IT business, will set up its first US office, according to industry sources Friday. At its board meeting held March 23, the company decided to establish the US office within this year to add momentum to its space business. Candidate locations include Connecticut, where Hanwha Systems’ parent company Hanwha Aerospace has an office, and the state of Washington, where local satellite companies are clustered.
April 2, 2021
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Seoul stocks hit six-week high on US stimulus hopes
South Korea's benchmark stock index closed at the highest point in six weeks Friday on strong foreign and instutional buying amid hopes for a massive infrastructure project in the United States. The Korean won rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 25.4 points, or 0.82 percent, to close at 3,112.8 points, the highest number since Feb. 17. Trading volume was moderate at about 781 million shares worth some 13.2 trillion won ($11.7 billion), with
April 2, 2021
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Weathering COVID-19 crisis, institutional investors seek more alternative exposure to curb risks
South Korea‘s institutional investors were seen averting the COVID-19 crisis to take decent returns, and pledged to increase their exposure to alternative assets to control the latent volatility risks. The Korean Teachers’ Credit Union said Friday it reaped a windfall in 2020 by taking advantage of the stock market rebound following the depths of the COVID-19 crisis. The KTCU, Korea‘s second-largest institutional investor, said it has returned 10 percent for 2020, or 3.3 tri
April 2, 2021
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Nexon founder richest man in Korea with $14.1b in asset
Kim Jung-ju, CEO of gaming firm Nexon’s holding company NXC, is Korea’s richest businessman, with assets valued at $14.1 billion, according to a report from a US think tank. Kim was ranked 144th on a list of the world’s billionaires that showed Jeff Bezos, CEO of e-commerce behemoth Amazon, topping the list with assets totaling $178 billion. The CEO of luxury products behemoth LVMH Moet Hennessy, Bernard Arnault, and his family, were second on the list, with $162.6 billion.
April 2, 2021