Foreign reserves up for 2nd month in July on weak dollar

South Korea's foreign reserves increased for a second straight month in July as the US dollar's fall boosted the conversion value of holdings in other currencies and increased investment returns, central bank data showed Thursday. The country's foreign reserves came to $421.80 billion as of end-July, up $350 million from the previous month, according to the data from the Bank of Korea. The dollar's slide last month boosted the converted value of holdings denominated in other

Aug. 3, 2023

Consumer inflation falls to 25-month low

BOK predicts inflation to rebound from August, coming in at 3 percent by year-end Korea's consumer prices showed slowed growth, rising by 2.3 percent in July on-year, mainly due to the decline in international oil prices and base effect from last year, data showed Wednesday. According to Statistics Korea, consumer price growth, a key gauge of inflation, stood last month at 2.3 percent more than a year earlier. It is the lowest increase in 25 months since June 2021. Inflation has been showin

Aug. 2, 2023

Deep contraction in imports leads to trade surplus in July

Korea narrowly avoided a trade deficit in July as falling prices of energy and raw materials pulled imports down faster than exports. Outbound shipments fell 16.5 percent on-year to $50.33 billion last month, while inbound shipments fell 25.4 percent to $48.7 billion, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Korea Customs Service released Tuesday. Accordingly, Korea logged a trade surplus of $1.63 billion in July, marking a $500 million increase from a mon

Aug. 1, 2023

Exports of agro-fisheries products fall 3.8% in H1

South Korea's exports of farm and fisheries products fell 3.8 percent on-year in the first half of the year, data showed Monday. Outbound shipments of agricultural and fisheries goods came to $5.95 billion in the January-June period, down from $6.19 billion a year earlier, according to the data by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp. (aT). Last year's tally marked an all-time high for the first half of any year, and it was the first time that the figure surpassed the $6 bill

July 31, 2023

S. Korea's exports of ice cream achieve record high in H1

South Korea's exports of ice cream reached a record high in the first half of 2023, data showed Friday, on the back of the growing popularity of Korean entertainment content across the globe. Outbound shipments of ice cream reached $59 million in the January-June period, up 19.8 percent from a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Korea Customs Service. The figure almost doubled South Korea's ice cream imports, which came to $30 million, up 7.5 percent over the period. &q

July 28, 2023

Industrial output, consumption, investment rise for 2nd month in June

South Korea's industrial output, private spending and investment rose for a second consecutive month in June amid an economic slowdown, data showed Friday. The country's industrial output increased 0.1 percent in June from a month earlier, according to the data from Statistics Korea. But the June growth slowed from a 1.1 percent on-month rise tallied in May. The output in the mining, manufacturing, gas and electricity industries decreased 1 percent due to a slump in the automobile indu

July 28, 2023

European Central Bank hikes interest rates for ninth time to combat inflation

The European Central Bank raised interest rates for the ninth straight time in its yearlong campaign to stamp out painfully high inflation, even as worries about recession fuel speculation that Thursday’s hike could be its last. ECB President Christine Lagarde had all but promised the quarter-percentage point increase. That puts the focus at her post-meeting news conference on whether the bank will raise rates again at its September meeting or hold off after a record series of rate hikes

July 27, 2023

Busan's Expo bid about progress not money

South Korea’s eagerness to host the World Expo 2030 in Busan goes far beyond the pursuit of a multi-trillion-won injection into the economy, and is instead seeking to become an important international platform that will contribute to humanity, according to SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won on Wednesday. “People often talk about the economic impact ... of hosting the expo. … More importantly, I think Korea should take a responsible course of action towards (having an impact on)

July 27, 2023

Number of trading firms tumbles in 2022 amid economic uncertainties

The number of trading firms in South Korea moved down 0.7 percent in 2022 from a year earlier, data showed Thursday, as economic uncertainties hampered business activities. Asia's fourth-largest economy had 251,246 trading companies last year, down 1,812 from 2021, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. The value of their trade, however, jumped to a record high of $132 billion, advancing 10.8 percent over the period. The number of exporters moved up 0.4 percent on-year to 95,

July 27, 2023

S. Korea's seaport cargo down 1.6% in Q2 amid global economic slowdown

Cargo processed at South Korean seaports fell 1.6 percent on-year in the second quarter on sagging global trade amid an economic slowdown, the oceans ministry said Thursday. Cargo handled at the country's ports nationwide came to 373.16 million tons during the April-June period, compared with 379.33 billion tons a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. Of them, export-import cargo came to 316.95 billion tons, down 0.5 percent on-year, it added. Container cargo proc

July 27, 2023

S. Korea to monitor volatility in finance sector amid Fed's rate hike

Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho said Thursday he will closely monitor potential volatility in the financial sector following the latest US Federal Reserve rate hike, which pushed the gap between the two countries' key rates to an all-time high. The Fed raised its benchmark lending rate by a quarter percentage point Wednesday, sending it to the highest level since 2001. "The decision by the FOMC did not deviate from the market's expectations, with the global financial market remaini

July 27, 2023

US Fed raises key rate by 25 basis points to highest level since 2001

WASHINGTON -- The US Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised its benchmark lending rate by a quarter percentage point, sending it to the highest level since 2001. The rise increases the key rate to a range between 5.25 percent and 5.5 percent, while further widening the gap between the key rates of South Korea and the United States to an all-time high of 1.75-2.0 percentage points. South Korea's central bank kept its benchmark rate frozen at 3.5 percent earlier this month. Higher rates in the US are

July 27, 2023

Korea’s economy grows 0.6% in Q2

South Korea’s economy has managed to avoid negative growth by expanding 0.6 percent in the April-June period from the previous quarter, the Bank of Korea said Tuesday, chiefly due to imports that fell even more sharply than the country‘s weak exports. According to preliminary data from the BOK, the country’s gross domestic product, a key measure of economic growth which refers to the value of all goods and services created, showed a 0.6 percent on-quarter increase. The growth

July 25, 2023

[KH explains] Why is Korea going for a second legal bout with Elliott?

A yearslong legal dispute between the South Korean government and US hedge fund Elliott Investment Management has entered another phase, as the government decided to file a suit to reverse an international tribunal's order to pay some $108 million in damages to the hedge fund. At the center of the protracted legal battle is the controversial 2015 merger of two Samsung Group affiliates -- Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries. Elliott, a minority stakeholder in Samsung C&T, sued the Kor

July 24, 2023

[KH explains] Investors bullish on Posco stocks

Shares of firms under Korean steel giant Posco Group are skyrocketing, hitting new highs as the group is expected to excel amid high prospects for the battery industry, Posco Holdings, the holding firm and leading stock of Posco Group, closed at 551,000 won ($428) Friday, more than double its closing price of 272,000 won on Jan. 2. Posco Future M, the group's battery material maker, is also under the spotlight. Its shares closed at 495,000 won on the day, marking a significant increase from

July 23, 2023

S. Korea, Bahrain discuss cooperation on trade, investment

South Korea's trade chief met with Bahrain's top envoy in Seoul on Friday for talks on ways to boost bilateral trade and investment, the trade ministry said. Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun met with Bahrain's Ambassador to South Korea Mohamed Ghassan Mohamed Adnan Shaikho and discussed how to enhance two-way trade and industry relations, as well as a free trade agreement between South Korea and the Gulf Cooperation Council, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Nego

July 21, 2023

S. Korea to offer tax, financial support to victims of downpour

South Korea will provide all available tax and financial support to the victims of the recent downpour, the finance minister said Friday, while focusing on preventing its impact on consumer prices of agricultural goods. The move came as the recent heavy rains in the central region damaged 34,583 hectares of farmland while killing 825,000 livestock, including 769,1000 chickens as of Thursday. "The government will concentrate all policy efforts in terms of budget, tax and finance to support t

July 21, 2023

S. Korea to speed up digitalization of service sector

South Korea's finance ministry said Friday the country will speed up efforts to adopt digital technologies in the service sector, with the goal of enhancing its competitiveness and bringing convenience to everyday life. The latest move comes in line with efforts to apply the latest technologies, including artificial intelligence, to various areas ranging from logistics and finance to public administration, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. "So far, the limited utilizati

July 21, 2023

Minimum wage set at 9,860 won: No one's happy

Korea has set its minimum wage level for 2024 at 9,860 won ($7.80) per hour, up 2.5 percent from this year’s 9,620 won. The raise would translate to a monthly income of 2.06 million won, based on a 40-hour workweek. The decision was made early Wednesday following a 15-hour meeting of the Minimum Wage Commission, composed of members spanning labor, business and the general public. Though eyes were on whether the minimum wage for next year would surpass the 10,000 won barrier, considering so

July 19, 2023

S. Korea seeks participation in Turkmenistan's plant construction projects

South Korea's top industry official on Wednesday asked for Turkmenistan's support for Korean companies in winning major plant construction projects in the central Asian country, the industry ministry said. Minister Lee Chang-yang made the request during a meeting with Baymyrat Annamammedov, Turkmenistan's deputy prime minister for construction, industry and electric power, in Seoul, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Currently, South Korean companies are work

July 19, 2023