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Mirae Asset beefs up covered call ETF lineup
Mirae Asset Global Investments, a leading asset manager in Korea, is to launch a covered call exchange-traded fund Tuesday, targeting retirees seeking a stable source of income after retirement. The asset manager will list the Tiger US Dividend Dow Jones Target Daily Covered Call ETF on the Korea Exchange on Tuesday. As its name suggests, the ETF tracks the stocks of 100 leading companies listed on the Dow Jones US Dividend 100 Index. It targets an annual yield of up to 12 percent. “With the agi
Jan. 20, 2025 -
Chaebol brace for upheaval as Trump returns to White House
With threat of tariffs and shift in trade policies, major conglomerates prepare for a rocky road ahead in the all-important US market As Donald Trump returns to the White House for a second term, South Korean conglomerates are buckling up to navigate a potentially turbulent economic landscape. With promises of wide-ranging tariffs, renegotiation of trade deals and possible adjustments to key Biden-era policies, such as CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, South Korea’s export-d
Jan. 20, 2025 -
Korean dried seaweed: the 'black semiconductor'
Strong overseas sales of Korean seaweed products earn a nickname echoing the nation's top export South Korea, where semiconductor exports dominate trade, has found another success story in an edible export -- dried seaweed, or gim in Korean. Dubbed the "black semiconductor" for its rising export performance -- albeit on a smaller scale than its microchip counterpart -- gim has become a vital contributor to the Korean economy and leads the nation’s seafood exports. According to data from the Mini
Jan. 20, 2025 -
Korea rolls out W360tr support for exporters
South Korea on Monday announced its largest-ever financial support package: a 360 trillion won ($248.25 billion) plan to bolster exporters, with 50 trillion won dedicated to advanced strategic industries such as semiconductors and batteries, according to the Finance Ministry. The package was unveiled during a meeting of the government’s export finance consultative body, Fin-eX, which convened to discuss responses to heightened global uncertainties, including those related to the new US administr
Jan. 20, 2025 -
Ministry, battery makers join forces to fight EV slump
South Korean government and battery manufacturing companies have launched a task force to navigate the challenges posed by slowing demand for electric vehicles. According to sources Monday, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Battery Industry Association -- a non-profit organization overseen by the Industry Ministry -- recently attended a task force meeting with manufacturers in the sector. They included Korea's big three battery makers -- LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, SK
Jan. 20, 2025 -
HD Hyundai Electric vows W400b to boost transformer productions in Korea, US
HD Hyundai Electric, an energy solution provider affiliated with shipbuilding giant HD Hyundai, announced investment plans of nearly 4 trillion won, driven by strong sales growth, according to its regular disclosure Monday. The company plans to invest 397 billion won ($272.3 million) to expand production capacities for 765-kilovolt ultra-high-capacity transformers at its plants in Ulsan and Alabama. This marks the largest investment by the company since it became independent from HD Hyundai Heav
Jan. 20, 2025 -
A look at K-beauty's tech-infused future
Korean beauty firms gear up for tech-driven offerings as they carve out a new edge on the global stage Korean beauty powerhouses painted visions of a high-tech future at this year's CES — ones that were as captivating as they were full of promise. The industry's seamless marriage of cutting-edge technology and home beauty devices was on full display at the global technology showcase. After shattering export records with over $10 billion in sales last year and dethroning beauty giant France to cl
Jan. 20, 2025 -
PTKOREA leads active senior era with SynerZ internship project
PTKOREA, a digital marketing solutions company, said Monday that its senior internship project, SynerZ, has garnered positive responses from both participants and businesses since its launch in October last year. The project pairs senior interns with young employees to meet the needs of the rapidly growing silver generation. So far, 11 senior interns, averaging 64 years old, have joined the project in the fields of marketing, social welfare and government. Initially designed as a three-month pro
Jan. 20, 2025 -
KT&G to ramp up cigarette production at Turkish plant
South Korea’s leading tobacco company KT&G announced Monday the completion of additional manufacturing facilities in Turkey as part of a strategy to solidify its position as a global top-tier company. The expansion added two new production facilities to the factory, increasing its total ground area by approximately 1.5 times to 25,000 square meters. With the upgrades, the company’s four facilities can now produce up to 12 billion cigarettes annually, enabling KT&G to meet growing demand in North
Jan. 20, 2025 -
Yanolja to showcase vertical AI at Davos
Korean travel platform operator Yanolja announced Monday that it is participating in the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, running through Friday, to showcase its vision for artificial intelligence-driven travel solutions. Kim Jong-yoon, CEO of Yanolja Cloud, will speak at the panel session “Bridging Borders: Travel and Tourism’s Role in Building Trust” on Tuesday. He will present Yanolja’s Vertical AI technology and its applications in accommodation, transportation and leisure se
Jan. 20, 2025 -
KGC’s JungKwanJang EveryTime reaches 40 countries
Korea Ginseng Corp., a leading ginseng product manufacturer, announced Monday that it exported 260 products under its red ginseng brand, JungKwanJang, to nearly 40 countries last year. EveryTime Original stood out as the best-selling product, with sales in China increasing by 44 percent compared to 2023. To meet local consumer needs, KGC diversified its product line to appeal to smaller households and introduced targeted marketing strategies for seasonal events. In Taiwan, the company expanded i
Jan. 20, 2025 -
STX unveils two patrol vessels for Peruvian Navy at christening ceremony
STX Corp., a South Korean general trading firm, said Monday it has unveiled two patrol vessels being built for the Peruvian Navy at a ship christening ceremony in the South American nation earlier this month. The ceremony for the launch of the patrol boats -- the B.A.P. Rio Huarmey and the B.A.P. Rio Nepena -- was held at the Peruvian national shipyard SIMA on Jan. 10. It was attended by Peruvian President Dina Boluarte and senior government and military officials. STX said the boats, built toge
Jan. 20, 2025 -
Seoul shares start higher ahead of Trump inauguration
South Korean stocks opened a tad higher Monday ahead of the inauguration of US President Donald Trump. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 10.8 points, or 0.43 percent, to 2,534.35 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Trump is set to take office later in the day for his second four-year term with his inauguration ceremony in Washington, D.C. He has warned of protectionist trade policies, including higher tariffs, after his inauguration. In Seoul, major shares started in mixed te
Jan. 20, 2025 -
Korean game companies zero in on global market
Nexon, Krafton, Netmarble, NCSoft, Kakao Games seek next blockbuster, diversify portfolio to propel growth Korean game companies are gearing up for a breakout year with a slate of highly anticipated new titles readying for release to woo gaming fans across the globe, as the companies look to expand markets beyond Korean borders. Nexon and Krafton are poised to carry on positive momentum in fresh genres this year after clocking in another year of success thanks to hit titles such as side-scrollin
Jan. 19, 2025 -
NPS to side with Korea Zinc in proxy fight
South Korea’s National Pension Service is set to give the upper hand to the current management of Korea Zinc, supporting management proposals such as cumulative voting in the shareholders’ meeting slated to take place Thursday. Holding a 4.51 percent stake in the zinc smelter, the decision by the NPS could swing the outcome of the proxy fight. On Friday, the NPS trustee commission decided to vote for the proposals made by the current management of Korea Zinc, including the adoption of a cumulati
Jan. 19, 2025