Samsung to expand chip capacity in Vietnam, boost high-end production in Korea

Samsung affiliates plan to invest a combined 12.26 trillion won ($9.15 billion) in chip operations, directing nearly 8 trillion won to Vietnam while expanding high-end production capacity in South Korea. Samsung Electronics plans to invest 105.79 trillion Vietnamese dong ($4.09 billion) in memory chip testing facilities at Yen Binh Industrial Park in Thai Nguyen, northern Vietnam, according to an investment plan submitted to local authorities. The first production line is scheduled to start oper

Oct. 11, 2026

LG Electronics expands US premium appliance push as Signature marks 10 years

LG Electronics is expanding its premium appliance lineup and retail distribution in the United States as its luxury brand LG Signature marks a decade in the market, the company said Sunday. The South Korean electronics maker aims to strengthen its presence in North America's premium and built-in appliance sectors by broadening its kitchen portfolio, widening retail access and introducing artificial intelligence features. The brand now offers 10 kitchen product categories, including ranges, wall

Oct. 11, 2026

Starbucks regains coffee chain lead five months after 'Tank Day' controversy

Starbucks Korea regained the top spot in sales among South Korean coffee chains in September, overtaking A Twosome Place after four months in second place following a public backlash over its controversial "Tank Day" promotion. According to by estimated credit and debit card spending data released Sunday by Mobile Index, a market intelligence platform operated by IGAWorks, Starbucks recorded an estimated 121 billion won ($90.3 million) in card payments last month, up 4.3 percent from August. Mon

Oct. 11, 2026

Hyundai set to hit 10 million India sales as SUVs fuel growth

Hyundai Motor is poised to hit 10 million cumulative sales in India by year-end, fueled by surging SUV sales. The milestone comes about three daces after the South Korean automaker entered India, one of the world's largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. According to data released Sunday by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, Hyundai has sold a cumulative 9,884,960 vehicles in India as the end of September, leaving it just shy of 10 million. At its current sales pace, Hyundai

Oct. 11, 2026

S. Korea completes 1st Arctic-Europe commercial voyage, eyes regular service despite risks

​A South Korean container ship completed the country's first commercial round trip to ‌Europe via the Arctic on Sunday, as authorities bank on the route helping turn the port of Busan into ‌a global maritime hub. The PanStar Acro docked in the southeastern port 50 days after setting sail on August 22. Authorities ⁠say the Arctic route could cut typical voyage times by around a third. President Lee Jae Myung has made Arctic shipping ⁠a priority, and officials hope to launch regular services by 20

Oct. 11, 2026

Eight stocks remain frozen despite pause in delisting proceedings

South Korea’s financial regulators and the Korea Exchange have tightened delisting rules, but a court raised procedural concerns just three months later. The exchange has paused further delistings, but trading remains suspended for eight companies, leaving shareholders unable to sell their shares. The Korea Exchange said Wednesday it would defer further delisting procedures for companies designated as administrative issues for failing to meet minimum market capitalization requirements. As of Thu

Oct. 9, 2026

SK chief eyes Gwangju chip fabs alongside Yongin cluster

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won said Friday the group may build semiconductor plants in Gwangju alongside its Yongin chip cluster to keep pace with surging demand. "Once the conditions are right, we'll build as much as we can, as fast as we can," Chey said during his first visit to the planned semiconductor cluster site at the Gwangju military air base in Jeonnam-Gwangju. Chey said semiconductor demand was rising so quickly that production capacity needed to expand faster to keep up. While the gr

Oct. 9, 2026

Ruling party lawmaker criticizes Korean defense firms for insufficient social contributions

Rep. Kim Byung-joo of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea on Friday criticized South Korea's major defense companies for not spending enough on social contributions despite record earnings fueled by the country's defense export boom. According to data submitted to Kim, a member of the National Assembly's National Defense Committee, by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the state arms procurement agency, the combined operating profit of five major defense companies — Hanwha Aerospac

Oct. 9, 2026

FSC chief says MBK sanctions under review; final decision awaited

Financial Services Commission Chairman Lee Eog-weon said authorities are reviewing potential sanctions against MBK Partners over the Homeplus liquidity crisis and will handle the matter strictly in accordance with the law and principles. Lee made the remarks during a parliamentary audit by the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee on Thursday, saying authorities were reviewing the case and would take a strict approach. “We are reviewing the relevant details and opinions,” Lee said in r

Oct. 9, 2026

Lamborghini unveils 2 hybrid models in Korea in Asia-Pacific debut

Lamborghini unveiled two high-performance plug-in hybrid models in South Korea on Thursday, marking their Asia-Pacific debut. The Italian automaker showcased the Urus SE Performante and Revuelto SV for the first time in the Asia-Pacific region at Lamborghini Day Korea, held at Grand Walkerhill Seoul. The Urus SE Performante combines a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine with an electric motor, delivering 812 horsepower and 1,000 newton-meters of torque. It accelerates from zero to 100 kilometers per

Oct. 9, 2026

SK hynix, Samsung push 16-layer HBM4 as Rubin favors 12

Nvidia's Vera Rubin AI platform is expected to rely largely on 12-layer high-bandwidth memory chips, easing demand concerns for SK hynix and Samsung Electronics as the two Korean chipmakers advance 16-layer technology amid growing challenges in advanced packaging. Market researcher Counterpoint Research said Friday that most Rubin-based products will likely use 12-layer HBM4, the sixth generation of high-bandwidth memory, rather than the eight-layer configuration that had been rumored in the ind

Oct. 9, 2026

Battery ETFs among top performers this month: market data

Exchange-traded funds tracking secondary battery companies were among the top performers in the South Korean stock market this month, data showed Friday, as investors bet on the industry amid expectations of rising demand from artificial intelligence data centers. According to data compiled by the Korea Exchange, the main bourse operator, eight of the 10 best-performing listed ETFs this month were related to the secondary battery industry. KODEX Secondary Battery Industry Leverage ETF, managed b

Oct. 9, 2026

Sales of winter products surge at convenience stores amid chilly weather

Sales of winter products surged at South Korean convenience stores as temperatures fell sharply this month, industry sources said Friday. According to retailers, sales of disposable hand warmers at GS25 convenience stores, operated by GS Retail Co., rose more than elevenfold in the first seven days of this month compared with the previous week. Sales of tights, worn to keep warm, increased by a similar margin. Demand for popular winter snacks and beverages, such as instant fish cakes, baked swee

Oct. 9, 2026

S. Korean cosmetics stocks up this year; entertainment shares down

Shares of South Korean cosmetics companies have risen sharply this year, while those of entertainment firms have declined, data from the main bourse operator showed Friday. According to data compiled by the Korea Exchange, the KRX Consumer Staples index, which includes cosmetics and food companies, rose 17.29 percent this year through Thursday. Shares of Kolmar Korea Co. more than doubled over the period, while those of Cosmax Inc. and APR Co. gained 88.04 percent and 60.82 percent, respectively

Oct. 9, 2026

Hyundai’s 10 million-seller Tucson returns bigger, bolder

Having debuted in 2004, the Tucson achieved 10.53 million global cumulative sales last year, becoming Hyundai Motor’s third model to pass the monumental 10 million mark, after the Elantra and Accent sedans, making it the first SUV in its lineup to do so. Firmly established as a core compact SUV across North America, South America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific region and Africa, the fifth-generation Tucson now returns with a full revamp. The new model features the vehicle’s boldest design upgrade yet

Oct. 9, 2026