Bibigo gimbap sales surge 59% in US

CJ CheilJedang’s US sales of Bibigo gimbap jumped 59 percent on-year in the first seven months of 2026, the company said Thursday, as it pushes to make the Korean staple an everyday meal for American consumers. According to CJ, the number of US stores selling its Bibigo gimbap product has surged to 4,734 this year, up 145 percent from 1,924 stores a year earlier. The Bibigo gimbap, which entered Kroger — one of the largest US supermarket chains — in December 2024, has now made its way onto the s

Oct. 3, 2026

Trump pressures South Korea to commit to Alaska LNG project

US President Donald Trump warned that South Korea could face higher costs unless it quickly commits to investing in a massive liquefied natural gas project in Alaska, escalating pressure on the Asian ally, which says the investmet has not yet been finalized. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Friday, Trump rejected suggestions that he had prematurely announced Seoul’s participation in the Alaska LNG project earlier this week. "I didn't jump ⁠the gun. I mean, they were there ‌and they we

Oct. 3, 2026

US firms add just 29,000 Jobs, unemployment rate ticks up

US nonfarm payroll growth slowed more sharply than expected in August. The US economy added 29,000 nonfarm jobs in August, the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday, well below the 90,000 increase expected by economists. The unemployment rate rose to 4.2 percent, slightly above the 4.1 percent market forecast.

Oct. 2, 2026

Porsche unveils Cayenne Coupe Electric in Korea

Porsche Korea unveiled the new Cayenne Coupe Electric in South Korea on Friday, blending SUV practicality with sportier coupe styling as the German luxury sports carmaker expands its EV lineup. The vehicle debuted at a preview event ahead of Porsche Vibe Seoul, a two-day brand event opening Saturday at Oil Tank Culture Park, a former oil storage facility in Mapo-gu, western Seoul, that was transformed into a cultural venue. Friday's unveiling follows the Korean debut of the Cayenne Electric SUV

Oct. 2, 2026

FSC orders banks, card firms to conduct security checks

South Korea’s financial regulator on Friday ordered banks and credit card companies to conduct security checks following a series of cyberattacks involving Shinhan Bank and KB Kookmin Bank. The Financial Services Commission said it would promptly collect the results and use them to develop measures to strengthen cybersecurity in the financial sector. The FSC held an emergency meeting chaired by Secretary General Shin Jin-chang to share information on recent data breaches, including the types and

Oct. 2, 2026

Korea Investment Securities to buy 400 billion won worth of SK shares

Korea Investment & Securities will acquire a roughly 1 percent stake in SK Corp. for 400 billion won ($296.47 million) through a price return swap agreement. Korea Investment Holdings disclosed Friday that its subsidiary, Korea Investment & Securities, has decided to acquire 681,431 shares of SK Corp. for 400 billion won. Following the acquisition, its stake in SK Corp. will stand at 0.93 percent. The purchase price is equivalent to 3.57 percent of Korea Investment & Securities’ equity of 11.2 t

Oct. 2, 2026

Hana, BNK report data breaches as hacking hits Korean banks

Hana Bank and BNK Financial Group reported data breaches Friday, extending a string of hacking incidents following customer information leaks at Shinhan Bank and KB Kookmin Bank. Hana said hackers accessed its sales support system, known as ODS, exposing personal information belonging to 89 customers. The data included resident registration numbers, names, addresses, contact details and employer names. "The system is separate from internet and mobile banking transaction systems," the bank said,

Oct. 2, 2026

SK chief to sell W944b in SK Inc. shares to fund divorce payout

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won plans to sell 944 billion won ($701 million) worth of shares in the holding company SK Inc., an amount matching the property division ordered by a court in his divorce case with former wife Roh Soh-yeong. SK Inc. said in a regulatory filing Friday that Chey, its largest shareholder, will sell 1,653,924 shares, representing a 2.3 percent stake in the company. Of the total, 544 billion won worth of shares will be sold to a strategic investor, while another 400 billio

Oct. 2, 2026

Seoul shares end higher on bargain hunting amid uncertainties; S. Korean won up

South Korean stocks ended slightly higher Friday as investors scooped up major technology stocks on bargain hunting, offsetting concerns over rising interest rates and oil prices. The Korean won rose against the US dollar. After opening lower, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index went up 32.39 points, or 0.45 percent, to close at 7,003.74. Overnight, US stocks finished modestly higher as benchmark Treasury yields eased from fresh multi-decade highs, although gains were capped by risin

Oct. 2, 2026

Musinsa’s W8tr valuation questioned ahead of IPO

Questions are emerging in South Korea’s financial market about whether Musinsa, the nation’s largest online K-fashion platform by sales, is appropriately valued at 8 trillion to 10 trillion won ($5.9 billion to $7.4 billion) ahead of its initial public offering. Analysts say further earnings growth and financial results will need to be confirmed to justify the valuation. According to financial investment industry sources Friday, the valuation largely reflects Musinsa’s future growth potential an

Oct. 2, 2026

Hana Financial opens Incheon headquarters to power AI push

Hana Financial Group opened its new headquarters in Cheongna-dong, Incheon, Friday, bringing financial and technology teams together to strengthen collaboration among affiliates and to accelerate its adoption of artificial intelligence. About 2,200 employees from the holding company and 10 major affiliates began moving into the headquarters in September. The complex will house about 4,000 financial and IT personnel, including staff at its existing data center, Hana said. The opening completes th

Oct. 2, 2026

Samsung Electro-Mechanics’ AI component deals hit W3.6tr as buyers lock in future supply

Samsung Electro-Mechanics has accumulated about 3.6 trillion won ($2.6 billion) in disclosed long-term supply agreements for AI-related components this year, as customers move to secure parts for servers that will be built in 2027 and beyond. The latest deal came Tuesday, when the Samsung Electronics affiliate said an unidentified global company had agreed to buy about 290 billion won worth of multilayer ceramic capacitors and inductors throughout 2027. MLCCs and inductors help deliver clean, st

Oct. 2, 2026

Galaxy S27 prices could rise more than planned after S26 price increase

Samsung Electronics may raise prices for next year's Galaxy S27 series more than it had initially planned, according to a Korean technology leaker, as the company has just increased prices for its current Galaxy S26 lineup in Korea only seven months after launch amid sharply higher memory costs. Lanzuk, a Naver-based leaker, said Wednesday that Samsung had already set an initial price structure for the S27 lineup but was now preparing higher starting prices because of rising DRAM and NAND flash

Oct. 2, 2026

[Gadget Review] Oura Ring 5: Easy to wear, expensive to keep

The Korea Herald tested the gold Oura Ring 5 for 46 days to see whether its sleep insights and everyday comfort justified its premium price. One night brought its appeal into focus. After barely sleeping on Aug. 25, this reporter opened the app to find a sleep score of 36: 2 hours and 7 minutes of sleep, 69 percent efficiency and just 17 minutes of REM. The numbers told little that was not already evident. But they made the problem harder to dismiss. From Aug. 18 through Friday, the ring stayed

Oct. 2, 2026

Lotteria honors 100 years of Hangeul Day

Lotte GRS said Friday it will run a limited event to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Hangeul Day through Oct. 11, integrating the burger chain's taste and the Korean language's distinctive style. According to Lotte GRS, three Lotteria stores in Hongdae, Jamsil and Seoul Station — all in Seoul — will feature new exterior and interior designs of Lotteria's characters and its Hangeul font that illustrate various flavors in the Korean language. Lotteria will also stage an event to offer Hangeul-t

Oct. 2, 2026