Wage talks between Kia, labor union fail again

The labor union of Kia Corp., South Korea's second-largest automaker, said Sunday it has failed to settle wage talks with the company again, raising the possibility of it staging a partial strike starting later this week. Unless the two sides resume negotiations and reach an agreement by Tuesday, the union is expected to go on an eight-hour strike from Tuesday to Thursday and a 12-hour walkout on Oct. 20 as planned. The move by Kia's union came as unionized workers of Hyundai Motor Co.

Oct. 15, 2023

LG Chem, GS Caltex to produce prototype of material for biodegradable plastics

LG Chem Ltd. and GS Caltex Corp. plan to produce a prototype of a material for biodegradable plastics next year, as they step up cooperation for the development of the eco-friendly raw material, the companies said Friday. LG Chem and GS Caltex signed an agreement in 2021 to develop technology for the production of the material called 3-Hydroxypropionic Acid (3HP). Plastic made from 3HP can be used to replace various disposable materials. In July of last year, they started construction on a plant

Oct. 13, 2023

Big firms' debt-service ability dips in H1

Large South Korean firms' ability to service their debts worsened sharply in the first half of 2023 amid falling profits and soaring interest costs, a corporate tracker said Tuesday. The interest coverage ratio for 347 out of the country's top 500 companies by sales averaged 1.16 as of end-June, down 74 percent from 4.42 a year earlier, according to the Leaders Index. The ratio is obtained by dividing a company's operating profit by its interest expenses. A reading below 1 means t

Oct. 10, 2023

Samsung, LG, Hyundai closely monitoring potential biz fallout from Israel-Hamas conflict

Leading South Korean companies are keeping close tabs on the potential business fallout from the escalating conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, industry sources said Monday, though no damage has yet been reported among firms operating in the Middle Eastern country. According to industry officials, Samsung Electronics has initiated a remote work scheme for their employees in the country and are regularly checking the safety of their workers. Samsung runs a research and

Oct. 9, 2023

Korean Air cancels Incheon-Tel Aviv flights this week over Israel-Hamas conflict

  Korean Air has canceled its flights from Incheon to Tel Aviv this week amid safety concerns over the escalating conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, according to company officials Monday. South Korea's leading air carrier has canceled all three KE957 flights from Incheon to Tel Aviv, which run regularly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, for the week. The company, however, has kept in place the returning KE958 flights, which transport passengers from Tel Aviv to

Oct. 9, 2023

Hana chief stresses sustainable financing in Europe

Hana Financial Group Chairman Ham Young-joo highlighted the importance of sustainable financing during his meeting with the Dutch ambassador for sustainable development in The Hague, Netherlands, Friday. The Hana chief met with Ambassador Rene van Hell as part of his visit to Europe to meet with global investors. According to Hana, Ham and van Hell agreed on the need for "green financing" to transition to a decarbonized economy, in particular cutting down on carbon emissions in asset p

Oct. 9, 2023

MBK chairman's novel 'Offerings' to hit big screen in Hollywood

The 2022 US best-selling novel "Offerings," authored by Korean-American Michael Byung-ju Kim, co-founder and chairman of South Korea's largest private equity fund, MBK Partners, is set to be adapted into a film, according to the company on Monday. Hollywood production company Anonymous Content, known for hits like "True Detective" and "The Revenant," is teaming up with Anthology Studios, co-founded by director Kim Jee-woon and actor Song Kang-ho, for the adapti

Oct. 9, 2023

[Photo News] Whiskey in vogue

(From left) Richard Quinn, an English fashion designer and a brand collaborator for Pernod Ricardo Korea; Frantz Hotton, CEO of Pernod Ricardo Korea; Mathieu Deslandes, head of Royal Salute; and Miguel Pascual, chief financial officer of Pernod Ricardo, pose for a photo to celebrate the global debut of the second edition of Royal Salute 21 Year Old Richard Quinn in Seoul on Wednesday. The whisky’s world premiere comes against the backdrop of significant growth in high-end wines and whiskie

Oct. 4, 2023

Lotte names ex-Samsung exec as new design chief

South Korean retail giant Lotte Group on Wednesday named Lee Don-tae, former president of the Samsung Art and Design Institute, as its new head of design strategy. Upon his appointment, Lotte announced that its Lotte Design Management Center has been rebranded as the Lotte Design Strategy Center. Lee will be responsible for overseeing the overall design direction and strategy of Lotte, as well as consulting on key projects across its affiliates. Born in 1968, Lee started his career in 1989 at Ta

Sept. 27, 2023

LG chief convenes CEO meeting to review growth strategy

LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo reportedly convened some 30 CEOs on Tuesday to discuss the group's longer-term strategies ahead of the weeklong Chuseok holiday. Top executives of key affiliates, including LG Electronics, LG Display, LG Innotek, LG Chem and LG Energy Solution, attended the annual workshop that took place at LG Academy in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, according to news reports. For Koo who took office in 2019, this marked the fifth occasion to convene the meeting. The event was h

Sept. 26, 2023

Hanwha Life posts first accumulated profits in Vietnam

The Vietnamese arm of Hanwha Life Insurance posted its first accumulated profits since its launch 15 years ago. Marking the local unit’s 15th anniversary, the insurer held a ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on Friday, where it unveiled its financial achievements. Since posting a net profit for the first time in 2016, the Vietnamese subsidiary has recorded profits for nearly five consecutive years between 2019 and 2023. As of the first half of this year, its accumulated profits reached

Aug. 21, 2023

Lotte chairman highest-paid chaebol leader in H1

Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin was the highest-paid business leader in Korea for the first half of this year, regulatory filings posted Monday by major firms in Korea showed. Shin received total compensation of 11.2 billion won ($8.37 million) from the retail giant's six affiliates in the January-June period, up from 10.2 billion won tallied a year earlier. He maintained the highest-paid business leader title for a second consecutive year. The wage reflects Shin's management perf

Aug. 15, 2023

Hyundai Bioscience, US NIH to co-develop broad-spectrum antiviral drug

Hyundai Bioscience said Sunday it will develop a broad-spectrum antiviral drug with the US National Institutes of Health, a federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research. Hyundai Bioscience USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Bioscience, signed a Non-Clinical Evaluation Agreement with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the NIH. Under the contract, Hyundai Bioscience USA will provide Xafty (CP-COV03), a candidate for COVID-19 antivirals

Aug. 13, 2023

[Herald Interview] Korea's patent chief speaks on leveraging global alliances for Korea's IP growth

"South Korea aims to establish itself as a central hub within the global intellectual property network through strategic partnerships, technology-focused policies and active international engagement,” said Commissioner Lee Insil of the Korean Intellectual Property Office during her speech at the 64th World Intellectual Property Organization General Assembly held in Switzerland on July 6. During the first half of the year, the patent chief underscored Korea’s dedication to creati

July 27, 2023

Albamon, Alba Heaven slapped with W2.6b fine for collusion

The two firms operating the nation’s largest part-time job portals, Albamon and Alba Heaven, were fined 2.6 billion won ($2 million) for collusion, the antitrust watchdog said Monday. Following a record 16.4 percent minimum wage hike in 2018, JobKorea and MediaWill Networks, which run Albamon and Alba Heaven, respectively, colluded with each other to reduce the type of jobs available in free job postings. They also increased and fixed the price of paid services in order to steer users towa

July 24, 2023

Govt. to allow businesspeople to enter Ukraine for reconstruction projects

The government plans to allow businesspeople to enter Ukraine for reconstruction projects by making exceptions to the travel ban on the war-torn country, officials said Sunday. The decision was part of measures that the government is taking after President Yoon Suk Yeol made a surprise visit to Ukraine earlier this month and promised to provide a package of security, humanitarian and reconstruction assistance. Since February last year, the government has been maintaining a travel ban for all of

July 23, 2023

DSME removed from S. Korea's list of conglomerates following merger

South Korea's antitrust regulator said Monday the number of conglomerates in the country fell to 81 following the takeover of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. by Hanwha Group. Hanwha earlier clinched a deal to acquire a 49.3 percent stake and managerial control in DSME, with the Fair Trade Commission giving the final nod to the agreement in late April. DSME was renamed Hanwha Ocean in May. Prior to the takeover, DSME was the country's 37th-largest conglomerate with comb

July 3, 2023

Posco International seeks to go carbon-neutral by 2050

Posco International said Sunday it will achieve its carbon neutrality goal by 2050 in pursuit of establishing its position as a global environmental company. Under the new road map recently approved by its board, the company plans to reduce carbon emissions by 37 percent by 2030 compared to its emissions level in 2021. Ultimately, the company said, it aims to achieve “net zero” by 2050. The company will reduce carbon emissions in both direct and indirect ways. While reducing greenhou

July 2, 2023

[Best Brand] KS Group seeks to top wallpaper industry after merger

Korea’s steel and auto parts maker KS Group is taking another big leap as a leading player in the nation’s wallpaper industry with its planned merger with local rivals. The group started its wallpaper business in 2019 when it acquired a local wallpaper firm, which was then renamed KSWallcoverings. Then, it acquired another wallpaper company, called Jeil Wallpaper, in 2020. Now the two companies are operated under the group’s wallpaper business unit, KSW. The group also purchase

June 28, 2023

[Photo News] Support for Myanmar

Hana Financial Group Vice Chairman Lee Eun-hyung (second from right) and other company and government officials pose for a photo during a stationery delivery event held at the headquarters of Hana Microfinance in Yangon, Myanmar, Tuesday. Some 500 sets of stationary were delivered to help students in the city hit by the recent cyclone Mocha.

June 27, 2023