This year's Merck Award winners announced

Merck Korea, the Korean unit of the German chemicals giant Merck, said Thursday that two Korean display specialists were named as the winners of its Merck Award this year during the International Meeting of Information Displays held at Bexco in Busan this week. Marking its 20th anniversary this year, the Merck Award recognizes scientists for their outstanding scientific contributions to display technology. This year, Jeong Jae-kyeong, a professor at Hanyang University, won the top honor, the Mer

Aug. 24, 2023

SM6 Feel combines perks of popular Renault sedans

Renault Korea Motors' SM6 Feel sedan, an upgraded version that integrates existing SE and LE trims, has been gaining popularity in the domestic market as a stylish yet cost-effective option. The car company said Thursday that its SM6 Feel accounted for 71 percent of the total sales of its SM6 vehicles in the first half of the year. Prior to the model's launch, the carmaker surveyed customers to reflect their needs and preferences in the new trim. The new sedan adopts all the preferre

Aug. 24, 2023

BOK holds rate at 3.5% amid China fears

The Bank of Korea on Thursday kept its policy rate unchanged at 3.5 percent, holding it for the fifth consecutive time since February. Recent economic indicators show inflation could rebound within this year as the base effect from last year’s dip in international oil prices wears off. Oil prices have been on the rise recently, too, adding to the growing inflationary pressure on the Korean economy, which heavily dependent on energy imports. Chinese deflation and default risks from its real

Aug. 24, 2023

Seoul shares open sharply up on tech gains

Seoul shares opened more than 1 percent higher Thursday, tracking overnight tech gains on Wall Street, amid expectations the Bank of Korea is likely to freeze its policy rate later in the day. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 27.09 points, or 1.08 percent, to 2,532.59 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Wall Street finished higher Wednesday, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite rallying 1.59 percent ahead of the release of Nvidia's earnings results. The Dow Jones Industr

Aug. 24, 2023

CEOs of SK On, Mercedes-Benz discuss EV partnership in Seoul

Chey Jae-won, executive vice chairman of SK Group and co-chief of its battery-making arm SK On, met with Germany luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kallenius to discuss ways to strengthen business cooperation in the electric vehicle sector, the energy-to-chip conglomerate said Wednesday. Chey and Kallenius discussed various cooperation plans on electric vehicle products and services, including battery supply and Tmap, the SK-made navigation service widely used across Korea, the SK Group off

Aug. 23, 2023

[From the Scene] SK bioscience rolls out Korea's first cell-based flu vaccine

ANDONG, North Gyeongsang Province -- Researchers wearing blue personal protective equipment hunker down over digital screens and packaging machine belts as thousands of syringes are briskly moved through machines at SK bioscience’s vaccine manufacturing facility, L HOUSE, in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, Tuesday. After going through a series of procedures such as being analyzed for their defection rate and having plunger rods inserted into the syringes, the drugs are labeled and pac

Aug. 23, 2023

[KH Explains] Mango bingsu prices continue to go up but why?

High-end Korean hotels have continued to raise prices this year of mango bingsu, a Korean shaved ice dessert popular in the summer, despite mango prices having stabilized. This year, Four Seasons Hotel Seoul sold its mango bingsu at 126,000 won ($94), 31.3 percent higher than last year. Shilla Seoul also raised the price of its progenitor luxury mango bingsu by 18.1 percent to 98,000 won, while Lotte Hotel increased the price by 4.5 percent to 92,000 won. The price rally drew particular attentio

Aug. 23, 2023

CJ CheilJedang launches new global campaign for Bibigo brand

South Korean food giant CJ CheilJedang said Wednesday it launched a new global marketing campaign for its Bibigo brand, dubbed “Live Delicious.” The campaign clip, featuring a TikTok-friendly dance and music, was distributed in Korea, the US, Europe, Japan, China, and Thailand via YouTube. “If the company’s past campaign for Bibigo aimed to build connections with customers by focusing on the integrity of our food products, the latest campaign focuses more on appealing to

Aug. 23, 2023

Seoul shares end lower ahead of US chipmaker's earnings, Fed chief's address

Seoul shares ended lower Wednesday as investors await US chip giant Nvidia Corp.'s earnings results and comments from the US Federal Reserve on its monetary policy. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index declined 10.24 points, or 0.41 percent, to close at 2,505.50. Trading volume was moderate at 535.96 million shares worth 8.35 trillion won ($6.2 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 503 to 367. Overnight, US stocks ended mixed, with

Aug. 23, 2023

China's property woes will have minimal impact on Korea: FSC

South Korea’s financial authorities downplayed the possibility that the uncertainties stemming from the Chinese real estate crisis will have a serious and direct impact on domestic financial markets. “There is no need to feel excessively anxious, as the stable fundamentals of the Korean economy and financial market are being maintained," Kim So-young, vice chairman of the Financial Services Commission, said during an emergency meeting held Tuesday in Seoul, with representatives

Aug. 23, 2023

[Photo News] Greetings

LS Group Chairman Koo Ja-yeol (right), who doubles as chairperson of the Korea International Trade Association, and Poongsang Group Chairman Ryu Jin, the new chairperson of the Federation of Korean Industries, shake hands after their first official meeting as the heads of the nation’s top business groups at the Trade Tower in Seoul, Wednesday. During the meeting, the two leaders exchanged opinions on the role of their organizations in creating social value, national agenda items and ways t

Aug. 23, 2023

EcoPro to set up joint venture with SK On, Ford in Canada

South Korean battery materials company EcoPro said Wednesday it is poised to set up a joint venture for a battery cathode materials manufacturing plant with SK On and Ford Motor Company in Quebec, Canada. Of the 1.2 trillion won ($897.3 million) investment, the joint venture, called EcoPro Cam Canada LP, plans to provide 600 billion won, while the Canadian government and Quebec will cover the other half in subsidies. EcoPro said the company will hold the largest stake in the joint venture compar

Aug. 23, 2023

[KH Explains] Kia eyes expansion into European defense market

Poland has decided to acquire military vehicles made by Kia, opening up more possibilities for the South Korean automaker’s defense products in Europe. The Polish Ministry of National Defense announced last week that it had approved the Polish Armaments Group’s 270 million euro ($293 million) contract to acquire 400 units of Kia’s Raycolt reconnaissance vehicles, called Kia Light Tactical Vehicles. PGZ is an arms procurement holdings company established by the Polish government

Aug. 23, 2023

LG's portable TV to debut in US, Europe

LG Electronics said Wednesday that its latest portable TV, called LG StandbyMe Go, will be officially launched in North America and across Europe later this month. The TV, housed in a suitcase with a built-in battery and speakers, allows users to bring a quality entertainment experience wherever they go without compromising convenience or quality. The product quickly sold out shortly after its debut at home in June. The portable touchscreen is user-friendly, requiring no separate assembly or i

Aug. 23, 2023

Dongsuh leads snack market with Oreo, Ritz

South Korean food and beverage manufacturer Dongsuh Foods is leading the domestic snack food market with globally recognized Oreo cookies and Ritz crackers through creative marketing strategies. Launched in 1912, the American sandwich cookie Oreo was introduced to South Korea in 2003. Dongsuh at first imported the cookies from China, but since 2010 it has produced them at its production plant at home. The company has enhanced marketing campaigns to maintain Oreo’s title as the “world

Aug. 23, 2023

[Photo News] Kia Ray EV

Kia will begin taking pre-orders for its Ray electric vehicle from Thursday with the car's official launch slated for next month. Equipped with a 35.2 kilowatt-hour battery, the Ray EV is capable of driving 205 kilometers per charge. The price of the four-person passenger model begins at 27.75 million won ($20,762). Kia said it expects the Ray EV to accelerate the automation trend in the Korean market as the vehicle provides an affordable city car option for customers. (Hyundai Motor Group)

Aug. 23, 2023

Biz outlook hits 6-month low in August amid uncertainties

South Korea's business sentiment fell to the lowest level in six months in August amid continued uncertainties over the economy and monetary tightening here and abroad, a central bank poll showed Wednesday. Manufacturers' business sentiment index for August came to 67, down from 72 tallied for the previous month, according to the survey by the Bank of Korea. The index marks the lowest since February this year, when the comparable reading was 63. The index measures corporate prospects f

Aug. 23, 2023

Corporate direct financing down 32.8% in July

Corporate direct financing in South Korea contracted 32.8 percent in July from the previous month, data showed Wednesday. Local companies raised a combined 16.07 trillion won ($12.03 billion) by selling stocks and bonds last month, down 7.85 trillion won from June, according to the Financial Supervisory Service. Direct financing refers to raising funds directly from the stock and bond markets without borrowing from banks and other financial institutions. Stock sales shot up 58.6 percent on-month

Aug. 23, 2023

Seoul shares open lower ahead of Nvidia's earnings results

Seoul shares opened lower Wednesday as investors await US chipmaking giant Nvidia Corp.'s earnings results. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 5.0 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,510.74 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, Wall Street closed mixed, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 0.51 percent but the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite inching up 0.06 percent. Nvidia's earnings results will likely have broader implications for stock markets as the tech st

Aug. 23, 2023

Korea’s fisheries worried about consumer fears

South Korea’s fisheries industry on Tuesday raised concerns over the business impact of Japan’s planned release of radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean later this week. “Concerns are mounting among merchants here as the latest announcement will lead directly to decreases in the number of visitors to fish markets, as well as in the overall consumption of fish and seafood,” an official from the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperati

Aug. 22, 2023