Most Popular
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Tensions heighten ahead of first president-opposition chief meeting
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Seoul to provide housing subsidy to married couples with newborns
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New celebrity-endorsed therapy for face contouring requires only a pair of rubber bands
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[KH Explains] No more 'Michael' at Kakao Games
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Rapper jailed after public street fight with another rapper
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Woman gets suspended term for injuring boyfriend with knife
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Samsung chief bolsters ties with Germany’s Zeiss
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Nominee for chief of anti-corruption body pledges 'independence, effectiveness'
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Med schools expect 1,500+ new admission slots next year
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NewJeans pops out ‘Bubble Gum’ video amid troubles at agency
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[News Focus] Labor-friendly government boosts confidence of financial unions
In line with the rise of the liberal Moon Jae-in government and the appointment of a former financial unionist as labor minister, financial labor unions have recently been increasing their leverage with their employers, especially over the issue of leadership appointment.On Wednesday, the labor union of the Financial Supervisory Service issued a statement, lashing out at the government’s purported decision to appoint Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra CEO Choe Heung-sik as the next chief of the
Sept. 6, 2017
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Korean banks’ overseas performance jumps nearly 50%, boosted by interest revenue
South Korean banks saw a nearly 50 percent increase on-year in net profit from offshore banking units in the first half of this year on surge in interest revenue, while the reliance on the overseas business dropped to a third over the cited period, data showed Wednesday. The net profit of all 184 offshore banking entities during the first half came to $461.2 million, up 48.7 percent from a year prior, according to data by the Financial Supervisory Service. In the first half of 2016, net revenue
Sept. 6, 2017
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Financial firms expanding Korean athletes sponsorships ahead of PyeongChang Olympics
South Korean financial firms are expanding sponsorship for athletes competing in the upcoming 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, industry sources said Wednesday, as they seek to improve their brand image while contributing to the better performance of the home team.One of the major financial companies supporting athletes is KB Financial Group, which sponsored now-retired figure skating star Kim Yu-na since 2006. Industry watchers have been citing KB Financial's sponsorship of Kim as one of best e
Sept. 6, 2017
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Seoul shares down for 5th day on US losses, geopolitical tension
South Korean stocks closed lower Wednesday as a decline in US stocks, coupled with concerns over North Korean provocations, continued to sour investor sentiment, analysts said. The Korean won fell against the US dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index dropped 6.80 points, or 0.29 percent, to 2,319.82, extending its losing streak to a fifth day. Trade volume was low at 249 million shares worth 5.25 trillion won ($4.62 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers at 569 to 239.Analyst
Sept. 6, 2017
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Korean stocks down late Wednesday morning
South Korean stocks traded lower late Wednesday morning on overnight losses from Wall Street coupled with the rising concern over North Korean provocations.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 6.99 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,319.63 as of 11:20 a.m.Carmakers lost ground, with Hyundai Motor Co. falling 2.17 percent and its sister Kia Motors moving down 3.81 percent. Hyundai Mobis, the country's largest car parts producer, shed 2.1 percent. No. 1 mobile carrier SK Telecom bac
Sept. 6, 2017
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KDB, Export-Import Bank of Korea return to black in H1
South Korea's two state-run policy banks -- Korea Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of Korea -- bounced back into the black in the first-half of this year with their loan-loss provisions falling as the restructuring of the shipbuilding industry nears an end.In a regulatory filing on Wednesday, KDB said it posted a net profit of 1.27 trillion won ($1.12 billion) for the January-June period, compared to a loss of 289.6 billion won a year earlier. The Export-Import Bank of Korea said
Sept. 6, 2017
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Seoul stocks open lower on N. Korean nuke woes
South Korean stocks opened lower Wednesday as North Korea's sixth nuke test continued to weigh down on investor sentiment.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 4.19 points, or 0.18 percent, to 2,322.43 in the first 15 minutes of trading.Steelmakers got off to a weak start, with No. 1 player POSCO falling 1.61 percent and second-largest Hyundai Steel losing 1.05 percent. Top carmaker Hyundai Motor decreased 0.72 percent, and its sister Kia Motors moved down 1.32 percent. Auto
Sept. 6, 2017
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Stocks reel from nuke test impact
South Korea’s stock markets on Tuesday remained under the influence of North Korea’s sixth nuclear test Sunday.The main bourse index Kospi shed 0.13 percent and closed at 2,326.62, while the secondary market index Kosdaq took a 0.33 percent loss.Both markets opened higher Tuesday, but swung back to negative territory with foreign sell-offs emerging from late morning trade. The Kospi opened 0.37 percent higher, while the Kosdaq was up 0.69 percent at 9 a.m. The Kospi suffered fo
Sept. 5, 2017
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Seoul shares close slightly lower on geopolitical concerns
South Korean stocks closed 0.13 percent lower Tuesday on concerns over North Korea's nuclear provocations, but the decline slowed compared to previous sessions as investors engaged in bargain hunting, analysts said. The Korean won sharply fell against the US dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index dropped 3.03 points, or 0.13 percent, to 2,326.62. Trade volume was moderate at 317 million shares worth 4.81 trillion won ($4.25 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers at 569 to 239
Sept. 5, 2017
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Financial regulator urges tighter screenings in high-risk lending
Banks and other financial institutions should tighten screenings of lending applications by high-risk borrowers, the top financial regulator said Tuesday. Choi Jong-ku, chairman of the Financial Services Commission, made the remarks at a forum in Seoul, as financial authorities are scheduled to announce a fresh package of measures this month to curb the growth of household debt. Choi urged banks and other financial institutions to "break away from the practice of unconditionally extending l
Sept. 5, 2017
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Korean stocks down late Tuesday morning
South Korean stocks traded lower late Tuesday morning as investors took a wait-and-see stance on the geopolitical tension on the Korean Peninsula sparked by Pyonyang's nuke provocations.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 3.11 points, or 0.13 percent, to 2,326.54 as of 11:20 a.m.Financial shares lost ground, with Shinhan Financial moving down 2.95 percent and Samsung Life Insurance dropping 0.89 percent. KB Financial plunged 4.08 percent. Top carmaker Hyundai Motor lost 0.7
Sept. 5, 2017
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Korea's FX reserves hit record high in August
South Korea's foreign exchange reserves hit a record high in August due to a hike in the value of non-dollar currencies when converted into the US greenback, central bank data showed Tuesday.As of the end of August, the country's foreign exchange reserves came to $384.84 billion, up $1.08 billion from the previous month, the Bank of Korea said in a statement.Foreign exchange reserves consist of securities and deposits denominated in overseas currencies, as well as International Monetary Fun
Sept. 5, 2017
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Kakao Bank implements W500b capital hike
Kakao Bank, South Korea's second Internet-only bank, implemented a 500 billion won ($441.9 million) capital increase on Tuesday as a part of a refinancing plan to bolster its lending business. Kakao Bank, launched in late July with paid-in capital of 300 billion won, has attracted about three million accounts and extended loans worth 1.4 trillion won as of Aug. 27. The capital hike was made by issuing 100 million new shares worth 5,000 won each.Major shareholders of Kakao Bank, including Korea I
Sept. 5, 2017
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Seoul stocks open higher on techs, autos
South Korean stocks opened higher Tuesday after suffering a sharp decline in the previous session following Pyongyang's nuclear provocations. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 6.74 points, or 0.29 percent, to 2,336.39 in the first 15 minutes of trading.On Sunday, Pyongyang claimed it successfully conducted a test of a hydrogen bomb that can be loaded on an intercontinental ballistic missile. Tech shares led the recovery, with top cap Samsung Electronics advancing 0.13 p
Sept. 5, 2017
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Markets in red on NK downward momentum
Markets in South Korea took a downturn Monday in the wake of the most powerful nuclear bomb test by North Korea on Sunday, drawing a mixed forecast on the aftereffect from local analysts.The main bourse index Kospi closed at 2,329.65, down 1.19 percent, while the tech-heavy secondary Kosdaq tumbled 1.68 percent to 650.89. Market bellwether Samsung Electronics‘ stock price fluctuated, starting 2.02 percent lower in the opening and closing at 0.95 percent lower.Of the Kospi-listed top 20 p
Sept. 4, 2017
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Seoul shares shed over 1% on N. Korean nuke provocation
South Korean stocks sank by more than 1 percent Monday as the escalating geopolitical tension following Pyongyang's nuclear test soured investor sentiment, analysts said. The Korean won sharply fell against the US dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index dropped 28.04 points, or 1.19 percent, to 2,329.65. Trade volume was low at 244 million shares worth 4.32 trillion won ($3.81 billion), with losers far outnumbering gainers at 715 to 124.On Sunday, North Korea claimed it had succes
Sept. 4, 2017
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S. Korean stocks down late Monday morning on NK threat
South Korean stocks traded lower late Monday morning apparently as investors sought after safer assets on Pyongyang's sixth nuclear test staged over the weekend.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 16.47 points, or 0.7 percent, to 2,341.22 as of 11:20 a.m.On Sunday, Pyongyang announced it had successfully conducted a test of a hydrogen bomb that can be mounted on an intercontinental ballistic missile. Market behemoth Samsung Electronics shed 0.56 percent, and top chipmaker S
Sept. 4, 2017
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Seoul stocks open sharply lower on Pyongyang's nuke test
South Korean stocks opened sharply lower on Monday after North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test a day earlier, escalating geopolitical tension in the Northeast Asian region.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index plunged 26.87 points, or 1.14 percent, to 2,330.82 in the first 15 minutes of trading.On Sunday, Pyongyang claimed it successfully conducted a test of a hydrogen bomb that can be loaded on an intercontinental ballistic missile. Tech giants lost ground, with top cap Sa
Sept. 4, 2017
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[Stock Preview] North Korea risks loom over Kospi
Security tension is most likely to return to focus in South Korea’s stock markets this week following the North’s sixth nuclear test Sunday, further dampening investors’ sentiment.A 5.7 magnitude tremor was detected in northeastern North Korea on Sunday at around 12:29 p.m., which North Korea claimed to be a test of a hydrogen bomb that can be loaded into its intercontinental ballistic missile.“The news would bring noise in investor sentiments and stock markets in South K
Sept. 3, 2017
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Korea seeks to regulate digital currencies
South Korea's top financial regulator said Sunday it will step up monitoring and carry out probes into money laundering, unauthorized financing and other illicit transactions of digital currencies. Joining Japan, China and other Asian nations in trying to regulate crypto-currencies, the Financial Services Commission warned that the recent transaction volume and volatility of digital currencies are "excessive." The move by the FSC comes as the price of a bitcoin, the best-known di
Sept. 3, 2017