Korean Air posts record quarterly revenue in Q3

Korean Air posted record quarterly revenue for the July-September period on surging inbound and steady cargo demand, despite persistently high fuel costs, the national flag carrier said Thursday. According to preliminary earnings data, third-quarter revenue reached 5.04 trillion won ($3.8 billion), the highest of any quarter in the company’s history, up more than 1 trillion won, or 26 percent, from a year earlier. Operating profit climbed 12 percent to 421.2 billion won. Net income soared more t

2026-10-15 17:45:19:00

K-beauty’s new race runs on 30-minute delivery apps

K-beauty’s newest battlefield is delivery speed, and food delivery services now set the pace. Korea’s leading food delivery apps — Baemin and Coupang Eats — have linked their rider networks and customer bases to nearby discount beauty stores. They now deliver to customers’ doorsteps in about 30 minutes and outpace CJ Olive Young on speed. Last week, Baemin, set to come under Uber through its parent company, added warehouse-style outlet Off Beauty to its platform. The chain delivers about 4,000 p

2026-10-14 15:07:01:00

HiteJinro starts brewing Kirin beer in Korea

HiteJinro said Monday it has begun producing one of Japanese brewer Kirin's best-known lagers in Korea, becoming the first independent importer in Asia to brew the beer under license. Kirin Brewery supplies HiteJinro with its core brewing technique and proprietary yeast under a technical partnership signed in July to produce the premium beer, Kirin Ichiban Shibori. Japanese engineers helped set up HiteJinro’s plant in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, over more than a year to meet Kirin’s quality s

2026-10-12 14:09:28:00

Inside Burger King Korea's 90-minute secret Whopper room

Most visitors to Flameground, Burger King's first global flagship in Seongsu, Seoul, arrive for its exclusive burgers, built on 70 years of flame-grilled heritage. Yet a select few venture deeper, past the broiler-themed main hall, into a ten-seat bar tucked in the back. Here diners find the Gastro, a reservation-only tasting course that deconstructs the Whopper, Burger King's signature burger, layer by layer. Each ingredient gets its own Korean-accented plate. Charcoal smolders in an open kitch

2026-10-12 11:17:45:00

Jeju officer dismissed over false closures of missing person cases

A police officer on Jeju Island indicted for falsely closing two missing person cases has been dismissed from the force, police said Thursday. Both were later found dead. The Jeju Seobu Police Station's disciplinary committee voted to dismiss the officer in his 30s, surnamed Bu. Dismissal is the harshest penalty for police officers and takes effect once the officer receives notice. Bu, who remains in custody, can challenge the ruling through a formal appeal. Bu allegedly received a report on May

2026-10-08 20:26:54:00

Coupang challenges record W624.7b privacy fine in court

E-commerce giant Coupang has taken South Korea's data protection watchdog to court over a record 620 billion won ($461 million) in fines tied to its massive data leak, sources said Thursday. The e-commerce giant filed two suits with the Seoul Administrative Court on Wednesday, asking it to cancel the penalties the Personal Information Protection Commission assessed in June. Coupang also sought to halt the fines until the court rules. The commission ordered Coupang and its affiliate to pay a comb

2026-10-08 20:16:04:00

‘Seeing the unseen’ opens new doors: GBF speakers

The best business ideas often hide in plain sight, from gaps big companies miss to daily hassles people ignore, speakers at this week's Global Business Forum said Wednesday. The 10th edition of the weekly forum, organized by The Korea Herald and Herald Business, runs under the theme "See the Unseen," and Thai Ambassador to South Korea Tanee Sangrat opened its second official session. Wrapping up a three-year posting in Seoul, Tanee praised Korea's technology and invited its firms to partner with

2026-10-08 14:36:10:00

Jennie vs. Annie: Lotte-Shinsegae rivalry gets K-pop duel

Shinsegae Department Store has no formal ambassador, but Annie of Allday Project, K-pop's first known chaebol scion, has served as its de facto face since her debut last year. Lacking any such birthright, Lotte Department Store recently signed its own poster child: Blackpink's Jennie. Lotte's ambassador deal, unveiled in late September, marks its first advertising model in nearly a decade — Actress Shin Min-a last fronted Lotte in 2017 — and signals a bid to rejuvenate its image as a younger, mo

2026-10-07 14:56:41:00

Daewoo E&C’s new CEO puts profitability, expansion first

Daewoo Engineering & Construction's new CEO, Lee Kang-seok, took office with three keywords — "summit," "together" and "challenge" — to power the company's next stride as the construction industry shifts. The company announced Monday that its shareholders and board had formally appointed Lee as chief executive on Friday. Lee pledged to aim higher, build a culture where people work as one, and venture into new businesses on the strength of the company's expertise. "The future does not arrive beca

2026-10-05 13:32:02:00

KT&G takes Incheon duty-free success to airports worldwide

KT&G is gaining new shelf space across global airport duty-free retail, from Kyrgyzstan to Bahrain to Istanbul, drawing on a 25-year run at Incheon Airport, where it has ranked among the top-selling brands. The push comes as global duty-free retail swells and KT&G turns its buyer network from trade shows into new markets. The South Korean tobacco maker has sold cigarettes at Incheon's duty-free shops since the day the airport opened in March 2001, and now sells about 100 products there, ranking

2026-10-05 11:13:09:00