GS25 rides high on booming sales to North American visitors

North Americans have become the fastest-growing foreign customer base at GS25, the South Korean convenience store chain operated by GS Retail, trailing just behind the dominant customer base of people from Greater China. According to company data released Thursday, sales to North American customers at GS25 stores in Korea jumped 131 percent in the first eight months of the year from a year earlier, the steepest rise among all regional groups. Their share of foreign customer sales hit a record of

2026-10-04 16:00:00:00

AmCham, KCCI map US expansion strategies for Korean firms

Korean companies expanding in the US need to plan for staffing, regulatory requirements and local partnerships alongside capital investment, business leaders and industry experts said at a seminar in Seoul on Wednesday. The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry hosted the eighth annual Doing Business in the US Seminar at the KCCI headquarters, drawing more than 300 government officials, business leaders and investment professionals. Held under the t

2026-10-01 13:52:16:00

Paris Croissant taps former Samsung executive as CEO

Paris Croissant, the operator of bakery chain Paris Baguette, named Kang Shin-bong, a former Samsung Electronics executive, as its new CEO to accelerate customer-focused innovation, the company said Thursday. Kang's career has spanned strategy, e-commerce and consumer-facing roles at Boston Consulting Group, eBay, Yogiyo and Samsung. "Kang brings broad experience across consumer, platform and global businesses, along with strong change-management skills," a Paris Croissant official said. "We exp

2026-10-01 10:56:38:00

Why Mexico is K-beauty’s next big bet

South Korean beauty companies are making Mexico their next target in Latin America, counting on K-beauty's momentum in North America, even as unfavorable trade conditions complicate the push. That effort came into focus at the 2026 K-Expo Mexico, a Korea-focused trade event in Mexico City that ran from Thursday through Sunday, also attended by President Lee Jae Myung during his state visit. At Amorepacific's booth, he tried an artificial intelligence-powered skin diagnostic device and sampled a

2026-09-29 14:58:59:00

Kintex builds winning record overseas with profitable venues

The Korea International Exhibition Center, known as Kintex, is proving its venue-management skills overseas, turning a profit at convention centers in India and Malaysia while earning recognition in the global meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions, or MICE, industry. South Korea's largest convention and exhibition center operator began its overseas push in India in 2018, when it became the first Korean company to win the right to run an exhibition center abroad. It won the 20-year co

2026-09-28 14:48:14:00

Samsung Biologics showcases faster drug development at Boston conference

Samsung Biologics pitched its streamlined approach to developing and making biologic drugs at a leading bioprocessing conference in Boston, the company said Monday. At the BioProcess International Conference in Boston from Tuesday to Friday, the Korean contract drug manufacturer presented a case in which it used chemistry, manufacturing and controls to design molecule-specific processes that cut development time from 13 months to 9.5 months. The event drew more than 3,000 industry experts from a

2026-09-28 14:04:31:00

Will Oriental Brewery's first soju make a splash?

Oriental Brewery, the AB InBev-owned maker of Cass and long the dominant force in Korea's beer market, is shedding its beer-only focus. The company will launch its first soju for the Korean market on Monday, a zero-sugar product named Chalrang. Produced by OB affiliate Jeju Soju, Chalrang marks the company's first domestic soju release and its clearest test yet of whether the acquisition is likely to pay off. OB acquired Jeju Soju from Shinsegae L&B in 2024, gaining a production base it had most

2026-09-23 12:24:45:00

Beauty of Joseon dazzles UK TikTok

Visitors participate in promotional events for Beauty of Joseon, a Korean skincare brand operated by Goodai Global, during the K-Beauty Super Brand Week hosted by TikTok Shop UK. The Sept. 12-13 event marked TikTok Shop's first K-beauty-focused showcase in the UK, drawing about 1,000 attendees across 19 participating brands. Beauty of Joseon said it posted its best single-day sales during the brand week, four times its average for the year through August, with interest in its suncare and skincar

2026-09-23 11:54:02:00

FTC opens review of Uber's $13.7b takeover for Baemin's parent

South Korea's antitrust regulator said Tuesday it has opened a preliminary review of Uber Technologies' planned acquisition of Delivery Hero, in a deal that would hand the ride-hailing giant control of Korea's leading food delivery app, Baemin. According to the Korea Fair Trade Commission, Uber requested the voluntary review ahead of its formal merger filing to gauge whether the deal risks violating antitrust law before finalizing it. Uber plans to complete its tender offer in November and final

2026-09-22 16:07:51:00

Why VIG Partners could pair Air Premia with Eastar Jet

Airlines make for tricky bets in private equity, where fuel swings, currency moves and lease bills mean that more passengers don't always add up to bigger profits. Yet for VIG Partners, a Seoul-based buyout fund that already owns budget carrier Eastar Jet, it seems one airline isn't enough. Industry sources said Tuesday that VIG was weighing a bid for Air Premia, a long-haul hybrid carrier that undercuts full-service airlines on fares while still offering perks like roomier seats and in-flight m

2026-09-22 14:08:56:00