[KH Explains] Why Korean bank shares got bump from Trump's 2nd term

Shares of local banks are putting up a fight in the bearish Korean stock market, as investors are pricing in expectations that lenders could excel in the second Donald Trump administration under softened regulation and higher interest rates. The KRX Banks index, representing shares of top financial service providers such as KB, Shinhan, Woori and Hana, closed at 913.69 on Nov. 7, up 2.33 percent on-day, after Trump secured his victory in the US presidential election. It was the highest-gaining i

EconomyNov. 17, 2024

Hana Financial chief vows to boost corporate value in Hong Kong

Hana Financial Group's chief pitched the banking group's strategies to elevate its corporate value to overseas investors at an investor relations event in Hong Kong. Along with the chiefs of other top financial service providers in the country, Hana Financial Chairman Ham Young-joo attended the “Invest K-Finance” event, hosted by South Korea's Financial Supervisory Service. At the event, Ham introduced the group’s plan to boost corporate and shareholder value, ac

IndustryNov. 17, 2024

[Herald Interview] There’s no wrong way to enjoy bourbon: Jefferson's founder

Jefferson’s Bourbon Founder and Chief Strategist Trey Zoeller explores experimenting in Korea by pairing its bourbon with local culinary practices and pursuing partnerships with cultural industries as his brand establishes its foothold here. Ahead of the first anniversary of Kentucky-born Jefferson's Bourbon’s debut in Korea, Zoeller visited Seoul for the first time to introduce and share the allure of the brand to a growing number of bourbon enthusiasts in the country. He said

IndustryNov. 17, 2024

US, Korea urge China to act on NK troop deployment

The leaders of South Korea and the United States, respectively, urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to act to address the deepening concerns arising from North Korea's troop deployment to the Russia-Ukraine war, which is nearing its three-year mark. On Saturday local time, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters in a briefing in Lima, Peru, that US President Joe Biden had pressured Xi in a meeting that same day to stop North Korea from continuing its military support to Rus

PoliticsNov. 17, 2024

LG Chem promotes fair trade practices

LG Chem is ramping up efforts to strengthen ties with partner companies through a series of new initiatives to promote sustainable development across its supply chain, the firm said Sunday. The South Korean chemicals giant outlined five key strategies under its “Shared Growth Solutions” framework: promoting fair trade, providing financial support, advancing environmental, social and governance practices, enhancing partner capabilities and improving communication. As part of the plan,

CompaniesNov. 17, 2024

Kia scales back on EV9 in US amid tightened IRA rules

Hyundai Motor Group affiliate Kia is reportedly scaling back US production of its ambitious EV9, a large all-electric sport utility vehicle, due to stricter Inflation Reduction Act regulations. According to industry sources Sunday, Hyundai Motor Group’s manufacturing facility in Georgia, which began operation last month, produced 21 EV9s in the third quarter and only one was sold in the US. Given that the EV9’s monthly sales volume is approximately 1,800 units, the US production cons

MobilityNov. 17, 2024

K-pop's global fandoms, musical evolution discussed at Yale

NEW HAVEN, Connecticut -- Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, hosted a two-day K-pop conference under the banner of “K-Pop: Musical Production and Consumption” on Thursday and Friday, featuring discussions by scholars in social sciences and the humanities alongside presentations by industry professionals. Sixteen speakers delivered talks across four sessions, examining topics ranging from fandom dynamics and musical identity to K-pop’s historical trajectory and global ma

K-popNov. 17, 2024

Hallasan to welcome visitors now without trail reservations

Hallasan, the highest mountain on Jeju Island and in South Korea, is scheduled to launch a reservation-free period for its popular mountain trails, including Gwaneumsa Trail and Seongpanak Trail, starting from Nov. 27 to Dec. 27. Jeju’s provincial government and Hallasan National Park has been limiting the number of hikers for the two Hallasan mountain trails -- a maximum of 500 and 1,000 visitors a day for Gwaneumsan Trail and Seongpanak Trail, respectively -- to ensure the travelers&rsqu

TravelNov. 17, 2024

Stalker fans, or 'sasaeng' continue to plague entertainment landscape

The darker side of fame continues to haunt stars as the South Korean entertainment scene has recently been rocked by a series of incidents involving "sasaeng" fans -- meaning obsessive fans who engage in behaviors that invade the privacy of celebrities, including stalking. IST Entertainment, home to the popular K-pop group The Boyz, revealed on its fan cafe site Thursday that member Sunwoo was ambushed by a sasaeng fan hiding in the emergency stairwell where the group members live as h

TelevisionNov. 17, 2024

Former Riize member Seunghan to debut solo next year

Seunghan, who left boy band Riize due to a controversy surrounding his private life, is set to debut as a solo artist in the latter half of next year. SM Entertainment announced that Seunghan is preparing for his solo debut, which is targeted for the second half of 2025. The agency stated, “He is undergoing systematic training, receiving support in production, management and other areas necessary for a solo debut.” “Updates regarding Seunghan will be shared through his newly la

K-popNov. 17, 2024

Akamus and RIAS Chamber Choir debut as one in Korea

This year’s Hanwha Classic, a concert series dedicated to early music, will bring together two ensembles whose first collaboration in 1992 was regarded as a musical symbol of German unificaiton. The Academy for Ancient Music Berlin (Akamus) was founded in 1982 in East Berlin, and the RIAS Chamber Choir was established in 1948 within the American-occupied sector of West Berlin. In 1992, they began performing together and have since developed a close relationship, performing together and e

CultureNov. 17, 2024

Daewoo E&C makes strides in Central Asia, global urban development

Daewoo E&C is making significant strides in its global expansion efforts, securing major projects across Central and Southeast Asia under the leadership of Chairman Jung Won-ju, the company announced Friday. Celebrating its 51st anniversary this year, Daewoo E&C has reaffirmed its vision of evolving into a company moving into the next century by tapping broader overseas markets and addressing challenges in the sluggish domestic construction industry. A prime example is the Turkmenistan M

IndustryNov. 17, 2024

Only 2.5% of senior citizens want to move in with children when sick: survey

Only 2.5 percent of senior citizens are willing to go live with their children when they are sick, while the majority prefer to remain in their current homes, according to a survey published Sunday. The study, titled “Senior Citizens' Living Environment and Awareness of Senior Life in 2023,” conducted by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, revealed that 87.2 percent of senior citizen respondents expressed a desire to continue living where they live. Meanwhile, 8

Social AffairsNov. 17, 2024

[AtoZ into Korean mind] Unspoken but often felt, the hurt feelings that Koreans won’t openly share

In Korea, there is a word expressing an emotion that people use with great frequency, though it doesn't translate well into English: “seounhada.” This term, used interchangeably with “seopseophada,” captures a combination of feelings: hurt, disappointment, sadness or a sense of being mistreated, ignored or even offended. It can be a combination of all or any of those feelings, but subtle and not too intense. And here's the kicker — these feelings are often

Hashtag KoreaNov. 17, 2024

Washington-Pyongyang talks difficult without Seoul's involvement: minister

Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho said Sunday that any talks between North Korea and the United States will be difficult without South Korea's involvement. Kim made the remark during an interview with broadcaster KBS, acknowledging there are concerns South Korea could be overlooked in the event North Korea and the US pursue a resumption of dialogue. "It will be difficult for North Korea to go to Washington without going through Seoul," the minister said. "That's how firml

Foreign AffairsNov. 17, 2024

N. Korea's GPS jamming continues for 10th day

North Korea's jamming of GPS signals across the border with South Korea continued Sunday for the 10th consecutive day, the military said. GPS jamming was detected in the northern part of Gangwon Province early Sunday morning, according to the military. The latest jamming attacks began near the northwestern islands before they began spreading to the northern parts of Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces last Thursday. The military has said the jamming has involved weaker signals than in May and Ju

North KoreaNov. 17, 2024

Foreign ownership of S. Korean stocks at yearly low: data

Foreign ownership of South Korean shares fell to the lowest level of this year following Donald Trump's presidential reelection, data showed Sunday. Foreign holdings of Korean stocks on the main bourse Kospi accounted for 32.3 percent, or 637.48 trillion won ($456 billion), of the market capitalization worth 1,973.51 trillion won as of Friday, according to the data compiled by the Korea Exchange. Foreign investors held 32.7 percent of Kospi-listed stocks early this year, but the ratio conti

MarketNov. 17, 2024

Yoon, Vietnamese president discuss ways to boost economic ties

President Yoon Suk Yeol met with Vietnam's new President Luong Cuong to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries and other issues of mutual concern, Yoon's office said Saturday. The bilateral summit, held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Lima, marked Yoon's first meeting with Cuong, who took office last month. Yoon emphasized the importance of "mutually beneficial" cooperation in key areas, including infrastructure develop

Foreign AffairsNov. 17, 2024

NK leader's sister says S. Korea will have to pay 'dear price' for leaflets

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said Sunday that South Korea will have to pay a "dear price" for sending propaganda leaflets across the border the previous day. Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the central committee of the North's ruling Workers' Party, said "various kinds of political agitation leaflets and dirty things" were dropped by the South near the border and further inland. "We strongly denounce the shameful and dirty act

North KoreaNov. 17, 2024

S. Korean, Peruvian presidents agree to expand defense, minerals cooperation

President Yoon Suk Yeol and his Peruvian counterpart, Dina Boluarte, agreed to strengthen cooperation in the defense industry and the mineral sector during their summit in Peru on Saturday. The talks, held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, came as Seoul has been seeking to expand cooperation with Peru, an increasingly crucial partner for South Korea given its rich mineral resources and growing potential for deeper bilateral defense industrial collaboration. Yoon a

Foreign AffairsNov. 17, 2024