Korea ranked No. 4 in Starbucks store count

South Korea ranked fourth in the world in terms of the number of Starbucks stores in the country, following the United States, China and Japan, with an increase of over 100 new stores in 2023. According to the Starbucks global website on Sunday, the number of stores in Korea at the end of last year stood at 1,893, marking an increase of 116 from the previous year. There are 38,587 Starbucks stores worldwide, with the US hosting the largest number at 16,466, followed by China with 6,975 stores. T

IndustryFeb. 12, 2024

CJ Logistics speeds up overseas expansion

CJ Logistics, the nation’s largest logistic firm, affiliated with retail giant CJ Group, is speeding up its overseas expansion this year, according to industry sources on Monday. Its Indian subsidiary, CJ Darcl Logistics, aims to make its stock debut in the first half of the year, while the company plans to start construction of three massive distribution centers in the US later this year. CJ Logistics, commanding 45 percent of the domestic parcel delivery market, has been steadily expandi

IndustryFeb. 12, 2024

Samsung chief inspects battery plant in Malaysia during holidays

Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong last week renewed his will to continue bold investments despite business uncertainties upon his visit to the construction site of a new 1.7 trillion won ($1.2 billion) battery plant in Malaysia. According to the tech giant on Monday, the Samsung chief on Friday visited the Malaysian city of Seremban where Samsung SDI, the battery-making arm of Samsung Group, is building its second plant with its completion set for 2025. Samsung SDI aims to bolster its re

IndustryFeb. 12, 2024

EVs take up 9.3 percent of newly purchased cars in 2023

Electric cars accounted for 9.3 percent of newly purchased cars in South Korea last year, data showed Monday, hovering above that of other major counterparts, including the United States and Japan. The electric vehicles (EVs) took up 162,507 of 1.74 million cars sold in South Korea in 2023, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The ratio marked a significant rise from just 1.9 percent tallied in 2019. The figure, however, fell slightly from 9.7 per

MobilityFeb. 12, 2024

Inexpensive whiskey brands target Korean budget sippers

South Korean whiskey providers are searching for new import markets like those in Taiwan, India, Spain and Australia, as consumers here crave new varieties at reasonable prices. “Local demands for affordable whiskey products are increasing with the surge of people consuming highball cocktails. Yet, whiskey products from major whiskey producers such as the UK, the US and Japan are expensive and less available to local consumers,” an industry source said. “Whiskey products from A

ConsumerFeb. 11, 2024

Thingsflow's AI chatbot becomes global featured on Google Play

An artificial intelligence chatbot developed by Thingsflow, a South Korean startup, has been selected as Global Featured on Google Play for the first time as a Korean chatbot service, according to the company Sunday. Thingsflow's Hellobot is a first-generation AI chatbot platform where anyone can easily create and distribute chatbots with unique expertise, such as love tarot, personality and psychological analysis, fortune telling and others. With the selection as Global Featured on Google

IndustryFeb. 11, 2024

Foreign investors rack up S. Korean stocks on rally

Foreign investors have been active in the South Korean stock market over the past two weeks, contributing to the recent rally in the main KOSPI index, data showed Sunday. Offshore investors scooped up a net total of 5 trillion won ($3.75 billion) worth of local shares from Jan. 29 to Feb. 8, according to the data from the Korea Exchange. Over the same period, the KOSPI rose 5.71 percent to close at 2,620.32 points, while the financial authorities announced plans to boost undervalued stocks. Hyun

EconomyFeb. 11, 2024

S. Korea's coffee imports top $1 bln for 2 yrs in row

South Korea's imports of coffee topped $1 billion for two straight years on its growing popularity here, customs data showed Sunday. The combined value of imported green and roasted coffee beans reached $1.11 billion in 2023, compared with $1.3 billion a year ago, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. Last year, the country imported 193,000 tons of coffee, down from 205,000 tons a year ago. South Korea's coffee imports had been on a steady rise since 2018 as an increasi

IndustryFeb. 11, 2024

Rolls-Royce unveils 2024 Year of the Dragon exclusive editions

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is commemorating the year 2024 ahead of the Lunar New Year with limited Year of the Dragon Bespoke Commissions, featuring four distinctively designed vehicles, exactly 12 years after its first dragon-themed Phantom in 2012, which sold out in China within two months of release. Introduced last Friday, the 2024 exclusive collection includes three extended versions of the Phantom and one Cullinan sport utility vehicle, each adorned with design elements inspired by the dragon,

MobilityFeb. 10, 2024

S. Korea may face outflow of foreign investment if US delays rate cuts: report

South Korea may face an outflow of foreign investment from its financial market should the widely anticipated US rate cuts be further delayed, according to a report Saturday. The report from the Korea Center for International Finance (KCIF) noted that current conditions remained favorable for a steady rise in foreign investment, citing the upcycle in the semiconductor industry. "Favorable conditions for an inflow of foreign capital have been created for now, considering the shift in global

EconomyFeb. 10, 2024

Soju exports surpass $100 mln for 1st time in 10 yrs: data

Exports of soju, distilled Korean liquor, topped $100 million for the first time in 10 years in 2023, data showed Saturday. According to the Korea Customs Service, outbound shipments of soju reached $101.4 million in 2023, an increase of 8.7 percent from 2022. The last time soju exports surpassed $100 million was in 2013. Soju is a distilled liquor made of ethyl alcohol and water, with the addition of sweeteners. An industry source said soju sold overseas had been mostly consumed by South Korean

IndustryFeb. 10, 2024

Untamed food prices eclipse Seollal

A better-than-expected inflation report for January bolstered hopes that price hikes is near its end -- but consumers are still wary as the cost for some food items for Lunar New Year ceremonies continues to soar. “I have visited two different discount stores and searched online shopping platforms to compare prices and buy cheaper fruits and other food items that I need for family gatherings during the Lunar New Year holiday,” Lee, 63, a woman living in Gyeonggi Province said. Among

ConsumerFeb. 9, 2024

Top 10% of creators take 76 percent of content profits: data

The top 10 percent of content creators accounted for 76 percent of all creators’ total income in 2022, according to data released Thursday. The National Tax Service data, obtained and released by Rep. Yang Kyung-sook of the Democratic Party of Korea, put the number of people who reported income as individual media creators at 39,366 in 2022 and their total aggregated income at 1.14 trillion won ($859 million). The data showed that the majority of the income is concentrated among some highl

TechnologyFeb. 9, 2024

Industry ministry launches support group ahead of S. Korea-Africa summit in June

The industry ministry has launched a support group ahead of a summit between South Korea and African nations slated for June, aiming to enhance bilateral economic cooperation, according to officials Friday. The Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation Public-Private Support Group will make efforts to prepare for the upcoming summit that will pave the way for South Korea's deeper cooperation with the continent with a 1.4 billion population, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. &

IndustryFeb. 9, 2024

No plan to raise cigarette prices: govt.

The government is not considering increasing cigarette prices despite falling tax revenue, according to officials Friday. Some media reports have raised the possibility of the government increasing cigarette prices after the April election as it has experienced a shortfall in tax revenue amid an economic slowdown. Last year, South Korea's total revenue, including tax gains, fell 77 trillion won ($57.9 billion), as tax gains fell 51.9 trillion won from a year earlier due mainly to weak corpo

EconomyFeb. 9, 2024

Prosecution appeals court acquittal of Samsung chief Lee

Prosecutors on Thursday appealed a recent court acquittal of Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong in a controversial Samsung affiliate merger case, sources said. On Monday, the Seoul Central District Court delivered a not-guilty sentence for Lee, who was charged over alleged engagement in market irregularities over the course of the controversial merger of two Samsung affiliates, Cheil Industries Inc. and Samsung C&T Corp., in 2015. In response, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Of

IndustryFeb. 8, 2024

Former Posco CEO named as group’s next chairman

Posco Holdings said Thursday it has named Chang In-hwa, former CEO of steelmaker Posco, to lead the nation's fifth-largest business group as its next chairman. The result was announced after seven members of the CEO Candidate Recommendation Committee of Posco Group interviewed six candidates in the final list on Wednesday and Thursday. If approved at the group’s annual general meeting of shareholders and board meeting on March 21, Chang will be appointed as chairman of the country&rsq

IndustryFeb. 8, 2024

Daewoo E&C chairman seeks bigger footing in India

Daewoo Engineering & Construction's Chairman Jung Won-ju, who doubles as vice chairman of Jungheung Group, met with India’s top government officials to tap into new infrastructure project opportunities in the country, the South Korean builder said Thursday. On Friday, Jung met with Dammu Lavi, the secretary for economic relations at the Ministry of External Affairs of India, in New Delhi, to express Daewoo E&C's interest in participating in projects while highlighting the

CompaniesFeb. 8, 2024

Conglomerates hesitant to hire

South Korean conglomerates are becoming more reluctant to finalize their hiring plans this year or downsize the number of new employees as their business prospects are shrouded in uncertainty, a poll on job recruiters showed on Thursday. Some 67 percent of conglomerates with over 1,000 employees confirmed that they have recruitment plans this year, falling for the third year in a row from 72 percent and 73 percent in 2023 and 2022, respectively, according to a report by online job portal Incruit

IndustryFeb. 8, 2024

S. Korean shares close higher on hopes of US rate cuts

South Korean stocks closed higher for a second consecutive session Thursday amid growing hopes of US rate cuts. The local currency slightly lost ground against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 10.74 points, or 0.41 percent, to close at 2,620.32. Trade volume was heavy at 422.7 million shares worth 12.2 trillion won ($9.18 billion), with gainers slightly outnumbering losers 451 to 436. Foreign investors remained net buyers for a seventh consecutive session, net

MarketFeb. 8, 2024