SK Ecoplant acquires SK Materials Airplus, eyes synergy in semiconductor business

Energy and environmental solutions provider SK Ecoplant announced Monday that it has officially incorporated energy supplier SK Materials Airplus as its subsidiary. During a special shareholders' meeting held at its headquarters in central Seoul, SK Ecoplant approved a comprehensive stock exchange agenda for SK Materials Airplus, which involves issuing new shares in exchange for the entire stake in SK Materials Airplus currently held by SK. SK Materials Airplus' long-term business mo

IndustrySept. 2, 2024

Posco chief urges closer Korea-Australia ties

Posco Group Chairman Chang In-hwa, who also serves as the head of the Korea-Australia Business Council, emphasized the need to strengthen economic relations between South Korea and Australia, particularly in the areas of natural resources, eco-friendly materials and infrastructure. “South Korea and Australia have been collaborating to pioneer future green development, which includes advancing eco-friendly materials and infrastructure beyond traditional resource cooperation in minerals and

IndustrySept. 2, 2024

[Photo News] Kia EV center in Ecuador

Kia inaugurated the Kia E-Ground in Quito, Ecuador, on Monday to boost its position as a leading electric vehicle brand in Latin America. The 1,420-square-meter center features three thematic zones -- Planet, Energy and Mobility -- where visitors can explore Kia’s sustainability initiatives, cutting-edge EV technology and future mobility solutions. Highlights include an ocean cleanup virtual reality game, an EV driving simulator and displays of Kia's E-GMP platform. As Ecuador ranks

MobilitySept. 2, 2024

[Test Drive] Chevy’s new Colorado offers smooth ride as all-around truck

The all-new Colorado, the latest generation of the Chevrolet’s pickup truck, has returned as a well-rounded off-roader featuring an impressive powertrain and unexpectedly comfortable driving experience. The Korea Herald checked out the newly launched American pickup in a recent test drive including both on- and off-road courses in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. Measuring 5,410 millimeters in length, 1,905 mm in width and 1,810 mm in height with a wheelbase of 3,337 mm, the new Colorado looke

MobilitySept. 2, 2024

Seoul shares open lower on large cap losses

South Korean stocks opened lower Monday with most large caps in negative terrain. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 7.73 points, or 0.29 percent, to 2,666.58 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The index had dipped more than 1 percent Thursday on reports of worse-than-anticipated performance by artificial intelligence giant Nvidia, before slightly rebounding on bargain hunting the following day. US stocks closed higher Friday on growing hopes of a US rate cut, with the US Fede

MarketSept. 2, 2024

Korea, Mongolia explore energy cooperation at Vision Forum

South Korean and Mongolian government officials discussed opportunities for cooperation in green energy, mineral resources and trade, emphasizing a shared vision for mutual growth and strategic partnership at the 2024 Korea-Mongolia Vision Forum held Tuesday in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. About 250 representatives from the government, state-run organizations and academic and political sectors attended the event co-hosted by the Ahnsei Foundation, Herald Corporation, Yonsei University and Korea Univer

EconomySept. 1, 2024

Forum envisions closer Korea-Mongolia partnership

From rare minerals and smart city projects to cultural collaborations, South Korea and Mongolia have ample avenues to build mutually beneficial partnerships, leaders of the two countries stressed at a recent forum in Ulaanbaatar. At the Korea-Mongolia Vision Forum, held at the Novotel in the Mongolian capital on Aug. 27, 26 speakers from politics, business, civil society and academia engaged with an audience of about 250, exploring ways to enhance bilateral cooperation and promote private-sector

IndustrySept. 1, 2024

[KH Explains] Will battery brand awareness influence EV shoppers in Korea amid safety concerns?

Starfield Hanam, a shopping complex located in Gyeonggi Province just east of Seoul, is home to South Korea’s first Tesla showroom, which opened its doors in 2017. Here, the allure of Tesla vehicles has always drawn a crowd, but recently, a different kind of interest has been brewing among potential buyers -- an interest not just in the cars themselves, but in the batteries that power them. Recent high-profile EV fires in Korea have sparked public concern about the reliability of the batte

MobilitySept. 1, 2024

Daewoo E&C chairman calls for enhanced Korea-Mongolia cooperation

Daewoo Engineering & Construction Chairman Jung Won-ju, who doubles as chairman of Herald Corp., expressed his hopes for the South Korean government to join in strengthening cooperation with Mongolia. “In Daewoo’s latest success in a bid for a nuclear power plant in the Czech Republic, the South Korean President and the Trade Minster were actively engaged on multiple occasions,” said Jung during a special networking event held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Aug. 26. "I w

IndustrySept. 1, 2024

LG Electronics sets up consortium for heat pump technology in China

LG Electronics said Sunday it has established a consortium in China to accelerate the development of the core technologies for next-generation heat pumps, adding to its research hubs in North America and Europe. Under the collaboration agreement, LG will be working with leading heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) researchers from Harbin Institute of Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Xian Jiaotong University, the company said. The company has been expanding its research a

IndustrySept. 1, 2024

SK Speedmate launches as rebranded auto repair firm

SK Speedmate, an automotive maintenance company, announced Sunday its official launch after spinning off from SK Networks to become a top automotive aftermarket service provider in Korea. SK Networks decided to spin off the Speedmate division as part of its push to transition to an AI-centric company. The automotive maintenance business has been rebranded as SK Speedmate, and is now a full-owned subsidiary under the rental firm. SK owns 43.9 percent of SK Networks. “Utilizing our strong br

IndustrySept. 1, 2024

[Photo News] Smart ambassadors boost Hana

Hana Financial Group on Friday concluded the 18th round of its Smart Ambassador program, a three-month initiative promoting its ESG, or environmental, social and governance activities. In the photo, Vice President Lee Eun-hyung (second row, center) poses with the student ambassadors during the closing ceremony at the company's headquarters in Myeong-dong, Seoul. Since June, 50 college students have engaged in various projects such as creating public relations content, visiting Hana affiliat

EconomySept. 1, 2024

S-Oil powers Korean Air flight with local eco-friendly fuel

S-Oil will begin supplying domestically produced sustainable aviation fuel to Korean Air’s flights between Incheon International Airport and Tokyo’s Haneda Airport once a week, the company said Sunday, becoming the first refiner in South Korea to provide SAF for regular international passenger flights departing from a local airport. The first SAF-fueled flight took off last Friday, celebrated at a ceremony attended by key figures such as Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Duk

IndustrySept. 1, 2024

Banks tighten curbs on mortgage loans amid worries over rising home prices in Seoul

Banks in South Korea started tightening curbs on mortgage loans on Sunday, officials said, amid concerns over rising housing prices in Seoul and household debts. The move came as the Financial Services Commission asked banks to toughen screenings for new mortgage borrowers and to reduce the size of loans available under the tightened criteria. The stress debt service ratio (DSR), which measures how much a borrower has to pay for principal and interest in proportion to their yearly income, serves

EconomySept. 1, 2024

Exports of Hyundai, Kia hybrid vehicles jump 35.2%

Exports of hybrid cars by Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Corp. jumped 35.2 percent on-year in the first seven months of this year, industry data showed Sunday. Hyundai Motor and Kia exported a total of 222,818 hybrid vehicles between January and July, compared with 164,851 units for the same period last year, according to data from the Korea Automobile & Mobility Association. Hyundai Motor, in particular, saw its exports of hybrid vehicles soar 58.3 percent on-year to 141,032 units.

MobilitySept. 1, 2024

Exports rise for 11th straight month in August on strong chip demand

South Korea's exports extended their on-year gains for the 11th straight month in August, driven by strong demand for semiconductors, data showed Sunday. Outbound shipments rose 11.4 percent on-year to $57.9 billion last month, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Imports increased 6 percent on-year to $54 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $3.83 billion. South Korea has maintained a trade surplus for 15 consecutive months. By sector, exports of ch

EconomySept. 1, 2024

Nearly 60% of major Korean companies have no immediate hiring plans in H2

Some 57.5 percent of major corporations in South Korea have either not set up plans to recruit new employees in the second half of this year or do not plan to hire at all, a survey showed Thursday. In a recent survey of the top 500 companies by sales, 40 percent said they do not yet have plans to hire college graduates while 17.5 percent said they are not looking for recruits. The poll was conducted on Aug. 5-19 by local pollster Research and Research, under the commission of the Federation of

EconomyAug. 31, 2024

HD Hyundai Oilbank ramps up R&D efforts for green growth

HD Hyundai Oilbank, one of the nation’s top refiners, is ramping up research and development efforts to spur growth as a sustainable energy company. Based on its business know-how accumulated in its core refinery and petrochemical businesses, the company is making a strategic shift to boost its new growth drivers, including eco-friendly chemicals, materials and energy infrastructure. Back in 2011, HD Hyundai Oilbank established a central technology institute by integrating R&D teams na

IndustryAug. 30, 2024

[Photo News] Incheon Airport takes off with green fuel

Incheon International Airport Corporation held a commemorative event Friday to mark the commencement of commercial operations of sustainable aviation fuel at its second passenger terminal. The event, attended by government officials, aviation industry leaders and representatives from oil refineries, was led by the Trade Ministry and Transport Ministry. Lee Hag-jae (right), president and CEO of Incheon International Airport Corp., emphasized the company's commitment to demonstrating "ec

IndustryAug. 30, 2024

Samsung-TSMC foundry rivalry renewed in German market

The top two global semiconductor foundries -- Samsung Electronics and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. -- are competing in the automotive semiconductor market in Germany, where major car manufacturers are located. Despite the recent contraction of the automotive semiconductor market due to a decline in demand for electric vehicles, the two companies’ efforts to prepare for future market demand seem actively underway. Samsung’s foundry division is set to hold a forum in Munich,

IndustryAug. 30, 2024