Hyundai Motor, Indonesia to bolster ties on EVs, hydrogen

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun met with Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, in Seoul on Monday to discuss ongoing and expanding collaborations in hydrogen energy and electric vehicle production. The meeting also included Kim Il-boom, executive vice president at the Global Policy Office, Hyundai Motor Company CEO Jang Jae-hoon and his foreign affairs advisor Sung Kim, a former US ambassador to South Korea. Hyundai is addressing Indone

EconomyMay 21, 2024

[Herald Interview] TikTok, K-pop are evolving together: TikTok exec

In the globalization of K-pop, TikTok has played a very large role. “People used to listen to music by playing CDs or tuning into the radio, and with the advent of MTV and YouTube, it became the era of watching music through video media such as music video," said You Kyung-cheol, head of TikTok’s artist and label partnership, artist services in Northeast Asia. "Then, TikTok ushered in an era where people don't just consume music passively but actively participate in it

IndustryMay 21, 2024

Hanwha chief calls for defense unit to spur growth overseas

Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-yeon on Monday urged the group’s space business and defense arm Hanwha Aerospace to increase efforts to expand its presence in the global defense market. "We need to tirelessly work on securing future orders for Romania's K-9 project, in order to expand our share in the European market and extend our global market reach to North America," the chairman was quoted as saying during his visit to the company’s Changwon plant. It was Kim'

IndustryMay 21, 2024

Hyundai eyes first hydrogen supercar by 2026

Hyundai Motor Group is reportedly set to produce a hydrogen-powered supercar with a whopping 775 horsepower as early as 2026, according to news reports Tuesday. If the plan materializes, the car will be the first of its kind. Reports said the new car will be based on the N Vision 74 concept car that was unveiled as a hydrogen hybrid model two years ago. The car codenamed the N74 is expected to be a hydrogen fuel cell-only supercar. Details of the car are said to have already been shared with Hyu

MobilityMay 21, 2024

Govt. to monitor impact of US tariff hikes on some Chinese imports: finance minister

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok said Tuesday the government will closely monitor the impact of Washington's recent decision to raise tariffs on some Chinese imports. The remark came as the United States announced last week its plans to raise tariffs on around $18 billion worth of imports from China, focusing on strategic sectors, such as solar cells, semiconductors and electric vehicles. "While South Korea has been posting an export growth for seven consecutive months, the uncertainties

EconomyMay 21, 2024

Seoul shares open lower on declines in technology stocks

South Korean stocks started lower Tuesday as big-cap tech shares fell across the board. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 10.94 points, or 0.4 percent, to 2,731.20 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, major US stock indexes closed mixed, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite up 0.7 percent to hit a record high on chip rally ahead of Nvidia's earnings release Wednesday and S&P 500 up 0.1 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.5 percent lower. In Seo

MarketMay 21, 2024

Foreign holdings of top 4 Korean finance giants hit record high

Foreign holdings in South Korean banking groups' shares have surged to a record high, driven by government and corporate efforts to boost local stock values. Industry reports indicate that the average foreign ownership of shares in four major local finance groups -- KB, Shinhan, Hana and Woori -- reached 62.7 percent Friday, marking an all-time high. This figure reflects a 3.1 percent increase from the end of last year, significantly higher than the average 1 percent increase observed on Ko

IndustryMay 20, 2024

Korea's increasing US investment mutually beneficial: report

South Korea's investment in the US creates a win-win effect for both countries as Korean companies' entry into the US contributes to the growth of Korea's exports while enhancing employment, economic growth and exports to the US, an industry report said Monday. Pouring a growing volume of investments in the US, Korean companies entering the US are found to contribute to the US economy in terms of employment, economic growth and exports, according to the report titled "Korea

EconomyMay 20, 2024

XR partnership between LG, Meta falls through

The highly-publicized partnership between LG Electronics and Meta for an extended reality device seems to have fallen through largely due to the lukewarm outlook for the XR market overall, according to industry sources on Monday. “LG and Meta may continue collaborating in other areas such as artificial intelligence and metaverse. But for an XR device, they are pushing back their plans after seeing the sluggish sales of the earlier models, especially Apple’s Vision Pro,” an indu

IndustryMay 20, 2024

Seoul shares close higher on tech, auto gains

South Korean stocks finished higher Monday led by strong gains in chip and auto heavyweights ahead of key events in the United States. The local currency fell slightly against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index climbed 17.52 points, or 0.64 percent, to 2,742.14, rebounding from a 1.03 percent drop the previous session. Trade volume was moderate at 572.2 million shares worth 12.1 trillion won ($8.92 billion), with losers slightly beating winners 474 to 402. Institution

MarketMay 20, 2024

Chinese e-commerce sales slow in April amid safety concerns

Chinese e-commerce platforms, including the big three -- AliExpress, Temu and Shein -- suffered a more than 40 percent fall in sales in April, possibly hit hard by consumer concerns over product safety. According to a Monday report by BC Card, the nation’s largest payment processing company, payments on Chinese e-commerce platforms dropped more than 40 percent last month compared to the previous month. The transaction volume also decreased by 38.1 percent over the same period. Payments for

IndustryMay 20, 2024

First glimpse of Hyundai Motor's new landmark complex in Gangnam

Hyundai Motor Group revealed Monday new concept images of its envisioned landmark named Global Business Complex with an emphasis on creating a foothold in global innovation for the future mobility industry and an eco-friendly site in Seoul. The auto conglomerate said the change in the GBC’s name, which was originally known as the Global Business Center, highlights the new landmark’s inclusiveness for visitors. Hyundai Motor plans to build two 55-story buildings at a height of 242 met

CompaniesMay 20, 2024

[Photo News] Give a boost to K-finance

From left: Blackstone Group CEO Stephen A. Schwarzman, KB Financial Group Chairman Yang Jong-hee and Financial Supervisory Service Gov. Lee Bok-hyun pose for a photo during a memorandum of understanding signing ceremony between the US alternative investment management firm and the Korean financial holding firm held in New York on Thursday. The two companies agreed to go beyond their current cooperation in alternative asset funds to expand their partnership by making joint investments in various

MarketMay 20, 2024

After 6-year hiatus, Kia to return to Paris Motor Show in Europe push

Kia will make a comeback at the Paris Motor Show this October after a six-year hiatus, seeking a bigger footing in Europe's competitive electric vehicle market. Kia France published a LinkedIn post on Sunday revealing that Kia will attend the 2024 Paris Motor Show, starting on Oct. 14 at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. “Let's celebrate Kia's big return to the Paris Motor Show this fall. Novelty, innovation, and mobility will be the key themes of this event. Kia will show

MobilityMay 20, 2024

K-water CEO shares tech knowhow at UN meeting

Korea Water Resources Corp. or K-water, CEO Yun Seog-dae recently attended a UN meeting to share the state-run agency’s technological know-how to tackle the water crisis. According to the agency on Monday, Yun delivered a keynote speech at the UN’s High-level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disaster (HELP) held in Bali, Indonesia, on Sunday. HELP, convened in 2007, aims to discuss ways to bolster readiness for water-related disasters. In his speech, Yun presented the agency&rs

IndustryMay 20, 2024

SK Ecoplant extends waste management service for Coupang

SK Ecoplant said Monday that it is extending its waste management service for Coupang Fulfillment Services, the logistics arm of Korean e-commerce giant Coupang. SK Ecoplant has been offering an integrated waste management service using its WAYBLE circular platform that handles the collection and transportation of waste materials. Under the new deal, the service will include connecting to final waste disposal facilities, which will allow Coupang to conduct a comprehensive analysis of its waste d

IndustryMay 20, 2024

Doosan Robotics sets up Europe headquarters in Germany

Doosan Robotics announced Monday the establishment of its European branch, Doosan Robotics Europe, in Dusseldorf, Germany, aiming to expand its sales channels and respond more effectively to local demand. Doosan Robotics Europe will collaborate with system integrators and dealers in major European markets, including Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Italy. This new branch will promote and sell automation solutions that are particularly sought after in Europe. These solutions incl

IndustryMay 20, 2024

LG CNS launches Orelo conference interpreting solution

Korean IT service provider LG CNS said on Monday it has launched a multi-lingual video conference interpretation solution, called “Orelo,” which can simultaneously interpret up to three different languages in real-time. The solution can distinguish about 100 languages by voice alone and provides simultaneous interpretation in the languages used by the meeting participants. It recognizes the statement in a certain language and immediately translates it into selected languages and prov

TechnologyMay 20, 2024

Yoon's office apologizes for flip-flop on overseas direct purchases ban

The presidential office apologized Monday for causing confusion among consumers by reversing its plan to ban direct overseas purchases of products that do not have a national certification mark. Sung Tae-yoon, director of national policy at the presidential office, made the remark after the government backtracked on its proposed ban on direct overseas purchases of 80 types of goods that have not received the Korea Certification (KC) safety mark. The policy confusion comes amid criticism that the

ConsumerMay 20, 2024

Seoul shares open higher on continued rate-cut hopes

South Korean stocks started higher Monday on continued hopes for a possible US rate cut. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 19.76 points, or 0.73 percent, to 2,744.38 in the first 15 minutes of trading. On Wall Street on Friday, US stocks rallied to hit a record high, with the Dow Jones Industrial rising 0.34 percent to top the 40,000 point line for the first time. In Seoul, market heavyweights opened bullish. Top cap Samsung Electronics jumped 1.16 percent, and its chipmakin

MarketMay 20, 2024