Banks rush to cough up misselling compensation

Korea's top lenders have all decided to accept the compensation guidelines suggested by the country's financial watchdog, agreeing to make up for the losses from the misselling of equity-linked securities tied to a Hong Kong index, with KB Kookmin Bank and Shinhan Bank joining the list Friday. Following company board meetings held earlier in the day, KB Kookmin Bank and Shinhan Bank announced they would carry out the compensation procedure, accepting the voluntary-basis plan suggested

IndustryMarch 29, 2024

Baemin pays out W400b in dividends to Delivery Hero

South Korea’s leading food delivery app Baedal Minjok, or Baemin, posted a 65 percent growth in operating profit last year, achieving a significant surplus for the second consecutive year. As a result, its German parent company, Delivery Hero, received some 412.7 billion won ($306 million) in dividends for the first time since acquiring Baemin. Baemin's app operator Woowa Brothers announced Friday that its consolidated sales reached 3.41 trillion won last year, marking a 15.9 percent

IndustryMarch 29, 2024

[Investor] Korea M&A Exchange secures investment from Japan

Korea M&A Exchange, Korea's premier M&A trading platform, has successfully secured a 500 million yen ($3.35 million) investment from Nihon M&A Center, Japan's leading M&A trading platform. A ceremony to mark the agreement between Korea M&A Exchange and Nihon M&A Center was held Thursday at Korea M&A Exchange headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul. As part of the agreement, Nihon M&A Center will acquire approximately 10 percent of Korea M&A Exchange's sh

IndustryMarch 29, 2024

Seoul shares end almost flat ahead of key US inflation report

South Korean stocks finished nearly unchanged Friday as investors took a wait-and-see stance ahead of a key US inflation report that would set the tone for the Federal Reserve's rate-setting decision. The local currency fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 0.81 point, or 0.03 percent, to close at 2,746.63. Trade volume was moderate at 485.5 million shares worth 11 trillion won ($8.17 billion), with losers beating winners 603 to 270. Foreign inves

MarketMarch 29, 2024

City Oil Field to export oil coverted from waste plastic to Vietnam

South Korean environmental and energy solution provider City Oil Field, said Friday it signed a contract to supply decomposition oil derived from waste plastic to Vietnam’s Nam Anh Joint Stock Company. City Oil Field CEO Jeong Yeong-hun and Nam Anh JSC CEO Van Vien Thong signed the purchase agreement at the Vietnam firm’s headquarters in Ho Chi Minh, Thursday. Under the contract, City Oil Field will supply plastic waste derived oil including naphtha produced from its facilities in So

IndustryMarch 29, 2024

Hana Financial teams up with Credit Agricole to expand presence in Europe

Hana Financial Group, one of South Korea's top four finance conglomerates, has joined hands with Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank to strengthen cooperation in expanding its business in Europe, the firm said Friday. The two entities have signed an agreement to expand cooperation in corporate and investment banking, treasury and trade finance, and financing for environment, social and governance-related initiatives. Hana Financial Group Vice Chair Lee Eun-Hyung, Xavier Musca, the

IndustryMarch 29, 2024

Dongwon Group heir promoted to chair

Dongwon Group Vice Chairman Kim Nam-jung, second son of the group's founder and honorary chairman Kim Jae-chul, was promoted to chairman at the group's board meeting held Thursday. Kim’s promotion fills the position which had been vacant for five years since the retirement of the honorary chairman in 2019. "We will inherit the achievements and management philosophy of honorary chairman Kim Jae-chul, who has led the Dongwon Group for the past 50 years, and discover future g

IndustryMarch 29, 2024

Samsung opens AI TV experience zone in Singapore Changi Airport

Samsung Electronics said Friday it has opened a new TV experience zone in Singapore's Jewel Changi Airport -- the lush entertainment and retail complex connecting Changi Airport's terminals 1, 2 and 3 -- to introduce its latest products. The tech giant will display there its newest products, including the 2024 Neo QLED 8K TV, equipped with a third-generation artificial intelligence 8K processor, and OLED TVs that preserve color accuracy and reduce reflections while maintaining image sh

IndustryMarch 29, 2024

Industrial output rises for 4th month; retail sales fall in February

South Korea's industrial output rose for the fourth consecutive month in February on the back of increasing semiconductor production, but retail sales fell amid high inflation, data showed Friday. Industrial output increased 1.3 percent on-month last month, following a 0.4 percent rise the previous month, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea. Industrial production has been on a constant increase since December. Last month's growth came as the output in the overall mining

EconomyMarch 29, 2024

Seoul shares start nearly flat ahead of US inflation data

South Korean stocks opened almost unchanged Friday ahead of a key inflation report from the United States. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 0.13 point to 2,745.95 in the first 15 minutes of trading. US stocks finished mixed Thursday, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.12 percent and the Nasdaq composite lost 0.12 percent. US core personal consumption expenditures price index data, the Fed's preferred gauge of inflation, is slated for Friday. In Seoul, market

MarketMarch 29, 2024

Hanmi-OCI merger called off

The expected merger between OCI Group and Hanmi Group has been called off after a general meeting of shareholders at Hanmi Science, the holding company of Korea's leading drug firm Hanmi Pharmaceutical, on Thursday. The management conflict within the founding family has also temporarily ended as Lim Jong-yoon and Lim Jong-hoon, the first and second sons of founder Lim Sung-ki, secured enough seats on Hanmi Science’s board to stop the merger. "(OCI) humbly accepts shareholders

IndustryMarch 28, 2024

Seoul shares down for 2nd day ahead of US inflation data

South Korean stocks ended slightly lower Thursday ahead of the release of a key US inflation report due later this week and on remarks by a Fed official that more data are necessary to cut rates. The local currency gained against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 9.29 points, or 0.34 percent, to close at 2,745.82. Trade volume was moderate at 412.5 million shares worth 11.7 trillion won ($8.69 billion), with losers beating winners 561 to 290. Institutions remain

MarketMarch 28, 2024

Korea’s CMO ramp-up lures biotech investors

South Korea’s growing biopharmaceutical production capacity is increasingly making the country an attractive investment destination for global life science companies, industry sources said Thursday. Since 2016, global pharmaceutical and biotech firms started building their research and development centers and production facilities in Korea, especially within the Songdo Bio Cluster in Incheon, where the biopharmaceutical production capacity has reached 1.2 million liters, the world’s

IndustryMarch 28, 2024

Bang Kyung-man named as KT&G's new CEO

KT&G's Senior Executive Vice President Bang Kyung-man has cleared the final hurdle to become the company's CEO by winning shareholders approval Thursday, marking the cigarette maker's first leadership change in nine years. The decision was made at the company’s 37th annual general meeting of shareholders, held at KT&G Human Resources Development Center in Daejeon. “I am deeply grateful to the shareholders for entrusting me with the honorable opportunity to serv

IndustryMarch 28, 2024

First female CEO takes helm at Kakao

Korean IT giant Kakao on Thursday appointed Chung Shin-a as its first female, chief while it is facing urgent challenges in revamping its corporate culture and management. The announcement was made as she gained a nod from shareholders during the annual meeting and a separate approval from the board of directors earlier in the day at the company’s headquarters in Jeju Island. After being named as the CEO nominee in December, Chung has served as the head of the company’s innovation ta

TechnologyMarch 28, 2024

Audi Korea names new head, seeks business turnaround

Volkswagen Group Korea on Thursday appointed Steve Cloete to become the next head of Audi Korea as the German automaker looks for a breakthrough to turn around ailing sales in the local market. According to the announcement, Cloete will begin this new post at Audi Korea starting May 1. The new chief has over 27 years of experience in the automotive industry having worked at Hyundai Motor Group in South Africa and BMW Group in Bahrain. After joining Audi in 2014, Cloete worked in after-sales and

MobilityMarch 28, 2024

Kia EV9 wins world car of year

The Kia EV9, an all-electric large sports utility vehicle, won the World Car of the Year on Wednesday at the New York International Auto Show, marking the third year in a row for South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor Group to take the prestigious award. The EV9 beat out the EX30, Volvo’s electric subcompact crossover SUV, and the BYD Seal, a midsize sedan of the Chinese EV behemoth, to claim the highest honor. Kia’s electric SUV came out on top of the competition between 38 vehicles

MobilityMarch 28, 2024

FSS chief vows to boost Korea's attractiveness to investors

Lee Bok-hyun, head of South Korea's Financial Supervisory Service, pledged Thursday to promote "sound and fair finance," aiming to enhance the country's allure as an investment destination for foreign investors. Lee addressed officials from global financial firms and foreign diplomats during the annual "FSS Speaks" forum held in Seoul under the theme "toward sound and fair finance." "In striving for this objective, we aim to cultivate market practices

EconomyMarch 28, 2024

SKT marks 40th anniversary with new emblem

Marking the 40th anniversary of its founding, SK Telecom, South Korea's largest wireless carrier by the number of accounts, promised to transform into a global artificial intelligence company, Thursday. The mobile carrier, first established in March 1984 under the name, Korea Mobile Telecommunication Services Corp., celebrates its 40th anniversary on Friday. "SKT's 40 years of achievements were made possible by its unique DNA of overcoming challenging situations and creating a his

IndustryMarch 28, 2024

Korea misses out on global bond index boost

Korea failed to join the World Government Bond Index, a global benchmark that measures the performance of sovereign bonds, but it remains hopeful as the index provider gave a positive evaluation of its latest efforts to improve market accessibility. The WGBI, managed by Financial Times Stock Exchange Russell, is one of the three major government bond indices along with the Bloomberg-Barclays Global Aggregate Index and JP Morgan Government Bond Index-Emerging Markets. It is tracked by global fund

EconomyMarch 28, 2024