JB acquires stake in Vietnam's fintech app Infina

JB Financial Group on Thursday said it will acquire a minority stake in Vietnam’s retail investing app Infina, in a bid to help the group’s securities affiliate expand its customer base in the Southeast Asian country. In a strategic partnership deal, the group will buy 3.9 percent of Infina's shares and increase its holdings to some 5 percent depending on the results of collaboration between its brokerage unit JB Securities Vietnam and Infina. JB Securities Vietnam, based in H

IndustryMarch 8, 2024

Moody's turns negative on Korean banks' ratings outlook

Ratings agency Moody's downgraded the outlook on the South Korean banks' credit rating to "negative" from "stable" Thursday, predicting their asset quality and profitability will weaken. The agency released a report on the Korean banking system and lowered the credit ratings outlook for the local banking sector to "negative." In its assessment, Moody's anticipated a deterioration in the business environment for domestic banks over the next 12 to 18 mo

EconomyMarch 8, 2024

Seoul shares close over 1% higher after Fed chief's dovish comments

South Korean stocks closed more than 1 percent higher Friday as investors cheered US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's testimony hinting at a rate cut this year. The local currency gained against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 32.73 points, or 1.24 percent, to 2,680.35. Trade volume was moderate at 444.9 million shares worth 11.1 trillion won ($8.45 billion), with gainers outpacing losers 520 to 350. Foreigners bought a net 178 billion won worth of

MarketMarch 8, 2024

Lotte Group CEOs gather for AI conference in digital push

South Korean retail giant Lotte Group Chair Shin Dong-bin is stepping up efforts to increase the group’s artificial intelligence capability. Lotte Group, on Friday, announced that the company held a conference on AI technology at Lotte World Tower on Thursday. Around 110 officials from the group and its affiliates joined the conference, including Lotte Group Chair Shin, his eldest son and executive Vice President Shin Yoo-yeol, and chief executive officers of the group’s key business

IndustryMarch 8, 2024

Samsung Display CEO named display industry association chief

South Korea will take back its sales lead in the global display market by 2027 with its technological edge, Samsung Display CEO Choi Joo-sun said Thursday upon his appointment as the new head of the Korea Display Industry Association. Choi vowed to boost the Korean industry's standing on the global stage through close collaboration with the government during his three-year term. "The Chinese government is spending a huge sum of money to foster its domestic display panel industry. So I

IndustryMarch 8, 2024

Vine Group wraps up 2024 winter youth English camps

South Korean education provider Vine Group announced Thursday that its Sollute study abroad program has successfully concluded its 2024 winter vacation youth English camps. The winter vacation English camp, which attracted 141 participants, took place throughout January and February, lasting either three or seven weeks ahead of the new academic term. Its primary objective was to facilitate cross-cultural interactions while enhancing English language skills. Conducted in Canada, New Zealand, and

IndustryMarch 8, 2024

Shinsegae heir apparent promoted to chairman

Chung Yong-jin, heir apparent of South Korea's Shinsegae Group, has been promoted to chairman to help the retail giant ride out unfavorable business environments and meet rapidly changing customer demands, the group said Friday. Shinsegae Group, which operates the country's biggest discount store chain and second-biggest department store chain, suffered a decline in sales for the first time last year since 1997, when it began to release the figures. "The appointment is aimed at ma

IndustryMarch 8, 2024

Seoul shares open higher amid hopes for Fed's early rate cut

South Korean stocks opened higher Friday as US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell hinted the confidence needed for the rate cut is approaching. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 34.79 points, or 1.31 percent, to 2,682.41 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the US stock market closed higher with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 0.34 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite advancing 1.51 percent. The S&P 500 closed at an all-time high by moving up 1.0

MarketMarch 8, 2024

Woori revamps private banking service

Woori Bank, South Korea's fourth-largest commercial lender, is enhancing its private banking services to solidify its reputation as a trustworthy institution for clients. In a press conference Thursday, the bank unveiled its renewed commitment to expanding its presence in the asset management sector amid ongoing trust issues within the banking industry. With this vision, Woori Bank has assembled a team of experts spanning various sectors, such as tax, foreign exchange and real estate. The l

IndustryMarch 7, 2024

Lotte, LG in talks to sell petrochemicals plants

Korean petrochemicals firms are downsizing their businesses as they are grappling with lower demand and higher supply of products from China, according to industry sources Thursday. Lotte Chemical, South Korea’s leading petrochemicals company, has reportedly embarked on the process of selling its Malaysian unit Lotte Chemical Titan Holdings. In addition, its domestic rival LG Chem is said to be in talks with Kuwait Petroleum Corp. to sell a stake in its naphtha cracking center in Yeosu, So

IndustryMarch 7, 2024

Seoul shares end tad higher amid Fed chief's testimony

South Korean stocks closed slightly higher Thursday after US Fed Chairman Jerome Powell hinted at a possible rate cut this year, while acknowledging economic uncertainties still remain. The local currency gained against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 6.13 points, or 0.23 percent, to 2,647.62. Trade volume was moderate at 447 million shares worth 10.2 trillion won ($7.72 billion), with losers outpacing gainers 591 to 297. Foreigners offloaded 308 billion won

MarketMarch 7, 2024

[KH Explains] ‘Kimchi premium’ returns, but weaker

After the global rally of bitcoin earlier this week, the “kimchi premium,” -- the price discrepancy in cryptocurrency between Korea and international markets -- has soared as well. Shortly after the global price of bitcoin hit a record high, rising above $69,000, the gap had widened to 12 percent as of Wednesday, meaning the bitcoin that traded in Korea was 12 percent more expensive than the global average. It later came down to the 6 percent range as of Thursday. While the bitcoin p

MarketMarch 7, 2024

Seoul court bans former SK hynix chip researcher from working for US rival

In the wake of heated competition for chip supremacy, a Seoul court has stepped in to block a former chip researcher involved in chip design at SK hynix from working for US-based rival Micron Technology, alleging possible technology leaks. According to industry sources on Thursday, Seoul Central District Court granted permission to an injunction request filed by SK hynix late last month to prevent the former researcher from working for another company, and ordered the executive to pay 10 milli

IndustryMarch 7, 2024

Hyundai Motor begins trade-in services for EVs

Hyundai Motor has begun a trade-in service for customers looking to buy new electric vehicles by offering incentives to encourage domestic EV sales, the South Korean automaker announced Thursday. The trade-in benefits, which became effective on March 1, apply to those who sell their cars to Hyundai Motor’s certified used vehicles service and buy the automaker's EVs: the Ioniq 5 and 6 as well as the Kona Electric. According to the company, customers who sell their used EVs made by Hyun

MobilityMarch 7, 2024

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries opens Manila office to foray into Southeast Asia

South Korean shipbuilding giant HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is seeking to continue its expansion into the burgeoning warship market in Southeast Asia as it opens a regional base in the Philippines. The company said Thursday it recently held the opening ceremony of its engineering office in Bonifacio Global City, Manila. The event was attended by HD HHI’s Naval and Special Ship Business unit chief Joo Won-ho and Philippine Deputy Minister of Undersecretary for Acquisition and Resource Manag

IndustryMarch 7, 2024

Air Premia, Air Incheon strong contenders for Asiana’s cargo arm

Close competition is predicted among the four domestic low-cost carriers vying for the acquisition of Asiana Airlines' cargo division, with Air Premia and Air Incheon emerging as the prime contenders, according to industry sources on Thursday. Financial services firm UBS, which is overseeing the sale of Asiana Airlines' cargo division, recently selected four LCCs -- Jeju Air, Eastar Jet, Air Premia and Air Incheon -- as shortlisted candidates for the acquisition. The decision follows t

IndustryMarch 7, 2024

AmCham holds policy talks with FTC chief

Fair Trade Commission Chair Han Ki-jeong on Thursday shared the key policies of the antitrust regulator for this year, including the controversial anti-monopoly platform bill, at a conference hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea. “The Fair Trade Commission will strive to establish a fair market economy system that serves as the basis for economic stability and market innovation,” Han said, citing deepening inflation and high interest rates as continued economic difficu

IndustryMarch 7, 2024

3 Five Guys stores in Seoul rank in global top five for weekly sales

FG Korea, the South Korean operator of the US burger chain Five Guys, said Thursday that its three local stores have ranked in the top five among the burger chain's global branches in terms of weekly sales. At this year’s Five Guys Conference, a biennial event where the US burger chain shares business results with global operators, FG Korea won two awards -- the International Average Weekly Sales Award 2023 and the International Development Award 2023 -- in recognition of their sales

CompaniesMarch 7, 2024

Eximbank, US energy department join hands on supply chain resilience

The state-run Export-Import Bank of Korea said Thursday that it has inked a memorandum of understanding with the US Department of Energy to bolster their partnership in supporting the Korea-US supply chain and sustainable energy projects between the two nations. This marks the first time Eximbank has entered into such a partnership agreement with a US government agency, underscoring the growing ties and shared interests between the two nations in the realms of sustainable development and clean e

IndustryMarch 7, 2024

[Investor] Posco mulls LFP joint venture with Chinese firm

A top executive of Posco Holdings has hinted at a potential joint venture with a Chinese company for the production of lithium iron phosphate (LFP). Kim Jun-hyung, head of eco-friendly future materials at Posco, revealed the suggestion during a meeting with reporters at the company's booth at the Interbattery 2024 exhibition in Coex, southern Seoul, on Wednesday. Kim mentioned the strong presence of Chinese companies in the LFP sector, highlighting the historically good relationships that s

CompaniesMarch 7, 2024