Global minimum corporate tax to take effect in Korea next year

Starting from 2024, multinational companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, which have overseas factories or subsidiaries, are expected to face increased tax obligations. The Ministry of Economy and Finance announced Thursday that a new law to implement the global minimum corporate tax -- which will require multinational enterprises to adhere to a minimum effective tax rate of 15 percent -- will begin as early as January 2024. Until Dec. 7, the administrative authorities will gather p

IndustryNov. 9, 2023

Kakao CEO apologizes for SM stock manipulation allegations

Kakao CEO Hong Eun-taek apologized Thursday over a recent controversy surrounding alleged stock manipulation in connection with the tech giant’s acquisition of K-pop agency SM Entertainment. “We apologize for causing concern to Kakao shareholders with the negative news that occurred during the process of taking over SM Entertainment's management rights," the CEO said at the company’s third-quarter earnings conference. “We are faithfully (talking) to the investig

TechnologyNov. 9, 2023

CATL reduces gap with LG Energy Solution

South Korean battery makers are feeling the heat from the surge of Chinese competition, as Chinese battery giant CATL continues to expand its global presence outside its home turf. According to Korean market tracker SNE Research on Thursday, CATL’s worldwide battery usage outside China reached 64 gigawatt-hours from January to September this year, jumping 104.9 percent from the same period last year. The Chinese company’s global market share rose by almost 7 percentage points to be o

MobilityNov. 9, 2023

Woori Bank's new app to offer multilingual assistance

South Korean commercial bank Woori Bank said Thursday that it has launched an updated mobile banking service for foreigners residing in Korea, “Woori WON Global,” that is available in up to 17 languages. While foreigners in Korea find it difficult to use mobile banking services, Woori Bank offers more quick, easy and convenient options to the customers, the bank said. With a total of 17 languages, Woori Bank’s new service boasts the largest number of foreign language options am

IndustryNov. 9, 2023

AI in your pocket: Samsung Galaxy S to feature real-time phone call translator

Samsung Electronics’ flagship Galaxy S smartphones will offer a real-time translation function for phone calls, the tech giant said Thursday. The surprise announcement comes a day after it unveiled Samsung Gauss, its own generative AI model, which will make its commercial debut on the upcoming Galaxy S phones in 2024, possibly the Galaxy S24 series. With a vision to open a “new era of AI” for mobile devices, Samsung said it will be introducing Galaxy AI for its smartphones to

IndustryNov. 9, 2023

[Herald Interview] South Carolina joins race to lure Korean battery makers

Amid intensifying competition among US states to attract Korean battery makers' job-creating production bases, South Carolina and its largest metropolitan region, Charleston, have put their hats in the ring to seek possible business opportunities riding high on the boom in vehicles fueled by the new energy source. “We’ve discussed potential partnerships with (some of the) Korean battery manufacturers like LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI and SK On,” said Joseph Affsprung, g

MobilityNov. 9, 2023

National debt inches down to W1,099tr through September: data

South Korea's national debt issued inched down to fall below the 1,100 trillion-won ($838.5 billion) level as of end-September on the repayment of government bonds, though the fiscal deficit logged an on-month growth, data showed Thursday. The country's debt as measured in outstanding state bonds came to 1,099 trillion won in September, down 10.4 trillion won from a month earlier, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. From the end of last year, the figure rose by 66.1 trill

EconomyNov. 9, 2023

Agricultural ministry to step up monitoring of food prices

The agriculture ministry said Thursday it will step up monitoring of food sector prices, as part of the government's efforts to tame inflation. To that end, the ministry said it will appoint personnel to monitor the prices of 28 key food items. "Prices of agricultural and fishery products are showing signs of decreasing since the end of October, but there are still hurdles, including deteriorating weather conditions and the outbreak of an animal disease," Vice Agricultural Ministe

EconomyNov. 9, 2023

Seoul shares open flat with Fed's stance in focus

South Korean stocks opened flat Thursday as investors took to the sidelines gauging the Federal Reserve's future rate policy in the wake of the country's short selling ban. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 0.04 point, or 0.00 percent, to 2,421.58 in the first 15 minutes of trading. US stocks closed mixed overnight, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping 0.12 percent and the Nasdaq Composite rising 0.08 percent, as investors largely sat on the sidelines while

MarketNov. 9, 2023

[From the Scene] Naver opens massive data center to boost AI, cloud push

SEJONG -- South Korean internet giant Naver opened its second data center in the city of Sejong on Monday, speeding up its big push to secure supremacy in the burgeoning artificial intelligence and cloud markets. Naver invited a group of reporters to its new data center, which it calls Gak Sejong, for the opening ceremony. The first of its kind, Gak Chuncheon, was set up in Gangwon Province in 2013. Located on a 294,000-square-meter site, Gak Sejong is one of the five biggest data centers in A

TechnologyNov. 8, 2023

'Bedbug' stocks soar amid investors' race to make quick cash

Recent reports of bedbug infestations in various public spaces, including a university dormitory, low-cost apartments, and saunas, have raised alarms of an impending nationwide outbreak across South Korea, prompting the government to launch a multi-agency task force on Tuesday. But, it turns out bedbugs are causing more than just itchy bites -- they're now making waves in the South Korean stock market, as savvy investors are bullish on pesticide manufacturers. On Tuesday, agrochemical compa

MarketNov. 8, 2023

Korea-Indonesia biz forum to kick off on Nov. 30

The Korea-Indonesia Cooperation Forum, under the theme "K-Wave & I-Wave, Together for the Future," will take place on Nov. 30 in Jakarta to commemorate the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties. Organized by Herald Corp., the publisher of The Korea Herald and Herald Business, jointly with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Embassy of Indonesia in Korea, the Embassy of Korea in Indonesia, and the Indonesian Employers’ Association, this forum aims to

EconomyNov. 8, 2023

Seoul shares fall amid lingering woes over short selling ban

South Korean stocks ended lower Wednesday amid lingering woes over the country's ban on short selling. The local currency gained ground against the greenback. After choppy trading, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 22.34 points, or 0.91 percent, to close at 2,421.62. Trading volume was moderate at 461.3 million shares worth 7.54 trillion won ($5.75 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 498 to 378. After opening higher, the Kospi climbed as high as nearly 1 percent in

MarketNov. 8, 2023

US Treasury removes Korea from currency manipulation watchlist

South Korea has been removed from the US Treasury Department’s list of trading partners that it closely monitors for unfair foreign exchange practices, according to the department’s announcement Tuesday. It is the first time since 2016 for Korea to be pulled from the list. In its biannual report to the US Congress, the US Treasury placed six economies on its "monitoring list" -- China, Germany, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan -- and removed South Korea and Switzer

EconomyNov. 8, 2023

Doosan Bobcat to build $300m loader plant in Mexico

Korean construction equipment maker Doosan Bobcat said Wednesday it will build a production base worth $300 million in Monterrey, Mexico, situated close to the US-Mexico border, to boost supply chain efficiency and cater to the increased post-pandemic demand within North America. With operations expected to commence in early 2026, the new Monterrey plant is projected to increase Doosan Bobcat's loader production capacity in North America by 20 percent. Specifically, the 65,000 square meter

IndustryNov. 8, 2023

[Contribution] Middle East, opportunity for Korean smart farming firms

The State of Qatar, also known as the pearl of the Arabian Peninsula, is a small nation with a population of 3 million and a total land area spanning only one-tenth of South Korea. However, Qatar has emerged as a hub of diplomacy, culture and education in the Middle East, and is growing as a soft power leader. With the 2023 Doha Expo 2023, the first A1 International Horticulture Exhibition, being held under a desert climate, the world is paying attention again to Qatar which was in the spotlig

IndustryNov. 8, 2023

Coupang logs record Q3 earnings, stays in black for 5th straight quarter

South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang announced record third quarter earnings amid an increase in its customer numbers and the strong performance of its core businesses. Coupang has continued its winning streak for five consecutive quarters since reporting profits for the first time in 2022. According to the New York-listed company's earnings conference call Wednesday, the company's quarterly sales for the July-September period logged $6.18 billion, posting on-year growth of 21 percent

IndustryNov. 8, 2023

Hyundai Mobis raises $940m in green loan for EV parts plants in US

Hyundai Mobis, a South Korean auto parts manufacturer, said Wednesday it has secured a $940 million green loan for the construction of electrification parts plants in North America, marking the company's first overseas foray into sustainable mobility financing. It finalized the funding from seven international financial institutions, leveraging a long-term 10-year maturity period and low-interest rates supported by a credit guarantee from the Korea Trade Insurance Corp. Such financing mecha

IndustryNov. 8, 2023

Samsung Electronics unveils own generative AI, Samsung Gauss

Samsung Electronics on Wednesday debuted its own generative artificial intelligence model, dubbed Samsung Gauss, renewing competition with its archrival Apple and other tech giants in the burgeoning AI market. The world’s largest smartphone maker by shipments also hinted that the new AI chatbot will power its upcoming Galaxy smartphone, possibly the Galaxy S24 in 2024. "We will continue to support and collaborate with the industry and academia on generative AI research," said Kim

IndustryNov. 8, 2023

Kakao Bank logs record-high net profit

Kakao Bank, an internet-only bank, announced Wednesday that it achieved a record-high net profit of 279.3 billion won ($214.12 million) during the first three quarters of the year, thanks to increased lending to borrowers attracted by its low interest rates. This represents a 37.9 percent increase from 202.5 billion won it recorded during the same period a year ago. "We pursued sustainable growth through balanced deposits and loans in the third quarter, along with stable risk management,&rd

IndustryNov. 8, 2023