S. Korea logs current account surplus for 3rd month in July

South Korea logged a current account surplus for the third straight month in July on the back of a widened trade surplus and dividend payments from overseas, central bank data showed Friday. The country's current account surplus reached $3.58 billion in July, following the surplus of $1.93 billion in May and $5.87 billion in June, according to preliminary data from the Bank of Korea. July's surplus came as the country's trade balance remained in the black and dividend income incre

EconomySept. 8, 2023

KT’s new CEO rules out possibility of massive reshuffle, calls for unity

Kim Young-shub, the new CEO of South Korea’s telecommunications giant KT Corp., vowed Thursday to make the company a leader in the digital era by converging the capabilities of the wireless carrier’s information technology and communication technology during his term. “By raising the level of KT’s ICT capabilities, we’ll discover new businesses with potential, such as health care and smart cities, and turn KT into a leading firm that stands shoulder to shoulder with

TechnologySept. 7, 2023

After record earnings, large-scale walkout looms at Chanel Korea

After recording its best earnings last year, Chanel Korea is under mounting pressure to share more profits with employees in a fairer way, with its unionized workers threatening to go on a full-scale walkout ahead of its peak holiday season later this month. According to the Chanel Korea Union, affiliated with the Korean Federation of Service Workers’ Union, its members working at department stores and duty-free shops already staged a partial walkout over the past weekend. The union said i

IndustrySept. 7, 2023

Seoul shares down for 3rd day amid rate hike woes

Seoul shares ended lower Thursday amid investor concerns that the US Federal Reserve may raise interest rates further this year following stronger-than-expected economic data. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 15.08 points, or 0.59 percent, to close at 2,548.26, extending its losses to the third session. Trading volume was moderate at 370.56 million shares worth 8.04 trillion won ($6 billion), with losers outpacing gainers 696 to 186.

MarketSept. 7, 2023

HD Korea Shipbuilding hits order target ahead of schedule

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering said Thursday it secured new orders for four very large ammonia carriers, or VLACs, totaling 616.8 billion won ($462.6 million), reaching its annual order target ahead of schedule. These orders, secured during the global gas and climate technologies event, Gastech 2023, with Singapore EPS and Greece Capital, increase the company's 2023 total orders to $15.94 billion, outpacing their annual target of $15.74 billion. Ammonia carriers play a piv

IndustrySept. 7, 2023

[Design Forum] ‘Without design, space exploration could not exist’

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the only federally funded research and development center of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration, is a well-known leader in space exploration across the world. Joining engineers, researchers and scientists at JPL are visual strategists that take the helm of all things design at the space-dedicated center. Dan Goods, the lab's creative director, said space exploration, like all other industries, needs good design to function. “Everything

TechnologySept. 7, 2023

Hyundai, LG chiefs visit Indonesia to bolster EV, battery partnerships

Following President Yoon Suk Yeol’s visit to Indonesia for the South Korea-Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, South Korean conglomerates’ chiefs embarked on a business trip to the emerging country to boost cooperation on electric vehicles and construction projects, industry sources said Thursday. Business leaders including Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin and LS Chairman Koo Ja-eun were

IndustrySept. 7, 2023

M360 APAC makes Seoul debut to explore digital-first future

The Mobile 360 APAC, the Asia-Pacific leg of the conference organized by the UK-based mobile industry nonprofit GSMA, kicked off the two-day event in Seoul on Thursday, under the theme of “leading a digital-first future.” It marked the first time the annual event took place in South Korea, as Singapore had been the key destination for the APAC conference. Some 1,000 government and mobile industry leaders from more than 50 countries gathered to share insights on the future of key tech

TechnologySept. 7, 2023

FSS head meets with China's new financial regulator chief

Lee Bok-hyun, the governor of South Korea's Financial Supervisory Service, made an unannounced two-day visit to China last week, marking the first visit there by an FSS head in six years. During his visit to Beijing on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, Lee met with Li Yunze, head of China's National Financial Regulatory Administration, to discuss ways to strengthen financial ties and cooperation between the two nations. “China previously had various supervisory divisions, but it did not have

IndustrySept. 7, 2023

Coca-Cola Korea releases new oat drink

Coca-Cola Korea Company said Thursday it has launched its new plant-based drink brand Go:Good Oat, jumping on the vegan bandwagon. Made from European oats, the new drink is blended with oat syrup and rice bran oil. The two flavor options include plain with a clean taste and rich with a smooth taste. With a small, handy 195 ml package, the consumers can easily carry around and enjoy the oat drink anytime, anywhere. Even in busy mornings and short breaks, it can quickly give a feeling of “co

IndustrySept. 7, 2023

Makeup brand Hera debuts in Japan

South Korean cosmetic giant Amorepacific announced Thursday that its high-end cosmetic brand Hera has entered the Japanese market. Riding on the global popularity of brand ambassador Jennie from Blackpink, Hera has been gaining traction in the global market, with its leading Black Cushion foundation logging over 8.56 million combined domestic and international sales. At the end of August, a pop-up store was launched at Shibuya Scramble Square, a large shopping complex in Japan’s capital.

IndustrySept. 7, 2023

Seoul shares open lower amid rate hike concerns

Seoul shares opened lower Thursday, tracking losses on Wall Street, as better-than-expected US economic data bolstered the case for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates further this year. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 6.35 points, or 0.25 percent, to 2,556.99 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.6 percent to 34,443.19 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite declined 1.1 percent to 13,872.47. The Institute for Supply Mana

MarketSept. 7, 2023

GS1 CEO calls on retailers to adopt QR codes to build trust

GS1, a nongovernmental organization based in Belgium that manages the bar codes scanned over 6 billion times daily across the globe, is set to unlock the future of the global retail industry with next-generation bar codes by supporting companies and consumers to access abundant trusted product data. GS1 CEO Renaud de Barbuat called on Korean business leaders in the retail and logistics industries to take a leap towards the digital transformation by replacing the bar codes they are using with two

IndustrySept. 6, 2023

Incheon Airport vows to rebuild global network after years of pandemic disruptions

Incheon Airport unveiled its vision to ramp up its customer services and fortify its partnerships with international airports around the world, during the 2023 ACI CX Global Summit held in Incheon, Wednesday. The 2023 ACI CX Global Summit is a global summit on airport customer experience organized by the Airports Council International. Incheon Airport was selected to host the event as the first South Korean airport to do so after it received a level 5 Customer Experience Accreditation -- the hig

IndustrySept. 6, 2023

Seoul shares down for 2nd day on high oil prices, rate hike woes

South Korean stocks finished lower Wednesday, as rising global oil prices renewed concerns about inflation and the continued push for monetary tightening by major economies. The local currency rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 18.84 points, or 0.73 percent, to close at 2,563.34, extending a losing streak to the second session. Trading volume was moderate at 415.9 million shares worth 7.55 trillion won ($5.66 billion), with losers outpacing gainers 5

MarketSept. 6, 2023

[Contribution] Time for 'regulatory break' for SMEs

By Oh Kee-woong Last weekend, my family and I went to a pet-friendly coffee shop near our house. It was heartwarming to see dogs and cats playing around while we enjoyed a cup of coffee. But under the current law, many pet-friendly cafes in South Korea are actually illegal, except for five places that have been granted as “special cases for demonstration.” According to current laws, even if you ordered a puppucino -- caffeine-free beverage for pets -- for your dog in illegal cafes, i

IndustrySept. 6, 2023

Hyundai Rotem unveils new weapons system in Poland

Hyundai Rotem, a railway, defense and plant systems provider under Hyundai Motor Group, said Wednesday it has unveiled its ground-based weapons system at the International Defense Industry Exhibition, or MSPO, Poland’s annual trade fair for military equipment. The company displayed the K2 Gap Filler Main Battle Tank, also known as the K2 Black Panther tank, its first fighting vehicle exported to Poland. It also displayed its K808 wheeled armored vehicle with improved performance for the fi

IndustrySept. 6, 2023

Samsung CEO confident in competing against TSMC

Samsung Electronics co-CEO Kyung Kye-hyun, who oversees the tech giant’s chips business, expressed confidence in the foundry competition with its archrival, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., in line with the construction of a new chip plant in Taylor, Texas. Kyung visited Seoul National University on Tuesday to deliver a special lecture, titled “Dream & Happiness of Samsung Semiconductor: Sustainable Future," to promising talents. The lecture was preceded by those previous

TechnologySept. 6, 2023

Taxi fare surges most since Asian financial crisis

Taxi fares have experienced their most significant on-year surge since the 1997 Asian financial crisis, causing commuters like Kim Jung-ah, an office worker in Gangnam, Seoul, to feel the financial strain. Kim, who currently has a cast on her leg, relies on taxis for her daily commute to work, a journey that typically takes 10 to 15 minutes. “I spend around 8,000 to 9,000 won just for the short 10-minute ride to my office,” Kim said. "If I had the option, I'd seriously cons

IndustrySept. 6, 2023

[From the Scene] Chinese EV leaders take Europe's biggest auto show by storm

MUNICH -- Chinese companies led by electric vehicle giant BYD were the talk of the town during the press day at IAA Mobility in Munich on Monday. BYD, which had set up one of the biggest exhibition booths at the Messe Munich exhibition center, seemed to draw the largest crowd, filled with hundreds of reporters from across the world as the company announced the launch of its EV sedan, Seal, for the European market during the press conference. A local German journalist who wished not to be named t

MobilitySept. 6, 2023