Trade minister, chipmakers to hold meeting on US CHIPS Act

South Korean Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Ahn Duk-geun will meet with officials of major semiconductor companies, including Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, Tuesday to discuss countermeasures to the US CHIPS Act and its requirements, according to the ministry on Monday. The meeting aims to listen to domestic chipmakers’ needs and grievances regarding the conditions for the first US CHIPS for America funding opportunity for subsidies and come up with negotiation and support measures

TechnologyMarch 6, 2023

Imported car sales rise 11% in March on improved supplies

Sales of imported vehicles in South Korea rose 11 percent last month from a year earlier on improved supplies and new models, an industry association said Monday. The number of newly registered foreign vehicles stood at 21,622 units last month, up from 19,454 units a year ago, the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association said in a statement. "Some brands' vehicle supplies and their launches of new models helped boost sales last month," KAIDA Vice Chairman Jung Yoo

EconomyMarch 6, 2023

S. Korean stocks opens higher amid lingering rate hike woes

South Korean stocks opened a tad higher Monday as investors wait for the Federal Reserve chief's remarks on the US economy and clues on future monetary policy. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 9.63 points, or 0.4 percent, to 2,441.7 in the first 15 minutes of trading. US stocks had ended the week on a higher note on speculations the Fed could slow down the pace of rate hikes. All three major indexes on Wall Street closed over 1 percent higher last week. Investors are kee

MarketMarch 6, 2023

S. Korea's consumer prices up 4.8% in Feb.; hike in utility costs hits record high

South Korea's on-year growth in consumer prices fell below 5 percent for the first time in 10 months, data showed Monday, although the hike in utility costs hit yet another fresh high. Consumer prices, a key gauge of inflation, rose 4.8 percent last month from a year earlier, compared with 5.2 percent growth posted in January, according to the data from Statistics Korea. Inflation stayed above 2 percent -- the central bank's inflation target over the medium term -- for the 23rd straigh

EconomyMarch 6, 2023

Chip inventory hits 26-year high

South Korea's semiconductor inventory has increased to its highest point in 26 years, data showed Sunday, hammered by the sluggish demand for chips, the country's main export item, amid economic uncertainties. According to data compiled by Statistics Korea, the inventory to sales ratio of chips produced by local chipmakers came in at 265.7 percent in January, the highest since 288.7 percent was posted in March 1997. Exports of chips also nosedived 42.5 percent on-year to $5.69 billion

TechnologyMarch 5, 2023

9 in 10 experts predict housing slowdown this year

More than 90 percent of real estate experts predicted a decline in housing prices this year, while 1 in 2 said the housing market could see a rebound next year, according to a KB Financial Group report released Sunday. The report said transaction prices of houses nationwide fell 1.8 percent last year, a first in 10 years. Daegu showed the highest decline with 5.2 percent, followed by Daejeon with 4.4 percent and the greater Seoul area with 2.7 percent. The number of transactions also plunged alm

IndustryMarch 5, 2023

Samsung Bioepis launches Lucentis biosimilar in Canada, Germany

South Korean biotech firm Samsung Bioepis is expanding into the global market with SB11, a biosimilar drug used to treat ophthalmologic diseases such as macular degeneration. According to industry sources on Sunday, SB11 was introduced to the Canadian market last Wednesday through its partner company Biogen, following an earlier launch in Germany on Feb. 23. SB11 references Lucentis, a drug developed by global pharmaceutical company Genentech. It received sales approval in Europe and the US unde

IndustryMarch 5, 2023

China buys fewer Korean goods amid waning perception: report

The number of Chinese consumers who bought Korean products plummeted last year amid China's falling perception of Korea-made commodities, according to a survey conducted by the Korea International Trade Association. KITA conducted a survey on 1,000 consumers living in 10 major Chinese cities to gain insight into changes in their perceptions toward Korea-made goods since the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey, released Sunday, found that the percentage of Chinese consumers who responded that th

ConsumerMarch 5, 2023

Samsung SDI, GM to form EV battery alliance

South Korean battery maker Samsung SDI and US auto giant General Motors will build a joint battery manufacturing plant for electric vehicles in the US with an investment worth up to 5 trillion won ($3.8 billion), according to reports Sunday. The battery alliance, which will mark the first collaboration between the two companies, will become official later this week as they are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding in Michigan on Wednesday. Citing unnamed industry sources, the reports sa

MobilityMarch 5, 2023

[Beyond Earth] ‘Focus on space solutions, not market'

Korean space startups should look for problems and solutions instead of putting too much focus on technology’s future marketability, says the managing director at the Korean branch of Starburst, a US-based startup accelerator specialized in the aerospace sector. “Push back how big of an investment you can receive with your idea on the priority list,” Kim Sang-dawn, managing director of Starburst’s Korean office, told The Korea Herald in an interview at the Herald Square i

TechnologyMarch 5, 2023

Open Corp. hires celebrity sommelier in premium push

Korean restaurant chain operator Open Corp. said Friday it has recruited a seasoned sommelier as its new executive director to provide premium F&B services. With Kim Hyup taking office, the firm plans to foster some 300 sommeliers through internal employee training. "The company's goal in 2023 is to provide better service to many customers who enjoy gourmet culture. As a result, we will be reborn as a dining company that delivers satisfaction to customers through the largest sommel

IndustryMarch 5, 2023

[Photo News] Promoting Busan's Expo bid in Europe

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won (left), who doubles as chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, talks with Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen at her office in Copenhagen, Friday, as he delivers President Yoon Suk Yeol’s personal letter asking for the European country’s support for Busan’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo. Chey has wrapped up his weeklong trip to Spain, Portugal and Denmark as a presidential special envoy.

IndustryMarch 5, 2023

[Weekender] Why soju price hikes are causing Koreans so much anguish

Rumors of soju price hikes have stirred public disquiet over the past couple of weeks here, intensifying to the extent that the government decided to intervene in the market. The fuss temporarily ended after Hite Jinro, the country’s largest soju maker, officially announced that it was not planning on any price hikes. “I felt bitter when I heard about possible price hikes in soju, which seemed to hold out well, while everything else is getting more expensive,” said Kim, a 29-

ConsumerMarch 4, 2023

Medytox's BTX patent could face invalidation trial in US

A patent regarding Medytox’s botulinum toxin product can be embroiled in another legal dispute as its domestic rival Hugel filed for a patent invalidation in the US, according to industry sources on Friday. The patent, which could be considered for invalidation at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board in the US, concerns a method for isolating Botulinum toxin from solution. Medytox applied for the patent in 2017, and the patent was issued in May last year. Hugel, however, argues that the paten

TechnologyMarch 3, 2023

Celltrion Group’s retired founder Seo Jung-jin returns to management

Seo Jung-jin, the founder and the honorary chairman of Celltrion Group, will return to management after leaving the company in 2021, Celltrion announced Friday. On Friday, the biopharmaceutical group's key affiliates -- Celltrion Holdings, Celltrion, Celltrion Healthcare, and Celltrion Pharma held separate board meetings and recommended Seo as a candidate for director and co-chairman of the board of directors. Seo’s return will be determined at the four companies’ separate share

TechnologyMarch 3, 2023

Competition heats up for first Hyundai factory job openings in decade

Tens of thousands of job seekers have flocked to the Hyundai Motor Group website after the carmaker announced it would recruit production line workers for the first time in a decade, the company said Friday. More than 30,000 people visited the carmaker's recruitment page on the first day of applications on Thursday, causing a server slowdown throughout the day, according to the company. On Friday, it took more than 20 minutes to load the webpage when The Korea Herald tried to access it arou

MobilityMarch 3, 2023

Seoul shares rise for third day amid eased rate hike worries

South Korean stocks closed marginally higher Friday, on growing hopes that the US Federal Reserve could go for smaller interest rate hikes despite data showing a resilient economy. The local currency gained sharply against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 4.22 points, or 0.17 percent, to finish at 2,432.07. Trading volume was moderate at 363.8 million shares worth 7.73 trillion won ($5.93 billion), with gainers outnumbering decliners 467 to 410. Federal Reserv

MarketMarch 3, 2023

Samsung’s global DRAM market share inched up; revenue plummeted in Q4

As global chipmakers struggle with a severe market downturn, Samsung Electronics managed to maintain its market share while seeing a sharp loss in revenue, data showed on Thursday. According to market tracker TrendForce, global DRAM revenue fell by 32.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2022, when compared to the previous quarter, showing a decline similar to the 36 percent of the final quarter of the 2008 -- when the world was hit by a major financial crisis. The top three DRAM suppliers, Samsun

IndustryMarch 3, 2023

Naver's Webtoon ranked one of world's most innovative platforms

Webtoon, South Korean tech giant Naver’s digital comics platform, has been ranked No. 8 on Fast Company’s list of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2023. Fast Company is a monthly American business magazine that publishes an annual ranking of the most innovative companies, this year in 54 different industries and sectors. In the media sector, Webtoon was ranked top, followed by The New York Times. Fast Company said, “Webtoon pioneered a new way to experience dig

TechnologyMarch 3, 2023

Number of startups drops 7.1 pct in 2022

The number of startups in South Korea fell more than 7 percent in 2022 from a year earlier amid a sluggish property market, government data showed Friday. A total of 1.317 million new companies were set up in the country last year, down 7.1 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from the Ministry of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Startups. The ministry attributed the decline largely to tougher rules for the home rental business, falling real estate transactions and low proper

CompaniesMarch 3, 2023