Seoul stocks up on Fed's comments, improved China data

South Korean stocks rebounded Thursday morning as investors are relieved by the US Federal Reserve's reiteration of its dovish stance, with China's economic indicators signaling that the global recovery is on track. The Korean won rose against the US dollar The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 21.41 points, or 0.66 percent, to close at 3,286.22 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 1.2 billion shares worth some 13.4 trillion won ($11.7 billion), with gainers outn

MarketJuly 15, 2021

Toss Securities launches service for gifting stock like coffee

Toss Securities, the brokerage arm of fintech company Viva Republica, on Thursday said that it launched a stock gifting service to make investing easier. The new service allows users to give away their stocks to others, just by submitting a real name and phone number, like they do to virtually send coffee or other presents via mobile messenger service KakaoTalk. The company said the new service is part of the company‘s efforts to expand market access for new investors. Earlier this

MarketJuly 15, 2021

Fintech platforms become major banking tool for young Koreans: survey

More than 90 percent of young Koreans in their 20s and 30s use fintech platforms for money transfers instead of going to bank branches, a survey showed Monday. According to the survey conducted by the Korea Fintech Industry Association, about 96 percent of respondents said they use a financial technology platform developed by nonfinancial companies such as Kakao, Naver and Toss, while 60 percent said they use banking apps. The survey asked 2,000 people in their 20s and 30s who use payment ser

MarketJuly 15, 2021

EU climate package stirs Korean industry

The European Union’s sweeping plans, announced Wednesday, to cut emissions are expected to hurt South Korea’s steel and other carbon-intensive industries, experts and industry officials said Thursday. The EU announced a comprehensive climate package that revolves around three key proposals: imposing tariffs on carbon-intensive imports starting 2026; banning the sales of cars running on fossil fuels starting 2035; and forcing clean fuel in the aviation and maritime sectors. What

IndustryJuly 15, 2021

KT starts ‘real’ end-to-end 5G service in industry first

KT on Thursday announced the launch of pure end-to-end 5G service, becoming the first mobile carrier in South Korea to commercialize a 5G standalone network. Starting from Thursday, users of Samsung Galaxy S20, S20+ and S20 Ultra phones who subscribe to KT’s 5G mobile plans will be able to access the 5G SA connection simply by updating their device software. Standalone refers to it being pure 5G from end to end, without occasional transitioning to 4G Long Term Evolution networks. S

TechnologyJuly 15, 2021

BOK keeps rate at record-low amid 4th wave of virus outbreaks

South Korea’s central bank on Thursday kept its key policy rate anchored at record-low of 0.5 percent, with the latest wave of COVID-19 infections dampening its path to a hawkish policy. While some experts have said that a rate hike may come as early as this month, the widely-expected rate freeze decision came during this year’s fifth rate-setting meeting. The Bank of Korea has been keeping the rate at 0.5 percent since May 2020 after slashing it by a combined 0.75 percentage point

EconomyJuly 15, 2021

Over 1 in 3 delivery workers in 20s and 30s, CJ Logistics says

More than 1 in 3 of delivery workers of CJ Logistics, the industry’s largest, are in their 20s and 30s, the company’s data showed Thursday, contrary to the popular perception that couriers come from older generations. Some 8,100 delivery workers fall under the age groups, accounting for 37 percent of some 22,000 delivery workers. The findings are based on an analysis of its staff during the first half of this year. Once considered a “job for older men,” the company exp

ConsumerJuly 15, 2021

S. Korea to export nuclear reactor tech to Bangladesh

South Korea's science ministry said Thursday the country's nuclear research institute has won a deal worth $3.88 million to export nuclear reactor technology to Bangladesh. The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute has signed a deal with the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission to deliver digital instrumentation and control systems for the South Asian country's research nuclear reactor by January 2023, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT. The South Korean nuclear institute will provid

EconomyJuly 15, 2021

KRX's gold trading volume surges in H1

The trading volume of South Korea's gold market soared in the first half this year, largely as pandemic-incurred uncertainties boosted individuals' demand for safe assets, the local exchange said Thursday. The average daily trading volume of gold in the Korea Exchange (KRX) jumped 19.4 percent on-year to 126.2 kilograms in the January-June period, according to the bourse operator's data. Its cumulated gold trading volume in the six-month period stood at 15.5 tons. The average daily turnover in

EconomyJuly 15, 2021

Korea Shipbuilding achieves annual order target of $14.9b

Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co. (KSOE) said Thursday that it has attained its annual order target by winning a 457.1 billion-won ($398.4 million) order for two LNG carriers. With the deal with an Asian company, KSOE has clinched orders valued at $15.2 billion in total so far this year, surpassing its annual order target of $14.9 billion ifor the year, the company said.       Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., a unit of KSOE, will build and deliver t

IndustryJuly 15, 2021

S. Korea to research digital treatment for depression amid pandemic

South Korea's ICT ministry said Thursday the country plans to invest nearly 30 billion won ($26.2 million) over the next three years to research digital treatment for depression in a move to find new ways to help the growing number of people suffering from the mental disorder. The number of depression patients in South Korea reached 790,000 in 2019, up 5.9 percent on-year, and the number is expected to rise as the pandemic restricts social activities and triggers economic uncertainty. Digital

TechnologyJuly 15, 2021

Auto exports surge 28% in H1 on global economic recovery

South Korea's exports of automobiles advanced 28 percent in the first half of 2021 on the back of the global economic recovery and rising demand for premium models, data showed Thursday. Outbound shipments of automobiles reached 1,049,658 units in the January-June period, rising from 820,873 units tallied a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. In terms of value, exports also shot up 50 percent to hit $23.6 billion. It marked the first tim

MobilityJuly 15, 2021

Air passenger traffic falls 29% in H1 amid pandemic

South Korea's air passenger traffic fell 29 percent in the first half from a year earlier amid the prolonged coronavirus pandemic, the transport ministry said Thursday. From January to June, the number of passengers on domestic and international routes fell to 16.67 million from 23.58 million in the year-ago period, as governments imposed entry restrictions due to the pandemic, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement. The number of passengers on international rou

EconomyJuly 15, 2021

KT commercializes standalone 5G

KT Corp., a South Korean telecom giant, said Thursday it has commercialized standalone 5G, becoming the first mobile carrier in the country to deploy the network technology. Although South Korean carriers first commercialized 5G networks in April 2019, they have been available on non-standalone mode, requiring support from 4G LTE. Standalone 5G offers network services by solely using 5G frequencies, leading to lower latency and better battery life, according to KT. The telecom operator said b

TechnologyJuly 15, 2021

CU opens convenience stores in Mongolian int'l airport

South Korea's major convenience store chain CU said Thursday it has launched two stores in a new international airport in Mongolia as part of efforts to boost its presence in the country. CU said the company has become the first South Korean convenience store chain that has established outlets in the New Ulaanbaatar International Airport. The sole international airport in Mongolia, which opened on July 1 and is also known as Chinggis Khaan International Airport, is about 50 kilometers from the

ConsumerJuly 15, 2021

BOK stands pat as 4th wave of outbreaks ups uncertainties

South Korea's central bank on Thursday held its benchmark policy rate unchanged at a record low of 0.5 percent amid a recent spike in COVID-19 infections but strongly hinted it may conduct its first post-pandemic rate hike by the end of this year. Bank of Korea (BOK) Gov. Lee Ju-yeol said the central bank will review whether a policy adjustment is needed at next month's rate-setting meeting, maintaining his hawkish stance on inflation and financial imbalances. The BOK "could raise its key

EconomyJuly 15, 2021

LG Uplus teams up with Japan's KDDI to develop 5G, 6G tech

LG Uplus Corp., a major South Korean telecom operator, said Thursday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Japan's largest mobile carrier KDDI to find new business applications for 5G network technology and strengthen cooperation to prepare for future 6G networks. Under the agreement, the two aim to share their network technology and solutions in 5G and find more applications of the latest generation network, LG Uplus said in a statement. The South Korean telecom operator has recent

BusinessJuly 15, 2021

Seoul stocks open higher on Fed's reassuring comments

South Korean stocks opened higher Thursday, tracking gains on Wall Street as investors are relieved by the US Federal Reserve's reiteration of its dovish stance. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 6.48 points, or 0.2 percent, to 3,271.29 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. Stocks traded higher, taking a cue from Fed Chairman Jerome Powell's reassurance that that the time is not ripe for an early tapering of accommodative policies. Overnight, the Dow Jones I

MarketJuly 15, 2021

Amicogen to raise W22.3b via stock sale

Amicogen Inc. on Thursday announced that it will sell stocks to raise 22.3 billion won The proceeds from the stock offering will be used primarily to finance its facilities. According to a regulatory filing, the company will issue 532,198 common shares at a price of 41,850 won per share. The stocks will be sold to the investors that the firm designated. (Yonhap)

EconomyJuly 15, 2021

IMM PE to acquire stake in Korea’s top furniture company

IMM Private Equity, the third-largest private equity firm in Seoul, with $5.4 billion assets under management, is in talks to become the largest shareholder of South Korea’s largest kitchen and interior furniture goods manufacturer Hanssem, a filing showed Wednesday. The proposed strategic investor and the seller group has signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the transaction. Hanssem did not disclose the proposed acquisition price. This gives IMM PE the exclusive rights to nego

MarketJuly 14, 2021