E-commerce platforms rise among self-employed

South Korea has for the last nearly three decades seen a rise in the number of self-employed individuals who have been forced to start their own businesses due to layoffs and reduced employment opportunities. With the number of job losses outpacing the number of new hires in recent data, a general increase in involuntary early retirements and the rapid rise of the digital gig economy since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, many people here have added side jobs or are working multiple freelance job

May 29, 2024

S. Korean conglomerates double executives specialized in AI within a year: data

Korea’s top 30 conglomerates have doubled the number of artificial intelligence specialists in executive management and board of director positions in the space of a year, shows data released Tuesday. According to Leaders Index, a local business analysis and research center, which reviewed first-quarter regulatory filings submitted by 295 companies from the 30 business groups, there are now 187 executive-level managers specializing in AI. This figure marks a significant increase from the f

May 28, 2024

Coupang ups investment to spur Taiwanese growth

South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang has set up its first overseas distribution unit in Taiwan in an apparent move to boost its presence in the burgeoning retail market there, according to industry sources Monday. The new subsidiary, named Haitong Shangmao, specializes in distributing locally produced daily necessities from Coupang’s fulfillment centers to customers. A Coupang official also confirmed the establishment, which he said is part of the company’s expansion plans for its s

May 27, 2024

[Photo News] MoodUp in Paris

LG Electronics' MoodUp refrigerators are displayed on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on Sunday. For the promotional event, the company transformed 216 meters of the city's famous avenue into an experience zone, allowing over 4,000 visitors to try the new refrigerators with LED doors that change colors. LG plans to launch the MoodUp refrigerators in 15 countries this year. (LG Electronics)

May 27, 2024

LG Energy Solution hosts recruitment event in New York

LG Energy Solution said Sunday that its top executives traveled to the US last week to host a global talent recruitment event as part of the battery maker’s ongoing efforts to lure tech talents around the world. The Battery Tech Conference (BTC) is the company’s unique global recruitment event aimed at recruiting quality workers in research and development and promoting its vision for growth. Following last year’s event held in San Francisco, the event headed to New York this y

May 26, 2024

Genesis BBQ opens new US stores in Omaha

Genesis BBQ Group, Korea's largest chicken franchise, announced Thursday the opening of a new store in Omaha, in eastern Nebraska. With the launch of the Omaha branch, BBQ has successfully expanded its presence to 28 out of the 50 states in the US. Omaha is the largest city in the state and is also home to Berkshire Hathaway, the investment holding company of renowned investor Warren Buffett. BBQ's Omaha branch, located just ten minutes from Berkshire Hathaway's headquarters, is e

May 26, 2024

KakaoTalk messenger suffers service disruption for 2nd day

Kakao Corp., the operator of South Korea's dominant mobile messenger app, said Tuesday its service experienced a disruption for about an hour in the morning due to an error in its internal system. KakaoTalk's personal computer version was down from 8:30 a.m. to 9:24 a.m., the company said, noting it immediately responded to the issue. The messenger also experienced brief service outages Monday and last week. In 2022, KakaoTalk suffered a widespread outage due to a fire at a data center

May 21, 2024

BAT Rothmans launches premium glo Hyper pro

BAT Rothmans' flagship heated tobacco brand "glo" announced Tuesday the launch of its new premium device, Hyper pro, with pre-orders available on Coupang. The brand-new model features a new EasyView screen and the latest HeatBoost technology. The EasyView screen, a high-definition AMOLED display, reflects consumer feedback from previous models. It offers six screen modes, allowing users to easily check remaining usage time, heating time, battery level and more with just a single c

May 21, 2024

[Photo News] New brand identity for Bibigo

CJ CheilJedang has unveiled a new brand identity for Bibigo, the company’s Korean food brand, aimed at targeting global consumers, the food giant said Tuesday. The new BI resembles a Korean dining table, symbolizing human connection through culinary sharing. (CJ CheilJedang)

May 21, 2024

First glimpse of Hyundai Motor's new landmark complex in Gangnam

Hyundai Motor Group revealed Monday new concept images of its envisioned landmark named Global Business Complex with an emphasis on creating a foothold in global innovation for the future mobility industry and an eco-friendly site in Seoul. The auto conglomerate said the change in the GBC’s name, which was originally known as the Global Business Center, highlights the new landmark’s inclusiveness for visitors. Hyundai Motor plans to build two 55-story buildings at a height of 242 met

May 20, 2024

SC Bank Korea offers special interest rate for new members

Standard Chartered Bank Korea said Friday it will offer a special promotion for new customers who open a money market deposit account with a deposit of 30 million won ($22,125) or more, up to an individual limit of 2 billion won. Running until May 30, the promotion provides a special interest rate of up to 3.4 percent for 60 days maximum from the date of opening the account. The money market deposit account is a flexible savings account that offers daily compounding interest rates that vary base

May 19, 2024

Jeonbuk Bank to develop cross-border credit rating system with Cambodia

Jeonbuk Bank signed a memorandum of understanding with Credit Bureau Cambodia and Korea Credit Bureau, the leading credit rating agencies in Cambodia and Korea respectively, to provide credit information services for Cambodian customers. The signing ceremony, held during the Cambodia-Korea Business Forum in Seoul on Thursday, was attended by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Korean Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun and other officials from both governments. Jeonbuk Bank, in collaboration with the

May 19, 2024

Daewoo E&C chairman meets Cambodian PM

South Korean builder Daewoo Engineering & Construction Chairman Jung Won-ju met Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, who was visiting South Korea for a bilateral summit, to seek support for the builder's expansion plans in Cambodia, the company said Friday. During the meeting, Jung requested support for Korean companies making inroads investments into the Cambodian market and discussed ways to enhance economic cooperation between the two nations, the firm said. "Daewoo E&C, as o

May 17, 2024

CJ Olive Young's Q1 sales jump on strong overseas trade

CJ Group's health and beauty drugstore CJ Olive Young showed stronger year-on-year performance in the first quarter, largely driven by robust sales in foreign markets and an increasing number of foreign visitors to Korea. According to its regulatory filing Thursday, the company reported 1.08 trillion won ($797 billion) in sales for the first quarter of the year, up 30 percent increase compared to the same period last year. The profit figures were not immediately disclosed. The company first

May 17, 2024

[Photo News] Protecting mudflats

Over 300 employees of GS Caltex and their families planted 10,000 East Asian seepweeds, which enhance mudflats' carbon capture capacity and carbon absorption rates, in the Ramsar site at the Julpo Bay Tidal Flat Ecological Park in North Jeolla Province on Sunday, the South Korean oil refiner said Thursday. The eco-friendly project began in April when the company launched the campaign to encourage employees to buy 3.3 square meters of the mudflat to prevent reckless development of the natura

May 16, 2024

LX Pantos teams up with China's Sinotrans for US, Europe expansion

South Korean logistics company LX Pantos said Thursday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Sinotrans, the Chinese logistics giant, as part of efforts to facilitate maritime and aerial transportation for deliveries to the US and Europe, as well as between the two Asian countries. The signing event was held Monday at Sinotrans’ headquarters in Beijing, with the attendance of LX Pantos CEO Lee Yong-ho, Sinotrans President Song Rong and other relevant officials. Under the agreemen

May 16, 2024

CJ CheilJedang beats Q1 earnings estimates on US sales

Korean food giant CJ CheilJedang beat earnings estimates in the first quarter of this year, largely driven by increased overseas sales. According to its regulatory filing Tuesday, the company posted 4.44 trillion won ($3.24 billion) in sales and 267 billion won in operating profits in the first months of the year. Its profits alone surged 77.5 percent from the same period last year. Its flagship food business reported 2.83 trillion won in sales and 184.5 billion won in operating profits, up 2.6

May 14, 2024

Samyang shares soar on upbeat sales of Buldak ramyeon in US

Samyang Roundsquare shares rallied Monday, driven by investor expectations of the growing popularity of its spicy ramyeon brand, the Buldak series, especially in the US market. The shares soared to a record high of 353,000 won ($258) at one point in the morning before closing at 329,000 won. Over the past three months alone, the shares jumped more than 70 percent. Samyang's upward trajectory began in August 2023 when it posted record exports of its Buldak products in the second quarter. E

May 13, 2024

Bridging hope: Daewoo E&C wins large-scale bridge projects in India, Africa

Daewoo Engineering and Construction has been showcasing its engineering prowess not only domestically but also internationally, winning a series of large-scale bridge construction projects. On home soil, Daewoo E&C constructed the Dongjak Bridge, the first combined railway and roadway bridge in South Korea in 1984. Since then, they have successfully completed numerous bridges, including the Gwangan Bridge, Cheonsa Bridge, and the Geoga Bridge, which features the country’s first underwa

May 9, 2024

Mirae Asset Securities reaps fruits of global growth

Mirae Asset Securities, Korea’s largest stock brokerage company, has yielded solid results and created a strong impetus for growth in overseas markets after two decades of global expansion. Park Hyeon-joo, chairman of the Mirae Asset Financial Group, which covers comprehensive financial services including asset management, wealth management, investment banking and life insurance, has been spearheading the group's ambition to expand businesses beyond familiar horizons. Mirae Asset Se

May 8, 2024