[Super Rich] Ex-chairman’s return expected to bolster Binggrae portfolio

Kim Ho-youn, former chairman of South Korean food company Binggrae, is ready to make a comeback, and he made his intentions clear by acquiring some 26,042 of the firm’s shares. Kim now owns 34.88 percent of Binggrae. Rumor has it that Kim, whose wealth was reported at 225 billion won ($220 million) as of 2012, will return to his managerial post six years after taking time off to pursue a political career. He was listed as a board member in March.Kim, the younger brother of Hanwha chairman Kim Se

June 23, 2014

Ikea hopes to fit in

ALMHULT, Sweden ― At the Ikea outlet in the southern Swedish town of Almhult, Elin Stiona, a 30-year-old mother of one, was looking for kitchen tiles and a range hood for her summer house. From cupboards to white tiles and serviettes, the set was filled with colorful items offered by the furniture giant from among the 10,000 articles they display on store shelves. Stiona visits the store up to five times a month. “About 50-60 percent of the things that I bought when I got married were from Ikea,

June 17, 2014

Shinsegae holds John Lewis sale

Shinsegae Department store is giving special discounts to shoppers at its John Lewis event. Items will be sold at half price at the British outlet until June 30. It includes an al fresco salad bowl priced at 32,200 won, a plate priced at 9,800 won and a cereal bowl and a house stoneware mug both priced at 9,100 won. The 100 percent cotton blanket and towels are priced at 83,300 won and less than 30,000 won, respectively. The 150-year-old John Lewis supplies household goods to the British royal f

June 10, 2014

Peugeot releases SUV3008 Millet edition

French carmaker Peugeot released a special edition of its popular SUV 3008 model on Friday. In cooperation with French outdoor fashion brand Millet, the 3008 Millet edition was released in two colors ― sparkling black and white ― and has “Millet edition” patches attached to the side and back of the car. The 3008 is already known for its traction-control system that provides five driving modes: standard, mud, sand, snow and ESP Off. It also has a 1,604-liter trunk as well as storage boxes under t

June 10, 2014

Espoir releases cleansing water

Makeup brand Espoir released a cleansing water that doesn’t need rinsing. With the Pro Intense Cleansing Toner, the user simply wipes the face with a cotton pad to remove makeup and other waste from the skin as the product also contains cleansing foam and toner. The toner also contains 10 phytomaterials including chamomile, lavender and calendula to soothe the skin. The toner reflected 100 makeup artists’ requirements of a convenient and perfect makeup cleanser, the company said. The 200-millili

June 10, 2014

8 Seconds presents ‘27 cm’ hot pants

Samsung Everland’s casual fashion brand 8 Seconds released short pants that make one’s legs look longer and leaner. The hot pants are 27 centimeters long, just under the panty line. This is the length at which the wearers’ legs look longest and leanest, according to the company. The cotton-polyurethane pants come in 50 colors and styles, including tropical, ethnic and dot prints. The pants are priced between 19,900 won and 29,900 won. (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)

June 10, 2014

I Dolphine-S gets HIRA registration

Local medical goods maker Meta Biomed’s multipurpose Micro Endoscope I Dolphine-S was registered as a treatment material with the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service.The I Dolphin endoscope camera is a tube with a camera connected to a handle for controlling direction and optical fiber for delivering light, and is used to get a better view in the human body, mostly for spinal problems. The endoscope is already sold overseas and the company is planning to apply for approval from the U.

June 10, 2014

Ssangyong wins 6-star Malaysian hotel order

Ssangyong Engineering & Construction said Wednesday it had signed a contact with Indonesia-based Rajawali Group for a project to build the six-star St. Regis Hotel and a convention center in Langkawi, Malaysia.“The company sealed the 82 billion won ($81 million) contact to build facilities for the upcoming ASEAN Plus Three Summit in Malaysia,” the builder said in a press release. The gathering of Asian leaders in Langkawi, Malaysia, will be held in April 2015. All 87 of the rooms will be high-en

June 10, 2014

KFS at forefront of desertification prevention

The Korea Forest Service will help developing countries prevent desertification and deforestation as called for by the international community, the agency said.As South Korea is currently an official development assistance, or ODA, donor and has been a member of the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee since 2010, as well as the host nation of the Green Climate Fund, it has the obligation and responsibility to carry out global forestry recovery efforts.To this end, the KFS helps prevent deser

May 27, 2014

Dominique Oh named Philips Korea CEO

Philips named Dominique Oh, who previously led Philips Korea’s healthcare business unit, as the new country manager for the Korean market, the company said on Tuesday. Harjit Gill, CEO of Philips Asia-Pacific, said, “Dominique Oh, who has led the business sector successfully at multinational companies for over 20 years, will empower the organization’s new changes and improvement in capacity and take the lead in innovation in the Korean market at the same time, being the perfect person to enable

May 21, 2014

[Herald Interview] Legendary notebook brand thrives in digital era

Moleskine, the Milan-based legendary notebook maker with a more than 200-year history, is sailing through the digital era, evolving into a “platform for creativity.”Under the new brand vision, Moleskine has stopped limiting itself to paper-based black notebooks. “The brand today creates platforms and containers for imagination either online or offline,” Arrigo Berni, CEO of Moleskine, said in a recent email interview with The Korea Herald.So it made sense for him to start seeking opportunities i

May 20, 2014

Samsung C&T gains recognition as sustainable builder

Samsung C&T, the construction and trading arm of Samsung Group, has been receiving fresh attention for pulling itself out of the rut that the construction sector has been in and reestablishing itself as one of the most powerful and sustainable builders worldwide. And the numbers are there to prove it.In the first quarter of 2014, Samsung C&T earned roughly 3.36 trillion won ($3.29 billion) in sales and raised about 110.3 billion won in business profits for its construction sector ― an increase o

May 20, 2014

Best Auto releases auto-flushing toilet seat

Best Auto has released the “Best Seat,” which flaunts an auto-flush function that could dramatically cut electricity use. The company said the product weighs the human body and senses absence of human touch on the seats instantly without using electricity. When one gets off the seat, it flushes automatically without the user having to use a button or lever. The product also consumes up to 50 percent less water than others, the company said. The Best Seat won the Eco Design Award from the Korea E

May 20, 2014

Pfizer releases calcium supplement pills

Pfizer Korea has released a calcium supplement with copper, iron, manganese and magnesium.According to the drugmaker, one pill of Caltrate Plus D500 contains 600 milligrams of calcium, 500 IU of vitamin D and four kinds of minerals that strengthen the bones and help collagen formation, which could eventually reduce the risk of injury from a fall. Pfizer recommended that adults take one or two pills a day. (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)

May 20, 2014

MCM opens flagship store in Ginza

Fashion brand MCM has opened a flagship store in Ginza, an affluent district of Tokyo. The 300-square-meter store will feature quintessential MCM products including the Heritage and Gold lines, as well as limited-edition products tailored to Japanese customers. The store also features a VIP room with agents from the Bespokes accessory line providing special services. An exclusive entrance has been set up for pet owners to visit the store with their pets to avoid bothering other customers.“It is

May 20, 2014

CJ opens Bibigo flagship restaurant

CJ Foodville has opened a Bibigo flagship store in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul, presenting high-end Korean food with a global twist. The fine-dining restaurant Bibigo Dadam will be led by celebrity chefs Kwon Woo-jung and Chung Jae-duk, who will present seasonal dishes with local ingredients. Chung, a Buddhist food specialist, will serve seasoned vegetables according to Buddhist recipes. Sommeliers will recommended alcohol pairings for all dishes. Bibigo Dadam will be the 11th Bibigo restaura

May 20, 2014

Samsung boss to be moved to general ward

Samsung Medical Center said Sunday that it was considering moving Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee to a general ward from an intensive care unit as his health appeared to be improving. The hospital also said in a statement that the cardiac procedure for Lee went very well, and that he is currently stable.  A hallway in the VIP ward on the 20th floor at Samsung Medical Center. (Kim Young-won)　The statement came after rumors went viral last Friday that the chairman had passed away after an online medi

May 18, 2014

[Herald Interview] Erasing brand barriers for the sake of shopping

When The Galleria Department Store in southern Seoul on March 13 tore down the barriers between different brands for the first time ahead of its bigger competitors Lotte or Shinsegae, industry insiders were puzzled.Fashionable and contemporary designer garments, jeans, shoes, bags, hosiery, accessories and underwear were piled up in independent sections regardless of brand, making it difficult to tell which brand was which without careful observation. At the same time, the brand image of Galleri

May 13, 2014

Sansachun wins San Diego wine competition

Baesangmyun Brewery’s Sansachun, rice wine, brewed with cornus fruits and hawthorn berries, won the silver prize in the San Diego International Wine Competition’s Rice Wine category, the brewery said Tuesday. Sansachun, with an alcoholic strength of 14 percent, is said to have smooth yet fragrant flavors due to its raw-rice fermentation technology. This is the second time the drink has won in an international competition this year, following the silver award at the 2014 Monde Selection.(baejisoo

May 13, 2014

Samsung chief recovering from heart operation

Samsung Group chairman Lee Kun-hee was taken off life support Monday, as the business mogul recovered from heart surgery.Samsung Medical Center said that Lee had begun breathing normally without life support.“Lee was taken off of ECMO at 8:30 a.m. as his heart function has been restored. He has been in stable condition so far since the removal,” the hospital said in a statement. ECMO, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, provides oxygen to patients whose heart or lungs have failed to work. Pe

May 12, 2014