Crypto mogul Kwon appeals against Montenegro court's extradition verdict

Montenegrin lawyers of disgraced South Korean crypto entrepreneur Do Kwon are struggling to have him extradited to his home country, not the United States, according to local news reports. Kwon's legal representatives in Montenegro appealed against the Podgorica High Court's recent ruling that found the conditions for his extradition to both South Korea and the US were met, local daily Vijesti reported on Tuesday. In their appeal, the lawyers said that the high court's April 8 dec

April 24, 2024

Seoul shares open sharply higher on US stock gains

South Korean stocks opened stronger Wednesday as investors snapped up blue chips across the board following overnight gains on Wall Street. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index climbed up 46.43 points, or 1.77 percent, to 2,669.45 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight on Wall Street, the S&P 500 rose 1.2 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq jumped 1.59 percent, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.69 percent, as tech heavyweights lifted the broader US stock market.

April 24, 2024

SC Bank Korea offers special rate for new customers

Standard Chartered Bank Korea said Tuesday it will offer special interest rates of up to 3.5 percent for as long as 60 days to first-time SC customers who deposit 30 million won ($21,800) or more, up to 2 billion won, in money market deposit accounts. Money market deposit accounts pay interest based on the daily account balance. The bigger the deposit, the higher the interest. The promotional rate is offered to first-time customers of SC Bank Korea who open accounts by April 30. The promotion wi

April 24, 2024

AmCham seminar explores Korea’s potential as regional business hub

The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea hosted the sixth Doing Business in Korea seminar on Tuesday to explore strategies for bolstering Korea’s competitiveness as a regional business hub in the Asia-Pacific region. This year’s event was held at a Seoul hotel, drawing participation from officials and policymakers from the Korean and US governments, as well as representatives from domestic and foreign companies. AmCham CEO James Kim stated in his opening remarks, "Given Korea&r

April 24, 2024

KITA partners with German VC fund to bolster auto firms in Gwangju

The Korea International Trade Association is ramping up its efforts to support the overseas expansion of local mobility companies in the Gwangju area. On Tuesday, the state-run trade agency's regional headquarters for Gwangju and South Jeolla Province announced that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with MobilityFund, a German venture capital fund, and the Gwangju Green Car Promotion Agency to help boost the global competitiveness of local future and eco-friendly automobile firms.

April 23, 2024

Aging population to drive down Korea's housing prices from 2040: experts

South Korea's housing prices are expected to see a long-term decline starting in 2040, hit by the nation’s falling birth rate and quickly aging society, according to experts who joined a Seoul seminar hosted by construction project management firm Hanmi Global on Tuesday. "In 2025, South Korea will become a superaging society with an over-65 population surpassing 10 million, which will account for more than 20 percent of the country's total population. Due to the aging popul

April 23, 2024

[Herald Interview] Bridging Korea, Philippines for better future

Building bilateral ties between Korea and the Philippines could be a means to boosting the livelihoods of the people of each country for Luis Chavit Singson, chairman of the Philippines’ LCS Group of Companies, and boxing legend Manny Pacquiao. Singson and Pacquiao, longtime friends and investment partners, visited Seoul this week in a search for new business opportunities, along with Secretary of Agrarian Reform Conrado Estrella. Over the years, the two have been highly interested in coop

April 23, 2024

Polish delegation visits Seoul to push ahead with arms deal

South Korea and Poland have come to the table to seek progress in their arms deal, with Korea grappling with funding challenges for a follow-up agreement with Poland. On Monday, Pawel Bejda, Poland’s deputy defense minister, met with Seok Jong-gun, the head of South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration, marking the first high-level visit from the Polish government since the administration change there in December 2022. The Polish government's visit to South Korea c

April 23, 2024

SK CEOs vow to bolster corporate value-up drive

The chief executive officers of SK Group affiliates have agreed to ramp up efforts to bolster the conglomerate’s corporate value by swiftly carrying out rebalancing work to inspect and optimize businesses amid prolonged global management uncertainty. SK Group said Tuesday the latest decision came as top management agreed to bolster the corporate value-up drive at the April SK Supex Pursuit Council meeting held under the chairmanship of Chey Jae-won earlier in the day. Established in 2013,

April 23, 2024

K-water, Kyrgyzstan forge renewable energy, climate ties

Korea Water Resources Corp. is intensifying its international outreach to jointly tackle the climate crisis and bolster the export of water management technologies. In line with this initiative, the state-run water management agency announced on Tuesday that it has entered into multiple agreements with Kyrgyzstan to foster cooperation in the water sector and climate crisis response. Kyrgyzstan, a pivotal partner country for Korea, has previously concentrated its efforts in the environmental and

April 23, 2024

Seoul shares fall on foreign selling despite overnight US gains

South Korean stocks finished slightly lower Tuesday as foreign investors took profit despite overnight gains on Wall Street. The Korean won rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 6.42 points, or 0.24 percent, to 2,623.02. Trade volume was moderate at 316 million shares worth 9.43 trillion won ($6.84 billion). Winners, however, outpaced losers 671 to 403. Foreign investors sold a net 288.8 billion won, while institutions and individuals combined bought a

April 23, 2024

CJ's processed rice sales soar in North America

With the rising number of Korean restaurants abroad and the global appeal of Korean food, CJ CheilJedang's processed rice product is experiencing a surge in popularity across North America. CJ CheilJedang announced on Tuesday that sales of Bibigo Cooked Sticky White Rice amounted to 160 billion won ($116 million) last year in North America, marking a 21 percent increase from the previous year, and doubling the figures for 2021. Processed rice stands as one of CJ CheilJedang's seven key

April 23, 2024

Samsung starts production of 290-layer V-NAND chips

Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest memory chip maker, said Tuesday it kicked off the mass production of its one-terabit triple-level cell vertical NAND, or V-NAND, which is about 50 percent denser and 10 percent more energy efficient than its predecessor that launched in 2022. “We are excited to deliver the industry’s first 9th-gen V-NAND which will take future applications leaps forward. To address the evolving needs for NAND flash solutions, Samsung has pushed the bou

April 23, 2024

LG CNS wins Google Cloud partner awards for second year

South Korean IT solutions provider LG CNS said Tuesday it has been named as the services partner of the year for the second consecutive year at the 2024 Google Cloud Partner Awards. The annual awards recognize the standout performance of both global and regional companies across 14 categories, including services, sales, technology and industry solutions. The service partner award is given to a company that provides differentiated services and supports the success of the customer's busines

April 23, 2024

[Exclusive] Korean military set to ban iPhones over 'security' concerns

South Korea’s military is considering a comprehensive ban on iPhones in military buildings due to increasing concerns about possible leaks of sensitive information through voice recordings, according to multiple military sources on Tuesday. The sources, a group of ranking officers who wished to speak on condition of anonymity, said that the Air Force headquarters released an internal announcement on the military's intranet server on April 11, instructing a complete prohibition on any

April 23, 2024

Samsung SDI showcases latest battery tech at EVS37

Samsung SDI is exhibiting its next-generation "super-gap" battery technologies, including all-solid-state batteries and ultra-fast charging solutions, at the 37th Electric Vehicle Symposium & Exposition in Seoul from Tuesday, where it plans to show its ongoing progress in achieving future commercial availability. The event, known colloquially as the "World EV Olympics," has been a key international platform for electric mobility since its inception in 1969. This year mark

April 23, 2024

[Photo News] Garden for sustainable ecosystem

LG Electronics said Tuesday it opened a garden where pollen-carrying insects such as bees and butterflies, the populations of which have decreased due to climate change, can live stably, at its North American headquarters in New Jersey on Monday. Marking Earth Day on April 22, the tech giant held the Life's Good Earth Day Fair under the theme of "Better Life for All" to raise social interest in carbon neutrality and attract participation from community members. While some 700 peop

April 23, 2024

Posco completes new silicon anode material plant

Posco Group announced Tuesday the completion of a manufacturing plant specifically designed to produce silicon battery materials, laying the groundwork for next-generation secondary battery materials venture. Its battery materials unit Posco Silicon Solution completed a silicon anode material plant in the Yeongil Bay industrial complex of Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, on Friday. Silicon anode material is a next-generation alternative boasting four times the energy density of graphite anodes

April 23, 2024

[Photo News] Kia Tasman in camouflage

Kia on Tuesday unveiled a camouflage-inspired design for the Tasman, the brand's first pickup truck that is set to debut in 2025. Collaborating with Australia and New Zealand-based artist Richard Boyd-Dunlop, the Korean automaker created the colorful wrap design under the theme of "The Paths Never Taken." Starting in 2025, the Kia Tasman will be released in Korea, Australia, Asia and the Middle East in phases. (Hyundai Motor Group)

April 23, 2024

S. Korea vows thorough market monitoring, immediate responses to Middle East crisis

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok met with experts of economic and international affairs Tuesday and discussed responses to growing uncertainties in the Middle East, the finance ministry said. During a meeting of the international economic advisory panel in Seoul, experts called on the government to "check developments and assess potential impacts thoroughly as the conflict between Israel and Iran, coupled with the Israel-Hamas war, has seriously boosted uncertainties in the global economy,&qu

April 23, 2024