Seoul stocks open sharply lower on recession woes

Seoul stocks opened sharply lower on Tuesday as investors took to the sidelines amid growing recession woes. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index dropped 20.58 points, or 0.92 percent, to 2,205.09 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. Wall Street was closed for the New Year's holiday, while major European stock markets closed more than 1 percent higher overnight on relatively sound manufacturing data. In Seoul, most heavyweights got off to a weak start. Market top cap Samsun

Jan. 3, 2023

Rainbow Robotics to raise W59b via stock offering

Rainbow Robotics on Tuesday announced that it will sell stock to raise 59 billion won The proceeds from the stock sale will be used mainly to finance its operations. According to a regulatory filing, the company will issue some 1.94 million common shares at a price of 30,400 won per share. The stock will be sold to the investors that the firm designated. (Yonhap)

Jan. 3, 2023

S. Korea's power use hits new high in December on cold wave

South Korea's electricity consumption touched a record monthly high in December as the country was gripped by a nationwide cold wave and heavy snow, the power operator said Tuesday. The country's average maximum power consumption stood at 82,716 megawatts last month, up 5.1 percent from a year earlier, according to the Korea Power Exchange. It was higher than the previous monthly record of 82,007 MW set in July last year. The December tally also marks the first time that the country�

Jan. 3, 2023

‘Seize chances to thrive in times of crisis’

By Business Desk New opportunities can arise from out of crises. Chiefs of Korea's top conglomerates are banking on words of wisdom for the year ahead as businesses face an age of relentless changes stemming from geopolitical conflicts, inflationary pressures and a recessionary environment. To overcome factors dragging on business activities, uncovering their own path to thrive for growth has become more important than ever as traditional approaches and paradigms have been challenged. In

Jan. 2, 2023

New Hana Bank CEO Lee Seung-lyul vows to make bank stronger in time of crisis

The new CEO of Hana Bank, one of South Korea's top four commercial banks, vowed that the bank will become a leading lender that is stronger in times of crisis. To reach this goal, new CEO Lee Seung-lyul, 60, stressed that he will “enable honest communication and build solid trust within the organization” during an inauguration ceremony held at Hana Bank’s headquarters in Seoul on Monday. Lee also said the bank only exists because there are clients and asked employees to co

Jan. 2, 2023

Posco International restarts as merged entity

A merged entity of Posco Group’s trading arm Posco International and power generation unit Posco Energy has been launched with the former Posco President Jeong Tak as its new CEO, Posco International announced Monday. With the latest merger, the country’s largest trading company has scaled up, with annual sales surpassing 40 trillion won ($31 billion) and its annual operating profit reaching around 1 trillion won. In terms of sales, Posco International, the second-largest company wit

Jan. 2, 2023

Seoul stocks close lower on first trading day of 2023

Seoul stocks closed slightly lower in the first trading session of 2023 on institutional selling. The Korean won declined against the US dollar. After choppy trading, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index slid down 10.73 points, or 0.48 percent, to close at 2,225.67 points. Trading volume was light at about 335.7 million shares worth some 5.1 trillion won ($4.01 billion). Losers outnumbered gainers 712 to 178. After a strong start, the Kospi surrendered earlier gains as institutional i

Jan. 2, 2023

Duty-free industry pinning high hopes on China liftng 'COVID-zero' policy

With China abolishing measures to quarantine its travelers starting 2023, South Korean duty-free shops are expecting a boost in its earnings, according to industry sources Monday. China's National Health Commission announced recently that starting Jan. 8, overseas entrants to China will no longer need to be quarantined or take PCR tests upon returning to the country. This marks the first time in three years since the pandemic broke loose that Chinese tourists will be able to travel abroad w

Jan. 2, 2023

Aging population to slow down economy, central bank warns

The Bank of Korea warned Monday that the aging population could drive down the macroeconomic benefits of fiscal expenditure. According to the central bank's monthly research report, studies show that one percentage point in an increased aging population leads to a 5.9 percent drop in the fiscal growth of gross domestic product. The bank announced the figures based on overseas research which showed that the change in the population structure weakens the growth effect of fiscal expenditures.

Jan. 2, 2023

Hyundai Oilbank offers 1,000% bonuses on upbeat earnings

Hyundai Oilbank, one of South Korea’s leading refiners, said Monday that it handed out 1,000 percent of base salaries as bonuses to its staffers. The company declined to disclose the specific amount of the salaries given. In 2021, its employees received an average of 121 million won ($94,800) per person including bonuses at a 600 percent rate. The refiner’s lump-sum bonuses came in line with the refining industry’ stellar performance last year. In the third quarter alone, Hyu

Jan. 2, 2023

[KH Explains] How imminent are Hyundai’s ‘Made-in-Saudi Arabia’ cars?

Hyundai Motor Group is considering setting up its first Middle East plant in Saudi Arabia, paving the way for it to secure footing in the region’s burgeoning automotive market. The Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources on Saturday announced in a tweet that the kingdom had inked a memorandum of understanding with the South Korean carmaker to advance joint cooperation for the auto industry in the region to achieve its national goal of developing local manufacturing capabilities. M

Jan. 2, 2023

[Photo News] Sleep smart

LG Electronics said Monday that it will debut a smart sleep care solution, called brid.zzz, at the CES trade show that kicks off Thurday in Las Vegas. The earbud-shaped device analyzes the user's brain waves and sleeping habits to help improve sleep quality. Its official market debut is expected to come in the first half of this year, the company added.

Jan. 2, 2023

[Newsmaker] Chip supremacy gives South Korea more geopolitical freedom: lawmaker

Rep. Yang Hyang-ja, a former executive at Samsung Electronics’ semiconductor business division, called securing a competitive edge in chips a “matter of life and death” amid the ever-evolving geopolitical landscape and an escalating US-China rivalry. “The winner of the global chip battle will control the economic security order, while the loser will end up becoming a technological colony,” Yang, who heads the ruling People Power Party’s special panel on chips,

Jan. 2, 2023

Korean Air to focus on completing Asiana acquisition this year

The head of South Korea's leading airline, Korean Air Co., said Monday he will focus on completing the acquisition of its smaller local rival, Asiana Airlines Inc., and preparing for pent-up post-pandemic travel demand. In November 2020, Korean Air signed a deal to acquire the controlling stake in Asiana in a deal valued at 1.8 trillion won ($1.42 billion) that would create the world's 10th-biggest airline by fleet. The national flag carrier has said it aims to launch a merged entity w

Jan. 2, 2023

Seoul stocks open higher on first day of 2023

Seoul stocks opened higher Monday during the first session of 2023 on retail and institutional buying. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 15.87 points, or 0.71 percent, to 2,252.27 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Major stock indices closed lower on Wall Street on Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 0.22 percent, the S&P 500 shed 0.35 percent, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq dipped 0.11 percent. Analysts expect the local stock market to trend lower this month amid th

Jan. 2, 2023

Biopharma firms suffer W55tr loss in market cap in 2022

South Korea’s major biopharma companies were hit by a combined loss of 55 trillion won ($43.5 billion) in their market capitalization last year, Korea Exchange data showed Sunday. According to Korea Exchange, the KRX Health Care Index, comprising 83 major biotech and pharmaceutical companies listed on either the benchmark Kospi or tech-heavy Kosdaq, fell 29.2 percent on-year to 2,634.49 points as of Thursday, from 3,721.17 on Dec. 30, 2021. The combined market capitalization of the 83 list

Jan. 1, 2023

Samsung Bioepis speeding up interchangeability study of Humira biosimilar

Samsung Bioepis has brought forward its interchangeability study of Hadlima to speed up its processes for obtaining interchangeability designation in the US market, according to industry sources on Sunday. Hadlima is Samsung Bioepis' biosimilar referencing AbbVie’s blockbuster drug Humira, used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and other conditions. Samsung Bioepis previously planned to complete its study needed to establish the interchangeability

Jan. 1, 2023

Naver-Coupang rivalry entering new phase

E-commerce platform Naver is bolstering its delivery service, which has remained its weak point despite its vast vendor network, and renewing competition with its archrival Coupang. Naver said recently it is launching a new delivery scheme, called “Naver Guaranteed Delivery Service,” starting Jan. 14, which aims to minimize delivery time and compensate consumers if their orders do not arrive on time. The point reward worth 1,000 won ($0.8) compares to delivery fees normally priced at

Jan. 1, 2023

Tech firms to highlight cutting-edge technology at CES

South Korean companies are gearing up to showcase their latest future technology at the upcoming CES 2023 -- the world’s largest tech convention -- slated to be held from Jan. 5 to Jan. 9 in Las Vegas. According to CES organizer, Consumer Technology Association, this year’s event will feature over 3,100 exhibitors from 173 countries and regions around the world. The CTA expects the four-day event to draw over 100,000 visitors. After years of pandemic disruptions, this year’s

Jan. 1, 2023

S. Korea logs record high exports, largest ever trade deficit in 2022

South Korea's exports rose 6.1 percent in 2022 from a year earlier to reach an all-time high, but it suffered the largest ever trade deficit on high global energy prices, the industry ministry said Sunday. Outbound shipments stood at $683.9 billion last year, the largest annual figure since 1956, when the country began compiling trade related data, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The previous record was set a year earlier with $644.4 billion, the ministr

Jan. 1, 2023