Paris Baguette hosts inaugural US franchise convention

South Korea's top bakery chain Paris Baguette held its inaugural franchise convention for US franchisees in Las Vegas on Aug. 5-7. Under the theme "Layers of Success," the three-day event brought together 250 executives, current franchisees and prospective partners to foster communication and networking within Paris Baguette's diverse franchise community. Paris Baguette America's executives, led by CEO Darren Tipton, shared the company's strategic vision, marketing

Aug. 8, 2024

W630b Korean trades canceled amid huge global sell-off

Approximately 630 billion won ($457.3 million) in trades by South Korean investors were canceled following a recent suspension in after-hours trading in the US largely due to a surge in order volume, Korean authorities said Thursday. According to the Financial Supervisory Service, the cancellations affected around 90,000 accounts at 19 local securities firms that offer daytime trading of US stocks to Korean investors. On Monday afternoon Korean time, US overnight trading platform Blue Ocean ATS

Aug. 8, 2024

[Contribution] Happy Birthday, "ASEAN"!

By Kim Jae-shin Secretary general of the ASEAN-Korea Centre Today marks the 57th anniversary of the founding of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, celebrated as ASEAN Day. In the aftermath of World War II, the international political landscape became increasingly unpredictable with the tensions of the Cold War, a phenomenon that did not pass by the Southeast Asian region. In response, five countries -- Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand -- issued the ASEA

Aug. 8, 2024

LG Innotek eyes digital twin tech for better efficiency

LG Innotek announced Thursday that it will expand the integration of digital twin technology throughout its operations in partnership with Ansys, a US engineering simulation software developer. Digital twin technology recreates physical objects in a virtual space to simulate real-world scenarios using computer models, thereby predicting outcomes and cutting manufacturing time and costs. Ansys is renowned for its technological prowess and experience in simulation using 3D modeling, AI and machine

Aug. 8, 2024

[KH Explains] Are underground parking bans for EVs fueled by fear or fact?

"No EVs permitted in underground parking areas." These signs have recently popped up at some apartment complexes and office buildings across South Korea, a response to a severe fire earlier this month. An electric vehicle ignited in the underground parking lot of an apartment building in Cheongna International City, Incheon, triggering widespread fear and leading some apartment managers to ban EVs from these spaces entirely. The fire began with a stationary, uncharging Mercedes-Benz EQ

Aug. 8, 2024

SK Innovation's unit joins carbon storage project in Australia

SK earthon Co., a South Korean oil exploration and production (E&P) company, said Thursday it has joined a project to build a submarine carbon storage facility in Australia in its business diversification strategy. SK earthon invested in 20 percent of the project, with InCapture, an Australian carbon capture and storage (CCS) company, holding 75 percent and CCS technology consulting firm CarbonCQ holding 5 percent, the company said in a statement. The three companies will explore the G-15-AP

Aug. 8, 2024

Seoul shares open lower on lingering US recession woes

South Korean stocks started lower Thursday amid lingering fears about a US recession. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 28.7 points, or 1.12 percent, to 2,539.71 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.6 percent and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.05 percent as investors were still worried about a possible US recession and the sluggish performance of big tech companies. The Kospi has risen for two straight sessions after plunging n

Aug. 8, 2024

Samsung’s HBM3E chip still under review by Nvidia

Samsung Electronics on Wednesday denied a Reuters report that its fifth-generation HBM3E chip has passed Nvidia's qualification test for use, saying it is "still running tests with major clients." The news outlet reported earlier in the day that Samsung has cleared Nvidia’s qualification test for its HBM3E, the fifth-generation high bandwidth memory chip, creating a buzz that the world's No. 1 memory chipmaker may be starting supplying the chip to the US chip giant soon

Aug. 7, 2024

Samyang sets up European unit in Netherlands

South Korean food conglomerate Samyang Roundsquare has set up its European subsidiary in the Netherlands, according to industry sources on Wednesday. The company has filed the necessary paperwork and has already begun hiring, insiders told local media. The subsidiary marks Samyang's fifth overseas corporation, following established operations in Japan, China, the United States and Indonesia. "We've established this entity to optimize our supply chain across Europe. The Netherlands

Aug. 7, 2024

Mirae Asset chief honored with AIB award

Mirae Asset Financial Group Chairman Park Hyeon-joo has been recognized by the Academy of International Business for expanding the financial service provider's scope of business on a global level. Park received the International Executive of the Year Award from the AIB on July 3. He was the first Asian financier to receive the prestigious award. He was the second South Korean entrepreneur to win the award after SK Group's late Chairman Chey Jong-hyun, the father of the current Chairman

Aug. 7, 2024

Seoul shares rebound for 2nd day on tech gains after global rout

Seoul shares ended higher for a second straight session Wednesday, helped by tech gains, as investors' sentiment for risky assets improved following a global stock rout. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) rose 46.26 points, or 1.8 percent, to close at 2,568.41. Trade volume was moderate at 469.69 million shares worth 12.9 trillion won ($9.4 billion), with winners exceeding losers 727 to 176. The rebound comes in line with gains

Aug. 7, 2024

SMEs gain ground in procurement market with PPS guide

Small and medium-sized enterprises in South Korea are making significant inroads into the nation’s public procurement market, a sector estimated to be worth a staggering 209 trillion won ($154 billion) as of last year, according to a report by the Public Procurement Service published in May. Aiding this success is the Public Procurement Guide, an initiative launched in March that is drawing attention for its innovative approach to assisting emerging businesses. According to the PPS, the

Aug. 7, 2024

Public Procurement Service helps Korean businesses reach global stage

South Korea's Public Procurement Service is spearheading efforts to help local businesses break into the global procurement market, valued at an estimated $12 trillion. Of this total, Korean companies are positioned to vie for a lucrative $2 trillion portion, presenting a significant opportunity for the nation's export economy, according to PPS's estimate. Recently, the agency has been doubling down on its support for aspiring businesses. A host of comprehensive initiatives has al

Aug. 7, 2024

[Herald Interview] Procurement chief aims for greater transparency, charts global path for SMEs

The Public Procurement Service, responsible for managing procurement contracts worth 209 trillion won ($152 billion) last year — a third of the South Korean government's entire spending — serves as both an allocator of domestic demand and a driver of innovation for the country’s thriving small and medium-sized enterprises. Lim Ki-keun, who was appointed as PPS administrator in December last year, has taken on this critical responsibility during a period of mounting global

Aug. 7, 2024

LG debuts Korea’s first open-source AI model

LG Group’s artificial intelligence think tank, LG AI Research, on Wednesday unveiled the third generation of its hyperscale AI multimodal Exaone, providing better performance and cost-efficiency than its predecessors in processing massive amounts of data. To contribute to the development of the AI ecosystem, LG AI Research said it has decided to release the lightweight model of Exaone 3.0 as Korea's first open-source AI model for various research purposes. Exaone 3.0 is the second u

Aug. 7, 2024

Eximbank to fund $260m for new airport project in Philippines

The Export-Import Bank of Korea said Wednesday that it will provide a $260 million loan to support the development of a new airport in Dumaguete, Philippines. Yoon Hee-sung, chairman and CEO of Eximbank, met with Ralph G. Recto, the secretary of the Philippine Department of Finance, in Manila on the day to sign the Economic Development Cooperation Fund loan agreement. The project aims to establish a new airport in central Philippines with the capacity to handle 2 million passengers per year. The

Aug. 7, 2024

Govt. rolls out W1.2tr aid package for Qoo10 liquidity crisis

The Korean government announced on Wednesday a policy support package totaling 1.2 trillion won ($871 million) to address damage from Tmon and WeMakePrice payment delays, with refunds for general products to be completed within the week. The measures, part of a follow-up support plan announced by the Finance Ministry, include an additional 600 billion won in emergency funds for vendors impacted by the delays, supplementing the 560 billion won announced last week. These additional funds will be s

Aug. 7, 2024

[Photo News] CEO delivers cool relief

Posco Future M CEO Yoo Byung-og (left) hands out refreshing drinks to employees Wednesday during his visit to the company's synthetic graphite anode material plant in Pohang, North Gyeonsang Province, where temperatures reached 33 degrees Celsius. He also joined fun activities like darts and a lucky draw, with winners taking home travel and ice cream vouchers. This initiative is part of a company-wide effort for management to visit sites in Gwangyang, Sejong, Seoul, and Gumi, continuing u

Aug. 7, 2024

Hyundai Casper Electric aims to prevent sudden acceleration

Hyundai Motor Company on Tuesday showcased an array of distinguished features of the automaker’s newest battery-electric vehicle the Casper Electric, including the automaker’s latest technology that can prevent sudden acceleration incidents. Named Pedal Misapplication Safety Assist, or PMSA, the new technology automatically controls the vehicle’s speed when the driver floors the acceleration pedal suddenly from a standstill if there is an obstacle within one meter away from eit

Aug. 7, 2024

Celltrion Q2 net profit drops 48%

Celltrion Inc., a South Korean biopharmaceutical company, said Wednesday its second-quarter net profit plunged 48 percent from a year earlier due to costs following a merger with its sales and marketing affiliate last year. Its net profit came to 78.5 billion won ($57.1 million), compared with 150.9 billion won a year ago, the company said in a regulatory filing. Its operating profit also decreased 60.4 percent on-year to 72.5 billion won, but sales jumped 66.9 percent to 874.7 billion won. Desp

Aug. 7, 2024