LG sets W1tr sales goal for built-in appliances by 2027

LG Electronics unveiled the ambitious target of 1 trillion won ($722 million) in sales solely from built-in appliances by 2027 at this year’s Milan Design Week, one of the largest international design and furniture exhibitions. “Within three years, we will be able to make our built-in (appliance) business worth trillions and turn it into another growth engine,” Lyu Jae-cheol, head of LG Electronics' home appliance and air solutions division, told a group of local reporters

April 17, 2024

Affinity tapped as preferred bidder for SK Rent-a-Car

SK Networks has chosen Affinity Equity Partners, a private equity fund headquartered in Hong Kong, as its preferred bidder for the sale of its ownership stake in SK Rent-a-Car, the nation's No. 2 rental car service company. SK Networks intends to divest all of its shares in an estimated deal worth some 850 billion won ($613 million). Both parties plan to conduct due diligence before finalizing the contract, SK Networks said in a regulatory filing Tuesday. Following the merger of AJ Rent-a

April 17, 2024

LS Eco Energy wins $30.51m supply deal to supply Denmark's Energinet

LS Eco Energy, a subsidiary of LS Cable & System, announced Wednesday that it is supplying extra high voltage cables to Energinet, a Danish state-owned transmission system operator of electricity and natural gas, over the next three years in a deal worth $30.51 million deal. The contract follows another Danish deal worth $13 billion signed earlier this month. The demand for EHV cables has been growing substantially in Denmark thanks to the nation’s growing infrastructure projects -- pa

April 17, 2024

Indo-Pacific deal on supply chains takes effect in S. Korea

A US-led Indo-Pacific agreement on supply chains went into effect in South Korea, Seoul's trade ministry said Wednesday. The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework was launched by US President Joe Biden in 2022, involving 14 member nations, including South Korea, the United States and Japan. "The government plans to come up with measures to utilize the IPEF, as the country needs a policy that supports the industrial supply chain," Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo told a meeting with corporat

April 17, 2024

Seoul shares open higher on bargain hunting

South Korean stocks started higher Wednesday as investors hunted for bargains following a sharp slide the previous day sparked by escalating tensions in the Middle East. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 8.58 points, or 0.33 percent, to 2,618.21 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the S&P 500 fell 0.2 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq edged down 0.1 percent, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.2 percent. US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said

April 17, 2024

Chanel, Louis Vuitton see muted growth in Korea

Luxury fashion houses reported a slowdown in sales growth in Korea after years of upbeat sales that peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to recent earnings reports. “Consumption of expensive luxury products soared over the past few years, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. But, luxury purchases started to slow down last year as consumer confidence remained low amid economic woes,” an industry source said on the condition of anonymity. The two largest luxury brands in

April 16, 2024

Credit card transactions hit W900tr in 2023

Last year, South Korea's card payments surged past 900 trillion won ($644.6 billion) for the first time, amid heightened inflation and escalating consumer prices. Data compiled by the Financial Supervisory Service reveals that the combined card payment performance of the nation's eight major credit card companies -- Shinhan, Samsung, Hyundai, KB Kookmin, Lotte, Woori, Hana, and BC -- reached 920.5 trillion won, marking a 6.4 percent increase from the 2022 total of 856.4 trillion won. T

April 16, 2024

Seoul shares sink over 2% on escalating tension in Middle East

South Korean stocks sank more than 2 percent Tuesday as Israel warned of a retaliation over Iran's drone and missile attack over the weekend. The Korean won also fell sharply against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index plunged 60.8 points, or 2.28 percent, to close at 2,609.63. Trade volume was moderate at 557 million shares worth 11.9 trillion won ($8.48 billion), with decliners outpacing gainers 771 to 124. Foreigners offloaded a net 272 billion won, while indiv

April 16, 2024

Line Next redefines digital market in Web3 era

Line Next, the Web3 unit of Japanese-based LY Corp., has redefined the digital market with its mobile service Dosi, which made its official debut in January this year. Line Next says it has transformed Dosi from an NFT platform into a dynamic digital service that integrates Web3 technology with existing web features. Seeking to expand the non-fungible token ecosystem, Line Next is paving the way to lead the Web3 market by offering differentiated services and exclusive digital perks users want. T

April 16, 2024

Finance chiefs of Korea, US, Japan to hold 3-way talks for first time

Finance leaders from South Korea, the United States and Japan were set to hold their first-ever trilateral meeting in Washington on Wednesday, to step up economic cooperation amid heightened geopolitical risks in the Middle East. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok departed for the US on Tuesday to attend the three-way meeting, as well as a meeting of Group of 20 finance ministers and central bank presidents as part of the annual Spring Meetings between the International Monetary Fund and the World

April 16, 2024

Korean won weakens amid heightened uncertainty

The Korean won weakened to 1,400 won against the US dollar during trading hours Tuesday, marking a new 17-month low as the Korean economy faces headwinds from the escalating volatility in the Middle East. The local currency against the greenback closed at 1,394.5 won, losing its value by 10.5 won from the previous trading day. Shortly after trading began at 1,389.9 won, the rate weakened to 1,400 won to $1 at 11:32 a.m., marking the first time in 17 months for the currency exchange rate to hit t

April 16, 2024

Pineapple, mango imports surge to record highs in March

South Korea witnessed its highest-ever import figures for pineapples and mangoes in March, largely driven by the government’s recent efforts to address the soaring prices of homegrown apples by diversifying demand toward alternative options. According to the Korea Customs Service on Tuesday, the import volume of pineapples reached 8,686 tons, worth $8.68 million, in March, up 44.7 percent from the previous year, marking a record high. Imports of mangoes also more than doubled to 6,264 tons

April 16, 2024

SK hynix sees 30% surge in market cap in Q1

South Korea’s total market cap increased by nearly 100 trillion won ($72 billion) during the first quarter of this year, backed by jumps in stock prices in key industries, including semiconductors, data showed Tuesday. According to a report from local corporate tracker Korea CXO Institute, the combined market cap of 2,692 local firms jumped 96 trillion won during the January-March period to reach 2,599 trillion won. The figures exclude the value of preferred shares. The number of stocks wi

April 16, 2024

[Photo News] Kyobo Life homecoming day

Kyobo Life Insurance CEO and Chairperson Shin Chang-jae (second row, second from left) poses for a picture with federation officials and former athletes during a ceremony celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Kyobo Life Cup Dream Sports Competition, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Tuesday. Since 1985, the insurer has contributed 12 billion won ($8.6 million) to support 148,000 aspiring young athletes through its social contributions program. (Kyobo Life Insurance)

April 16, 2024

Renault Korea revisits evolution of lozenge emblem

Renault Korea on Tuesday outlined a brief history of its iconic “lozenge” emblem, revisiting its evolution following the company's rebranding earlier this month. The rebranding replaced the "storm’s eye" logo used exclusively by its Korean branch since 2000 with Renault's original diamond-shaped lozenge emblem. The diamond-shaped logo is prominently featured at the company's new flagship store in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, where the rebranding announcement to

April 16, 2024

Doosan, LG team up to debut EV charging robot

Doosan Robotics has teamed up with LG Electronics to test an automated electric vehicle charging system that uses its advanced collaborative robots to streamline the EV charging process. This system combines LG’s 100-kilowatt fast chargers with Doosan’s high-dexterity collaborative robotics tech to replace the manual process of handling bulky charging cables that drivers often find cumbersome. The companies started a pilot operation for their new automated EV charging station last Th

April 16, 2024

Mom’s Touch opens first store in Tokyo

South Korean chicken and burger chain Mom’s Touch announced Tuesday that it has entered into the Japanese fast-food restaurant market by opening its first direct store overseas in Shibuya, Tokyo. The new venue, which used to be the former site of McDonald's Japan for 39 years, spans approximately 418 square meters of floor space and includes 220 seats distributed over three floors. Strategically located near Shibuya Scramble Square and Shibuya Station, the bustling hub of the Japanese

April 16, 2024

ShinWon accelerates global expansion with big ESG push

Amidst increasing global awareness of corporate responsibilities across various sectors, South Korean fashion company ShinWon Corporation has been actively involved in extensive social initiatives at home and abroad. On International Women's Day in March, ShinWon's headquarters and its overseas subsidiaries organized various activities to commemorate advancements in women's rights and equality. In Vietnam, ShinWon's two production plants hosted a grand gala concert and a post

April 16, 2024

[Photo News] Opposites United

Kia is presenting its design philosophy Opposites United at Milan Design Week 2024 this week with a second-year solo exhibition at the Museo della Permanente art museum. This year's display features collaborations with four artists who explore the philosophy’s fusion of contrasting elements to create cohesive vehicle designs. Visitors can explore five thematic areas, including an immersive installation highlighted by complex lighting patterns that illustrate the synergy of cutting-edg

April 16, 2024

Seoul shares open sharply lower as Israel warns of retaliation

South Korean stocks started sharply lower Tuesday tracking overnight losses on Wall Street amid the escalating tension between Israel and Iran. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index dropped 36.34 points, or 1.36 percent, to 2,634.09 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.65 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq declined 1.79 percent. Tensions continued to escalate in the Middle East after Israel warned of retaliation after Iran conducted a dr

April 16, 2024