South Korea’s export and import prices fell last month for the first time in three months due to falling oil prices and the won-dollar exchange rate, according to the Bank of Korea on Friday.The export price index stood at 78.8 in July, down more than 2 percent from 80.6 in June, while the import price index came to 75.85, down about 2.8 percent from 78.03 in the same period. The decrease rate of the import price index in July reached the highest in nine months.The appreciation of the Korean won

Aug. 12, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] The Bank of Korea on Thursday kept its record low base rate unchanged at 1.25 percent for two straight months, citing the weak global economy and the importance of implementing fiscal measures for the economy.BOK Gov. Lee Ju-yeol said the committee members reached a unanimous decision to freeze the rate, reiterating the current monetary policy was already accommodating enough for the government’s fiscal stimulus.The central bank is not at the moment considering further lowering it

Aug. 11, 2016

In the 1970s, South Korea’s industrial policy mostly focused on lifting the country out of poverty as it reeled from the aftermath of the Korean War, Japanese colonization and internal political turmoil.Its policy then concentrated on accelerating growth by handpicking key industries and developing them as rapidly as possible so that Korea could catch up with the advanced economies of the U.S., Europe and Japan.With its growth-first policy, the country encouraged those industries to research, de

Aug. 11, 2016

South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said Tuesday that it is not considering changes to its electricity charging scheme for households, despite litigations against the state’s “unfair and excessive” billing amid the scorching summer heat.The government said that it would need social consensus before it can actually change the scheme, which it added was developed in favor of the low-income group.“This would need social consensus given that there are a variety of opinions on this s

Aug. 9, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] If there is a South Korean word-processing developer that can take on the almighty Microsoft Word in the local market, it would be Hancom.The Kosdaq-listed Hancom is the only company here that develops the Korean word processor Hangul.And its presence continues to grow in the local word processing scene, especially after Hancom was exclusively selected by the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education last June as the lead provider of Office suite programs.Microsoft is clearly the le

Aug. 8, 2016

If there is a South Korean word-processing developer that can take on the almighty Microsoft Word in the local market, it would be Hancom.The Kosdaq-listed Hancom is the only company here that develops the Korean word processor Hangul.And its presence continues to grow in the local word processing scene, especially after Hancom was exclusively selected by the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education last June as the lead provider of Office suite programs.Microsoft is clearly the leader and consum

Aug. 8, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] South Korea’s political circles are once again engaged in a tug-of-war over the most sensitive issue -- taxes -- with the progressives locking horns with the government and the conservatives over the proposal of tax hikes on the rich and conglomerates ahead of the National Assembly’s regular session next month. With Korea’s tax burden among the lowest in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the progressive Minjoo Party of Korea is making a case with its own s

Aug. 7, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] The Financial Supervisory Service said on Aug. 7 it will push 32 companies, including listed conglomerates, to restructure their bad debts through intensive creditor-led workout or court receivership programs.After a rigorous credit screening and evaluation of some 600 companies that borrowed more than 50 billion won ($45 million) from the financial sector, the regulator graded 13 companies “C” and 19 “D.” The C-graded companies, including Hanjin Shipping and Hyundai Merchant Mari

Aug. 7, 2016

South Korea’s political circles are once again engaged in a tug-of-war over the most sensitive issue -- taxes -- with the progressives locking horns with the government and the conservatives over the proposal of tax hikes on the rich and conglomerates ahead of the National Assembly’s regular session next month. With Korea’s tax burden among the lowest in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the progressive Minjoo Party of Korea is making a case with its own set of tax code

Aug. 7, 2016

Exports, South Korea’s main growth driver, dropped more than 10 percent in July, with imports decreasing faster than outbound shipments by 14 percent.Low inflation below the 1.1 percent target on falling oil prices and slow industrial production driven by decreasing global demand continue to drag Asia’s fourth-largest economy.With key statistical data pointing south, socioeconomic outlooks showing negative signs and doubts over the impact of the government’s stimulus proposal, market analysts ar

Aug. 4, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] A series of unfortunate events and negative factors abroad are hindering the South Korean economy from growing toward its desired targets. The impact of the U.K.’s Brexit vote was beginning to ease up, with the government pledging fiscal support through a 28 trillion won ($25 billion) stimulus package following the central bank’s monetary easing. But falling oil prices now stand in the way of Asia’s fourth-largest economy reaching its potential.With crude oil prices dropping below

Aug. 3, 2016

A series of unfortunate events and negative factors abroad are hindering South Korea’s economy from growing toward its desired targets. The impact of the U.K.’s Brexit vote was beginning to ease up, with the government pledging fiscal support through a 28 trillion won ($25 billion) stimulus following the central bank’s monetary easing. But falling oil prices are now in the way of Asia’s fourth-largest economy reaching its potential.With crude oil prices dropping below $40 per barrel, the Korean

Aug. 3, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] South Korea’s consumer price index rose 0.7 percent last month on-year, the slowest in 10 months, according to Statistics Korea on Tuesday.Due to falling international oil prices, the inflation rate has remained in the zero percent territory over the last three months, well below the central bank’s target of 2 percent for 2016-2018.In light of forecasts that global oil prices will decrease to around $30 per barrel on overcapacity rather than rebounding toward $50 later this year,

Aug. 2, 2016

South Korea’s consumer price index rose 0.7 percent last month on-year, the slowest in 10 months, according to Statistics Korea on Tuesday.Due to falling international oil prices, the inflation rate has remained in the zero percent territory over the last three months, well below the central bank’s target of 2 percent for 2016-2018.In light of forecasts that global oil prices will decrease to around $30 per barrel on overcapacity rather than rebounding toward $50 later this year, it remains unce

Aug. 2, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] The power of gaming content is evident nowadays as a growing number of smartphone users seek quality and entertaining content whenever and wherever. Just look at Nintendo and its affiliate Niantic, which recently hit the jackpot with the augmented-reality mobile game “Pokemon Go” based on the animated character series. Similarly, Korea’s listed gamer SundayToz expects to see growth with its flagship puzzle game “Anipang.” The success of its new “Anipang” game series will be reflec

Aug. 1, 2016

South Korea’s current account surplus extended its record for the 52nd consecutive month in June, but the record surplus was mostly due to falling oil prices rather than an increase in exports over imports on global demand, according to the Bank of Korea on Monday.The current account surplus, the broadest measure of trade, hit a record of $12.17 billion in June, the biggest since the central bank began collecting the trade data in 1980. The June surplus gained $300 million, compared to a year ag

Aug. 1, 2016

The power of gaming content is evident nowadays as a growing number of smartphone users seek quality and entertaining content whenever and wherever. Just look at Nintendo and its affiliate Niantic, which recently hit the jackpot with the augmented-reality mobile game “Pokemon Go” based on the animated character series. Similarly, Korea’s listed gamer SundayToz expects to see growth with its flagship puzzle game “Anipang.” The success of its new “Anipang” game series will be reflected in its earn

Aug. 1, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] The emerging technology augmented reality is showing immense potential in the digital world especially after the success of “Pokemon Go,” a location-based AR mobile game.AR, in fact, is nothing new. But the game has brought the technology another step closer to reality, pushing companies and governments to commercialize AR by integrating it with unique content.In movies and science fiction, AR -- the incremental technology from virtual reality that can be further developed into ho

July 29, 2016