The Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement took effect Friday, beginning the process of removing tariffs on more than 20,000 items produced in Korea and the EU.Negotiations over the pact, which began in May 2007, came to a close in October 2009 when the agreement was penciled in, and in October 2010 the agreement was formally signed by the leaders of Korea and the EU.Under the agreement, tariffs on 11,261

June 30, 2011

(LG Group)LG Group chairman Koo Bon-moo (left) hands the symbol for the LG Global Challenger program to the representative of students taking part at the company’s office in Seoul on Wednesday. The program is in its 17th year, and allows participants to take part in research projects and visit other countries.

Industry June 30, 2011

SK Innovation’s oil platform in operation at an offshore mining area in Vietnam. (SK Group)Local firms look for opportunities for old and new businesses abroadFaced with a fast saturating domestic market, local firms have increasingly been seeking growth in overseas markets.For some, such as Hyundai Motor Group, overseas expansion has been an extension of their main businesses.Others, such as SK

Industry June 29, 2011

Kim Jong-hoonTomorrow, the free trade agreement between the Republic of Korea and the European Union will finally enter into force. With the publication of the agreement in the official gazettes of the two sides the day before yesterday, all the required procedures have been completed and we are now about to embark upon the smooth implementation of the agreement.As is often said, well begun is hal

June 29, 2011

South Korea steps closer to completing FTA networkThe Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement is set to take effect on Friday, opening new doors for the country’s economy.The negotiations over the pact, which began in May 2007, came to a close in October 2009 when the agreement was penciled in, and in October 2010 the agreement was formally signed by the leaders of Korea and the EU.The EU approved the deal,

June 28, 2011

POSCO began construction on its third FINEX steel mill at its steelworks in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province on Tuesday.The new FINEX plant, which will have an annual production capacity of 2 million metric tons, is scheduled for completion in 2013.The company said the construction budget for the new FINEX plant is 1.3 trillion won ($1.2 billion), equal to that used in building the second FINEX p

Industry June 28, 2011

POSCO chief executive Chung Joon-yang was appointed the new president of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea at the organization’s general meeting on Monday.Chung replaces Kim Doh-yeon who will now head the National Science and Technology Commission. Chung Joon-yang. (POSCO)The POSCO chief executive has been a full member of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea since 2008, and wil

Industry June 27, 2011

(AP-Yonhap News)Google Inc. and Apple Inc. are the two most sought-after foreign companies among South Korean job applicants, a market survey showed Monday, pointing to their popularity here.According to the latest survey of 1,428 job seekers by SaraminHR Co., 16.7 percent of the respondents selected Google Korea as the most desired company to work at among foreign firms, citing the company’s corp

Industry June 27, 2011

S-Oil Corp. begins operating out of its new office in Mapo, Seoul, on Monday. This is the first time the company, which previously rented offices in the 63 City building in Yeouido, has set up headquarters in its own building since its establishment in 1976. S-Oil’s new office in Mapo, Seoul. (S-Oil)According to the company, the new building was designed to resemble the square-sailed boat used dur

Industry June 26, 2011

The European Union Chamber of Commerce in Korea is turning up the heat on the Korean government to reduce non-tariff barriers and modify regulations to align them with international standards.On Friday, a week ahead of the tentative implementation of the Korea-EU free trade agreement, the EUCCK published a report outlining non-tariff issues regarding access to the Korean market in 20 categories. S

Industry June 24, 2011