Subscribing to a premium insurance program is not easy, even for a healthy person, if one has a record of treatment for a major health problem.But Samsung Fire and Marine Insurance, a major insurance company in South Korea, has introduced a new package that covers customers from a wide range of age groups as well as those who have undergone or are currently undergoing medical treatment.Anyone between the ages of 30 and 75 can apply for the Yoo-byeong-jang-soo Plus package, unless they have been

Market Nov. 28, 2018

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won has left for the United States to oversee the conglomerate’s businesses in North America and to meet political and business leaders there, the group said Tuesday. The chairman will be briefed in Washington DC about SK’s energy, bio and petrochemical businesses and their plans next year. Chey will also hold meetings with US Sen. Johnny Isakson from Georgia, Kurt Campbell, chairman and CEO of The Asia Group and Edwin Feulner, president of the Heritage Foundation, the

Industry Nov. 27, 2018

Posco, the nation’s largest steelmaker, plans to hire 5,500 additional workers over the next five years and expand corporate social responsibility programs under its new vision “With Posco” announced by its new chief in July.The company signed an agreement on Oct. 10 with the Korea Commission for Corporate Partnership, along with eight businesses including Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor, to reduce the income gap between large and smaller companies, the company said in a statement. Under t

Industry Nov. 27, 2018

Amid growing interest in personal mobility, a total of 1,283 units of the Twizy, an ultracompact electric vehicle manufactured by French carmaker Renault, have been sold in South Korea as of October, making it No. 1 in the new segment with market share of 80 percent, Renault Samsung Motors said Tuesday.After the Twizy was presented on a home-shopping program, around 3,700 customers signed up for consulting services in just an hour, three times more than expected.  Renault’s ultracompact electric

Industry Nov. 27, 2018

South Korean telecom giant KT on Monday struggled to contain further fallout from the network blackout caused by a fire over the weekend, as it faces growing questions over its lack of safety measures. Amid rising concerns over the incident that showed the IT powerhouse’s vulnerability to network paralysis, Minister of Science, ICT and Future Planning Yoo Young-min apologized for causing the public concern, saying that the government also feels responsible.“The case revealed that not only teleco

Technology Nov. 26, 2018

Fun driving doesn’t have to be all about speed and power. French sports utility vehicle QM6, for instance, offers premium audio inside the cabin, making every driving moment exquisite. Wherever you sit -- front or back – the QM6 delivers a premium sound quality, as if you are sitting on the center of a concert hall, thanks to 13 BOSE speakers that create deep base tone together with sophisticated sound. QM6 GDe are lined up for John Carney’s “Sing Street” at a drive-in theater in Seoul. Renault

Mobility Nov. 25, 2018

Recipients of a scholarship program run by Han Sung Motor, the largest official dealer of Mercedes-Benz here, are participating in a local craft fair that runs through Sunday, the company said Friday.The Craft Trend Fair being held at Coex in Samseong-dong, Seoul, is hosted by the Ministry of Culture to promote the nation’s craft culture and introduce aspiring artists. Works by Dream Gream scholarship recipients are displayed at Han Sung Motor’s booth at the Craft Trend Fair that runs through Su

Industry Nov. 23, 2018

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won has given his kin a total of 3.29 million shares of SK Corp., a holding company that controls the nation’s second-largest conglomerate, the company said in a statement Friday. The chairman has given half of the 3.29 million shares, or 1.66 million shares, to his younger brother Chey Jae-won, who currently serves as executive vice chairman, and a quarter of the total shares, or 830,000 shares, to his cousin SK Networks Chairman Choi Shin-won and his family members.

Industry Nov. 23, 2018

French carmaker Renault has opened a vehicle test center in Daegu, southeast of Seoul, in partnership with the city government and the Korea Intelligent Automotive Promotion Institute, the company said in a statement.The center, Renault’s first test unit in Asia, will test vehicles under development in the Asia-Pacific region, it added. Renault Samsung CEO Dominique Signora speaks at the opening ceremony of Renault’s vehicle test center in Daegu, Friday. (Renault Samsung)Vehicles to be tested in

Mobility Nov. 23, 2018

LG Electronics Vice Chairman and CEO Jo Seong-jin and suppliers pose for a photo at a workshop held at LG Science Park in Seoul on Wednesday. (Yonhap)LG Electronics Vice Chairman and CEO Jo Seong-jin said the company will promote automation of suppliers’ manufacturing units as part of efforts to strengthen business partnership. At a meeting with a group of suppliers here, Jo said the company would share innovative features with them, such as building an IT system, to increase efficiency in produ

Technology Nov. 22, 2018

Oh Ha-young, a 36-year-old mother of two in Seoul, remembers when she kept herself busy several years ago for the sake of her children, before they were even born. From knitting to drawing, she even endeavored to learn how to handle a sewing machine, which resulted in a number of handmade crafts during her two pregnancies between 2011 and 2013. “I learned in a prenatal education class that using my hands a lot could affect the brain development of a fetus,” she said. “My first child started to s

Industry Nov. 22, 2018

General Motors has nominated Roberto Rempel, executive chief engineer for small SUVs and mini vehicles, as the head of its R&D unit that it plans to spin off despite opposition from unionized workers and the state-run Korea Development Bank, the second-largest shareholder of the US carmaker’s South Korean unit.Rempel has been stationed in Korea since 2015. Roberto Rempe (GM Korea)“Roberto Rempel’s experience and deep knowledge of GM’s global engineering and the engineering capability in Korea wi

Mobility Nov. 21, 2018

The Seoul government said Wednesday that it has started the pilot operation of fuel-cell electric bus for a regular route, in an effort to test the viability of hydrogen-powered vehicles as public transportation in the city. The zero-emission bus developed by Hyundai Motor will travel from Yeomgok-dong, southern Seoul, to City Hall, four to five times a day. Five other major cities will also have a combined 30 hydrogen buses for pilot operations next year, said officials at the trade and environ

Mobility Nov. 21, 2018

In the face of growing protectionism and anti-globalization moves, Asian countries should remain open to multilateral and free trade platforms, and seek innovative strategies to keep economic growth high, according to business and political leaders from South Korea and China at a forum in Seoul on Tuesday.“Asia today is facing uncertainties (instigated by) anti-globalization, protectionism and isolationism,” said former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the Boao Forum for Asia Seou

Industry Nov. 20, 2018

Racing teams working with South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor have come first and second overall in the World Touring Car Cup in their official debut season, the company said Monday.It added that a team run by Hyundai had also come second in the World Rally Championship. Hyundai Motor’s i20 rally car was photographed during the WRC Kennards Hire Rally Australia at Coffs Harbour last week. (Hyundai Motor)The team led by French auto-racing driver Yvan Muller, which uses a remodeled version of Hy

Mobility Nov. 19, 2018