Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles debuted the 2015 all-new Chrysler 200 in Korea on Tuesday, targeting the midsize sedan market, one of the most competitive segments here. Models pose in front of the all-new Chrysler 200, which debuted in Korea on Tuesday. (FCA Korea)With an affordable price in the 30 million won ($27,000) range and new design, the gasoline-powered family sedan will compete against best-selling models in the category, including the BMW 3, Toyota Camry and Hyundai Sonata, FCA Korea presi

Mobility Feb. 3, 2015

Falling oil prices are not expected to put a brake on the zeal for battery-powered, plug-in clean cars, as global automakers are competing to expand their electric vehicle lineup to win the battle for the clean car market. Carmakers have diversified their lineups of plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles. The trend was well reflected through the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit from Jan. 12-25. “At the show, most of global carmakers clearly delivered a message that the

Mobility Feb. 1, 2015

By tapping into a security flaw in a digital-service system, hackers could wirelessly open BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce vehicles in minutes, according to a report by German auto club ADAC. About 2.2 million vehicles equipped with BMW’s ConnectedDrive service were vulnerable, ADAC said.  BMW’s electric car i3 EV, fitted with ConnectedDrive. (BMW)The Munich-based carmaker said it upgraded the system to close the security gap and that the software update will take place automatically when a vehicle co

Mobility Feb. 1, 2015

Juicing has become popular across the country. Many Koreans put drinking a glass of fresh fruit or veggie juice a day on their list of New Year’s resolutions, and most coffee chains have begun selling fresh juices.  A fresh juice bar run by Organica at a branch of high-end supermarket chain Super Star in southern Seoul. (Organica)Behind the boom is the craze for cleansing the body of toxins with juice ― the so-called “juice cleanse.’’Drinking “detox’’ juice has become a daily routine for many Ko

Industry Jan. 30, 2015

For Lee Kyung-ja, a 63-year-old housewife who has lived in Latin America for more than 40 years, the biggest concern ahead of her planned return to Korea was food.Having lived in Bolivia, the home of a slew of so-called superfoods like quinoa and lentils, she had no idea how to maintain her decade-old eating habits. But her concerns vanished during a recent visit to Seoul. “I was pleasantly surprised that almost all food items from Latin America are available at local supermarkets. There were ev

Industry Jan. 30, 2015

Axel van TrotsenburgEvery minute, dozens of people in East Asia move from the countryside to the city.The massive population shift is creating some of the world’s biggest megacities including Tokyo, Shanghai, Jakarta, Seoul and Manila, as well as hundreds of medium and smaller urban areas.This transformation touches on every aspect of life and livelihoods, from access to clean water to high-speed trains that transport millions of people in and out of cities during rush hour each weekday.People m

Jan. 26, 2015

Hanwha Q Cells, a Germany-based solar power business unit of Hanwha Group, announced Thursday that it would end its production operations in Germany from March 1 and relocate them to Malaysia. The solar photovoltaic-maker will maintain its research and development operations in Germany.“Behind the decision is weakening demand for solar cells and modules in Europe and higher labor costs than other regions,’’ a Hanwha Group official said. The group added the restructuring of Hanwha Q Cells would h

Industry Jan. 23, 2015

Hyundai Motor, the nation’s largest automaker, said on Thursday that although the company had achieved growth in car sales and revenue last year, its profits dropped to a four-year low. The carmaker said it sold a total of 4.96 million vehicles last year, up 4.8 percent from 2013. It posted 89.3 trillion won ($82.2 billion) in sales, a 2.2 percent rise from the previous year. Despite higher sales, its operating profit fell 9.2 percent to 7.55 trillion won ($6.96 billion) in 2014 over 2013. This

Industry Jan. 22, 2015

South Korea’s parcel delivery service companies have expressed opposition to the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, or NongHyup, over its plan to enter the delivery business.“If NongHyup launches a parcel delivery service, it would lead to mutual destruction in the much saturated industry,” Park Jae-euk, chairman of the Korea Integrated Logistics Association, said during a press conference on Tuesday. Representatives of domestic delivery companies such as CJ Korea Express, Hyundai Log

Industry Jan. 21, 2015

POSCO’s $12 billion steel plant construction project in India is facing another delay as the Indian state government recently announced an ordinance that will require all mining licenses for iron ore and other minerals to be awarded via auctions.The mines ordinance is likely to dash the steelmaker’s long-awaited hope of getting early preferential access to an iron ore mine near the site of its steel plant in the Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha, India.“The success of the Indian steel mill projec

Industry Jan. 21, 2015