South Korean brokerage house Samsung Securities is stepping up its support of foreign investors seeking investment opportunities in North Korea. The efforts are being spearheaded by the securities firm’s in-house North Korea Investment Strategy Research Team, established on June 8 as a first in the securities industry here. A recent example is a session on July 19 targeting officials of private equity funds or asset management firms, during the two-day AVCJ Private Equity & Venture For

Market July 26, 2018

To the young generation increasingly placing work-life balance over career progression or income, an airline miles credit card could be attractive to those who make more overseas trips, Standard Chartered Bank Korea said in a release. The Korean unit of the London-based banking giant has offered its flagship airline miles card since March, called Plus Mile, so that miles earned can be used for airlines in Korea. The card offers a maximum bonus of 3.5 miles to fly with Asiana Airlines o

Market July 25, 2018

The Korea Herald is publishing a series of interviews on promising startups in the financial technology industry. This is the 19th installment. -- Ed.Offshore institutional investors have often come across a lack of financial information about South Korean securities when building an investment portfolio for Asian markets.Some 3 million privately held Korean companies are barely on the map. Relevance from overflowing information about listed companies in Korea -- largely embellished -- was also

Market July 24, 2018

The Kospi, a benchmark index representing South Korea’s top-tier market, experienced the most bearish first half this year in five years, data showed Monday.From January to June, the Kospi fell 5.7 percent to 2,326.13, the sharpest since a 6.7 percent drop in the first half of 2013, according to data compiled by the Korea Exchange. Analysts cited a market impact from US-China trade war threats and strengthening US dollar that are associated with sluggish earnings of local manufacturers in

Market July 23, 2018

In February this year, the Korea Exchange, South Korea’s market operator and stock index developer, birthed the KRX 300 benchmark index that represents the tiered stock market in Korea. The KRX unveiled the mid-cap index called KRX Mid 200 in June, comprising constituents from the top-tier Kospi and second-tier Kosdaq, and released plans for another index for small caps in the near future. The moves aimed to balance institutional influx into tiered stock markets in Korea and enable investo

Market July 22, 2018

North Korea’s annual real gross domestic product in 2017 retreated 3.5 percent on-year, marking the sharpest fall in over 20 years, as sanctions on the North appear to have taken a toll on its exports, data showed Friday. This comes in contrast to the secluded state’s 3.9 percent on-year economic growth in 2016, according to data compiled by the Bank of Korea. The degree of decline is the steepest since 1997, when the real GDP decreased by 6.5 percent on-year.The central bank cited a

Economy July 20, 2018

A South Korean company’s proclaimed discovery of the armored Russian cruiser Dmitrii Donskoi that was scuttled off the sea near the Korean islet Ulleungdo in 1905 has disrupted local stock market.The stock price of Jeil Steel Mfg, a rolling steel product maker listed on the second-tier Kosdaq, fluctuated throughout this week on the rumored connection with Shinil Group, the Korean company that claimed to have found the sunken vessel.  Jeil Steel Mfg sank 20.5 percent Thursday in closin

Market July 19, 2018

South Korean cybersecurity service provider Raonsecure has launched an education solution to help students hone skills to identify security flaws and defend against hacking attacks, according to the company Thursday. Dubbed Raon Capture the Flag, the education service consists of a curriculum inspired by a mock hacking test scheme. Raonsecure’s in-house white hat hacker center called Raon Whitehatcenter took part in developing the solution, according to Raonsecure. White hat hackers refer to eth

Technology July 19, 2018

South Korea’s Securities and Futures Commission on Wednesday approved SK Holdings’ 51.5 billion-won ($45.6 million) deal plan, putting the matter up for final regulatory decision by the top regulator, the Financial Services Commission. SK Holdings’ deal is designed to sell off its controlling stake of brokerage house SK Securities to local private equity firm J&W Partners. As the SFC approved the eligibility of J&W Partners as the securities firm’s major sharehold

Market July 18, 2018

The South Korean district court has issued an arrest warrant for Ra Jeong-chan, chief executive of Korean biotech firm Nature Cell, on allegations that he manipulated stock market using false and misleading company information since 2017. This came after the prosecution sought an arrest warrant against Ra on Friday. Ra has been under custody for interrogation since Tuesday. The company said in a disclosure Wednesday it has nominated an acting CEO, adding that no allegations had been proven.Ra is

Market July 18, 2018

Following an inter-subsidiary acquisition, Kakao Friends, a character licensing subsidiary of mobile software giant Kakao, changed its name to Kakao IX on Wednesday. Kakao IX is short for Kakao Innovative eXperience. Other than selling goods that use Kakao’s intellectual property for characters, Kakao IX will serve as a documentary magazine publisher, food and beverage brand owner and real estate developer, the company said. (Kakao IX)This came after Kakao Friends on July 2 took over Joh & Co.,

Industry July 18, 2018

Panelists from academic circles at a roundtable discussion Monday called on financial authorities to lower the regulatory bar for South Korea’s digital banks, which face difficulties in launching new financial services due to failures in raising capital.Among issues at debate were calls to ease regulation on nonfinancial firms’ maximum ownership of banking firms, with some panelists saying such a regulation is outmoded. The ban was put in place to prevent companies from using banks a

Market July 16, 2018

K bank, South Korea’s first online-only bank, has come under financial pressure over its failure in capital increase through issuing new stocks, as pledged in May. By Thursday, K bank shareholders were scheduled to buy 24 million newly issued common stocks and 6 million convertible preferred stocks without voting rights, worth a combined 150 billion won ($132.4 million). Of the total pledges with 5,000 won per share, only 30 billion won for the convertible securities purchase had been paid

Market July 15, 2018

Mirae Asset Global Investments, a South Korean asset management company, has harvested returns of over 20 percent a year in its stock funds dedicated to investing in innovative firms, the company said Sunday. Mirae Asset G2 Innovator Fund, investing in innovative companies in the United States, China and Taiwan, has generated some 33.02 percent of yearly returns, the highest among all Korean stock funds, according to an estimate by fund evaluator KG Zeroin on Wednesday. The secret behind the yie

Market July 15, 2018

It is the brand and design that can seem most alluring when making choices of sneakers or gym shoes. But it is the evolving chemical technology that silently has led the popularity of shoes on rubber soles, pushing the limits of people every day from fitness enthusiasts to fashionistas on the streets.People clad in running shoes jog on pavement. (123rf)The springy footwear has optimized the experience of runners and pedestrians alike, cushioning impact from the ground and returning energy to the

Technology July 12, 2018