Tile floors gleam and sunlight streams in overhead through the glass-paneled ceiling at the second passenger terminal of Incheon Airport, which is in the last stages of preparation to open to the public on Jan. 18.The terminal represents the culmination of a nine-year project worth 5 trillion won ($4.63 billion).The first thing that catches the eye is the ceiling, about 5 meters taller than that of the first terminal. The high ceiling is one of the ways in which the second terminal has tried to

Industry Dec. 25, 2017

Lotte Group chief Shin Dong-bin heaved a sigh of relief Friday as he was given a suspended sentence by a local court on charges of embezzlement and breach of trust, keeping in place his leadership over the nation’s largest retail giant. The court, however, sentenced his father and group founder Shin Kyuk-ho to four years in prison. He was not taken into custody because of his failing health. From left: Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin, Lotte founder Shin Kyuk-ho and former Vice Chairman Shin D

Industry Dec. 22, 2017

E-commerce firm Coupang said Friday that it held a three-day Customer Service Hackathon to come up with ways to improve its customer experience. Participants of the fourth Coupang CS Hackathon (Coupang)Now in its fourth year, the Customer Service Hackathon brings together Coupang’s customer service representatives with system developers to realize front-line representatives’ ideas for improving the Coupang experience.This year’s contest drew some 100 ideas, with 23 of them developed into usable

Industry Dec. 22, 2017

For Koreans, Christmas comes with its own set of spending rituals.It is no surprise that the beloved holiday is accompanied by quasi-mandatory consumption patterns, in a country where specific dates, like Nov. 11, are automatically equated with buying particular products.The most notable Christmas product is Christmas cakes. Although the original tradition overseas is to bake Christmas cakes at home, in Korea consumers head to bakeries for their Christmas treats.According to bakery chain Paris B

Industry Dec. 22, 2017

The spirits market is showing a notable rise in sales in the low-ABV category this holiday season, as South Koreans increasingly celebrate with lighter drinks and smaller gatherings.Since last year, Korea has seen a surge in demand for liquor with low alcohol by volume. Whiskey companies have also been releasing options for consumers who shy away from heavy drinks. A DRINKiQ session at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in February raises awareness about responsible drinking (Diageo)Targeting

Industry Dec. 21, 2017

Duty-free operators are restarting marketing efforts that target Chinese consumers, as thawing relations between the two countries point to the possibility of recovering sales.On Thursday, HDC Shilla Duty Free and Shinsegae Duty Free announced they had signed agreements with Chinese agencies to expand marketing to China. HDC Shilla Duty Free opened a studio in its IPark store for Chinese internet celebrities, known as Wang Hong, to create specialized content for the Chinese.  The Wang Hong studi

Industry Dec. 21, 2017

Korea’s flagship air carrier is set to bring in Korea’s first CS300 jet from Canadian maker Bombardier, the company said Wednesday. A Korean Air CS300 jet from Bombardier (Korean Air)Outfitted with 127 seats, the CS300 will arrive at Gimpo Airport on Christmas Day. A second CS300 will arrive on New Year’s Day, with both planes starting revenue flights on domestic routes on Jan. 16. The Bombardier jet is widely reputed for its fuel efficiency, up to 20 percent better than comparable planes, with

Industry Dec. 20, 2017

 진행자: 원호정, Paul Kerry1. 북한, 외화벌이로 암호화폐 시장 공략?비트코인과 같은 암호화폐의 안정성이 연일 화제가 되는 가운데, 국정원이  지난 4월부터 계속된 해킹 공격이 북한의 소행이었다는 증거를 확보하면서  불안감이 커지고 있다. 전문가들은 북한이 암호화폐를 국제 제재를 피해  외화벌이를 할 수 있는 수단으로 주목하고 있다고 경고합니다.아이튠즈(아이폰): https://itunes.apple.com/kr/podcast/koliaheleoldeu-paskaeseuteu/id686406253?mt=2팟빵 (안드로이드): http://www.podbbang.com/ch/6638 Cash-strapped North Korea turning more to cryptocurrency* cash-strapped: 현금이 없는* cryptocurrency: 암호화폐[1] North Korea may be turning its cyberwarfare to the growing 

Podcast Dec. 20, 2017

The largest Starbucks branch in Seoul, named “The Jongno branch,” is set to open Wednesday at Jongno Tower in Seoul. The 1,100-square-meter store is divided into six zones including a lounge zone and open stage and offers exclusive premium services such as Teavana products made with the Siphon brewing method to enhance flavor. Customers can enjoy over 100 beverages and 60 types of food at The Jongno branch. (Starbucks Korea)

Industry Dec. 19, 2017

Cigarette maker KT&G is expected to see record high exports in 2017 as it pushes ahead in foreign markets in pursuit of becoming one of the top four global tobacco companies by 2025.As of the end of the third quarter, KT&G had seen 802.5 billion won ($737.2 million) in cigarette sales abroad, with overseas sales making up 36 percent of the company‘s total earnings. Industry analysts are expecting overseas sales to break 1 trillion won for the first time this year. A consumer buys Esse cigarettes

Industry Dec. 18, 2017

The Korea Herald is publishing a series of interviews with the CEOs of small but aspiring brands that are taking Korean fashion and beauty overseas through online shopping malls. This is the third installment. -- Ed.Kwak Chang-hun is a force of energy, the type of man that seems to speak with his whole body.“You want an Americano? Let me make you an Americano. I just bought this machine,” he said as he bustled towards an espresso machine sitting behind the counter at bag brand Alice Martha‘s off

Industry Dec. 17, 2017

YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia -- The quiet city of Yogyakarta on Java, Indonesia, is flanked on both sides by two ancient temples paying homage to two different faiths.To the west is Borobudur Temple, a massive stone structure that soars up into the sky surrounded on all sides by lush jungle greenery. Built in the ninth century, Borodubur is the largest Buddhist temple in the world -- but it was a well-kept secret after being mysteriously abandoned. It lay quietly preserved by a tomb of volcanic ash unt

Travel Dec. 15, 2017

Core 5G network technologies developed by wireless carriers SK Telecom and KT have been selected as Korean standards by the Telecommunications Technology Association, according to the two companies Thursday.On Wednesday, the TTA chose SK Telecom‘s 5G fronthaul technology and KT’s 5G network slice orchestration as its standards at an annual congress held in Seoul.SK Telecom‘s fronthaul technology, which connects 5G central units with distributed units, is an open-interface system that standardize

Industry Dec. 14, 2017

Lotte Liquor, the alcoholic beverage arm of Lotte Chilsung Beverage, said Thursday that it had created a strawberry-flavored drink exclusively for export.Sunhari Strawberry is the latest in the company‘s Chum Churum Sunhari line, which adds fruit flavoring to soju.  Sunhari Strawberry from Lotte Liquor (Lotte Liquor)According to Lotte Liquor, the 12 percent ABV Sunhari line has been popular among consumers abroad who have trouble drinking straight soju. Exports of Sunhari have quadrupled since t

Industry Dec. 14, 2017

Premium natural food company Organica said Wednesday that it was expanding distribution of its Clean Food line to all Emart24 stores nationwide. Organica has been offering Clean Food Meal Boxes, premium sandwiches and cleanse salads at 33 select Emart24 stores since August, bringing healthful food options to convenience store shoppers.Starting Wednesday, those products are supplied to 2,600 Emart24 stores nationwide -- just five months after their launch.According to Emart24, the test run of Org

Industry Dec. 13, 2017