Most Popular
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Yoon calls for dialogue, trust from medical community
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NK leader guides firing drills involving super-large multiple rocket launchers
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Dyson founder visits Seoul for global debut of new hair dryer
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Leaders call for action against threats to democracy posed by AI
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Asiana Airlines wins data transfer certification in China
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Dispute heats up over dispatch of scandal-ridden envoy to Australia
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Dodgers beat S. Korea in final exhibition before MLB opener in Seoul
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Disgraced ex-K-pop star released after serving time for sex crimes
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Trump unlikely to unravel IRA: experts
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Yoon says medical licenses should not be used as tool against people
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Retail sales up 4.7% in Feb. on online consumption growth amid pandemic
Retail sales in South Korea rose 4.7 percent in February from a year earlier on the back of growing online consumption amid the worst COVID-19 wave, the industry ministry said Tuesday. The combined sales of 25 major offline and online retailers reached 12.19 trillion won ($9.99 billion) last month, up from 11.6 trillion won a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The increased retail sales are mainly attributable to the growth in online consu
March 29, 2022
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Seoul stocks open higher on US gains
South Korean shares got off to a strong start Tuesday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) increased 16.02 points, or 0.59 percent, to reach 2,745.59 as of 9:15 a.m. Overnight, the US stock market finished higher on hopes over peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.27 percent, the S&P 500 increased 0.71 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq climbed 1.31 percent. On the Seoul bourse, most lar
March 29, 2022
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Seoul stocks nearly flat amid Ukraine woes, hawkish Fed
South Korean stocks closed nearly unchanged Monday, as investors remained wary about the uncertainties related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the hawkish stance by the US Federal Reserve. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. After choppy trading, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) slipped 0.42 points, or 0.02 percent, to close at 2,729.56 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 755 million shares worth some 9.7 trillion won ($7.9 billion), with losers outn
March 28, 2022
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Banks raise loan limits as household debt growth curbs
South Korean banks have started raising the maximum amount consumers can borrow under a loan to the level before financial regulators intervened to curb the nation’s household debt growth. The move comes as the nation’s household debt growth has recently shown signs of slowing down. As of Monday, the top four banks here – KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana and Woori – have either started raising the limits for its overdraft accounts or its most popular loans for customers who a
March 28, 2022
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Seoul stocks open lower amid Ukraine woes, hawkish Fed
South Korean stocks opened lower Monday, as investors remained cautious about the uncertainties related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the hawkish stance by the US Federal Reserve. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index retreated 16.51 points, or 0.6 percent, to trade at 2,713.47 points as of 9:15 a.m. Stocks came off to a lackluster start as the Ukraine-Russian tensions continue to stoke concerns about high commodity prices and inflation growth. Most large caps traded lower in
March 28, 2022
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Korean conglomerates delve into digital asset market
South Korean business giants are venturing into the fledgling digital asset market and blockchain-related operations as they seek new business opportunities. On Friday, Ryu Young-sang, chief executive of SK Telecom, said in a shareholders meeting that the company plans to “adopt an economic system” to its own metaverse platform called ifland, a sign that digital currency tradable in the virtual world ecosystem could play a role. The news is in line with an announcement earlier th
March 27, 2022
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Union-backed outside director fails again to enter KB boardroom
Efforts by KB Financial Group union members to get an outside director recommended by them fell through for the fifth time on Friday, with the majority of the banking group’s shareholders voting against the plan. The proposal by the union members and KB’s group of employee shareholders – which owns a combined 1.73 percent stake in the firm – to push former Export-Import Bank of Korea Vice President Kim Young-su to become one of the group’s outside directors failed
March 25, 2022
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Seoul stocks nearly flat despite Pyongyang's ICBM launch, Ukraine uncertainties
South Korean stocks closed almost flat Friday despite North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch and the Ukraine-Russia war. The Korean won closed unchanged against the US dollar. After choppy trading, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index advanced 0.32 point, or 0.01 percent, to close at 2,729.98 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 590 million shares worth some 10.7 trillion won ($8.8 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 503 to 343. Institutions sold
March 25, 2022
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Ham Young-joo named new chairman of Hana Financial Group
Shareholders of Hana Financial Group have officially elected Vice Chairman and sole chairman-nominee Ham Young-joo to lead the company for the next three years, the firm said Friday. Ham’s nomination was supported by the majority of the shareholders at Hana including its largest shareholder the National Pension Service, which owns 9.19 percent in the banking group. Foreign stakeholders, owning a combined 67.53 percent, also voted for Ham, according to Hana. The NPS is Korea’s large
March 25, 2022
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Seoul stocks open tad lower amid Ukraine uncertainties
South Korean stocks opened a tad lower Monday as investors remain wary of the Ukraine-Russia war. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index had inched down 2.19 points, or 0.08 percent, to trade at 2,727.47 points as of 9:15 a.m. Stocks traded bearish as investors also took a wait-and-see mode after the US Federal Reserve's move to tighten its monetary policies to reign in rising inflation rates. In Seoul, large caps traded mixed. Market bellwether Samsung Electronics slipped 0.14 percent,
March 25, 2022
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Seoul shares down on high global oil prices, Ukraine woes
South Korean stocks fell to end its two-day winning streak Thursday as investors weighed a fresh spike in global oil prices and lingering geopolitical concerns surrounding Ukraine. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) shed 5.39 points, or 0.20 percent, to close at 2,729.66 points. Trading volume was moderate at 927.75 million shares worth some 11.48 trillion won ($9.42 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 479 to 361. The Seoul s
March 24, 2022
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Court temporarily suspends punishment imposed on Hana chairman-nominee
The Seoul High Court on Thursday temporarily suspended the punishment imposed by financial authorities on Hana Financial Group Chairman-nominee Ham Young-joo for improper sales of derivatives-linked products. The decision follows Ham’s move last week to file an appeal against a lower court’s ruling that found him guilty of the charges. The Seoul High Court accepted an injunction to delay the implementation of the Financial Services Commission’s punishment, imposed in 2020,
March 24, 2022
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Seoul stocks open lower on Wall Street tumbles, inflation woes
South Korean shares opened lower Thursday, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street, led by declines in big-cap tech and auto shares, amid rising woes over inflation. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) had shed 18.15 points, or 0.66 percent, to reach 2,716.90 as of 9:15 a.m. Overnight, the US stock market tumbled amid renewed concerns over rising energy prices and inflation. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.29 percent, and the Nasdaq composite dropped 1.23 percent. On
March 24, 2022
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Ahn stocks hit record high on bets he could be PM
Ahnlab founder Ahn Cheol-soo, the leader of the transition committee for President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, saw his shares shoot up to a record high in 10 years on Wednesday on market expectations that he could be the prime minister when Yoon is sworn in on May 10. The stocks closed at 175,800 won ($144.76) Wednesday, breaking the previous intraday high of 167,200 won in January 2012. The net worth of the software mogul-turned-politician soared to 327 billion won. Ahn has a
March 23, 2022
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Seoul shares up for 2nd day on big-cap tech, steel gains
South Korean stocks extended their winning streak to a second session Wednesday as institutional investors picked up large-cap steel and tech shares. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 25.05 points, or 0.92 percent, to close at 2,735.05 points. Trading volume was moderate at 870.73 million shares worth some 11.7 trillion won ($9.64 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 529 to 300. Institutional investors bought a net 233.0
March 23, 2022
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Seoul stocks open higher on US gains
South Korean shares got off to a strong start Wednesday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street, led by institutional investors' purchase of big-cap shares. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) rose 26.48 points, or 0.98 percent, to reach 2,736.48 as of 9:15 a.m. Overnight, the US stock market finished higher, as investors digested recent hawkish comments by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on rate hikes. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.74 percent, and the Nasd
March 23, 2022
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Seoul shares end higher on institutional buying
South Korean stocks ended higher Tuesday on institutional buying, with investors eyeing the Ukraine war, surging energy prices, and inflationary risks. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 23.95 points, or 0.9 percent, to close at 2,710 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 468.54 million shares worth some 8.4 trillion won ($6.9 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 578 to 257. Institutional investors bought a net 284
March 22, 2022
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Dunamu donates W1b to Ukraine
Dunamu, the operator of Korea’s largest cryptocurrency exchange Upbit, said Tuesday it has donated 1 billion won ($820,000) to the United Nations World Food Program in a bid to provide food aid for war-torn Ukraine. According to Dunamu, it is the first Korean company to donate to WFP’s emergency assistance program that gives local food and food vouchers to civilians affected by the conflict in Ukraine. The donated funds will provide one day’s worth of food for over 1.6 milli
March 22, 2022
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Seoul shares up late Tues. morning on tech gains
Seoul shares extended gains late Tuesday morning, buoyed by institutional buying despite Wall Street losses on rising oil prices and the Fed's hawkish comments on inflation. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 17.27 points, or 0.64 percent, to trade at 2,703.32 points as of 11:20 a.m. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Monday (local time) the US central bank would raise its benchmark short-term interest rate faster than expected if that is needed to contain ramp
March 22, 2022
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Regulator OKs convenience store operator Korea Seven's takeover of Ministop
South Korea's antitrust regulator said Tuesday it has decided to approve a deal by Korea Seven Co., the operator of 7-Eleven convenience stores, to buy its smaller rival Ministop Korea Co. In January, the country's retail giant Lotte inked a deal to acquire a 100 percent stake in Ministop Korea for 313.3 billion won ($257 million). Korea Seven, an affiliate of Lotte, eventually bought Ministop Korea. The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said it has given the green light to the deal, saying that the t
March 22, 2022