South Korean operator of the Japanese fashion giant Uniqlo, FRL Korea, has announced substantial dividends for the second consecutive year, with dividends surpassing the company's net profit for the 2022 fiscal year by 52.8 billion won ($40 million). According to the Financial Supervisory Service's report Monday, FRL Korea distributed 180 billion won in dividends for the 2022 fiscal year. In the 2021 fiscal year, the company allocated 140 billion won in dividends, exceeding its net pro

Companies Dec. 11, 2023

Lotte Group's year-end reshuffle announced on Wednesday signals a focus on new growth opportunities, placing the third-generation scion at the forefront. The conglomerate, ranked as the country's sixth-largest, has initiated this year's executive reform as it grapples with declining performance in its major subsidiaries. During an annual board meeting, a panel of 38 affiliates appointed 14 new chief executive officers. Among them, Shin Yoo-yeol, the 37-year-old eldest son of Lotte

Industry Dec. 7, 2023

AliExpress, an online direct purchase platform owned by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, has revealed plans to invest 10 billion won ($7.6 million) in South Korea over the next three years to extensively regulate counterfeit goods sold on the platform, according to the firm on Wednesday. The announcement comes amid ongoing consumer complaints about counterfeit goods purchased through the platform since its official debut in Korea in 2018. "We feel an increased sense of responsibility

Industry Dec. 6, 2023

Daewoo Engineering & Construction Chairman Jung Won-ju has recently engaged with industry leaders and officials in Indonesia to broaden the scope of the company's global construction projects, focusing on the extensive development of the Southeast Asian country's new capital that is expected to be inaugurated as early as August next year. Indonesia is actively preparing to relocate its capital from Jakarta to Nusantara, a purpose-built city in the East Kalimantan area. The planned

Industry Dec. 5, 2023

Song Mi-ryung, former deputy director of the Korea Rural Economic Institute, has been nominated as the new minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs, the presidential office said Monday. Born in 1967, Song studied political science at Ewha Womans University. She earned her master’s degree in urban design and planning and her doctorate in public administration at Seoul National University. Having started her professional career at the KREI in 1997, she has devoted almost 30 years to t

Politics Dec. 4, 2023

Passenger traffic at Incheon Airport has breached 90 percent of pre-pandemic levels as of November, according to the airport on Sunday. The number of international passengers via the airport was 5.35 million in November, equivalent to 91 percent of the monthly average of 5.88 million in 2019. The overall passenger counts from January to November this year amounted to 50.51 million, reflecting a recovery to 78 percent of the 2019 level. Travelers to popular destinations, including Japan, the US

Mobility Dec. 3, 2023

In the journey to establishing Samyang Roundsquare's global presence with its ramyeon products, CEO Kim Jung-soo has played a pivotal role. Taking on the position of CEO in September, Kim has been a key figure in the family-owned Samyang Group's leadership since 2017, being the daughter-in-law of Samyang Foods' founder, Chun Joong-yoon. Kim envisions the global market growth not merely as a culinary delight but as a cultural phenomenon extending beyond food. For example, the "

Industry Nov. 30, 2023

South Korean food giant Samyang Roundsquare, under the leadership of CEO Kim Jung-soo, has been avidly pursuing its global market strategy, particularly focusing on key regions such as China and the US. With China contributing to 35 percent of overseas sales, the company is intensifying efforts to expand to the US, Europe and Southeast Asia, identified as the next growth drivers. During China's Singles Day shopping festival from late October to November, Samyang Roundsquare reached record s

Industry Nov. 30, 2023

AliExpress, an online direct purchase platform owned by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, is considering whether to set up a massive logistics center in South Korea in a sign of business expansion, according to industry sources on Tuesday. “Given the extent of AliExpress’ expansion here, the company would need at least five logistics centers to manage products upon their arrival in Incheon (the nation’s main international gateway),” an industry source told The Korea

Industry Nov. 28, 2023

Starting next year, South Korea's immediate tax refund limit at tax refund stores for tourists will be doubled from 2.5 million won ($1,920) to 5 million won, the Finance Ministry announced Monday, in a move to invigorate the tourism industry. Currently, tourists can buy items at tax-free prices in designated tax refund stores across the nation, with a maximum purchase limit of 500,000 won per individual transaction. The total cumulative payments can reach up to 2.5 million won. Starting Ja

Economy Nov. 27, 2023

Four out of 10 South Koreans feel financially unprepared for post-retirement life, according to a survey released on Sunday. Only 21 percent expressed a sense of well-rounded preparedness in advance. The KB Financial Group's Management Research Institute conducted a survey on retirement preparation and housing preferences among 3,000 men and women aged between 20 to 79 nationwide, who are financial decision-makers in their households. The survey took place in January this year. The survey r

Economy Nov. 26, 2023

South Korea's exports of food, agricultural products, smart farm equipment and technology, have achieved a new high this November, passing the $10 billion mark, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Thursday. Fueled by the global Korean food boom, the collective exports of Korean food, related agricultural products and technology -- collectively referred to as the "K-Food+" sector by the government -- reached $10.48 billion by the third week of November. The fig

Industry Nov. 23, 2023

SUWON, Gyeonggi Province -- Mr. Toilet House, also known as Haewoojae, is a museum that transcends the conventional to offer a unique journey into the history and culture of toilets around the world. Derived from the term "Haewooso," meaning "a room to relieve worries," the museum is not just a bizarre architectural wonder but a celebration of the importance of toilets across the globe. In South Korea, the days when public toilets were deemed unclean are long gone. Hosting me

Culture Nov. 21, 2023

Korean exports of instant noodles have been continuing a winning streak, hitting the milestone of 1 trillion won ($777 million) for the first time. According to estimates from the Korea Customs Service on Monday, ramen exports reached $785.25 million for the January-October period this year, a 24.7 percent surge from the same period last year. The figure has already exceeded last year’s total exports of $765.41 million. Ramen exports have now shown annual growth every year since 2015. In t

Industry Nov. 20, 2023

In the vibrant streets of Seoul where culinary diversity flourishes, authentic Mediterranean establishments remain a rarity. Located in the residential neighborhood of Ichon-dong, just a ten-minute walk from the National Museum of Korea, Kantina is an inviting restaurant specializing in Mediterranean cuisine. Marked by its distinctive blue sign and interior, the establishment reflects the city's gradually increasing fondness for Mediterranean flavors, since its opening in 2021. Kantina has

Food Nov. 18, 2023