Leaders of major South Korean conglomerates met with United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Tuesday in search of ways to deepen business cooperation in defense and energy areas with the oil-rich Middle East state, on the occasion of the UAE leader’s first state visit to Korea. Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun, Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan, HD Hyundai Vice Chairman C

Industry May 28, 2024

The head of Korea Trade Insurance Corporation, the state-run export credit agency, vowed to support Korea and African nations in becoming key pillars of the future supply chain. “Africa is home to essential mineral resources critical to future high-tech industries such as semiconductors and secondary batteries,” Jang Young-jin, chairperson and president of K-SURE in his keynote speech during the Africa Day Business Forum co-hosted by The Korea Herald and the African Group of Ambassad

Economy May 26, 2024

The South Korean trade minister stressed the need to diversify economic relations with African nations into high-tech and service sectors by taking the upcoming Korea-Africa Summit as a chance to pave the way for a new era. “Now is the time for Korea to actively engage in trade and investment with Africa,” Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo said Thursday while delivering his celebratory speech at the Africa Day Business Forum co-hosted by The Korea Herald and the African Group of Ambassado

Economy May 26, 2024

The Financial Supervisory Service officials visited Hong Kong to seek cooperation with financial authorities and investment banks there for the regulator’s efforts to stamp out illegal short selling. During his two-day visit from Thursday, a delegation led by FSS Senior Deputy Gov. Hahm Yong-il met executives in charge of the Asia-Pacific region at seven global investment banks to inform them about the Korean government’s plan to set up a monitoring system designed to detect illega

Market May 21, 2024

South Korea's investment in the US creates a win-win effect for both countries as Korean companies' entry into the US contributes to the growth of Korea's exports while enhancing employment, economic growth and exports to the US, an industry report said Monday. Pouring a growing volume of investments in the US, Korean companies entering the US are found to contribute to the US economy in terms of employment, economic growth and exports, according to the report titled "Korea

Economy May 20, 2024

Heads of Korean business groups raised their voices for Korean companies making vast investments in the US to be treated as they deserve when facing challenges in dealing with trade and supply chain issues involving the US. Starting Monday, Korea International Trade Association Chairman Yoon Jin-sik visited the US for five days along with the Federation of Korean Industries Chairman Ryu Jin to set forth Korean businesses' opinions to ensure that the Korea-US partnership yields outcomes reci

Economy May 16, 2024

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday expressed a strong willingness to rescind the introduction of capital gains taxes on financial investment incomes, asserting the legislation would bring massive outflow of funds from the country’s capital market. “Not only is the understanding of 14 million retail investors at stake, but if the capital market collapses and fails to function properly, it will have a significant impact on the real economy,” Yoon said during a press conference m

Economy May 9, 2024

Mirae Asset Securities, Korea’s largest stock brokerage company, has yielded solid results and created a strong impetus for growth in overseas markets after two decades of global expansion. Park Hyeon-joo, chairman of the Mirae Asset Financial Group, which covers comprehensive financial services including asset management, wealth management, investment banking and life insurance, has been spearheading the group's ambition to expand businesses beyond familiar horizons. Mirae Asset Se

Companies May 8, 2024

The chairman of Korea's chip-to-battery conglomerate SK Group said the fate of semiconductor manufacturers will hinge on how smartly they can map out capital expenditure plans, as he believes the recent chip recovery would be short-lived. The earnings surprise that SK hynix, the group’s crown jewel and the world's second-largest memory chipmaker, logged in the first quarter raised hope that the industry has ended its down cycle after months of operating losses. SK Group Chairman

Industry May 6, 2024

More than 250 startup companies have joined KB Financial Group’s accelerator program over the past 10 years to scale up businesses into unicorns in the fintech industry. KB Financial Group held an event on Tuesday marking the 10th anniversary of the KB Innovation HUB Center, the first organization dedicated to fostering and supporting startups in the financial sector. Since KB Innovation HUB Center’s inception in 2015, the group launched its startup accelerator program, KB Starters

Companies April 30, 2024

South Korea’s economy expanded at the fastest clip in more than two years in the first quarter as private spending and exports picked up, the central bank said Thursday. The country's real gross domestic product grew 1.3 percent on-quarter in the January-March period, accelerating from a 0.6 percent expansion in the fourth quarter last year, according to an advance estimate from the Bank of Korea. The latest GDP figure is a significant improvement from the past eight quarters, during

Economy April 25, 2024

South Korea's investment in the US increased about 1.8 times last year compared to the pre-COVID-19 period as major conglomerates set up large-scale facilities in the eastern part of the country, a report from a business lobby group showed Wednesday. According to the report published by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the total Korean investment in the US stood at $27.7 billion last year, up 75 percent from $15.8 billion in 2019. Large conglomerates like Samsung Electronics, SK

Economy April 24, 2024

South Korea and Japan’s finance ministers voiced concerns over the recent depreciation of their currencies against the US dollar, showing their intention to step into the market to support the won and yen, according to Korea's Finance Ministry on Wednesday. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok met with his Japanese counterpart Shunichi Suzuki on Tuesday for the first time since he took office on the sidelines of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in Washington. &ld

Economy April 17, 2024

Finance leaders from South Korea, the United States and Japan were set to hold their first-ever trilateral meeting in Washington on Wednesday, to step up economic cooperation amid heightened geopolitical risks in the Middle East. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok departed for the US on Tuesday to attend the three-way meeting, as well as a meeting of Group of 20 finance ministers and central bank presidents as part of the annual Spring Meetings between the International Monetary Fund and the World

Economy April 16, 2024

With the liberal opposition clinching a landslide victory in Wednesday's general election, expectations over President Yoon Suk Yeol’s economic policies that favor stock market investment falter. Yoon’s People Power Party faced a major defeat in the parliamentary elections, as the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea and its satellite party won 175 seats in the 300-member National Assembly. The election results sent a signal to the market that Yoon and his party’s drive to

Economy April 11, 2024