Department of State

Shipping & Shipbuilding Hanwha Ocean shares sink after KDB's sale of 4.2% stake

Investors rushed to dump Hanwha Ocean Co. shares early Tuesday after its second-largest shareholder, Korea Development Bank, cashed in on a 4.2% sta...

Mergers & Acquisitions Meritz drops bid for troubled MG Non-Life Insurance; Liquidation looms

Meritz Financial Group Inc., South Korea’s second-most valuable financial holding firm, has dropped its bid to acquire financial distressed MG...

Pension funds S.Korea’s pension fund NPS posts record return in 2024 on US stock rally

The National Pension Service (NPS), South Korea’s state-run pension fund and the country’s largest institutional investor, said on ...

Economy South Korea welcomes more babies after downward birth rate spiral

South Korea’s fertility rate bounced back last year for the first time in nearly a decade following a surge in marriages, raising hopes for a ...

Batteries Hyundai, Samsung deepen ties to win humanoid race

South Korea’s household technology and automotive names Samsung and Hyundai have reinforced their alliance to capture the global humanoid robo...

Economy South Korean state think tank cuts 2025 growth forecast, flags US tariff risk

South Korea’s state-run think tank has cut its growth forecast for the country this year, citing President Donald Trump’s trad...

Upcoming IPOs Seoul Guarantee Insurance sharply cuts IPO valuation

Seoul Guarantee Insurance Co. (SGI) has slashed its target valuation by about 40% in a renewed attempt to go public on the South Korean stock exchan...

Batteries Samsung Electro-Mechanics to produce all-solid-state batteries in 2026

LAS VEGAS – Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co. will unveil a sample of an ultra-compact all-solid-state battery within the year for mass production...

Foreign exchange NPS initiates strategic currency hedging to unleash up to $48.2 billion

The National Pension Service (NPS), South Korea’s state-run pension fund and the country’s largest institutional investor, is set to beg...

Electric vehicles Hyundai, Kia EVs qualify for US subsidies for first time

Five electric vehicle models from Hyundai Motor Group, encompassing Kia Corp., were included in the 25 EV models qualifying for US tax credits in 20...

Pension funds NPS to invest record $1.4 billion in Korean property market in 2025

South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) plans to invest 2 trillion won ($1.4 billion) in the domestic real estate market next year to gai...

Foreign exchange NPS incurs $500 million in missed gains due to improper forex hedging

The National Pension Service (NPS), South Korea’s state-run pension fund and the country’s largest institutional investor, has likely in...

Retail E-Land sets sights on Vietnam as its next China, to open 10 outlets by 2025

South Korea’s retail giant E-Land Group has set its sights on Vietnam as its next target market after China, planning to open 10 outlets there...

Aerospace & Defense STX to export $60 mn wheeled armored vehicles to Peru

STX Corp., a South Korean general trading company, said on Monday it signed a contract with  Fábrica de Armas y Municiones del Ejé...

Corporate restructuring Lotte puts department store in Centum City, Busan on market

Lotte Shopping Co. has put one of its core department stores, Lotte Department Store Centum City in Busan, on the market in line with its parent gro...

Beauty & Cosmetics L’Oréal opens SkinCeuticals second global store in S.Korea

L’Oréal Group, the world’s largest beauty company, said on Monday it opened its second global SkinCeuticals store at Lotte Depart...

Foreign exchange South Korea returns to US FX monitoring watchlist

The United States has reinstated South Korea on its foreign-exchange monitoring watchlist, a year after it removed Asia’s No. 4 economy from t...

Economy State-run think tank KDI slashes GDP forecast, urges BOK to cut rates

The Korea Development Institute (KDI), South Korea’s state-run think tank, has slashed its forecasts for the country’s economic growth f...

Executive reshuffles Shinsegae Group splits E-Mart, department store with executive reshuffles

South Korea’s retail giant Shinsegae Group on Wednesday carried out one of its most drastic executive reshuffles, officially splitting the gro...

Culture & Trends Seoul to light up Myeong-dong with LEDs like Times Square

Seoul will light up Myeong-dong, a bustling area with office workers and shoppers in the heart of the city, with 16 large outdoor digital billboards...

Business & Politics S.Korea signs MOU on Philippine nuclear safety checks, eyes plant deals

MANILA – South Korea on Monday signed an initial agreement with the Philippines to conduct a safety check on a nuclear power plant before a re...

Retail Shinsegae Department Store expands its diamond business

South Korea's Shinsegae Department Store is expanding its diamond business.Shinsegae announced on Thursday that it has entered into a strategic part...

Business & Politics Korail to join Manila railway maintenance project

South Korea's state-run railway company Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) said on Monday that it participates in the operation and maintenance (O&...

Healthcare Hyundai Department to triple healthcare sales by 2030 with Nestle

Hyundai Department Store Group, a South Korean conglomerate controlling retail, fashion, healthcare and lifestyle businesses, aims to triple its hea...

Batteries Lotte Energy completes pilot plant for solid-state battery electrolyte

Lotte Energy Materials Corp., one of South Korea’s leading battery materials makers, has completed a pilot plant for the production of sulfide...

Beauty & Cosmetics Shinsegae Int'l opens Swiss Perfection pop-up in Tokyo

Shinsegae International, the cosmetics and fashion division of South Korea's Shinsegae Group, entered Japan's ultra-luxury beauty market by promot...

Batteries Lotte develops nickel-plated foil for solid-state batteries

Lotte Energy Materials Corp., a major South Korean battery materials maker, said on Tuesday it has developed a nickel-plated copper foil for use in ...

Fashion Kolon FnC to launch Italian high-end brand N21 in S.Korea

South Korea's Kolon FnC said on Thursday that it will launch the Italian high-end fashion brand N21 in South Korea.In August, Kolon FnC has secured ...

Beauty & Cosmetics Amorepacific's Hera enters Thai market

South Korea's Amorepacific Corp. announced on Thursday that its premium color cosmetics brand Hera opened its first store on August 8 at Central Chi...

Aerospace & Defense KAI, TAI ink deal to boost T-50TH support

Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. (KAI) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Thai Aviation Industries (TAI), Thailand's state-owned aircraf...