E-Mart credit rating

Mergers & Acquisitions Kyobo Life poised to buy Japan’s SBI Group-owned savings bank

Kyobo Life Insurance Co. is in the final stages of negotiation with Japanese financial group SBI Holdings Inc. to buy about a 50% stake in SBI Savin...

E-commerce JD.com opens Korean logistics centers, preluding C-commerce invasion

JD.com, often dubbed China’s answer to Amazon.com, has opened its own logistics centers in South Korea, becoming the first Chinese e-commerce ...

E-commerce Naver, Kurly tie up to counter e-commerce giant Coupang

South Korea’s online giant Naver Corp. and dawn grocery platform service provider Kurly Inc. have joined forces for a potential stake acquisit...

Central bank BOK stands pat; rate cut likely within 3 months as economic growth slows

The Bank of Korea (BOK) left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.75% on Thursday, with Governor Rhee Chang-yong warning that a surge in globa...

Economy S&P reaffirms South Korea’s AA credit rating with stable outlook

S&P Global Ratings has reaffirmed South Korea’s sovereign credit rating at AA with a stable outlook, citing the country’s resilient ...

Carbon neutrality SK Innovation E&S, JB Financial team up for renewable energy loans

JB Financial Group Co., the parent company of Jeonbuk Bank and Gwangju Bank, will join hands with SK Innovation E&S Co. and InnerGen Co. to roll...

Pension funds NPS gears up for investment overhaul with boost in risk assets

South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS), the country’s largest institutional investor, is set to overhaul its investment strategy w...

Energy OCI to build $265 mn solar cell plant in Texas, expects $80 mn tax credit

South Korean solar cell company OCI Holdings Co. said on Thursday it will build a solar cell manufacturing plant in Texas through its US subsidiary ...

Private equity Red flags raised even before Homeplus crisis: Sales fall, credit ratings cut

Even before South Korea’s second-largest hypermarket chain Homeplus Co. was put under court receivership due to its worsening financial woes, ...

Pension funds NPS to buy stake in Australia’s Metrics to expand alternative investments

South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS), the world’s third-largest pension fund, has agreed to buy a stake in Australian asset mana...

Hydrogen economy Samsung E&A buys Norwegian Nel stake for hydrogen business push

South Korea’s Samsung E&A Co. has purchased a stake in Norway’s hydrogen technology company Nel ASA at 47.6 billion won ($32.8 milli...

Energy Trump-driven energy boom spurs Korean firms to hike US gas investments

WOODFORD, Oklahoma – A shale gas field in Woodford, Carter County was bustling with activity on Feb. 25.A team of engineers oversaw the drilli...

Mergers & Acquisitions S.Korean grocery delivery platform Oasis at forefront to acquire TMON

South Korea’s grocery delivery platform Oasis Corp., which has been looking to expand its e-commerce market at home and abroad, is seeking to ...

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 ...

Central bank Bank of Korea cuts rates, growth forecast on Trump tariff policy

South Korea’s central bank on Tuesday cut interest rates while sharply reducing its economic growth forecast as lingering political turmoil fo...

Energy SK Innovation E&S to secure 10 mn tons of LNG to compete with BP, Shell

SK Innovation E&S (SKI E&S), the natural gas business unit of South Korea’s SK Innovation Co., is set to begin an LNG trading business...

Electronics LG Innotek ventures into automotive AP module market

LG Innotek Co., a major South Korean electronics parts developer, has forayed into the automotive application processor (AP) module market, poised f...

E-commerce Korean e-commerce platforms’ growth cools; Naver Shopping sales down

South Korea’s major e-commerce platforms, including Naver Shopping, are showing signs of slowing growth amid the rise of Chinese platform gian...

Economy S.Korea’s default risk dips below pre-martial law levels

South Korea’s financial market has stabilized with a sharp fall in the country’s default risk and some recovery of its currency value ag...

Private equity Glenwood Credit stresses role as reliable financial partner: CEO Lee

Many companies, big and small, sell or buy affiliated units to raise funds or narrow their focus during economic downturns, and to fund expansion or...

Economy S.Korea’s economy grows 2.0% in 2024; Q4 GDP below forecast

South Korea’s economy expanded 2.0% last year, falling short of the central bank’s forecast on weaker-than-expected growth in the fourth...

Retail Coupang Eats starts food delivery service in Japan

Coupang Eats, a food delivery app operated by South Korea's No. 1 e-commerce platform Coupang Inc., launched its first overseas service in Japan.Acc...

Beauty & Cosmetics Sales of K-Beauty surges in US e-commerce

The popularity of South Korean cosmetics in the US has increased, with sales of the products growing at four to five times the rate of the market ...

Korean startups Allsale, K-beauty's leading ambassador to the US

Allsale Corporation, a South Korean startup operating an influencer marketing platform, is in talks with investors to further support Korean cosmeti...

E-commerce Coupang, Naver in dead heat for South Korea’s e-commerce market lead

Coupang Inc. and Naver Corp., South Korea's top two e-commerce players, are expected to further narrow the gap in their race for the market lead thi...

Central bank BOK lowers growth forecasts to bolster rate cut expectations

South Korea’s central bank slashed its economic growth forecasts on Monday, adding to views that the monetary authority will cut interest rate...

ESG Korea Investment Holdings’ MSCI ESG rating upgraded to A

Korea Investment Holdings Co. said on Thursday it was upgraded by three notches from B to A in the MSCI ESG rating this year.The MSCI ESG rating is ...

Private debt Real estate debt outshines corporate credit: Savills IM

Private credit has been among the top picks for alternative investors over the past few years. During the period of high interest rates, corporate l...

Central bank Bank of Korea seen cutting interest rates by 25 bps in January

The Bank of Korea (BOK) is widely expected to cut interest rates by 25 basis points on Thursday amid the nation's softening economy and moderating i...