private market outlook 2024

Beauty & Cosmetics Goodai Global poised to build L'Oréal-style empire via M&As

Goodai Global Inc. is seeking to acquire South Korea’s first-generation independent cosmetics brand Skinfood for about 150 billion won ($108 m...

Aerospace & Defense Hanwha Aerospace to build defense plant in Germany as European base

Hanwha Aerospace Co. plans to build a precision missile manufacturing plant in Germany as part of its global strategy to expand its presence across ...

Central bank BOK turns more dovish after 25 bp rate cut; 2025 growth outlook halved

The Bank of Korea (BOK) on Thursday cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point to 2.5%, citing growing concerns over faltering do...

Korean food Ramen, ready-to-eat meals lead 10% rise in 2024 K-food exports

South Korea’s food exports climbed 10% on-year to $7.26 billion in 2024, led by ramen, ready-to-eat meals and seasoned seaweed, according to g...

Shipping & Shipbuilding HD Hyundai Group joins S.Korea’s 100 trillion won market cap club

South Korean shipbuilding conglomerate HD Hyundai Group has joined South Korea’s elite club of conglomerates with a market capitalization exce...

Korean food Bold food tech R&D fuels global rise of Korean cuisine

South Korea’s processed food exports are expected to reach 6 trillion won ($4.4 billion) this year after Korean food companies have aggressive...

ASK 2025 NPS, KIC step up focus on mid-market infrastructure

The National Pension Service (NPS) and Korea Investment Corp. (KIC) are actively exploring mid-market infrastructure opportunities as they are expec...

Private equity KKR sells 9.5% stake in HD Hyundai Marine, recoups $450 million

Global private equity firm KKR & Co. Inc., formerly known as Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., has sold a 9.5% stake in HD Hyundai Marine Solut...

ASK 2025 Korean pension funds, insurers seek customized investment vehicles

South Korean institutional investors are increasingly interested in separately managed accounts (SMAs) that offer customized strategies, as well as ...

ASK 2025 POBA bullish on REITs, real estate debts and senior housing

South Korea’s Public Officials Benefit Association (POBA) is betting big on real estate investment trusts (REITs) and senior housing in the US...

Tech, Media & Telecom Google partners with Samsung, Gentle Monster for new smart glasses

SILICON VALLEY – Google LLC is making a renewed push into the smart glasses market in partnership with South Korea’s Samsung Electronics...

ASK 2025 KIC bets on Asian real estate; eyes residential, data centers

The Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) is zeroing in on Asia’s real estate market by region, while targeting residential facilities and data c...

Aerospace & Defense Samsung gears up for foray into space infrastructure industry

Samsung Group is stepping up efforts to venture into the space infrastructure industry, a sector analysts say remains a blue ocean where South Korea...

Cryptocurrencies S.Korea's crypto market doubles to $77.5 bn with 20% of population trading

South Korea’s cryptocurrency market surged to nearly 108 trillion won ($77.5 billion) in the second half of last year, fueled by growing retai...

Electronics LG Electronics poised to extend OLED TV market lead into 2025  

LG Electronics Inc. is on track to retain its lead in the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) TV market for the 13th consecutive year, bolstered by ...

Bio & Pharma S.Korea’s Lunit installs breast cancer AI diagnostic tool at 200 US hospitals

Lunit Inc., a South Korean AI-powered cancer diagnostics company, said on Monday that more than 200 healthcare institutions across the US have now a...

Banking & Finance Shinhan Securities acquires stake in Vietnam’s top trading platform FireAnt

Shinhan Securities Co., a leading South Korean brokerage house, has acquired a strategic equity stake in FireAnt, Vietnam’s largest retail tra...

Mergers & Acquisitions LS moves closer to role as Hanjin KAL’s white knight vs Hoban

Hanjin KAL Corp., the largest shareholder of Korean Air Lines Co., is strengthening its alliance with LS Group, the parent of LS Cable & System ...

Aerospace & Defense Hanwha's 'Sea Ghost' makes waves as Greece eyes unmanned naval tech

GEOJE, South Korea – Under a slate-grey sky at the quiet port of Jangmok on South Korea’s southern coast, a sleek, 12-meter vessel slipp...

Tech, Media & Telecom LG, Samsung vie for crown in wheeled TV market

The market for TVs mounted on a rollable stand has emerged as a new battleground between South Korea’s top two TV brands, LG and Samsung, four...

Mergers & Acquisitions Mubadala, Goldman Sachs to invest $700 mn in Kakao Mobility

United Arab Emirates’ sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Investment Co. and Goldman Sachs are set to invest a combined $700 million in Kakao Mobil...

Mergers & Acquisitions Harman acquires Masimo’s audio arm in Samsung’s car audio push

Harman International Industries Inc., wholly owned by Samsung Electronics Co., has acquired Masimo Corp.’s audio business for $350 million, a ...

Korean games NCSOFT invests in US game startup emptyvessel

NCSOFT Corp. has made an equity investment in emptyvessel, a US indie games studio, as part of efforts to expand into the first-person shooter genre...

Automobiles BMW surpasses Mercedes in Korean sales for 1st time in 10 years

The top five imported car brands in South Korea underwent a major shake-up last year. BMW overtook Mercedes-Benz in sales for the first time in a de...

Debt financing Kookmin Bank raises $700 mn in forex bonds amid strong demand

Kookmin Bank, a unit of KB Financial Group, raised $700 million in foreign exchange bonds on Tuesday, signaling a recovery in investor sentiment tow...

Batteries SK On seals $2.8 bn battery deal with Bezos-backed US EV start-up Slate

SK On Co., the battery subsidiary of South Korea’s energy conglomerate SK Group, has signed a supply agreement worth an estimated 4 trillion w...

Aerospace & Defense South Korea’s renewed stock market darlings: Weapons makers

South Korea’s defense industry is once again capturing investor attention, as exports of tanks, armored vehicles and other weapons systems soa...

Electronics LG Display eyes turnaround on China's shift to OLED

LG Display Co., the world’s top large-sized organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel maker, will likely swing to profit this year for the fir...

Food & Beverage India: Tantalizing frontier for K-food’s global ambitions beyond China

South Korea’s processed food exports to India have surged to a record 6 trillion won ($4.1 billion), marking a significant milestone in the gr...

Tech, Media & Telecom LG CNS breaks into US smart city market

LG CNS Co., the information technology service unit of South Korea’s LG Group, has won its first public-sector smart city contracts in the US,...