Most Popular
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Ador CEO denies allegations, accuses Hybe of mistreating NewJeans
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Medical reform committee kicks off despite boycott from doctors
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10-man S. Korea lose to Indonesia to miss out on Paris Olympic football qualification
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Hybe-Ador feud should have limited effect on Hybe's overall performance: analysts
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DP leader says he will meet Yoon without conditions
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Over 9,000 hotline calls made by stalking victims in 2023
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[Hello India] Hyundai Motor vows to boost 'clean mobility' in India
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Second Gimpo civil servant found dead, after apologizing for not finishing work
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Monthly users on local streaming platforms outpace Netflix, Disney+
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US will take steps for three-way engagement on nuclear deterrence with S. Korea, Japan: Campbell
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Finance chiefs of Korea, US, Japan to hold 3-way talks for first time
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
April 16, 2024
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Korean won weakens amid heightened uncertainty
The Korean won weakened to 1,400 won against the US dollar during trading hours Tuesday, marking a new 17-month low as the Korean economy faces headwinds from the escalating volatility in the Middle East. The local currency against the greenback closed at 1,394.5 won, losing its value by 10.5 won from the previous trading day. Shortly after trading began at 1,389.9 won, the rate weakened to 1,400 won to $1 at 11:32 a.m., marking the first time in 17 months for the currency exchange rate to hit t
April 16, 2024
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Korea braces for blows from Middle East conflict
The heightened geopolitical tensions from Iran's attack on Israel have cast gloom on Korea as well, bringing down local shares and leading to currency depreciation. While the Korean won has been losing its value against the US greenback in recent days with weakened anticipation on the US Federal Reserve taking a pivot in its monetary policy any time soon, the escalated volatility has led to further depreciation. The won weakened against the dollar on Monday, with the exchange rate closing a
April 15, 2024
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Financial regulator seeks support to help S. Korean member join IASB
The deputy chief of South Korea's financial regulator on Monday sought the support of Andreas Barckow, chief of the International Accounting Standard Board, for the country's efforts to secure a spot on the international board. Kim So-young, vice chairman of the Financial Services Commission, made the request in a meeting in Seoul. The IASB chief is on a visit to South Korea to take part in the International Forum of Accounting Standard Setters, set to be held Wednesday through Frida
April 15, 2024
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S. Korea to extend fuel tax cut through June amid Middle East tensions
The government will extend the tax cut on fuel consumption by an additional two months amid growing tensions in the Middle East, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok said Monday. South Korea has applied a 25 percent discount on the consumption of gasoline and a 37 percent discount on the consumption of diesel and liquefied petroleum gas, which were supposed to expire at the end of this month. The government began implementing a fuel tax cut scheme in 2021 and has extended it eight times so far, with t
April 15, 2024
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S. Korea ups guard against economic impact from Middle East conflict
The South Korean government on Sunday announced heightened vigilance against potential domestic repercussions in light of the escalated tensions in the Middle East following Iran's attack on Israel. President Yoon Suk Yeol convened an emergency meeting with cabinet members and relevant government agencies to discuss strategies to respond to the the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel. The meeting followed Iran's launch of drones and missiles into Israel early Sunday, apparently in
April 14, 2024
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BOK holds rate, wary of inflation's ‘last mile’
Nearing the “last mile” of its fight against rising prices, the Bank of Korea held the base rate at 3.5 percent for the 10th consecutive time Friday. The monetary policy board of the central bank decided to maintain the rate through a unanimous vote, keeping the rate steady for more than a year since February 2023, BOK Gov. Rhee Chang-yong said at a press conference held shortly after the rate-setting decision. “While the headline and core inflation moved in a nearly synchroniz
April 12, 2024
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Uneven pace of economic recovery among sectors continues in S. Korea: finance ministry
The South Korean economy has largely been on a recovery track on the back of robust growth of exports and manufacturing production, but domestic demand remains weak and uncertainties have grown over global prices of raw materials, the finance ministry said Friday. "Our economy has seen an economic recovery centering on manufacturing output and exports while reporting a high level of employment," the Ministry of Economy and Finance said in the Green Book, its monthly economic assessment
April 12, 2024
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[Herald Interview] Weak consumption, property risk could delay Korea’s recovery: ADB economist
While recent figures indicate the Korean economy is on the path of recovery, weak household consumption and a fragile property market could remain challenges for the country, an economist from the Asian Development Bank projected. In its Asian Development Outlook report released Thursday, the international organization based in Manila forecast Korea's gross domestic product to grow by 2.2 percent in 2024 and 2.3 percent in 2025, signaling a turn from the 1.4 percent increase observed last y
April 11, 2024
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Yoon's plans to boost stock market likely to fizzle
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
April 11, 2024
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Korea's national debt hits record high in 2023
South Korea's national debt surged by nearly 60 trillion won ($44 billion) last year, reaching a record high. According to a report on the 2023 national settlement of accounts approved at a Cabinet meeting, the country's national debt stood at 1,126.7 trillion won, up by 59.4 trillion won from 2022. The total includes 1,092.5 trillion won owed by the central government and 34.2 trillion won owed by provincial governments, increasing by 59.1 trillion won and 300 billion won, respectively, from th
April 11, 2024
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Exports rise 21.6% in first 10 days of April on solid chip sales
South Korea's exports rose 21.6 percent on-year in the first 10 days of April on robust global demand for semiconductors, data showed Thursday. Outbound shipments reached $16.44 billion in the April 1-10 period, compared with $13.52 billion tallied a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. Per-day exports advanced 13.5 percent on-year to $2.19 billion. Imports grew 5.8 percent on-year to $18.4 billion during the period, resulting in a trade deficit of $2 billion.
April 11, 2024
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S. Korean economy to grow 2.3% in 2024: AMRO
An economic surveillance organization in Asia has expected the South Korean economy to expand 2.3 percent this year on rising exports, Seoul's finance ministry said Monday. The ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office made the assessment in its regional report, noting that the recovery of the semiconductor sector will boost exports and lead the overall economic growth, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Last year, the Korean economy expanded 1.4 percent amid a global economic sl
April 8, 2024
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Hana Bank opens nation’s largest forex dealing room
Hana Bank, South Korea's major commercial bank, opened a new dealing room -- the latest of its kind here -- in Seoul on Wednesday. Named "Hana Infinity Seoul" to signify the bank's ambition to expand its global reach, the new dealing room occupies the fourth and fifth floors of the lender's headquarters in Jung-gu, central Seoul. Spanning 2,096 square meters and with seating for 126, it is the country's largest such space, the bank states. The opening ceremony was a
April 3, 2024
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Foreign reserves rebound, riding out strong US dollar
South Korea's foreign exchange reserves rebounded in March after a two-month decline, backed by deposits and investment gains offsetting the strong US dollar, the central bank said Wednesday. The country's foreign reserves had come to $419.25 billion as of late March, up $3.51 billion from the previous month, according to the data from the Bank of Korea. The figure advanced on-month after declining for the first two months of the year. It moved down $4.4 billion and $20 million in Janu
April 3, 2024
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Kakao Bank CEO joins Grab's board
Yun Ho-young, CEO of Kakao Bank, has been appointed as a new board member for Grab, the largest super-app operator in Southeast Asia, the Internet-only lender confirmed Wednesday. Yun was officially appointed as an outside director of Grab's board on Monday and will serve as a member of the board's audit committee. Yun's appointment follows the strategic partnership formed between the two companies last year. In October, Kakao Bank announced the acquisition of a 10 percent stake i
April 3, 2024
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FSC ramps up benefits to bolster corporate value-up drive
Financial regulators are ramping up efforts to encourage local companies to participate in the government's initiative to bolster South Korea's market valuation. The Financial Services Commission announced a series of new incentives on Tuesday for companies improving their governance structures, including exemptions from the government's stringent auditor designation system. Under the current regulations, listed companies appointing auditors voluntarily for six consecutive years m
April 2, 2024
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Consumer prices rise over 3% for 2nd month in March
South Korea's inflation stayed over 3 percent for the second consecutive month in March on record prices of fruits and rising global oil prices, data showed Tuesday. Consumer prices, a key gauge of inflation, rose 3.1 percent on-year last month, following a 3.2 percent increase the previous month, according to the data from Statistics Korea. In January, inflation fell below 3 percent for the first time since July 2023, but high prices of fruits, farm produce and energy have caused inflation
April 2, 2024
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Exports rise for 6th straight month in March
South Korea's exports moved up for the sixth consecutive month in March on the back of the robust performance of chips, data showed Monday. Outbound shipments gained 3.1 percent on-year to $56.5 billion last month, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Imports decreased 12.3 percent on-year to $52.2 billion last month, resulting in a trade surplus of $4.28 billion. South Korea has been maintaining a trade surplus for 10 consecutive months. By sector,
April 1, 2024
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[Hello India] Korean investment firms push into India amid China decline
More South Korean securities and investment firms are turning their eyes to the Indian market, exploring opportunities to tap the world's fastest-growing economy. NH Investment & Securities recently announced a partnership with Lighthouse Canton, a Singapore-based global asset management institution, as part of this trend. In January, NH Absolute Return Partners, a Singapore-based asset management company owned by NH Investment & Securities, signed a memorandum of understanding to c
March 31, 2024