April 26, 2024

• 

EDITOR'S PICKS

• Tech 
  

  SK hynix profits soar on AI chip boom

  SK hynix, the world's second-largest memory chip maker, said Thursday it has returned to profit, thanks to its leadership in advanced memory chips critical to generative artificial intelligence tools, recovering from a long slump in the memory market. The company reported a quarterly operating income of 2.89 trillion won ($2.10 billion) for the January-March period, compared with a loss of 3.4 trillion won marked a year ago. The figure is far higher than the consensus of 1.86 trillion won by l

• Markets 
  

  Korea enters clear growth path as Q1 growth hits 2-year high

  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 wh

• Companies 
  

  Hyundai, Kia seek to boost presence in China market

  Hyundai Motor Group on Wednesday unveiled a slew of new vehicles at the 2024 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, ramping up efforts to boost its sluggish presence in the world's largest automotive market. At the Beijing Auto Show, one of the biggest motor shows that has returned in-person after four years, all three brands of the Korean auto giant -- Hyundai Motor, Kia and Genesis -- promised to introduce electric vehicles tailored for Chinese customers. Unveiling the Ioniq 5 N high-

• Markets 
  

  7 out of 10 wealthy Koreans offer grim outlook for 2024

  The majority of wealthy South Koreans have a negative outlook on this year's economy, with plans to maintain their current asset portfolios. However, some are considering investing in real estate if the economy improves. These findings are from the "2024 Korean Wealth Report," compiled by a think tank under Hana Bank based on a survey of around 2,600 Koreans conducted in December last year. Of the respondents, 746 with over 1 billion won ($726,000) in financial assets -- including ca

• Companies 
  

  [KH Explains] Korean shipbuilding stocks rally: Real growth or bubble?

  Since mid-March, Korea's leading shipbuilders have seen a significant uptick in their stock prices. Despite a sluggish start to the year due to a saturated order book and limited production capacity, renewed optimism has emerged among investors, possibly due to the anticipated benefits from escalating trade tensions between the US and China, along with the depreciation of the Korean won. Whether the trade war is the exact cause is unclear, particularly due to limited American purchasing power

• Companies 
  

  [Hello India] Hyundai Motor vows to boost 'clean mobility' in India

  Hyundai Motor Group has reiterated the importance of India and reaffirmed its commitment to the burgeoning market as its chief visited the world’s most populous country earlier this week. “India, one of the regions that has contributed the most to the growth of Hyundai Motor Group, has overcome many difficulties such as the global economic recession and supply chain crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic period and continuously came up with good performances,” said Hyundai Motor

• Markets 
  

  Eximbank to nurture regional development specialists

  The state-run Export-Import Bank of Korea said Thursday that it planned to dispatch 34 young regional specialists to 13 developing countries under its Economic Development Cooperation Fund, aimed at cultivating a new generation of experts in global development cooperation. As a member of the OECD Development Assistance Committee, South Korea has long been committed to supporting infrastructure development in emerging economies and crafting innovative models for development cooperation. Initia

• Companies 
  

  [From the Scene] KG Mobility poised to take next leap

  PYEONGTAEK, Gyeonggi Province -- A group of workers gathered to check a computerized system at KG Mobility’s Pyeongtaek plant in Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday afternoon. While most workers were taking their 10-minute break, they came together to try to improve the workflow. That passion played a crucial role in the company logging its first profitable year in 2023 for the first time in 16 years, according to the Korean automaker’s head of production. “I think (our turnaround)

• Companies 
  

  Samsung Biologics Q1 earnings hit all-time high

  Samsung Biologics, a leading contract development and manufacturing organization, announced Wednesday that the company’s earnings in the first quarter this year hit an all-time high. In the January-March period, Samsung Biologics’ sales increased by 31.3 percent on-year to 946.9 billion won ($690 million) from the previous year’s 720.9 billion won. Its operating profit also reached 221.3 billion won, up 15 percent on-year. “The operation of the fourth plant has largely

• Startups 
  

  Korean robot startup aims to transform human walking

  South Korean robotics startup WIRobotics aims to transform the walking experience via its award-winning wearable robot WIM, made lighter and more convenient for everyday use, the company's chief said Wednesday. "We believe humans will be able to enhance walking and physical abilities with the assistance of the interactive robotics technology, and have thought wearable robots will be optimal," WIRobotics CEO and Chief Technology Officer Kim Yong-jae said at the press conference in Seo

• Companies 
  

  KGC eyes broader customer base with Lim Young-woong

  Korea Ginseng Corp., the leading manufacturer of ginseng products in the country, has launched a new promotional video featuring trot singer Lim Young-woong. Released on Wednesday, the video showcases a day in the life of Lim, from morning routines to exercise and singing practice. The video highlights the use of JungKwanJang, the company's premium red ginseng brand, portraying its products as essential for daily vitality. Lim, known for his victory in a popular singing competition, appeals t

• Companies 
  

  Coway launches Berex massage bed with enhanced usability

  South Korean home appliance maker Coway has launched a new massage bed, the Berex Reclining Massage Bed, as part of product diversification aimed at the nation's soaring massage chair market. The new product is the first of its kind to incorporate an automatic upper-body reclining function, specifically designed to ease the process of lying down and standing up -- a feature that addresses usability for the elderly and those with mobility challenges. The model does not require users to manuall

• Markets 
  

  Hyundai Mobis breaks ground for W170b Spain plant

  Hyundai Mobis, the auto parts manufacturer under Hyundai Motor Group, said Wednesday it held a ground-breaking ceremony for its first factory in Western Europe, which will manufacture battery systems, particularly focusing on supplying the Volkswagen Group. The new factory in Navarre, Spain, will cover an area of 150,000 square meters, with a floor space of 50,000 square meters, and it will have the capacity to produce up to 360,000 battery system assemblies annually. In line with its goal to

• Companies 
  

  HD Hyundai teams up with Norway's Philly Shipyard for US footing

  HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Norway's Philly Shipyard signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on manufacturing, maintaining, repairing, and overhauling vessels and ships ordered by the US government, the South Korean shipbuilder said Wednesday. The signing ceremony was held at Philly's shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on April 12 -- with key officials from both companies in attendance, including Joo Won-ho, head of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ special ship business

• Tech 
  

  SK hynix pledges W20tr to ramp up DRAM production at home

  SK hynix, the world's second-largest memory chip maker, said Wednesday it will expand the production capacity of next-generation DRAM, including High Bandwidth Memory, which is critical to generative artificial intelligence tools, in response to rapidly increasing demand for AI chips. The decision came as the board of directors approved the plan during a meeting held later in the day to build the M15X fab in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, for a new DRAM production site, according to the

• Companies 
  

  Hanwha Life taps into global banking through Indonesian investment

  Hanwha Life, a leading Korean insurance company and the life insurance subsidiary of Hanwha Group, has made a strategic move into the Indonesian banking sector through a stake purchase. The company announced on Wednesday that its board had approved acquiring a 40 percent stake in Nobu Bank from Indonesia's Lippo Group, marking the first entry of a Korean insurer into the Indonesian banking industry. The decision was made during an extraordinary board meeting held on Tuesday. Hanwha Life's exp