With South Korea’s manufacturing investments shifting from the western to the eastern United States, there’s a growing need to establish logistics infrastructure like port terminals on the U.S. East Coast to mitigate logistics risks.According to the report titled “Changes in Import-Export Logistics
SK hynix plans to invest 20 trillion won in Cheongju to expand its high-bandwidth memory (HBM) production capacity. This move is interpreted as an effort to maintain its leading position amid intensifying HBM competition.On April 24, SK hynix announced that its board of directors has approved the pr
The Korean construction industry is on edge due to the conflict between Israel and Iran and between Israel and Hamas, which has led to a decline in orders from the Middle East and concerns about lower profitability due to rising raw material prices. The Middle East is a big overseas market for Korea
China’s Alibaba Group, the parent company of AliExpress, which has been embroiled in controversy for selling knockoffs and distributing low-quality, unauthorized goods in Korea, is reportedly considering making a 100 billion won equity investment in Korean women’s fashion application Ably, causing a
Taiwan, a major hub for the world’s top semiconductor companies, has experienced a series of earthquakes, leading to temporary delays in semiconductor supply and potential price hikes.On April 23, the industry reported that over 50 aftershocks, ranging from magnitude 3.0 to 6.3, struck eastern Taiwa
Instagram has surpassed Naver and YouTube to claim the spot of Korea’s second-most-used app.On April 23, sample data from domestic smartphone users by app and retail analysis service WiseApp showed that Instagram’s average monthly launch count for the first quarter was 14.93374 billion times. This p
It has emerged that the domestic battery industry, which received trillions of won in tax deductions in the United States last year, might need to pay nearly 200 billion won in additional taxes by 2026 due to the implementation of a global minimum tax. Battery companies are currently investing in th
Samsung Electronics and SK hynix did not pay corporate taxes last year as they both recorded operating losses due to the downturn in the semiconductor industry.According to Samsung Electronics’ business report released on April 23, the company recorded an operating loss of 11.52 trillion won (US$8.3
Chinese electric multiple unit rapid transit cars, which dominated the U.S. electric rapid transit car market through price war, are being withdrawn from the market one after another due to safety issues and rising costs. Hyundai Rotem, which has struggled due to the price war, is aggressively pursu
According to sources in the petrochemical industry on April 22, Lotte Chemical, the second-largest petrochemical company in South Korea, is seriously considering halting operations at its Yeosu Plant 2, which produces PET, a raw material for plastics. It is anticipated within the industry that the c
With the ongoing competition in the AI semiconductor sector, the foundry (contract chip manufacturing) industry is facing a new challenge due to stagnant demand and overcapacity. Concurrently, the rivalry for dominance in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) segment, a crucial component in AI, is intensi
South Korea is expected to maintain its position as the most expensive country for smartphones in the world. Since surpassing Japan in 2021, South Korea has held onto this top spot without challenge, with forecasts suggesting it will continue to have the highest average selling price (ASP) for smart
The author is an analyst for Shinhan Securities. He can be reached at ldh@sinhan.com -- Ed.1Q24 review: OP of engines surpasses construction equipmentHD Hyundai Infracore posted sales of KRW1.16tr (-10% YoY), operating profit of KRW92.8bn (-39% YoY), and operating margin of 8% (-3.8%p YoY) for 1Q24.
The author is an analyst for Shinhan Securities. She can be reached at sunmi.kim@shinhan.com -- Ed.Strong top-line drives earnings surprise & annual forecast revisionHyundai Engineering & Construction posted sales of KRW8.5tr and operating profit of KRW250.9bn for 1Q24, beating consensus estimates b
Interest in the Chinese e-commerce platform that surged in the Korean market with its low-price strategy appears to be waning. The average usage time for the AliExpress app (combining Android and iOS) has plummeted to levels last seen three years ago, and the transaction volume is also at a meager l
Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and Électricité de France (EDF) are vying for a contract to build nuclear power plants in the Czech Republic, which are estimated to be worth at least 30 trillion won. If KHNP wins the order, it will mark the first nuclear power export from South Korea in 15 years
The number of affiliates belonging to Korea’s conglomerates crossed 3,000 for the first time in 2023. The increase is the result of business diversification in response to an unstable global business environment, but the increase has generated many negative side effects.As of May 2023, the number of
Netflix Services Korea has begun an administrative lawsuit against Korea’s tax authorities over 78 billion won (US$57 million) in tax imposed on the OTT giant. Much attention is being paid to see how the Korean court will rule on the unfair practice of global platform companies such as Netflix not p
Korean appliances are making strides in Europe, one of the world’s most conservative markets. Although the European market is known for its traditional preferences, Korean companies have carved out a strong presence by adopting tailored strategies that cater to local tastes.Last year, LG Electronics
It has been revealed that the four American “big tech” companies -- Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Meta -- collectively garnered around 9 trillion won in sales and about 600 billion won in operating profit in South Korea over the past year.According to the audit reports disclosed in the Financial Sup