Korea’s inheritance tax is too high compared to G7 countries, leading to the Korea discount (the undervaluation of the Korean stock market) and discouraging investment, according to a proposal to adjust it to a reasonable level in this year’s tax law revision.“Over the past 30 years, G7 countries ha
The amount of debts owed by households and businesses in Korea was more than twice Korea’s gross domestic product (GDP). About half of the nation’s companies were unable to pay even interest on their debts with money they earned from sales, revealing their vulnerability.The ratio of private credit t
Doosan Enerbility is making its entry into the aircraft engine business, leveraging its accumulated expertise in power generation gas turbines to broaden its business domain and secure differentiated gas turbine technology.On March 26, Doosan Enerbility announced that it had added “aircraft engine m
Amid the payment of massive subsidies by the United States and Japan for the revival of the semiconductor industry, the government has decided to review the provision of subsidies to the nation’s high-tech industries, including semiconductors. This marks the first official mention by the government
Last year, the amount spent in Korea through mobile devices such as smartphones and smartwatches exceeded that spent through physical cards for the first time. Thanks to the expansion of mobile payments, the average daily card usage surpassed 3 trillion won (approximately US$2.23 billion).According
On March 25, the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) presented a study titled “The Rise and Challenges of Shareholder Activism” that was commissioned to Kim Soo-yeon, a researcher at the law firm Gwangjang.According to data from research firm Diligent, the research indicates that attacks by activi
The Carlyle Group, a global private equity fund management firm, is stepping in as a facilitator for the overseas mergers and acquisitions (M&A) of domestically prominent defense companies with a stature that is growing worldwide.According to industry and investment banking (IB) sources on March 24,
Hanwha Aerospace is working with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute to develop a next-generation launch vehicle (KSLV-III) that significantly improves on the performance of the Nuri (KSLV-II). Based on a public-private partnership, the company looks to strengthen its launch vehicle technology an
It has been reported that a Korean strategic investor (SI) is considering acquiring Callaway, one of the world’s top three golf brands.According to investment banking (IB) industry sources on March 19, major shareholders such as BlackRock Advisors LLC have selected a sales manager and are pushing fo
Big South Korean companies are exiting China one after another. Business uncertainties are being fueled by fiercer competition and declining profitability in the Chinese market coupled with the U.S. government’s checks on China and policy changes by Chinese government authorities.Lotte Chemical sold
It has been revealed that the hourly wages of domestic helpers in South Korea are more than four times higher than in neighboring countries such as Hong Kong and Taiwan. In an effort to alleviate the burden of caregiving services, which is considered one of the causes of low birth rates, the Bank of
Michael B. Kim, Haverford College alumnus, founder-chairman of one of Asia’s largest private equity firms, and best-selling novelist has been appointed chair of the Haverford College Board of Managers.Haverford College announced on March 6 (local time) that Kim will lead the board of trustees as cha
The Korean government and three major Korean shipbuilders -- HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE), Samsung Heavy Industries, and Hanwha Ocean -- will invest 9 trillion won to secure future super-wide gap technologies for the Korean shipbuilding industry.The Ministry of Trade, Industry
Lotte Chemical is reportedly considering the sale of its Malaysian subsidiary Lotte Chemical Titan (LC Titan).According to industry sources on Mar. 6, Lotte Chemical is searching for potential buyers for LC Titan, including Korean and foreign petrochemical companies and large private equity funds (P
The Korean government will launch the Top 10 Promising Markets Trade Mission, which will lead strategic market exploration to help the country achieve US$700 billion, the largest ever, in exports this year,.The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) announced on Mar. 5 that it will send the
Last year, South Korea’s gross national income (GNI) per capita reached US$33,000, marking a rebound for the first time in a year. The annual real gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate was recorded at 1.4 percent.According to the “2023 Preliminary 4th Quarter and Annual National Income” report re
HLB disclosed on March 4 that its board of directors has approved the issuance of 60 billion won in convertible bonds to domestic private equity funds and others. The primary purpose of this fundraising is to secure operational funds. Although the company currently holds over 65 billion won in cash
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced this year it will invest a total of 1.141 trillion won in research and development (R&D) for materials and components technology, focusing on creating a significant lead in advanced industries, stabilizing supply chains, and achieving carbon neutr
The Korean government has set a higher plant order intake target for this year than 2023 and will provide intensive support to help Korean plant builders attain the goal. This is because the global plant market is expected to grow and Korean companies’ order-taking competitiveness has been strengthe
For four consecutive years, South Korea has maintained its position as the top country among 34 advanced and emerging markets worldwide in terms of household debt relative to gross domestic product (GDP). As of the end of last year, the ratio stood at 100.1 percent, slightly lower than the previous