LG Chem is seeking solutions to revive its struggling petrochemical business. Splitting the petrochemical business and attracting foreign investments from the Middle East to create a joint venture are among the scenarios being discussed.Vice Chairman Shin Hak-cheol of LG Chem responded to reporters’
HD Hyundai, the intermediate holding company for shipbuilding of HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering [009540], announced on March 18 that it has recently signed a construction contract for three ammonia carriers (VLAC) with an Oceanian shipping company. The total order amount is 490 billion
Kumho Petrochemical has sold its entire stake in the SB latex business, a joint venture with Rizhao Jinhu Jinma Chemical Co., Ltd., a Chinese company. The decision to exit the local business was made in response to China’s low-cost competition and overlapping environmental regulations.According to t
Recently, there has been a trend where shareholder demands for increased shareholder returns have slightly subsided as proposals such as the retirement of repurchased stocks or dividend expansions were rejected at shareholder meetings. While companies have temporarily relieved the pressure by proact
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
LG Chem, Korea’s largest petrochemical company, will shut down its styrene monomer (SM) plant at the end of March. SM is widely used in the manufacture of various petrochemical products. The company is also reportedly considering abandoning production of ethylene oxide (EO) and ethylene glycol (EG),
Korean shipbuilders overtook China in terms of ship order intake in February to take the number one spot in the global market.According to Clarkson Research, a British shipbuilding and shipping market analysis firm, global ship orders totaled 3.4 million CGT (100 ships) in February, of which Korea w
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
In the “2024 Most Admired Company in Korea” event organized by Korea Management Association Consultants (KMAC), S-OIL has been selected as the top company in the petroleum industry for eight consecutive years and as an All Star 30, representing the top 30 companies, for six consecutive years.The “Mo
HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE) recently signed a contract on the construction of four 174,000-cubic-meter liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers with an Oceania-based shipping company.The LNG carriers are valued at US$270 million per vessel, which is US$5 million more than the pre
HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE), an intermediate holding company of HD Hyundai, has won two orders for very large ammonia carriers (VLACs).HD KSOE said in a public disclosure on Feb. 20 that it recently signed construction contracts for two VLACs with an African-based client. The
Korea’s four major oil refiners are posting a gradual drop in their exports to China. They are diversifying their export destinations to Australia, Japan, and other countries to fill the void. China used to be Korea’s top petroleum product export market.According to the Korea National Petroleum Asso
On Feb. 6, a joint research team at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), led by Professor Lee Jae-sung, Professor Jang Ji-wook, and Professor Seok Sang-il from the Department of Energy and Chemical Engineering and Professor Lim Han-kwon from the Graduate School of Carbon N
South Korea’s exports posted double-digit growth in January, led by a recovery in semiconductor exports.Korea’s exports totaled US$54.69 billion in January, while Korea’s imports totaled US$54.39 billion, according to the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE).Exports increased 18 per
비지니스코리아 Jung Min-hee (pr@businesskorea.co.kr)Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin has expressed his commitment to focusing on nurturing new business ventures while also considering the possibility of selling underperforming businesses. Regarding the management dispute, he stated, “It has been resolved
South Korea’s share of China’s import market fell to 6 percent last year. This is the lowest level in 30 years since 5.2 percent in 1993, the year after the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and China. South Korea also slipped to third place in the rankings of countries from
As international oil prices and refining margins both experienced a simultaneous decline in the fourth quarter of last year, the oil industry’s performance was once again placed in a state of emergency.In the worst-case scenario, four major oil companies -- SK Energy, GS Caltex, S-Oil, and HD Hyunda
South Korea’s foothold in the Chinese market is narrowing while its dependency on imports from China is growing. The relationship that used to yield the most trade surplus for South Korea with China seems to have reversed.According to the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) on Jan. 28, Chin
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at yk.choi@nhqv.com -- Ed.We lower our TP on Hyosung TNC to W440,000 to reflect both a slower-than-expected spandex industry recovery and underperforming fiber division earnings. But, we still see clearly improved fundamental