The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) announced on March 25 that it would initiate a concentrated investigation into what are colloquially referred to as “zombie companies.” These are businesses considered financially distressed, resorting to tactics such as capital increases through disguised pay
Align Partners Capital Management has raised the issue of overseas shareholders not being able to properly use a cumulative voting system ahead of JB Financial Group’s general shareholders meeting scheduled for March 28.“We have confirmed a number of cases where overseas shareholders have been unabl
Patent applications originating from the Republic of Korea at the European Patent Office (EPO) grew by 21% last year, according to the EPO’s Patent Index 2023 published today. This was the highest growth rate among the 20 leading innovating countries, and more than five times the average growth at t
The relationship between South Korea and Russia is reaching a desperate situation while the two countries celebrate the 34th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year.Earlier this year, an unusual incident occurred when a South Korean missionary, who was engaged in aid and missionary activities
Samsung Electronics has failed to resolve wage negotiations again this year, signaling another round of union risks.The Nationwide Samsung Electronics Workers’ Union, the largest union at Samsung Electronics, announced on March 18 that it formed a labor dispute committee and will start a labor strug
On March 13, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to ban TikTok, a Chinese video platform, from being downloaded in the United States due to security concerns. The bill was approved with an overwhelming majority of 352 votes in favor and 65 against. Europe is also engulfed in national sec
Chinese online shopping platforms AliExpress, Temu, Shine and other overseas business operators over a certain size will be required to have representatives in Korea. This new policy is aimed at making them responsible for consumer protection.Unlike AliExpress, which currently has a legal entity in
The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) intends to initiate an investigation into Temu and Shein, following its inquiry into AliExpress, the leading online shopping platform in China, regarding potential consumer harm.This comes as the indiscriminate onslaught of Chinese online shopping malls, levera
Samsung Display CEO Choi Joo-sun has expressed confidence that Korea will reclaim the top spot in the global display market by 2027. Speaking to reporters before the Korean Display Industry Association’s general meeting at Lotte Hotel World on March 7, Choi emphasized the need for focus and speciali
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at dongyang.kim@nhqv.com -- Ed.At AGMs this year, the spread of shareholder proposals, which has been a global trend since 2023, is to continue. As Korea’s dividend system improvements roll out in earnest, more companies are
Seoul Semiconductor announced on March 5 that it has filed a patent lawsuit against global retailer Amazon in the Unified Patent Court in Europe seeking a ban on the sale of infringing products.Seoul Semiconductor and its affiliates have obtained 15 injunctions against infringing manufacturers and s
Hanwha Ocean submitted a complaint to the National Police Agency’s National Investigation Division on March 4 to investigate alleged systematic leakage of military secrets related to the Next Generation Korean Destroyer (KDDX) Project by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI).“It is an objective fact tha
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), accused of leaking military secrets, will not receive sanctions, so it will be able to continue to bid in winning maritime defense projects. As a result, the company will be able to take part in a tender for the construction of the Korea Destroyer KDDX, which will
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba’s AliExpress has come under fire once again, this time embroiled in controversy surrounding sexually explicit content following on issues regarding counterfeit products. Concerns have been raised over the platform’s uncontrolled search terms, advertisements, and imag
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) announced on Feb. 23 that they held an online briefing on the 2024 Secondary Battery U.S. Investment Strategy to help Korean companies break into the U.S. secondary battery market.The event was
The legal risks facing the former President of POSCO, Jang In-hwa, who has been nominated as the next chairman of the POSCO Group, are growing, sparking controversy.According to industry sources, on Feb. 19, the People’s Livelihood Countermeasure Committee filed a complaint against former President
The legal battle between the sons of the founder of Hanmi Pharmaceutical -- Lim Jong-yoon and Lim Jong-hoon -- and the OCI Group has intensified. OCI Group holds a significant stake in Hanmi Science, the parent company of Hanmi Pharmaceutical Group. The legal battle remains on the question of integr
The government has extended its support to companies starting businesses overseas, aiming to increase the number of successful Korean startups in the global market. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced that amendments to the “Act on Support for Small and Medium Enterprise Establishment” and i
A new mega labor union, formed through the collaboration of four Samsung Group affiliates, has emerged. The union comprises over 10,000 members. While there have been instances of certain unions cooperating in solidarity in the past, this marks the first time such a unified form of establishment has
The criticism against Chinese e-commerce companies, which aggressively enter the domestic market with ultra-low prices, is growing due to their disregard for relevant laws while operating within the country. There are numerous complaints about these companies consistently sending advertisements that