In the first quarter of this year, Korea’s exports to the United States surpassed those to China for the first time since the second quarter of 2003.Exports to the U.S. are expected to remain strong for the foreseeable future, driven by foreign direct investment (FDI) in the manufacturing industries
Among the member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the South Korean won was revealed to be the fifth most undervalued, while among the Group of Twenty (G20) nations, it ranked as the fourth most undervalued.According to the Bank for International Settleme
Japanese NAND flash semiconductor manufacturer Kioxia is reportedly reigniting merger plans with Western Digital (WD), but SK hynix remains steadfast in its opposition.According to industry sources on April 18, including reports from the Yomiuri Shimbun, Kioxia may pursue a listing on the Tokyo Stoc
The amount of short-term foreign currency borrowings hastily acquired by banks alone has exceeded 4 trillion won. With the won-to-dollar exchange rate surpassing 1,400 won and reaching new highs, the risks associated with short-term foreign currency debts have also increased.According to business di
The finance ministers of South Korea and Japan jointly announced that they could take appropriate measures to address recent volatility in the foreign exchange markets, signaling a readiness for “verbal intervention.” It appears that South Korea and Japan are joining hands to engage in a “currency w
Upstage, a pioneering AI company specializing in large language models (LLMs) and Document AI, today announced that it has raised $72 million in a Series B. With this latest investment, Upstage has now raised over $100 million since its founding in October 2020, making it the most-funded South Korea
Amid the surge in the Korean won against the U.S. dollar, reaching close to 1,400 won, dividends from listed companies, often heavily held by foreign investors, are continuing to flow. During this period, foreign investors are set to receive dividends totaling over 6 trillion won. If foreign investo
Finance ministers of Korea, the United States, and Japan will meet for the first time ever in Washington, D.C., the United States on April 17.The Ministry of Strategy and Finance announced on April 16 that Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Choi Sang-mok will leave for the United States t
Daewoo Engineering & Construction has secured a credit rating from Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR), one of Japan’s major credit rating agencies, solidifying its position as a global construction firm while boosting its funding flexibility in financial markets across the Middle East, Singapore, and
On the night of April 13 (local time), Iran launched retaliatory attacks against Israel, employing drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. This action is expected to lead to an escalation in international oil prices. In addition, the exchange rate of the Korean won against the U.S. dollar r
Despite positive signs in the Korean economy such as an increase in semiconductor exports, many growth rate forecasts are still in the low 2 percent range. One explanation is that low growth has stagnated while economic structural reforms have been stalled.According to the Ministry of Strategy and F
Amid astronomical subsidies being poured into the semiconductor industry by countries like the United States and Japan, the South Korean government has decided to explore domestic investment incentives. There’s speculation that discussions on ‘semiconductor subsidy cash support’ could materialize, g
With the recent expanding trend of Banking as a Service (BaaS), which allows consumers to experience banking services through fintech platforms, Shinhan Bank has partnered with the fintech company E9pay, specializing in small-scale overseas remittances.Shinhan Bank announced on April 17 that it has
Lee Boo-jin, CEO of Hotel Shilla, is selling her 5,247,140 shares of Samsung Electronics through off-hours bulk trading, commonly known as block deals. The CEO has consistently been divesting stakes in Samsung Electronics and its affiliates to secure funds for hefty inheritance tax payments.Accordin
South Korea’s current account surplus has been in the black for 10 consecutive months as the South Korean semiconductor industry has recovered. The main positive factor is that the nation’s current account surplus is expected to continue as demand for semiconductors will grow this year.According to
With the amendment of the Export-Import Bank of Korea Act, the legal capital limit for the Export-Import Bank of Korea (Korea Eximbank) has significantly increased. However, there is a discrepancy between the government and industry regarding how and how much the government will invest in Korea Exim
It has been revealed that South Korea’s foreign reserves in March increased by approximately US$3.5 billion compared to the previous month.On April 3, the Bank of Korea announced the “Foreign Reserves at the End of March.” According to this data, South Korea’s foreign reserves last month amounted to
Hanwha Group’s acquisition of Australian defense company Austal has hit a snag. The challenge arose because Austal indicated that obtaining approval for the acquisition from Australian and U.S. authorities would be difficult, effectively rejecting the proposal.According to Reuters on April 1 (local
SK hynix has successfully attracted trillions of won in funds in its corporate bond demand forecast, achieving a successful fundraising campaign.According to investment banking industry sources on April 1, SK hynix (AA) successfully raised a total of 2.86 trillion won (approximately US$2.11 billion)
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