On Dec. 18, Korea Development Bank (KDB) and the Korea Ocean Business Corporation (KOBC) announced the selection of the Pan Ocean-JKL consortium as the preferred bidder for the acquisition of the management rights of HMM, the largest ocean container shipping company in South Korea. After negotiation
To defend the leadership of Cho Hyun-bum, the chairman of Hankook & Company, the holding company of Hankook Tire, his father, Cho Yang-rae, the honorary chairman, has stepped forward as a “white knight,” acquiring an additional 0.32 percent stake in the company. Hyosung Advanced Materials, led by Ch
More than half of the 82 major conglomerates surveyed have holding companies, with 38 groups transitioning to a “holding company system.” The average ownership stake in holding companies held by conglomerate owners and their families has slightly decreased compared to the previous year.According to
Securities firms have been caught engaging in illegal “bond shuffling” practices, transferring bond losses, sometimes amounting to as much as 500 billion won (US$383.44 million), to other clients in an attempt to preserve investment returns for certain institutions and corporations. These activities
Starting next year, KOSPI-listed companies with assets exceeding 10 trillion won (US$7.67 billion) will be obligated to submit disclosures in English. This mandatory requirement is expected to enhance information accessibility for foreign investors.The Financial Services Commission announced on Dec.
Mirae Asset Global Investments announced on Dec. 17 that its Hong Kong subsidiary, established in December 2003, is celebrating its 20th anniversary.Launched in 2005, the Mirae Asset Asia-Pacific Star Fund marked a significant milestone as South Korea’s first domestically introduced fund managed dir
The smartphone market is witnessing a surge in demand for NAND flash, as manufacturers’ significant production cuts have reduced inventory buildup, and the impending launch of smartphones equipped with “on-device artificial intelligence (AI)” is anticipated. This trend is expected to boost NAND pric
Last year, the debt of the central and local governments, non-profit public institutions, and non-financial public enterprises in the public sector reached nearly 1,600 trillion won (US$1.24 trillion), marking a historic high. The debt of non-financial public enterprises such as Korea Electric Power
With Cho Hyun-sik, the advisor of Hankook & Company and the eldest son of the tire maker’s honorary chairman, preparing to take over the leadership in collaboration with MBK Partners, Cho Yang-rae, the honorary chairman of Hankook & Company, is once again offering support to Chairman Cho Hyun-bum, t
The Korean government will provide 38 trillion won (US$29 billion) in financial support, including expanding loan limits and debt guarantees for the Korean secondary battery industry over five years. A separate bill will also be prepared to support the growth of a used battery industry ecosystem.The
The Korean government has decided to lower Korea’s import dependence on 185 key items for semiconductors, secondary batteries, automobiles and shipbuilding to 50% by 2030. As of last year, Korea’s import dependence averaged 70%, with some items exceeding 90%.The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energ
Amid heightened concerns over China’s military threats to Taiwan and major companies like Apple, Nvidia, AMD, and Qualcomm seeking to diversify their supply chains, industry analysts suggest that Samsung Electronics’ advancements in 2-nm technology could present a significant opportunity for the com
The continued decline in semiconductor prices and a slowdown in the growth rate of automobile exports have led to a deterioration in the growth and profitability indicators of domestic companies in the third quarter from July to September.According to the results of the “Q3 Corporate Management Anal
Starting on Dec. 14, the foreign investor registration system, which was considered one of the causes of the “Korea Discount,” or the undervaluation of the South Korean stock market, will be abolished.According to the financial investment industry on Dec. 12, the “Enforcement Decree of the Capital M
Answering AI startup 42Maru (CEO D.K Donghwan KIM) announced that it has signed agreements in the areas of Generative AI services and Hyper-scale AI during a state visit economic delegation to the United Kingdom.During President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to the United Kingdom from November 21st to
Fundraising in the venture capital (VC) industry has completely frozen due to continued high interest rates. The number of large venture funds valued at more than 100 billion won, a barometer of a booming VC market, has fallen to just five in the first three quarters of this year. The figure was 17
Samjong KPMG (KPMG Korea) predicts that the semiconductor and smartphone markets will rebound in 2024 thanks to the full-scale commercialization of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. On the other hand, the automobile, shipping, construction, and distribution industries are likely to show slugg
Among the currencies used in global trade this year, the Chinese yuan has emerged as the second most widely used currency after the U.S. dollar, reflecting its substantial presence. The assessment suggests that the yuan is rapidly gaining momentum as a potential key currency in the future.During the
Data reveals that 60% of all private equity funds recorded deficits. Despite an increase in both the total number of private equity funds and their assets under management, the growing number of companies operating in the red indicates an accelerating polarization in the private equity market, accor
As expectations for a stock market rebound rise due to the complete ban on short selling, there is an increase in related funds in the market. With investor deposits recovering to 50 trillion won in just two months, there also seems a surge in the balance of margin loans.According to the Korea Finan