A contract worth US$3.2 billion has been finalized to export the KM-SAM2 (Cheongung) ballistic missile system, also known as the Korean Patriot Missile, to Saudi Arabia.The Korean Ministry of National Defense announced on Feb. 6 (local time) a contract for the export of 10 M-SAM2 batteries signed be
HJ Shipbuilding & Construction (HJSC) held a naming ceremony for two 5,500-TEU eco-friendly container ships at Yeongdo Shipyard in Busan on Feb. 6. The ceremony was attended by more than 100 people including clients, classification supervisors, and HJSC employees.The two vessels were named the Zim Y
Korean carmakers and car importers are in a flurry of activity as the Korean Ministry of Environment laid out a plan on Feb. 6 to change subsidies for electric vehicles (EVs) in 2024. According to the revised plan, Hyundai and Kia will remain at the same level, while mid-sized Korean-based carmakers
KG Mobility, once a perennially loss-making company, has returned to profitability last year, driven by increased exports to Europe and Latin America.According to industry and securities market sources on Feb. 6, KG Mobility’s operating income for last year is estimated to be around 5 billion won. T
Xiaomi and Huawei, major Chinese smartphone manufacturers, are set to launch a series of new premium phone models, intensifying competition for Samsung Electronics, which is already contending with Apple’s iPhone. The Xiaomi 14 series will be globally released this month, featuring the Qualcomm Snap
Samsung smartphones, once leading the market in the United States, have seen a significant drop in market share, facing a crisis as Galaxy sales plummet in one of the world’s largest markets.According to market research firm Counterpoint Research on Feb. 6, Samsung Electronics’ market share in the U
SK innovation reported on Feb. 6 that its revenue for the last year amounted to 77.2885 trillion won (US$58.2400 billion) with an operating profit of 1.9039 trillion won. Compared to the previous year, revenue and operating profit decreased by 0.98% and 51%, respectively.In the fourth quarter of las
The global leading automotive company Toyota, which has been embroiled in a “quality certification fraud” scandal, announced a record-breaking net profit of 4.5 trillion yen, equivalent to 40.2 trillion won or US$30.28 billion, for the fiscal year 2023, spanning from April 2023 to March 2024. The pr
The Korea Exchange (KRX) announced on Feb. 6 that it will open the “30-Year Treasury Futures Market” from Feb. 19 to promote the advancement of the government bond market and hedge against risks from long-term interest rate fluctuations. This marks the first time in 16 years since the introduction o
Due to the strength of the U.S. dollar, the foreign exchange reserves decreased last month for the first time in three months.According to the statistics of the “Foreign Reserves as of the End of January 2024” publication released by the Bank of Korea (BOK) on Feb. 5, South Korea’s foreign reserves
Celltrion announced on Feb. 6 that Rani Therapeutics (Rani) in the United States has confirmed positive topline results in the Phase 1 clinical trial of oral ustekinumab (development name: RT-111). RT-111 is an oral formulation of Celltrion’s Stelara biosimilar, CT-P43, currently under development.I
The government has decided to announce measures in February to address the risk of foreign investors’ failure to settle foreign exchange payments as part of the structural improvements in South Korea’s foreign exchange market, which are set to begin in earnest in July.The plan is to manage the risks
The feared situation has finally emerged for China’s e-commerce giant AliExpress, which ambitiously entered the South Korean market by prioritizing cost-effectiveness.In particular, consumer dissatisfaction is pouring in regarding services and customer responses, which have been consistently critici
Pernod Ricard Korea, a Korean affiliate of Pernod Ricard Group, a global liquor maker, has launched a range of elegant whisky gift sets to celebrate the Lunar New Year in 2024, the Year of the Dragon. The sets feature various product lines ranging from high-quality blended whiskies to unrivaled sing
Nine out of 10 Korean manufacturers believe that overseas carbon neutrality policies such as those in the United States and Europe affect their business operations, a survey found.According to the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), which recently surveyed 300 Korean manufacturing compani
Hyundai Motor India, Ltd. (HMIL) is reportedly pushing for an initial public offering (IPO) on the Indian stock market later this year. HMIL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company.According to media outlets in India, HMIL is in early-stage negotiations for an IPO later this year. Hyun
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has raised its global economic growth forecast for this year, but lowered its economic growth forecast for South Korea. While the organization said that global trade markets such as markets of semiconductors and information technology
LS Electric announced on Feb. 5 that it has held a completion ceremony for the Durango factory in Mexico of its electric vehicle component subsidiary, LS e-Mobility Solution.The ceremony was attended by about 50 key figures, including Koo Ja-kyun, chairman of LS Electric; Kim Won-il, representative
Domestic defense companies such as LIG Nex1, Hyundai Rotem, and Hanwha Aerospace are mobilizing to participate in the Saudi International Defense Exhibition held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, until Feb. 8, aiming to penetrate the Middle Eastern market.According to the defense industry on F
The Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) has announced on Feb. 5 that it achieved a double-digit rate of return last year, with total assets under management increasing by over US$20 billion (26.71 trillion won).The KIC revealed on the same day that the annual rate of return for the year 2023, denomin