Japan’s Sony Group has surpassed Samsung Electronics in operating profit for the first time in 24 years. Just 14 years ago, the combined operating profit of nine major Japanese electronics companies did not even reach half of Samsung Electronics’. With Sony’s strong performance last year, however, i
The race to dominate the 2-nanometer (nm) semiconductor technology is heating up at the beginning of the year, a key battleground among global foundry (semiconductor contract manufacturing) companies.According to industry sources on Jan. 29, major foundry enterprises like Samsung Electronics, TSMC,
Positive tangible results are being made by the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and the CF Alliance pursuing a strategy to expand carbon-free power sources in the industrial sector.Major countries such as the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and the United Arab Emirates
Bentley Motors announced on Jan. 29 that it delivered a total of 13,560 units in the global market last year, the third highest performance in its history.In South Korea alone, the automaker sold a total of 810 vehicles in 2023. For the second year in a row, South Korea ranked fifth in Bentley sales
The Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) announced that Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo held the 8th Multilateral Trade Strategy Meeting with the MOTIE and related ministries on Jan. 29.In preparation for the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC-13) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) is actively moving forward with the designation of new global innovation districts this year. Simultaneously, it is focusing its efforts on strengthening global collaboration programs to foster the venture ecosystem. The ministry plans to strengthen support fo
Doosan Enerbility is advancing its efforts to supply carbon-neutral power generation technologies, including Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) and ammonia co-firing, renewables, and hydrogen to Thailand. On Jan. 29, the company announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MO
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
Korean defense companies are set to continue their growth trajectory this year by securing additional orders from various countries around the world. Building on last year’s momentum, which saw an expansion in both the range of export destinations and weapon systems, these companies are aiming for q
In 2023, Chinese smartphone manufacturers continued to expand their adoption of OLED technology, increasingly sourcing their required volumes from domestic display panel companies. This shift has led to Chinese display manufacturers breaking through a 40 percent market share.According to market rese
Following the election of an anti-China candidate in the Taiwanese presidential election, the geopolitical risks associated with Taiwan, a central player in the global semiconductor supply chain, have elevated the roles of Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam as new global
Artificial Intelligence (AI) stands at the forefront of the technology supremacy battle between the U.S. and China this year.On Jan. 26, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo stated in an interview with Reuters that regulations mandating U.S. cloud companies to report foreign customer information fo
Hanjin announced on Jan. 26 that it will expand its overseas bases to a total of 42 this year to foster its global business.This year, Hanjin will establish 17 subsidiaries and a total of 42 bases in 22 countries including Thailand, Bangladesh, Morocco, and Hungary to build a logistics network conne
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
The Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE) and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) announced on Jan. 28 that they have published the “JP Morgan Healthcare Conference Weekly Expedition Report” as part of their “Overseas Exhibition Information Provision” series.The 42nd JP Mor
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 Export-Import Bank of Korea (Korea Eximbank) announced on Jan. 25 that it will establish and operate a “Saudi Desk” to support projects in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Desk of Korea Eximbank is expected to play a specialized role in handling business related to projects in
Experts are anticipating that the economic growth rate for South Korea will reach 2.2 percent this year. This aligns with the forecasts presented by the government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), both indicating a 2.2 percent growth. It slightly surpasses the Bank of Korea’s projection of
KT has announced its plans to construct a new submarine cable to meet the surging demand for cloud, big data, and internet traffic between Asian countries. On Jan. 24, KT signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the Asia Link for advanced Performance of High-speed Access (ALPHA) project, aimed
Local customs officials have apprehended executives of a distribution company involved in the smuggling of U.S.-made semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) chips, classified as strategic items, into China after importing them for domestic use. This marks the first instance of customs discovering the