Last year, South Korea’s gross national income (GNI) per capita reached US$33,000, marking a rebound for the first time in a year. The annual real gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate was recorded at 1.4 percent.According to the “2023 Preliminary 4th Quarter and Annual National Income” report re
Last quarter, the global semiconductor industry witnessed a nearly 30% increase in DRAM revenue compared to the previous quarter. According to TrendForce, a market research firm based in Taiwan, on March 5, global DRAM revenue reached US$17.46 billion in the fourth quarter, marking a 29.6% growth fr
The Hyundai IONIQ 6 was ranked most fuel efficient among 2024 models selling in the U.S. market.The IONIQ 6 Long Range Rear Wheel Drive model with 18-inch wheels was honored as the most fuel-efficient vehicle with a combined fuel efficiency of 140 MPGe, according to Fuel Economy, a fuel-saving infor
Only 14 percent of South Koreans work in large companies, versus 58 percent of Americans.Koh Young-sun, a senior research fellow at the Korea Development Institute (KDI), presented this statistic in a report titled “A Need for More Large-Company Jobs” released on Feb. 27, emphasizing the need to exp
South Korea’s exports in February of this year increased by 4.8 percent compared to the previous year, continuing the trend of “export growth” for the fifth consecutive month. Particularly noteworthy is the semiconductor exports, which recorded the highest growth rate in six years and four months. A
For four consecutive years, South Korea has maintained its position as the top country among 34 advanced and emerging markets worldwide in terms of household debt relative to gross domestic product (GDP). As of the end of last year, the ratio stood at 100.1 percent, slightly lower than the previous
The trend of improved terms of trade in South Korea has continued for the eighth consecutive month. This is attributed to the slowdown in the decline of export prices, which has resulted in import prices decreasing more significantly than export prices.Exports of semiconductors, the largest export i
Samsung Electronics has thrown a decisive move to overturn the market dynamics of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), a key component of Artificial Intelligence semiconductors, by being the first in the industry to mass-produce the 5th generation HBM, known as “HBM3E” with 12 layers, in the first half of t
Kolmar Korea has discovered the world’s first microbiome (in-human microbiome) that suppresses skin aging caused by ultraviolet exposure. In addition, the related research findings were published in international SCI-level journals, and its research achievements were recognized worldwide.Kolmar Kore
The Monetary Policy Board of the Bank of Korea (BOK) has decided to maintain the key interest rate at the existing level of 3.50 percent. Despite the domestic inflation rate falling to the 2 percent range, it is deemed difficult to consider it as having reached a stable level, especially considering
South Korea’s exports to China are expected to surge in 2024 due to a recovery of the IT market in China. However, South Korea is unlikely to record a large trade balance surplus as in the past due to an increase in imports of Chinese batteries and the declining competitiveness of Korean products.“I
This year it is projected that the annual overseas construction contract orders for South Korean companies will reach US$40 billion. It is expected that the contract amount will expand compared to previous years through projects such as nuclear power plants, renewable energy, and investment developm
South Korea has climbed to the third highest position among the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries in terms of the proportion of corporate taxes to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), marking the highest level in the last 50 years.According to the report “Current St
In South Korea, Apple has recorded its highest-ever market share. According to market research firm Counterpoint Research, last year, Apple exceeded a 25% market share in the domestic smartphone market for the first time, having increased its market share by 1 percentage point annually since 2020 an
Executives and experts from domestic e-commerce companies such as Coupang are collaborating to develop strategies in response to the aggressive expansion efforts of Chinese e-commerce platforms including AliExpress and Temu.According to industry sources on Feb. 14, the Ministry of Trade, Industry an
The Korea Development Institute (KDI) has maintained its economic growth forecast for South Korea at 2.2 percent for this year. However, it has slightly lowered its forecast for private consumption, citing prolonged high interest rates as a contributing factor.According to the “Economic Outlook” rel
Korean shipbuilders lagged behind Chinese shipbuilders to take second place in global ship orders in January.Global ship orders totaled 2.57 million CGT (96 ships) in January, down 26 percent year on year, according to Clarkson Research, a U.K.-based shipbuilding and shipping market research firm. O
The share of long-time workers among all wage earners in South Korea has plummeted from its previous value to the average level of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries, according to a survey. In particular, the proportion of wage earners who work more than 60
The global electric vehicle battery market, excluding China, has continued its strong growth trend, reaching close to 40 percent growth last year. While the battery usage by the three major K-battery companies increased significantly, their market share saw a slight decline.According to SNE Research
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at jaekwang.rhee@nhqv.com -- Ed.Both 4Q23 and 2023 earnings reached historic highs. This year, earnings should remain steady, with share price momentum being driven by an uptick in overseas orders. KAI is targeting 2024 aircr