BMW Korea has reclaimed its position as the leader in the South Korean imported car market for the first time in eight years, surpassing Mercedes-Benz Korea. Sales of eco-friendly cars, including electric and hybrid vehicles, have overtaken gasoline cars.According to the Korea Automobile Importers &
In the domestic automotive market, a significant deceleration in the demand for electric cars is becoming apparent. Specifically, there will also be a decrease in government subsidies for electric car purchases this year. The aversion of domestic consumers towards electric cars, which are positioned
LS Cable Asia marks the first trading day of the new year under its revised name, LS Eco Energy. Listed on the Korea Exchange’s KOSPI market since Sept. 22, 2016, LS Eco Energy is strategizing to boost corporate value by venturing into new businesses like undersea cables and rare earth elements.Acco
Earnings at Samsung C&T have been leveling upwards on strong earnings at the construction division through captive clients and brisk growth at the bio division. Based on such, the firm has announced plans to: 1) expand investment to strengthen its business portfolio; and 2) retire all of its treasur
The imported car market in Korea which has been dominated by Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, and Volkswagen, is in the midst of a fierce standings battle in the lead up to the end of 2023 so much attention is being paid to whether the market landscape will change. Mercedes-Benz, which has held the top spo
On Dec. 27, POSCO Holdings announced that it signed a joint venture agreement with China’s Zhongtai Cryogenic Technology on Dec. 22 for the production of high-purity rare gases. POSCO Holdings and Zhongtai will hold 75.1% and 24.9% in the joint venture, respectively.Zhongtai, listed on the Shenzhen
Recent reports indicate that the rear windows of Tesla’s mid-sized SUV, the “Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD),” are shattering. It is presumed that extreme cold weather, with perceived temperatures reaching as low as -26 degrees Celsius, is influencing this phenomenon.On Dec. 20, multiple community pl
South Korea’s growing imports of secondary battery materials and intermediate goods from China were blamed for South Korea’s trade balance with China which is expected to post its first deficit in 31 years.According to the Bank of Korea (BOK) on Dec. 20, South Korea’s trade balance with China posted
POSCO Holdings has succeeded in localizing electrodialysis membranes, a key component for lithium extraction, with a small but promising Korean company.On Dec. 14, POSCO Holdings and WSK announced that they signed a business agreement to jointly develop electrodialysis membranes for lithium producti
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
K-beauty companies are gaining tremendous popularity in the Japanese market, surpassing beauty powerhouse France. Leveraging cost-effectiveness and product quality, these companies are showcasing their presence across both online and offline markets, offering a range of products from basic skincare
Hyundai Motor will shut down its local plant, which once drove the automaker’s strong sales in Russia, by the end of this year. Some local reports say that the Korean carmaker will sell the plant to a local company in Russia in the aftermath of the Russian-Ukrainian war.Hyundai Motor plans to close
In November, Lexus sold 1183 units, a 42.4 percent surge from the same month of 2022 in Korea.Mercedes-Benz topped import sales last month. Volvo and Lexus were also strong. By vehicle type, sales of internal combustion engine cars declined, while sales of eco-friendly cars such as hybrids and elect
Sport utility vehicles (SUVs) are dominating the Korean new car market this year. More than six out of 10 new models sold this year were SUVs.A total of 767,979 SUVs, including recreational vehicles (RVs) such as minivans, were sold in Korea from January to October this year, according to industry s
Amid the continued positive trend in automotive exports, the export amount index has turned upward for the first time in 13 months, riding on the recovery in the semiconductor market. Due to the decline in international oil prices, the import amount index has experienced eight consecutive months of
China has overtaken Germany as the top exporter of electric vehicles (EVs) to Korea.Korea’s imports of Chinese EVs totaled US$172 million in October, according to the Korea International Trade Association (KITA). That’s more than double the amount of Korea’s German EV imports (US$70 million). This i
SK ecoplant has successfully internalized four critical technologies encompassing the pre- and post-processing stages of waste battery recycling, focusing on the enhancement of nickel, cobalt, and lithium recovery rates; wastewater reduction; and fire prevention rapid discharge.On Nov. 14, SK ecopla
The number of new imported vehicle registrations, mainly new imported electric vehicle (EV) registrations, slid, but only that of new imported hybrid vehicle registrations rose in Korea in October.The Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA) said on Nov. 3 that the number of new
In September, South Korea’s trade conditions improved for the fourth consecutive month. Export volumes also turned positive compared to the same month last year, marking the first increase in three months. Export revenue has continued to decline for the 12 consecutive month, but the extent of the de
Specialized organizations have predicted that the impact of China’s graphite export control will be resolved within three months. This is because there have been similar cases in the past and it is difficult for China to consume all the graphite produced in China alone. However, South Korean battery