In the first half of this year, insurance companies achieved a net profit of nearly 10 trillion won (US$7.56 billion), driven by increased sales of guaranteed insurance policies and the positive effects of implementing new accounting standards, specifically IFRS9 and IFRS17.According to the prelimin
Eight out of ten business leaders have expressed the belief that the Chinese economy will continue to deteriorate in the future. This outlook is attributed to mounting concerns over risks stemming from China, notably those associated with the U.S.-China conflict. It is increasingly evident that the
The preliminary estimate indicates that in this year’s second quarter, the GDP of the member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) grew by 0.4% compared to the previous quarter. South Korea recorded a growth rate of 0.6%, tying with the United States for 10th
On Aug. 30, HJ Shipbuilding & Construction announced the naming ceremony for two 5,500 TEU container ships at its Yeongdo shipyard in Busan. Commissioned by a European shipowner, these vessels are named “Zim Danube” and “Zim Ganges.”These ships are two of the four eco-friendly container ships ordere
Defense contractor Poongsan announced on Aug. 29 that it has succeeded in developing a 155 ㎜ projectile with a significantly increased range. The range of current mass-produced projectiles is about 40 kilometers, but the range-extending projectile developed this time reaches about 60 kilometers.The
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT) announced on Aug. 29 that it will initiate an inspection of the Social Overhead Capital (SOC) projects being undertaken in the Saemangeum region of Jeollabuk-do, or North Jeolla Province. The ministry intends to examine the necessity, feasi
The procurement for the El Dabaa project in Egypt and the tritium removal facility (TRF) project in Romania, which were secured after the inauguration of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, will begin in October. This will unlock a total of 104 items with a value of 800 billion won (US$603.77 million)
Lotte Card employees have sparked controversy by being involved in an embezzlement case exceeding 10 billion won (US$7.55 million).The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) announced on Aug. 29 that it had conducted an on-site inspection regarding the recent allegations of embezzlement by Lotte Card e
Hyundai Engineering & Construction (E&C) is on the cusp of entering the global top 10, having secured the 11th spot in the “Top 250 International Contractors” ranking for 2023, as announced by the U.S.-based construction engineering magazine Engineering News Record (ENR). ENR annually ranks global c
POSCO International is aggressively pushing forward with securing secondary battery materials and resources.On Aug. 28, POSCO International announced a significant expansion of its global trading business for key secondary battery materials and resources such as lithium and graphite, which it suppli
ESG disclosures in Korea will be mandatory for companies with more than 2 trillion won in assets starting in 2025, but even large companies are still struggling to prepare.The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) surveyed ESG executives from 100 Korean companies -- 59 large companies and 41
As AIA Life Insurance prepares for the launch of its sales company in September, the company has started offering a remarkable incentive to competitors’ agents: up to 200 percent of their previous year’s salary. This represents a substantial increase of 18 to 190 percentage points above the industry
The Korean government has begun to improve its system to allow more skilled foreign workers to work longer at workplaces in Korea.On Aug. 24, the Ministry of Justice announced a plan to revolutionize work visa regulations in order to drive Korea’s economic growth at the 4th Regulation Innovation Str
The Korea Trade Insurance Corporation (K-SURE) announced on Aug. 24 that it will provide financial support of US$110 million (approximately 150 billion won) for the construction of a wind tower factory in Vietnam, an initiative led by wind power equipment manufacturer CS Wind.The project entails the
Hyundai Mobis (KRX: 012330) is poised to outline its electrification-centric vision at the apex of the European mobility show. The company is positioning itself to appeal to Europe's leading automotive companies, renowned for its rigorous standards in technical excellence and dependability. The stra
In the second quarter of this year, Korea’s net external financial assets (external financial assets minus external financial liabilities), which reflects the country’s external solvency, declined amid rising stock markets at home and abroad.However, Korea’s ratio of short-term external debt to tota
LG Innotek will join hands with SK E&S to expedite the attainment of its RE100 goals. RE100 is a commitment to use electric power only from renewable energy such as wind and solar.On Aug. 23, LG Innotek announced that it has signed a direct power purchase agreement (PPA) with SK E&S.A direct PPA is
In the first half of this year, South Korea’s top four petrochemical companies – LG Chem, Lotte Chemical, Kumho Petrochemical, and Hanwha Solutions – have collectively lowered the average operational rates at their domestic petrochemical plants. This adjustment comes as the petrochemical industry ha
It has been revealed that major defense companies in South Korea achieved one-third of their total revenue through exports in the first half of this year. Following export contracts with countries like Poland last year, actual product deliveries have commenced this year, contributing to the increase
As the hydrogen market is expected to expand as an eco-friendly energy industry, major countries are rushing to promote hydrogen utilization promotion policies.On Aug. 22, the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) released a report on policy research to boost the competitiveness of the Korean