Since taking office in early July 2022, Ongjin County Mayor Moon Kyung-bok has been busy listening to the voices of his residents. This has been producing remarkable positive results.In 2023, Ongjin County paved the way for a new leap forward, including finalizing a plan for the construction of Baek
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at junsup@nhqv.com -- Ed.From now forward, we believe that the key to determining the value of financial sector plays is to be the existence of specific shareholder return policies and the market's level of trust in them.Boos
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
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at junsup@nhqv.com -- Ed.At Hyundai M&F, 2024E P/B sits at only 0.39x, well below that for Samsung F&M (0.76x) and DB Insurance (0.59x). Although its shareholder return momentum is weak, Hyundai M&F offers limited valuation b
A Korean-owned Ireland-based semiconductor company is reportedly among companies included in a list of those under U.S. sanctions against Russia.According to the Irish Times in Dublin, Ireland-based Cubit Semiconductor was included in the sanctions announced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s
FILA announced on Feb. 23 that it has successfully installed water filtration systems at several health centers in Cambodia’s Ratanakiri province to contribute to improved living standards for local residents in one of the Southeast Asian country’s most marginalized regions.In line with its key soci
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 government is focusing its policy efforts on “normalizing the nuclear power industry ecosystem.” It has come up with support measures encompassing advancing research and development (R&D), facilitating job opportunities, extending financial aid, and offering tax incentives.On Feb. 22, the govern
Foreign investors who invest in domestic stocks and bonds will see significant improvements in the complex foreign exchange procedures they have faced so far. It is expected that the accessibility of foreign investors to the domestic market and the Korean won will improve.The Bank of Korea and the M
The U.S. government has announced a plan to provide over 2 trillion won (US$1.5 billion) in subsidies to the U.S.-based semiconductor company GlobalFoundries. This marks the first large-scale support initiative since the enactment of the CHIPS and Science Act (CSA) in 2022 aimed at building the semi
Carrot General Insurance announced on Feb. 19 that it has secured a contract for the implementation of Behavior Based Insurance (BBI) solutions with Indonesia’s Lippo General Insurance.This contract acquisition marks the first instance where Carrot’s inherent technological expertise and data capabil
Hyundai Motor Group which runs Hyundai Motor, Kia Corp. and Genesis sold a total of 7.34 million vehicles globally in 2023, ranking third in sales, according sources in the automobile industry. This marked the second consecutive year that the group has ranked among the big three.Toyota Group, with b
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
The presidential office stated regarding Cuba, with which diplomatic relations have recently been established, that “as a major reserve of nickel and cobalt, which are essential for secondary battery production, Cuba holds significant potential for cooperation in mineral supply chain sectors.”Accord
The competition in the foldable phone market is expected to intensify this year. Amid predictions that Chinese companies, including Huawei, are set to release a “tri-fold phone” that can fold both inwards and outwards twice, Samsung, a leader in the foldable phone market, is anticipated to unveil it
The author is an analyst for Shinhan Securities. He can be reached at sokang@shinhan.com -- Ed.4Q23 review: New game and profitability disappointNCsoft registered operating profit of KRW3.9bn (-91.9% YoY, -76.7% QoQ, operating margin of 0.9%) on sales of KRW437.7bn (-20.1% YoY, +3.5% QoQ) for 4Q23,
Korea’s four major oil refiners are posting a gradual drop in their exports to China. They are diversifying their export destinations to Australia, Japan, and other countries to fill the void. China used to be Korea’s top petroleum product export market.According to the Korea National Petroleum Asso
Civic groups in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, collectively known as the “POSCO Citizens’ Response Committee,” held an urgent executive committee meeting on Feb. 12 to formally oppose the nomination of former POSCO President Jang In-hwa as the CEO candidate for POSCO Holdings.The Citizens’ Commi
During the Lunar New Year holiday, Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics, visited the Samsung SDI battery manufacturing facility in Malaysia, emphasizing the need for bold investments despite challenges. On Feb. 12, Samsung Electronics reported that Chairman Lee, having arrived in Malaysia o
On Feb. 7, Bloomberg reported that Tesla sold only one unit of the Model Y in Korea in January, citing Korean market research firm CarIsYou and government data.The growth of the electric vehicle market in Korea slowed as high interest rates and inflation have kept consumers from spending, while conc