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
While the government has been emphasizing price stability in recent times, foreign and multinational companies are exacerbating domestic price increases.According to the retail industry on Oct. 28, it has been pointed out that despite the government’s recent call for restraint in price increases, so
Global brands from various sectors are taking notice of the Korean market. Leading luxury brands like Gucci and PRADA have hosted large-scale events in Korea, while imported car brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi are using Korea as a testbed for their products. This trend extends beyond jus
China’s move to control exports of graphite, a key raw material for secondary batteries, beginning from the end of the year has put the Korean battery industry on alert. The Korean industry is more than 90 percent dependent on China for graphite. This means that it is a real challenge for the indust
A video of a worker urinating on raw materials at a Tsingtao Beer plant in China has raised questions about whether the video will make a change in the imported beer market in Korea.“Korea is highly concerned about food hygiene and has some anti-China sentiments, so the video is bound to give the ne
The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) suggested in a report that Korea cooperate with major Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Qatar in the fields of future energy, electric vehicles and defense.The KCCI released the report on economic coop
Amid tensions between the U.S. and China, domestic businesses are growing increasingly anxious as China includes graphite, a crucial component for secondary batteries, in its export control list. This move towards controlling not just gallium and germanium but also graphite by China in the second ha
Eco-friendly car exports, including hybrid, electric, and hydrogen vehicles, recorded US$18 billion in the first nine months of this year, outpacing the total eco-friendly car exports of US$16.1 billion in the previous year.According to a “September 2023 Automotive Industry Trends” report released b
As the global aviation industry accelerates its efforts to introduce Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) for carbon emission reduction, it appears that no South Korean airport has made it onto the list of “SAF-supplying Airports” designated by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Conce
BMW is aggressively entering the Korean electric vehicle market with the establishment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure as a key strategy.According to BMW Korea on Oct. 14, the German automaker has installed 920 EV charging stations in Korea, starting with 120 EV chargers at E-Mart branch
Worries have surfaced that South Korea’s steel industry, which relies heavily on blast furnaces, could face significant challenges amid speculation that the United States and the European Union (EU) are discreetly working on standards for an “Eco-friendly Steel Club” that may be advantageous to thei