In 2023, foreign direct investment (FDI) in Korea exceeded US$32.7 billion, a record high. High-tech materials, parts, and equipment such as semiconductors, secondary batteries, and biotech items led the increase in FDI in Korea.According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Jan. 4, FDI
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 &
The author is an analyst for Shinhan Securities. He can be reached at ldh@sinhan.com -- Ed.HD Hyundai Electric is expected to have earned sales of KRW844bn (+24% YoY) and operating profit of KRW100.9bn (+97% YoY) in 4Q23, beating consensus estimates by 6% and 14%, respectively. Operating margin like
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
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) announced on Jan. 2, 2024, that it has completed the delivery of 12 FA-50GF aircraft to Poland just 15 months after signing the export contract.KAI stated, “After signing a contract in September 2022 for the export of 48 FA-50 jets to Poland, the first and second FA-
Korea and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have finalized negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). The Korea-GCC FTA is Korea’s twenty-fifth FTA and the second with the Arab world after the Korea-United Arab Emirates (UAE) Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). As Korea has gain
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at bk@nhqv.com -- Ed.In 2023, an inflection point for the stock market was reached reflecting the differing stances taken by the Fed and market participants. Recently, the Fed has begun looking ahead toward lowering interest
Celltrion revealed on Dec. 26 that its biosimilar for autoimmune diseases, Yuflyma (CT-P17), has demonstrated equivalence and safety compared to the original drug, Humira.Developed by the American company AbbVie, Humira recorded sales of approximately US$21 brillion last year, making it the world’s
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT) announced on Dec. 26 that it will launch the KASS, which provides precise positioning signals by correcting positioning errors on Dec. 28. The service can decrease the scope of errors (15 to 33 meters) that occur when using GPS signals to 1
Taihan Cable & Solution announced on Dec. 26 that it has secured an order for a 380 kilovolt (kV) high-voltage power grid project from Germany’s TenneT. The contract is valued at 60 billion won (US$46.28 million).The project involves the construction of a 380 kV underground cable network to expand t
LG Electronics is intensifying its foray into the automotive market by enhancing its capabilities in car security platforms. The company plans to expand its market presence by strengthening global marketing and incorporating security technologies into its infotainment systems and telematics componen
The Korean government has temporarily postponed the dispatch of an additional reconstruction cooperation team to Ukraine. This is due to a combination of changes in the international situation due to the prolonged Ukraine-Russia war and a reshuffle of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration of Korea.Accord
Germany’s abrupt suspension of subsidies for electric vehicles (EVs) sold in the country is puzzling South Korea’s auto industry, which exports electric vehicles to the region. This along with France’s plan to reorganize its EV subsidies to measure carbon emissions and provide differential subsidies
OCIM, a wholly owned subsidiary of OCI Holdings in Malaysia, has penetrated the U.S. market by signing a contract worth US$1 billion with an American company. OCIM’s strategic product is non-Chinese polysilicon.OCI Holdings announced on Dec. 19 that it had signed a contract for the supply of polysil
Lotte Chemical announced on Dec. 18 that its packaging made of “PET CLEAR” material has been certified for its excellent recyclability by RecyClass, a European institution that verifies recyclability.To obtain this certification, the plastic’s material, design, type, labeling, and other factors are
Samsung Electronics, once the world’s No. 1 research and development (R&D) company, has slipped to seventh place. The number of Korean companies in the top 2,500 global R&D companies has also dropped.Samsung’s R&D investment in 2022 amounted to 18.435 billion euros (US$20.083 billion), pulling down
Doosan Robotics announced on Dec. 14 that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Dec. 13 (local time) with Schiphol International Airport in the Netherlands and the Danish company Cobot Lift for the supply of the Schiphol International Airport Collaborative Robot Luggage Handling System.Do
SeAH Group is rapidly expanding its global offshore wind power business. It is expanding its presence in the European market as an offshore wind substructure supplier.SeAH Wind, an offshore wind substructure manufacturing subsidiary of SeAH Steel Holdings, announced on Dec. 14 that it has been award
The Korean government will provide 38 trillion won (US$29 billion) in financial support, including expanding loan limits and debt guarantees for the Korean secondary battery industry over five years. A separate bill will also be prepared to support the growth of a used battery industry ecosystem.The
LIG Nex1 is actively expanding its presence in the defense markets of Africa, Europe, and North America, following its success in the Middle East.According to defense industry sources on Dec. 13, LIG Nex1 made its inaugural participation at the “Egypt Defense Expo (EDEX) 2023,” the largest event of