The sale of ECORBIT, which is considered the key element in the normalization of Taeyoung Engineering & Construction, is gaining momentum with the selection of lead managers. UBS and Citigroup Global Markets Securities, two global investment banks (IBs), have been assigned the task.According to sour
Cho Dong-chul, the president of Korea Development Institute (KDI), publicly issued a stark warning on government debt, going so far as to state, “The country will collapse.” In particular, he cautioned that South Korea’s national debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio could skyrocket to over 250
With about one week to go until the end of negotiations for the sale of HMM, new uncertainties are affecting the future of the negotiations as global shipping industry alliances begin to reorganize. With the management of HMM in limbo as Denmark’s Maersk and Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd form a new alliance
The Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) announced on Jan. 29 that it has established its fifth overseas hub, following the opening of offices in New York, London, Singapore, and San Francisco.The new hub is the Mumbai office in India, marking the KIC’s first overseas presence in an emerging market. T
SoftBank Ventures Asia is officially changing its company name to SBVA from beginning of February 1st after The Edgeof acquired the company from SoftBank Group Corp.(SBG) in June of last year. The new SBVA embraces the concept of technological singularities and the broader impacts of the virtues of
As international oil prices and refining margins both experienced a simultaneous decline in the fourth quarter of last year, the oil industry’s performance was once again placed in a state of emergency.In the worst-case scenario, four major oil companies -- SK Energy, GS Caltex, S-Oil, and HD Hyunda
The Export-Import Bank of Korea (Korea Eximbank) announced on Jan. 25 that it will establish and operate a “Saudi Desk” to support projects in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Desk of Korea Eximbank is expected to play a specialized role in handling business related to projects in
Experts are anticipating that the economic growth rate for South Korea will reach 2.2 percent this year. This aligns with the forecasts presented by the government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), both indicating a 2.2 percent growth. It slightly surpasses the Bank of Korea’s projection of
Local customs officials have apprehended executives of a distribution company involved in the smuggling of U.S.-made semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) chips, classified as strategic items, into China after importing them for domestic use. This marks the first instance of customs discovering the
Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI and a key figure in the global spread of generative AI sparked by ChatGPT, is visiting South Korea on Jan. 26. This visit follows his recent proposal to shake up the industry with the establishment of a global AI semiconductor production network.According to the semicon
South Korea’s economy continued to grow slowly throughout the year of 2023 with an annualized growth rate in the low 1 percent range. Exports are expecting it to continue to improve, but a strong rebound is unlikely this year as domestic demand remains weak.The Bank of Korea (BOK) released prelimina
Alipay+ announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) on January 24 to together revitalize inbound tourism and ensure a more convenient and seamless checkout experience for international tourists visiting in the country.Under the MOU, the
Hyundai Oilbank, led by CEO Chu Young-min, has embarked on entering the North American market by supplying lubricant products, specifically the XTeer series, to the global industrial vehicle manufacturing company HD Hyundai XiteSolution.The supplied products include lubricants such as hydraulic oil
NEOPIN, a decentralized crypto banking service, announced today that it has signed a strategic business agreement (MOU) with Catalyze Research (Catalyze), a web3 and blockchain consulting firm, and Futureverse, a metaverse, artificial intelligence (AI), and infrastructure development company, to exp
Financial Services Commission (FSC) Vice Chairman Kim So-young recently stated, “If more foreign financial companies expand their presence in South Korea, pioneer new markets and introduce new products, promoting innovation and competition, it will greatly contribute to the development of the South
Hana Bank announced on Jan. 17 (local time) that it has been honored with the “Best Trade Finance Provider in Korea 2024,” an award presented by the global financial and economic publication Global Finance.With the latest award, Hana Bank has achieved a remarkable feat by winning the “Best Trade Fin
On Jan. 17, KB Financial Group was announced as the only domestic financial company to be selected for the “Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World” by the global ESG advisory group Corporate Knights, marking its consecutive inclusion for two years.The “Global 100 Most Sustainable Corp
A forecast has emerged predicting substantial growth in South Korea’s exports this year. On Jan. 18, the Bank of Korea (BOK) published an issue note titled “Assessment and Insights on Global Growth and Trade Post-Pandemic – BOK Issue Note.”The BOK foresees an expansion in South Korea’s export growth
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at jaemin.ahn@nhqv.com -- Ed.In contrast to market concerns, KT should report healthy 2023 OP, as various expenses that occur each 4Q likely eased. We anticipate solid earnings at major subsidiaries and expect a highlighting
The police have referred individuals connected to Fidelis Asset Management, including its CEO, who are under suspicion for the improper sale of the “Fidelis Fund,” to the prosecution.The Financial Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced that three individuals, incl