Last year, the debt of the central and local governments, non-profit public institutions, and non-financial public enterprises in the public sector reached nearly 1,600 trillion won (US$1.24 trillion), marking a historic high. The debt of non-financial public enterprises such as Korea Electric Power
Information and communication technology (ICT) and automobiles are leading Korean exports. ICT exports emerged from a 17-month recessionary tunnel on the coattail of memory semiconductors. Automobiles are close to surpassing US$70 billion in annual exports for the first time ever.According to the Mi
The Korean government has decided to lower Korea’s import dependence on 185 key items for semiconductors, secondary batteries, automobiles and shipbuilding to 50% by 2030. As of last year, Korea’s import dependence averaged 70%, with some items exceeding 90%.The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energ
The continued decline in semiconductor prices and a slowdown in the growth rate of automobile exports have led to a deterioration in the growth and profitability indicators of domestic companies in the third quarter from July to September.According to the results of the “Q3 Corporate Management Anal
McKinsey & Company released an economic diagnosis report titled “Korea’s Next S-Curve” on Dec. 11. This report comes ten years after the firm’s previous report titled “Beyond Korean style: Shaping a new growth formula,” suggesting that the South Korean economy has reached its growth limits.In its re
Among the currencies used in global trade this year, the Chinese yuan has emerged as the second most widely used currency after the U.S. dollar, reflecting its substantial presence. The assessment suggests that the yuan is rapidly gaining momentum as a potential key currency in the future.During the
Among the business groups subject to disclosure with assets exceeding 5 trillion won (US$3.79 billion), or large corporate groups, last year, Celltrion secured the top spot for the sixth consecutive year with the highest proportion of internal transactions. The overall internal transaction ratio of
As China’s economy has expanded its independence in intermediate goods, it will be difficult for South Korea to enjoy the same benefits as in the past, according to a report on China’s growth structure transition process and the ripple effects released by the Bank of Korea (BOK) on April 4. The repo
South Korea’s exports rose nearly 8 percent in November, marking the second month of growth after October. According to November import and export trends released by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) on Dec. 1, exports reached US$55.8 billion last month, up 7.8 percent from the same
SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won has proposed the formation of an economic partnership between Korea and Japan to proactively address the changes to the global economy caused by geopolitical conflicts and divisions.“The era of a single global market has passed due to geopolitical conflicts, climate ch
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
Card spending abroad by residents in the third quarter nearly reached US$4.8 billion, indicating a recovery to pre-COVID-19 levels, as overseas travel and direct online overseas purchases have increased. However, card spending by foreigners in Korea decreased, amounting to only half of overseas card
On Nov. 28, the Incheon Port Authority (IPA) announced the new acquisition of car cargo volume from the Japanese global shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) at Incheon Inner Harbor.According to the IPA, the MOL car carrier “MV. LAVENDER ACE” departed from Tianjin Port, China, on Nov. 24
An analysis has emerged suggesting that the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) Korea Index is poised to experience a 20 percent increase in the coming year.On Nov. 26, Bloomberg Intelligence (BI), a research institution under Bloomberg, projected a 58 percent increase in the total earnings
With a short-term external debt ratio reaching a historically low level in the third quarter of this year, South Korea’s ability to meet external obligations is demonstrated by an increase of US$21.4 billion in net external financial assets in just one quarter. This is because debts decreased more s
Korea’s real gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to rise by 2.0 percent next year from this year, according to the state-run Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade (KIET) in its 2024 Economic and Industrial Outlook report released on Nov. 20. The relatively conservative forecast is
The value of the Japanese yen is nearing its lowest point in 33 years, emerging as a hidden challenge for South Korea’s industrial sector. Key industries such as steel, automotive, and electronic components, which directly compete with Japanese counterparts, are facing weakened price competitiveness
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned the Korean economy that it will fall in a low-growth slump for the next five years if it does not take proper steps to reform its structure now.According to an analysis of the IMF’s recently released annual report on Korea, the country’s gross domesti
In the ratio of corporate debt to South Korea’s gross domestic product (GDP), it has been revealed that the country has moved from the fourth to the third position globally in just three months.According to the world debt report released by the Institute of International Finance (IFF) on Nov. 16, co
Due to the increase in corporate export proceeds deposits, resident foreign currency deposits rebounded by approximately US$4.6 billion last month compared to a month earlier. Yen deposits reached a record high due to individual investment demand amid the yen depreciation trend as well as corporate