Korea’s current account surplus reached US$35.5 billion in 2023. This was mainly because the volume of goods exports reaching a yearly high at the end of 2023.The current account surplus stood at US$7.41 billion in December, according to a December 2023 provisional balance of payments data released
Hyundai Rotem’s U.S. subsidiary has won an electric vehicle supply order. The company announced on Feb. 6 that Hyundai Rotem USA was selected as the final bidder for the LA Metro electric train supply project ordered by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The business is va
Korean carmakers and car importers are in a flurry of activity as the Korean Ministry of Environment laid out a plan on Feb. 6 to change subsidies for electric vehicles (EVs) in 2024. According to the revised plan, Hyundai and Kia will remain at the same level, while mid-sized Korean-based carmakers
KG Mobility, once a perennially loss-making company, has returned to profitability last year, driven by increased exports to Europe and Latin America.According to industry and securities market sources on Feb. 6, KG Mobility’s operating income for last year is estimated to be around 5 billion won. T
SK innovation reported on Feb. 6 that its revenue for the last year amounted to 77.2885 trillion won (US$58.2400 billion) with an operating profit of 1.9039 trillion won. Compared to the previous year, revenue and operating profit decreased by 0.98% and 51%, respectively.In the fourth quarter of las
The global leading automotive company Toyota, which has been embroiled in a “quality certification fraud” scandal, announced a record-breaking net profit of 4.5 trillion yen, equivalent to 40.2 trillion won or US$30.28 billion, for the fiscal year 2023, spanning from April 2023 to March 2024. The pr
For the third year in a row since 2020, HL Mando changed the first digit of its annual sales figure, ushering in the era of 8 trillion won in sales.HL Mando announced on Feb. 5 that its sales increased 11.7 percent from the previous year to 8.3930 trillion won (US$6.3255 billion) and its operating p
LS Electric announced on Feb. 5 that it has held a completion ceremony for the Durango factory in Mexico of its electric vehicle component subsidiary, LS e-Mobility Solution.The ceremony was attended by about 50 key figures, including Koo Ja-kyun, chairman of LS Electric; Kim Won-il, representative
Domestic defense companies such as LIG Nex1, Hyundai Rotem, and Hanwha Aerospace are mobilizing to participate in the Saudi International Defense Exhibition held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, until Feb. 8, aiming to penetrate the Middle Eastern market.According to the defense industry on F
The South Korean battery industry, on the brink of achieving an annual export milestone of US$10 billion, has seen a slowdown in its growth momentum. This deceleration is attributed to a reduction in battery demand due to a slowdown in electric vehicle (EV) demand, along with the relocation of produ
Hanwha Group is showcasing its cutting-edge aviation technology, including fighter jet engines, to countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia.Hanwha Aerospace, Hanwha Systems, and Hanwha Ocean, the defense affiliates of Hanwha Group, announced their participation in the World Defence Show
The defense affiliates of Hanwha Group, including Hanwha Aerospace, Hanwha Systems, and Hanwha Ocean, will be participating in the World Defense Show 2024 (WDS 2024), held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 4th to 8th Feb. With geopolitical crises increasing security demands in key Middle East regions, Ha
U.S.-based Aptiv, Hyundai Motor Group’s partner in autonomous driving technology development, will stop funding for its joint venture with the Korean automaker Motional. After six years of preparations, the company’s commercialization of unmanned autonomous taxis (robotaxis) has been delayed and its
Italian supercar brand Lamborghini sold more cars in South Korea than in its home country of Italy in 2023.Lamborghini, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2023, sold 10,112 units globally, up 10 percent from the previous year, the company said on Jan. 31. This was the first time Lamborghini ha
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) has set a target of US$700 billion for South Korea’s exports next year, with a plan to attract US$35 billion in foreign direct investment in Korea and US$150 trillion in private investment.MOTIE Minister Ahn Duk-geun said in a briefing at the Sejong
Korea-based automakers exported 2.76 million vehicles to 196 countries in 2023, according to the Korea Automotive and Mobility Industry Association (KAMA). This was the highest in eight years since 2015. Exports to the U.S. smashed the 1-million-unit milestone.Six Korea-based carmakers -- Hyundai Mo
Bentley Motors announced on Jan. 29 that it delivered a total of 13,560 units in the global market last year, the third highest performance in its history.In South Korea alone, the automaker sold a total of 810 vehicles in 2023. For the second year in a row, South Korea ranked fifth in Bentley sales
Hyundai Mobis (KRX 012330) has rewritten the history of overseas orders for global automakers by capitalizing on the ‘electrification’ trend last year. Surpassing its annual target significantly, Hyundai Mobis has inaugurated the era of overseas orders exceeding KRW 10 trillion. The company plans to
EcoPro announced that it exported approximately 107,000 tons of high nickel cathode materials in 2023, up 24.4 percent from 86,000 tons in 2022. EcoPro’s high nickel cathode material exports exceeded 10,000 tons for the first time in 2018 with 16,000 tons and then steadily increased to 18,000 tons i
The secondary battery sector, which propelled the stock market last year, has experienced a persistent decline since the beginning of this year, leading to a reduction in market capitalization of nearly 50 trillion won.According to the Korea Exchange, the aggregated market capitalization of nine sec