South Korean ramen exports nearly reached US$1 billion last year. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on Jan. 17, ramen exports stood at US$952.4 million last year and marked a whopping increase of 24.4 percent compared to the previous year. Ramen exports have been consi
KT&G announced on Jan. 17 that it has been diligently cooperating with the U.S. government’s investigation into allegations of tobacco-related regulatory violations since 2021.KT&G issued a statement on the day, stating, “The company has submitted a comprehensive document and materials regarding the
Korea’s automobile exports hit a record high of USUS$70.9 billion in 2023.Korea’s automobile exports increased 31.1 percent year on year to US$70.9 billion last year, according to 2023 annual automotive industry data released by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) on Jan. 16. This sur
Samsung Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean are expected to wrap up shipbuilding contracts in March. QatarEnergy has expanded the size of its second phase LNG carrier ordering project.QatarEnergy, Qatar’s state-run energy company, has increased the number of reserved slots at Samsung Heavy Industries,
JW Pharmaceutical announced on Jan. 15 that it has received approval from the Malaysian National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) for a phase 3 clinical trial plan, or investigational new drug (IND), of its gout treatment drug Epaminurad (code name URC102).The Phase 3 clinical trial for Epami
Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) participated in CES 2024 held in Las Vegas, Nevada, the U.S., from Jan. 9 to 12. It was joined by 19 partner companies, collectively providing opportunities for global market expansion.K-water’s booth attracted numerous global buyers, investors, accelerato
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in South Korea announced the launch of the Asia-Pacific Food Regulatory Authority Summit (APFRAS) Secretariat on Jan. 15 to support the activities of the international cooperative body aimed at leading food sector international cooperation and regulatory harmoniz
The Korean beauty care industry is turning its eyes to the Japanese market. It is a strategy to try to rebound by targeting Japan as an alternative market as its performance weakened due to a decline in the market share of Korean cosmetics in China.LG Household and Health Care’s cumulative sales thr
The number of technical regulations notified by World Trade Organization (WTO) member countries in 2023 exceeded 4,000 for the first time ever, a record high, showing that technical barriers to trade were rising among countries.The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards under the Ministry of Tra
It has been reported that China, which has implemented export controls on graphite, a key material for battery cathodes, since December of last year, has granted permission for the export of graphite to major battery companies in South Korea. However, there remains the possibility of further tighten
Cosmax, a global cosmetics original design manufacturing (ODM) company, will begin targeting emerging markets such as the Middle East and South America beginning from 2024.Last year, Cosmax operated the Emerging Markets TF for four regions -- the Middle East, South America, India, and Africa -- to s
In the global electric vehicle (EV) market, the market share of South Korean battery manufacturers has fallen below 50%. China’s CATL, previously dominant only in the domestic market, is now matching LG Energy Solution in the global market outside China, enhancing its presence significantly.Accordin
LS Eco Energy (formerly known as LS Cable & System Asia) has become the first Korean company to sign a large-scale long-term rare earth purchase contract in Vietnam. The contract signing is expected to stabilize LS Eco Energy’s rare earth supply chain by diversifying import sources of rare earth tha
Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical, a leading biotechnological and pharmaceutical company in South Korea, is poised to achieve a nearly sevenfold increase in operating profit in the fourth quarter of last year compared to the same period the previous year. This remarkable growth is attributed to the tech
Korea’s current account has been in surplus for seven consecutive months as its exports recovered.Korea’s current account surplus stood at US$4.06 billion in November last year, according to provisional balance of payments statistics released by the Bank of Korea on Jan. 9. It had been in surplus fo
With the re-addition of Guatemala, the only Central American country that had previously withdrawn from the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with South Korea and Central American nations, the FTA has reached its final completion.The Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE) announced that it formall
In 2023, overseas construction orders totaled US$33.31 billion, exceeding US$30 billion for the fourth consecutive year. However, it is just short of the target of US$35 billion.According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT) on Jan. 8, 321 Korean overseas construction compa
The big three Korean shipbuilders -- HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, Samsung Heavy Industries, and Hanwha Ocean -- are expected to lower their annual order targets for 2024 compared to last year. According to a recent industry report, HD Hyundai’s shipbuilding intermediate holding comp
Starting from the second half of this year, South Korean companies will have the option to settle export and import payments in Korean won when engaging in trade transactions with certain countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). This move is expected to allow businesses to
Three mid-sized Korean-based automakers -- GM Korea, KG Mobility, and Renault Korea Motors -- exported eight out of every 10 units they sold last year, according to industry sources. These three companies, which exited the tunnel of losses by expanding exports, plan to solidify their rebound momentu