One out of five Korean listed firms could not even afford debt interests in 2019 One out of five publicly trading companies in South Korea did not earn enough to afford interest payments on their debts last year, with the number of marginal companies in zombie state for three stra..

Hyundai Motor stays committed to new mobility drive in spite of virus setback Hyundai Motor Group stayed committed new mobility drive despite of the virus-battered global automobile industry prospects. Its executive vice chairman Chung Euisun on Wednesday attended the technolo..

Korean steelmakers stick to overseas investment plans despite COVID-19 South Korean steelmakers, undeterred by the prospects of a pandemic-induced slump, are committing to their overseas investment plans to reinforce their global supply chains for future growth. The co..

Korean LCCs start normalizing domestic flights on signs of virus spread easing South Korea’s budget carriers have begun to normalize domestic flights amid signs of containment in the spread of coronavirus. Air Busan, a low-cost carrier under Asiana Airlines Inc., said Tuesday t..

Grounded Korean Air to send 70% of its work force on paid leave until October South Korea’s flag carrier Korean Air Lines Co. with 90 percent of its fleet grounded from standstill in air travel due to global pandemic is sending more than 70 percent on its payroll on paid leave,..

Doosan Corp. may be pressed to share burden for loan grant to Doosan Heavy I&C Doosan Corp. is under pressure from state lenders to share the burden in bailing out Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co. (Doosan Heavy I&C). Doosan Heavy I&C was promised of 1 trillion won ($8..

Samsung, LG Elec reopen overseas factories, survive Q1 better than expected South Korea’s top electronics makers Samsung and LG have ended the first quarter better than expected and are readying to normalize overseas factories after weeks of shutdown to protect workers from c..

Hyundai Wia halts engine output for 4 days amid fall in overseas demand South Korea’s Hyundai Wia Corp., an auto parts making unit under Hyundai Motor Group, has plugged off its factory in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, from Monday to Thursday due to lack ..

HDC’s acquisition of Asiana Airlines hits snag with snowballed losses A buyout of Asiana Airlines Inc. has become a high-stakes gamble for HDC Hyundai Development Co. as the full-service airliner laden with debt overwhelming assets by nearly 1,800 percent faces yawning ..

Doosan Infracore to supply 32 excavators to China amid signs of demand recovery South Korea’s heavy equipment maker Doosan Infracore Co. received orders for 32 units of 22-ton excavators to two infrastructure construction companies based in Jilin Province in China, raising hope f..

Samsung Elec Q1 profit at $5.23 bn, down 10.6% on qtr, but above a-year ago Samsung Electronics Co. Tuesday projected a 10.6 percent fall in its operating profit in the first quarter from the previous three-month period as output and sales in its finished electronics were hit..

Amorepacific slapped with petty fine for unfair affiliate support South Korea’s cosmetics giant Amorepacific Group has been slapped with a fine of about 100 million won ($80,000) over unfair support to its affiliate.According to the Fair Trade Commission (FTC), the ..

Baedal Minjok’s new pricing system faces backlash in Korea The new fee structure of South Korea’s top food delivery app Baedal Minjok has drawn strong fury from member restaurants and may influence the antitrust agency’s approval of the buyout of the app oper..

KT signs to provide IPTV solutions to Thai 3BB TV KT Corp. signed a deal with Thailand-based 3BB TV to provide its internet protocol television (IPTV) technology and service expertise, the South Korean mobile carrier announced on Sunday.Under the 24 ..

Doosan Heavy I&C may study demerging Doosan Infracore, Bobcat as restructuring scheme South Korea’s Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co. may study demerging Doosan Infracore Co. and Doosan Bobcat Inc. to protect the sound units from sharing the troubles of the plant equipment mak..

SsangYong Motor’s fate on the line after Mahindra withdraws investment plans South Korea’s SsangYong Motor Co. finds itself back at a life-or-death moment as its largest foreign shareholder and state creditor appear to have run out of patience in the money-losing carmaker. I..

COVID-19 puts airlines and aviation-related biz at risk of chain bankruptcy The ripple from the devastation in the Korean air travel industry due to a global pandemic has developed into a shockwave, putting at least 250,000 jobs on the line and pushing a wide range of service..

Korean duty free stores shutter more outposts amid virus spread Major duty free store operators in Korea have chosen to shutter as air gateways stay idle amid coronavirus pandemic. Shilla Duty Free said on Thursday that it decided to close its Jeju store on weeke..

NCSoft enforces four-day workweek in April for social distancing vs virus South Korea’s leading online game developer and publisher NCSoft Corp. which has been most aggressive in social distancing practice amid virus threat by sending its entire work force on paid leave in ..

Sale of D’Live, Hyundai HCN to shake up Korea’s pay TV market Two South Korean cable TV operators have returned to the sale block to set off another wave of consolidation in the country’s pay TV market. Owners and creditors of D’Live, Korea’s fourth-largest ca..

Korean bio names prepare virtual PR as BIO International this year is held online South Korean bio names are prepping virtual presentations for the 2020 BIO International Convention (BIO USA) scheduled for June 8-11 to be held online for the first time this year amid ongoing pandem..

S. Korea’s COVID-19 testing kit maker SolGent picked as U.S. strategic supplier Kosdaq-listed EONE Diagnomics Genome Center Co. (EDGC) said on Wednesday that its Daejon-based affiliated COVID-19 detection kit developer SolGent has been registered with the U.S Federal Emergency Ma..

Korea develops VLP-based vaccine candidate against COVID-19 Korea National Institute of Health (KNIH) has successfully developed a vaccine candidate against COVID-19 based on a virus like particle (VLP) platform technology, an important step to realize a comme..

Sugentech completes FDA registration to export superfast COVID test kit to US Sugentech, a South Korean medical diagnostics company, is scaling up production of its antibody-based testing kit for COVID-19 after its product registration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration..

Korea’s top 3 telcos tap overseas 5G market through differentiated features Korea’s wireless telecommunications companies who were first in the world to migrate to 5G over the last year are appealing to overseas markets through distinctive features.The nation celebrated the f..

Seoul Viosys proves 99.9% sterilization of COVID-19 in 30 seconds Seoul Viosys Co., a subsidiary of South Korea’s leading light emitting diode (LED) developer Seoul Semiconductor Co., announced on Thursday that its compound semiconductor technology successfully achi..

Korea behind growing ‘electroceutical’ market due to lack of state attention The electroceutical market continues growth around the world, providing new opportunities to tech companies, but Korean innovators cannot make headway due to the industry’s low awareness of the burgeo..

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon launch with two astronauts on path for flight in May SpaceX’s astronaut launch is set for May with two astronauts on the Crew Dragon to the International Space Station (ISS) on its first operational mission ferrying humans to and from the space station...

AI in full deployment in Korea to expedite COVID-19 cure and test Artificial intelligence has come handy in the race in developing diagnosis of COVID-19 infections and a cure requiring speed and precision. According to industry sources on Wednesday, a growing numbe..

Canada-based Korean scientist claims human test of COVID-19 vaccine by June Dr. Chil-Yong Kang, South Korean born molecular virologist who is focusing on developing a COVID-19 vaccine in Canada, has confirmed that his research team will initiate a human clinical trial of the ..

Korean pharma firms accelerate overseas foray amid global spotlight South Korean pharmaceutical companies are going all out to raise overseas sales by launching new offices and speeding up planned clinical trials to capitalize on the newfound global spotlight from the..

GC Lab Cell teams up with KLEO to develop natural killer cell-based COVID-19 cure GC Lab Cell is making headway in the development of its natural killer (NK) cell-based cure to fight COVID-19. The South Korean cell therapy developer said on Monday it has agreed to team up with U.S..

Drawn-out fight over botox origin costs Daewoong and Medytox money and name The years-long court battle between Daewoong Pharmaceutical and Medytox over the origin of botulinum toxin (BTX) strain has cost the two Korean drug makers dearly in terms of money and reputation. ..

SKC aims for commercial production of blank masks in 2020 SKC Co., a South Korean industrial film and chemical material maker, has started prototype production of high-end blank masks, a key material used to pattern semiconductor chips, to ensure its commerc..

ImmuneMed to test its potential COVID-19 cure outside Korea: CEO ImmuneMed, a South Korean biotech firm, will soon launch clinical trials of its investigational coronavirus treatment outside Korea, the company chief executive Kim Yoon-won told Maeil Business Newspa..

Samsung to mass produce industry`s first EUV DRAM next year Samsung Electronics Co. has successfully applied extreme ultra-violet (EUV) processing technology to production of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips for the first time in the industry, further..

GenNBio initiates testing of COVID-19 DNA vaccines on monkeys South Korea’s organ transplant company GenNBio Inc. and its largest shareholder Genexine Inc. announced Wednesday that they have dosed its DNA candidate vaccine GX-19 to non-human primates to evaluate..

Korea’s sole negative pressure ambulance maker Autech in high demand amid COVID South Korea’s special vehicle manufacturer Autech Corp. plans to ramp up production of negative pressure paramedic ambulances in demand by public health centers and fire stations for their fight again..

Samsung launches all-in-one power chip for TWS earphones Samsung Electronics Co. on Tuesday announced the release of the industry’s first all-in-one power management chip optimized for true wireless stereo (TWS) devices that will allow manufacturers to craf..

WellBiotec to market SolGen’s COVID-19 kit at home and abroad WellBiotec, a South Korean leather product producer, said on Tuesday, it has a distribution contract with SolGent to sell the latter’s coronavirus sampling kit in Korea and overseas. The Kospi-listed..

K-Bank reattempts capitalization scheme via $488 million new share issue in June South Korea’s first internet-only bank K-Bank whose business more or less has been idled due to lack of fund reattempts capitalization through issue of rights worth 594.9 billion won ($487.7 million) ..

Korean brokerages under risk from shaky global real estate investments South Korean brokerage houses are exposed to risks in overseas investments backed by real estate properties whose value and returns have been hammered by the coronavirus pandemic.Real estate investmen..

S. Korean big companies have bond obligation of near $12 bn in Q2 South Korea’s top 500 companies have to fulfill obligation to 37.5 trillion won ($30.8 billion) in maturing bonds this year, of which 40 percent or nearly 15 trillion won is due in the second quarter...

SK Biopharmaceuticals delays IPO to Q3 amid COVID-19 jitters SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., a bio unit under South Korea’s SK Group, has decided to push back its initial public offering to the third quarter when hopefully coronavirus threat dies down. “The IPO co..

Some Korean drug makers overhyping COVID-19 cure progress to boost stock prices The heated race to develop a cure or a vaccine against COVID-19 amid global spotlight on Korean drug makers requires discretion as some are suspected to have overhyped their progress to inflate their ..

Korea Eximbank to create $327 mn fund to back K-bio global campaign State-run Export-Import Bank of Korea (Korea Eximbank) announced Monday it is launching a fund that will mainly invest in healthcare, medical and biopharmaceutical firms to back their global stretch a..

Lotte Foods debt issue stretched as state fund participation stokes demand Lotte Foods Co. was able to stretch debt offering at a better borrowing rate than it expected as it was lucky to be the first recipient of a 20-trillion-won ($16.3 billion) bond purchase program as a ..

Studio Dragon shares falter on CJ ENM’s stake sale Shares of Studio Dragon Corp., the drama-making wing of South Korea’s entertainment giant CJ ENM, underperformed the broad market Tuesday morning on news that its parent disposed 2,250,000 shares in t..

Kospi Q1 OP projected to have dipped 17% on yr, eyes on Samsung Elec report on Tues Combined operating profit of companies publicly trading on the main Kospi bourse is projected to have shriveled nearly 17 percent on year in the first three months and will likely worsen in the coming..

KDB to use up half in $1.54 bn corporate bond purchase program within April Half of the 1.9 trillion won ($1.54 billion) corporate bond buying program by state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB) will be expedited within the month to help sound Korean companies in distress amid ..

S. Korea expected to ease liquidity thresholds at banks during virus crisis South Korean banks will be temporarily exempted in their obligation to keep liquidity and loan coverage thresholds below 100 percent at a time they are under pressure to sustain households and compani..

KB Kookmin Bank issues $324 mn ESG bonds to aid virus-stricken firms South Korea’s commercial lender KB Kookmin Bank raised 400 billion won ($323.9 million) in issue of ESG bonds to support companies hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.The company announced Sunday tha..

Lotte Foods debt issue to be covered half by state-led stabilization fund Lotte Foods Co. will likely be the first beneficiary of South Korean government’s 20 trillion won ($16.3 billion) worth bond market stabilization fund that was announced late last month to help ease l..

Korea’s state utility firm issues 200 mn Swiss franc bond within desired rate State-owned Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC) has sold 200 million Swiss franc-denominated bonds ($205 million) in favorable rate from oversubscription, giving hope for revived overseas financing ..

Korea Exchange move towards removing 30% market cap rule in Kospi The Korean stock exchange operator is expected to do away with stock weighting cap rule as local markets are battered in virus panic. The Korea Exchange (KRX) on Thursday embarked on the process of re..

BOK may lend out to non-banking sector should liquidity shortage worsens South Korea’s central bank may resort to the exceptional case of lending out to financial institutions beyond commercial banks for the first time since the 1997-1998 international bailout crisis as it..

Corporate, personal bank loans surge in Korea in March amid virus squeeze Lending by five commercial majors in South Korea grew nearly 20 trillion won ($16 billion), the largest in five years, in March, as both companies and individuals sought to take out loans against the ..

Dream of jackpot pushes stock account openings in Korea to 11-year high in March Active stock accounts opened more than 800,000 in March, the largest addition since the global financial crisis, as cheap shares from virus-driven bear run raised individual hopes for a jackpot. Acco..

Korea’s CP yield hits 5-year high despite heavy fueling amid virus liquidity woes The borrowing rate in commercial papers in the South Korean money market fails to come down and hovers at a five-year high despite heavy liquidity fueling by the government and central bank, blunting ..

Kospi firms’ fiscal 2019 net profit halved on yr, faces tougher virus-hit 2020 Profits of South Korea’s listed companies halved in 2019 on year due to trade fallout from the faceoff between United States and China, stoking questions about their resilience to a bigger challenge f..

Korea’s central bank keeps rate steady at 0.75%, mulls other easing options As widely expected, the Bank of Korea Thursday kept the key rate target steady at 0.75 percent after an emergency cut last month while studying other options to ease short-term liquidity woes of compa..

KDB’s 3-year $500 mn bond offering oversubscribed by 4 times Korea Development Bank (KDB) sold $500 million worth of three-year notes at a favorable rate, proving strong appetite in South Korean sovereign debt despite uncertainties in the export-reliant economy..

S. Korea’s national debt tops $1.4 tr in 2019, deficit at record high South Korea’s national debt swelled in 2019 compared to a year earlier on increased issuance of state bonds, stretching fiscal deficit to its record level, a report released by the Ministry of Economy..

BOK policy meeting to focus on non-rate easing action, stay pat on rate: poll This week’s monetary policy is widely watched for additional non-rate easing actions such as the option of adding corporate bonds in its bond purchase program as the Bank of Korea (BOK) has already cu..

S. Korea likely to see current account deficit in April due to dividend payout South Korea may incur a deficit in its current account balance in April due to the surge in capital outflow from dividend payouts to foreign investors on top of subdued exports. The country’s top 20..

Korea’s FX reserves in March shrink by $9 bn, largest drop since 2008 crisis South Korea’s foreign exchange reserves in March shrank nearly $9 billion in a month, the biggest loss since the 2008 global financial crisis, as authorities took actions to defend the Korean won amid..

BOK injects $4.24 bn in its first unlimited repo program The South Korean central bank handed out full 5.25 trillion won ($4.24 billion) in its first weekly repurchase agreement (repo) auction after it promised to run its version of “unlimited” quantitative..

Korea CPI in March up 1% on higher food prices South Korea’s consumer prices rose 1.0 percent in March from a year earlier, with food prices picking up as more people sheltered at home because of the coronavirus. The consumer price index (CPI) g..

Small businesses in South Korea feel pinch amid COVID-19 shutdown Nearly all businesses are suffering from the economic fallout from the COVID-19 outbreak, but mom and pop businesses are feeling the biggest pinch in South Korea with their sales and profit nearly hal..

Korea’s exports slide 0.2% in March, but the worst is yet to come South Korea’s exports stood their ground in March, losing 0.2 percent on year, but the worst is yet to come as the coronavirus pandemic has only begun to wreak havoc on U.S. and European business acti..

Korea’s surplus electricity reaches highest in Mar as virus slows industrial activity South Korea’s electricity surplus reached a monthly record high in March as business and industrial activity was disrupted by coronavirus spread. According to the Korea Power Exchange on Tuesday, the..

S. Korea’s business sentiment in March at worst since global financial crisis South Korean business sentiment turned as bad as in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis in March as the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on corporate activities and economic prospects..

Korea’s industrial activity, local demand hammered in Feb by virus surge South Korea’s industrial activity and domestic demand shriveled in February as the country grappled with the rapid spread of COVID-19. The seasonally adjusted mining and manufacturing output in Febr..

Online retail sales rise fastest in Feb in Korea amid COVID-19 spread Sales of online retailers grew sharply last month as consumers in South Korea are shopping from groceries to furniture off online malls instead of venturing out amid unfazed virus threat. According ..

Seoul throws in extra incentives for primary dealers amid oversupply in govt bonds The South Korea government will run an unprecedented incentive program for primary dealers, market maker for government securities, to ensure smooth pipeline in its record financing plans for super-si..

COVID pandemic defers Basel III rule on banks to 2023: BOK The implementation date of the Basel III standards, new international rules for governing banks’ capital requirement, will be pushed back by one year in accordance with agreement by member countries i..

Korea’s March consumer sentiment at 11-year low amid virus crisis South Korea’s consumer sentiment in March dropped to levels last seen during the 2008 financial crisis amid fears of the coronavirus pandemic. The composite consumer sentiment index fell 18.5 points..

Korea to review easing stock tax rules to raise market appeal South Korea may ease the capital gains tax rule on big shareholders to lure more rich individuals into the local stock market. “We’re aware that the planned new rules on capital gains tax on large sh..

BOK tests quantitative easing through “unlimited” repo program until June South Korea’s central bank will supply “unlimited” short-term liquidity through repurchase-agreement operations, or repos, to back financial institutions joining state funds to stabilize securities ma..

Seoul to keep expansionary fiscal policy next year to back recovery from virus South Korean government will keep up expansionary fiscal policy next year despite yawning fiscal deficit to revitalize economy recovering from broad damages from the coronavirus outbreak. Under the..

DH’s buyout of Korean food delivery app Baemin hits bumps on monopoly concerns The new fee structure of South Korea’s largest food delivery app Baedal Minjok (Baemin) has sparked a debate over its potential monopoly status and may influence the regulatory review of the $4 billio..

S. Korea vows extra stimulus package to aid exporters, local spending The South Korean government will prepare another coronavirus relief package worth total 53.7 trillion won ($43.9 billion) aimed to bolster exports and domestic demand amid growing fears that the pande..

S. Korea halts visa waivers and visa-free entry for countries banning Koreans The Seoul government will temporarily halt visa waiver and visa-free entry programs for countries that forbid entry of South Koreans to restrict non-essential entries by foreigners.“While keeping the ..

Korean mobility platforms rush to fill void after Tada’s departure South Korean mobility startups have set out to fill the gap left by industry leader Tada, which axed its ride-hailing business after parliament passed a law to limit commercial rides on rental vans. T..

Korea’s current account surplus widens in Feb as chip exports offset virus woes South Korea’s current account surplus widened in February from a recovery in memory chip exports and reduced deficit in service balance after Koreans were prohibited venturing abroad due to the outbre..

S. Korea to lease state fuel space to refiners to store surplus oil South Korea, taking cue from the United States, will share its Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) storages with refiners to ease the supply glut amid plummeting demand from the coronavirus pandemic. ..

WHO chief invites S. Korea president to speak at World Health Assembly The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has asked South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in to deliver a keynote speech at the World Health Assembly (WHA) in May, praising the country for its succes..

Naver shares jump on expectations of stay-at-home boon South Korea’s top internet portal Naver Corp. saw its stocks jump almost 12 percent over the last two weeks on expectations that its e-commerce and content business would enjoy a boon from stay-at-hom..

Seoul says virus test kits approved by FDA, makers yet to receive notice South Korean foreign ministry on Monday announced three South Korean COVID-19 test kit makers have received a preliminary approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ship their kits t..

S. Korea pushes hard to enable broader adoption of smart ID The South Korean government has raised the speed in migration to digital identification and electronic certificates.The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on March 20 began allowing Korean..

Korea to hand out cash relief to 70% of population, defer social tax duties South Korea has joined other governments in handing out cash allowances to more than 14 million low- and middle-income households in its latest relief package to mitigate the economic impact of the co..

Korea to impose sweeping 2-wk quarantine on all int’l arrivals from Wed Anyone stepping into South Korea from April 1 will be required to stay isolated for two weeks regardless of their departure point and nationality as the number of coronavirus cases in the country tick..

Foreign car brands to recall 39,760 vehicles over faulty parts in Korea Volvo Cars Korea, GM Korea, Jaguar-Land Rover Korea, Audi-Volkswagen Korea and four other foreign car brands are ordered to recall 32 models, amounting to 39,760 vehicles, due to faulty components and..

Korean duty-free sales halved in Feb due to coronavirus outbreak South Korea’s duty-free sales were nearly halved in February as air travel came to a stop amid the surge of coronavirus cases in the country. Korean duty-free operators posted sales of 1.1 trillion ..

Seoul court says watchdog overstepped authority for punishing Woori Group chair A Seoul administrative court said the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) overstretched its authority by penalizing the top executive of banks for mis-selling exotic derivative products, a ruling that..

Seoul warns criminal action or deportation if overseas arrivals disobey quarantine rule The South Korea government vowed “zero tolerance” against people violating self-quarantine orders and warned them of criminal action on nationals and deportation for foreign nationals amid rising infe..

Trump calls S. Korean leader for coronavirus medical supplies U.S. President Donald Trump called South Korean President Moon Jae-in to ask for medical equipment support in the U.S. amid the rapid spread of the coronavirus there, according to South Korea’s presid..

State lenders, big companies in Korea also run into trouble in raising money The coronavirus pandemic has begun to stifle funding-raising for state lenders and large companies in South Korea. Export-Import Bank of Korea (EXIM Bank) has raised $1.02 billion by issuing commerci..

Active seniors can be S. Korea’s new growth engine: Maeil Business campaign South Korea must actively incorporate the “young old” aged between 65 and 75 called “yold” to cope with thinning working population that threatens the country’s growth potential, experts advise.The co..

As many as 1,600 diners, bars go out of business in Seoul this month As many as 1,600 eatery and drinking locations, both upscale and casual, have gone out of business across Seoul so far this month as people work from home and keep social activities to the minimum ami..

EU to boost garment industry in Myanmar The new phase of the European Union’s SMART Textile and Garments project will bring together brands, trade unions and business associations to boost social and environmental sustainability in Myanmar’..

Report: Wage growth sluggish for Msian youths, low-income households KUALA LUMPUR: Slowing income growth among lower-income households and younger workers has contributed to perceptions of Malaysians being “left behind”, reported the 1st edition of the World Bank’s Mal..

Japan Coast Guard to `eliminate` Chinese drones TOKYO -- The Japan Coast Guard plans to stop using and procuring Chinese-made drones in fiscal 2020 due to concerns over information security, Nikkei has learned. It will be the second case in which C..

Tesco may sell Thailand, Malaysia businesses LONDON: Britain`s biggest supermarket chain Tesco said on Sunday it had started a review of its businesses in Thailand and Malaysia, including looking at a possible sale. It said in a statement that ..

Baht concerns abound More than two decades ago, the baht suffered heavy devaluation as a result of speculation, forcing Thailand`s central bank to de-link the local currency from the US dollar and adopt a managed floating..

Singapore resident employment rate edges up but income growth slows: MOM SINGAPORE - The resident employment rate was slightly higher in June this year compared to the same month last year despite economic headwinds, according to an advance labour force report on Thursday ..

US promotes inclusive agriculture-led growth in Kachin State Myitkyina - US Ambassador Scot Marciel met with more than 60 members of the Kachin State agriculture sector in Myitkyina last Thursday, to discuss how the new US Agency for International Development (..

PM declares new tourism perks The government is set to revise the perks for investment in tourism and related services. Officials also pledge to introduce additional short-term measures to stimulate tourism during the high season..

Power shortages again in dry season, says prime minister Cambodia will face power shortages again from the end of this year throughout the dry season, Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Thursday. Speaking at the official launch of the National Strategic Develo..

Myanmar lags as ASEAN sees record FDI Foreign direct investment (FDI) into Myanmar still lags other countries in ASEAN, according to a report issued by the ASEAN Secretariat last week. The report ASEAN Investment Report 2019: FDI in Serv..

Foreign investors turned net buyers of Malaysia`s debt securities Foreign investors turned net buyers of Malaysia`s debt securities in September with total foreign holdings expanded to RM189.1 billion. This is after FTSE Russell decided to keep the country in the..

Viet Nam, Cambodia issue joint statement Viet Nam and Cambodia have issued a joint statement on the occasion of the Viet Nam visit by Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen from October 4-5 at the invitation of h..

Myanmar, Thailand accelerate plans to link, electrify Dawei SEZ Myanmar and Thailand will speed up development of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and deep sea port at Dawei in Tanintharyi Region, officials said during the 9th Myanmar - Thailand Joint Coordinating Co..

BoT optimistic about Q3 growth on tourism, stimulus Thailand`s economic growth in the third quarter is likely to improve from the second quarter`s reading, mainly thanks to positive tourism growth and the government`s economic stimulus measures, says t..

Vietnam GDP in first three quarters climbs to 9-year high Local gross domestic product (GDP) climbed nearly 7 per cent in the first three quarters of 2019, reaching its highest level for the last nine years. Director General of the General Statistics Of..

Evergrande partners with global leading automotive firms to bolster new energy vehicle dev. China`s conglomerate China Evergrande Group has joined hands with the world`s five leading automotive engineering and technology enterprises to further optimize its industrial chain layout in the new ..

Myanmar launches workplace guide to respecting local culture Foreign executives and managers in Myanmar can now rely on a handbook about respecting the local culture in the workplace when it comes to defusing possible cross-cultural misunderstandings and potent..

Myanmar vows to take stricter action on illegal trade Myanmar will take strict action against illegal trade with the aim of substantially reducing the volume of fake or illegal products entering the market, said U Soe Win, Minister of Planning and Financ..

Thailand hosts 37th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting Country Thailand`s Ministry of Energy has showcased its success in nominating Thai enterprises to win ASEAN Energy Awards 2019, with a total of 23 qualifying firms, setting a record for the highest number of ..

Cambodia Government unveils tourism masterplan to increase visitors The government is set to roll out the Four-Strategic Plan for Tourism Development aimed at reviving tourism in the Kingdom`s northern provinces, an inter-ministerial committee meeting has decided. ..

New game pipeline from Korea packed in Q2 to dominate stay-at-home pastime South Korean game developers are speeding up launch of new titles in the second quarter to capitalize on the stay-at-home lifestyle across the globe under pandemic threat. The country’s leading game ..

Korea’s dalgona coffee creates sweet splash across the globe under stay-at-home order Making a sweet in the Korean style has emerged as a new universal pastime amid global stay-at-home lifestyle under virus threat.The recipe for the creamy latte drink is simple enough: instant coffee, ..

Korea, China to host online Asian version of Live Aid concert for COVID-19 Some of the biggest K-pop and Chinese pop names are coming together for a 2020 Live Aid concert to raise donations for coronavirus relief, with the event suggesting Beijing’s removal of restrictions o..

Netmarble ranks 6th in list of top mobile app publishers by sales: App Annie South Korea’s game giant Netmarble Corp. ranked sixth in the list of App Annie’s annual Top Publisher Award winners, making the top 10 list for five years in a row. App Annie, a provider of mobile da..

League of Legends’ Teamfight Tactics to be available on smartphones from Mar. 20 Teamfight Tactics (TFT) version of the massively popular League of Legends game will be available on smartphones from Friday. The game developer Riot Games announced earlier that gamers will be able..

Sister of BTS member to take her fashion brand global The older sister of J-Hope, a member of the South Korean superstar boyband BTS, has teamed up with media commerce platform KVLY to launch a new fashion brand for the global audience. KVLY said Wedne..

Netmarble pins high hopes on new releases to reclaim global status South Korea’s game developer Netmarble Corp. is expediting new mobile rollouts with an aim to enhance competitiveness of its core game business this year.According to industry sources on Sunday, Netma..

PUBG CEO to double as Krafton CEO amid Krafton IPO rumor The chief executive of South Korean game developer and publisher PUBG, renowned for its namesake hit survival shooter game PlayerUnknown’s Battleground (PUBG), will double as the head of its parent gr..

Korea’s League of Legends championship chooses not to proceed during virus outbreak The League of Legends PC game championship in South Korea decided not to proceed further without audience amid epidemic outbreak. Riot Games, developer of the massively popular League of Legends game..

BTS grabs fourth No. 1 on Billboard 200 with new album The South Korean boyband BTS scored their fourth No. 1 win on the Billboard 200 with their latest album “Map of the Soul: 7,” making it the fastest group to earn four No. 1s since The Beatles. “Map ..

BTS label Big Hit forms syndicate team for blockbuster IPO Big Hit Entertainment, the South Korean label behind the K-pop superstar BTS, has rounded up the underwriting team for its much-anticipated initial public offering. The entertainment agency has tapp..

Oscar-winning Parasite grosses $2.15 mn a day in N. America, ranks No. 1 in Japan South Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s Oscar-winning film Parasite continues winning streak in box office after sweeping awards across the world, grossing $2.15 million on Saturday alone in the United S..

BTS-related shares roar in the run-up to BTS comeback on Feb. 21 Shares related to the K-pop sensation BTS are rallying ahead of the boyband’s Feb. 21 comeback. Shares of DPC, an affiliate of STIC Investments, one of the major investors behind the group’s label B..

Oscar winner Parasite out to make fortune after achieving fame Having reached the peak in global fame through sweeping wins at the Academy Awards, Parasite is now out to make history for Korean and non-English motion pictures in fortune-making.It is poised to joi..

Korea’s hottest mobile game Lineage 2M rakes in $3.46 mn every day NCSoft’s mobile MMORPG title Lineage 2M, the most popular game app on the Google Play Store in sales, generates as much as 4.1 billion won ($3.46 million) a day on average, according to an analysis on..

Krafton faces IPO setback due to friction in management Krafton Game Union, South Korean game company behind hit survival shooter game PlayerUnknown`s Battlegrounds, may face a setback in its initial public offering (IPO) scheme after an abrupt business cl..

K-pop stars increasingly inspire global luxury fashion brands Reflecting their growing influence in the entertainment and young community across the world, K-pop stars are being sought by global fashion houses to become their faces and models.Adidas featured Bla..

Nexon to shore up mobile releases to redeem revenue and image After the much-hyped flop in the corporate sale plan, South Korea’s leading game developer Nexon Co. this year plans to redeem its name through releases of mobile versions in best-selling games and bu..

Parasite adds historic SAG Awards win, first for foreign-language film South Korean dark social satire film “Parasite” was crowned at the 2020 Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture on Sunday for the first time for a fo..

Kakao M strengthens music contents business Kakao M, entertainment unit of South Korea’s top messenger operator Kakao Corp. has reorganized its record labels to strengthen content competitiveness. According to entertainment industry sources o..