DRAM prices up 13% on the Korea-Japan trade spat Prices of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips gained as much as 13 percent in a week on concerns about supply disruption at Korean chipmakers responsible for more than 70 percent of DRAM global ..

Shilla Duty Free’s Chinese business boosted by WeChat Pay The Shilla Duty Free, the travel retail unit of South Korea’s Hotel Shilla Co., announced Monday that the number of Chinese members and website visitors has surged since it began accepting WeChat Pay ..

Korean venture firms join Series C funding in Minerva Project South Korean venture capital firms joined a $57 million Series C funding round for Minerva Project, a San Francisco-based firm supporting innovative education based on technology.The funding was led b..

Kwangdong Pharm prepping to launch ‘female Viagra’ in Korea Kwangdong Pharm announced on Monday it is preparing to launch Vyleesi, drug approved by U.S. Food and Drug Agency for treating hypoactive sexual desire disorder in women, in Korea. Kwangdong Pharm ent..

Car ownership in Korea hits 23.44 mn by June, import share at 9.7% The number of registered cars in South Korea reached 23.44 million units as of June, adding 1 percent from six months ago with growth in import brands and cleaner fuel, data showed Monday. According ..

Lotte Chemical, GS Energy to spend $689 mn to set up petrochemical JV Lotte Chemical Corp. is adding a chemical compound plant in its petrochemical complex in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, by the end of the year in a joint venture with GS Energy Corp. at a cost of 800 b..

Silicon-based Wescover aims to bring art to everyday lives Today’s high-tech and smart intelligence does not just make lives expedient but can be applied to bring art to everyday lives, according to Wescover, a San Francisco-based startup. “Wescover is a pla..

Samsung Elec postures itself for widened export barriers from Japan Samsung Electronics Co. postured itself to cope with the possibility of a drawn-out and widened export protectionism from Japan on strategic items that could shake its component leadership after its c..

Doosan Infracore expands presence in Middle East Doosan Infracore Co., heavy equipment unit of South Korean conglomerate Doosan Group, is establishing a strong foothold in the Middle East after clinching a number of large deals.Doosan Infracore said..

RV sales in S. Korea top 300,000 units for first time in H1 Sales of recreational vehicles (RVs) in South Korea hit 300,000 units in the first six months of this year for the first time, accounting for half of total passenger car sales in the country thanks to..

LS Cable & System wins $100 mn submarine cable deal in Taiwan South Korea’s leading cable maker LS Cable & Systems Ltd. (LS C&S) has bagged an 89 million euro ($100 million) submarine cable deal from Orsted Taiwan, the local unit of Denmark’s state-run renewable..

Korea’s online lender Kakao Bank hits 10 mn accounts in 2 yrs South Korea’s online-only bank, Kakao Bank, said Friday it has hit the 10 million account milestone in just two years of operation, far overwhelming its earlier rival. The bank went into service in ..

Hyundai Mobis, Yandex to test self-driving taxis in Russia Hyundai Mobis Co., the auto parts unit under South Korea’s largest auto conglomerate Hyundai Motor Group, will test its self-driving car platform, jointly developed with Russia’s largest search engine..

YG Enter readies $57 mn as LVMH unit is due to cash out in October YG Entertainment Inc. is readying to return 67 billion won ($56.9 million) to Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH) as it expects the fund under global luxury fashion name to cash out from the Korean ent..

Chevron’s top officials meet with 3 Korean shipbuilding majors Executives from the U.S. oil major Chevron are visiting South Korea to discuss mutual business concerns with the country’s three top shipbuilders and seek cooperation with them in potential projects, ..

Hyundai Merchant Marine seeking to secure container orders from U.S. retailers South Korea’s top maritime flag carrier Hyundai Merchant Marine Co. is going all out to secure new cargo orders from major retailers in the United States as it is set to launch new ultra-large contain..

Hanwha Systems makes equity invest in K4 Aeronautics to back air cab service Hanwha Systems Co., developer of high-tech systems for the defense industry under South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Group, is collaborating with K4 Aeronautics, a U.S.-based personal air vehicle (PAV) ..

Hyundai Motor targets to sell 8,000 in new entry Venue SUV in Korea South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor Co. on Thursday revealed its target to sell 8,000 units of its all-new entry-level sport utility vehicle Venue in Korea at a launching event held in Yongin, Gyeon..

Apple adds Korea’s Kakao Pay as payment method Apple Store and devices now all accept Kakao Pay, the mobile payment service of South Korea’s leading messenger KakaoTalk. Kakao Pay said Thursday it has become the first Korean mobile payment platf..

LG Electronics set to release world’s first 8K LCD TV in Korea South Korea’s LG Electronics will add the world’s first LCD 8K TV models to its premium TV lineup this week as it leaps forward in migration beyond 4K mainstream.According to industry sources on Wedne..

Hyundai Mobis develops new collision warning system for trucks Hyundai Mobis, South Korea`s largest auto parts maker, said Sunday that it will apply an advanced forward collision avoidance system to large commercial vehicles from 2021. The driver state warning (..

SK Innovation to upgrade pyrolysis-based waste plastic utilization for clean Jeju campaign SK Innovation, SK Group`s energy and electric vehicle (EV) battery unit, will back the campaign to make Jeju island cleaner by sourcing plastic wastes for power supply. It signed a memorandum of unde..

SKT to boost data transfer rate on trains by 10 times to 100Gbps South Korea’s SK Telecom said on Thursday its consortium has signed a 6.8 billion won ($5.8 million) deal with the Korea Rail Network Authority to install Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM)..

SK Telink offers Korea’s first GX satellite service for shippers SK Telink, international wireless services division of South Korea’s SK Telecom, announced on Wednesday it has started offering the country’s first high-speed mobile broadband connectivity on the Inma..

Samsung up funding in chip, display material R&D amid Japan export curb Samsung Electronics said on Tuesday it has selected 15 research projects including innovative semiconductor material development under its research funding and incubation for future technology program..

Korean internet giants race for leadership in blockchain ecosystem Korean internet platform leaders Naver Corp. and Kakao Corp. are accelerating their move to build a blockchain ecosystem with their own digital tokens, jumping on the global blockchain bandwagon. Mo..

Hanmi Pharm shares crash 27% on another out-licensing setback Hanmi Pharm shares crashed more than 27 percent Thursday on panicky selling after it disclosed that Janssen Pharmaceuticals had called off and returned out-licensing deal to the Korean drug maker on i..

Korean authority officially cancels license for gene therapy drug Invossa South Korea`s health authorities Wednesday finalized its revocation of Kolon Life Science’s gene therapy drug Invossa for mislabeling and false reporting of an ingredient used.The Ministry of Food and..

Korea debuts energy-saving high-rise apartment with BEMS technology A high-rise using half of the energy of a typical residential apartment building joined Songdo, a new district in Incheon, near the gateway to the capital in Korea. The Hillstate Lake Songdo accommod..

Yuhan inks $870 mn out-licensing deal with Boehringer Ingelheim South Korea’s Yuhan Corporation said in a regulatory filing on Monday that it has signed a deal worth up to $870 million with Germany’s Boehringer Ingelheim over its therapy to treat nonalcoholic stea..

LG Uplus and KDDI team up in 5G-backed drone business South Korea’s telecom carrier LG Uplus and Japan’s counterpart KDDI have agreed to partner up in drone technology development to save costs by sharing their drone and platform technologies. The two c..

Huons Global launches Korea’s fourth commercial botulinum toxin in Korea South Korea’s beauty and healthcare product maker Huons Global said on Wednesday its independently developed botulinum toxin (BTX) has been launched in Korea under the marketing name of Liztox. The pr..

SK Hynix rolls out world’s first 128-layer 4D NAND chips in terabit storage SK Hynix Inc., the world’s second-largest memory chipmaker, on Wednesday claimed it has migrated to terabit (Tb) digital storage dimension by commercializing flash memory chips on 128-layer 4D (four-d..

Posco opens new battery materials research center to enhance its prowess South Korea`s top steel maker Posco has established a research center dedicated to developing battery materials with group-wide support, upping its commitment to boosting competitiveness by seeking ne..

Naver to complete precision map for autonomous driving in Seoul this year Naver Labs, the R&D arm of South Korean internet giant Naver Corporation, has unveiled its A-CITY project to make a precision roadmap, refine localization technology and other solutions to support sel..

SK Biopharm’s sleep disorder drug to be launched in U.S. in July Solriamfetol, a sleep disorder drug developed by South Korea’s SK Biopharmaceuticals and licensed out to U.S-based Jazz Pharmaceuticals, will debut in the U.S. next month.According to industry sources..

S. Korea launches tournament to tackle tough industry challenges The South Korean government has set out to solve some of the toughest technology challenges facing the industry today through a tournament-style funding scheme. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and E..

KT and SKT sweep honors at 2019 5G World Award KT Corp. and SK Telecom, South Korea’s leading mobile carrier that were first to roll out commercial 5G service, swept global awards for raising the bar in wireless technology.KT said on Thursday that..

Green Cross Holdings sets up cell therapy entity in San Diego South Korea’s Green Cross Holdings on Thursday has established a local entity in the United States devoted to cell therapy business. Artiva Biotherapeutics, located in San Diego, will be headed by T..

S. Korea’s 5G subscribers top 1 million The total number of 5G mobile phone subscribers in South Korea has surpassed the 1 million mark as the country’s three telcos steadily expanded coverage areas and increased service quality, the govern..

Stks of Korean chip makers gain, Japanese material vendors lose on export curbs The row over historic issues spilling over to the economic front has been denting shares of Japanese high-tech material vendors as they could lose one of their biggest and most reliable clients –..

Foreigners’ holdings of S. Korean gov’t bonds near $85 bn Foreigners own near 100 trillion won ($85 billion) in South Korean government bonds, with more than half held by central banks and sovereign funds for long-term investment. According to the Korea Exc..

Korean securities consortium buys Hilton Hotel in Vienna at $375 mn A consortium from Korea - Hana Financial Investment Co., NH Investment & Securities Co., and Meritz Securities Co. - acquired Hilton Vienna hotel in Austria for $375 million, an investment expected to..

Asiana Airlines tender to start July 22, with aim to complete sale by year-end The tender for Asiana Airlines Inc., Korea’s No. 2 full-service carrier, will be posted next week with its parent Kumho Group aiming to complete the stake sale within the year even if the airliner has..

Net asset value in Korean funds top $515 bn in June Total net asset value of funds in Korea rose 2.2 percent in June to top 620 trillion won ($525 billion) amid recovery in stock markets at home and abroad and robust appetite for bonds on expectations ..

Japanese names trading on Seoul bourses battered by anti-Japan sentiment Japanese stocks trading on the Korean markets have taken toll from the diplomatic row between Seoul and Tokyo that has spilled over to the economic front and fueled negative public sentiment towards J..

Nexon founder formally suspends search for buyer The founder of Nexon Co. informed potential bidders he was cancelling his offer to sell his ownership stake in the holding entity of Korea’s top game publisher, signaling a halt to the first-generatio..

NPS ups stakes in fashion, game, entertainment stocks South Korea’s largest institutional investor National Pension Service (NPS) has recently increased stakes in garment, game and entertainment stocks on bets on their growth potential due to spending by..

Korea’s corporate bond issuance hits record high of $41.4 bn in H1 Corporate bond issuance in South Korea hit an all-time high in the first half of the year as companies rushed to capitalize on strong investor appetite for bonds triggered by lingering doubts about th..

LG Elec.’s Q2 OP down 15.4% on sluggish TV, smartphone sales South Korea’s LG Electronics Inc. saw its operating profit drop 15.4 percent on year for the April-June period largely due to sluggish sales of smartphones and televisions, falling short of market exp..

Anti-Japan consumer campaign boost Korean stocks replacing Japanese brands The widening consumer boycott campaign against Japanese brands following its retaliatory embargo action has boosted stocks of Korean names that can replace Japanese rivals. Shares of Shinsung Tongsan..

Foreign investors’ appetite for Korean bonds peak with FX arbitrage appeal Foreign appetite for Korean bonds hit fresh peak in June as foreign exchange arbitrage added appeal to Korean debt in a rally on deteriorating economic outlook and speculation on rate cut. According..

AStory readies IPO on Kosdaq in July AStory, a South Korean drama producer known for its TV series “Kingdom” available on Netflix, will join the secondary Korea Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (Kosdaq) this month, with hopes to r..

Rich Koreans to prefer USD assets in the H2 amid uncertainties Wealthy Koreans will likely up investment in safe assets including dollar-denominated bonds in the latter half of this year on escalating uncertainties in home and global markets, a poll found on Thur..

Kyobo Life wins AAA insurer financial strength from local credit agencies Kyobo Life Insurance Co. obtained the maximum “AAA” rating of insurer financial strength from Korea’s top three credit rating firms – NICE Investors Service, Korea Ratings Corporation and Korea ..

Samsung Life disposes 3.6% interest or half of its stake in DGB Financial South Korea’s leading life insurer Samsung Life Insurance Co. shed almost half of its stake in DGB Financial Group to bolster capital ahead of the introduction of IFRS17, new accounting standards for ..

Japan shooting itself in the foot with export embargo on Korea: analysts Japan’s export curbs on materials that are essential in making electronic components can hurt Japanese companies more than Korean chipmakers given Korea’s dominance in the memory chip market, accordin..

Smartphone parts maker Partron rallies on strong earnings momentum Foreign investors have been gobbling up shares of Kosdaq-listed Partron Co., South Korean mobile camera module maker, on expectations that growing demand for high-end smartphone features is expected t..

Japan’s sanction lifts Korean stocks of component material makers Tokyo’s announcement to restrict shipments of chip- and display-making materials to South Korea, while triggering disruption concerns among Korean manufacturers, has lifted stocks of Korean material m..

Korean travel stocks under pressure amid subdued outbound trip demand South Korean travel agency stocks continue to stay under pressure even in the peak summer season as weak domestic consumption coupled with the declining Korean currency value has been restraining Kore..

Korea’s foreign-currency deposits increase jump in June on stronger USD Foreign-currency deposits held by South Korean banks increased by the biggest margin in seven months in June as companies held onto U.S. dollars on appreciation in the greenback. According to data rel..

Korean Pres apologizes for the stall in minimum wage policy amid strike threat South Korean President Moon Jae-in reiterated his plea for union understanding of stalling his campaign pledge of achieving hourly statutory minimum wage of 10,000 won ($8.48) within the first three y..

Korean manufacturers’ pessimism about biz outlook deepens for 3Q South Korean manufacturers’ pessimism about business deepened in the third quarter as headwinds built up for the export-reliant economy after Japan launched trade protectionism against Korea on top of..

Korean eco in slump for 4 straight months on poor exports, investment The South Korean government found the local economy mired in doldrums for the fourth month with worsened external conditions hurting exports and investment. “The nation’s exports and investment conti..

Korea’s export-import prices turned lower in June on weaker USD, oil prices Both Korean export and import prices turned lower in June on weaker U.S. dollar rate and oil prices on top of subdued prices of export mainstay memory chips. According to Bank of Korea data release..

Jan-June foreign direct investment in Korea nearly halved from a year ago Foreign direct investment (FDI) in South Korea nearly halved in the first six months of this year from previous year amid uncertainties in the global market due to protracted trade war between the Uni..

Korea’s household loans growth halved from a year ago in H1 The growth in household loans significantly eased in the first half from a year ago under stricter loan regulation and sluggish housing market. According to data released by Financial Services Commis..

Korean retailers’ biz confidence improves marginally Q3, but still pessimistic The retail business in Korea remains subdued for the fourth year, with recovery in outlook restricted to e-commerce. According to the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Thursday, the r..

S. Korea exports in July 1-10 down 2.6% amid chip slump South Korean exports slid 2.6 percent in the first 10 days of July on year, with deepening chip woes likely to extend the country`s double-digit losing streak. Outbound shipments totaled $13.6 billi..

Tit-for-tat retaliation can hurt Korea more than Japan, experts Tit-for-tat economic retaliation against Japan’s export curb would do more harm than good for both Korean and Japanese economies, with the expanded trade conflict dealing a heavier blow to the Korean ..

Foreign net purchase of Korean securities hits 17-month high South Korean equity and bond markets drew a net $4.78 billion from foreigners in June, the largest net inflow in 17 months on stock market recovery and still-robust bond appetite. According to the B..

S&P cuts Korea’s economic growth outlook for 2019 from 2.4% to 2.0% Global credit rating agency Standard and Poor’s (S&P) revised down South Korea’s economic growth outlook this year to 2.0 percent from 2.4 percent, becoming the latest in turning more negative about A..

S. Korea adds jobs at fastest rate in 17 months in June South Korea added jobs at the fastest rate in 17 months in June on heavy government spending to create public-sector jobs that mostly went to retirees. But employment in the 40s as well as the manufac..

Korea’s fiscal deficit widens as tax revenue falls behind 2018 levels Korea’s fiscal deficit has stretched to fresh highs amid a distinctive slowdown in tax revenue collection due to expanded fiscal spending in the face of a worsening economy. The country collected 13..

Korean govt to enter 3rd trade talks with Mercosur nations this week The South Korean government will initiate the third trade agreement (TA) talks with four member nations of South American trade bloc Mercosur on Friday (local time) in Montevideo, Uruguay, to seek way..

Moody’s maintains Korea’s rating at Aa2 with stable outlook Moody’s Investor Service on Monday reaffirmed South Korea’s credit rating at Aa2 with a stable outlook in a show of confidence in the country’s strong economic and fiscal fundamentals despite the esca..

State agency discovers mineral resources worth $1.6 bn across Korea: KORES Korea Resources Corporation (KORES), a state-run energy and natural resources company, disclosed on Monday that it has discovered 370 million tons of mineral resources with marketable value of 1.9 tri..

S. Korea’s trade deficit with Japan accumulated to $604.6 bn over 50 yrs South Korea has never had surplus in trade with Japan for more than 50 years since diplomatic relations between the two neighboring countries normalized in 1965, falling into a disadvantageous positio..

Fin min comments on monetary easing add to the BOK bind ahead of rate mtg Senior government officials have turned vocal in calling for monetary easing amid limitations in fiscal actions versus mounting challenges to the already-fragile economy, further burdening the Bank of..

Softbank founder advises Korea to go all-out on AI South Korea, an Internet powerhouse, should put its future on artificial intelligence (AI) development, advised Masayoshi Son, founder and chairman of Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp. “Japan and Korea bo..

Koreans find adults failing calm wailing babies most annoying during flight Koreans find parents failing to calm wailing infants most annoying during flight, according to a local budget airline’s survey on Monday. Four out of 10 traveling on domestic flights cited parents f..

Israeli president urges fast conclusion of FTA with S. Korea South Korea and Israel must speed up the conclusion of their free trade agreement in order to maximize the synergy from Korea’s manufacturing power and Israel’s innovation strength for leadership in f..

Japan’s export curbs on Korea formally tabled at WTO general council meeting Japan’s export curbs on tech materials bound for South Korea will formally be discussed at the general assembly of the World Trade Organization next week as Seoul hopes to highlight the potential rami..

Russia proposes to supply hydrogen fluoride to Korea amid Japan’s export curbs Russia has offered to supply hydrogen fluoride to South Korea, struggling to find an alternative source after Japan slammed export control on the key material essential in wafer process to etch glass ..

Korea’s minimum wage increase significantly slowed to 2.9% for 2020 The Korean government has yielded to growing pressure for moderation in wage hikes in the face of worsening business conditions by endorsing a marginal increase only seen in crisis-hit periods. The ..

S. Korea tops in non-EU innovation ranking by EU for 7 consecutive years South Korea stayed atop among non-EU names in the annual European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS) for the seventh straight year. According to a government report on Thursday, South Korea topped with 137 ..

Number of 5G users surpasses 1.4 mn in Korea, 78% of global users The number of subscribers of 5G network services in South Korea exceeded 1.4 million in 100 days since the country became first in the world to launch nationwide commercial 5G service on April 3, acco..

Only 15% of Kospi companies engaged in 4.0 businesses over past 10 yrs Just one out of seven companies trading on Korea’s main Kospi market has been involved in businesses related to the fourth industrial revolution over the past decade.According to local think-tank the ..

Korean govt, businesses form joint front to counter Japan’s embargo The South Korean government and top businesses formed a joint front to counter what the president called an “unprecedentedly urgent” national challenge from Japan retaliating for Korea’s hard-line pol..

GM Korea, Ford, Yamaha to recall 830 vehicles in Korea GM Korea and two other foreign car brands will voluntarily recall a combined 830 vehicles in five models in South Korea for safety issues, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Wedne..

Korean employers call for 4.2% cut in next year’s minimum wage South Korean employers are lobbying for a 4.2 percent cut in next year’s minimum hourly wage to compensate for the damages caused by the near 30-percent jump in the minimum wage over last two years. ..

Korean condemns Japan’s export curbs at WTO to muster international support South Korea has turned to the international stage to campaign against Japan’s de facto retaliatory trade embargo by formerly raising the issue at the World Trade Organization (WTO), while the Korean p..

S. Korea, U.S. hold first-ever consultations under FTA on competition issue South Korea and the United States (U.S.) held their first-ever consultations under the bilateral free trade deal after Washington in March requested to discuss competition hearing procedures of the Ko..

Most Korean SMEs fear they won’t last more than 6 mos under Japan embargo Six out of 10 Korean mid and small-sized manufacturers fear they won’t last six months if Japan widens restrictions to shipments to Korea. According to a survey done by Korea Federation of Small and ..

Japan rejects Korea’s call for dialogue over embargo despite strong Seoul rhetoric Japan on Tuesday turned up its nose at South Korea’s proposal to talk things out to prevent a diplomatic row over past issues spilling over to the economic front and hurting bilateral trade as well as..

Korean shipyards dominate half of June ship orders, topping global order book South Korean shipyards maintained lead in the global order book for the second straight month in June by bringing home half of new shipping orders in the month as demand for gas carriers remains relat..

Korea launches systematic program for smart city model exports with a $423 mn fund The South Korean government is launching a fund to back promotion of Korean smart city models. A fund earmarked at 500 billion won ($423 million) will invest in overseas smart city projects won by loc..

Korea policy chiefs mulling to discuss strategy against Japan setback with chaebol heads Korea’s top economic policymakers floated the idea of sitting down with the country’s five largest conglomerate heads to draw up a strategy against retaliatory trade barriers from Japan over the warti..

Labor-management talks for 2020 minimum wage hit impasse in Korea Discussions over next year’s minimum wage have reached a stalemate in South Korea, with management seeking to trim the hourly wages and laborers unwilling to budge from the government-stated goal of 1..

Korea toughens criminal actions on patent and industrial secret breach Anyone found to have intentionally abused patents or leaked confidential business information in Korea will be subject to pay up damages tripling the financial harms under the revised patent act. The..

Petronas considers investing in renewable energy Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) is considering investing in renewable energy such as solar, wind and biomass at a commercial scale, its top executive said. Petronas president and group chief exec..

VN apparel industry suffers due to lack of competitive dyeing, fabric segments Lopsided development of its various segments and dependence on imports have weakened the textile industry`s competitiveness and creativeness, experts said. Nguyen Van Tuan, chairman of the Viet Nam..

Myanmar, Japan revive talks on building Hanthawaddy airport Myanmar and Japan will form a joint venture and sign an agreement next year to kickstart the long postponed Hanthawaddy International Airport project located 80km north of Yangon near Bago. Accordi..

S&P`s rating demonstrates confidence in Malaysia`s economic outlook The affirmation of Malaysia`s credit rating by Standard and Poor`s (S&P) last week demonstrates its confidence in Malaysia`s positive economic outlook, strong institutional profile, sound economic fun..

Viet Nam treasures ties with Switzerland: Vice President Viet Nam wants to boost its ties with Switzerland, Vice President đang Thi Ngoc Thinh said while meeting with Swiss President Ueli Maurer in Bern on Wednesday. Expressing her delight over sound rel..

Malaysia supports deal to reduce oil production until March 31, 2020 Malaysia supports the proposal for the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC) to be extended by nine months to March 31, 2020, at the current agreed production levels to ensure the smooth continuation of th..

Top legislator, EU trade commissioner talk about EVFTA Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom exchanged ideas related to the signing and ratification of the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agre..

First commercial solar power plant launched in Myanmar State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi last week launched the first phase of Myanmar`s first commercial solar-power plant in Minbu, Magwe Region, adding 40MW of power to the national grid. The Minb..

Thai e-commerce to hit $13bn by 2025 Thailand`s e-commerce market value is expected to surge to US$13 billion by 2025 from last year`s $3 billion on the back of strong global demand for Thai products. The country`s e-commerce sector h..

VN fails to make MSCI watchlist for status upgrade Viet Nam has once again missed the chance to break into Morgan Stanley Capital International`s watchlist of potential reclassification for a status upgrade. The US-based global provider of equity, ..

Ministry rejects Vietnam request to export pigs into Kingdom The Minister of Agriculture has rejected a request from a Vietnamese company for Cambodia to allow it to export pigs into the Kingdom, while Vietnam continues to suffer a serious outbreak of African s..

IMF chief praises Malaysia`s efforts to rebuild buffers, fight corruption THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) is impressed with Malaysia`s economic development and resolve to strengthen fiscal discipline, as reflected in the measures being undertaken in the 2019 Budget. ..

VN stocks predicted to progress slowly ahead of China-US talks at G20 summit With the outcome of the US-China trade talks in focus this week, the Vietnamese stock market may move between positive and negative sessions while investors remain guarded. After having gained stro..

Myanmar to export recycled plastic pellets Myanmar will be exporting recycled plastic pellets to China under a new agreement, according to an industry body. Arrangements are underway to export the plastic pellets, which are made from melting ..

Vietnamese securities catch the eye of South Korean investors The Vietnamese stock market now has many South Korean-owned securities companies following a series of acquisitions in recent years. In March Korean Investment Management bought a 5.08 per cent sta..

US looks for Thai 5G entry point The US Commerce Department is exploring business opportunities and cooperation to promote US-based tech firms to expand investment in Thailand`s telecom sector, especially for 5G wireless broadband te..

Myanmar, Thailand sign agreement to facilitate overland trade Overland cross-border trade between Myanmar and Thailand will officially commence at the end of July following an agreement to allow vehicles from both sides across the border to facilitate the transp..

Japan to invest further in Malaysia`s infrastructure assets Japan government is keen to invest more in Malaysia, following its maiden investment here in Tasco-Yusen Gold Cold Sdn Bhd (TYGC), a unit of Tasco Bhd, which is listed on Bursa Malaysia. Japan Over..

Viet Nam becomes second largest exporter of lychees Viet Nam has become the second largest exporter of lychees in the world, accounting for 19 per cent of the global market share, according to the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS)...

Populism hits plan to rein in fiscal red ink (Thailand) The Finance Ministry is likely to delay its balanced budget goal if the new government strictly pursues populist campaign promises, says a senior official at the Fiscal Policy Office (FPO). Even if t..

K-pop idol Kang Daniel to release solo debut album “Color on Me” on July 25 Kang Daniel, a 22-year-old singer who became a star overnight upon winning Korea’s hit television talent competition “Produce 101” will release his solo debut album “Color on Me” after months of a for..

K-pop groups take center stage at KCON 2019 at Madison Square Garden Tens of thousands of K-pop fans showed up at KCON, the world’s largest festival on Korean pop culture that has acted as global debut stage for new faces on the K-pop scene held at Madison Square Garde..

BTS’s latest “Map of the Soul: Persona” sold most in physical form in H1 in US K-pop sensation BTS sold the most physical albums in the first six months this year in the United States, achieving another milestone with “Map of the Soul: Persona” album released in March. Accordi..

K-pop sensation BTS tops Japan’s Oricon chart with new single “Lights/Boy With Luv” K-pop superstar BTS broke another record in Japan with its new single “Lights/Boy With Luv” topping the Oricon’s daily singles chart on Thursday. The boy band’s tenth Japanese single “Lights/Boy With..

Nexon draws 1 mn gamers to SINo ALICE, invests in Embark of Sweden Pre-orders for SINo ALICE, a smartphone RPG developed by Japan’s Pokelabo and Square Enix, exceeded 1 million, according to Nexon with distribution rights in the label beyond Japan and Greater China. ..

“Spring Day” MV beach is the first place BTS fans want to see in Korea A bus stop near Jumumjin Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon Province that was the setting for music video of Korean superstar BTS’s song “Spring Day” and covered the 2017 “You Never Walk Alone” album is the ..

Netmarble’s “BTS World” tops Apple App Store in 33 countries “BTS World”, a new mobile game in which the game user manages the career of South Korean boy group BTS that has raised Beatles-like syndrome around the world, is poised to become an instant global hit..

K-drama superstar Song-Song couple files for divorce Korea’s most famous couple Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo is separating after less than two years of marriage, with their split dominating headlines at home and across Asia.Lee & Ko, the law firm repr..

BTS to release 3rd movie “Bring the Soul” in Aug, joins Guinness record in sales The world’s hottest boyband BTS will release their third documentary film “Bring the Soul: The Movie” in select countries on August 7, out to conquer not only the music charts but also the box office...

BTS joins other K-pop stars in Lotte Family Concert due to open in Aug Lotte Family Concert, annual music festival hosted by Korea’s leading travel retailer Lotte Duty Free, will open in Seoul in August, packed with performances by K-pop superstar BTS and much more. Ce..

Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite also crowned at Sydney Film Festival South Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s dark comedy “Parasite” on Sunday gained another prestige by scoring highest at the Sydney Film Festival in just weeks after winning the prestigious Palme d’Or at t..

Hopes high for the team Korea if golden boy Lee Kang-in joins Son Heung-min Hopes have been raised for the team Korea in future football championships after discovery of stunning young player Lee Kang-in who has become the first South Korean to bring home the best player trop..

S. Korea beats Ecuador 1-0, reaches U-20 World Cup final for 1st time Young South Korean players have added a new chapter to the country`s soccer history as they reached the championship final of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland on Tuesday with a 1-0 victory over Ecuad..

CJ ENM to create a Hollywood studio park in Paju, Gyeonggi province CJ ENM, the entertainment unit of South Korean conglomerate CJ Group, is building a Korean version of Hollywood in Paju, 27.6 kilometers northwest from Seoul. CJ ENM and the Paju City will sign a de..

BTS enthralls 230,000 fans in London, Paris with “Beatles” like phenomenon K-pop sensation BTS performed for 230,000 fans in Europe during its “Love Yourself: Speak Yourself,” tour in Europe, giving them “Beatles”-like magic. The septet’s producer Big Hit Entertainment on ..

CJ LiveCity, AEG to build K-pop concert arena in Goyang, Korea CJ LiveCity Corp., subsidiary of Korean food and entertainment giant CJ Group, together with global live entertainment company Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) will build an arena in Goyang City, no..

Cannes-winning Parasite surpasses 5 mn viewers in Korean box office The top prize winner at this year’s Cannes Film Festival “Parasite” by director Bong Joon-ho topped 5 million attendances on the eighth day of its release on Friday, according to the Korean Film Counc..

BTS label Big Hit Entertainment joins the ranks of unicorns: HRI report The two-year streak in the global success of Korean boy band BTS has fueled the value of its producer Big Hit Entertainment and pushed it into the ranks of unicorn companies with valuation of at least..

BTS` fan-focused immersive game out on June 26 If chatting away with members and closely tracking BTS is not enough, ARMY fans can now act as their managers thanks to a new role-playing game out later this month. Korean game publisher Netmarble ..

Cannes top prize winner Parasite premiers around the world South Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s dark comedy “Parasite,” the Palme d’Or winner at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, premiers in global theaters after it has done exceptionally well at home, with h..