DRAM recovery may be delayed to next year, boding ill for Korean chip majors Prices of server DRAM chip prices could fall 18 percent in the fourth quarter on quarter, boding badly for South Korea’s memory majors who counted on a turnaround in the year-end. Taiwan-based market..

Hyundai Glovis teams up with Thailand’s CP Group for green logistics Hyundai Glovis Co., the logistics arm of South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group, has joined hands with Thailand’s No. 1 conglomerate Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group to facilitate the growth of green logistics ..

Renault Samsung floats idea of 3-week production suspension amid wage talks Renault Samsung Motors Co., a South Korean carmaker under French auto giant Renault S.A., is mulling to unplug its main Busan factory for more than three weeks amid poor sales, a move the union suspec..

Shinsegae Chosun Hotel to expand luxury presence despite COVID-19 Shinsegae Chosun Hotel Co. is going ahead with the opening of five new hotels by the first half of 2021 despite the gloomy hospitability outlook in COVID-19 environment.The hotel unit of South Korean ..

Korean Air Lines to lend money Hanjin Int’l to keep Wilshire Center South Korean flag carrier Korean Air Lines Co. will lend $950 million to its logistics services affiliate Hanjin International Corp. so that it won’t have to sell Wilshire Grand Center in downtown Los..

SK E&S named preferred bidder for floating solar power plant in Saemangeum SK E&S Co., the clean energy & solution unit of South Korea’s third largest conglomerate SK Group, is in exclusive talks for a 500-billion won ($425 million) photovoltaic power plant project with Saem..

Hyundai Motor reigning car sales in Vietnam, confident in pivot ASEAN campaign South Korean auto conglomerate Hyundai Motor Group has gained meaningful ground in Southeast Asia where Japanese names traditionally dominated. Hyundai Thanh Cong Vietnam Auto Manufacturing Corp., th..

Hyundai Motor makes its first hydrogen fuel cell system export South Korea’s largest automaker Hyundai Motor Co. leveraged its headway in hydrogen technology by exporting systems and solutions based on the renewable fuel cell storage to Europe. The shipment woul..

Samsung Heavy likely to win $3bn order to build icebreakers for Russia’s Zvezda Samsung Heavy Industries Co. is one step closer to winning a 3.6 trillion won ($3.05 billion) order to build 10 units of icebreaking liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier for Russia’s natural gas projec..

SK Telecom joins cloud game battle in Korea with MS xCloud Cloud-based gaming service has become the new battleground for Korean wireless carriers, who are at the forefront of 5G-based contents. SK Telecom Co. officially rolled out Microsoft’s xCloud game st..

Seoul Semiconductor wins permanent injunctions in IP lawsuit against Philips, Feit South Korea’s leading light-emitting diode (LED) technology developer Seoul Semiconductor Co. has won a patent lawsuit in the United States where the court issued permanent injunction against LED disp..

LG Chem batteries to power Amazon’s logistics robots South Korea’s LG Chem Ltd, commanding No. 1 in the global electric vehicle battery market, reportedly signed a deal to supply rechargeable batteries for global e-commerce giant Amazon’s logistics robo..

YG-1 aims to become world’s No.1 cutting tool provider by 2035 South Korea’s leading cutting tool maker YG-1 aims to become a global leader by 2035 by providing high-performance tools as well as comprehensive solutions to maximize production efficiency, its found..

CJ Foodville yields food factory to CJ CheilJedang for $17.6 mn CJ Foodville Co., the food service unit of South Korean conglomerate CJ Group under restructuring due to plunging sale in franchise business amid virus outbreak, is handing over factory in Jincheon, N..

Virus-hit Korean cinema majors forced to shutter theaters South Korea’s leading multiplex cinema chain operators began to shutter theaters amid few visitors due to ongoing virus threat. Lotte Cinema announced Monday it was closing down two theaters in Jung..

Hyundai Motor spurs future mobility drive with new enterprises under group South Korean auto conglomerate Hyundai Motor Group has set up a total of 13 enterprises to spur its future mobility plan to transform into a smart mobility solution provider for the past two years und..

Shinhan Financial hires sales advisor for AXA General Insurance buyout: sources Shinhan Financial Group has reportedly hired an advisory firm to oversee its buyout of AXA General Insurance as it looks to expand its insurance portfolio and digital business. Shinhan Financial tap..

Hyundai Engineering bags $100 mn order to expand hydrocracking unit in Indonesia South Korea’s Hyundai Engineering Co. has bagged a $100 million order to expand a hydrocracking unit at Balikpapan refinery in Indonesia.The latest order is the third deal that the Korean industrial p..

HAAH likely to package investment offer for SsangYong Motor this week California-based import car distributor HAAH Automotive Holdings reportedly is planning to submit its proposal this week to make a major investment in South Korea’s SsangYong Motor Co., a move that is..

Job insecurity amid EV rise poses as labor sticking point at Korean automakers Who gets the new workload for electric vehicles has become a simmering sticking point between the management and union at Korea’s top automakers Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. whose corporate ..

WKF: Equal access is another hurdle to COVID-19 solution after vaccine development Multinational efforts are ongoing to develop effective jabs against COVID-19 that already killed nearly 1 million people around the world, but the development of a vaccine alone will not end this glob..

Korean genetic testing firm 3billlion wins Next Unicorn at ASEAN-Korea Scale-up contest Seoul-based rare disease diagnostics company 3billion Inc. won the ASEAN-Korea Scale-up contest, one of the major events of startup premier Try Everything in Korea on Thursday. “About 80 percent of ..

Celltrion cleared for Phase 2/3 clinical trials of COVID-19 in Korea South Korea’s Celltrion Inc. has been cleared to proceed with Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of COVID-19 antibody treatment CT-P59 at home after the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Thursday confirmed ..

Helixmith submits Phase 3-3 trial protocol of Engensis to FDA Helixmith has submitted a Phase 3-3 clinical trial protocol of Engensis (VM202) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to further evaluate the efficacy of the gene therapy product in patients with d..

Celltrion to file for emergency approval of COVID-19 cure within the year South Korea’s bio firm Celltrion expects to enter Phase 2/3 trials of its experimental antibody cure for COVID-19, CT-P59, at home and Europe this month and file for emergency authorization or approva..

Daewoong Pharm spins off experimental drug unit Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co. has spun off a biotech company called iN Therapeutics dedicated to drug discovery and development in a more targeted and productive manner. The Korean pharmaceutical comp..

LG’s new 5G phone with a wing screen provides new multi-display experience South Korean smartphone makers have raised the bar in applications with flexible panels with Samsung’s latest foldable opening to a book-like tablet while LG label upgraded its dual phone to flash out..

Daewoong Pharm’s COVID-19 cure enters Phase 2 trial in Mexico An investigator-initiated Phase 2 clinical trial of Daewoong Pharm’s COVID-19 drug candidate has been kicked off at several health centers in Mexico, including Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médi..

Thelma Therapeutics goes after Songjeong Pharma for distribution in COVID-19 cure Kospi-listed biopharmaceutical firm Thelma Therapeutics is going after local pharmaceutical distributor Songjeong Pharma to secure distribution network necessary for its investigational COVID-19 medic..

Korea to scale up int’l R&D collaboration on future technologies The South Korean government will enhance international R&D collaboration around future technologies of autonomous driving, semiconductor materials and equipment, and 6G network to diversify supply cha..

LG forms global alliance to discover high-performance materials with AI LG Group, South Korea’s fourth largest conglomerate, has formed a global alliance to discover high-performance, next-generation chemical materials, using artificial intelligence (AI) and robot technol..

Qurient shares jump on hope for coronavirus med trial and promising pipelines Qurient shares climbed to a 52-week high Friday on expectations that its investigational multi-drug resistant tuberculosis therapy Telacebec could be used to treat COVID-19 symptoms, while its other l..

Celltrion completes Phase 1 clinical trial of COVID-19 antibody drug candidate South Korea’s Celltrion Inc. has completed in-human Phase 1 clinical trial of CT-P59, a COVID-19 antiviral antibody treatment candidate. It plans to begin commercial production soon to supply the anti..

SK Group’s vaccine stocks jolted on AstraZeneca’s trial pause SK bio shares which flew high on multiple upsides went jittery upon the announcement that AstraZeneca has temporarily halted trials of its coronavirus vaccine project where a vaccine developing unit o..

Helixmith pens CRO contract with WTC to test Engensis in US ALS patients South Korea’s Helixmith said on Thursday it has entered into a master services agreement with Worldwide Clinical Trials (WTC) to support site recruitment and activation for the company’s ongoing Phase..

Early shipment of Galaxy Z Fold 2 likely in 10,000, tripling the first edition The initial shipment of Samsung’s third foldable phone Galaxy Z Fold 2 will more than triple the volume for the maiden foldable handset amid positive consumer response, according to industry sources o..

KAIST researchers discover factor to determine severity of COVID-19 Korean researchers have discovered an important biomarker to determine the severity of COVID-19, raising hope for a treatment to improve symptoms by using a glucocorticoid inhibitor like dexamethasone..

Korean research spinoff aims to develop world’s first oral peptide to treat cancer One CureGen inaugurated as Korea’s 1,000th research spinoff in July and bearing a bold ambition to develop the world’s first oral peptide cancer drug aims to ink global license deals worth over 100 bi..

S. Korea to shorten licensing review period new drugs on rare diseases by 25 days Korean health regulators will shorten licensing review period from 115 days to 90 days for investigational bio drugs to treat severe or rare disease or pandemic disease with no available alternative, ..

Medytox adds more markets to sell aesthetic products Meditoxin, Neuramis South Korea’s Medytox said on Monday it recently received back-to-back marketing approvals of botulinum toxin type A Meditoxin in Malaysia and Saudi Arabia under the brand name of Neuronox, and hyalur..

LG Chem battery unit IPO won’t be earlier than early 2022 with 20-30% offering South Korea’s LG Chem Ltd. won’t be able to list the separated battery-making unit within the first year and will likely offer 20 to 30 percent in initial offering when it goes public in early 2022 to..

Retail buying in Korean shares could top $85 billion this year Over 100 trillion won ($85 billion) in retail money would have fueled the Korean stock markets this year, helping to cushion off relentless foreign selloff and downsides of pandemic and recession cris..

SK sells near 5% in global logistics firm ESR for $408 mn SK Holdings has sold part of its stake in ESR (e-Shang Redwood Group), a global logistics company listed on the Hong Kong Exchange, for 480 billion won ($408 million) to secure cash for new growth. T..

KB Financial Chair Yoon Jong-gyu expected to win third term KB Financial Group has proposed to extend the term of six-year chairman Yoon Jong-gyu for another three years as the financial conglomerate strives to extend growth momentum that has gained traction u..

Hana Financial picked as preferred bidder for 2+U office tower in Seattle South Korea’s Hana Financial Group has been named the preferred bidder for 2+U office tower in downtown Seattle, priced at about 800 billion won ($680.4 million) with an expected annual yield of about..

S. Korea’s LG Chem to establish standalone battery unit on Dec. 1 (Updated with new information) South Korea’s LG Chem Ltd. will spin off its battery division which has ascended to the top in the global EV power market and inflated the value of its stock to a stand..

Korean stock market has room to grow further regardless of U.S. decline: analysts The South Korean stock market has room for further growth even if fizzling-out takes place in the United States as the local bourse is more driven by lush retail capital rather than foreign money, ana..

Asiana Airlines faces downgrade to “junk” status after M&A deal flop South Korea’s No. 2 full-service carrier Asiana Airlines Inc. could become downgraded to a “junk” status after its fate went up in the air due to the flop in the planned sale to a HDC Hyundai Developm..

S. Korean buyout funds join the M&A race with $3 bn funds of public institutions South Korean buyout funds entrusted with 4 trillion won ($3.4 billion) to invest on behalf of public institutions including the National Pension Service have joined the M&A race.SkyLake Investment, Gl..

SK Telecom wins big in recent investment bets South Korea’s major mobile carrier SK Telecom Co. has hit it big with its recent string of investments, with the rewards likely to fuel its own engines for future growth and burnish its stock price. ..

Korea is second-best performing stock market in G20 after coronavirus stalls The Korea Stock Exchange Composite Kospi, the bellwether of the country’s bourse, was the second-best performing market index in the G20 countries after being hit by the impact of the COVID-19 outbrea..

Collapsed M&A deal adds to Asiana Airline`s woes while easing uncertainty for HDC Shares of Asiana Airlines Inc. went down while those of HDC Hyundai Development Co. gained after the high-profile M&A deal officially fell apart last Friday as the ongoing pandemic crisis darkens outl..

Korea’s No.1 chicken name Kyochon F&B cleared for Kospi debut South Korea’s largest fried chicken franchise operator Kyochon F&B Co. is set to debut on the Kospi market around late October or early November as the Korea Exchange (KRX) gave a green light for its ..

KOTAM to create $800 mn fund for overseas infrastructure investment Korea Transportation Asset Management Co. (KOTAM) and global private equity firm I Squared Capital (ISQ) are jointly launching a $800-million blind pool fund that will invest in overseas infrastructur..

Daelim Industrial to split into holding, construction, petrochemical operations South Korea’s Daelim Industrial Co. will relist after demerging into holding and operating entities that would separately oversee construction and petrochemical units. The company’s board on Thursday..

Hanwha Investment swings to operating profit in Q2 on brisk WM biz Hanwha Investment & Securities Co. made a turnaround in the second quarter ended June this year despite the Covid-19 rout, as its wealth management business saw a surge in profits thanks to the custom..

Celltrion stocks recover after selloff from JP Morgan’s sharp downgrade in target prices Investors calmed Thursday after frenzied selloff in Celltrion Inc. upon a massive downgrade by JP Morgan as the Korean biotech firm strongly challenged the U.S. investment bank in its grounds for shav..

Kakao Games shares soar by daily limit on debut, lands No. 5 on Kosdaq Shares of South Korean game developer Kakao Games Corp. surged by the daily permissible limit upon debut Thursday, landing in the top five on the Kosdaq with a market value of 4.6 trillion won ($3.9 b..

KG Group in final talks to buy Hollys Coffee from IMM Private Equity KG Group is in final talks to acquire Korean coffee franchise Hollys Coffee from IMM Private Equity for more than 150 billion won ($84.2 million), according to investment banking sources on Wednesday...

Major K-pop labels sharing windfall from BTS feat and Big Hit IPO The spotlight on BTS in its reign on the U.S. Billboard chart and its producer Big Hit Entertainment’s imminent IPO has shined over the broad K-pop stocks. Shares of JYP Entertainment behind girl gro..

Korea’s Q2 direct overseas investment fall near 30%, steepest in nearly 2 years South Korea’s overseas direct investment fell at the fastest pace in nearly two years in the second quarter as businesses had to save ammunitions against the fallouts from the COVID-19 pandemic. The..

Korean steelmakers struggle from surge in metal prices, cheap Japanese imports South Korean steelmakers who long had to fight Chinese competitors overseas are struggling to defend the home front from invasion of cheap but high-quality Japanese imports and profitability of their ..

OECD cuts S. Korea’s 2020 GDP outlook on virus resurgence The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) pared South Korea’s growth outlook in just a month to reflect the country`s stricter social distancing rules enforced following the res..

Korea‘s lottery sales surge to 15-year high in H1 amid pandemic Lottery ticket sales topped $2 billion by the end of June, or a 15-year high, in South Korea as virus-led blues sent people daydreaming of a jackpot. Lottery sales reached 2.6 trillion won ($2.21 bil..

Korean Inc. suffers worst sales plunge in 5 yrs amid virus-led slowdown South Korean companies saw revenue plunge by more than 10 percent in the second quarter from a year ago, marking the steepest fall in five years amid virus pandemic. According to data released by th..

Korea Eximbank issues $1.5 bn dollar, euro bonds in overwhelming demand South Korea’s state lender Export-Import Bank of Korea (Korea Eximbank) announced Tuesday it has successfully sold total $1.5 billion in dollar- and euro-denominated bonds to overseas investors. Aft..

Korean workplaces sustaining payroll on subsidy exceeds 80,000 vs last year’s 1,514 As many as 80,000 workplaces in South Korea are sustaining payroll entirely on government subsidy, exceeding total 1,514 locations of last year and raising alarm about the fate of their employees once..

S. Korea’s state pensions to face steep shortfall in 20 yrs: report South Korea’s state-managed pension and insurance funds may dry up earlier than expected, suggesting the need of dramatic changes to cope with demographic trends and funding shortfalls in the foreseea..

Nearly 2 out of 10 Korean businesses unable to pay debts with earnings Nearly two out of 10 companies in South Korea had been unable to service their debts with earning last year for three straight years, stoking concerns that the ongoing COVID-19 economic woes would dri..

Credit loans in Korea swell by $844 mn in 8 days Credit loans in South Korea surged by another 1 trillion won ($844.4 million) in less than 10 days this month as individual investors continue to flood real estate and stock markets on the liquidity-d..

S. Korea’s Sept. 1-10 exports nearly flat, but daily shipments down 11.9% South Korean exports in the first 10 days of September slipped 0.2 percent from a year earlier, but average daily exports were down 11.9 percent to suggest outbound shipments could extend their double..

S. Korea confirms foreign appetite in sovereign bonds, prices $1.45 bn at record low rates South Korea issued a dual-currency bond offering worth $1.45 billion at cheapest-ever rates amid overwhelming demand for its high-medium-rated sovereign debt. The USD-denominated $625 million bonds ..

S. Korea suffers job loss for 6th straight mos in Aug, economic inactive largest ever South Korea shed jobs for the sixth straight month in August, the longest losing streak since the global financial crisis, but the job situation is graver than headline data suggests with record numbe..

Fitch cuts S. Korea’s 2020 GDP forecast amid virus flareup Fitch Ratings followed other institutions to turn more negative about the South Korean economy for this year, projecting a deeper contraction of 1.1 percent than the 0.9 percent projected earlier amid..

BOK launches $4 billion bond purchase program to absorb oversupply South Korea’s central bank will launch a bond purchase program worth 5 trillion won ($4.2 billion), its biggest in nine years, to ease some of the oversupply from massive sovereign debt issues that wo..

KDI negative about a meaningful rebound in 2021 State think tank Korea Development projected the Korean economy to contract 1.1 percent this year, revised sharply down from 0.2 percent gain estimated in May and more or less in line with the Bank of..

S. Korea’s 2020 fiscal deficit widens to $84.1 bn by July The red in South Korean public balance stretched to near 100 trillion ($84 billion) despite an increase in tax revenue for the first time this year in July after three rounds of supplementary budgets ..

Over 10,000 eateries in Seoul go out of business in Q2 Over 10,000 eateries and 1,000 PC rooms or other entertainment locations have closed down in April-June period in Seoul to further underscore the dismal conditions of self-employed businesses from the..

Korean gov’t readies second virus relief fund, selectively to those in need South Korea is readying to hand out its second coronavirus relief money, but this time selectively to those in dire need as the government is seriously running out of money after packaging the fourth ..

S. Korea’s tourism revenue shrinks near 80% on year to 17-year low in Q2 Tourism revenue in South Korea shrank near 80 percent in the second quarter against a year-ago period to a quarterly low in 17 years as air travel stayed at a standstill under virus pandemic. Accordi..

S. Koreans advised not to travel oversea in holiday-packed October South Korea on Friday extended its “special travel advisory” by another month, urging citizens to refrain from travelling abroad in holiday-packed October as coronavirus continues to spread across the..

WKF: Tobacco companies must use science to reduce harms of smoking Tobacco companies should take advantage of technology and innovation to provide better alternatives or less harmful products to smokers to allow countries to realistically end the sale of cigarettes w..

WKF: Clear focus and commitment to talent are recipes for startup success: Silicon Valley gurus Sharpening your focus and recruiting top talent are critical for building successful startups, Silicon Valley mentors advised. “The biggest mistake I found in a lot of startups is a lack of focus,” M..

WKF: Lack of leadership poses greater danger to the world than virus: Jack Ma The world is in urgent need to find “new leadership” to encourage people and countries around the world to “work and unite together,” said Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba Group and Jack Ma Foundation. A..

WKF: S. Korea, Chinese economies passed worst H1, recovery won’t be same: economists South Korean and Chinese economies have passed the worst after suffering contraction in the first half as they had coped relatively faster to virus outbreak, but their path beyond 2020 would be differ..

WKF: Businesses must ride out the pandemic on cloud: Vogels of Amazon The cloud technology will be pivotal in the transitional times when the pandemic has forced rapid changes in business and individual life styles, according to Werner Vogels, chief technology officer a..

WKF: Diplomatic experts say new Cold War could be fixture of int’l order The new Cold War-like hegemonic struggle between the United States and China is expected to continue, regardless of who wins the next U.S. election, diplomatic experts agreed. “We have to realize tha..

WKF: S. Korea becoming a global trend-setter amid pandemic pall: Instagram COO South Korea has become a “trend-setter” for homebound people around world amid pandemic from its unique coffee recipe “Dalgona” to latest fashion and beauty tips and news on K-pop stars, according to ..

WKF: Covid-19, economy to be make-break point in US election: Priebus The American verdict on Covid-19 and economic management would make or break the chances of U.S. President Donald Trump extending his term after the November election, said his former campaign strateg..

WKF: Reducing digital gap is priority in COVID-19 era: Cedric O Governments around the world must work hard to bridge the digital divide among communities in the new COVID-19 era after the pandemic has accelerated digital adoption across the board, said Cedric O, ..

WKF: Global recovery is on its way, put money in tech powers like China, Korea The global economies will pick up within six months of arrival of vaccine or cure for COVID-19, but policies won’t quickly shift to tightening as inflationary pressure poses less of a concern, investm..

WKF 2020 sets a new standard in virtual conferencing Near-10,000 viewers from all over the world tuned into the first-day sessions of the 21st World Knowledge Forum, an international debate dedicated to the theme of challenges from pandemic and conseque..

WKF: AI instrumental in fighting virus and natural disasters: Alphabet Chair The COVID-19 pandemic has fueled the deployment of artificial intelligence to cope with the novel virus and climate challenges, said John L. Hennessy, chairman of Google’s parent Alphabet Inc. and for..

WKF: Covid-19 give rises to “CEO moment" and “stakeholder capitalism” McKinsey The pandemic crisis could be a “CEO moment” for business leaders to fundamentally change the way they lead and work with employees and give rise to “stakeholder capitalism”, said Keven Sneader, Global..

WKF: Ex UK PM May calls upon revival of multilateralism to fight pandemic crisis Former U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May Wednesday called upon countries to work together to recommit to the values of compromise and international framework as the times are “challenging than ever” fro..

COVID-19 brings new opportunities to aviation market with digital transformation: AirAsia CEO COVID-19, the worst-ever crisis in the aviation history, would open new markets in the aviation industry under rapid digital transformation, said Tony Fernandes, founder and chief executive of AirAsia..

WKF invites audience to join lively discussions on pandemic solutions The 21st World Knowledge Forum (WKF) will kick off Wednesday in live feed to explore solutions in the post-pandemic era, with the ceremony to be opened by former UK Prime Minister Theresa May and Alph..

Apartments costing near $1 million per 3.3 square meters nearly triple in Seoul in 2 years Apartment complexes whose unit sold 100 million won ($84,595) per 3.3 square meters (35.52 square feet) in Seoul totaled 52 so far this year, nearly tripled from two years ago to underscore the oversh..

S. Korea’s digital transaction up 20% in H1 amid social distancing Daily digital payment transactions in South Korea surged 20 percent in the first six months of the year as more consumers opted for easy and fast contactless mobile and online payment services while s..

WKF: Coronavirus highlights benefits of cloud computing, AR/VR addition to business The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing many businesses to switch from servers to cloud computing to better adjust to market dynamics and fine-tune customer needs in the untact world. That’s one of the messa..

Domestic flights to and from Đà Nẵng resumed HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese airlines will now be allowed to resume domestic flights to and from Đà Nẵng after more than a month of social distancing due to the COVID-19 outbre..

Malaysia seeks to reroute $10.6bn China rail project KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia`s government on Tuesday said it will seek to reroute a $10.6 billion rail project being built across the peninsula under China`s "Belt and Road" trade initiative, and as a resul..

Govt to announce IR4, national digital roadmap KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will soon announce the Industry 4.0 plan and national digital roadmap, including digital infrastructure and data policy, Communications and and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifudd..

Japan, Taiwan to reopen borders for residents from Sept 8 Japan and Taiwan have agreed to reopen their borders for newly arriving expatriates and other long-term residents from Sept. 8, easing restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Japanes..

Free stay permit waivers extended until September 30 HÀ NỘI — Foreigners who entered Việt Nam from March 1 can have their temporary stay permits automatically extended for another month until September 30, the Immigration Departme..

Finance minister: Economic fundamentals still solid amid pandemic Thailand`s economic fundamentals and fiscal position remain strong in the face of the pandemic-induced recession and the "worst is behind us", new Finance Minister Predee Daochai said on Wednesday. S..

Business groups say omnibus bill could boost worker productivity With Indonesia’s low worker productivity standing as a barrier to investment, some businesspeople are expecting a proposed wage scheme in the government’s omnibus bill on job creation to help reverse ..

Indonesia records FDI decrease in second consecutive quarter Indonesia recorded a further decline in foreign direct investment (FDI) realization in the second quarter this year, as the COVID-19 pandemic batters both the national and global economy. The Investm..

How Gojek’s technology provides hope and a sense of normalcy amid the COVID-19 outbreak During the COVID-19 outbreak, it is easy for people to feel a sense of despair because of uncertainty about the present and the future, especially regarding health and the economy. That is why Indone..

Prime Minister calls for more investment in key economic zones HÀ NỘI — Provinces and cities in key economic zones must take the lead in recovering economically after the COVID-19 pandemic by attracting investment from large corporations and tran..

Covid-19 has been a ‘roller-coaster ride’ for Asia’s food delivery business, says Foodpanda Asia CEO The Covid-19 pandemic has fuelled a new appetite for food deliveries in Asia and around the world as more people work from home but it has also brought urgent challenges for the industry, says the reg..

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..

Korean game names eager in turning out console versions in popular labels Korean game publishers have turned eager in rolling out console games based on their popular labels to win over homebound people around the world under pandemic environment. Netmarble has launched a..

BTS, Blackpink rewrite K-pop history K-pop stars have conquered the Billboard Hot 100 charts, with BTS’ “Dynamite” securing its reign for the second week and Blackpink debuting at No. 13 with their latest single “Ice Cream.” BTS spent ..

Netflix, Alphabet, Alibaba founders mentor upcoming startup premier Try Everything Startups will share the spotlight with global pundits and entrepreneurs in their discussions on pandemic challenge before the global audience during the World Knowledge Forum run on Sept. 16-18 with t..

WKF: YouTube stars to host livestream programs to blend entertainment with knowledge YouTube stars will offer commentaries and coverage of Asia’s largest annual business agenda event World Knowledge Forum available to subscribed audiences online during its Sept. 16-18 run. Maekyung ..

NCSoft’s new music game Fuser to hit North America, Europe markets in Nov South Korean gaming giant NCSoft Corp. will launch its new console and PC video game Fuser in the Americas and Europe on Nov. 10. Fuser, developed by American video game company Harmonix and to be p..

Big Hit gives each BTS member pre-IPO shares worth up to $20 mn K-pop superstar BTS is set for a huge windfall as their producer Big Hit Entertainment has rewarded all seven members with equity shares ahead of its initial public offering next month that could make..

BTS fans wrap entire KTX train in ad to celebrate Jungkook’s birthday BTS member Jungkook received a separate spotlight on Tuesday with his images adorning a 388-meter-long Korean express train in a lavish birthday gift from his Chinese fans. Photos of Jungkook and ph..

Cube Enter signs deal with China’s Alibaba to back K-pop activities in China South Korea’s Cube Entertainment signed an exclusive contract with Alibaba Group to receive support from the China’s online giant for activities of its K-pop artists and celebrities in China.According..

Blackpink’s collabo with Selena Gomez arrives Friday The much-hyped collaboration between K-pop sensation Blackpink and American sweetheart Selena Gomez came out at 1 p.m. (local time in Korea) Friday. "Ice Cream" is the second pre-release single of t..

BTS “Dynamite” hits No. 30 debut high on Billboard’s radio airplay chart K-pop superstar BTS’s new song “Dynamite” zoomed to No. 30 on Billboard`s Pop Songs radio airplay chart, marking the boyband’s highest debut rank on the list. Released last Friday, Dynamite started ..

White hat contest CODEGATE 2020 kicks off online next week White hats across the world are invited to vie for top prize money of 65 million won ($54,654) in total at CODEGATE 2020, one of major international hacking competitions held online this year on Septe..

BlackPink commands fourth largest YouTube fans across the world K-pop superstar BlackPink commands fourth largest YouTube fans. The subscribers to the girl group’s official YouTube channel surpassed 44 million as of 9 a.m. on August 16 (local time in Korea), YG E..

Console-like game experience becomes available on 5G-powered phones in Korea South Korean gamers would no longer have to consider getting a PlayStation or Xbox as the console game experience becomes available on smartphones through cloud gaming services on 5G networks. Cloud ..

CJ LiveCity project to create hotspot for K-pop and entertainment back on track CJ LiveCity, dubbed to become the primary host for K-pop concerts and extravaganza, is back on track after four years of delay. The Universal Studio-like K-pop experience park, nestled in Goyang, nor..

Korean labels, tech giants rush to scale up or digitalize K-pop to expand global fan base South Korean entertainment labels and tech giants are doubling down on efforts to scale up or digitalize K-pop to capture the attention of the homebound global audience amid the coronavirus pandemic. ..

NCSoft invites to the first siege of Lineage 2M at Dion Castle on Aug.16 NCSoft Corp. is hosting the first siege war on August 16 of Lineage 2M, the mobile version of its most popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) Lineage, when it launches the 3rd..

Fireworks, cameras are set for a lavish birthday bash for BTS Jungkook by Chinese fans The southern coastal city of Busan is set to go on fireworks and celebration next month as enthusiastic Chinese fans of K-pop superstar BTS ready a birthday bash for Jungkook in unprecedented style. ..

WKF to offer live-stream, replay of all sessions, exclusive app coming out Aug The 21st World Knowledge Forum, Asia’s largest annual business agenda event hosted by South Korea’s Maekyung Media Group, will be live-streamed on a webinar platform to share lively discussions and br..

Emerging YouTubers in Korea: 70% male in their 20s to 30s Male Koreans in late 20s to mid 30s are most successful in YouTubing, a survey by Maeil Business Newspaper and Maekyung Biz showed. About 24.3 percent out of 244 YouTubers under survey had 100,000-30..

LG Uplus offers Black Desert via its cloud gaming platform GeForce NOW LG Uplus Corp. began servicing Pearl Abyss’ mega-hit title Black Desert on Wednesday via its cloud gaming platform GeForce NOW.Cloud gaming is an online gaming streaming service that enables users to ..