Kakao creates healthcare division to explore digital health solution biz overseas Kakao Corp. has created a team for healthcare business and recruited a medical specialist to explore global business opportunities with South Korea’s accredited medical care service combined with IT p..

SK places key units under vice chairmen, NA operation under SK hynix CEO Lee SK Group added vice-chairman executive level to grant independent decision-making authority in all key affiliates of the third-largest South Korean conglomerate with business spanning from chips, batt..

LG Elec wins patent war with Chinese mobile group Tinno Mobile South Korea’s LG Electronics Inc. stocking up on mobile-related patents after folding its smartphone business has scored another victory in patent battle with a Chinese mobile phone maker. LG Electron..

SK hynix seats 40-something president for corporate planning South Korea’s second-largest chipmaker SK hynix Inc. has caught with the latest trend of seating young executives at the helm to drive new growth at Korean business majors from IT to finance. SK hyni..

Posco Chemical to build NA factory with GM to join Ultium alliance Posco Chemical, a materials maker under Korean steel major Posco, will build a joint-venture factory in North America with U.S. automaker General Motors for production of cathode active material (CAM)..

Hyundai Engineering joins eco-friendly SMR project in Canada South Korea’s Hyundai Engineering has entered into a multi-party agreement to join a small modular reactor (SMR) construction project in Alberta, Canada, allowing it to break into the burgeoning marke..

KT&G’s e-cig command in Korea widens to fresh record high of 40.7% by Sept South Korea’s tobacco monopoly KT&G has further cemented dominance in the domestic e-cigarette market by raising the share to fresh record of 40.7 percent by the end of September, giving it confidence..

Korea Inc. to go on with M&A and expansion in 2022: Maeil Business Newspaper poll Seven out of 10 Korea’s major companies plan to expand M&As and investments for new growth such as blockchain-relate, metaverse, and green economy and up supply capacity, a survey by the Maeil Busines..

GS Retail buys 1.5% stake in Kakao Mobility to build up capacity for superfast delivery GS Retail Co. running South Korea’s No. 1 convenience store chain GS25 will invest 65 billion won ($55.2 million) to acquire a 1.3 percent stake in the country’s leading mobility platform operator Kak..

Naver, SoftBank up alliance to leverage on metaverse, mirror world for global foray Naver is stepping up cooperation with SoftBank to expand the ecosystem of its virtual world platform Zepeto and mirror world platform Arcverse, the two pillar businesses that the Korean internet giant..

Posco working on demerger into non-steel holding and steel business entities South Korea’s top steelmaker Posco plans to break up into a holding entity responsible investment in non-steel area and a business unit, catching up with other Korean business majors in reorganization..

Naver’s metaverse operator Naver Z’s $190mn funding joined by K-pop labels Naver’s metaverse platform Zepeto operator Naver Z has bagged 223.5 billion won ($189.7 million) funding from financial investors and South Korean entertainment labels amid hype over metaverse economy..

Asiana Airlines sink deeper in debt amid stalled merger with Korean Air Lines Asiana Airlines’ financial health is rapidly deteriorating amid stalled integration with bigger full-service carrier Korean Air Lines and little signs of normalization in international air travel. As..

S. Korean sleep tech startup Asleep to join Amazon team at CES 2022 South Korean sleep tech startup Asleep will be sporting its AI sleep assistant technology at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the world’s largest IT trade show hosted by the Consumer Technology As..

KDB questions Edison Motors’ turnaround plan for SsangYong Motor State lender Korea Development Bank (KDB) Chairman Lee Dong-gull has officially questioned the Edison Motors-led consortium’s turnaround plan for SsangYong Motor and recommended an independent review ..

More than half of the Korean Inc. unfazed in R&D activities despite pandemic More than half of big and mid-sized enterprises in South Korea have been expanding research and development activities despite ongoing pandemic crisis and challenging business environment, survey foun..

Dunamu launches beta service for metaverse platform 2ndblock Dunamu, the operator of South Korea’s largest cryptocurrency exchange Upbit, has unveiled metaverse platform 2ndblock on Tuesday to indulge not just crypto traders but also back broader virtual activi..

Hyundai Motor’s self-driving taxi Roboride competent in rainy and dark conditions Hyundai Motor Co.’s self-driving taxis that hit the Seoul roads in the first half of next year can drive in darkness as well as in severe weather conditions at an average speed of 70-80 km/h (43 miles..

Hyundai Engineering-Hyundai E&C JV wins $1.7 bn Saudi gas processing project A joint venture between South Korea’s Hyundai Engineering Co. and Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. (Hyundai E&C) has clinched a 2 trillion won ($1.7 billion) deal from Saudi Aramco to build a la..

Map navigation, in-car payment becoming must-have feature in new cars in Korea Map navigation and in-car payment systems have emerged as key features Korean drivers consider when purchasing cars, leading even foreign car brands to add SK Telecom’s T Map navigation system and in-..

Seegene, AMSBIO ready to ship out Covid test kits capable of detecting Omicron South Korea’s molecular diagnostics companies Seegene and AMSBIO have grabbed attention of stock investors for their newly launched test kits capable of identifying the Omicron’s unique pattern of mut..

Celltrion trio shares regain ground on Covid-19 treatment supply deals with Europe Shares in the Celltrion trio have been lifted as investors welcomed the supply deals inked by the South Korean biotech giant’s distribution arm with Europe for its Covid-19 treatment. On Wednesday, ..

SK Chemicals expands open innovation with AI startups to fasten drug development South Korea’s SK Chemicals has been expanding its alliance with local AI-based drug discovery startups under an open innovation model designed to shorten the development time of novel therapies and re..

Korean startups dive deeper into precision data sea for value-added solution South Korean startups are moving beyond the so-called big data to more accurate and value-added ‘deep data’ to meet the evolving needs of the marketplace. Deep data means a more select set of data tha..

Ildong Pharm kicks off P2/3 clinical trial of oral Covid-19 cure in Korea Ildong Pharmaceutical has started a Phase 2/3 clinical trial of S-217622, an investigational oral medication developed by its Japanese partner Shionogi Pharmaceutical to treat Covid-19 symptoms, at ho..

Samsung Biologics to produce mRNA vaccine for U.S. GreenLight South Korea’s Samsung Biologics and U.S. biotech company GreenLight Biosciences have teamed up to increase access to Covid-19 vaccines across Africa.Samsung Biologics said on Thursday it signed a cont..

Kakao Brain to introduce Google’s TPU to upgrade its hyperscale AI model Kakao Corp. will install Google’s super computing system to improve its Korean language artificial intelligence (AI) model KoGPT developed by Kakao Brain, its AI research and development subsidiary, s..

Korean biopharmas active in exploring potential of predictive biomarkers Biomarker-based diagnostic products have emerged as latest preoccupation of Korean biopharmaceutical companies amid the rising need for early detection to fight cancers. A genomic biomarker is a DNA o..

Dexter Studio to reinvent filmmaking with advanced CG imagery technology South Korea’s visual effects (VFX) technology company Dexter Studio claims its new LED technology can save film producers budget for high-quality computer-generated (CG) imagery.Dexter Studio’s new vi..

Korean team finds new mechanism to boost drug delivery into advanced liver cancer Korean medical scientists have found a new mechanism involving molecular signaling that determines the efficiency of drug delivery into hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and raise the probability of cure..

Korea’s biggest startup convention sports chicken frying, delivery robots Come Up 2021, South Korea’s biggest startup convention, kicked off in Seoul on Wednesday, offering startups to showcase their creative inventions and business innovations ranging from fried chicken co..

Smart solutions and robotics employment spread in Korean heavy-duty industrial sites South Korean companies are speeding up the deployment of advanced smart and robot solutions across workplaces to increase operational efficiency and reduce work-related injuries. SK Innovation Thursda..

Korean biotech firms Voronoi, LegoChem win $1.7 bn licensing deals Two South Korean biotechnology companies Voronoi and LegoChem Biosciences have won mega license deals worth over 2 trillion won ($1.7 billion) in total, bringing the country’s combined value of biopha..

Samsung to test 6G communication technology this week in US Samsung Electronics Co. is preparing for 6G frequency testing on its new telecom equipment in the U.S. this week when its head Jay Y. Lee starts his North American trip to finalize a mega-billion foun..

Samsung Medical Center makes progress in 3D-based liver transplant for infants Samsung Medical Center has customized 3D printing for faster and safer liver transplantation for newborns whose body is too small to receive an adult liver. During the 50th Asian Transplantation Week ..

Cell-free protein synthesis research wins grand prize at Korea Biopharmaceuticals Award The idea of shortening manufacturing process on recombinant proteins like antibody therapeutics using a cell-free protein synthesis platform won the grand prize at the Korea Biopharmaceuticals Awards ..

Chong Kun Dang’s Indonesia JV wins $32 mn anticancer drug export deal from Algeria PT CKD OTTO Pharmaceuticals, a joint venture between South Korea’s Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Corp. and Indonesia’s PT Otto Pharmaceutical Industries, will export $32 million worth anticancer drugs..

Celltrion shares rally after EC’s approval of its Covid-19 cure Regkirona Celltrion Inc.’s shares flew off Monday upon a rare fast marketing authorization of its Covid-19 antibody treatment Regkirona in Europe, making the first Korean completed therapy to be licensed in the..

Celltrion gets positive CHMP opinion for Korea’s first Covid antibody cure The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has adopted a positive opinion for marketing authorization of two monoclonal antibody therapies to trea..

NCSoft shares slide after 30% jump on NFT buzz NCSoft Corp. shares declined Friday morning amid profit-taking after a 30-percent jump in the previous session, buoyed by the buzz of a new release that will employ non-fungible token (NFT) technology..

Mirae Asset Global REIT despite hot IPO subscription demand debuts modestly Mirae Asset Global REIT backed by Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. which drew eager demand from institutions and individuals amid stronger investor appetite for REIT stocks in Korea this year has de..

Samsung Life’s $187 mn worth shares sold in block trade likely for inheritance dues An heir of the late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee is believed to have sold nearly 220 billion won ($186.7 million) worth of Samsung Life Insurance Co. shares in off-hour block trading on Tuesday ..

Hybe shares extend losing streak after BTS members’ disposal of their holdings Shares of Hybe Co., label behind K-pop superstar BTS, extended losing streak for the sixth session in a row on Thursday after the company reported that BTS members divested a combined 10 billion won (..

Market Kurly raises 8th round of pre-IPO fund, valuation exceeds $3 bn Kurly Inc., the operator of South Korea’s pioneering fresh food platform Market Kurly, has drawn 250 billion won ($212 million) in pre-IPO funding, pushing its corporate value above 4 trillion won ahe..

Real estate fever spills over to the metaverse in Korea Real estate fever has spilled over to the virtual world in South Korea as investors flocked to metaverse investment with a bet on their value inflation, stoking a new speculative concern. According t..

Analysts sanguine about Kospi rebound, estimate peak at 3,400 in May-June South Korea’s main bourse erased gains of the year after hitting the lowest since December on Tuesday, but analysts project Kospi strengthening from the second quarter to peak at around 3,400 in May o..

Goldman Sachs joins tender for S. Korea’s Daekyung O&T Global investment banking firm Goldman Sachs Group Inc. has joined the heated race after a controlling stake in South Korea’s top animal fat feedstock company Daekyung Oil & Transportation Co. (Daekyu..

Korea’s National Pension Service adds Hillhouse Capital of China to its trustee list National Pension Service, South Korea’s largest institutional investor with 919 trillion won ($774 billion) under management, has newly hired Chinese private equity firm Hillhouse Capital Group for in..

IMM Private Equity pledges $50 mn in Silicon Valley startup Bear Robotics South Korea’s IMM Private Equity will invest $50 million in California-based serving robot developing startup Bear Robotics, exploring new investment in line with fast migration to digitalization and ..

Raemongraein readying IPO in Dec. to secure more IPs with the proceeds South Korean TV series producing company Raemongraein Co. will use the proceeds from the Kosdaq initial public offering in December to bolster intellectual property rights as the riches in original sc..

Kakao Bank, Kakao Pay’s total market cap tops value of Korea’s top 4 fin groups The combined market capitalization of Kakao Corp.’s two financial units – Kakao Bank Corp. and Kakao Pay Corp. – has exceeded that of South Korea’s top four financial holding firms as fore..

Seoul intervenes verbally to fend off Omicron shock on capital markets Seoul authorities raised vigilance over the looming danger of powerful Covid-19 variant Omicron that could destabilize the vaccine-backed return to normalcy at home and abroad. Shares were less damag..

Woori Financial to enhance digital platform to woo millennials Woori Financial Group has embarked on its first mission as a fully private lender to reshape itself as a fintech-armed financial service provider from a traditional bank with heavy focus on corporate ..

SK Telecom and SK Square shares mixed on their first day of return after separation Shares of South Korea’s largest wireless carrier SK Telecom Co. on Monday were warmly welcomed back to the Kospi bourse after a month-long suspension for business split while the new investment compan..

CRISPR gene editing firm ToolGen boasts of growth potential as its moves to Kosdaq Dec South Korean CRISPR gene-editing company ToolGen Inc. moving to Kosdaq from startup-focused Konex bourse early next month claimed its growth potential was as big as Nasdaq-trading CRISPR stocks. The..

Investors are warned of discretion in the hype over NFT employment in games Non-fungible tokens (NFT) have become the buzz word for Korean game publishers due to its excitement on the stock market even as it is remains illegal in the country.According to a finding by Samjong ..

Foreigners turn aggressive buyers of Korean shares in Nov Offshore investors who had dumped as much as 31 trillion won ($26 billion) worth shares throughout the year have turned aggressive buyers of Korean shares this month, finding them cheaper after length..

Big PEFs to double ammunitions next year, advance into venture capital markets Big private equity funds active in South Korea are preparing to double fund scope next year to leverage on eased capital market rules and make preemptive investments in promising companies. According..

IMM Investment likely to buy 49% in GS Power for $841 mn IMM Investment Corp. is seeking to complete its acquisition of a 49 percent stake in GS Power Co. by next month in a win-win deal that can add dividend income for the private equity fund and raise cap..

South Korea’s FSS may ease fines or penalty on market makers South Korean financial watchdog may ease the fines or penalty scope on brokerage houses for alleged irregular market-making practices which have been virtually stopped in the local bourses after the r..

Korea’s debt-to-GDP ratio to pass 50% threshold via supersized 2022 budget South Korean government debt ratio against the gross domestic product (GDP) would top 50 percent for the first time next year after the country has packaged a record-sized budget for the second consec..

S. Korea’s ’22 budget scheme enlarged to $515 bn in another record-high spending plan South Korea’s National Assembly on Friday passed 607.7 trillion won ($515.3 billion) budget scheme for 2022 Friday, a day after the legally-set Dec. 2 deadline after adding 3.3 trillion won onto the g..

S. Korea’s FX reserves contract for first time in 5 months in November South Korea’s foreign exchange reserves fell for the first time in five months in November, snapping a four-month-long record-breaking streak, due to a decline in the dollar-converted value of foreign..

Korea’s Nov. car shipments dip for five straight mos due to chip shortages Auto shipments by Korea-based carmakers contracted against a year-ago period for five consecutive months in November amid ongoing chip shortages that caused output setbacks. The five automakers R..

S. Korea’s inflation at near 10-year high of 3.7% Nov, may exceed annual 2.3% target [Updated with comment from the Bank of Korea] South Korea’s inflation in November gained 3.7 percent from a year ago in the fastest rise in nearly a decade on across-the-board price strengthening fro..

S.Korea’s Q3 GDP confirmed to have added just 0.3%, real GNI falls South Korea’s economy grew a mere 0.3 percent in the third quarter from the earlier three-month period as estimated in preliminary guidance, while gross national income contracted for the first time s..

Korea’s monthly exports at milestone of $60 bn Nov, set to end the year at record high South Korea’s monthly exports hit a new milestone of $60 billion in November on strong global demand for Korean vessels and petrochemicals on top of still-robust mainstay shipments of chips and steel...

Korean part timers leave mom and pop shops to work for platform companies Platform businesses that have been flourishing since the outbreak of the pandemic are sucking part-time workers out of mom-and-pop shops in South Korea, leaving self-employed businesses readying to re..

S. Korea’s Oct factory output in steepest fall in 17 mos amid supply disruption South Korea’s factory output extended losing streak into the third month in the steepest pace in 17 months in October while leading indices pointed to negative outlook as global supply instability wei..

Cargo truck drivers’ union goes on strike, adding to Korea’s logistics crisis Logistics unrest looms over South Korea that has been already grappling with the prolonged urea water solution shortage as 23,000 unionized cargo truck drivers have gone on a general strike demanding ..

BOK raises base rate to 1%, ending 20-month zero range rate (Updated with BOK governor comments and market response) Upon bringing the base rate back above 1.0 percent after an unprecedented loose policy to fight Covid-19, the Bank of Korea on Thursday indica..

Korea’s high tax, frequent changes in taxation hinder business development Six out of 10 large companies operating in South Korea believe that the country’s unfavorable tax environment with high corporate tax rate and frequent changes in taxation is a major obstacle to their..

Korea’s golf item imports hit record high amid golf boom South Korea’s imports of golf equipment hit a record high from January to October as the sport becomes a fad among young Koreans during pandemic period.According to data released by Korea Customs Serv..

Korea’s household debt at fresh peak in Q3 on housing demand Household debt in South Korea hit a fresh record high as of September despite loan regulations and higher lending rates on surging housing and rent prices. According to the data released by the Bank..

Seoul extends sales tax incentive for cars, packages small biz relief fund with extra tax South Korea will extend the 30 percent exemption in sales tax for car purchases for another six months and employ some of the excess tax revenue to expedite additional $10.7 billion relief for self-em..

Korea’s consumer sentiment stays positive Nov, albeit weighed down by inflation concerns South Korea’s consumer sentiment stayed positive in November as the country returns to near normalcy despite still-furious virus outbreak and stronger expectations for higher interest rates and inflat..

Korea’s Nov. 1-20 up 30% to help end ’21 on record exports, KITA projects stronger 2021 South Korea sustained near 30-percent growth in the year-end shipments, keeping to the path to end the year on record exports, while a state think tank projected the record to stretch in the coming ye..

Seoul to unveil roadmap on auto chip self-sufficiency in January The Korean government will invest 95.7 billion won ($80.77 million) in research and development projects by 2025 for self-sufficiency in automotive semiconductors amid global supply disruptions have b..

Korea’s producer prices at fresh record high in Oct, up 8.9% on yr, strongest in 4 yrs South Korea’s producer price index (PPI) touched a fresh peak for the seventh consecutive month in October amid relentlessly high crude oil and other raw materials prices, suggesting inflationary buil..

Tickets to travel bubble destinations sell out fast as Koreans ready for revenge travel Air tickets and hospitality booking for destinations relatively safe from virus spread are selling out fast on pent-up travel demand by South Koreans constrained to home turf for nearly two years. Bo..

Pfizer and Korean drug maker back to court over validity in Lyrica patent Global pharmaceutical firm Pfizer Inc. face another court battle in South Korea on the decade-long patent dispute over Korean drugmakers’ employment of Pfizer’s blockbuster pain treatment Lyrica (preg..

All international arrivals in Korea must undergo 10-day quarantine amid Omicron fear From Friday, all arrivals to South Korea regardless of their nationality have to undergo self-quarantine for 10 days regardless of their vaccination status as Seoul grapples to contain further spread ..

Hanwha E&C inks to build $1.5 bn Phase 1 Inspire integrated resort project in Incheon South Korea’s Hanwha E&C has formally signed an agreement for the 1.8 trillion won ($1.5 billion) Phase 1 development of a state project to build the country’s first integrated entertainment resort co..

Korea to double installment payment of inheritance and gift tax to 10 years The National Assembly in South Korea has passed a revision of the inheritance and gift tax law to grant installment payment over 10 years to ease the tax-paying burden of the wealthy in the country wh..

FTC finds Korea Bar Association unfair for intruding online competition The antitrust watchdog in South Korea proposes fining the Korean Bar Association for upsetting fair competition through sanction on app-based legal service platform LawTalk, clashing with the lawyers’..

KITA and Hanwha vie for a new southern Seoul landmark of Jamsil MICE center project Consortia led by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) and Hanwha Group are vying for a state-led project to build a new landmark in southern Seoul by upgrading the Jamsil Sports Complex to..

Netflix unaffected by S. Korea’s strengthened rule on quality control Korean lawmakers are preparing a separate regulation targeting Netflix, which remains incompliant to demands to correct free-riding on local networks regardless of a revised telecommunications busines..

S. Korea’s integrated resort project in Incheon draws funding to finish construction The project to create the biggest resort in the Northeast Asia near the air gateway of South Korea’s capital gained impetus to open in 2023 as planned after resolving the financial issue to finish the..

S. Korean lawmakers propose to push back digital asset levy to 2023 South Korea is expected to begin taxing capital gains on digital assets from 2023, a year later than initially planned January 2022, upon bipartisan agreement to win over young voters in the president..

Korea’s comprehensive property tax bill doubled this year to record number of taxpayers South Koreans subject to the year-end comprehensive real estate tax bill, or surcharge on property-rich, has topped 1 million this year for the first time since the tax scheme was introduced in 2005 d..

Seoul to release state oil reserves to join US-led efforts South Korea is joining U.S.-led actions of releasing state oil stock to ease fuel prices amid inaction from oil producing majors to increase supplies to stabilize international commodity prices that h..

S. Korea to enact new law to regulate cryptocurrency market South Korea has embarked on a process to legislate a new law that will regulate the sizzling cryptocurrency market to protect virtual coin investors, a move that is expected to institutionalize crypto..

Shinhan Financial Group chairman acquitted of favoritism charge in hiring Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Cho Yong-byoung has been acquitted of involvement in irregular recruiting in appeals court, enabling him to bid for a third term in command over South Korea’s leading ..

Unremorseful ex-president Chun Doo-hwan dies at 90 South Korea’s fifth president in service from 1980 to 1988 and the last reminder of the country’s lengthy military regime Chun Doo-hwan died Tuesday, without repenting for the brutality committed agai..

FTC to decide on penalty on Apple for breach of voluntary remedial action South Korea’s antitrust agency will discuss possible penalty on Apple Korea upon finding inaction or negligence in the promise of voluntary remedial actions to its unfair practice of imposing ad and r..

KEPCO E&C sparks protest on its plan to reshuffle nuclear reactor design team A plan to reshuffle nuclear reactor design and development team under state utility has stoked strong protest and concerns about weakening and leak in South Korea’s hard-built expertise in nuclear rea..

Europe’s EV battery rookie ACC seeks materials, parts partners in Korea Automotive Cells Company (ACC), a European automotive battery provider, is looking for South Korean partners to join forces to produce batteries for 1.7 million EVs by 2030. Jean Baptiste Pernot, ACC..

Netflix raises subscription fees in Korea, claims irrelevancy to network free-riding issue Netflix under criticism for free-riding on South Korean networks while profiting big with Korean contents including global smash Squid Game is pushing up subscription prices in Korea for the first tim..

Korea may approve oral Covid-19 therapy amid spike in critically-ill patients South Korea may determine emergency use authorization for MSD’s oral medication against Covid-19 by the end of this year to make the pill available from early next year, as the country is rapidly runn..

Seoul opts to settle urea issue diplomatically with Beijing instead of WTO action The South Korean government is pursuing to settle the urea crisis diplomatically with China instead of challenging Beijing’s export curb at the World Trade Organization (WTO) as it had done with Japan..

Foreign tourist arrivals to Việt Nam up 42.4 per cent in November as country tentatively reopens HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam welcomed over 15,000 foreign tourists in November, up 42.4 per cent from October, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO). The rise is attributed to ..

Grab’s Nasdaq debut to set tone for Southeast Asian listings Grab, Southeast Asia’s biggest ride-hailing and delivery firm, makes its market debut on Thursday after a record US$40 billion merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), in a listing th..

Digital transactions forecast to grow 31% next year: Bank Indonesia Bank Indonesia (BI) projects e-commerce, electronic money and digital banking transaction values to continue to expand next year, with online marketplaces experiencing the highest growth. BI Governor ..

PM eyes Omicron options Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will make a decision about whether Thailand will be forced back into another lockdown if the Omicron variant of Covid-19 is detected in the country. However, the new ..

Omicron will not affect reopening, says Phiphat Thailand will not take a step back from the reopening plan despite uncertainty over the Omicron variant and the Tourism and Sports Ministry will also propose more relaxation on alcohol sales from the ..

Shoppers look forward to year-end sales, prefer same-day delivery As the year draws to a close, shoppers are bracing themselves for the year-end sales. With 12.12 just around the corner, followed by Christmas and New Year, retailers, as well as small and medium ent..

Govt: Reschedule year-end holidays to prevent virus circulation Government spokeswoman for COVID-19 handling and ambassador of new habit adaption Reisa Broto Asmoro said the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays would be the proving ground for whether the Indon..

Thai youth unemployment at new high Joblessness among young men and women in Thailand has reached a level unseen in recent years due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO). Yout..

Investment apps all the rage in Indonesia Investment apps have received a big chunk of the capital poured into fintech companies in Indonesia lately as mutual fund investment has gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 editio..

First foreign visitors under vaccine passport scheme enjoy Hội An tour after two years QUẢNG NAM — After testing negative for COVID-19, a group of 50 foreign visitors under the pilot “vaccine passport” programme took a tour around Hội An Ancient Town in the south-centr..

Big Tech in Indonesia may start paying news firms for content Indonesian media groups are pushing for a draft regulation to make news aggregators pay publishers for displayed content, a regulation meant to support the domestic news industry. Sources told The Jak..

Malaysia`s GDP could grow between 5.5-6.5pc in 2022 says MIDF Research KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia`s gross domestic product (GDP) could grow between 5.5 per cent and 6.5 per cent in 2022 due to pent up demand arising from the opening of the local economy. MIDF head of resear..

BBL illustrates risks for the Thai economy Bangkok Bank (BBL) predicts the economy will face a higher number of challenges over the next few years under a changing economic landscape following the Covid-19 pandemic. The economy will gradually..

Prices increase despite pandemic restrictions easing HÀ NỘI — While most manufacturing enterprises resumed operations as pandemic restrictions were eased, significant challenges remain because of the rising cost of gasoline and raw mate..

Gold can buttress your portfolio amid inflation, virus risk: Analysts With the stock market at an all-time high and inflation rising fast, some analysts advise having gold in your portfolio to prepare for global economic uncertainty and the ongoing risk of COVID-19. Mon..

UTCC puts 2021 growth at 1.5% The economy is expected to grow by 1.5% this year boosted by the easing of Covid restriction measures and the country`s reopening, and 4.2% next year, according to the latest forecast by the Universit..

GoTo Group secures $1.3 billion in pre-IPO funding Technology company GoTo Group has secured more than US$1.3 billion in pre-initial public offering (IPO) fundraising from the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), Avanda Investment Management, Fideli..

Digitalisation to drive low-carbon leadership Thailand is expected to become Asean`s low-carbon leader, driven by a digitalisation journey through the support of the country`s innovation infrastructure, according to global tech giant Huawei Techn..

HCM City clothing businesses face difficulties as demand drops HCM CITY — HCM City’s clothing businesses are struggling to reopen as the domestic market remains “frozen”, with low customer demand and business customers reluctant to buy clothing items and ma..

CJ Century Logistics inks agreement with Astro to provide total logistic services KUALA LUMPUR: CJ Century Logistics Holdings Bhd (CJ Century) has signed a warehousing, fulfilment and logistics services agreement with Measat Broadcast Network Systems Sdn Bhd (Astro) to provide tota..

BTS tops 9 year-end charts of Billboard, Hybe impresario Bang named as Bloomberg 50 K-pop super group BTS has swept nine top ranks at the year-end charts of U.S. Billboard, while their impresario joined an exclusive list of 50 most influential figures by a U.S. media. Billboard anno..

K-pop exports to hit record high this year as fandom spreads beyond Asia Korean pop music exports are expected to hit a record high of $200 million this year thanks to K-pop fandom beyond Asia partly driven by booming unconventional media channels like YouTube. According..

Seoul may be the next stage BTS performs live after LA Seoul may be the next live stage BTS may go on after the entirely sold-out show in Los Angeles, according to the K-pop sensation. Although the K-pop super-group did not specify plans after the L.A. ..

LA brims with BTS fans for concert in 2 years, but shares plunge at home on military risk The City of Angels turned purple as enthusiastic fans across the globe swarmed SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles for the first real concert by K-pop superstar BTS in more than two years. Tickets for the “B..

BTS scores only one nod from Grammy, missing out on major categories K-pop sensation BTS is aiming for a Grammy for the second time this year in the best pop field, although failing to score a nomination in the big four categories despite a wildly successful year with ..

K-drama Hellbound tops Netflix’ global ranking in just a day after release Netflix original show Hellbound produced by a Korean team debuted at No.1 thanks to the global viewers’ high expectations for Korean original TV shows after the global sensation Squid Game, the stream..

WeMade CEO calls for access to P2E game in Korea to keep abreast of global trend Play-to-earn (P2E) should be permitted in South Korea through regulatory sandbox or exemption so that Korean publishers do not fall behind in global competition amid rapid employment of the business m..

Pinkfong Baby Shark collection to premier in NFT form in December “Baby Shark”, which has become an all-time favorite children’s song and dance, will become collectible in digital art form of non-fungible token (NFT) next month, according to its South Korean creator..

Tteokbokki penetrates deeper into global market as new K-culture food South Korean food makers are tapping deeper into the global market as tteokbokki, one of the most popular Korean street foods, is selling like hotcakes in Europe and the Middle East backed by the grow..

Webtoons-turned-books bolster Korea’s dominance over global comics market As South Korea rises fast as the new global power behind comics in the digital age, publications of popular digital episodes are flying off shelves around the globe. Naver Webtoon, online comic publis..

Kakao Games, Wemade in hot earnings streak to go global and explore beyond mainstay South Korea’s mid-tier game makers Kakao Games Corp. and Wemade Co. are on an upswing and expanding, while traditional majors Nexon, NCSoft and Netmarble pale as their new releases are met with cold r..

NCSoft shares surge as it rolls out global version Lineage W in 12 countries NCSoft has initiated global launch of ‘Lineage W’ with pre-downloads playable from Thursday, raising hopes for the title will save face and bottom line for the Korea’s top game publisher. Investors ..

CJ breaks ground for Korea’s biggest K-pop concert arena South Korea broke ground for the country’s first and biggest K-pop concert hall ‘K-Culture Valley Arena’ in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on Wednesday.CJ ENM’s subsidiary CJ Live City (CJLC) will build t..

Musicow plans IPO as copyright trade and value in K-pop songs gain heat K-pop music copyright trade has become hot amid international spotlight in Korean entertainment contents. Musicow, a Seoul-based music copyrights trading platform, has hired Mirae Asset Securities t..

K-pop stars BTS, TWICE returning to offline stages after nearly 2-year hiatus K-pop is set to return to live stages to meet global fans in person with Korea-born world star BTS to lead the pack next month after nearly two-year hiatus as many countries across the globe are optin..

SM shares shoot up amid rumored M&A talks with CJ ENM South Korea’s oldest K-pop house SM Entertainment may go under CJ ENM, a deal that could reshape the Korean media and entertainment scene if realized.Yonhap News Agency reported Monday CJ is in positi..

Race to create original Korean content heats up among OTT players Major over-the-top service providers at home and abroad are upping their ante in the race for Korean original content production amid increased attention on local contents after the mega-hit of “Squid..

Korean small media stocks enjoy renewed interest amid “Squid Game” craze South Korea’s small-cap media and entertainment stocks are gaining ground thanks to the “Squid Game” bonanza, which is prompting big platform operators to look for more local creatives. Next Enterta..

BTS-Coldplay collab “My Universe” tops Billboard Hot 100, further pushes Hybe stock K-pop superstar BTS snagged the No.1 Billboard Hot 100 song chart with “My Universe,” its collaborative new single with Coldplay. “My Universe” launched at No.1 on Billboard Hot 100, dethroning The K..

Netflix euphoric over success of ‘Squid Game’ attributes to its investment in Korean contents Netflix executives are raving over the global success of its original Korean series "Squid Game" that is the most watched content in 76 countries and to become the streamer’s most successful non-Engli..