SKT to subsidize employees in their gadget purchases for remote working South Korea’s leading wireless carrier SK Telecom Co. is subsidizing its entire work force of around 5,000 in their purchase of gadgets to support their remote working.SK Telecom will introduce a new ..

Korean AI test app maker Riiid to supply AI-powered education solution to Kaplan Korean edtech startup Riiid has signed a contract to offer its AI mobile education app for individual-tailored learning content to U.S.-based Kaplan, a global education service provider, gaining warp ..

LG Elec eyes strong H2, may report milestone $2 bn profit this year South Korean tech giant LG Electronics Inc. is projected to be keeping up record earnings streak in the second half and set to report milestone $2 billion profit this year due to jump in demand for hi..

Hyundai Oilbank aims to cut carbon emissions by 30% by 2050 South Korea’s major refiner Hyundai Oilbank Co. on Wednesday announced a roadmap to reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2050 to join domestic and global green commitments.Hyundai Oilbank aims to ..

Samsung, KDDI demonstrate 5G end-to-end network slicing technology South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and Japan’s KDDI have completed the industry’s first 5G end-to-end (E2E) network slicing demonstration, providing new business opportunities for mobile operators with..

Renault Samsung assigned with Europe-bound 50,000 units of XM3 SUV Renault Samsung Motors Co. has been assigned by its French parent for Europe-bound shipments of 50,000 units in crossover sport utility vehicle (SUV) XM3, a small relief to the Busan-based Korean carm..

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE in latest full spec at affordable price rolls out globally Samsung Electronics Co. is rolling out Galaxy S20 Fan Edition (FE) sporting all the key features of its latest premium Galaxy S20 models and yet priced below the high-end as not to lose winning moment..

SK Innovation pledges 2,600 jobs in U.S. EV battery plant South Korean battery maker SK Innovation Co. announced it would hire more than 2,600 workers by 2024 at its first U.S.-based electric vehicle battery plants planned in northeast Georgia. It plans to..

S. Korean chaebol families have 18% of shares placed in banks for loan collateral Owner families of South Korea’s conglomerates have 18 percent of their company shares held as collateral for loans largely to finance stock purchases or gift taxes for hereditary succession, a study b..

Korean government halts free flu shot program due to storage mishap South Korea has suspended its free seasonal flu vaccine program upon learning cold chain storage had been compromised during shipping process. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) s..

LG Electronics remains American favorite in white goods division South Korea’s LG Electronics Inc. has been chosen as the most favored brand for white goods and home appliances by Americans for the second straight year. According to the customer satisfaction repor..

Doosan Heavy readies to sell Korea’s first homegrown gas turbine Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co. has joined hands with the state-run Korea Western Power Co. (KOWEPO) to sell Korea’s first homegrown combined gas turbine overseas. The gas turbine, built us..

Posco back to full capacity, hints at better H2 South Korean steel giant Posco declared that its mills have returned to full operation levels to meet the anticipated rise in global steel demand, suggesting a more upbeat outlook in the second half. ..

SK Innovation’s materials unit SK IET eyes $258 mn in pre-IPO funding SK IE Technology Co. (SK IET), the electronics materials making subsidiary of South Korean petrochemical major SK Innovation Co. readying to go public next year, is drawing pre-IPO capital worth 300 b..

NHN bets on webtoons overseas and cloud at home South Korea’s leading game and online service provider NHN Corp. plans inroads to North America with webtoon business after success in Japan on the external front while concentrating on expanding clou..

ITC to give second review on preliminary ruling over Daewoong-Medytox botox disputes The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) on Tuesday decided to accept a complaint from South Korean drugmaker Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co. and conduct a second review over its primary ruling in fa..

SK Hynix expands aids to partners to solidify local supply chain SK Hynix Co., the world’s second largest memory chipmaker, has made headway in the effort to establish a supply chain on home turf for security and cost-saving in chip production.According to industry..

Hyundai Motor, union tentatively agree on strike-free wage deal Hyundai Motor Co.’s management and union on Monday tentatively settled collective bargaining terms for this year without labor disputes, raising hope that the auto maker would finish the year without ..

SK Group heirs all on group payroll with the youngest joining SK E&S All three children of SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won are now on the payroll of the family business, with the youngest joining SK E&S Co., a clean energy and solution unit of South Korea’s No. 3 conglo..

Korean battery makers eye bigger commercial vehicle, robotics, ship power market South Korean commercial vehicle manufacturers have joined the green bandwagon, expanding the customer base for local battery makers.Doosan Bobcat Inc., a construction equipment unit of South Korea’s D..

Medi Whale develops AI algorithm to detect health conditions with retinal images South Korean startup Medi Whale has developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) technology to help detect not only physical characteristics but also health conditions such as high blood pressure, kid..

EDGC to sell CB worth $51.5 mn first time as S. Korean bio company EONE Diagnomics Genome Center Co. (EDGC), South Korea-based clinical diagnostic testing services provider, will issue convertible bonds worth 60 billion won ($51.5 million) in a public offering for th..

Macrogen to export Covid-19 testing trailers via LG International South Korea’s biotechnology company Macrogen Inc. signed a contract with LG International Corp. to export its Covid-19 testing trailers. The company announced Wednesday that it will export two units ..

Samsung Electronics to roll out mass-use SSD 980 PRO high-performance drive Samsung Electronics Co. has unveiled SSD 980 PRO, a new consumer-use PCIe 4.0 NVMe solid state drive (SSD) designed for data-intensive works and graphic-heavy games. The South Korean memory chip gia..

SK C&C teams up with startup for AI-based voice-cloning biz SK C&C under South Korean conglomerate SK Group whose flagship is top wireless carrier SK Telecom claimed it has commercialized artificial intelligence technology to recreate human speech based on tap..

Samsung Biologics wins $330.8 mn CMO orders from AstraZeneca Samsung Biologics Co. bagged long-term drug substance and product supply orders, worth $330.8 million in total, from British bio giant AstraZeneca UK Ltd., the company disclosed on Tuesday. In a regul..

Hanmi’s cancer drug poziotinib shows efficacy in Phase 2 trial South Korea’s Hanmi Pharm’s investigational cancer drug poziotinib has shown positive results in a Phase 2 trial in the U.S., enabling its U.S. partner Spectrum Pharmaceuticals to request a pre-NDA me..

GC Pharma ramps up clinical trials of blood plasma therapy to treat COVID-19 GC Pharma Corp. is speeding up clinical trials of its investigational blood plasma therapy for COVID-19 treatment in Korea, while exploring the efficacy of other immune globulin products overseas thro..

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..

Korea Investment & Securities tops Q3 Korean equity capital market league Korea Investment & Securities Co. topped South Korea’s equity capital market (ECM) league in the third quarter for its hand in blockbuster IPOs of SK Biopharmaceuticals and Kakao Games.In the third qu..

Online fashion store W Concept’s value quadrupled in 4 years under IMM PE South Korean online fashion store operator W Concept Korea Co.’s worth has nearly quadrupled after it went under IMM Private Equity three years ago, with business thriving more than ever on growing on..

Korean startup on early Alzheimer`s diagnosis IPO next month offered at $21-25 PeopleBio, a Korean biotech company specialized in blood-based diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases, will join the Kosdaq market next month with public subscriptions on Oct. 7-8 after pricing publi..

Korean banks push ahead with downsizing despite restraint warning South Korean commercial banks are going ahead with downsizing measures, shuttering more than 40 offices and branches around the country next month alone despite repeated call for restraint from author..

Big Hit Entertainment kicks off book-building for its much-hyped IPO Big Hit Entertainment Co., the South Korean agency behind K-pop superstar BTS, on Thursday kicked off its two-day book-building session, hoping to ride on the recent initial public offering (IPO) boom..

Kiwoom Securities enjoying heyday on surge in day and retail stock trade Kiwoom Securities, South Korea’s first online stock trading service provider, has bulked up in line with exponential growth in day and retail trade. The total value of its contracts in August exceede..

Krafton with estimated value of near $30 billion embarks on IPO process Krafton Inc., South Korean label behind globally-popular survival shooting game “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds,” has embarked on the process of initial public offering (IPO) that could bring a mega ga..

LG Chem’s battery unit spinoff plan invites scrutiny by institutional investors Korean financial institutions have begun to examine whether LG Chem Ltd.’s scheme to demerge its battery unit would impair the value of their holdings in the parent company, joining retail investors’ ..

S Korea’s SK Telecom stands by Nanox investment South Korea’s SK Telecom Co., the second-largest shareholder of Nanox, defended its investment in the Israeli medical imaging startup and reaffirmed its confidence in the company`s novel invention tha..

S. Korea’s tax income from stock trade to be doubled from last year and hit record-high While tax income has fallen far short of expectations due to virus-induced recession, levies from stock trade would likely reach record-high in South Korea due to retail stock frenzy. According to th..

LG Chem shares recover on Musk mention as staying as Tesla supplier for time being South Korea’s LG Chem shares recovered Tuesday after selloff since it unveiled plan to spin off battery unit upon news that it would remain supplier to Tesla at least until 2022 even after the top U.S..

Shinpoong Pharm stock sinks after it sells a quarter of treasury stock holding Shares of Shinpoong Pharm, a midsized Korean drug maker, crashed Tuesday after it sold a quarter of its holding in treasury stock that soared 27 times this year on wondrous grounds and without major d..

Mastern Investment to become new owner of Doosan Tower in Seoul South Korea’s real estate investment company Mastern Investment Management is set to become the new owner of Doosan Tower, a landmark building in Dongdaemun, central Seoul. Mastern Investment Managem..

Despite “buy” recommend, local institutions shy away from LG Chem after spinoff plan Contrary to their positive approval of LG Chem Ltd’s decision to demerge battery business, institutions heavily sold off their holdings in the stock. Institutional investors net sold 16.4 billion won..

Doosan Infracore shares soar on improved sales prospects after removal of risk Doosan Infracore Co. shares surged Tuesday after its parent agreed to shoulder all of its litigation risks, brightening the prospect of its impending sale and potentially lifting the value of the deal..

AJ Group consortium completes acquisition of Daelim Motorcycle, AJ Bike A South Korean consortium led by AJ Group has completed acquisition of the country’s top motorbike manufacturer Daelim Motorcycle Co., a move that will help AJ accelerate its plan to transform from tr..

Each BTS member’s net worth estimated at $450 mn after Big Hit IPO The seven members of the K-pop superstar BTS could each be worth about 520 billion won ($447.8 million) once their label Big Hit Entertainment lists on the local bourse next month. The septet, which..

Hyundai Motor Group rejoins the 100-trillion-won market value club due to stock ascent Hyundai Motor Group family now command a combined market capitalization of 100 trillion won ($86 billion), a threshold they touched above in more than two years and doubled from their low in March, th..

Hyundai Motor Securities joins 1tn won net worth club on record earnings streak Hyundai Motor Securities, the brokerage arm under South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group, has joined the 1 trillion won ($860 million) market value club thanks to record earnings and redeemable share issue..

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..

Seoul mulling to interfere in margin rate-setting amid retail stock frenzy South Korean financial authorities are poised to interfere in setting margin rates currently left freely up to brokerage houses amid a surge in trade on credit due to the retail stock craze. The Fina..

S. Korea’s consumer sentiment sharply drops in Sept due to virus flare-up South Korea’s consumer sentiment deteriorated sharply in September, chilled by the latest virus resurgence. The composite consumer sentiment index for September fell 8.8 points from the previous mon..

S&P affirms Korea’s AA credit rating, expects 2020 slowdown to be less severe Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings maintained South Korea’s sovereign rating at its third-highest grade of AA on a stable outlook while turning less pessimistic about the country’s negative growth for t..

Jeju Air may become the second candidate for state bailout for airline industry South Korea’s biggest low-cost carrier Jeju Air Co. could become the second candidate to receive funding from a 40 trillion won ($34.1 billion) state reserve set aside out to protect large companies f..

Korea’s private-sector debt at all-time high, doubling nominal GDP as of June South Korea’s private-sector debt has ballooned this year as individuals and companies alike rushed to take out loans against pandemic uncertainties while the rates were cheap and easy to outsize the ..

Samsung Display and others to receive govt support for transition to new biz Samsung Display Co. along with other 14 display and electric vehicle parts makers have become eligible for government support and tax incentives for migrating to new growth businesses. The Ministry o..

S. Korea passses 4th extra budget of near $7 bn to fund coronavirus relief South Korea approved the fourth extra budget for the year worth 7.81 trillion won ($6.72 billion), allowing low-income individuals and small businesses to start filing for aid applications on Thursday..

Korean gov’t okays home-sharing biz under regulatory sandbox Dazayo, a South Korean startup providing lodging services with empty houses in rural communities, is allowed to resume its business under restricted conditions after being forced to suspend operation ..

Korea’s Aug producer prices up for 3rd straight month on fresh produce prices South Korea’s producer prices rose for the third straight month in August, largely due to higher fresh produce costs from the record-long rainy season. The producer price index ticked up 0.5 percent..

Korean Inc. dreads flooding of bills that can restrict their management maneuvering Korean Inc. faces regulatory bombardment from radical amendments in commerce, fair trade and financial supervisory legislations that can put them vulnerable against lawsuits from shareholders and outs..

S. Korea advised to set stricter public finance guideline as debt ratio nears 44% After a fourth supplementary budget, South Korea’s debt against gross domestic product (GDP) would near 44 percent with liabilities stretched to record 847 trillion won ($728 billion). With national ..

S. Korea exports flag slow recovery, up 3.6% in Sept. 1-20 South Korean exports in the first 20 days of September rose 3.6 percent from a year earlier, raising hopes for recovery in external demand. Preliminary outbound shipments in the Sept. 1-20 period tot..

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..

Restricted passenger flights resume from S. Korea to Vietnam and Russia Passenger flight will resume between South Korea and two countries - Vietnam and Russia -, although under conditions, according to the Seoul government. Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and..

Indonesian ministers visit Seoul for battery plant JV with LG Chem and Hyundai Motor Indonesian Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir and Chairman of Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board Bahlil Lahadalia flew to Seoul Thursday in hopes to finalize a joint-venture ..

Phone data backs virus infection coinciding with outdoor activities during holidays Virus infections surge during holiday periods, big data showed, backing concerns in South Korea of another outbreak during the long Chuseok holiday next week. South Korea’s top wireless carrier SK Te..

Unwired e-buses and robots allowed on roads in South Korea Unwired buses on electric power will be deployed in South Korea for the first time in the world after the government granted commercialization in the technology in regulatory exemption. The Sandbox S..

S. Korea’s marriage hit record low in Jan.-July amid COVID-19 In another dismal outlook for South Korea facing population cliff due to birth rate in zero territory, marriages fell to a new low in the January-July period as virus crisis splashed more cold waters ..

Six out of 10 Korean aged 15-24 watch video contents on OTT than TV Six out of 10 aged 15 to 24 in South Korea watch video contents through streaming on phones and other gadgets instead of TV, according to a survey by top wireless carrier SK Telecom on Wednesday. Ne..

Nearly 1,000 Korean travel agencies go bust since COVID-19 outbreak South Korean travel agencies lessened by nearly 1,000 since COVID-19 first broke out in China last fall. According to the Korea Tourism Association on Wednesday, the number of travel agencies in Kore..

Incheon Int’l Airport duty-free concession openings fail to draw new tenants South Korea’s main air gateway Incheon International Airport was unable to find tenants for concession openings as its second auction this year fell through due to low participation amid standstill in..

Taxes on liquid-type e-cigarettes to be doubled in S. Korea from next year Liquid-type e-cigarettes are expected to become more expensive in South Korea from next year as the government seeks to double the special tax on the type due to fairness issues. The Korean Ministry..

U.S. shaves anti-dumping levies on Korean oil pipelines by more than half in final ruling The United States shaved anti-dumping duties on South Korean oil pipelines by more than half from the previous ruling. In the finalized ruing, the U.S. Department of Commerce adjusted down anti-dumpi..

Korean govt takes its case with Facebook to the Supreme Court Korea Communications Commission (KCC) has lodged an appeal with the Supreme Court after the Seoul Administrative Court dismissed its petition over Facebook’s arbitrary change in the Internet connectio..

WKF Busan: Korea should groom maritime finance sector, ease regulations South Korea should develop Busan, the country’s major port city on the south coast, into a maritime finance cluster and ease regulations on the financial, especially fintech, services to vie for the n..

S. Korea to nearly triple the size of green biotech industry by 2030 South Korea on Monday unveiled a roadmap to nearly triple the size of its green biotechnology industry by 2030 to groom it as future growth engine for the economy. In a meeting with economy related ..

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..

VN needs to develop raw materials production to take advantage of EVFTA Processing of garment products at the Tiên Hưng Garment Joint Stock Company in Hưng Yên Province. In 2019, Việt Nam`s textile and garment export value to the EU reached $4.3 ..

PM sounds protest alarm Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday warned that the country will lose an opportunity to move forward if the anti-government protests persist. Speaking after Tuesday`s cabinet meeting, Gen Pra..

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 (..

Warner Bros exiting from film production in South Korea Hollywood filmmaking major Warner Bros. will no longer invest or produce films in South Korea due to poor results in its latest productions. “We have already stopped making new investments in Korean..

Kingdom’s AStory gains stock momentum with new K-drama “Jirisan” AStory, a Kosdaq-listed drama producer behind “Kingdom” and “My First First Love” sponsored by Netflix, has gained upward momentum for its stock, with the release of next show “Jirisan” starring well-..

BTS returns to UN General Assembly podium to deliver address on Wednesday K-pop superstar BTS enjoying new peak in global music charts returns to United Nations General Assembly podium this year.The Korean Committee for UNICEF said Tuesday that the U.N Group of Friends of S..

BTS Universe Story to hit market on Sept. 24 BTS Universe Story, another interactive mobile storytelling game featuring K-pop superstar BTS members, will be out in the global market on Thursday, said South Korea’s leading game developer Netmarbl..

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..