LG Elec to add Amazon Alexa support to its 2019 TV lineup South Korea’s LG Electronics Inc. will bring Amazon’s voice-enabled artificial intelligence platform Alexa to its 2019 TV series starting next week in the United States, prior to Europe and Asia. It..

Market Kurly nets additional $29.4 mn, bringing Series D to $113.4 mn South Korea’s online door-to-door grocery service Market Kurly has raised an additional 35 billion won ($29.4 million) in Series D funding from China’s private equity fund Hillhouse Capital, after bag..

Greater Bay plan part of China’s ambitions to become superpower: Gary Liu China’s Greater Bay Area (GBA) Initiative, along with the global Belt and Road Initiative, is an ambitious project undertaken by Beijing to assert itself as a global superpower, said Gary Liu, chief e..

Car-sharing, strategic partnership key to success in future mobility: Hyundai EVC Car-sharing and strategic network with innovative companies would be the key to future mobility and survival for Korea’s top automaker Hyundai Motor Group, its heir apparent and executive vice chair C..

Woori Financial Group eyes securities, insurance M&As to complete portfolio: CEO South Korea’s Woori Financial Group which started anew as a holding structure from the beginning of the year is hungry for expansion through lucrative M&As, said its chief executive. “Woori Financial..

Lotte Duty Free joins the first tender for duty free location in Bangkok airport South Korea’s travel retail giant Lotte Duty Free challenges Thai duty-free monopoly King Power International for an opening in tax-free location at the Bangkok gateway. Lotte Duty Free said on Thu..

Google to open cloud region in Seoul early next year U.S. tech giant Google is on track to open a cloud region in Seoul, South Korea, early next year, to better serve customer needs and provide innovative and efficient solutions. In a media briefing on..

Kia unveils teaser image of its new compact SUV due in H2 Korea’s Kia Motors Corp. teased a rendered concept on a new compact sports utility vehicle that will roll out later this year as a follow up to compact multi-purpose vehicle Carens. “We have created ..

Daelim-built coal-fired supercritical power plant in the Philippines ready to operate The first coal-fired supercritical power plant in the Philippines has been successfully connected to the grid and will start commercial operation within this year, its builder Daelim Industrial of Kor..

Korean, Chinese biz leaders seek ways to strengthen ties at Shenzhen Forum More than 300 business leaders from South Korean and China gathered at the China Greater Bay Forum hosted by Maekyung Media Group on Wednesday in Shenzhen, China, to explore ways to deepen their ties ..

Hanwha Q Cells remains No.1 in UK solar module market Hanwha Q Cells Corp., a solar power unit of South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Group, has kept its lead in the British solar module market for two years in a row in 2018 thanks to its customer-friendly ..

Bain Capital invests $320 mn in CJ Foods America South Korean food giant CJ CheilJedang Corp. said Thursday that U.S. private equity fund Bain Capital has invested $320 million to acquire a 27 percent stake in its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary CJ Foo..

Starbucks Coffee Korea pays out $34 mn in cash dividend last year Starbucks Korea, one of the most lucrative overseas operations of the global coffee chain, has paid out a yearly cash dividend of total 40 billion won ($33.6 million) to its stakeholders for the first..

Samsung Elec vice chair meets visiting ex-U.S. President George W. Bush Samsung Electronics’ Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee enhanced his global credentials by stealing a private time with ex-U.S. President George W. Bush, who is in Korea to attend a memorial service for his for..

Hyundai E&C wins $2.4 bn order to build seawater supply facility in Iraq South Korea’s Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. (Hyundai E&C) landed a 2.9 trillion won ($2.4 billion) order to build a large-scale seawater supply facility in Iraq, hitting big in its first over..

Korean Air deploys its 200th Boeing plane South Korea’s full-service carrier Korean Air Lines Co. said Wednesday it has added a B777-300ER aircraft or the 200th to its Boeing fleet. The carrier now has 25 units of B777-300ER aircraft, it adde..

Celltrion’s breast cancer treating biosimilar Herzuma cleared to sell in Brazil Celltrion announced on Wednesday it has received approval from ANVISA – the National Health Surveillance Agency in Brazil – to launch its breast and gastric cancer biosimilar Herzuma in th..

SK Innovation goes extra mile for symbiotic growth of supply chain South Korea’s SK Innovation Co. will expand its partnership with small- and mid-sized companies in establishing overseas manufacturing facilities to promote co-growth. The country’s third largest bat..

Samsung, LG boost budget smartphone appeals with premium features Korean smartphone makers Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics struggling to fight back Chinese ascension in emerging markets as well as on home turf have upgraded their budget lines with premium spe..

Doosan Heavy expands business with U.S. energy firm MCV in gas turbine South Korea’s Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co. strengthened strategic ties with American private energy firm Midland Cogen Venture (MCV) in the gas turbine business. The company announced W..

Samsung’s new AI technology can create fake interview video with single face image Samsung Electronics has developed a new artificial intelligence technology to turn still images into a video to show various facial expressions and movements of a person. According to industry source..

LG Electronics recruits University of Toronto for its AI brain power LG Electronics Inc. has added artificial intelligence specialists of the University of Toronto to its pool of brain power responsible for future competitiveness. The Korean electronics maker said i..

Kumho Tire develops world’s first 20-inch 45R tire for light commercial vehicles Korea’s Kumho Tire Co. said on Tuesday it is providing new 20-inch low profile tires for Hyundai Motor’s minibus Solati limousine. Kumho’s new 20-inch low profile tire upgraded from Portran KC53 fea..

SMC and startup to develop stem cell therapy to treat infant brain disorders Seoul-based Samsung Medical Center (SMC) announced on Monday it has signed a technology transfer agreement with Medinno, a local biotech firm, over investigational stem cell therapy to treat hypoxic-i..

Samsung Electro rolls out super-slim 5x optical zoom camera module Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., a South Korean industrial part maker under Samsung Group, said on Monday it began mass production of its super-slim 5x optical zoom camera module for smartphones this mo..

LG Electronics designs brain-like chip to make appliances smart LG Electronics said on Thursday it has developed a processor chip that can make household machines think like human brain and perform on its own. The product Neural Engine is an AI processor that i..

IBM quantum computer to be on display at Maekyung-IBM Think Summit in Seoul A model of the world’s first integrated quantum system for scientific and commercial use, built by global computing giant IBM, will be displayed at the 2nd Maekyung-IBM Think Summit KOREA for the firs..

Samsung 5G Galaxy Fold preps to hit the market possibly next month Samsung Electronics first foldable phone in 5G technology may be ready to hit the market next month after its launch was delayed to address glitches in the screen and 5G network. According to sources..

Samsung develops world’s highest resolution 64Mp image sensor for mobile cameras Samsung Electronics has unveiled two new 0.8-micrometer (μm) pixel image sensors, the industry’s smallest pixel size currently available in the market, expanding its micro image sensor lineup from exi..

JW Holdings granted Chinese patent for early-stage pancreatic cancer detection South Korea’s JW Holdings said Thursday it has received a patent in China for its liquid biopsy technology to detect early-stage pancreatic cancer. JW Bioscience, a subsidiary of JW Holdings, is now..

Samsung BioLogics signs deal to develop immunotherapy drug for local startup Samsung BioLogics said on Thursday it has signed a contract to develop an immunotherapy drug for GI Innovation, a Korean biotech startup. The biopharmaceutical arm of Samsung Group did not elaborate t..

Korea’s indigenous next-gen nuclear technology wins US certification The United States has certified the Advanced Power Reactor 1400 (APR1400), a next-generation commercial nuclear reactor design independently developed by Korean state-owned companies Korea Electric Po..

SKT’s future tech experience center in Seoul becomes must-visit place T.um, Korea`s largest telecom company SK Telecom`s future technology museum, has become a must-visit for foreigners and local citizens who want to know what the future of ICT technology holds. The c..

Celltrion’s antibiotic generic cleared by U.S. FDA South Korea’s Celltrion said Monday that it has won marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Linezolid, its antibiotic generic, across the United States. Linezolid (pr..

Hyundai Motor to develop in-house translator for employees Hyundai Motor Group is developing an in-house machine translator to facilitate communication between employees across different languages around the world while dispelling security worries from using ..

Naver’s translation app Papago hits 10 mn monthly user mark Naver announced on Tuesday its artificial intelligence-based translation service Papago surpassed 10 million monthly active users (MAUs) last month. Papago officially launched in July 2017 supports ..

Hyundai Motor Group to scout talent for future mobility technology in U.S. Hyundai Motor Group will hit the road to find the best talent in the United States to tackle the challenges of disruptive mobility technology and position the South Korean conglomerate to take the lea..

LG Electronics consigned to make robotic kitchen help for CJ Foodville LG Electronics Thursday will add kitchen helper in its line of robotics under a development order from food chain operator CJ Foodville. Pilot robots will be deployed to CJ Foodville`s selected resta..

Samsung Electronics reveals specs on Galaxy Fold Samsung Electronics has unveiled the specifications of its upcoming Galaxy Fold that brings together the best of the smartphone and tablet experiences, folding them into one device. According to the..

Samsung Electronics completes development of 5nm FinFET process technology Samsung Electronics has added another cutting-edge node to its extreme ultraviolet (EUV)-based process offerings to continue its leadership in the advanced foundry market and is ready to take orders f..

Korea’s China-sensitive stocks suffer big losses from U.S.’s anti-Huawei campaign With the South Korean government under pressure to join the U.S. sanctions on China’s Huawei, investors, reminded of the past political rows between Seoul and Beijing over a U.S. anti-missile system t..

Hana Financial buys Edge-plaque green office building in Amsterdam South Korea’s Hana Financial Investment Co. becomes owner of an eco-friendly Edge-plaque office building worth 350 billion won ($294 million) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on a long-term lease to the..

Mirae Asset Daewoo to lead-manage IPO of Smilegate RPG South Korea’s brokerage house Mirae Asset Daewoo Co. has been picked as the lead underwriter for an initial public offering (IPO) of Smilegate RPG, a game publisher of mega-hit role-playing game Lost ..

Recession not imminent thanks to ample liquidity in waiting: Carlyle CEO interview The ability to brazen out market volatility and challenging investment environment is the survival key during times of escalating geopolitical risks from trade tensions as the global economy, although..

S. Korea to lower stock trade tax from May 30 South Korea will lower taxes for trading any type of stock starting May 30. Main Kospi stock trade tax will go down to 0.10 percent from previous 0.15 percent and to 0.25 percent from 0.30 percent fo..

Korea’s ruling party proposes fund-type scheme to manage employee pensions The ruling Democratic Party (DP) has proposed a new bill to stir interest in Korean employers and employees in improving returns on their post-retirement scheme by hiring professional help or enabling..

Lotte taps MBK Partners-Woori Bank consortium to sell credit card unit Lotte Group chose a consortium of MBK Partners and Woori Bank its new exclusive candidate to sell its credit card unit after failing to strike a deal with earlier choice, Hahn & Co. within the deadlin..

Hanjin Heavy 10% lower after returning to market after 3-mo suspension Shares of South Korea’s Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Co. on Tuesday returned to the Korean bourse after a three-month suspension following a capital redress only to be met with cold receptio..

Asiana Airlines offering has zero interest due to heavy debt and price tag Creditors led by state lender Korea Development Bank may have to sweeten the deal to sell Asiana Airlines Inc. amid little sign of interest in taking up South Korea’s debt-laden full-service carrier. ..

Celltrion Healthcare shares down 9.7% on second cash-out by One Equity Shares of Celltrion Healthcare, the distribution arm of South Korea’s major biosimilar developer Celltrion, have been battered by concerns of oversupply on news that JP Morgan-owned private equity fir..

FSC hints at revising stake ownership disclosure rule in Korea South Korea’s financial authority hinted at revising the country’s “5-percent rule,” which mandates any investor that owns 5 percent or more of outstanding shares of a listed company in the country to..

Mirae Asset Daewoo’s Hong Kong office resells 2 Emirate Airlines aircrafts at over 15% profit Mirae Asset Daewoo Co. said its Hong Kong operation has resold two Emirate Airlines aircrafts to a Japanese leasing company after generating 15 percent return for investors on its aircraft financing. ..

Korean won value falls to 19-month low against major currencies The real value of the South Korean won compared to other major currencies fell for a fifth straight month in April, hitting its lowest in 19 months amid escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and ..

Kospi companies’ Q1 net profit down 39% on yr on reduced global demand The bottom line of companies publicly trading on the main Kospi bourse shriveled nearly 40 percent on year in the first quarter to reflect the losses of chip heavyweights and overall fall in Korean ex..

Labor costs of Korea’s top 30 firms surge over past 2 years South Korea’s 30 largest companies by sales saw their labor costs hit all-time high in the first quarter this year, suggesting the widening negative ripple effect from near 30-percent hike in minimum ..

SKT proposes to hand over remaining stake in CJ Hello to LG Uplus South Korea’s leading wireless carrier SK Telecom Co. reportedly has proposed to hand over its remaining stake in CJ Hello to LG Uplus Corp. which is awaiting administrative approval for its controlli..

Gold demand surges in Korea on growing skepticism in local and global economy Gold prices rose to its highest in a year in Korea on Wednesday in line with the jump in international prices amid growing uncertainties in the global capital market while trade surged on signs of pro..

Doosan Machine Tools put up for sale after IPO cancellation South Korea’s Doosan Machine Tools Co., sold to Asia’s biggest private equity group MBK Partners in 2016, is back on the market after the fund abandoned its plan to take the company public. MBK Part..

KB Kookmin Bank issues $420 mn in maiden won-denominated covered bonds Korea’s leading commercial lender KB Kookmin Bank issued 500 billion won($420 million) in won-denominated covered bonds, the first offering in the security-backed debt type in Korea. In a dual-tranch..

Lotte fails to ink deals for Lotte Card, Lotte Non-Life by initial deadline Lotte Group may explore other options after it has failed to close deals to sell financial units Lotte Card Co. and Lotte Non-Life Insurance Co. with respective preferred bidders within the exclusive ..

South Korean SMEs call for freeze in minimum wage next year More than half of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in South Korea are calling for a freeze in the country’s minimum wage next year following the steep hikes in the last two years, which have..

Income of bottom 20% Korean families extend losses for 5th straight quarter The monthly average income of Korean families at the bottom 20 percent bracket deteriorated for the fifth consecutive quarter in the January-March period this year amid worsening job conditions for lo..

S. Korea’s net international investment rises to the highest in Q1 South Korea’s net international investment position – which is foreign assets minus liabilities – reached its highest level in March as Koreans looked for offshore investments amid bearish..

Battery, EV, bio sectors drive Korean exports as mainstays falter South Korea’s export portfolio is undergoing a massive shift with secondary batteries, electric vehicles and biopharmaceuticals fielded to make up for the losses of traditional mainstays like semicond..

S. Korea’s household debt in Q1 grows at slowest pace in 6 years South Korea’s household debt grew at the slowest pace in six years in the first quarter from the previous three months following the government’s introduction of a slew of tighter regulations on house..

S. Korea to build medical big data highway to foster bio health sector The South Korean government on Wednesday unveiled an ambitious plan to foster the bio-health industry as big as the country’s signature memory chips first by sponsoring the establishment of a nationwi..

OECD lowers Korea’s growth outlook for this year and next year The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) became the latest to turn more pessimistic about the South Korean economy in recent months, slashing its outlook for this year’s growth..

S. Korea’s economy remains intact despite external downside risks: Moody’s Moody’s Investors Service on Tuesday reiterated that the export-reliant South Korean economy would take a hit from the slowing growth in Chinese economy, intensifying U.S.-China trade war, and potenti..

Korea’s May 1-20 exports -11.7%, 6-mo losing streak widening to double digits The fall in Korean exports steeply deepened in May as losing streak extended to the sixth month due to slowdown in chip demand and Chinese economy. According to data released by the Korea Customs Se..

LG Chem reportedly keen on state-led project of building battery factory in Gumi LG Chem is reportedly most keen on the idea of creating a new electric vehicle battery plant in Gumi City in North Gyeongsang Province under state sponsorship to create jobs, according to source in th..

S. Korea’s April PPI up for 3rd straight month on high global oil prices South Korea’s producer prices rose on month for the third consecutive month in April, primarily due to strong global oil prices and a spike in livestock prices. The country’s producer price index (PP..

Seoul on alert for “graver than expected” impact from US-China trade war: fin min The intensification in the trade friction between the United States and China could bring about “graver than expected consequences” on the Korean economy, Korea’s top economic policy chief said, order..

S. Korean economy performs worst in Q1 among 22 OECD members The Korean economy performed the worst among 22 developed economies of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in the first quarter as it bore the hardest blow from the trade ..

Korea govt remains downbeat about the economy for second straight month The South Korean government stayed downbeat about the economy for the second straight month as economic conditions and outlook worsen due to escalated trade war between the United States and China. “..

Korea’s FX deposits at 28-mo low in Apr amid rapid weakening in KRW Foreign-currency deposits held by South Korean banks fell to the lowest in 28 months in April as companies sold off U.S. dollars that have surged against the Korean won in recent weeks amid increasing..

Korean auto-related stocks gain on reports of US tariff holdoff Korean car and automotive industry let out sigh of relief amid reports that U.S. President Donald Trump this week may announce postponement in triggering sweeping 25-percent tariffs on auto imports to..

Korea’s April jobless rate the highest in 19 years South Korea’s unemployment rate and the jobless count ticked up in April from a year earlier, posting the worst April figures since 2000 in the wake of the Asian financial crisis. The pace of job grow..

Unemployment insurance claims in Korea hit all-time monthly high Unemployment insurance claims surged to a record high last month in South Korea as the job market continues to suffer from a weak economy. Claims for unemployment benefits totaled 738.2 billion won ..

Six out of 10 financial firms in S. Korea turn digital: FSS survey More than half of financial companies in South Korea go digital this year as more Koreans opt to get things done online, data showed Tuesday. According to a survey conducted by Financial Supervisory ..

State think tank KDI holds gloomy judgment on the Korean economy Despite the government show of confidence about pickup in the economy, state think tank Korea Development Institute (KDI) maintained gloomy evaluation of the economy in its latest report. “The econom..

Tank explosion poses setback for Seoul’s push for hydrogen economy The South Korean government’s initiative to promote fuel cell industry as the country’s next growth engine has received a setback after a hydrogen tank explosion left casualties in the eastern city of..

S. Korea under pressure to join U.S. anti-Huawei campaign South Korea faces another economic and diplomatic test as it falls under increasing pressure to join the U.S. sanctions on China’s Huawei, the world’s biggest maker of networking gear, in the sprawlin..

Korean minister vows comprehensive support to foster fabless industry The South Korean government will provide a comprehensive support package for promising fabless firms as a part of the national campaign to nurture non-memory chip segment, Industry Minister Sung Yun-m..

Seoul Metro Govt proposes $2.4 bn extra budget to fight air pollution The Seoul Metropolitan Government proposed a separate first-half supplementary budget of 2.9 trillion won ($2.4 billion) for the first time in a decade to fight worsening fine dust pollution and impro..

Porche, Honda, Volvo to recall more than 4,000 cars in Korea Porche and five other luxury foreign car brands will recall a combined 4,197 vehicles in 12 models in South Korea for defective components, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Thur..

Korean gov’t to push ahead to ratify ILO conventions despite employer objections The South Korean government is poised to propose ratification of three of four core conventions the country has put off since joining the International Labor Organization (ILO) in 1991, a move that ca..

Maeil Business Newspaper retains top business paper rank in Korea The Maeil Business Newspaper on Tuesday remained best-selling Korean newspaper in the business category in terms of sales, according to the latest ranking by the Korea Audit Bureau of Certification. ..

Korea more closed than China, Egypt against new industries: KCCI South Korea has one of the highest entry barriers in the world, more closed against new innovations than China and Egypt, a study found. Korea ranked 38th out of 54 countries in terms of regulatory r..

Google to revise terms of service upon Korean FTC recommendation Google will revise its terms of service for Korean users in compliance with the local antitrust agency’s demands to fix “unfair” areas concerning privacy policies and content influence.The Fair Trade ..

Korea govt wields biggest influence in state pension’s voting power among OECD The South Korean government has excess influence over the decisions of the National Pension Service (NPS) which has been increasing stewardship responsibilities as the biggest institutional player in ..

Avengers: Endgame steals highest-gross foreign film title in Korea The final chapter of Marvel Studio’s apocalyptic super hero series “Avengers: Endgame” replaced all records for a foreign film in Korea, including the highest-grossing title. According to the movie..

Korean youth drawn to time- and labor-saving products, services: report South Koreans under 40 don’t save money on products and services that can save them time and labor, a study showed. Millennials and Generation Z, who now make up 44 percent of the country’s populatio..

Four out of 10 Korean college students sought private tutoring to land jobs Four out of 10 South Korean college students had tutorial lessons to raise their chances in landing a job after graduation, a survey showed. According to the poll conducted by local job portals JobKo..

British rock band Queen coming to Korea for concert Queen is coming to Korea where the Queen fever was high following the smash hit of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” the 2018 biopic film that depicted the life of Queen’s vocalist Freddie Mercury. According to H..

Kakao joins antitrust watchlist, younger Cho identified as new Hanjin chief Kakao and HDC Holdings were newly added to the big-company watchlist of Korea’s antitrust agency, while Hanjin Chairman Cho Won-tae was recognized as the official chief of the transportation conglomer..

Korean govt to foster biohealth to become as big as chip sector: fin min The South Korean government will foster the biohealth sector to become as big and competitive as semiconductors through strategic promotion, deputy prime minister and finance minister Hong Nam-ki said..

Korea drugs gain whitelist status from EU authorities South Korea has been added to the list of non-EU countries whose medicine-related manufacturing and quality control standards are recognized as on par with EU member states, a fast-track move that can..

Koreans’ watch time on YouTube up 50% on yr, spent 647 mn hrs in April South Korean watch time on YouTube jumped 50 percent on year in April as the Google-run video platform has become all-time favorite mobile app channel among Koreans from teens to over 50s amid feveris..

S. Korean startup investments grow fast but still lag in scaling-up and exit South Korean startups attracted fresh investments at a faster speed than those in the U.S. or China last year but still lagged behind the two largest economies in terms of qualitative parameters such ..

Korean won decline “not excessive” compared to Asian peers: vice fin min official Although the Korean won has dipped to its lowest in more than two years against the U.S. dollar, its loss is not excessive against the general declines in Asian currencies amid strengthening of the gr..

Thailand Tourism and Sports Ministry mulls levy for tourists The ministry will raise the issue for brainstorming sessions among tourism stakeholders before deciding on a final plan, Mr Chote said at a forum on Thursday. The study is likely to take six months t..

Bank of Thailand to retain LTV regulation Despite the Finance Ministry`s request to ease the new loan-to-value (LTV) requirement, the Bank of Thailand has insisted on maintaining the regulation, saying bad mortgages continued to climb for the..

Trade between Myanmar, Thailand at optimal levels: official Khun Pakainay Leng-Ee, who was Thailand`s Minister Counsellor for Commercial Affairs to Myanmar from October 4, 2015 to May 15, 2019, reckons the two neighbouring countries have reached an optimal lev..

PNB likely to refurbish its old HQ once the PNB118 is completed in early 2021 Permodalan Nasional Bhd is likely to refurbish its current headquarters in Jalan Tun Razak here once its new 118-floor skyscraper Merdeka PNB 118 is completed by early 2021. President and group chi..

Mitsui & Co to invest in Vietnamese shrimp producer Minh Phu Japan`s Mitsui & Co Ltd has agreed to acquire a 35.1 per cent of stake in Minh Phu Seafood Joint Stock Company, the world`s biggest shrimp integrator from farming and processing to sales. Minh Phu ..

Indonesia and Argentina Strengthen Economic Ties to Weather Trade War Indonesia and Argentina have agreed to double the value of bilateral trade between then to $3.4 billion within the next two years as both countries seek alternative destinations for their commodities ..

Malaysia`s economy grows 4.5pc in Q1 Malaysia`s economy grew by 4.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2019 (1Q 2019), with private sector activity remaining the key growth driver. In a statement today, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) said o..

Viet Nam aquaculture has room to improve Viet Nam`s seaculture area is set to reach 270,000ha with expected marine production of 750,000 tonnes by 2020. The target is a part of the seaculture development strategy for 2030 with a vision to..

Q1 GDP growth at 7.2% without budget delay - DOF The Philippine economy could have risen beyond seven percent in the first three-months if this year`s national budget was approved on time, the Department of Finance (DOF) said yesterday. In his la..

Viet Nam welcomes India`s investment: Prime Minister Viet Nam welcomes India`s investment in information technology, infrastructure, energy and hi-tech agriculture, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said. Receiving Indian Vice President Venkaiah Na..

Maybank to continue investing in Asean Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) will continue to invest in Asean, amid global uncertainties and trade tensions between the US and China, president and chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Farid Alias sai..

Government: UK-Cambodian trade will remain strong Two-way trade between Cambodia and the UK will remain strong even if the UK leaves the EU as bilateral trade between the two countries surpassed $1 billion last year, said Ministry of Commerce spokesm..

Foreign banks don`t expect another OPR cut by Malaysia this year JPMorgan Chase Bank and OCBC Bank do not expect another overnight policy rate (OPR) cut this year, despite the ever moderating global economy. Both banks also voiced their surprise over Bank Negara..

Government leader requests steps to develop automobile manufacturing: Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc requested that ministries, sectors and localities adjust their policies to speed the development of the automobile and support industries. In a report recently relea..

M`sia registers highest month-on-month export growth since April 2010 : MITI Malaysia has recorded the highest month-on-month (m-o-m) export growth since April 2010 when exports in March this year grew by 26.2 per cent while total trade surged by 25.9 per cent. Based on the..

BAE Systems continues supporting Malaysia for LCA enhancement programme BAE Systems plc, the British multinational defence, security, and aerospace company, would continue supporting Malaysia to keep its light combat aircraft (LCA) `relevant` and `effective` in the next 1..

Vietnamese shrimp exporters to US to enjoy zero tariffs The US has exempted anti-dumping tariffs for 31 shrimp exporters of Viet Nam in the 13th period of review (POR 13), according to the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP). ..

Indonesia, Saudi Arabia Agree to Further Strengthen Ties President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud have agreed during a bilateral meeting in Riyadh on Sunday to further strengthen economic ties between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. ..

DICA chief promoted as investment ministry`s top civil servant The government has appointed U Aung Naing Oo as permanent secretary of the recently-created Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations, the official gazette announced. As the top civil s..

Indonesia, Malaysia and Colombia urge EU to drop discriminatory RED II Developing nations Indonesia, Malaysia and Colombia via the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC), are once again urging the EU to refrain from legislating a ban on palm biodiesel. The th..

BlackPink Jennie’s "SOLO" MV tops 300 mn YouTube views K-pop star Jennie, a member of girl group BlackPink, has made a new Korean music record with her debut single “SOLO.” On Tuesday around 4 a.m., Jennie’s music video for SOLO hit 300 million views on ..

BlackPink finishes North American tour under Kia Motors sponsorship Korean girl group BlackPink under the sponsorship of Kia Motors completed 2019 World Tour in North America from Apr. 17 to May. 8 in display of an ideal marketing mix of K-pop and Korean brand. The ..

BlackPink’s “Kill This Love” MV sets new K-pop record with 300 mn views YG label star girl group BlackPink has set a new record with the video of its comeback title “Kill This Love” topping 300 million views on YouTube at the fastest pace as a K-pop act. The music video..

BTS rewrites history with Top Duo/Group win at Billboard Music Awards Korean pop sensation BTS hit another milestone Thursday, becoming the first K-pop act to collect two trophies at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards. The seven-member boyband won the Top Duo/Group award..

CJ ENM’s video streaming channel M2 wins over 10 million subscribers worldwide CJ ENM, entertainment unit of Korean conglomerate CJ Group, has scored big with its K-pop channel available to global audience at a time K-pop has been doing extremely well on music charts across the ..

TWICE adds bold feel to its 7th EP “Fancy You” album K-pop girl group TWICE has returned with their new song “Fancy” with an bolder and mature style in a bid to escape their cute teenager girls’ image. “Fancy,” the title of the nine-member group’s seve..

BTS steals No. 1 for the third time at Billboard 200 with ‘Map of the Soul: Persona’ K-pop superstar BTS has notched its third No. 1 in just 11 months on the Billboard 200 album chart as its newest seven-track set ‘Map of the Soul: Persona’ goes on a roll to win the hearts of their fa..

K-pop goods sales up 50% as BTS zooms up in US, UK music charts Korean online shopping malls are enjoying a boon after K-pop superstar BTS hit another sensation with its new album poised for double wins in U.S. and U.K music charts. Korea’s top online shopping pl..

BlackPink hits new highs on Billboard 200 and Hot 100 charts YG label star girl group BlackPink with its latest EP “Kill This Love” has hit new highs on the U.S. Billboard albums and singles charts this week, another landmark in female K-pop history. Accordin..

BTS’s new album “Map of the Soul: Persona” set to top Billboard 200 K-pop sensation BTS’s latest album “Map of the Soul: Persona” is heading straight to No.1 in the U.S. Billboard 200 chart to hit another home-run following the previous act of chart-topping two albums..

BTS new MV sets record, raises hope for another phenomenon Korea’s K-pop superstar BTS has created another splash with the video of its new title “Boy With Luv” topping 100 million views on YouTube at the fastest-ever pace. The music video for “Boy With Luv,..

BTS’s new album “Map of the Soul: Persona” arrives on Friday K-pop superstar BTS’s new album “Map of the Soul: Persona” in collaboration with global pop stars is set to be released globally at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. The highly anticipated album consists of seve..

Nexon’ mobile game Traha draws over 4 million pre-orders Pre-orders for Traha, Korea’s soon-to-be-released massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG),, exceeded 4 million, a phenomenal record, according to its creator Nexon. Nexon announced T..

Showbiz stocks likely stay rare winners in Korean market despite scandal Stock prospects for Korean showbiz category generally remain bright for the full year in line with unfazed K-pop fever, with scandal-hit YG Entertainment pinning high hopes on its girl group BlackPink..

Black Desert by Pearl Abyss generates over $1 billion in sales in four years South Korean game developer Pearl Abyss Corp. said on Wednesday that its multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) Black Desert has generated over $1 billion in cumulated sales in four years. Acc..

BlackPink “Kill This Love” tops iTunes song chart in 37 countries YG label star girl group BlackPink’s newest song “Kill This Love” ranked top in the iTunes song chart of 37 countries including the United States, setting the bar high for female K-pop acts. It is als..

BTS nominated for two 2019 Billboard Music Awards K-pop phenomenon BTS has been nominated for Top Duo/Group and Top Social Artist for 2019 Billboard Music Awards, making another history as an Asian group in the category that has long been dominated b..

Korean webtoon firm Lehzin Entertainment hits $9 mn revenue in the US Lehzin Entertainment Inc., operator of the webtoon platform Lehzin Comics, generated revenue of 10.5 billion won ($9.24 million) in just two years since breaking into the U.S. market. The Korean pub..

Samsung Galaxy stretches celeb alarm choices Samsung Galaxy users can now wake up in the morning to the voice of their favorite celebrities. Samsung Electronics Co. said Wednesday it will expand its “Celeb Alarm” service beyond Galaxy S10 to a ..

SM Entertainment to launch official online store on April 5 South Korea’s entertainment company SM Entertainment Co. will launch an official online store this week for K-pop fans around the world to make overseas payment systems easier. Cafe24 Corp., Korea’s ..