Korea’s Ticket Monster fueled with fresh funding of $500 mn from PEFs Korea’s e-commerce service provider Ticket Monster drew additional funding of $50 million from foreign shareholders Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and Anchor Equity Partners, gaining fresh fuel to stre..

Hyundai Motor buoyant about selling 70,000 in all-new Sonata at home this year Buoyed by the better-than-expected preorders, South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor Co. is hopeful of selling 70,000 units in its all-new Sonata at home this year to reclaim the past glory of its flag..

Korean chip stocks jump on Micron output decision Shares of No. 1 and 2 memory chipmakers jumped in Seoul Thursday after U.S.-based No. 3 player Micron Technology Inc., announced plans to cut production amid sluggish demand, raising hope for recovery..

Coway recovers maiden name Woongjin Coway by rejoining Woongjin family Coway, Korea’s first water purifier maker that has returned to its founder Woongjin Group after six years, will start anew under new nameplate Woongjin Coway. Woonjin Group said Wednesday that it wil..

Korea’s Orion builds confectionary plant in India South Korean confectionary giant Orion Corp. famous for Choco Pie has embarked on the construction of its first Indian snack manufacturing factory that will be run jointly by local processed food make..

Viva Republica bid to create internet bank faces setback after Shinhan pullout South Korea’s Shinhan Financial Group has decided to withdraw from a Viva Republica-led consortium to create a virtual bank, raising doubts about its partner’s fund-raising capacity and dealing a blow..

Daesang to sell remaining 20% stake in Ministop Korea to Japanese partner South Korea’s food-making conglomerate Daesang Corp. is expected to pull out of the highly-competitive convenience store market by selling off its remaining 20 percent stake in modest-scaled Ministop ..

Medytox releases botulinum toxin product with reduced resistance risk Medy-Tox Inc., South Korea’s leading botulinum toxin producer, has launched Coretox, a new botulinum toxin type A product aimed to reduce the risk of resistance, an ongoing concern after repeated inje..

Korea’s CJ Group to restructure money-losing eatery outlets in China South Korean food conglomerate CJ Group has embarked on the task of streamlining its eatery operations in China, joining other Korean retailers in retiring from the world’s largest market where foreig..

Kia Motors to convert Yancheng lines in China to EV-exclusive plant Kia Motors Corp., South Korea’s second largest car maker, will transform its first factory in China into a plant that produces electric vehicles only as part of its restructuring plan. Dongfeng Yueda..

Samsung Elec leapfrogs to No. 2 in global foundry market Q1: TrendForce Samsung Electronics which in 2017 vowed to make foundry business No. 2 in the world achieved the goal in less than two years as it is expected to finish the first quarter with its share in the consign..

LG Elec to release first portable air purifier PuriCare Mini LG Electronics Inc. has miniaturized its high-end household care appliances by releasing air purifier series in portable version. The tech giant said Wednesday the Korea Air Cleaning Association has e..

Samsung BioLogics signs CDO deal with Eutilex to develop train cells Samsung BioLogics Co., a biopharmaceutical business arm of South Korea’s top conglomerate Samsung Group, has signed a contract development organization (CDO) contract with clinical-stage biopharmaceut..

SK Innovation’s first battery plant in the U.S. breaks ground South Korea’s SK Innovation Co. broke ground on a $1.67 billion battery plant in Georgia, its first manufacturing base in the U.S. designed to serve the rapidly growing demand for electric vehicles. ..

All-American Chevy SUVs and trucks to hit 2019 Seoul Motor Show General Motors will showcase American-style large sports utility vehicles under its Chevrolet brand at the 2019 Seoul Motor Show opening on Mar. 28 in Korea, said its Korean unit GM Korea on Wednesday..

Samsung’s semicon head sticks to tech leadership against market dynamics Samsung Electronics will focus on widening the gap with rivals by developing the 10 nano process for its 3rd-generation DRAM chips and 6th-generation V-NAND, while gaining leadership in a high-growth ..

Hyundai Mobis to develop self-driving platform with Russia’s Yandex Hyundai Mobis Co., auto parts manufacturing unit under South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group, will join hands with Russia’s largest search engine Yandex to develop self-driving car systems. Hyundai Mobi..

Kakao acquires stake in TideSquare to enhance mobile booking service Koreas’ Kakao Corp. has enhanced mobile booking service on its chat platform by earning ownership in TideSquare Co., a ticketing service partner of Hyundai Card Co., through an equity investment. Acc..

Hyundai, Kia to invest $300 mn in India’s ride-hailing firm Ola Cabs South Korea’s biggest automaker Hyundai Motor Co. and its smaller sibling Kia Motors Corp. will invest a combined $300 million in Ola Cabs, India’s largest ride-hailing app, as it bet highs on the mob..

S. Korea’s Hanwha Q Cells signs up as LA Dodgers sponsor Hanwha Q CELLS, a solar power unit of South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Group, said on Tuesday it has entered a multi-year sponsorship with the Los Angeles Dodgers, a U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB) t..

Samsung Bio CEO eases jittery shareholders with ambitious business goals Samsung BioLogics Co., a biopharmaceutical business arm of South Korea’s top conglomerate Samsung Group, vowed stronger performance to appease jittery shareholders as the stock recently took fresh bea..

S. Korea set 5G launching date for Apr. 5 to seize first in 5G servicing To secure the crown as the first in the world to launch 5G network, Korean government, hardware and wireless carriers joined forces to move up the commercial launching date to April 5.A high-ranking g..

Samsung Elec raises the bar in 10-nm chipmaking with 20% powerful 3rd gen tech Samsung Electronics Co. has raised the bar in 10-nanometer chip class by galloping onto the third generation even as others are yet to mass-produce from second-generation wafer. The world’s top chip..

SK Biopharm’s sleep disorder drug cleared by FDA for U.S. sale South Korea’s SK Biopharmaceuticals announced on Thursday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Solriamfetol licensed out for U.S. sale to Jazz Pharmaceuticals, a global leader..

Incheon launches project on self-piloting flying vehicles for commuting means Incheon, a city located west of Seoul riding on its selective status in regulatory exemptions in self-piloting vehicles in its skies has become the first location in Korea to pave the way for personal..

SK Telecom to apply quantum cryptographic technology to 5G network South Korea’s leading mobile carrier SK Telecom Co. will apply quantum cryptography technology, considered as the most complex and safe data security technology, to its 5G network system to ensure dom..

Hyundai’s new Sonata gets hands-free assistance from Kakao AI South Korea’s Hyundai Motor said on Monday an in-car voice assistant would be featured on the new Sonata hitting the market on Thursday, underscoring the carmaker’s commitment to revive the heyday of ..

LG Electronics adds 21 seasoned AI, robotics engineers to its R&D crew LG Electronics Co. is on an aggressive hunt for brain power at home and abroad as competition heats up to secure lacking talents in the fields of artificial intelligence, robotics, and IT software. I..

Handok invests $5 mn for 10% stake in U.S. biotech startup TRIGR Therapeutics Korean healthcare company Handok said on Monday it has made an equity investment of $5 million for a 10 percent stake in TRIGR Therapeutics, a U.S. biotech startup engaged in development of dual antib..

Fledgling Korean startup scores huge cloud service deal for PetroChina Bespin Global, a three-year old South Korean cloud IT solution startup, has achieved another milestone in its business operation with a massive deal to convert Petro China’s legacy IT system into clou..

Samsung Elec mass-produces memory for 5G phones and mobile devices Samsung Electronics Co. has commenced mass production of the industry’s highest-capacity 12-gigabyte low power double data rate 4X (12GB LPDDR4X) volatile memory optimal to back high-performance smart..

Hyundai applies third-generation vehicle platform to new Sonata Hyundai Motor said on Wednesday it has implemented its newly developed third-generation vehicle platform to the all-new Sonata scheduled to go on sale later this month. The new platform will improve ..

Cumulative OLED TV sales hit 5 million units in six years OLED screen is making fast penetration in the TV mainstream with global sales surpassing 5 million units in just six years, debunking technology and quality concerns in early days.According to global ..

Samsung Electronics launches next-generation embedded MRAM Samsung Electronics has launched a next-generation semiconductor solution that combines winning features of fast-reading DRAM volatile and non-volatile flash memory chips.The world’s largest chipmaker..

Korea ranks No.1 in 5G leadership: ADL study South Korea is an unrivalled first mover in the wireless evolution to the fifth-generation, according to a global management consultancy. Arthur D. Little (ADL), the Boston-based consulting firm, rank..

Samsung Bioepis gets nod to sell large dose version of Ontruzant in Europe Samsung Bioepis, a biosimilar-focused joint venture between Samsung BioLogics and U.S.-based Biogen, on Tuesday announced that it has gained marketing clearance from the European Medicines Agency (EMA..

Naver, KT, Intel team up to develop 5G-enabled service robot South Korea’s top search portal operator Naver Corp. said on Thursday its technology research arm Naver Labs has agreed to develop a 5G-enabled service robot in partnership with the country’s leading ..

LG flashes attachable dual-screen for 5G experience instead of foldable phones Bigger screens are essential to augment 5G experience, and LG Electronics delivered it in a dual screen phone rather than unfolding to double the displays as flashed by bigger rivals Samsung Electroni..

Samsung “Galaxy Fold” unveiled in unconventional display and price Samsung Electronics’ latest innovation Galaxy Fold has finally been unveiled: a 4.6-inch phone stretching out into a 7.3-inch tablet form for a doubled experience from one device at doubled price - $1..

SKT to unveil anti-hacking solution for autonomous vehicles at MWC South Korea`s leading mobile carrier SK Telecom said it will demonstrate its 5G quantum security gateway solution to protect self-driving vehicles from external hacking attacks at Mobile World Congres..

Woori Bank sells off 2.7% stake in Woori Financial Group worth $240 mn South Korea’s Woori Bank has sold off a 2.7 percent stake in Woori Financial Group to foreign institutional investors in a block trade before the market opened Friday. Woori Bank offered 18,346,782 s..

Hyundai Motor’s management agendas preferred over Elliott’s in shareholders mtg All of the management proposals including the dividend policy and board appointments put forward by Hyundai Motor Group were approved by its shareholders in the annual meeting on Friday, delivering a ..

Asiana Airlines, Kumho stocks suspended until Mon for dubious fiscal report The stocks of Korea’s full-service carrier Asiana Airlines Inc. and its parent Kumho Industrial have been suspended for two trading days from Friday after their outside auditor suspended full approval..

S. Korea to lower stock trade tax by 0.05 percentage point starting this year South Korea will lower stock trade tax by 0.05 percentage point this year and reflect tax rates on capital gains counting in all profits and losses made in home and overseas markets at the year-end to..

Korean bonds rally despite BOK chief’s denial of rate cut after FOMC hold-off South Korean bonds rallied Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve indicated a suspension of rate increases for this year while other markets were mixed as they were more focused on weakening in the U..

Short debt or corporate debt preferred over govt bonds in Korea amid stagnant rates Shorter-dated government bonds or higher-yielding corporate bonds are gaining grounds in the Korean debt market as investors opt for faster returns amid flat-lining in government bonds due to lessenin..

Kyobo Life investors mull arbitration, stalling IPO plans Financial investors plan to take their complaints about Kyobo Life Insurance’s delinquent returns in their investment to the arbitration court in an obvious show of skepticism about the No.3 industry ..

S. Korean won gains against U.S. dollar ahead of FOMC meeting The South Korean currency has strengthened against the U.S. dollar, reversing the previous trend ahead of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting where the Federal Reserve is expected to rema..

Foreign investors net buy Korean stocks, sell off bonds in Feb Foreigners kept up a net buying position for the third month in February while profit-taking on bonds as they bet against additional hike move from the central bank in the near future, given the worse..

Market outlook for cosmetics, retail buoyed as Chinese visitors return to Korea The return of Chinese visitors to South Korea has lifted the outlook of Korean retail and cosmetics industries that had borne the brunt of Seoul’s yearlong diplomatic row with Beijing. Kiwoom Securi..

Elliott may soften dividend stance amid increased backing for Hyundai Motor U.S. hedge fund Elliott Management Corp. may tone down its dividend payout demands at the next shareholders’ meeting of Hyundai Motor Group after prominent proxy advisers and a major institutional inv..

S. Korean entertainment stocks tank on idol stars’ sex scandal The K-pop star sex scandal has taken a heavy toll on the country’s entertainment business, shaving combined market capitalization of the country’s big five entertainment stocks by 587 billion won ($51..

Samsung BioLogics shares nosedive as prosecutors up probe Shares of Samsung BioLogics Co. have been battered this week after prosecutors reopened investigations into the bio firm as well as other key units of Samsung Group on suspicion of accounting violatio..

Asiana Airlines to issue $132 mn 30-yr bonds at 8.5% coupon South Korea’s second largest full-service carrier Asiana Airlines Inc. will issue perpetual bonds worth 150 billion won ($132 million) this year to improve liquidity prior to the introduction of stric..

Homeplus scraps $1.5 bn REIT IPO on weak demand Korean hypermarket chain Homeplus Co. said Thursday it shelved its plan to list its real estate investment trust as institutional demand for what would have been the country’s biggest REIT public offe..

Korean companies pay out more dividends upon arm-twisting by NPS The Korean Inc. opened their stingy coffers to increase cash dividends to shareholders after the country’s biggest institutional player National Pension Service (NPS) took up an assertive role.Accordi..

Korean banks resort to hybrid securities to bump up capital South Korean banks are rushing to issue hybrid bonds to bolster capital to meet the tougher BaselⅢ capital adequacy ratio. JB Financial Group Co. announced in a disclosure Thursday that it will offer..

S. Korean funds gain inflows of $8 bn in Feb South Korean funds drew 9 trillion won ($7.95 billion) in net inflows last month helped by increased demand for local bond and real estate funds. The net asset value of local investment funds totale..

Korea’s NPS posts 4% return rate in Feb, making up for last year’s losses South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) reported a 4 percent return as of late February thanks to the recent rebound in local and global stock markets, rapidly reclaiming its first loss in a deca..

Four out of 10 Korean management firms end ’18 in red, assets at record high South Korean asset management firms saw their combined assets balloon to a record level last year. But their net profit took a hit from last year’s massive stock market selloff, pushing nearly 40 perc..

S. Korea to overhaul credit assessment systems to bolster innovative biz The South Korean government will revise commercial loan evaluation systems to ensure a total 100 trillion won ($88.7 billion) worth of loans to be funneled into innovative small- and mid-size enterpri..

S. Korean companies’ creditworthiness under pressure: S&P South Korean companies may see credit quality deteriorate in the next 12 months primarily due to aggressive financial policies amid worsening trade and macroeconomic conditions, but abrupt downward ra..

Korea’s export concentration twice as high as other export majors South Korea’s reliance on a few export items has deepened, with the extent twice the average of major exporters to make the country more vulnerable to a downturn in the chip sector that was the primar..

Seoul to slash LNG import fee, making its taxes cheaper than coal The South Korean government will sharply ease fees for importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) in addition to the sales tax cut, making its taxes cheaper than coal to spur the migration to cleaner fuel ..

S. Korea’s foreign-currency deposits fall in Feb. on strong U.S. dollar Foreign-currency deposits held by South Korean banks fell in February as companies chose to pay their trade settlements with their U.S. dollar holdings while greenback stayed strong.According to data ..

USTR requests consultations with S. Korea on competition issue The U.S. trade authority on Friday requested consultations with South Korea under the U.S.-Korea free trade deal to address the U.S. government’s concerns about competition hearing procedures of a Kor..

Korea’s export prices rebound in February, raising hopes for recovery in exports South Korea’s export prices strengthened in February for the first time in four months on strong oil prices, raising hopes for improvement in exports that have been falling for the third month in a ro..

Finance ministry claims improvement in the Korean economy The finance ministry in its monthly evaluation claimed the Korean economy was improving – pointing to amelioration in the headline numbers in industrial output, sentiment, and job. “Industrial ..

S. Korea’s trade surplus with U.S. narrows 23% in ‘18 on surge in fuel imports South Korea’s trade surplus with the United States thinned for the third straight year in 2018 amid surge in oil and gas imports from the United States to avoid trade skirmish with the world’s largest..

Sales of properties in auction at 18-low amid overall real estate slump Properties sold off in competitive auctions at bankruptcy court hit 18-year low last month to underscore the lethargy in the real estate market in Korea under multiple regulations. Property offering ..

Short-term deposits on sharp rise in Korea amid poor housing and stock markets Short-term bank saving has been surging in South Korea as the cash-rich have few options to park their money amid volatility in the stock and real estate market.According to the Bank of Korea on Sunda..

Korea adds jobs at fastest rate in 13 mos in Feb on jump in state-led hiring South Korea added the highest number of jobs in 13 months in February primarily thanks to state-sponsored rural and construction projects that offered precarious jobs to senior age group. According t..

IMF raises concerns about the pace in minimum wage increases in Korea A team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during regular review of the Korean public policy and economy expressed concerns about the pace of increases in the minimum wage in Korea. The IMF d..

Korea outstrips China to become No.2 importer of U.S. oil in 2018 South Korea became the second buyer of U.S. oil after Canada last year as a kind of trade-off to avoid friction with the United State as well as for diversification of fuel sourcing amid volatility in..

Korea’s March 1-10 exports down 19%, extending losses for fourth month South Korea’s exports will likely extend and widen losses for the fourth month in a row in March with shipments in the first 10 days tumbling 19 percent. According to data released by the Korea Custo..

S. Korea to unveil currency operation details first time in March South Korean authorities will disclose foreign exchange intervention details later this month, a move that is expected to bolster transparency in the government’s foreign exchange policy amid suspicio..

Korea’s foreign direct investment reaches record high in 2018 South Korea’s foreign direct investment (FDI) hit an all-time high last year as the Korean Inc. sought global push through mergers and acquisitions (M&As) and better manufacturing environment overseas..

Korea’s Jan current account surplus narrowed on weak chip sales, China slowdown South Korea’s current account surplus in January was trimmed to its smallest in nine months due to faltering chip sales and reduced shipments to its largest trading partner China. The current accoun..

S. Korean banks’ bad loans ratio under 1 percent for two straight quarters in Q4 South Korean banks’ non-performing loans (NPL) ratio stayed under 1 percent for a second consecutive quarter in the further quarter last year after major corporate restructuring in the country has bee..

Korean govt aims to restrain household debt growth below 5% in 2019 The South Korean government aims to rein in household debt from growing more than 5 percent this year after the country’s household debt hit a new peak by requiring stricter guidelines in endorsing co..

Korea’s population may have peaked in ’18 at 51.6 mn South Korea’s population may have peaked in 2018 at 51.6 million, up a marginal 0.37 percent from a year ago, as the country faces a rapidly aging population with the senior age group outnumbering the..

Koreans slam China’s plan to install floating nuclear plant near their waters China’s purported plan to float a nuclear power plant off the east coast of Shandong facing South Korea has sparked fiery protest from Koreans fearing potential nuclear accidents and the contamination..

Google remains favorite foreign job place choice for Koreans For the 11th year running, Google remains the top job place choice among foreign names for Koreans, a survey released on Thursday showed. In a poll of 1,194 job seekers conducted by country’s employm..

Seoul to revive the city’s oldest Hangang Bridge legacy by adding footway Seoul city will revive its first footbridge along the Hangang Bridge, the oldest overpass over the Han River that cuts through the heart of the capital. The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Wednesday..

Korea’s marriage rate at record low, darkening prospects for birth rate recovery Marriages in South Korea have become as rare as in the poverty-stricken days in 1970s, sending more looking for life companions beyond the border, data showed. According to a marriage and divorce fin..

People, not work, makes 8 out of 10 Korean salaried workers to quit jobs Korean salaried workers would quit job if they cannot stand the people more than the work itself, a survey showed. According to local job portal provider SaraminHR on Wednesday, 81 percent out of 379..

Korea must seek militech for growth, security in 4th industrial age: forum South Korea can capitalize on its strengths in tech and military as the evolution of the fourth industrial age could open immense opportunities in the commercialization of defense assets, a forum led ..

Korean airlines to bump up extra fuel charge for flying long distance from April Korean airlines will up the extra charge for fuel, doubling the rate for long-haul flight, in line with the strengthening in fuel prices. Korea’s full-service carriers Korean Air Lines Co. and Asian..

UN arm FAO to open regional office in Seoul in May The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will open its liaison office in Seoul in May to become the third regional outpost of an UN-affiliated organization in South Korea. A..

Korea to impose tougher regulations in harbors to halve dust pollution Korean vessels and docks face tougher environmental regulations under the government’s new measures to halve maritime fine dust pollution by 2022. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Ministr..

S. Korea to host global railway operators’ meeting in Seoul in April South Korea next month will host an annual meeting of the Organization for Cooperation between Railways (OSJD) general directors from Eastern Europe and Central and Northeast Asia that will discuss th..

Age ceiling remains high for entry-level jobs in S. Korea: Survey Many young job seekers in South Korea believe that there is a certain age limit for entry-level jobs, suggesting that an age ceiling remains high in Korean workplaces, according to a private job porta..

Financial toll from dust pollution estimated at $3.5 bn in Korea last year: HRI The worsening in air condition from fine and ultrafine dust pollution has caused an economic toll over 4 trillion won ($3.53 billion) in South Korea last year, according to a study.The Hyundai Researc..

S. Korea bans B737 Max entries to its skies for three months South Korea has joined other countries to ban Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in the country`s airspace due to safety concerns following two recent fatal accidents involving the Boeing model, the transport mi..

S. Korea’s R&D spending tops $17.5 bn to foster future growth industries The South Korean government’s spending on research & development (R&D) for this year tops 20 trillion won ($17.6 billion) for the first time that will be mostly used to foster new growth industries ba..

Busan city fails to persuade Renault Samsung Motors union to end labor conflict The Busan city’s attempt to mediate between French carmaker Renault S.A., and the union of its Korean operation based in southern coastal city in protracted wage dispute that cost new work at the plan..

Korean Air won’t fly Boeing 737 Max 8 jets unless safety is ensured Korean Air, South Korea’s largest airline, Thursday won’t add Boeing 737 Max 8 jets to its fleet and will put off their deployment until it is completely sure of their safety.The decision came after o..

FTC asks Google to correct YouTube’s “unfair” terms to remove contents South Korea’s antitrust watchdog has asked YouTube, the world’s largest video streaming site owned by Google Inc., to make changes to its terms of service that stipulate that the operator can arbitrar..

YouTube, second most-preferred web browser after Naver in Korea YouTube, the world’s largest video streaming site, is second most-sought search engine after the favorite Naver in South Korea, survey showed. The country’s biggest Internet portal Naver remained at..

Korea govt determined to push for revised law to enable telemedicine service The South Korean government is attempting a push to the long-delayed liberalization in telemedicine, a sector Korea lags even behind China, despite stoking inevitable violent clash with doctors. The..

Malaysia`s economy likely to grow at 4.9 pct this year: MIDF Research Malaysia`s economic growth forecast remains at 4.9 per cent year-on-year (YoY) for 2019 given the upbeat performance of domestic and external trade sectors, according to MIDF Research. In its resea..

VAMA reports sharpest month-on-month fall in automobile sales Automobile sales by firms in the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturer Association (VAMA) in February declined 61 per cent from the previous month, the sharpest month-on-month fall ever recorded. On Wedn..

Experts propose higher fuel tax (Vietnam) Researchers of the Central Institute of Economic Management (CIEM) have proposed the Government levy special consumption tax rate for bio-fuel equal to half of the rate for gasoline. The recommenda..

Myanmar launches trade, investment project with UK support The Ministry of Commerce together with the Directorate of Investment Administration (DICA) and the International Trade Center (ITC) launched the Trade and Investment Project (TIP) on Monday with the a..

Singaporean fund raises stake in Masan to 5.67 per cent The Singaporean fund Ardolis Investment Pte Ltd has raised its ownership in the consumer staple firm Masan Group Corporation to 5.67 per cent with more than 65.9 million shares from the previous 4.47 ..

4.1% GDP gain in 2018 (Thailand) The economy grew at the fastest pace in six years in 2018, with the fourth-quarter performance beating expectations on higher domestic demand and growing tourism arrivals. 　The state planning agency,..

Cambodia nabs 12th place in best retirement destinations Cambodia is an expatriate hotspot for those dreaming of living a more luxurious lifestyle at an affordable cost, according to International Living`s Annual Global Retirement Index 2019. For the fou..

VN seeks more FDI from Japan Viet Nam is expected to receive more foreign direct investment (FDI) from Japan in the coming years as part of its strategy to shift investment attraction towards high-quality capital. According to..

Maybank Indonesia`s profit jumps 21.6pct in FY18 PT Bank Maybank Indonesia Tbk`s (Maybank Indonesia) profit after tax and minority interests surged 21.6 per cent to 2.2 trillion rupiah on the back of higher net interest income and continued improvem..

Vietnamese firm makes steel products in Thilawa With Myanmar rapidly opening up to development, steel is becoming increasingly important to various industries in the country. Steel structures can be seen springing up across Yangon. As such, a Vietn..

MAHB`s network of airports handled 11.1mil passengers in January Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd`s (MAHB) network of airports including Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (ISG) handled 3.1 per cent more passengers last month to 11.1 million from 8.07 milli..

Vietnam to create favourable conditions for private firms Viet Nam will continue to hasten efforts to improve the business climate in terms of quality to create favourable conditions for the private sector to play its role as a driver in promoting rapid and ..

Chinese company proposes new circular railroad for Yangon Representatives from China Railway Engineering Co Ltd (CREC) have met with the Yangon Region government to discuss the possibility of constructing of a new Yangon circular railroad, U Than Naing Oo, a..

Poll clarity boosts consumer sentiment (Thailand) A clear date for the long-awaited general election, set for March 24, has lifted consumer sentiment for the first time in five months. The latest survey by the University of the Thai Chamber of Comm..

AirAsia counter-claims RM400m from MAHB AirAsia Group Bhd is seeking more than RM400 million in counter-claims against Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) in response to a suit filed by the airport operator last month over outstanding air..

Viet Nam targets to attract 100,000 businesses in agriculture Viet Nam wants to attract 100,000 businesses to invest in agriculture. It hopes between 3,000-4,000 businesses will be large scale with the rest medium sized. This information was released by De..

Korea`s KOTRA opens third office in VN South Korea`s Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) on Monday opened its third representative office in Da Nang. The move aims to support Korean firms in line with Seoul`s New Southern Policy o..

Malaysia to roll out Tesla-like battery for electric vehicles by 2020 Malaysia will become the first country in Asean to produce lithium ion battery in the next 18 months. Malaysia Automotive Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii) chief executive officer Datuk Madani Sah..

EU tariffs on Myanmar rice to have limited impact Restoring EU tariffs on Indica rice imports from Myanmar will have an impact on the production of only 60,000 to 100,000 tonnes of Indica rice, U Lu Maw Myint Maung, joint secretary of Myanmar Rice F..

Malaysia urges France to accord equal opportunities to palm oil trade Malaysia is urging France president Macron to stop discriminating and accord equal opportunities to palm oil trade like that of other vegetable oils such as rapeseed and sunflower. In a statement, ..

LG Uplus to service exclusive cloud-gaming GeForce Now on 5G phones South Korean mobile carrier LG Uplus Corp. has been tapped by Nvidia to exclusively roll out the cloud-gaming service GeForce Now in Korea, allowing local users to play hundreds of games via their 5G ..

Big Hit Entertainment reports historic profit in 2018 on BTS global rise Big Hit Entertainment Co., the creator behind K-pop superstar BTS, reported best-ever profit last year in line with the global rise of the boy band and blockbuster sales of its albums at home and abro..

Nexon’s iconic race game Kartrider enjoys second boom in a decade Crazyracing Kartrider, all-time favorite and household label under South Korean game publisher Nexon Co. is creating a second wave of sensation in a decade through mobile and live-streaming enhancemen..

Korean game publisher Smilegate RPG mulling IPO for next year Smilegate RPG, the subsidiary of South Korean gaming company Smilegate, is mulling to go public to obtain the ammunitions for mobile and global outreach. Smilegate RPG has tapped about 10 investment ..

Suzy remains all-time heartbreaker for Korean teens on White Day Suzy, a South Korean singer and actress who was a member of now-disbanded K-pop girl group Miss A under JYP Entertainment, topped dream date choice for Korean boys to spend the White Day, East Asia’s ..

BTS stays on U.S. Billboard 200 for 28 straight weeks South Korea’s iconic boy band BTS remained on the Billboard 200 ranks with its repackaged album for the seventh month in March. According to the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart on Tuesday, local time,..

Nexon enhances its grip in mobile game market with 10 more new titles South Korea’s largest gaming publisher Nexon Co. is set to roll out 10 more new mobile games, including all new titles and mobile adaptations of its existing or foreign online games, until June, a mov..

CJ ENM and Big Hit come together to create the next BTS CJ ENM, the entertainment unit of South Korean conglomerate CJ Group, has joined forces with Big Hit Entertainment, the agency behind the Billboard chart-topping boy band BTS, to groom the next K-pop ..

Epic downfall and exit of Seungri takes down its producer YG and stock with him Epic and snowballing scandal involving a member of longtime favorite Korean idol band Big Bang has rocked the entertainment scene in Korea, taking down household K-pop house YG Entertainment and its s..

Kakao Friends character Apeach to promote Korean tourism Kakao Friends character Apeach, one of emoticon characters featured on South Korea’s largest chat Kakao Talk platform, is the official new face of the Korea Tourism Organization. The tourism organizat..

Shinsegae’s beauty store chain Chicor to branch out to duty-free shops South Korea’s Shinsegae Department Store will expand its beauty store chain Chicor to offline and online duty-free shops to better service the growing number of foreign customers. The key unit of Kore..

Nexon’s new mobile MMORPG Traha poised to become a hit game Pre-orders for Traha – the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Moai Games and serviced by South Korea’s largest gaming publisher Nexon Co. – have surpassed..

Neowiz to launch Chinese version of mobile baseball game in Taiwan South Korea’s game company Neowiz announced Friday that it signed a contract with Taiwanese game publisher Cayenne Entertainment Technology Co. to distribute its mobile baseball game Slugger to baseba..

Nexon’s Ascendant One begins pre-registration before official launch on Feb. 14 South Korea’s top game publisher Nexon Co. that is up for grabs in the acquisition market said on Thursday that its new online game Ascendant One is ready for pre-register. Ascendant One – deve..

BlackPink become new face of Korea’s Woori Bank Korean girl group BlackPink has become the new face of Woori Bank, catching up with the latest trend among lenders to recruit big stars for its outreach to young and global consumer market. Woori Ban..

Coca-Cola unveils New Year package featuring BTS Coca-Cola Beverage Co., the Korean sales unit of Coca-Cola Company, on Monday unveiled this year’s special edition designed in collaboration with K-pop superstar BTS in South Korea. It is the compan..

Kia Soul Booster to come with smart interior lighting system Soul Booster, the next-generation Soul compact crossover, will bear smart interior lighting system “Sound Mood Lamp” when it becomes available in the first quarter in Korea, its producer Kia Motors sa..

Kia Motors teams up with YG to promote its brand as youthful and fun South Korea’s Kia Motors Corp. will work with K-pop stars managed by the country’s leading entertainment company YG Entertainment to enhance its brand awareness among young-generation drivers. Kia Mo..

Korea’s CJ ENM acquires Swedish content dealer Eccho Rights South Korean entertainment giant CJ ENM Co. has acquired a controlling stake in Eccho Rights, global film and television rights management and distribution company based in Sweden, as a part of its gl..

Red Velvet’s Irene, new face of world’s bestselling liquor brand Chamisul soju Irene, a member of K-pop girl group Red Velvet, is the new face for the world’s most-sold liquor brand, Chamisul soju, of Hite Jinro Co. South Korea’s leading liquor maker Hite Jinro Co. announced Fri..