Business
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Korean oil refiners ramp up car wash business amid declining profit margins
SEOUL, May 07 (AJU PRESS) – Major Korean oil refiners are expanding their presence in the market of automatic no-brush tunnel car washes as part of efforts to improve their bottom line as higher oil prices and operating costs are squeezing their profit margins. HD Hyundai Oil Bank signed a cooperation agreement with domestic unmanned no-brush car wash service operator Come In Wash last week to accelerate the distribution of an automated no-brush tunnel car wash system to its
May 7, 2024 -
Harmful substances found in toys sold on Chinese e-commerce platforms
SEOUL, May 02 (AJU PRESS) - Seoul City has discovered excessive levels of harmful substances, including lead and banned chemicals, in children’s toys and stationery items sold on Chinese e-commerce platforms including Aliexpress, officials said Thursday. Korean law requires sellers and importers of children's products to obtain safety certification, imposing penalties for violating the rule. However, the law does not apply to products purchased directly from overseas onl
May 2, 2024 -
LG Chem to share water purification technology with Saudi Arabia
SEOUL, May 01 (AJU PRESS) - Korean chemical company LG Chem will transfer its water purification technology, known as reverse osmosis, to Saudi Arabian conglomerate Alkhorayef Group, LG Chem said Wednesday. Reverse osmosis (RO) uses a semi-permeable membrane to extract salt and other impurities from water. Unlike traditional methods reliant on heat-induced evaporation, RO membranes filter water molecules without heat. LG Chem's RO membrane boasts a 99.89 percent salt removal rat
May 1, 2024 -
Korea's Ramyeon exports hit record high in first quarter
SEOUL, April 30 (AJU PRESS) - Korea experienced a remarkable 30 percent increase in Ramyeon exports during the first quarter of 2024, reaching a record high for the period, according to data released on Tuesday. Demand for Korean noodle products was especially strong in the United States, followed by China, the Netherlands and Japan. This surge in popularity has been fueled over the past decade by Ramyeon's frequent exposure through K-pop songs, K-dramas, and K-films. This has
April 30, 2024 -
Price of Korean seaweed skyrockets amid growing demand overseas
SEOUL, April 29 (AJU PRESS) – The wholesale price of processed laver sheets jumped nearly 60 percent on year this month, as demand has grown overseas driven by the popularity of gimbap, or seaweed-wrapped rice, and other Korean foods. According to the state-run Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp., the wholesale price of 100 sheets of dried laver was 10,440 won ($7.5) on Friday, up 58 percent from 6,628 won a year ago. The average retail price for a sheet of seaweed a
April 29, 2024 -
Dongwon F&B, Konkuk University join hands to develop safe pet food
SEOUL, April 29 (AJU PRESS) - Dongwon F&B has signed an agreement with the veterinary medicine department of Konkuk University for the development of safe and reliable pet food, the Korean food company said Monday. Under the deal, the two sides will jointly research and develop food for dogs and cats and work together to ensure safety. "Amid growing consumer concerns about some pet foods, establishing this strategic partnership with Konkuk University's veterinary med
April 29, 2024 -
Korea Western Power secures electricity supply deal in UAE
SEOUL, April 29 (AJU PRESS) - Korea Western Power (KOWEPO) has signed a power sales agreement with the United Arab Emirates' state-run water and electricity supplier, KOWEPO said on Sunday. KOWEPO is involved in constructing the Al Ajban Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Park, a solar power facility slated to break ground in the second half of 2024. Upon its launch in 2026, the Korean company will supply the electricity generated at the Al Ajban Solar PV Park to Emirates Water and Electr
April 29, 2024 -
Korean e-commerce firms vying to lure customers quitting Coupang over fee hike
SEOUL, April 26 (AJU PRESS) - Following Coupang's recent announcement of a 58 percent increase in its monthly premium membership fee, Korean e-commerce firms are in a race to attract former Coupang customers. On April 12, Coupang disclosed a plan to raise its monthly premium subscription fee from 4,990 won ($3.6) to 7,890 won. The premium membership offers benefits like free delivery, unlimited video streaming, and complimentary food delivery. The price hike has already been a
April 26, 2024 -
HD Hyundai establishes new headquarters for marine energy businesses
SEOUL, April 24 (AJU PRESS) - HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, the world's largest shipbuilder, plans to launch a new headquarters specializing in marine energy harvesting businesses next month, industry sources said. The company notified staff on Wednesday that the current shipbuilding and marine business division will be split into two segments and the new headquarters for the fast-growing marine energy industry will be established on May 1. The new entity will focus on the c
April 24, 2024 -
Video streaming services in Korea sharply raise subscription fees
Netflix, TVING and other popular over-the-top (OTT) video streaming services in Korea have increased subscription fees by an average of about 40 percent over the past six months, as the companies are striving to improve the bottom line despite consumer complaints of financial burdens. According to the state-run Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), 55.2 percent of the country’s 52 million population subscribed to paid video streaming services as of December 2023. With the m
April 24, 2024
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Sao Paulo to adopt Korean as second foreign language subject
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SNU student arrested for distributing explicit images using faces of female classmates
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Plan to allow foreign doctors sparks heated debate in Korea
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Korea's ramyeon exports hit record high in April
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Luxury pet-friendly services on the rise in Korea
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Korean Council on Latin America pledges support for opening of Cuban Embassy in Seoul
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'Gwanghwamun needs new name plate in Hangeul'
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Turkish corvette-class warship to visit Busan next month
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NewJeans performs 'Cool With You' at Korea's historic palace
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N. Korean propaganda song praising Kim Jong-un goes viral on TikTok