Korean electric vehicle market shifts towards compact models amid global sales slowdown

SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - Korea's electric vehicle (EV) market is showing a clear preference for compact models, while sales of larger EVs continue to struggle, industry data revealed on Wednesday. The Korea Automobile & Mobility Association (KAMA) reported that domestic sales of compact EVs surged by 130.4 percent year-on-year to 19,103 cars in the first eight months of 2024. Conversely, sales of large EVs in the Korean market plunged 70.3 percent to 2,477 units. T

September 25, 2024

Korea Zinc rejects hostile takeover bid

SEOUL, September 24 (AJP) - Korea Zinc, a leading global non-ferrous metal refiner, on Tuesday rejected a hostile takeover bid by Young Poong and its partner, private equity firm MBK Partners. In a press conference, Vice Chairman Lee Je-joong labeled the bid as “predatory behavior” and warned that a takeover could lead to the leakage of core technologies abroad, jeopardizing South Korea’s industrial competitiveness. Lee said Korea Zinc’s employees are co

September 24, 2024

Lawmaker claims Google's possible tax evasion in Korea

SEOUL, September 24 (AJP) - A recent analysis by Rep. Choi Soo-jin of the People Power Party has raised concerns about Google Korea's potential tax evasion. The lawmaker's study, conducted in collaboration with Professor Jeon Seong-min of Gachon University, suggests the tech giant significantly underreported its revenue and tax obligations in South Korea. According to the analysis, Google Korea's declared revenue for 2023 was a mere 365.3 billion won ($270 million),

September 24, 2024

CJ CheilJedang to supply Korean dumplings to Qantas Airways

SEOUL, September 24 (AJP) - Korea's leading food manufacturer CJ CheilJedang announced on Tuesday it will provide its Bibigo brand dumplings as in-flight meals for Australia's flag carrier Qantas Airways. The culinary company said it will supply a set of pork and pork-kimchi flavored steamed dumplings to Qantas flights starting in October. The Korean food items will be served on international routes from Australia to destinations including London, Singapore, Manila, Tokyo,

September 24, 2024

Morgan Stanley's suspicious SK hynix share sale under scrutiny

SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - Morgan Stanley has come under scrutiny for suspicious activities related to the sale of a large volume of SK hynix shares just before issuing a sell report. According to financial sources Monday, the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) is investigating Morgan Stanley for potential violations of capital market laws. The firm executed a sell order for 1,011,719 shares of SK hynix at its Seoul branch on Sept. 13, two days before releasing a report with a

September 23, 2024

Korean nuclear power firm signs MOU with Czech hydrogen association

SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), the country's largest nuclear power plant operator, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Czech Hydrogen Technology Platform (HYTEP) on Friday to collaborate on clean hydrogen initiatives in Europe. The agreement, inked during an industry and energy technology cooperation forum in Prague, Czech, aims to strengthen the two organizations' competitiveness in the global clean hydrogen market.

September 23, 2024

SK hynix uses Linux for enhanced memory performance

SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - SK hynix announced Monday the integration of key features from its Heterogeneous Memory Software Development Kit (HMSDK) into Linux, the world’s largest open-source operating system. HMSDK optimizes the performance of Compute Express Link (CXL) memory, a next-generation interface for high-performance computing systems. The company’s software solution enhances bandwidth by 30 percent and improves performance by over 12 percent compared to exi

September 23, 2024

Korea's confectionery exports set to hit record high amid global popularity

The members of girl band NewJeans promote a Korean snack in this still from an ad. SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - Korean snacks are captivating the palates of consumers worldwide amid the soaring global popularity of K-pop. Exports of Korean confectionery totaled US$494.2 million during the first eight months of this year, a 15.4-percent increase compared to the same period of last year, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said on Monday. If this trend continue

September 23, 2024

SK On to start EV battery production for Hyundai in Georgia

SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - Battery maker SK On will begin manufacturing electric vehicle (EV) batteries for Korea’s largest automaker Hyundai Motor at its U.S. plant next month, industry sources said on Sunday. SK Battery America (SKBA), the U.S. subsidiary of SK On, plans to initiate production of EV batteries for Hyundai at its Georgia facility in October. The company has been modifying production lines previously dedicated to U.S.-headquartered Ford Motor to accommodate

September 23, 2024

Naver to establish Middle East headquarters in Saudi Arabia

SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - South Korean tech giant Naver announced plans on Monday to set up its Middle East headquarters in Saudi Arabia by the end of 2024. The company, tentatively named “NAVER Arabia,” will participate in Saudi Arabia’s Regional HQ program, which aims to attract global companies to the kingdom. As part of this expansion, Naver intends to collaborate on large-scale national projects in advanced technology sectors and explore various business o

September 23, 2024