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Samsung Biologics lands record $1.4 billion contract SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - Samsung Biologics announced Tuesday it has secured a 2.07 trillion won ($1.4 billion) manufacturing contract with a European pharmaceutical company, its largest deal to date. The multi-year agreement, spanning until December 2030, accounts for roughly 40 percent of the company's total manufacturing orders secured in 2024, which reached 5.4 trillion won. This also surpasses the previous record of a 1.7 trillion won contract signed with an Asian pharma January 14, 2025
BOK downplays concerns of inflation from possible extra budget SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - The Bank of Korea (BOK) has signaled its support for increased government spending to counter a slowing economy, downplaying concerns about inflationary pressures. In a written response to a National Assembly inquiry, the central bank stated that "the possibility of extra budget spending stimulating inflation is considered low, given the current economic circumstances." This stance comes as South Korea's economy faces headwinds following th January 14, 2025
BOK's post-martial law liquidity supply outpaces pandemic measures SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) - The Bank of Korea (BOK) injected 47.6 trillion won ($32.3 billion) in repurchase agreements (RPs) last December, a liquidity infusion surpassing its total pandemic-era support. RPs, the central bank’s monetary policy toolkit, are used to supply short-term liquidity to financial institutions by purchasing bonds with agreements to resell them at a later date. This intervention in December brought the BOK’s RP purchases for 2024 to an unpreced January 13, 2025
Korean firms ramp up US investments amid policy uncertainty SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) - Major South Korean companies are committing to substantial investments in the United States, signaling strategic moves to align with shifting trade and economic policies under a second Trump administration. On Nov. 13, CJ Group broke ground on a $540 million Asian food manufacturing plant in South Dakota, a day after Governor Kristi Noem was tapped as the nominee for homeland security secretary by President-elect Donald Trump. SPC Group followed suit o January 13, 2025
Soaring interest margins lead to big rewards for employees at Korean banks SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) - South Korea's major banks are set to increase wages and performance bonuses for their employees, despite facing economic headwinds and mounting public criticism over their profitability. The five largest banks – Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, Woori, and Nonghyup – have agreed to raise base salaries by 2.8 percent, up from 2 percent in 2024, according to banking industry sources on Monday. Shinhan and Hana banks have allocated performance bonuses January 13, 2025
Dining costs in South Korea rise for third consecutive year SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) - Dining costs in South Korea soared for the third straight year in 2024, climbing 3.1 percent according to data released Monday by Statistics Korea. This marked a significant jump above the overall consumer price index, which rose 2.3 percent. The price index for dining reached 121.01, with cafeteria prices experiencing the sharpest increase at 6.9 percent – the highest since records began in 2001. Popular menu items saw substantial price hikes. January 13, 2025
Hyundai Motor partners with Nvidia to accelerate AI-powered mobility development LAS VEGAS, January 10 (AJP) -- Hyundai Motor Group announced on Friday a strategic partnership with Nvidia to accelerate the development of artificial intelligence technologies for future mobility solutions. The South Korean automaker plans to leverage Nvidia's computing technology and AI enterprise software to process the vast amounts of data required for training AI models across various applications, including autonomous driving and robotics. "Hyundai Motor Group is e January 10, 2025
[CES 2025] At CES, Korean companies embrace AI as future of business LAS VEGAS, January 8 (AJP) - CES 2025 offered a global stage for South Korea's top conglomerates to spotlight their commitment to artificial intelligence (AI) as a cornerstone of future growth and collaboration. Representatives from Samsung, LG, SK, and LS unveiled their latest innovations, emphasizing the transformative role of AI in their strategies. Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, underscored AI's growing integration into daily life, a concept he termed "phy January 10, 2025
State-owned bank under investigation for $180 million loan fraud SEOUL, January 10 (AJP) - The Financial Supervisory Service has launched an investigation into the state-owned Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) following allegations of illegal loan approvals totaling some 24 billion won (approximately $180 million). The probe, which began earlier this month, comes after IBK disclosed that the loans, approved between June 2022 and November 2024, involved inflated real estate collateral values and improper loan approvals at its branch in Seoul. In January 10, 2025
US solar EVs will use LG Energy Solution's batteries SEOUL, January 10 (AJP) - LG Energy Solution announced Friday it will supply cylindrical batteries to U.S.-based solar electric vehicle startup Aptera Motors. Under the agreement, LG Energy Solution, alongside Korean battery pack manufacturer CTNS, will provide 2170 cylindrical batteries to Aptera from 2025 to 2031. The partnership also includes collaboration on producing solar EVs. Aptera's solar EV, also named Aptera, integrates solar panels and battery packs, maximizing January 10, 2025