South Korea

Shares in EcoPro Materials surged in their debut on Seoul's main stock exchange on Nov. 17 on aggressive buying from retail investors. (Photo courtesy of the Korea Exchange)
IPO

South Korea's EcoPro Materials soars in stock market debut

Shares in maker of electric battery materials close up 58%

17 November 2023
Marty Mallick, left, Amazon's vice president of worldwide corporate business development, and Jose Munoz, Hyundai Motor's president and global chief operating officer and Hyundai Motor North America's president and CEO, at the Los Angeles Auto Show. (Photo courtesy of Hyundai Motor)
Automobiles

Hyundai Motor, in first, to sell new cars on Amazon from next year

South Korean automaker aims to expand presence with fresh sales channel

17 November 2023
An electric vehicle charger in California. More such infrastructure is needed in the U.S. as EV sales increase.
Automobiles

South Korean electric battery makers cutting back in U.S.

LG Energy plans to lay off 14% of Michigan workers amid slowing transition to EVs

16 November 2023
Retail investors' buying has particularly benefited Kosdaq stocks over the past year.
Opinion

South Korea's retail stock trading boom is outlasting COVID

Demographic shifts are driving interest in investment alternatives to property

15 November 2023
The South Korean city of Busan is competing with Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Rome for the right to host World Expo 2030. (Photo by Ahn Seong-bok)
Economy

South Korea's Busan goes all out in bid for World Expo 2030

City hopes monthslong show will raise its profile, boost tourism and economy

14 November 2023
Hyundai's EV plant will be the company's first new factory in South Korea in 29 years. (Image courtesy of Hyundai Motor)
Automobiles

Hyundai breaks ground on $1.5bn South Korean EV plant

Automaker aims to boost sales of electrics tenfold by 2030

14 November 2023
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik attend a welcome ceremony before their security meeting in Seoul on Nov. 13.
Defense

U.S., South Korea revise North deterrence plan for 1st time in decade

Washington vows to defend Seoul as Pyongyang-Moscow axis grows

13 November 2023
U.S. President Joe Biden holds a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, right, and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol during the trilateral summit at Camp David on Aug. 18.
Defense

U.S., Japan, South Korea to conclude multi-year exercise plan soon

Intel-sharing is 'foundation' for future trilateral cooperation, U.S. official says

12 November 2023
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is grappling with an alarming assortment of negative economic data. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by EPA/Yonhap/Jiji and AP) 
Comment

Can South Korea's Yoon weather an economic perfect storm?

Voter discontent mounts ahead of all-important general elections next April

12 November 2023
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on March 16 at a joint news conference at the prime minister's office in Tokyo.  
Supply Chain

Japan, South Korea to build supply chain for hydrogen and ammonia

Kishida and Yoon will announce new frameworks on economic security in the U.S.

10 November 2023
Financial authorities have launched a probe into global banks' alleged naked short-selling, which is illegal in South Korea. 
Markets

South Korea does not rule out extending short-selling ban

Financial regulator wants to avoid stock market being 'titled playing field'

10 November 2023
Naver promotes its comics app at a July event in France. (Photo courtesy of Naver)
Media & Entertainment

South Korea's Naver and Kakao bet on comics apps for content growth

Tech giants duke it out in Japan, setting sights on the world

10 November 2023
Seoul at night. MBK Partners has an investment team of almost 100 professionals spread across the South Korean capital. Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo.
DealStreetAsia

China, Japan and South Korea-focused MBK raising sixth flagship fund

Manager of over $25.6bn reportedly seeks to raise as much as $7bn for new vehicle

10 November 2023
Lee Shin-wha, South Korea's ambassador for international cooperation on North Korean human rights, speaks to reporters at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington on Nov. 8. (Photo by Ken Moriyasu)
Indo-Pacific

South Korea and Japan must cooperate at U.N. next year, Seoul envoy says

Lee Shin-wha says Security Council seats offer golden opportunity to cement ties

10 November 2023
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrives in New Delhi on Nov. 9. (Photo by Ryo Nakamura)
Defense

U.S. defense chief holds China focus amid Israel-Hamas conflict

Austin to meet with Philippine, Thai, other counterparts during Pacific tour

9 November 2023
Samsung Electronics plans to install its generative AI model on its smartphones and other devices next year. (Photo courtesy of Samsung Electronics) 
Technology

Samsung unveils generative AI model amid global race

South Korean tech giant plans to install Gauss on smartphones next year

8 November 2023
Jang Young-jin, first vice minister at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, says global companies see increasing promise in South Korea. (Photo by Kim Jaewon)
Technology

South Korea balances policy to draw foreign investment, official says

Global chipmaking equipment companies increase presence in country

8 November 2023
The KOSPI has had a rockier 2023 than peer market indexes like Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average.
Opinion

Freezing out short sellers will not fire up South Korean growth

Move shows MSCI right in not considering the country a 'developed market'

8 November 2023
The vacancy rate in Myeongdong looks to be about 10% to 20% these days, with no vacant stores visible on the main street. (Photo by Kotaro Hosokawa)
Property

Return of foreigners saves properties in Seoul's main shopping district

Skyrocketing vacancy rates in Myeongdong have started to come down to earth

5 November 2023
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will head to Asia after visiting Tel Aviv and Amman.
International relations

Blinken to visit Japan, South Korea and India next week

China and North Korea on agenda for U.S. secretary of state and Asian leaders

3 November 2023
Media cameras are seen outside North Korea's embassy in Malaysia in 2021.
N Korea at crossroads

North Korea turns further inward with embassy closures

Former diplomat says moves signal tightening of ties with China and Russia

2 November 2023
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a news conference marking his first 100 days in office in Seoul on Aug. 17, 2022.
Politics

South Korean media accuse Yoon of eroding press freedoms

Government claims to be trying to limit spread of false or misleading reports

1 November 2023
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol gives a speech on the government budget at the National Assembly in Seoul on Oct. 31. 
Economy

Yoon's fiscal pledges collide with South Korea's low-growth reality

President grapples with slow economy months ahead of key elections

31 October 2023
Samsung Electronics has struggled with weakness in its semiconductor business due to a glut of memory chips.
Semiconductors

Samsung chip business trims loss in Q3 on bounce in memory prices

Analysts see rosy future for South Korean tech giant with worst of slump over

31 October 2023
The Jakarta skyline in 2021. Korea Investment Partners is particularly interested in Indonesia, owing to its market potential, vibrant startup ecosystem and talent supply.
DealStreetAsia

Korea Investment Partners closes maiden Southeast Asia fund

Venture capital vehicle raises $60m, draws institutional investor interest

30 October 2023