South Korea

Larger than life: South Korean forward Son Heung-min adorns a skyscraper in Doha ahead of the FIFA World Cup, hosted by Qatar this year.
Business Spotlight

Why Asia Inc. is rushing to sponsor the Qatar World Cup

Concerns over human rights take back seat to reaching global audience

18 November 2022
An image of Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is seen in a welcome advertisement in Seoul on Nov. 16. The desert kingdom's de facto ruler is visiting South Korea.
Business deals

Saudi Arabia inks deals with Samsung, Hyundai and other companies

Crown prince discusses NEOM smart-city project, defense with South Korea's leader

17 November 2022
Samsung leader Lee Jae-yong visits an ASML facility in the Netherlands on June 14. (Photo courtesy of Samsung)
Semiconductors

ASML plans new chip equipment hub in South Korea

Dutch supplier to collaborate with Samsung, others amid China restrictions

16 November 2022
President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, signalling in a speech that he wants to thaw frosty relations between the two countries.
Indo-Pacific

Xi sheds 'wolf-warrior' coat on return to world stage

Third term gives China's leader freer hand to chart new courses

15 November 2022
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, left, and South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol walk to the stage for group photo during the ASEAN meetings in Phnom Penh.
International relations

Japan-South Korea summit promises push to 'resolve' wartime issues

North Korean threat brings Kishida and Yoon closer but hurdles remain

14 November 2022
Debt concerns that started at a Legoland theme park developer have rattled corporate bond markets in South Korea, though stocks have not been affected. (Source photos by Yonhap/Reuters and Getty Images)
Market Spotlight

South Korea suffers from corporate debt liquidity crunch

Companies struggle to raise money in bond market amid investor concern

14 November 2022
U.S. President Joe Biden poses with other leaders during the ASEAN summit in Phnom Penh on Nov. 12.
International relations

U.S. doubles down on ASEAN aid to counter China

Japan's Kishida vows 'quality infrastructure,' warns against 'opaque' assistance

12 November 2022
Shinhan Financial Group hopes to act as a bridge between the startup markets of South Korea and Japan.
Startups

South Korean financial group opens startup accelerator in Japan

Shinhan Financial looks to get on ground floor of growing startup market

12 November 2022
DeepL CEO Jaroslaw Kutylowski: "One of the languages that we definitely have on our mind and that we are working on is Korean." (Photo by Satoko Kawasaki)
Interview

DeepL hopes to translate Japan success into more Asian markets

Korean among next languages targeted by AI translation service: CEO

11 November 2022
Orix plans to acquire Japanese cosmetics and health food company DHC for an estimated 300 billion yen. 
Business deals

Japan's Orix to buy health food company DHC for $2.1bn

Financial services group will purchase all outstanding shares

11 November 2022
Top ASEAN leaders attend the opening ceremony of their summit on Nov. 11 in Phnom Penh.
International relations

ASEAN leaders kick off summit with Myanmar as urgent priority

Superpowers U.S., China to compete for influence at flurry of regional meetings

11 November 2022
Cracks run through the partially dried-up river bed of the Gan River, a tributary to Poyang Lake during a regional drought in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, China, on Aug. 28.
COP27

50% chance world hits 1.5 C climate target in 9 years: report

China's CO2 emissions seen falling in 2022, but rises expected in U.S., India

11 November 2022
Coupang has reached profitability after years of investing in infrastructure. (Photo courtesy of Coupang)
Companies

South Korea's Coupang posts 1st profit since going public

SoftBank-backed e-commerce company sees 7% increase in users

11 November 2022
The twistable display has a stretchability of about 20%, LG Display says. (Photo courtesy of LG Display)
Electronics

LG eyes wearable potential for stretchable, twistable display

Film-like, micro-LED technology could also be used in cars and clothes, company says

9 November 2022
South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, left, meets former President Moon Jae-in in late August after he was elected chairman of the Democratic Party. (Yonhap)
Politics

South Korean prosecutors step up probes of Moon-era leadership

Opposition party jittery over scope of investigations

8 November 2022
October saw fatal crushes at a soccer stadium in Indonesia, left, and a Halloween parade in South Korea, center, as well as mass shooting in Thailand by a former police officer. (Source photos by Reuters)
Society

South Korean, Indonesian police slammed for fatal crowd crushes

Mass shooting by Thai ex-cop also raises questions over law enforcement

7 November 2022
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol inspects the scene of tragedy on Oct. 30, a day after many people died in a stampede during a Halloween festival in Seoul, South Korea.
Comment

Itaewon tragedy is code-red moment for South Korea's Yoon

South Korean left revives candlelight protests that took down Park Geun-hye

6 November 2022
LG Energy Solution saw a 90% jump in July-September sales, buoyed by the spread of electric vehicles. (Photo courtesy of LG Energy Solution) 
Business trends

South Korean battery makers' sales surge from soaring EV demand

LG Energy, Samsung SDI, SK Innovation benefit from weak won, shift away from China

5 November 2022
North Korea has fired dozens of missiles in recent days.
N Korea at crossroads

North Korea missile blitz marks vicious cycle of 'fire and fury'

South scrambles jets after detecting about 180 DPRK warplanes north of border

4 November 2022
A man pays tribute near the scene of the Halloween tragedy in Seoul on Oct. 30.
The Nikkei View

South Korea Halloween tragedy must not happen again

Artificial intelligence and new technologies can help prevent future disasters

2 November 2022
A woman pays tribute on Nov. 1 near the scene of the weekend Halloween stampede in Seoul that killed more than 150 people.
Society

Families say goodbye to victims of Halloween crush in Seoul

Police admit inadequate response to emergency calls

1 November 2022
Demand for LNG carriers is rising as the war in Ukraine disrupts pipelines from Russia. (Photo courtesy of Samsung Heavy Industries)
Business trends

Chinese shipbuilders chase South Korean rivals on LNG carriers

Investment spree spurred by war in Ukraine raises concerns of a supply glut

1 November 2022
People flood the street in Tokyo's Shibuya district on Oct. 31: Police in the city are on high alert, eager to avoid the overcrowding that led to a deadly stampede in Seoul on Oct. 29. 
Society

Tokyo on high alert over Halloween crowd after Seoul tragedy

As costumed revelers head to Shibuya, expert stresses need for risk awareness

31 October 2022
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, center, and his wife Kim Keon-hee arrive to pay tribute to Halloween disaster victims in Seoul on Oct. 31.
Politics

South Korea Halloween crush tests Yoon as public demands answers

Experts predict more pressure on president, police after mourning ends

31 October 2022
A street in Seoul's Itaewon district is pictured full of Halloween revelers before a stampede killed and injured hundreds.
Society

At least 154 killed in South Korea Halloween crowd crush

Yoon declares mourning period as authorities investigate cause

31 October 2022