• Foreign firms may buy Pantech, Dongbu HiTek

    Experts are worried that Korea could lose its tight grip on the mobile phone and semiconductor industries because foreign companies are planning to purchase stakes in leading domestic technology firms. Experts said that the Korean government should consider whether or not to allow foreign firms to buy stakes in Dongbu…

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  • Chonghaejin Marine’s ‘real’ owner hunted

    Financial regulators have launched a joint investigation with customs and tax officials into Chonghaejin Marine, the operator of the sunken ferry Sewol, and its owner family. The shipping firm’s majority stakeholder is Chonhaiji, a small shipbuilder controlled by I-One-I Holdings. Major shareholders of the holding firm include two sons of…

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  • KT to reduct workforce by 25%

    KT said Monday that it will cut its total workforce by up to 25 percent. The massive lay-offs are expected to save at least 700 billion won in annual expenses. “A total of 8,320 KT employees applied for the voluntary retirement program. We will terminate contracts with those employees before…

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  • Korea wants to get MSCI’s developed market statues

    Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI), the world’s leading provider of investment decision support tools, may include Korea on its list of developed markets this year, experts said Friday. They warned, however, that the country could face difficulties drawing funds from investors while competing with the U.S., Western Europe, Japan and…

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  • Large firms hesitate to invest

    Lotte shows highest cash reserve ratio The average cash reserve ratio of conglomerates soared to a record high last year, data showed Sunday, triggering concerns that their sluggish reinvestment may hinder job creation and economic recovery. According to FN Guide, an online financial information provider, the average reserve ratio of…

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  • East Asia

    Korean games popular in China, Japan

    Critics argue tough regulations curb growth potential K-pop’s rise is fast and furious, representing the country’s booming cultural industry. Yet this doesn’t mean K-pop is the most profitable export item among cultural products. Guess what the No.1 is? Computer games. According to the state-run Korea Finance Corporation, Korea’s games exports…

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  • Diageo, Pernod Ricard to cut jobs

    Diageo and Pernod Ricard, the world’s top two liquor companies, are cutting their workforces in Korea due to declining whiskey sales, their Korean branches said Wednesday. Last week, Diageo Korea said it will provide an early retirement program for all managers and executives in a move to cut costs amid…

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  • Hyun hints at easing rules on hotel construction

    Strategy and Finance Minister Hyun Oh-seok indicated Wednesday that the government will ease regulations on hotel construction to boost the tourism industry. “The tourism industry is very effective in boosting the domestic economy and creating jobs. Currently, the number of foreign tourists is rising thanks to the growing popularity of…

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  • Boosting youth hiring

    Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Korea usually wrestle with chronic labor shortages. It’s not strange, therefore, even if it’s hard to find young workers at small factories. By contrast, many young college graduates are out of work ― the employment rate among youths aged 15-29 remained at 39.7 percent…

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  • Housing rentals for expats now thriving business

    Renting housing to expatriates has turned into a booming business thanks to a rise in the number of long-term residents. Many multi-home owners have entered the market because they are exempted from paying lease tax when their properties are rented out to foreigners under a revised government measure. The demography…

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