Korea rises as production hub for coronavirus treatments; darling of global pharmas

South Korea is emerging as a global production base for coronavirus vaccines and medicine thanks to its comprehensive production facilities alongside ...

Korea’s big data companies eye IPOs as investors flush with cash

Tech investors are set to be deluged with initial public offerings as South Korea’s big data companies are pushing to list their shares amid a d...

Export-Import Bank of Korea sells $500 mn euro bonds with negative yield

The Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM) has issued euro-currency bonds worth $500 million at a negative interest rate, the bank said on Sept. 15, less...

South Korea sells $827 mn worth of euro-currency bonds with negative yield

The South Korean government has issued euro-denominated bonds worth 700 million euros ($827 million) at a negative interest rate, becoming the first n...

Korea state agency to sell up to 10% Woori Financial stake in block deal

The Korea Deposit Insurance Corp. (KDIC) has resumed the ongoing sale process of its 17.25% stake in Woori Financial Group in four years. It will offe...

Korea’s major companies’ Q2 overseas sales drop 20% due to pandemic

South Korea’s top 100 companies saw their overseas sales shrink by a fifth in the second quarter from the year-earlier period, weighed by the fa...

Korea's largest H&B franchise launches pre-IPO targeting PEFs

South Korean health and beauty franchise CJ Olive Young has sent teaser letters to potential buyers, including domestic and overseas private equity fu...

Sale of Korea’s bank debentures hits all-time high as capital reserves shrink

Bond issuance by South Korean banks has risen to a record high as banks move to secure adequate capital to ride out any short-term liquidity disruptio...

Korean banks’ Q2 capital ratio drops for third straight quarter

The average capital adequacy ratio of South Korean banks declined in the April-June period for the third consecutive quarter, weighed by rising corpor...

Kakao Games gears up to become Korea’s IPO blockbuster of the year

Kakao Games Corp. is set to be South Korea’s biggest initial public offering of the year backed by overwhelming demand seen during its bookbuild...

KKR to expand Korea waste management portfolio to sewage treatment

KKR & Co. is set to acquire a non-controlling stake in a South Korean sewage management company in a deal worth up to 200 billion won ($170 millio...

Bank of Korea sees 2020 GDP contract 1.3%; keeps base rate on hold

The Bank of Korea revised down its 2020 growth forecast for the South Korean economy to a negative 1.3% from the previous 0.2% contraction on August 2...

Kookmin gains foothold in Indonesia after bumping up stake in local bank

Kookmin Bank has increased its stake in Bank Bukopin to become the largest shareholder in the medium-sized Indonesian lender, as it works to boost its...

South Korea seeks to exit Africa mining JV despite rising nickel demand

State-run Korea Resources Corp. has embarked on a plan to sell its stake in a loss-making nickel mining joint venture in Madagascar, Africa, after the...

Korea's largest tiremaker mired in family feud over management control

South Korea’s largest tire manufacturer Hankook Tire & Technology Co. is in the crosshairs as the family feud over management control o...

Bank of Korea to sharply lower 2020 GDP forecast: governor

The South Korean economy is expected to shrink at a steeper rate than the expected 0.2% this year, and the Bank of Korea (BOK) will sharply revise dow...

South Korea moves in on overseas coal project financing ban

South Korea's parliament looks set to pass new legislation to ban financing on foreign coal power projects, putting all overseas coal-fired plant deal...

Corporate bankruptcy filings hit all-time high in Korea amid global pandemic

Corporate bankruptcy cases in July posted a historic high with 103 filings, mirroring the global impact of the pandemic and its heavy blow to Sou...

Korea’s leading EV battery makers’ R&D spending hits record $1 bn in H1

South Korea’s three leading electric-vehicle (EV) battery makers are investing heavily in EV research & development projects to gain ground ...

Kakao founder becomes Korea’s second-richest stockholder amid COVID-19 era

Brian Kim (Kim Bum-soo), founder and chairman of South Korea’s biggest mobile messaging app operator Kakao Corp., has become the country’s...

Billion-dollar deals likely to flood Korea’s M&A market in H2

South Korea’s mergers and acquisitions market is expected to gain momentum toward the end of the year, as the coronavirus pandemic pushes large ...

Korea’s ruling party seeks to extend short-selling ban, revise relevant rules

South Korea’s ruling party is pursuing an extension of the temporary short-selling ban set to expire mid-September. It is simultaneously prepari...

Korea’s state pension fund needs split to improve efficiency: National Assembly report

The National Pension Service needs to be split to enhance the efficiency of the South Korean state pension fund’s operations and reduce its heav...

Market keeps close watch on Korea's short-selling ban decision

Korea’s six-month ban on short selling is set to expire on September 15, fueling market chatter whether or not the country’s financial wat...

Korea’s money supply sees fastest growth in decade as foreigners return to stock market

South Korea’s money supply grew at a quicker pace in June than it has in a decade, as foreign investors, who shunned risky assets just following...

Korea’s economically inactive population rises to record high in July

Hit hardest by the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, South Korea’s jobless rate rose to the highest level in two decades, while many people w...

Korea’s reliance on semiconductor chips increases economic vulnerability: FKI

South Korea’s heavy dependence on semiconductor chips and its concentration on the US and China for exports pose a greater risk to the export-or...

OECD upgrades Korea’s growth outlook to -0.8%, mildest among member countries

South Korea's economy is likely to shrink less than expected this year, thanks to its successful response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to th...

Korea’s July jobless claims hit $1 bn; insurance funds’ deficit to widen

South Korea's jobless claims payments topped 1 trillion won ($842 million) for the third consecutive month in July, threatening to widen the shortfall...

[Updated RFP] Korea Post seeks two global debt fund houses for $170 mn mandate

(On August 25, Korea Post extended the deadline for submitting proposals for its global debt investment mandate to August 31, 2020 from August 19, 202...