SEOUL, Dec. 3 (Korea Bizwire) – Single-person households in South Korea have reduced spending due mainly to high housing expenses and a tough job market situation, affecting the recovery of private consumption, a central bank report showed Tuesday. The proportion of one-person households out of the country’s total has been on a constant increase from [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 3 (Korea Bizwire) – Samsung Electronics is facing declining representation in South Korea’s Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) market, reflecting growing concerns about its position in the semiconductor industry, particularly regarding its competitive stance in High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) and artificial intelligence (AI) chip supply chains. According to financial data provider Yonhap Infomax, as of November [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 3 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s economic backbone—households headed by those in their 40s—saw a sharp drop in business income during the third quarter, reflecting prolonged domestic demand stagnation and heightened challenges for self-employed workers. According to Statistics Korea on Friday, the average business income for 40-something households fell to ₩1.07 million, down 13.1% [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Korea Bizwire) – Spending on clothing and footwear in South Korea has dropped to its lowest share of consumer expenditures, as domestic demand remains weak and unseasonably warm weather curbs the need for fall apparel. Data from Statistics Korea shows that in the third quarter of 2024, average monthly consumer spending per [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s economy is expected to operate below its potential capacity for six consecutive years through 2025, according to new projections from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), raising concerns about structural weakness in what was once one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies. Among the Group of 7 nations [...]
SEOUL, Nov. 29 (Korea Bizwire) – Two decades after their introduction to South Korea, Private Equity Funds (PEFs) have transformed from behind-the-scenes investors into influential powerbrokers wielding control over industries ranging from heavy manufacturing to fast-food chains. These once-reclusive investors, who previously surfaced only for occasional mega-mergers, now command a significant presence across South Korea’s business landscape, [...]
SEOUL, Nov. 29 (Korea Bizwire) – Despite the government’s initiatives to boost corporate value, the return on equity (ROE) of South Korea’s top companies has plummeted over the past three years, with average ROE nearly halving. ROE, a critical metric for evaluating value enhancement, measures net income relative to shareholder equity, reflecting how effectively a [...]
SEOUL, Nov. 29 (Korea Bizwire) – Lotte Group announced a sweeping set of initiatives on November 28 to address liquidity concerns and improve financial stability. The measures include revaluing land assets, divesting underperforming properties, and scaling back investments. As part of its strategy, Lotte is also considering exiting poorly performing overseas duty-free locations. During an [...]
SEOUL, Nov. 29 (Korea Bizwire) – For years, private equity funds (PEFs) were synonymous in South Korea with “predatory capital” and “corporate raiders,” drawing criticism for prioritizing short-term profits over corporate health. The perception stemmed from practices such as aggressive cost-cutting, asset sales, and layoffs, which were viewed as tactics to maximize returns at the [...]
SEJONG, Nov. 27 (Korea Bizwire) – South Koreans experience their largest per-capita financial deficit of 40.78 million won at age 17 and reach their maximum surplus of 17.53 million won at age 43, according to new government data. Labor income begins declining after peaking at 43, leading to a return to deficit spending at age 61. [...]