SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s antitrust watchdog has identified multiple structural factors that could restrict fair competition and harm consumer interests in the country’s generative artificial intelligence market, according to a policy report released on December 17. The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) announced plans to closely monitor the market and begin reviewing [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Korea Bizwire) — Hitejinro Co., South Korea’s leading beverage company, will consider building additional overseas plants or acquiring a local company for further expansion after fully establishing its first overseas plant in Vietnam, a company executive said Tuesday. Hitejinro’s US$77 million soju manufacturing plant is under construction at the Green-i-Park industrial complex [...]
SEJONG, Dec. 17 (Korea Bizwire) — A drillship participating in a major gas and oil development project in the East Sea arrived at its first drilling site Tuesday, as it prepares to begin exploration operations amid growing uncertainties in the project due to domestic political situations, according to industry sources. The West Capella, operated by [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Yonhap) — South Korea’s antitrust regulator said Tuesday it has fined Kakao Mobility Corp., the operator of the country’s top taxi-hailing service, 15.1 billion won (US$10.5 million) for unfair business practices. Kakao Mobility is accused of manipulating its algorithm to direct more ride requests received through its mobile taxi application to cabs under its [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Korea Bizwire) – Nearly half of South Korea’s small business owners in the food and hospitality sectors report direct or indirect losses due to the ongoing political crisis following the December 3 martial law declaration and subsequent impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol. A survey conducted by the Korea Federation of SMEs between [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 16 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s manufacturing and mining sectors saw their first decline in business establishments in seven years, driven by a slowdown in the semiconductor industry and a downturn in textiles. According to Statistics Korea’s preliminary Mining and Manufacturing Survey, released on December 16, the total number of businesses with 10 or [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 16 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s major corporations, including Samsung, SK, Hyundai, and LG, are closely monitoring the political and economic fallout following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol. As the nation grapples with heightened uncertainty, compounded by the anticipated inauguration of Donald Trump’s second U.S. presidency, businesses are taking cautious steps to [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 16 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s share of global shipbuilding orders in 2024 is expected to hit its lowest point since 2016, highlighting growing concerns over its competitiveness in the face of China’s dominance. Despite strong profits from high-value ship orders, experts warn that maintaining a basic level of order volume is essential to [...]
SEJONG, Dec. 16 (Korea Bizwire) – Container shipping costs from South Korea to China rose in November, reversing the decline recorded the previous month, the customs agency said Monday. The average shipping cost for a 40-foot container from South Korea to China climbed 14.4 percent from a month earlier to 839,000 won (US$583.93) in November, according to [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 16 (Korea Bizwire) – Maeil Dairies Co., a major dairy product manufacturer, on Monday issued an apology over an accident involving the mixing of cleaning solution in one of its sterilized milk products during production. Maeil Dairies CEO Kim Seon-hee said in a statement posted on the company website that a valve operation [...]