SEOUL, Feb. 26 (Korea Bizwire) — Stock-backed loans among South Korea’s major conglomerate owners have surged by nearly 1.5 trillion won ($1.05 billion) over the past eight months, reflecting an increasing reliance on equity as collateral amid financial pressures. A recent analysis by corporate research firm Leaders Index, covering 79 of the nation’s largest business [...]
SEJONG, Feb. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s construction industry is facing its worst downturn in years, with employment falling below 2 million workers for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, highlighting growing concerns about the broader economic impact of the sector’s prolonged slump. According to the Statistics Korea, construction employment plunged by 169,000 jobs [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — Small business owners in South Korea saw their income drop more than 10 percent from a year earlier in 2024 amid sluggish consumer sentiment, a poll showed Tuesday. According to the survey conducted by Mono Research from January 20 to February 7 on 500 small business owners, the level [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean retail investors’ holdings in U.S. stocks have surpassed $100 billion for the first time, as a new survey reveals that corporate innovation remains the primary attraction driving Korean investors toward American capital markets. According to a survey released on February 23 by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Korea Bizwire) — Despite a prolonged economic downturn and high interest rates, several prominent South Korean mid-sized companies are actively pursuing major mergers and acquisitions, highlighting a shift in corporate strategy. The number of completed M&A deals valued at over 10 billion won in South Korea reached 474 in 2024, marking a 12% [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 19 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s customs agency said Wednesday it busted 300 cases of crimes related to foreign exchange (FX) transactions worth some 2.6 trillion won (US$1.8 billion) in 2024. The number of such crimes jumped 52 percent last year from 198 cases tallied a year earlier, and the combined value of [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — Gold and dollar deposits at South Korea’s major banks have reached record highs as investors seek safe-haven assets amid global economic uncertainty and a strong U.S. dollar. According to financial industry data released on February 18, the combined balance of dollar deposits at the country’s five largest banks—KB Kookmin, Shinhan, [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — Seoul’s retail sector is entering a slowdown phase as economic stagnation and reduced consumer spending take hold, according to a recent market analysis. Cushman & Wakefield Korea released its Q4 2024 Retail Market Report on Monday, forecasting that persistent inflation, a strong U.S. dollar, and rising household debt burdens [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — The management rights of Inspire Entertainment Resort, a major integrated resort on Yeongjong Island near Incheon, have been transferred from U.S.-based Mohegan to global private equity firm Bain Capital. Inspire announced on Monday that Bain Capital had exercised its acquisition rights, taking over the management of its parent company, [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — Samsung Electronics Co. Chairman Lee Jae-yong received the largest amount of dividends in South Korea last year, a corporate data tracker said Tuesday. Leaders Index surveyed 560 companies, which provided dividends in the form of cash and cash equivalents to their shareholders in 2024 to count up their overall [...]