business activity Archives

Corporate Earnings Hit 6-year Low in 2020 amid Pandemic

SEJONG, Dec. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean firms’ earnings plunged to a six-year low in 2020 in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, government data showed Thursday. The combined pretax net profit of 13,429 companies came to 97.7 trillion won (US$82 billion) in 2020, down 3.9 percent from the prior year and marking the [...]

Sales of S. Korean Firms Edge Up in 2019, but Operating Profits Tumble

SEOUL, Dec. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean companies saw their combined sales inch up in 2019 but their operating profits tumble amid a trade spat between the United States and China, as well as weak demand for semiconductors, government data showed Monday. The combined sales of 752,675 companies reached 4,987 trillion won (US$4.52 trillion) [...]