After Mercedes-Benz Korea was slapped with the largest-ever fine of 77.6 billion won ($63.4 million) by the Environment Ministry for rigging emissions data on diesel cars, the market paid attention to whether it would alter the imported car market here. The ministry on Wednesday said some 4,400 diesel cars of 14 models sold by Mercedes-Benz Korea, Nissan Korea and Porsche Korea between 2012 and 2018 passed pollution standards by illicitly manipulating software to reduce the amount of nitrogen

LG Chem announced Thursday its new vision to transform the company from providing materials and solutions to one connecting science to life. The company held a ceremony marking its first vision change in 14 years with LG Chem Vice Chairman Shin Hak-cheol presiding in the presence of some 20 staff and executives from each department. “So far, LG Chem has turned dreams into reality with the science around us and has accumulated, making unbreakable lids for cosmetic products and the wor

Oracle Korea on Thursday announced its second cloud infrastructure will launch by the end of May in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. With access to two cloud infrastructures here, the company will be able to better handle demanding workloads from customers. The company said its dual-region strategy would enhance disaster recovery capabilities. It considers South Korea as a market with great potential, explained Oracle Korea CEO Tom Song during a press conference held on Thursday at its headquart

South Korean steel giant Posco said Thursday that it would focus all its capabilities on fostering its new construction steel brand, Innovilt, as its next-generation product. To that end, the company said it would cooperate with small but strong companies to advance its premium construction steel business, and that it ultimately hoped to establish a new ecosystem in the construction market. Posco launched Innovilt in November 2019. The construction steel brand is used in architectural struc

  Korean internet giant Kakao posted record high sales and operating profit for the first quarter this year, despite the novel coronavirus pandemic fallout that has affected most industries. According to Kakao’s announcement on Thursday, Kakao‘s sales in the first quarter increased by 22.9 percent on-year to reach 868.4 billion won ($708.4 million). The company‘s operating profit during the same period marked 88.2 billion won, up by 218.9 percent. Kakao‘s record-br

Overseas investments by Korean virtual capitalist firms rose in the first quarter this year despite the COVID-19 pandemic, data showed May 7. According to data compiled by Korea Venture Capital Association, carried out after surveying 30 investments abroad, worth a total of 104.9 billion won ($85.5 million). This compares with 40.6 billion won in 12 rounds of investments recorded the same period last year. KB Investment allocated 54 billion won in five companies, while SoftBank Venture exer

Following a gas leak at LG Polymers plant in southern India that has left at least nine dead and more than 300 of local residents hospitalized, LG Chem said Thursday that it will take all necessary measures to investigate the cause and prevent further damage to residents and workers. The accident occurred on Thursday at LG Polymers plant in the Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh state, according to news reports citing local police. “The gas leak at the factory has been contained a

K-Safety Expo 2020 opens this fall and will focus on local businesses’ efforts to prevent COVID-19, often dubbed K-quarantine. The three-day exhibition, which runs Sept. 23-25 at the Korea International Exhibition Center in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, is co-organized by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Gyeonggi provincial government. This year’s expo will feature a wide range of programs and exhibitions emphasizing the late

As the global pandemic has caused disruption in the global supply chain, companies should manage key suppliers, secure multiple and alternative sources and establish regional supply chains, experts said in a symposium held Thursday. The public-private joint video symposium in response to the global supply chain crisis was held jointly by the Industry Ministry and the Korean Production & Operations Management Society. The seminar aimed to find out the impact of the pandemic-led crisis on i

Subcutaneous rheumatoid arthritis treatment Remsima SC launched in the Netherlands, its third European market, Celltrion Healthcare said Thursday. Remsima SC is an under-the-skin injection of infliximab biosimilar that treats autoimmune diseases. So far, it is approved to treat RA indication, and is still in the process of adding inflammatory bowel disease indication. Celltrion Healthcare said it inked a partnership with the biggest Dutch private health insurance company CZ, who will return

North Korea’s trade dependency on China continues to escalate while its exports have shrunk drastically from the 2017 sanctions, data from the Korea International Trade Association showed. The total trade volume for last year came at $2.945 billion, with exports worth $261 million and imports worth $2.684 billion. While exports declined 20.9 percent on-year, imports increased 15.6 percent. The reclusive state’s exports have plunged 94.3 percent compared to $4.562 billion in 2015,

Korean Air Lines Co., South Korea's biggest carrier by sales, said Thursday it will reopen dozens of its international routes next month amid signs the coronavirus epidemic may have passed its peak. Korean Air plans to resume flights on 19 international routes on June 1 as the country's top flag carrier strives to offset a sharp decline in passenger travel demand with an increased demand for cargo deliveries, the company said in a statement. The reopening routes include Washington, DC, Seattl

South Korean tobacco giant KT&G said Wednesday that it had donated 100 million won ($81,780) worth of COVID-19 test kits to Indonesia, where it has a corporate body. According to the company, it delivered the kits, which are made in Korea and can diagnose 6,300 people, via its overseas corporate body to the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management on Tuesday. “We made the decision to support the country where our overseas office is located to lend help,” a KT&G

“Saturated” is a word often used to describe the Korean botulinum toxin market, which has been dominated by first movers Medytox and Hugel. But the playing field is about to undergo a major shift, as No. 1 player Medytox faces the possible revocation of its license to sell cash cow Meditoxin. Anticipating the potential disappearance of Meditoxin, several players are already out to grab a slice of the pie. Hugel, Daewoong Pharmaceutical, Huons, Chong Kun Dang and more are lining up

Coronavirus oil shock dire situation for all refiners