The Korea Herald

Consumer prices grow 4.2% in November

Dec 1, 2011

South Korea’s consumer prices grew at a faster pace in November than a month earlier, fueled by a rise in product and public utility costs, a government report showed Thursday. According to the report by Statistics Korea, the country’s consumer price index rose 4.2 percent last month from a year earlier, increasing from a 3.6 percent on-year gain in October.The latest figure comes after the index stayed below the government’s annual inflation target of 4 percent for this year in September and Oc
Implementation of KORUS FTA may be delayed: minister

Dec 1, 2011

The free trade agreement between South Korea and the United States may take effect behind schedule as it will take more time for both countries to prepare for its implementation, Seoul‘s top trade official said Thursday.South Korea’s ruling Grand National Party forced the contested FTA through parliament late last month. The deal was approved by the U.S. Congress in October. The two countries had set a Jan. 1 target for the pact to take effect. “Both sides are working to prepare for the implemen
Listed financial firms‘ H1 net down 13.7%

Dec 1, 2011

South Korean financial firms listed on the local bourse saw their consolidated earnings for the April-September period slump 13.7 percent from a year earlier due mainly to global financial uncertainties, a report showed Thursday.The combined net profit of 28 securities firms and insurance companies with assets over 2 trillion won, such as Daewoo Securities Co. and Samsung Life Insurance Co., totaled 2.47 trillion won ($2.17 billion) in the fiscal first half, compared with 2.86 trillion won a yea
Hyundai Steel exports large machinery plate rollers

IndustryDec 1, 2011

Hyundai Steel Co. said Thursday it will supply 5-meter-wide steel plate rollers to India’s Essar Steel Ltd., becoming the first Korean company to enter the market for the large machinery.Only six companies in Germany, Japan and Sweden have so far manufactured rolling machines for steel plates with a width of more than five meters. The annual global demand for the super-wide rollers amounts to 250 million tons, 12 percent of which is from Korean steelmakers such as POSCO, Hyundai Steel and Dongku
Minister Lee hopes to deliver forestation know-how to world

Dec 1, 2011

Korea Forest Service Minister Lee Don-koo has been working toward a greener global environment since he took office in February.The agreement to set up the Asia Forest Cooperation Organization with ASEAN member states is the latest in his efforts to combat desertification and push for green growth. He also successfully proposed the Changwon Initiative ― which seeks to provide practical measures to tackle desertification ― at the U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification conference in Korea in Oc
Makgeolli exports to surpass $50m mark

IndustryDec 1, 2011

This year’s exports of makgeolli, a traditional Korean rice wine, are set to surpass $50 million for the first time on a sharp rise in demand from Japan and China. According to the Korea Customs Service, 37,027 tons of makgeolli worth $45.29 million were exported in the 10 months to October, about triple the amount sold abroad in the same period last year. Korea saw $15 million in makgeolli exports (15,543 tons) in January-October 2010. The country’s exports of the rice wine in 2010 amounted to
Air France-KLM official honored by French Embassy

IndustryDec 1, 2011

The Korean unit of Air France-KLM SA said its airport chief Lee Young-kil recently received an award from the French Embassy in Seoul for his contribution to the two countries’ economic and business ties.Lee serves the European airline as station and service manager at Incheon International Airport.The National Order of Merit award was created in 1963 by former French President Charles de Gaulle to honor military forces and civilians for their devotion to the country.“Lee has always provided a v
Woongjin takes LG to FTC in spat over water purifiers

IndustryDec 1, 2011

Woongjin Coway said Thursday it filed a complaint with the Fair Trade Commission against LG Electronics’ sales outlet chain, accusing it of spreading false information about its water purifier products.Woongjin Coway, the nation’s top maker of water purifiers, has continued to criticize the electronics giant for entering its business two years ago. Water purifiers were excluded from the latest list of business areas that should be left for only small and medium-sized companies announced by a gov
Regulators consider stand-alone rating

Dec 1, 2011

Conglomerate units, public firms relying on external support likely to see their ratings dropKorea’s financial regulators are considering the introduction of stand-alone ratings to weed out nonviable affiliates which have inflated their corporate ratings through their links with parent firms with better ratings. According to officials at local ratings firms and financial authorities, the new system is being reviewed so that investors could check the viability of listed companies. The Financial S
KCCI urges Assembly to reduce taxes

Dec 1, 2011

The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry said Thursday it delivered a proposal to the National Assembly calling for lower corporate and income taxes.The government had planned to lower the corporate tax rate to 20 percent from the current 22 percent for firms with over 200 million won in earnings beginning next year.But the plan is being held up in the National Assembly as some lawmakers argue that the corporate tax rate should either be maintained or increased to 30 percent.“The consistency o
SKT starts fair price system for phones

IndustryDec 1, 2011

SK Telecom, the nation’s largest telecom operator, started selling mobile phones at fixed prices in its all on- and offline outlets nationwide Monday. The government plans to implement the fair price initiative in the telecom industry from January, aiming to revolutionize its retail structure. Thus far, vendors have lured customers with “free phones” explaining the normal benefits for long-term subscribers as special discount deals. However, under the new system, they are required to offer their
REVISION PLEASE USE French chamber to hold year-end gala with korean celebrities

IndustryDec 1, 2011

French Chamber to hold year-end gala with Korean celebs　By Yoav Cerralbo The French Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry will hold a year-end gala on Saturday, which officials said will toast the new business opportunities brought by the EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement.The officials said the event at the Grand Hyatt hotel will be attended by L’Oreal model and “Lost” actress Kim Yun-jin and Miss Korea 2010 Jung So-Ra.“The chamber’s gala is a unique way to highlight the French-Korean relations wit
Car sales down again in Nov.

TransportDec 1, 2011

Korea’s major automakers once again recorded contrasting sales performances at home and abroad in November.Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors saw their exports increase in November from a year earlier, but their sales at home dropped.Hyundai Motor sold 320,790 units, including exports and overseas production, abroad last month, up 26.1 percent from a year ago.Five major overseas plants in the U.S., China, India, Russia and the Czech Republic posted steady growth in sales, the company said in a stateme
More than half of banks’ foreign debts come from Europe

Dec 1, 2011

More than half of the debts South Korean lenders borrowed overseas were from European banks, data showed Thursday, raising concerns about a possible foreign liquidity drain amid the spiraling eurozone debt crisis.As of end-June, South Korean lenders’ borrowing from European banks stood at $187.3 billion, or 53.6 percent of its total $349.4 billion foreign claims, according to the data by the Bank of International Settlements.By country, Britain was the largest creditor with $100.4 billion, follo
Korea’s trade set to exceed $1 trillion

Dec 1, 2011

Trade volume nears $987 billion with exports surpassing $500 billionKorea has arrived at the threshold of $1 trillion in trade volume for the first time ever as government figures show on Thursday that this year’s exports have already topped $500 billion.As of end-November, the country’s trade volume reached $986.7 billion with exports exceeding $508 billion, according to the Ministry of Knowledge Economy. That lifted surplus to nearly $30 billion when taking $479 billion in imports into account