The Korea Herald

Banks’ capital adequacy slips on Hana dividend

Mar 9, 2011

Korean lenders’ average capital adequacy ratio fell in the fourth quarter after Hana Bank helped finance its parent company’s purchase of Korea Exchange Bank. The ratio, a measure of capital reserves against assets at risk under the Basel II standard, slipped to 14.6 percent at the end of December from 14.62 percent three months earlier, the Financial Supervisory Service said in a statement. The a
Busan Jinhae gets $30m German investment

IndustryMar 9, 2011

Germany-based industrial pump maker Wilo SE will invest $30 million in the Busan Jinhae Free Economic Zone, the BJFEZ Authority announced Wednesday.A memorandum of understanding for the investment was plan was signed by BJFEZ Authority commissioner Ha Myeng-keun and the German firm’s chief operating officer Holger Krasmann at Busan City Hall on Tuesday. Under the agreement, Wilo SE’s Korean arm Wi
Central bank to focus on inflation

Mar 9, 2011

BOK officials point to drop in money supply growth to more than 5-year low in JanuaryThe Bank of Korea said Wednesday it would focus interest rate policy on firmly securing price stability as Asia’s fourth-largest economy will face upward inflation pressures on both the demand and supply fronts.The Korean central bank also said in a policy report to parliament that it would continue its effort to
KB Financial focuses on customer value

Mar 9, 2011

Group provides more financial services, upholds transparency in governanceKB Financial Group is stepping up efforts to improve financial services and maximize customer satisfaction to better meet a fast changing business environment. The group was established in September 2008 under a long term growth plan and an extensive stock transfer from major subsidiaries.Its units include Kookmin Bank, KB K
Japan machinery orders increase 4.2 percent

IndustryMar 9, 2011

Japan’s machinery orders rose more than economists expected in January, signaling that companies will boost spending as economic recoveries abroad strengthen. Factory orders increased 4.2 percent from December, when they rose 1.7 percent, the Cabinet Office said Wednesday in Tokyo. Orders, an indicator of capital spending in three to six months, were projected to climb 3 percent, according to the
Cathay Pacific triples annual profit

IndustryMar 9, 2011

Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. almost tripled annual profit after an increase in passenger numbers and a surge in cargo volumes that made it the world’s largest international air-freight carrier. Net income jumped to HK$14 billion ($1.8 billion) from HK$4.7 billion a year earlier, the Hong Kong-based carrier said in a statement to the city’s stock exchange Wednesday. The airline also said it had agre
Roubini sees double dip if oil hits $140

IndustryMar 9, 2011

Nouriel Roubini, the economist who predicted the global financial crisis, said an increase in oil prices to $140 a barrel will cause some advanced economies to slide back into recession. Underlying how fragile the global economic recovery is, Roubini said the European Central Bank may be making a mistake by raising interest rates “too soon” when debt-ridden countries on the euro region’s periphery
Finance minister sees inflation as economic drag

Mar 9, 2011

Growing inflationary pressure is adding uncertainties to South Korea's economic recovery, the nation's top economic policymaker said Wednesday, calling for the government to crank up efforts to keep prices under control. "Inflation partly stems from supply-side shocks, such as higheroil prices and supply shortages of agricultural products caused byunseasonal cold spells and the foot-and-mouth di
Seoul shares open higher on Wall Street rallies

Mar 9, 2011

South Korean stocks started higher on Wednesday as overnight gains on Wall Street lifted investor sentiment, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) advanced 0.28 percent, or 5.56 points, to 2,001.88 in the first 15 minutes of trading. A retreat in oil prices bolstered U.S. stocks on Tuesday. The Dow Jones industrial average rallied 1.03 percent and the tech-foc
Banks' capital adequacy ratio inches down in Q4

Mar 9, 2011

The capital adequacy ratio of South Korean banks edged down in the fourth quarter of 2010 from three months earlier due to their payouts of year-end stock dividends, the financial regulator said Wednesday. The average capital adequacy ratio of 18 local lenders, including top lender Kookmin Bank and Woori Bank, reached 14.6 percent as of the end of December, down 0.02 percentage point from end-Se
Foreign Ministry under fire for FTA translation errors

IndustryMar 8, 2011

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade came under fire for mistranslation of the free trade agreement with the European Union which was signed on Oct. 6, 2010.On Monday the ministry announced that it has agreed with the EU to correct yet more errors found in the Korean version of the agreement, less than two weeks after other mistakes were corrected.On Feb. 25, the ministry announced that mista
Lee urges Samsung to ensure products are competitive

IndustryMar 8, 2011

Lee Kun-hee, chairman of Samsung Electronics Co., said Tuesday that the electronics giant should produce more competitive products in order to dominate the global markets. Samsung Electronics is the world’s top maker of computer memory chips, liquid-crystal display panels and flat-screen TVs. It is also the runner-up in the semiconductor market after Intel Corp. and is the No. 2 mobile brand after
Samsung cuts price for Galaxy Tab WiFi version

IndustryMar 8, 2011

Samsung Electronics Co. will launch a WiFi-only version of the Galaxy Tab in the domestic market, which is one-third cheaper than its predecessor, the company said Tuesday. Samsung Electronics started to receive pre-orders for the WiFi-only Galaxy Tab at the price of 600,000 won ($536) this week through its online Web site and retail shops in Korea. It did not disclose the launch date.The WiFi-onl
Default rate of household loans rises in 2010

Mar 8, 2011

The delinquency rate of Korean financial companies‘ household loans gained in 2010 from a year earlier, a report showed Tuesday, adding concerns over worsening loan repayment ability.The default rate stood at 1.09 percent of their total lending as of the end of 2010, up 0.06 percentage point from end-2009, the Financial Supervisory Service said in the report to the National Assembly.Out of the tot
Exports of used cars drop in 2010: KOTRA

IndustryMar 8, 2011

Korea’s exports of used vehicles dropped in 2010 from a year earlier, a local trade body said Tuesday, despite a large boost in overseas sales of new Korean cars last year.The country shipped 239,556 pre-owned vehicles to overseas countries last year, down 9.4 percent from 264,742 units a year earlier, according to the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA).Revenue from overseas sales of