South Korean writer Han Kang's books are enjoying soaring popularity across various sales channels, from bookstores and e-commerce platforms to department stores, following her Nobel Prize in literature win last week. Kyobo Book Center reported Friday that around 103,000 copies of Han’s works had sold through its online and offline stores just one day after the Nobel announcement. Competitors Yes24 and Aladin sold more than 132,000 and 70,000 of her books, respectively, over the sam

World's No. 1 zinc smelter offers sweetened 890,000 won per share, higher than 830,000 won of MBK-Young Poong

Korean Air said Friday it has launched the "Dive into K-style" program to help its new foreign national crew members enhance their understanding of Korean culture and the company. New employees from Japan and Southeast Asia joined the program in August and October, respectively, with another session set to be held for Chinese employees in December. After a four-year hiatus, the nation's flag carrier resumed recruitment of foreign national crew members this year. A total of 85 ne

German technology firm Merck said Thursday it has opened its latest spin-on-dielectric (SOD) application center in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province in a bid to respond quickly to its customer needs here. The company held the opening ceremony of the latest facility at the production site that same day. Attendees include senior executives of Merck and its key clients, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. The new facility, the second of its kind in Asia, is equipped with advanced technology for measuring an

South Korea's forest agency announced Thursday that it has established a cooperative organization with Laos to enhance joint efforts in combating deforestation and promoting sustainable forest management. The organization, the REDD+ Cooperation Center, focuses on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. It is based on the REDD+ Act, a framework adopted in February under the UN for implementing, monitoring and managing programs aimed at conserving forests and reducing ca

While Korea Zinc has secured the support of US private equity giant Bain Capital amid a battle for management control of the company, market watchers suggest its backing could eventually cost the troubled zinc smelter a hefty amount. To thwart the takeover attempt from the MBK Partners-Young Poong alliance, the current management of Korea Zinc has teamed up with Bain Capital, a big-name investment company with over $185 billion (250 trillion won) in assets under management. Under Chairman Choi Y

Toss Securities CEO Kim Seung-yeon resigned abruptly Thursday, six months before the end of his term. The firm's head of product, Kim Gyu-bin, was appointed as his successor during a general shareholders' meeting earlier in the day. Kim Seung-yeon, appointed to serve from April 2023 until April 2025, stepped down for "personal reasons," according to the company, which is the brokerage arm of fintech giant Toss. With his appointment, Kim Gyu-bin, 35, became the first securitie

LS Cable & System, a leading South Korean cable manufacturer, announced Thursday that it has become the first in the global cable industry to obtain ISO 37301 certification from the British Standards Institution for meeting international compliance and ethical standards. The company said it sought the certification to build trust with global clients and investors, with BSI recognizing its approach to management policies and regulations. LS Cable & System expects the certification to prov

Korean logistics company LX Pantos announced Thursday that its CEO Lee Yong-ho met with Marat Karabaev, Kazakhstan’s minister of industry and infrastructure development, in Astana last month, to strengthen logistics networks across Central Asia. According to the company, the consultation centered on enhancing cooperation on cargo transport along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. The TITR links Europe and Central Asia via the Caspian Sea, bypassing Russian territorial waters.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, the world’s largest shipbuilder affiliated with HD Hyundai, said Thursday that it has developed the world’s first ammonia dual-fuel engine using a high-pressure direct injection system. The company recently passed the “type approval test” for its HiMSEN ammonia dual-fuel engine, which evaluates whether critical apparatuses installed on vessels meet mandatory requirements. The test was conducted at its Ulsan engine center and was attended by ke

South Korean chemical company OCI Holdings has ramped up its localization efforts in Malaysia, hosting a series of community-focused events in Sarawak, where it operates its solar PV polysilicon production, to boost its presence and support sustainable growth, the company announced Thursday. As part of its ESG commitment, the company held a badminton class on Sept. 29, led by Korea’s Olympics badminton champion Lee Yong-dae at Universiti Putra Malaysia’s Bintulu campus. With over 300

Private equity firm MBK Partners said Wednesday that it will not further raise the tender offer price for Korea Zinc Inc. amid intensifying competition for management control. MBK and Young Poong Corp. recently raised their tender offer price for Korea Zinc to 830,000 won ($617) and for Young Poong Precision to 30,000 won, as they aim to gain a controlling stake in the world's top zinc smelter. Young Poong Precision holds a 1.85 percent stake in Korea Zinc. "We cannot stand by as the c

After the July launch of Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Ring, several tech rivals have jumped into the smart ring race. But rumors are rampant that Apple may have scrapped its long-held plan for its own ring possibly to focus on the Apple Watch. According to a recent Bloomberg report, Apple has no plans to release an Apple smart ring despite two decades of research into the product. "Apple isn't actively developing a ring and has no plans to launch one," the report said. &ldq

As South Korea moves to achieve its renewable energy goals by 2050, strategic partnerships and innovative technologies will be essential in overcoming existing challenges and maximizing the potential of renewable resources, according to Karen Bomber, chief commercial officer of the Energy Industries division of ABB, a Swiss-based multinational tech company specializing in electrification, automation and digitalization solutions. In an interview with The Korea Herald at ABB's Korea office in

SPC Group's bakery brand Paris Baguette has signed contracts to enter the markets of Thailand, Brunei and Laos, aiming to strengthen its presence in Southeast Asia. On Monday, Paris Baguette finalized a master franchising agreement with Berjaya Food, which has supported its expansion into Malaysia and the Philippines, to newly operate the bakery chain in Thailand and Brunei. As for Laos, a separate master franchising agreement was established with Kolao Group, a prominent local firm in the