[THE INVESTOR] Investment banking at local brokerages grew more than 41 percent from 2013 to 2015, with volume reaching 158.5 trillion won (US$137.65 million) last year, according to a local think tank. A recent rise in merger and acquisition deals involving South Korean firms was cited as one of the main drivers behind the growth. The Korea ExchangeIn 2013, brokerages engaged in 112.17 trillion won worth of investment banking, but the figure expanded by 41.3 percent, said the Korea Capital Mark

[THE INVESTOR] The South Korean economy could be hit hard if China increases non-tariff barriers that restrict the sale of Korean-made goods, as the country is heavily dependent on China for exports, industry data showed on July 12. According to a report released by Hyundai Research Institute, the amount of Korea’s export to China affected by the two most common non-tariff barriers -- technical barriers to trade and sanitary and phytosanitary measures -- has sharply increased since 2008. The num