Sales of eco-friendly soaps are on the rise as consumers here continue to be wary of potentially harmful household supplies after the Oxy toxic humidifier disinfectant case, data showed Wednesday.According to data from online open market Auction, sales of natural and eco-friendly dishwashing soaps rose 74 percent in April and May compared to the previous year, reflecting growing demand from retailers and consumers over natural replacements for chemical soaps. A consumer browses natural cleaners

South Korea will begin exporting its traditional ginseng chicken soup “samgyetang” to China from next month, as the two countries have reached an agreement on the trade deal, the Korean Agriculture Ministry said Sunday.The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said the two governments have concluded talks on related food regulations including those on quarantine and sanitation, making way for Korea to start exporting its chicken soup to China.A bowl of samgyetang (Yonhap)Once local chi

Sales of Korean-made products have risen in domestic duty-free shops to reach 40 percent of all sales, according to data from the Korea Customs Service on Sunday.Duty-free outlets in Korea saw revenues of 3.74 trillion won ($3.17 billion) in the first third of 2016, marking an 18.1 percent increase from the same period last year. Korean-made products were credited for 42.2 percent of those sales.Tourists shop for cosmetics at Shinsegae Duty Free in Myeong-dong. (Yonhap)The latest numbers show a

The government on Friday ordered Lotte Shopping, a TV shopping channel under retail giant Lotte, to stop operating programs for six hours during prime time for six months, as part of a disciplinary measure for submitting false documents.The suspension is set to begin on Sept. 28, according to the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, adding that the TV channel will be banned from broadcasting programs between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., and 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. daily. The decision came after Lotte

 Fried chicken has found a firm place in present-day Korean cuisine, despite being commonly considered a creation from the United States. Among other things, it is a staple as a midnight snack for Koreans and the food of choice at baseball stadiums, for get-togethers along the river and for those entertaining guests at home. Despite the saturated market, the fried chicken industry remains strong and is still growing, with technology allowing for efficient deliveries and continuously evolving rec

Korean beauty and household product manufacturers said Monday they are considering taking out antimicrobial substances from all products, in the latest response to aggravating toxic chemical fears. The nation’s two largest cosmetic giants -- Amore Pacific and LG Household & Health -- are seeking ways to get rid of CMIT and MIT, ingredients that have been linked to an ongoing deadly humidifier disinfectant case.The government approves the use of the two substances for washable cleaning products,

Namyang Dairy Products will be fined 500 million won ($420,000) for its past unfair practices towards retailers instead of the original fine of 12.3 billion won, the Fair Trade Commission confirmed Sunday.The decision is in accordance with a court decision passed in January 2015 by the Seoul High Court and affirmed by the Supreme Court in June, citing lack of evidence for the full penalty.In 2013, the FTC reported Namyang to prosecutors for bullying sales agents and retailers into buying excess

LG Household & Health Care, South Korea’s leading maker of household goods, said Wednesday that its humidifier disinfectant sold back in the late 1990s did contain potentially harmful chemicals, but that they were used in small amounts that would not cause damage.　Earlier in the day, local news agency Newsis had reported that LG’s “119 Humidifier Disinfectant” product sold from 1997 to 2003 had contained benzalkonium chloride (BKC) a toxic substance that can be fatal when ingested.According to t

Dongwon F&B has begun a voluntary recall of its mild tuna products in response to consumer concerns over an unidentified black substance in some of the cans, the company said Friday.The recalled product is the brand’s Mild Tuna 210 g, marked with expiration dates from March 23 to April 25, 2021. The company said that about 1.17 million cans will be collected from consumers and retailers.Dongwon said through a statement that the black substance was caused by “high heat in the manufacturing proces

Last year, Koreans spent nearly double overseas compared to the amount foreign consumers spent here in Korea, data showed Sunday.According to data from Statistics Korea, Korean consumers spent nearly 26.1 trillion won ($22.6 billion) overseas, roughly two times the 13.1 trillion won spent by foreign consumers in Korea.The figures include both consumer spending overseas and direct purchases from foreign websites. Tourists shop at a duty-free store in Seoul. (Yonhap)The disparity indicates a sever

Amid heated rivalry, Hotel Shilla CEO Lee Boo-jin wins LVMH operations for new tax-free shop in Yongsan

The head of AmorePacific Co., South Korea‘s top cosmetics company, has reaffirmed his commitment to the Chinese market, saying he sees more room for growth among middle-class consumers there.“By 2020, the middle class population is expected to reach 500 million, and its size and influence will greatly expand in the next decade,” AmorePacific CEO Suh Kyung-bae was quoted as saying during a monthly meeting with senior company officials earlier this month.AmorePacific has been showing stellar perfo

Korea ranked fifth in the world in terms of superrich business tycoons who inherited their wealth instead of making their own fortune, a think tank report showed. According to the Peterson Institute for International Economics, 74.1 percent of the 30 Korean billionaires inherited their fortune -- more than double the global average of 30.4 percent.The report said the proportion of Korean billionaires who amassed their fortune through inheritance stayed unchanged over the past two decades. Meanwh

Hotel Shilla, an affiliate of Samsung Group, said Tuesday it plans to open a duty-free shop in downtown Bangkok, speeding up efforts to expand its overseas presence.The company said the duty-free shop, which will open within this year, comes after Hotel Shilla first established a joint venture named GMS Duty Free with a Thai firm in 2013. The South Korean retailer holds a 25-percent stake in this venture. Hotel Shilla CEO Lee Boo-jin (Yonhap)Hotel Shilla said the opening date for the new shop ha

South Korean beauty giant AmorePacific began offering immediate tax refunds to foreign nationals at select Aritaum, Innisfree and Etude stores in Seoul starting Thursday.　The service was launched in an aim to better serve Chinese consumers scheduled to visit Seoul during the Lunar New Year holidays, said AmorePacific.　The service is available at five Aritaum and six Innisfree stores in Myeong-dong and Gangnam; the Laneige flagship store in Myeong-dong; and six Etude stores in Sinchon, Jamsil, Do