South Koreans' consumption of rice hit an all-time low in 2021, but the decreasing rate slowed on the back of a growing demand for home meals amid the COVID-19 pandemic, data showed Thursday. The average South Korean consumed 56.9 kilograms of rice last year, down 1.4 percent or 0.8 kilograms from the previous year, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea. Rice is a key staple food for Koreans, but its consumption has been on a steady decline since 1980 due mainly to changes in diet

The mega free trade pact of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will take effect for South Korea next month, the industry ministry said Thursday. In November 2020, South Korea inked the trade deal with 14 other countries -- 10 member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand -- and the National Assembly ratified the pact in December last year. It will come into force on Feb. 1, 60 days after the government submitte

South Korea's exports of autos rose to the highest point in seven years last year due to the low base effect and strong demand for eco-friendly cars, customs data showed Thursday. The country's outbound shipments of cars came to $42.6 billion last year, up 23 percent from the previous year, according to the data compiled by the Korea Customs Service. It marked the largest amount since 2014, when auto exports were valued at $44 billion. The brisk exports came even as Korean automakers suffered

South Korean stocks opened steeply lower Thursday as investors digest the US central bank's policy meeting results and the rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) retreated 26.94 points, or 0.99 percent, to 2,682.3 points as of 9:18 a.m. Stocks came off to a weak start after the US Federal Reserve chief signaled rate hikes in March. The escalating Russia-Ukraine political tensions also sapped the investor appetite for risky assets.

South Korea plans to take measures to stabilize the country's financial market when needed, a senior government official said, after the Federal Reserve signaled at a rate hike in March to tame inflation. The finance ministry assessed the Fed's monetary policy stance as hawkish, but it said the outcome of the US central bank's latest rate-setting meeting is expected to have a limited impact on the South Korean market. Fed chief Jerome Powell said Wednesday (US time) that it has "quite a b

South Korea's exports of cars and petroleum products are expected to grow solidly this year, but the outlook for steel, ships and other key items is gloomy, a poll showed Thursday. According to the survey taken by the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI), outbound shipments of cars are projected to expand 6.2 percent this year from last year's $46.5 billion. The lobby for South Korea's family-controlled conglomerates attributed its upbeat prediction to improving consumer confidence across the

South Korean manufacturers' business sentiment worsened for February amid worries over sluggish demand from video, communication and equipment sectors, central bank data showed Thursday. The business sentiment index (BSI) for local manufacturers came to 90 for February, down from 92 for this month, according to the data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). The index measures manufacturers' prospects for business conditions in the following month. A reading below 100 means pessimists outnumber optimis

The Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday granted an injunction to local private equity firm Hahn & Co. to stop Namyang Dairy Products from selling a majority stake to a third company. 　 The court ruled that Namyang should cut all ties to Dayou Winia Group. It had attempted to sell a majority stake in a deal reached with Dayou in November last year, effectively freezing out Hahn & Co., with which it had previously agreed to sell the stake. Namyang had tried to fill its key position

Yearly tally for marriages to sink below 200,000 for 1st time

South Korea’s banking groups have started upgrading their auto loan and financing services to the next level this year, aiming to go beyond their traditional business to attract mobile-first customers. KB Financial Group, the nation’s No. 1 banking group by total assets, has expanded its car financing services offered via online and mobile platforms, mostly through its leasing and installment financing unit KB Capital. On Jan. 4, KB Capital signed a deal with Volvo’s electri

South Korea's exports will likely lose some growth momentum in the first quarter of the year due to a string of unfavorable external factors, a state bank said Wednesday. Overseas shipments by Asia's fourth-largest economy are expected to climb 15-16 percent on-year to $169 billion in the January-March period, according to the Export-Import Bank of Korea (Exim Bank). "South Korea's exports are likely to keep expanding in the first quarter, but their growth pace may lose some steam,"

The daily foreign exchange (FX) trading by banks in South Korea hit a record high in 2021 amid increased demand from strong exports, imports and foreigners' investment in local financial markets, central bank data showed Wednesday. The daily FX turnover came to an average $58.31 billion last year, up 10.3 percent from $52.84 billion tallied a year earlier, according to the data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). The amount marked the largest since 2008, when relevant statistics started to be compil

South Korean stocks opened higher Wednesday as investors sought to buy oversold stocks after the recent stock plunge. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) rose 18.01 points, or 0.66 percent, to 2,738.4 in the first 15 minutes of trading. On Tuesday, the key stock index closed at an almost 14-month low amid lingering uncertainties about the ongoing US Federal Reserve meeting. Overnight, the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite plunged 2.58 percent amid expectations of the Fed's hawki

South Korea's business sentiment edged up for February but remained below par for the second consecutive month amid high raw material prices and global supply chain disruptions, a poll showed Wednesday. The business survey index (BSI) of the country's top 600 companies by sales came to 99.7 for next month, up 3.2 points from January, the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) said. Yet February represents the second month in a row that the monthly yardstick of business sentiment has been below

South Korea's consumer sentiment improved in January as health authorities' tough antivirus rules mitigated worries over the spread of the coronavirus, the central bank said Wednesday. The composite consumer sentiment index (CCSI) came to 104.4 in January, up 0.6 point from the previous month, according to data from the Bank of Korea. The rise followed a 3.8 point on-month decline tallied in December. A reading above 100 means optimists outnumber pessimists. The rise is ascribed to health aut