Korean private equity firms are increasingly betting big on health-focused companies at home and abroad, in a bid to capitalize on the growth potential of the health care and wellness sector amid a globally aging population. In Korea alone, where accelerated demographic change is observed due to the low birth rate, the number of people aged 65 or over was 9.73 million in 2023, about 20 percent of the total population, surging from 10 percent back in 2010. Hahn & Co., the nation's largest pri

New York-based investment firm launches Yeouido unit to cater to Korean investors wrestling with office loans in US

Cargo processed at South Korean seaports for exports and imports rose 1 percent on-year in 2023 amid signs of a recovery in the country's exports, the oceans ministry said Monday. Export-import cargo handled at the ports nationwide came to 1.32 billion tons last year, compared with 1.31 billion tons a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. The overall cargo handled at the domestic ports, however, inched down 0.04 percent on-year to 1.55 billion tons in 2023. Of the

Seoul shares opened higher Monday as institutions and foreign investors scooped up tech, bio and other blue chips. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index climbed 0.49 percent, or 12.11 points, to 2,490.67 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Market bellwether Samsung Electronics gained 0.41 percent, and its consumer electronics rival LG Electronics rose 1.07 percent. Bio shares also traded higher, with Samsung Biologics soaring 5.30 percent and Celltrion advancing 2.41 percent. Auto and

Korea slips to third on China's top importer list, following Taiwan, US

The South Korean central bank on Thursday said it will start to buy or sell securities with non-banking finance institutions in open markets, expanding the scope of entities subject to its key monetary policy instrument to control the money supply in the economy. With the latest change in the Bank of Korea's open market operations, local asset management firms, mutual savings banks and credit unions will now be eligible to engage in repurchase agreements (repos) for securities transaction

Seoul shares closed higher Friday on battery gains amid a report that the US economy remains resilient. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 0.33 percent, or 8.22 points, to 2,478.56. The Kospi has risen 0.2 percent this week. Trading volume was slim at 285.54 million shares worth 7 trillion won ($5.2 billion), with gainers outpacing losers 549 to 312. Institutions and foreigners bought a combined 380 billion won worth of stocks, offsett

Seoul shares opened lower Friday on tech losses, despite overnight gains on Wall Street following a report indicating the US economy remains stronger than expected. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 0.06 percent, or 1.44 points, to 2,468.90 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.6 percent to 38,049.13, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq climbed 0.2 percent to 15,510.50. The US economy grew at an estimated 3.3 percent in the fourth quarter

The state-run Export-Import Bank of Korea said Thursday that it has launched a Saudi Arabia desk to ramp up support for local firms expanding their businesses in the Middle East. According to the bank, the new desk will take charge of coordinating and supporting the private sector, not just within Saudi Arabia, but in the Middle East overall. While the team will be based in Seoul, an employee will be dispatched to Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, and will collaborate closely to discover new

Seoul shares ended slightly higher on Thursday, helped by gains in auto stocks as their 2023 earnings fared well on the back of robust demand. The Korean won rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 0.03 percent, or 0.65 points, to 2,470.34. Trading volume was moderate at 337.26 million shares worth 7.5 trillion won ($5.6 billion), with losers outpacing gainers 443 to 424. Institutions and foreigners bought a combined 236 billion won worth of stocks, offse

World Bank chief says gender pay gap must be resolved to boost fertility rate

Seoul shares opened lower Thursday, tracking an overnight fall on Wall Street. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 0.58 percent, or 14.42 points, to 2,455.27 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.3 percent to 37,806.39, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq rose 0.4 percent to 15,481.92. Tesla reported weaker-than-expected earnings for the fourth quarter, which dragged down EV battery makers here. In Seoul, large-cap stocks were mixed. Mark

South Korean stocks closed lower Wednesday ahead of the release of earnings reports by major firms. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 8.92 points, or 0.36 percent, to 2,469.69. Trading volume was low at 381.6 million shares worth 7.17 trillion won ($5.36 billion), with losers far outpacing gainers 608 to 271. Foreigners sold shares worth 24.1 billion won, while retail investors bought a net 103.8 billion won. Institutions sold a net 8

The total face value of damaged bills and coins discarded by the Bank of Korea reached nearly 4 trillion won ($2.98 billion) last year, marking a sharp rise from previous years as more in-person business transactions occurred with the end of the pandemic, the central bank said Wednesday. A total of 483.85 million damaged bills and coins were pulled out of circulation by the central bank due to damage in 2023, up 71.17 million from 412.68 million tallied a year earlier. The face value of the de

South Korean stocks opened lower Wednesday as investors sought profits. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 12.29 points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,466.32 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 0.25 percent lower as investors cashed in profits, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 0.43 percent. In Seoul, top tech giant Samsung Electronics moved down 1.2 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix shed 1.21 percent. Leading carmaker Hyundai Motor