Finance minister vows to swiftly create 550,000 plus jobs

South Korean banks saw their first-quarter earnings decline 17.8 percent from a year earlier due to increased loan-loss provisions, data showed Wednesday.  The combined net profit stood at 3.2 trillion won ($2.6 billion) for the January-March period, compared with a profit of 4 trillion won a year earlier, the Financial Supervisory Service said in a statement.  Preliminary interest income for the first quarter stood at 10.1 trillion won, down 0.2 percent from a year earlier. 

South Korean stocks closed higher Wednesday as investors scooped up bargains amid renewed concerns over the trade row between the United States and China. The Korean won gained against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) moved up 18.25 points, or 0.95 percent, to finish at 1,940.42. Trading volume was moderate at 608 million shares worth 8.79 trillion won ($7.18 billion), with gainers outpacing losers 426 to 403. The local stock market got off toward a weak

HDC, Meditox, Hanwha Life removed

Shinhan Investment has received a request to delay K-pop-related private equity fund redemption from a Hong Kong-based asset management firm due to underperforming entertainment business, according to industry sources Wednesday. The brokerage unit of the Shinhan Financial Group invested 20 million euros ($21.7 million) in Royal China International Asset Management’s K-pop Showbiz Asia II Fund in April last year. It was structured to earn profits from ticket sales by IME International,

Kakao Corp., the operator of South Korea's top mobile messenger KakaoTalk, has entered the top ten stocks by market capitalization on a stellar quarterly performance, data showed Wednesday. The homegrown tech giant's market cap rose to 18.63 trillion won ($15.19 billion) as of 10:31 a.m., making it the 10th largest on the main bourse. The company is close behind South Korea’s top automaker Hyundai Motor Co., which is 9th with a market cap of 19.7 trillion won.  Samsung C&T

South Korea's exports, which have been hit hard by the new coronavirus that has halted global supply chains, are not likely to rebound immediately in the post-pandemic era, as its key trade partners are raising their guard to protect their own industries, a report showed Wednesday. "Major countries, including the United States, are already intervening deeper into the market, disbursing large sums of subsidies to protect their industries," the Korea International Trade Association (KI

South Korean stocks opened lower Wednesday tracking overnight losses on Wall Street after US President Donald Trump continued to excoriate Beijing amid their prolonged trade row. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 15.74 points, or 0.82 percent, to 1,906.43 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.89 percent overnight, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite slid 2.06 percent on renewed concerns over the Sino-American trade tension. Tru

The Bank of Korea (BOK) on Wednesday said it plans to provide an additional 5 trillion won ($4.08 billion) in special, low-interest loans to local businesses hit by the new coronavirus outbreak. The additional amount will bring to 35 trillion won the amount the central bank will provide to local lenders, which in turn will offer low-interest loans to firms. "The move is expected to help expand the financial access of self-employed businesses and small and medium-sized firms that are faci

On the first day South Korea started to receive applications for COVID-19 relief cash, local card issuers assigned to handle payment processes were met with a flood of unexpected inquiries -- to cancel subsidies donated by beneficiaries mistakenly. According to credit card companies, calls from recipients surged demanding to withdraw their donation to the state, saying they mistakenly clicked the button. Fund applicants can donate part or all of their subsidies to the state when filling out t

SEJONG -- South Korea reported the sharpest drop in its April employment since 1999 as the coronavirus pandemic hammered job markets, data showed Wednesday. The number of employed people in South Korea stood at 26.56 million in April, 476,000 people fewer than a year ago, marking the biggest on-year decline since February 1999. The labor force participation rate, which refers to the percentage of those who are aged 15 or older and remain in the labor force by either being employed or activel

Global economy expected to log minus 2.6% growth while S. Korea suffers sharpest drop in service sector

The head of local biotechnology firm SillaJen was detained Tuesday for alleged involvement in insider trading, raising market fears over SillaJen’s fate as a Kosdaq-listed company. The Seoul Southern District Court issued an arrest warrant for SillaJen CEO Moon Eun-sang, citing a flight risk and the possibility that he could destroy evidence. Last week prosecutors requested a warrant for Moon’s arrest on suspicion of violating the local capital market act and dereliction of duty

KB Kookmin Bank said Tuesday that it has signed a commitment of 240 million Canadian dollars ($171 million) to finance a Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline project in Canada through a senior loan. This is part of the C$6.6 billion project financing from a syndicate of lenders, composed of KB Kookmin Bank and 26 other banks including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of Montreal and Royal Bank of Canada, it added. KB Kookmin Bank was the sole Korean participant. The loans will go to TC Energy, formerly kn

South Korean stocks closed lower Tuesday for a second straight day on renewed concerns over the trade row between the United States and China. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) slid 13.23 points, or 0.68 percent, to finish at 1,922.17. Trading volume was moderate at 783 million shares worth 9.5 trillion won ($7.75 billion), with losers far outpacing gainers 671 to 183. US President Donald Trump insisted that he was "not int