Entertainment stocks in South Korea, long trapped under China‘s alleged ban on Korean artists performing in the country, rallied on anticipation of an easing of the Korea-China relationship after a renewed won-yuan currency swap deal last week. Shares of firms devoted to the Korean popular culture industry, ranging from K-pop music to TV series and films, have largely contributed to gains of the second-tier Kosdaq index Tuesday by 1.68 percent. Many entertainment stocks in Korea are listed

South Korean stocks rose to a fresh all-time high Tuesday as market cap Samsung Electronics shot up on earnings hopes, market analysts said. The Korean won fell against the US dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 4.32 points, or 0.17 percent, to close at 2,484.37, after rising to as much as 2,487.88 at one point.Trade volume was moderate at 193 million shares worth 5.24 trillion won ($4.62 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 403 to 384.The local stock market opene

The World Trade Organization announced Tuesday that its dispute settlement report regarding South Korea’s ban on fisheries imports near Japan’s Fukushima is expected to be released in January or February next year.  　Following the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant explosion in March 2011, Korea imposed a ban on imports of agricultural and marine products near Fukushima. In 2013, the country extended its import ban and announced special measures to prohibit the importation of fisheri

South Korean stocks traded slightly higher Tuesday morning on tech gains, with top market cap Samsung Electronics rising sharply.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 2.61 points, or 0.11 percent, to 2,482.66 as of 11:15 a.m. Market kingpin Samsung Electronics was 1.71 percent up after forecasting upbeat third-quarter earnings, aided by robust chip sales.SK hynix, a major chipmaker, advanced 0.59 percent, and Naver, the country's top Internet portal operator, gained 1.05 percent.H

The chief of the Financial Supervisory Service apologized Tuesday over the financial regulator's alleged irregularities in hiring employees with ties to influential figures, including politicians and bankers.The FSS has been under fire after state auditors found last month that a senior FSS official gave a special favor to some job candidates who are relatives of a then lawmaker and a top financial executive between late 2015 and early 2016. Choe Heung-sik, governor of the FSS, made the apology

South Korean stocks opened higher Tuesday, taking a cue from overnight gains on Wall Street, with market leader Samsung Electronics Co. continuing to increase.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index climbed 4.64 points, or 0.19 percent, to 2,484.69 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Market kingpin Samsung Electronics was 0.93 percent up after it released upbeat earnings guidance for the third quarter.SK hynix, a major chipmaker, also soared 1.54 percent.In contrast, Hyundai Motor, the N

     The head of South Korea's financial regulator said Monday that financial health is one of key requirements in allowing five leading securities firms to start investment banking businesses.   Choi Jong-ku, chairman of the Financial Services Commission, made the comments during a parliamentary session after being asked about concerns that a massive amount of funds could flow into large investment banks that sell investment management accounts (IMAs).  

According to data by the Bank of Korea and Statistics Korea, the economic growth rate has continued to decrease in the past decades throughout three different administrations, dropping significantly from around 5 percent of growth rate recorded in the 2000s. The Moon Jae-in administration has vowed to surpass the 3 percent growth rate, with experts advising strategic moves to enable new growth engines beyond the lagging competition in the auto and steel industries.

South Korean stocks rose to a new all-time high Monday on gains in steelmakers and telecoms, market analysts said. The Korean won rose against the US dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 6.43 points, or 0.26 percent, to close at 2,480.05, after rising to as much as 2,487.71 at one point.Trade volume was moderate at 223 million shares worth 6.1 trillion won ($5.41 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 411 to 394.The local stock market opened higher as top market cap

President Moon Jae-in reiterated the need to reduce the country's working hours Monday, noting that long hours not only reduce people's quality of life but also cause unnecessary accidents.The president's remarks came in a weekly meeting with his top aides at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae."We must no longer accept a society that thinks long work hours and overwork are natural. Among countries with an employment rate of more than 70 percent, no country has annual working hours of mor

South Korean manufacturing companies’ investments abroad have been increasing at a rapid pace in contrast to sluggish corporate activity at home.Overseas investments by local manufacturers in the first quarter of this year jumped 115.2 percent from a year earlier to $11.4 billion, according to recent data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.The increase rate exceeded 75 percent for Germany, 56.2 percent for Japan and 41.3 percent for the US, as well as the OECD a

Following Seoul and Washington’s decision to begin talks on possibly modifying certain aspects of the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement, US congressmen appeared unanimous that the US president should avoid making any drastic amendments that would jeopardize bilateral relations, though the trade deal has its flaws. 　According to the US House of Representatives on Monday, the House Ways and Means Committee launched a hearing on “Opportunities to expand US trade relationships in the Asia-Pa

More than 1 in 10 stocks in South Korea’s markets hit an all-time high in closing price this year, while losers outnumbered gainers on both the Kospi and Kosdaq, amid unprecedented rallies mainly led by giants, according to data from market operator Korea Exchange on Monday.  Of 2,023 active common and preferred shares listed through 2016 on both the broad-based Kospi and tech-heavy Kosdaq, 237 had hit record-highs as of Wednesday.Among the 237 shares, about two-thirds, or 157, were o

South Korea's household lending by banks rose at the slowest pace in five months in September, but mortgage loans continued the upside trend amid the government's toughened financial measures to cool down the real estate market, central bank data showed Monday.Outstanding household loans from lenders came to 749.2 trillion won ($664.8 billion) as of the end of last month, according to the data by the Bank of Korea. This marks a 4.9-trillion won increase compared to the previous year, but the ris

South Korean stocks traded slightly higher at all-time high levels Monday morning, with top market cap Samsung Electronics marginally down.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 2.91 points, or 0.12 percent, to 2,476.53 as of 11:15 a.m.Market kingpin Samsung Electronics was 0.07 percent down after forecasting upbeat third-quarter earnings, aided by robust chip sales. SK hynix, a major chipmaker, plunged 2.76 percent, and Naver, the country's top Internet portal operator, gained 0.1