Fine dust that engulfed the Korean Peninsula in recent days and the following government contingency measures have stirred sharp upward moves Monday in the stock prices of South Korean producers of home appliances like air purifiers and humidifiers. Air purifier maker Coway, listed on the top-tier Kospi, jumped 3.2 percent from the previous trading day. Another purifier maker Dayou Winia, trading on the second-tier Kosdaq, climbed up 6.5 percent. The share price increase was also seen for other

The depreciation of the won that is usually detected upon North Korea’s nuclear tests was more substantial last year, when Pyongyang conducted its seventh test in September, a report by the Bank of Korea showed.The research team of the central bank reviewed changes in exchange rates over five working days after each of North Korea’s nuclear tests between March 2008 and Sept. 2017.The report noted that the steeper depreciation upon the latest nuclear test appears to have been impacted

The Korea Herald is publishing a series of interviews on promising startups in the financial technology industry. This is the 12th installment. - Ed.Regulatory hurdles were high for local financial technology venture firm QARASoft, as its investment platform, the first of its kind in South Korea, was suspended shortly after its launch last year.QARASoft’s now-defunct platform, called “QARA,” connected individual asset managers with funds pooled -- or borrowed -- from peer-to-pe

South Korean funds for overseas stock investment have continued to attract money this year thanks to strong bourses in Vietnam, Brazil and other emerging markets, data showed Sunday.The net money inflow into overseas equity-linked investment funds stood at 1.75 trillion won ($1.62 billion) this year as of Thursday, according to data from market tracker KG Zeroin.Those funds brought in more than 1 trillion won in January alone, with the net inflow reaching over 420 billion and 260 billion won in

South Korea's key stock index had its biggest fall in more than six years on Friday in the wake of a brewing trade war between the United States and China, data showed Sunday.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index plunged 79.26 points, or 3.18 percent, to 2,416.76 on Friday, the biggest daily loss since Nov. 10, 2011, when a debt crisis engulfed some European countries, according to the data from the Korea Exchange.It also marked the 15th-largest daily drop since 1987, when the bourse o

South Korean banks' mortgage rates have been on the rise over the past year in tandem with US rate hikes, market sources said Sunday.Those rates, charged on home-backed loans, are widely projected to go up further down the road if the US central bank sticks to its hawkish policy stance.According to the sources, Nonghyup Bank has posted benchmark mortgage rates on mortgages at a range of 3.6 percent and 4.94 percent, which will go into effect from Monday.The new rates, which will remain fixed for

South Korean shares are expected to move in a tight range next week as investors remain cautious due to growing concerns over trade protectionism by major economies. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index is likely to stay between 2,460 and 2,540, as export-oriented stocks remain vulnerable to the looming trade dispute between Washington and Beijing. In response to the Trump government's plan to impose 25 percent tariffs on US$50 billion worth of Chinese imports, China said it may raise

The new chief executive of NH Investment & Securities said in a press conference Friday that he would bolster the securities firm’s investment banking division, in a move to maintain growth that began to take shape in the past few years on the back of business diversification. Jeong Young-chae, who took office as CEO of NH Investment & Securities on Thursday, revealed that the firm plans to reap 190 billion won ($175.6 million) in net profit this year solely from its IB business, a

‘Firms like Kakao or Celltrion might someday regret leaving the Kosdaq’

Citibank Korea kicked off a customer event Monday to celebrate the first year since the launch of its unsecured personal loan product for salaried employees offered through its mobile app.As part of the celebration, Citibank Korea is running the event in which those who apply for the mobile loans by March 31 will be randomly selected to receive gifts such as coffee vouchers and smartphones. In addition, those who apply for the product by March 31 will be given 0.5 percentage point rate bonuses a

South Korean financial companies’ investments in Vietnam have grown by more than 500 percent over the past 10 years, in particular marking an uptick since last year, on the back of President Moon Jae-in’s Southeast Asia-friendly initiative, data showed Monday.The volume of investments made by domestic financial companies to the Southeast Asian state stood at $123 million last year, up 509.88 percent from 10 years prior, according to statistics from the Overseas Economic Research Inst

South Korea’s top financial policymaking body rolled out plans Monday to lower regulatory barriers for local financial firms to capitalize on databases accumulated in the public sector to improve their products, while also strengthening ways for consumers to take control of their own personal information shared by different financial services firms. The Financial Services Commission said such measures in the long run would be key to achieving “financial inclusion.” In a me

Douglas Min has taken office as president and chief executive officer of insurer American International Group Korea, the firm said Monday.This came two weeks after a shareholders meeting approved a one-year tenure for Min. AIG Korea is wholly owned by AIG Asia Pacific Insurance, based in Singapore.  With over 20 years of experience in the field, Min replaced Steven Barnett, who stepped down Monday after serving as chief of the global insurer’s Korean unit since 2011. Min joined AIG in

Export-Import Bank of Korea will inject some 600 million euros ($739 million) into a 3.1 billion euro landmark project in Turkey, which involves SK Engineering & Construction and Daelim Industry, officials said Sunday."Eximbank will provide the Canakkale bridge and highway project with 300 million euros in loan and 300 million euros in warranty,” the state-run bank said in a press release.The two South Korean builders last year won the deal to build the world’s longest

This is the 52nd in a series of articles analyzing major companies traded on the tech-heavy Kosdaq market. -- Ed.K-pop juggernaut S.M. Entertainment has ramped up efforts to equip itself with TV series production capacities and stronger actor and actress lineups in response to a growing demand for South Korean TV content in the global market. On Wednesday, the firm confirmed two planned acquisition deals worth a combined 80 billion won ($74.9 million).Along with anticipation for improvement in t