June industrial production posted slower than expected growth of 0.7 percent, a government report said Friday.Output in the construction, service, mining and manufacturing sectors expanded by 6.4 percent from a year ago, down from a revised 8.1 percent growth forecast in March, Statistics Korea said. The 0.7 percent on-month expansion is the slowest output growth in nine months, and a slow down fr

Hyundai Motor Co., the nation’s largest carmaker, logged a 37 percent increase in net income for the second quarter, beating consensus forecast on record overseas sales benefited from the demand-drop for Japanese carmakers after the March earthquake.The company posted a net income of 2.3 trillion won ($2.2 billion) in the April-June period, posting a sharp increase from 1.68 trillion won in the sa

Won hits fresh 3-year high on U.S. debt crisis, recording 1,050 against dollarThe won hit a near 3-year high Wednesday, one of a basket of currencies strengthening against the U.S. dollar on jitters Washington may fail to agree on raising its debt ceiling.Investors unloaded dollars on fears of a possible U.S. debt default and sent the won to 1,049.10 by mid-day, its strongest level since September

Tariff raise eases cost burden for KEPCO, complicates inflation fightThe government announced Tuesday it will raise electricity tariffs by an average 4.9 percent starting August to reflect rising energy costs even as inflation remains high.The Economy Ministry said electricity bills will rise 6.1 percent for industrial use but said the raise for home use will only be 2 percent. Finance Minister Ba

The modified Korea-U.S. free trade agreement will bring in less surplus for domestic carmakers than had initially been forecast, a government report said Friday. The FTA, signed in 2007 and modified in November is expected to expand local carmakers’ trade surplus by $488 million annually, $53 million less than the equivalent figure under the earlier terms agreed. The two nations agreed to scale ba

Red meat market widens for Australia, U.S., CanadaBy Cynthia J. KimImported red meat from Australia, the United States and Europe is enjoying a fast-increasing market share in Korea, benefiting from the huge loss of livestock here after the worst-ever foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in the past year.And competition in the imported beef market is set to become fiercer as Canada will soon resume its

SC First Bank and its labor union, staging the longest walkout in the industry, are increasingly under pressure to strike a deal to end the dispute after the fight resulted in its lowered credit rating and intense scrutiny from the regulator.About half of its 6,500 workforce has been on strike since June 27 to protest against the proposed introduction of a performance-based pay system. The bank wa

The Renault Group will appoint Francois Provost, the French carmaker’s deputy managing director in Russia, to head Renault Samsung Motors on Sept. 1, an official at Renault Samsung Motors said Thursday.Provost will replace Renault Samsung’s current CEO Jean-Marie Hurtiger, who took the Seoul office in May 2006.“Renault Samsung will have new leader effective Sept. 1. Francois Provost will transfer

Finance Minister Bahk Jae-wan on Wednesday visited a wet market with representatives of business groups, making a timely move to coordinate with the private sector to revive sagging domestic demand. The visit to Sooyu Traditional Market in northern Seoul, along with ruling Grand National Party leader Hong Jun-pyo and Huh Chang-soo, chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries, is aimed at promo