Malaysia is a highly attractive investment location for South Korea’s small and medium-sized enterprises looking to expand their business in Southeast Asia, the head of its state-run investment promotion agency said Monday.　“Malaysia is particularly looking at smaller Korean companies -- which are seeking expansion elsewhere due to limited room for growth at home -- as key potential investors,” the Malaysian Investment Development Authority CEO Azman Mahmud said in an interview with The Korea He

SK Holdings said Tuesday it would acquire a majority stake in OCI Materials, the world’s leading supplier of specialty gas used in making semiconductors, displays and solar modules, as it seeks to strengthen its chipmaking business.　SK agreed to purchase a 49.1 percent stake in OCI Materials for 481.6 billion won ($417 million) from OCI, a leading South Korean chemicals manufacturer.(Yonhap)　Through the acquisition, SK, newly equipped with a stable supply of base materials and related technology

Air Busan, one of South Korea’s leading budget carriers, is pushing forward plans to launch an initial public offering, seeking to channel in fresh capital to better strengthen itself against rising competition, company officials said Monday.The airline company, founded in 2007, held a board meeting in Busan on Monday to discuss who could potentially lead the IPO process, scheduled for completion by the end of next year. A model poses to promote budget airline Air Busan. (Yonhap)“The company org

Throughout history, kimchi has held a defining presence in South Korea’s culinary scene. The beloved spicy, fermented vegetable dish is eaten with almost every meal and the culture of communal kimchi-making has stood as an emblem of traditional culture.　Amid demographic shifts, a growing number of Koreans are choosing to purchase ready-to-eat kimchi, as they shy away from what can be a cumbersome task of making it from scratch and storing it.　As the domestic packaged kimchi segment has evolved t

Hanwha Q Cells, the solar power business unit of Hanwha Group, posted record-high earnings in the third quarter on the back of successful business conditions and drops in manufacturing costs, the company announced Friday.　The leading photovoltaic solar module manufacturer posted $427.2 million in net revenue and an operating profit of $40.3 million in the July-September period, marking significant improvements from its second-quarter performance.(Hanwha Q Cells)　While the firm’s net revenue grew

The Korean subsidiary of U.S.-based health care giant Johnson & Johnson will pay fines of 1.86 billion won ($1.6 million) for violating local fair trade regulations in selling its popular Acuvue soft contact lenses in the domestic market, company officials said Thursday.　The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled in favor of the Fair Trade Commission, concluding a dispute that began when J&J Korea filed a lawsuit to nullify the antitrust watchdog’s claims that it took part in unfair business practices a

Last year, a group of South Korean college students got the media spotlight for completing a 1.3-kilometer journey across the Hangang River on a self-built raft, attracting more than 200 spectators.　What was so special about this raft? It was built by tying together 160 unopened bags of potato chips, to protest against snack-makers that made consumers feel as if they “bought nitrogen gas packets that came with a couple of free snacks,” as one of the paddlers put it at the time.A group of Korean

Nivea, a brand established under German skin care giant Beiersdorf, is holding an event to put personal photos into the caps of its tin-stored creams through mid-January of next year as part of its brand marketing campaign.　The event, taking place at select E-Mart branches and drugstores on set dates, has seen more than 100 daily participants and delivered 1,000 personalized Nivea tin creams to consumers since kicking off in October, according to the firm.　Nivea’s branding event will take place

Uniqlo will launch a new Star Wars clothing lineup featuring characters from the beloved classic film series next Monday to celebrate the release of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”　Fashion items for both men and women -- including hoodies, Heattech wear, sweatshirts, umbrellas and tote bags -- will be printed with Star Wars characters including Darth Vader and Stormtroopers as part of the collaboration.　Starting Nov. 27, the Japanese apparel maker will hand out tickets to the new Star Wars film

Bershka, a clothing brand established under Spain’s Inditex, the owner of brands Zara and Massimo Dutti, has unveiled a new design concept for its stores dubbed the “Stage.” It will also open a new store in Hongdae under the new design scheme.　Inspired by music, concerts and the backstage culture, the brand’s “Stage” interior was designed to reaffirm the brand’s position as a leader of the latest trends in fashion and music as well as top-notch technologies.　The new design concept is high-tech a

Innisfree, a skin care brand owned by South Korea’s cosmetics giant AmorePacific, is introducing limited-edition versions of 13 of its products as well as selling candles and diffusers in celebration of the Christmas season.　The brand’s flagship Green Tea Seed Cream, Eco Nail Polish collection, perfumed hand creams, ampule-intense cushion and tinted lip balm, among others, are available in Christmas-inspired packaging.　The special candles and diffusers are available in three scents -- Sweet Holi

Kolon FnC, the fashion unit of South Korea’s materials manufacturer Kolon Industries, has rolled out a new bomber jacket dubbed “the bomber parka” under its men’s casual fashion brand Series. 　Inspired by classic aviator jackets, Kolon’s new bomber jacket is filled with goose down, offering extra warmth and comfort for those seeking outdoor activities in cold weather. 　The stylish waist-length jacket is fitted with a hood for a more casual look, is available in two colors -- camouflage and khaki

Global outdoor clothing brand Columbia has released a new bomber jacket, dubbed the Cloudcap Cove Down Jacket, in line with the growing popularity of aviator or pilot jackets.　Inspired by winter jackets worn by pilots and navy sailors that are shorter in length, the bomber jacket allows for easier movement of the upper body. 　Columbia’s new aviator jacket is also padded with faux fur, increasing warmth and offering heightened protection against strong winds in the winter. The jacket was styled t

Philips Korea, the local branch of leading Dutch health care company Philips, has launched a new automatic hair curling iron in South Korea.　Philips ProCare Auto Curler HPS940 heats up in less than 30 seconds and automatically rolls, heats and curls hair. Users can select from three heat settings -- 170, 190 and 210 degrees Celsius -- and three time settings -- 8, 10 and 12 seconds -- depending on the desired curling effect.　The device also comes with a “professional brushless motor” that enable

POSCO ICT, a subsidiary of South Korea’s leading steelmaker POSCO, said Tuesday it will begin efforts to export its baggage handling system to countries like China, Iran and Saudi Arabia, where many new airports are being built.　The company’s self-developed system enables the automatic transfer of travelers’ luggage from the airport terminal to planes using readable tags attached to the bags. POSCO ICT`s baggage handling system at work inside Incheon International Airport in South Korea (POSCO I