The Korea Herald

Kim Yon-se

안녕하세요 Kim Yon-se 기자입니다.

Articles by Kim Yon-se

Speculation grows about KEPCO CEO Kim

IndustrySept 4, 2012

The presidential office on Tuesday downplayed the rumor that Korea Electric Power Corp. CEO Kim Joong-kyum will soon be dismissed.Speculation has risen that President Lee Myung-bak is considering replacing the top post at the state-run KEPCO as Kim’s management was going against government policies.While Cheong Wa Dae said it is “not considering” whether to discharge Kim “at the current stage,” public officials still did not rule out the possibility of dismissal before Kim’s term expires. Kim ha
Most U.S. consumers disagree with verdict in Samsung-Apple case

IndustrySept 2, 2012

WP columnist says Apple should lose possible appeal from SamsungA survey in the U.S. showed that more than half of young American consumers have a skeptical view over a California federal jury’s recent verdict that Samsung violated Apple’s mobile patents.The Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal cited a poll conducted by CouponCodes4U on 2,125 consumers aged between 18 and 30 who said they owned neither an Apple nor Samsung smartphone product.“About 55 percent of the respondents said they d
Napa Valley vineyard creates ‘Dokdo Wine’

IndustryAug 30, 2012

Shinsegae Department Store will launch a special wine product, dubbed “Dokdo Wine,” this Friday.Korean-American dentist Ahn Jae-hyun, who is also founder of the “Dokdo Winery,” has been producing the wine in Napa Valley, United States. The wine is labeled “799-805,” named after Korea’s easternmost Dokdo islets’ postal code.As his individual effort to spread the historial fact that Dokdo belongs to Korea and not Japan, Ahn is donating some of the profits from sales of wine to organizations campai
BMW to build mammoth driving center in Korea

TransportAug 30, 2012

Korea becomes first Asian country to have such a BMW facilityBMW Group Korea announced Thursday that it will build a large-scale driving center on Yeongjong Island, where Incheon International Airport is located, by 2014.This will mark the fourth driving center of Munich-based BMW Group, following two in Germany and one in the United States.The import automobile brand plans to pour 70 billion won ($61.9 million) into construction of the BWM Group Driving Center on a site of 250,000 square meters
Justice comes under spotlight in Samsung-Apple verdict

IndustryAug 29, 2012

Fairness has come under spotlight over the recent verdict on the patent lawsuit between Samsung Electronics and Apple.Local market observers including some analysts remained cynical over the situation that Apple won a billion dollars last week, after a jury ruled that Samsung had copied a handful of features from the iPhone.They cast doubt if the jury really profoundly reviewed a variety of documents, tendered from both sides, which involve technology-related sophisticated content. “While attorn
Analysts say uncertainty lifted on Samsung shares

Aug 28, 2012

Brokerage houses are issuing the “buy” opinion on shares of Samsung Electronics despite Apple’s winning in a patent lawsuit against the Korean electronics giant in the U.S.Many research analysts say that uncertainties and a worse-than-expected scenario had already been reflected in Samsung stock prices.Citi Global Market Securities said that recent stock prices of Samsung Electronics was already impacted by anxiety over results from the suit in the U.S., advising that “it would be better to purc
Top 10 conglomerates’ sales equal 76% of GDP

IndustryAug 27, 2012

The combined sales of 10 major business groups in 2011 were equivalent to 76 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product, an online financial data provider showed Monday.According to the chaebul.com, total sales of the 10 largest conglomerates including Samsung and Hyundai Motor reached 946.1 trillion won ($837.2 billion) last year.The figure corresponds to 76.5 percent of Korea’s 2011 GDP of 1.23 quadrillion won.The portion of the 10 conglomerates’ sales as part of GDP stood at 53.4 percent
80% of Koreans skeptical over strike: KCCI

IndustryAug 27, 2012

Four out of every five Koreans responded that they were skeptical about a large-scale strike mulled by one of the nation’s progressive labor unions, a major business lobby group said.Citing its survey of 510 adults, the Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry said it has found that about 80 percent of them responded that the upcoming strike was not an appropriate way to resolve disputes with employers.Those respondents said a general strike will have a negative effect on the economy.The Korean Conf
Chrysler 300 tops GM-Ford sedans in test

TransportAug 26, 2012

Chrysler Group LLC, the U.S. automaker majority owned by Fiat SpA, boosted its rating in Consumer Reports’ testing of large sedans as its 300 topped offerings by General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. The Chrysler 300 scored an 83, behind only Hyundai Motor Co.’s Genesis at 92, the Yonkers, New York-based magazine and product-testing group said today in an e-mailed statement. The cars were tested for their handling, efficiency, comfort and ease of use. The 300 was one of the new or refreshed mode
Competition heated in luxury sedan segment

TransportAug 26, 2012

Hyundai Motor bolsters marketing to battle BMW, Mercedes in GangnamKorean automakers are set to reinforce marketing of large sedans at home, as their sales in the lucrative premium segment continued to be eroded by import brands.Though Hyundai Motor is posting record-breaking sales of the Equus, Genesis and Grandeur sedans in major overseas markets including the U.S., the company had to suffer a heavy drop in share of the local upscale market.In the case of the Equus sedan, Hyundai posted 6,449
Shares sink 1.17 percent on economic woes

Aug 24, 2012

South Korea stocks dropped 1.17 percent on Friday on renewed concerns over a global economic slowdown and dashed hopes for imminent stimulus measures from European and U.S. central banks, analysts said. The local currency fell against the U.S. dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 22.73 points to close at 1,919.81. Trading volume was moderate at 615.9 million shares worth 4.3 trillion won ($3.8 billion), with losers outstripping gainers 542 to 278.“There still remains wides
Car sales to plummet amid labor strikes

IndustryAug 24, 2012

Local major carmakers are expected to post a steep sales drop this month in the aftermath of labor strikes, automotive industry insiders said Friday.Hyundai Motor has revised down its August sales target by about 20 percent from its earlier goal, as production of popular models such as the Avante, Sonata and Santa Fe has declined sharply.“August is normally the month that records the fewest vehicle sales due to seasonal factors. This year, the labor dispute has aggravated the situation,” a compa
Shares inch up 0.38% on bargain hunting

Aug 23, 2012

South Korean stocks edged up 0.38 percent Thursday as investors scooped up local shares for bargain hunting following a recent fall, analysts said. The local currency rose against the U.S. dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 7.35 points to close at 1,942.54, snapping a four-session bearish run. Trading volume was heavy at 594.7 million shares worth 4.15 trillion won ($3.67 billion), with gainers outpacing losers 460 to 335.“Foreign investors picked up large-cap shares t
Business lobby group opposes move to raise corporate taxes

IndustryAug 23, 2012

KCCI tenders wish list to ruling and opposition parties ahead of presidential electionFour months ahead of the Dec. 19 presidential election, a major business lobby group submitted their wish list to political parties urging them not to raise corporate taxes.In the recommendation letter handed over to ruling and opposition parties on Thursday, the Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry said it hopes, above all, the next administration will not raise corporate taxes.The KCCI claimed that the recent
Seoul-Tokyo tension affects bilateral investments little

IndustryAug 22, 2012

Japanese purchase more Korean stocks since Lee’s visit to DokdoThe heightened diplomatic tension between Korea and Japan had little negative impact on bilateral investment and trade so far, data showed.Moreover, Japanese investors were net buyers on Korea’s main bourse for the four trading sessions after President Lee Myung-bak visited Dokdo islets on Aug. 10.“Japanese investors’ purchase of stocks and bonds surpassed selling over the sessions last week,” said an official of the Financial Superv