PARK CITY, Utah (AP) ― Independent films that may have been years in the making get their first audiences at this week’s Sundance Film Festival. That could also mean careers in the making for unknown directors and actors whose movies connect with the right crowds. Robert Redford’s independent-cinema showcase was opening Thursday with 117 feature-length films, 64 short films and a lot of anxious filmmakers on the agenda during its 11-day run.Some are established directors showing their latest wor

CEO discusses 2012 strategy, cross trading with Japanese exchange,corporate reforms and CSRKorea Exchange will accelerate its expansion into overseas markets this year, providing stock market solutions to strategic partners in Asia and elsewhere, its chief said. “Korea Exchange has formed solid partnerships with Southeast Asian countries by offering its market solutions, and is already making progress in central Asia, as well,” Kim Bong-soo, chairman and CEO of the KRX, told The Korea Herald. “

E-Land Group acquired two major resorts in Saipan, expanding its international corporate hunt from fashion brands to resorts. The Korean apparel and retail company signed a deal to acquire Pacific Islands Club Saipan and Palms Resort Saipan, but declined to disclose the purchasing prices, citing a confidentiality agreement.“We cannot talk about the details such as price under a provision on confidentiality,” an E-Land official said.Run by PIC, a subsidiary of InterPacific Group, PIC Saipan is po

Korea’s finance minister urged the business community Thursday to ramp up its investment and hiring this year in order to help the nation’s economy tide over toughening economic conditions at home and abroad.In a meeting with heads of major business lobby groups in central Seoul, Bahk Jae-wan promised that the government will continue its efforts to improve the overall business environment by streamlining red tape deemed to be unnecessarily hampering activities in the corporate sector. “When the

LG Electronics announced its 2012 global television lineup as it plans to roll out the new models beginning next month ― a month ahead of previous years.The latest lineup is represented by the firm’s 3-D smart TV model called the Cinema Screen, which is said to “minimize the frame and maximize 3-D,” according to Kwon Hee-won, president of the home entertainment business at LG.The 3-D lineup for this year is modeled by nine-member K-pop girl group Girls’ Generation.“We decided to launch the produ

Lotte hanwoo prices highest among department storesExcessive profits by department stores and supermarket chains were cited as the main reason why hanwoo meat remains expensive despite a plunge in homebred cattle prices, a survey found Thursday. According to the Consumer Union of Korea, department stores and large discount chains increased the prices of the top grade 1++ hanwoo by up to 12 percent last year, while the wholesale price dropped 23 percent during the same period. The beef prices at