KT&G Corp., Korea’s largest tobacco producer, said it plans to release a repackaged version of its The One Impact cigarettes starting Monday. The renewed One Impact, the latest in its six-variety range, comes in sky blue packaging and gives a rich flavor despite lower levels of tar, the Seoul-based manufacturer said. Introduced in March 2011, the product contains 1 milligram of tar and 0.1 milligram of nicotine. It costs 2,500 won ($2.2) per pack. (heeshin@heraldm.com)

Chief of Korea unit forecasts up to 6% growth for 2012While spiraling oil prices, falling rates and the oversupply of ships cast a blight over many shipping companies at home and abroad, Maersk Korea Ltd. appears rather bullish. A growing thirst for Korean products around the world, coupled with a global e-commerce boom, is helping keep the world’s largest shipping line afloat amid the industry’s biggest crisis in years. Yet, this drift will only continue in the coming years, the chief of the Da

Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. both lost patent cases against each other in a court in Germany on Friday in the latest twist in the long-running battle between the two electronics powerhouses over mobile phones and tablet computers.The Mannheim Regional Court turned down Samsung’s attempt to defend its mathematical coding procedures in processors. It also rejected Apple’s claim over features for unlocking touch screens.  Delivering the verdict, Presiding Judge Andreas Voss said neither c

Merck, Celltrion, Hanwha show off progress, boost prospects at specialized eventBiotechnology and medical experts on Wednesday underscored the significance of biosimilars as a key driving force behind the global pharmaceutical industry at a forum in Seoul.Some 250 officials at drug companies, state agencies and consultancies from around the world took part in the 2012 Global Biopharma Technology and Policy Forum hosted by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Korea and the state-run Korea He

Firm goes forward with first reshuffling move following SK takeoverHynix Semiconductor said Monday that it introduced smart mobile solution products at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona for the first time in partnership with its new owner SK Telecom.With a theme of “Hynix enabling a ubiquitous world,” the global top memory chipmaker features mobile solutions like 20 nanometer class 4 gigabit DDR3 dynamic random access memory and 30 nanometer class 4 gigabit LPDDR3 DRAM, said Hynix officials

With crude prices spiraling out of control amid tensions surrounding Iran, concerns are surfacing of a fresh oil shock. Korea’s benchmark Dubai crude jumped to $121.57 a barrel, the highest since August 2008, on Singapore’s spot market on Friday. Brent crude, a global yardstick, touched a nine-month high of $125 a barrel.Korea, the world’s fifth-largest crude buyer, imports almost of its oil needs.Runaway fuel costs are threatening to push up consumer prices and in turn jeopardize the central ba