Mergers & Acquisitions
Mubadala, Goldman Sachs to invest $700 mn in Kakao Mobility
United Arab Emirates’ sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Investment Co. and Goldman Sachs are set to invest a combined $700 million in Kakao Mobility Corp., South Korea’s largest taxi-hailing app, to take over shares from its financial investors, including TPG and Carlyle
Electronics
Now, slim is in – and Samsung aims to be No. 1 with Galaxy S25 Edge
With the advent of mobile AI, the performance arms race among smartphone makers is reaching diminishing returns, as some market analysts put it.The battle for dominance in the high-end smartphone market, they say, may hinge less on chipset performance and more on design innovatio
Cryptocurrencies
RedotPay lands in Seoul with crypto cards
RedotPay, a Hong Kong-based blockchain fintech company, has arrived in South Korea with its cryptocurrency-based payment cards and is poised to disrupt the country’s payment market, tightly controlled by traditional credit card companies and mobile payment services. Accordi
Airlines
Korean Air, Delta to buy 25% stake in Canada’s WestJet for $550 million
Korean Air Lines Co., South Korea’s largest full-service carrier, and its joint venture partner Delta Air Lines Inc. will acquire a 25% stake in Canada’s second-largest airline WestJet Airlines for $550 million, Delta announced on Friday. Under the agreement signed with the Canadian flag carrier’s parent Onex Corp., the Korean airline will inject $220 million to buy a 10% stake, and the US air carrier will pay $330 million for t
MOST READ
Samsung steps up AR race with advanced microdisplay for smart glasses
When in S. Korea, it’s a ritual: Foreigners make stops at CU, GS25, 7-Eleven
Seoul-backed K-beauty brands set to make global mark
Maybe Happy Ending: How a Seoul-made robot love story rewrote Broadway playbook
NPS yet to schedule external manager selection; PE firms’ fundraising woes deepen
COMPANIES
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Korean foodCJ CheilJedang to open $72 mn dumpling plant in JapanSouth Korea’s largest food company, CJ CheilJedang Corp., is shifting into high gear in its global expansion with a 100 billion won ($72 million) investment in a new frozen dumpling plant in Japan, about six months after announcing new plant ad
May 08, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
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Corporate investmentLG Electronics breaks ground on $600 million home appliance plant in IndiaSouth Korea’s LG Electronics Inc. has broken ground on its third home appliance manufacturing plant in India with a $600 million investment to expand its production footprint in one of the world’s fastest-growing consumer markets.The new
May 08, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
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EarningsKakaoBank posts record Q1 profit, eyes Thai expansion after IndonesiaKakaoBank Corp., a leading South Korean internet-only bank, posted its highest quarterly profit in the first quarter, defying a drop in interest income, as the digital lender saw a surge in non-interest revenue and platform usage.The online banking u
May 08, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
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E-commerceCoupang’s Q1 revenue up; quarterly dip signals rising competitionCoupang Inc., South Korea’s largest e-commerce platform, extended its year-on-year sales growth with an 11.1% increase to post $7.9 billion in first-quarter revenue. The growth was led by its Taiwanese operations, food delivery app Coupang Eats
May 07, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
2 Min read
KOREAN INVESTORS
Pension funds
S.Korea’s GEPS to commit $143 million to foreign mid-cap buyout funds
The Government Employees Pension Service (GEPS), one of South Korea’s top three public pension programs, will commit up to 200 billion won ($143 million) in total to offshore middle-market buyout funds, marking a continued global push to divers
May 08, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
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Min read
Pension funds
NPS yet to schedule external manager selection; PE firms’ fundraising woes deepen
South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS), the world’s third-largest pension fund, has yet to decide on a plan to select local external managers, adding to private equity firms’ fundraising woes.The NPS, South Korea’s top i
May 02, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
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Min read
Real estate
Mirae Asset to be named Korea Post’s core real estate fund operator
Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. is set to manage the mandate of more than 600 billion won ($416.8 million) in core real estate fund investment by Korea Post, investment banking industry sources said on Tuesday.Korea Post on Monday picked Mirae Ass
Apr 29, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
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Asset management
Mirae Asset bets on China as Korean investors’ US focus draws concern
South Korea’s leading asset manager Mirae Asset Financial Group is increasingly unveiling China-focused investment products as Chairman Park Hyeon-joo warns against Korean investors’ growing overexposure to US assets.Next month, Mirae Ass
Apr 27, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
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Min read
Alternative investments
Meritz backs half of ex-manager’s $210 mn hedge fund
Meritz Financial Group Inc., one of South Korea’s most aggressive alternative asset managers, has committed 150 billion won ($105 million) to DeltaFlex Capital Management Pte., a hedge fund launched by a former executive renowned for principal
Apr 23, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
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M＆A
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Mergers & AcquisitionsMubadala, Goldman Sachs to invest $700 mn in Kakao MobilityMay 09, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & AcquisitionsKorea’s top cinema chains seek merger to counter box office slumpMay 08, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & AcquisitionsSoon for sale: Altos Ventures-backed Cafe Knotted operatorMay 07, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & AcquisitionsHarman acquires Masimo’s audio arm in Samsung’s car audio pushMay 07, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
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ECM/DCM
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Debt financingKorea Securities Finance eyes its 1st foreign bond sale in 2026May 09, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
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Debt financingKookmin Bank raises $700 mn in forex bonds amid strong demandApr 30, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
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Real estateColliers to lead $689 million sale of IGIS Asset-owned Signature TowerApr 11, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
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Real estateIGIS taps Samjong KPMG, Cushman & Wakefield, NAI Korea for sale of AP TowerApr 11, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
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MARKETS
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Shipping & ShipbuildingHanwha Ocean shares sink after KDB's sale of 4.2% stake
Investors rushed to dump Hanwha Ocean Co. shares early Tuesday after its second-largest shareholder, Korea Development Bank, cashed in on a 4.2% stake in South Korea’s No. 3 shipbuilder in a pre-market block trade for more than 1 trillion won ($695.8 million). Hanwha Ocean shares ended down 12.1% at 78,500 won on Tuesday, wiping out all of la
Apr 29, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
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EnergySouth Korea nears Czech nuclear deal; Doosan, related stocks fly high
South Korea’s nuclear energy stocks surged this week as momentum builds around a landmark nuclear power project in the Czech Republic, with investors anticipating a formal contract signing as early as next month.On Friday, Doosan Enerbility Co. closed up 3.7% at 27,900 won, capping a 38.5% rally since April 10.Other nuclear-related stocks hav
Apr 25, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
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MarketsKakao shares sink on SK Telecom’s stake sell-off news
Kakao Corp. shares underperformed its peers and the broad market on Friday after SK Telecom Co. sold off its entire stake in the South Korean platform giant for about 400 billion won ($278.2 million).The country’s largest mobile carrier announced earlier today in a regulatory filing that it would offload all of its holdings in Kakao – 1
Apr 25, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
1 Min read
Business & Politics
Seoul, Washington agree on July tariff deal framework in '2+2' trade talks
WASHINGTON, D.C. – South Korea and the US have agreed to work together to craft a comprehensive tariff-liberalization package by July 8, marking the first formal bilateral negotiations on trade barriers under the new Donald Trump administration.Senior Korean officials, including Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok and Trade and Industry Minister A
Apr 25, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
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Min read
CULTURE ＆ TRENDS
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RetailWhen in S. Korea, it’s a ritual: Foreigners make stops at CU, GS25, 7-ElevenMay 05, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
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ArtsMaybe Happy Ending: How a Seoul-made robot love story rewrote Broadway playbookMay 02, 2025 (Gmt+09:00)
5 Min read
PERSPECTIVES
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The KED ViewLight up visibility of Korean tech firms on global stageJul 10, 2024 (Gmt+09:00)
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