Companies

AI firm acquisition
LG takes over controlling stake in US TV data analysis firm Alphonso
South Korea’s LG Electronics Inc. has acquired a controlling stake in US-based TV data analysis startup Alphonso Inc. to strengthen its software and service capabilities in its smart TV lineup.With an investment of about $80 million, the Korea
Jan 07, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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PEFs
CEO of MBK Partners-owned Korean retailer to resign
Lim Il-soon, chief executive of South Korean retailer HomePlus, is stepping down after leading the MBK Partners-owned discount store chain for about ...
Jan 07, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Hydrogen economy
SK Group inks $1.5 bn deal to acquire US hydrogen fuel cell maker Plug Power
South Korea’s SK Group has signed a $1.5 billion deal to acquire a controlling stake in US hydrogen fuel cell maker Plug Power Inc. and launch ...
Jan 07, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Future mobility
GS Caltex to showcase drone delivery, future gas stations at CES 2021
GS Caltex Corp., a South Korean oil refiner aiming to become a serious logistics player by navigating hard-to-access areas for delivery, is looking f...
Jan 07, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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EV Batteries
SK Innovation to raise $920 mn for US battery plant expansion
South Korea-based SK Innovation Co. is ramping up investment for its US-based electric vehicle battery business, with plans to raise up to 1 trilli...
Jan 07, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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M&As
Korean Air wins shareholders' approval for Asiana deal
Korean Air Lines Co. will proceed with its planned $1.6 billion acquisition of Asiana Airlines Inc. after winning approval from a majority of its sha...
Jan 06, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Rubber business disposal
Japan’s JSR reaches out to Lotte, LG for sale of synthetic rubber business
Japan’s JSR Corp. is reaching out to Korean chemical companies to dispose of its synthetic rubber business and focus instead on semiconductor m...
Jan 06, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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AI technologies
Kakao Enterprise exceeds $920 mn in enterprise value
South Korea-based Kakao Enterprise has topped 1 trillion won ($921.5 million) in enterprise value, just a year after its inception in 2019, followin...
Jan 06, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Foundry boom
Samsung, other foundry players at full capacity as chip orders surge
Samsung Electronics Co. and other global foundry players are running their plants at full capacity as makers of cars and electronic devices compete f...
Jan 06, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Shipbuilding orders
Korean shipbuilders kick off 2021 with $1 bn container ship, LNG carrier orders
South Korea’s two major shipyards have started off 2021 with decent orders, brightening the outlook for the country to retain its leadership in...
Jan 05, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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ESG
Samsung Elec steps up efforts for river management
Semiconductor manufacturing plants use an enormous amount of water, earning the semiconductor industry the nickname of "a thirsty business." Samsung ...
Jan 05, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Fuel cell plants
Hyundai Motor to build first overseas hydrogen fuel cell plant in China
Hyundai Motor Co. will build its first overseas hydrogen fuel cell systems plant in China as the South Korean company aims to enter the world’s...
Jan 05, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Startups
Live commerce app Grip posts over $22 mn in transactions
South Korea-based live commerce app Grip saw its cumulative transaction amount surpass 24 billion won ($22.2 million), just two years after its incep...
Jan 05, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Games
S.Korean game industry boasts strong growth; set to exceed $16 bn
South Korea’s game market size is projected to exceed 18 trillion won ($16.6 billion) this year, driven by game enthusiasts who have remained l...
Jan 05, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Semiconductor exports
Korea’s chip exports to top $100 bn in 2021, second-best performance ever
South Korea’s semiconductor exports are expected to top $100 billion this year, led by rising demand for DRAM and system chips.According to the...
Jan 05, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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EV batteries
Korea’s EV battery trio among world’s top 5; seen gaining further ground
South Korea’s three major electric vehicle battery makers have grown significantly over the past year, securing spots on the world’s top ...
Jan 04, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Rights offerings
Battery boom to drive POSCO Chem's $1.1 bn rights offering
South Korea-based POSCO Chemical Co. has begun preparations for its rights offering, to the delight of shareholders as the company’s share pric...
Jan 04, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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M&As
Korean companies sit on record dry powder, may open M&A floodgates
South Korea’s major companies are sitting on a record amount of cash reserves, setting the foundation for the merger and acquisition (M&A) ...
Jan 04, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Startups
S.Korean unicorn companies line up for IPOs
Huge sums of money have been flowing into growth sectors globally, prompting South Korean unicorn companies, or non-listed companies with an enterpri...
Jan 04, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Kakao, NCSoft likely to lead record-breaking earnings in 2021
South Korea’s mobile platform giant Kakao Corp. and game developer NCSoft Corp. are looking to post their best-ever earnings for a second strai...
Jan 03, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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M&As
Samsung Elec draws attention with $92 bn in idle cash
Samsung Electronics Co., sitting on a cash pile of 100 trillion won ($92 billion), has been absent in global M&A markets over the past few years ...
Dec 31, 2020 (Gmt+09:00)
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SUV sales
SUVs drive up Hyundai, Kia in US market; G80 named safest car of year
A slate of new sport utility vehicles are driving up Hyundai Motor Group's market share in the US, where its two automaking units have relied on seda...
Dec 31, 2020 (Gmt+09:00)
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Rights offerings
Kakao Bank wraps up $921 mn rights offering
South Korea's mobile-only bank has wrapped up its $920.5 million rights offering, placing the enterprise value at around 9.3 trillion won ($8.6 bil...
Dec 30, 2020 (Gmt+09:00)
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Startups
Masks as fashion statement through art collaboration
Face masks have become essential in the COVID-19 era to prevent the spread of the virus. But aside from protecting users against the pandemic, masks ...
Dec 30, 2020 (Gmt+09:00)
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Fried chickens
Korea’s fried chicken brands fly high on food delivery boom
Once derided as a tomb for the self-employed due to cut-throat competition, fried chicken franchises in South Korea have emerged as a main beneficiar...
Dec 30, 2020 (Gmt+09:00)
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Biopharma CMO
Moderna deal shows Korea’s prowess as global hub for biopharma CMO
South Korea is emerging as a global hub for the contract manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals following its latest deal to procure COVID-19 vaccines f...
Dec 30, 2020 (Gmt+09:00)
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Pre-IPOs
JTBC raises $366 mn from Tencent, Praxis Capital
South Korean TV drama production firm JTBC Studios Co. will raise a total of 400 billion won ($366 million) by issuing convertible preferred shares t...
Dec 29, 2020 (Gmt+09:00)
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COVID-19 treatment
Celltrion seeks to distribute COVID-19 treatment from mid-Jan
South Korea's Celltrion Inc. has completed second-phase clinical trials of its COVID-19 treatment and is seeking conditional approval of its distrib...
Dec 29, 2020 (Gmt+09:00)
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Insolvency protection
Ssangyong Motor gets 2-months' grace before court-led restructuring
Ssangyong Motor Co. has received court approval for a two-month suspension of its obligations to repay debt as the troubled automaker is seeking to f...
Dec 28, 2020 (Gmt+09:00)
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Earnings
Korean firms' Q4 earnings seen to jump, led by exporters
Exporters, including Samsung Electronics Co., LG Chem Ltd. and Samsung SDI Co., are estimated to have led a sharp increase in listed South Korean co...
Dec 28, 2020 (Gmt+09:00)