WINNERS & LOSERS

• Published Mar 3, 2013 3:57 PM KST
• Updated Mar 3, 2013 3:57 PM KST

Soju

: Exports of soju, Korea’s popular liquor, jumped more than 15 percent in 2012 from 2011, largely due to increased awareness of the alcohol among foreigners, a trade association said Wednesday.

According to the Korea Alcohol & Liquor Industry Association, outbound shipments of soju reached 10.32 million boxes worth some 130 billion won ($120 million) last year, up 15.3 percent from a year earlier. A box contains 12 700-milliliter bottles of soju.

The increased overseas sales of soju is attributed to the popularity of “hallyu,” the Korean cultural wave, industry watchers said.

Construction firms

: One out of three listed domestic construction companies lost money in 2012, data showed Tuesday, in the latest sign of deepening woes of local builders struggling to weather a prolonged property market slump.

According to the data by the Financial Supervisory Service and online financial information provider Fn Guide, 15 out of 42 listed builders that released earnings statements for the full year of 2012 were in the red.

Doosan Engineering & Construction, the construction unit of Doosan Group, suffered the biggest loss of 654 billion won ($600 million) last year.