my timesThe Korea Times
aoshima11

Ko Dong-hwan

Korea Times Business Reporter

Covering the food & beverage industry, beauty, fashion, retail markets, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and related people and entities worldwide

Go to URL

Read more

Companies

Coupang turns to Taiwan as key hub for global growth

Taiwan has emerged as a key strategic hub for Coupang’s global growth, as the company brings fast delivery to more regions and develops AI-powered logistics technologies. Taiwan is a relatively new market for the New York Stock Exchange-listed company, which began expanding into the country in October 2022. The move came after the e-commerce giant established a strong presence in Korea, where it has operated since 2010. In just a few years, Coupang connected more than 300,000 sellers on its platform in Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Hong Kong with consumers in the Taiwanese market. Coupang recently completed its fourth fulfillment center in Taiwan, which opened in April. Located in the Bausan Guanyin Logistics Park in Taoyuan City in northwestern Taiwan, the facility was designed to accelerate exports, particularly from U.S. businesses, to the Taiwanese market. “By removing traditional barriers such as complex logistics, long shipping times and high costs, we made it easier for U.S. companies to expand internationally," the company said in a statement released after the

18h agoBy Ko Dong-hwan
Coupang turns to Taiwan as key hub for global growth
Companies

Hansae Mobility increases commitment in Uzbekistan

Senior executives from Hansae Yes24 Group attended a Korea-Uzbekistan business forum in Seoul as the conglomerate moves to expand investment and localize operations in Uzbekistan, the group said Thursday. Hansae Yes24 Holdings Vice Chairman Kim Suk-hwan, Hansae Vice Chairman Kim Ik-whan and Hansae Mobility CEO Sung Nag-gon joined the forum at the Shilla Seoul hotel on Tuesday. The event, jointly hosted by Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Korean Prime Minister Han Seong-sook, brought together government officials and business leaders from the two countries to discuss Uzbekistan’s investment environment and ways to broaden strategic economic cooperation. Hansae Mobility, one of the group’s future growth engines, has worked with Uzbekistan automaker UzAuto Motors since its early stages. The Korean company began localizing production of key automotive components late last year and started full-scale mass production this month. Hansae Mobility plans to invest a total of $25 million in Fergana Province. It has invested $13 million in the first phase this year and plans to add $1

2d agoBy Ko Dong-hwan
Hansae Mobility increases commitment in Uzbekistan
Companies

Disney, Marvel, Pixar to collaborate to highlight K-pop, Korean heritage

The Walt Disney Company’s long-standing legacy in animation, entertainment and consumer products is entering a new chapter in Korea, where the company sees the country’s global content power as a new source of inspiration for next-generation consumer experiences. Walt Disney Company Korea on Wednesday unveiled its new campaign, “ICONS UNLEASED: Global Icon Becomes Center of New K-Wave.” It builds on K-pop, Korean heritage and original Korean content, with plans to develop new businesses from each area. Disney Korea will collaborate with K-pop management companies like Kakao Entertainment, SM Entertainment, HYBE and Starship Entertainment to combine their artists’ unique worldviews with stories from Marvel to create new fan experiences. The company cited the successful collaboration between G-Dragon’s fashion lineup PEACEMINUSONE and Disney’s "Toy Story” franchise in July to introduce new toys, apparel and goods as precedent. Korean cultural heritage will be combined with Disney intellectual properties (IP) to introduce new region-based tourism products for global tourist

Sep 16, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
Disney, Marvel, Pixar to collaborate to highlight K-pop, Korean heritage
Tech & Science

Korea, Uzbekistan sign MOU to expand agricultural cooperation

Korea’s Rural Development Administration (RDA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Agriculture on Monday to support sustainable agricultural development and expand bilateral cooperation. The RDA, an agency under the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said the agreement was signed ahead of the Korea-Central Asia Summit in Seoul on Wednesday. The MOU aims to help Uzbekistan train agricultural specialists by drawing on Korea’s farming technologies and the RDA’s experience in structured training programs. Under the agreement, the two countries will cooperate to improve agricultural productivity through advanced technologies and sustainable farming practices. They will also expand knowledge-sharing, technical guidance and consulting, professional training and exchanges among agricultural institutions and experts. The RDA will help develop customized training programs that reflect Uzbekistan’s farming conditions and needs. It also plans to strengthen the capabilities of researchers, agricultural workers and farmers through exchanges

Sep 16, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
Korea, Uzbekistan sign MOU to expand agricultural cooperation
Companies

Asiana passengers can use mileage on Korean Air for 10 years

Asiana Airlines passengers will be able to keep their existing mileage and use it on Korean Air-operated flights for 10 years after the two airlines merge, under a mileage integration plan approved by Korea’s antitrust regulator Monday. The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) approved Korean Air’s revised plan with conditions aimed at preserving customer benefits and expanding opportunities to redeem mileage following the carriers’ merger on Dec. 17. Under the plan, Asiana mileage will be managed separately for 10 years from the merger date, even after Asiana ceases to exist as a corporate entity. Customers will not have to immediately convert their Asiana mileage to Korean Air’s program. During the 10-year period, Asiana customers will retain the airline’s existing redemption standards and expiration rules. They will also be able to use their mileage across all Korean Air-operated routes for award tickets, seat upgrades, mileage-and-cash payments and shopping. Customers who choose to convert their Asiana mileage can do so at any time during the 10-year period. Flight-earned mileage wi

Sep 15, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
Asiana passengers can use mileage on Korean Air for 10 years
Companies

Otoki's late founder remembered 10 years after death

Otoki held a memorial ceremony on Friday at Ham Tai-ho Hall in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of its founder and honorary chairman, Ham Tai-ho. The event honored Ham’s legacy as a pioneer of Korea’s food industry and reaffirmed his management philosophy of prioritizing product quality and improving people’s diets. Born in Wonsan, South Hamgyong Province in what is now part of North Korea in 1930, Ham volunteered for military service during the Korean War. After completing his service, he developed a vision of contributing to people’s lives through the food industry. Ham gained management experience at a food ingredient manufacturer before founding Poonglim Trading, the predecessor to Otoki, in 1969. The company launched their first instant curry mix that same year, followed by other products including soups, ketchup, mayonnaise and vinegar. Poonglim Trading was renamed Otoki in 1973. Otoki helped shape Korea’s evolving food culture through convenience foods, including its popular 3-Minute Sauce lineup. Ham championed the principle of contrib

Sep 14, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
Otoki's late founder remembered 10 years after death
Companies

Maxim Mocha Gold marks 37th anniversary

Dongsuh Foods’ Maxim Mocha Gold is marking its 37th anniversary this year, maintaining its position as Korea’s top-selling coffee mix brand. The brand sold about 5.3 billion sticks over the past year, according to Dongsuh Foods. The company attributed its long-running popularity to continuous adjustments to the product’s flavor and aroma in response to changing consumer preferences. Dongsuh Foods introduced Korea’s first coffee mix in 1976 and launched Maxim Mocha Gold in 1989 after years of research into consumers’ evolving tastes. The company said it developed the product to deliver a richer aroma and smoother taste through research into bean selection, roasting and extraction. The brand has recently emphasized its emotional appeal through an advertising campaign featuring actress Park Bo-young. Under the slogan, “Let’s be happy now, a cup of happiness now,” the campaign focuses on small moments of comfort and relaxation in everyday life. Dongsuh Foods has also expanded the brand experience beyond its products through pop-up cafes and other consumer events. Since 2015,

Sep 14, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
Maxim Mocha Gold marks 37th anniversary
Companies

Chicken dishes give wings to Chuncheon tourism, fuel local economy

CHUNCHEON, Gangwon Province — Famous for its stir-fried and grilled chicken dish, known in Korean as dakgalbi, Chuncheon has long drawn visitors from across the country to its local eateries. The city is now putting that culinary appeal at the center of the government’s fledgling initiative to revitalize domestic tourism by linking local food with popular tourist attractions. In June, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced "K-Chicken Belt," a vetted list of 552 restaurants and venues in 30 cities known for chicken dishes. As the city representing dakgalbi in the program, Chuncheon and KORAIL Tourism Development have jointly launched a tourism package featuring the city’s famed foods, traditional liquors, sightseeing destinations and local experience spots. The Korea Food Promotion Institute under the ministry is organizing the program. The package, available for a limited period in October through KORAIL's tourism package online sale platform, includes meals of dakgalbi, grilled barbecue chicken, makguksu (buckwheat noodles), fine-dining restaurants and a p

Sep 11, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
Chicken dishes give wings to Chuncheon tourism, fuel local economy
Companies

Why Mediheal bets heavily on golf?

This is the second in a series of interview stories and feature stories about L&P Cosmetic, a company behind the globally popular facial sheet mask brand Mediheal, introducing the philosophies, insights and future strategies of leaders of the K-beauty company. — ED Bae So-hyun, a 33-year-old Mediheal-sponsored golfer on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, was touched when she had dinner last year with Kwon Oh-sub, chairman of L&P Cosmetic, which operates the beauty brand. The timing was not ideal for her. Shortly before the dinner, she missed the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open in Wisconsin in May after shooting 7 over par. After winning three titles in 2024, the most among KLPGA players that year, her hunger for another victory had only grown, but a fourth win remained out of reach. Her cutoff in the United States, combined with her prolonged winless stretch, left her in a deeper emotional slump. But Kwon neither criticized her nor suggested ending the sponsorship. Instead, he offered words of encouragement. “He told me I didn't have to win. He told me to just

Sep 11, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
Why Mediheal bets heavily on golf?
Society

COVER STORY Marathons at city centers inconvenience residents

Approximately 40,000 runners participated in the Seoul DongA Marathon on March 15. The race began on a Sunday morning at 5 a.m., starting from Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul and stretching to Jamsil Sports Complex in the city's southeastern Songpa District. The annual marathon was hosted by a major newspaper company together with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency approved the race and its path. Police took charge of traffic control during the race, deploying forces from Jongno District, Hyehwa-dong, Namdaemun Market, Jung District, Dongdaemun Market, Seongdong District, Gwangjin District, Songpa District and Suseo-dong. Traffic controls were imposed and lifted at different times to allow for the passage of runners through each area. Controls around the Jamsil section were lifted at 2:30 p.m., nearly 10 hours after the first were imposed at the start of the race. While the participants were running across the city to cheers from onlookers, others were complaining. The event caused massive traffic issues across the city as vehicles were forc

Sep 10, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
[COVER STORY] Marathons at city centers inconvenience residents
previous page
12345
next page

Top 5 stories

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.