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Ko Dong-hwan

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Companies

Court rejects LG chief's adoptive mother's petition to end adoption

A Seoul family court on Thursday dismissed a petition by Kim Young-sik, widow of LG Group Chairman Koo Bon-moo and adoptive mother of LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, seeking to dissolve their adoptive relationship. The Seoul Family Court rejected Kim’s petition for judicial dissolution of the adoption. The court did not disclose its detailed reasoning during the hearing. Kim filed the petition in November 2024 while she was involved in a separate inheritance dispute with Koo Kwang-mo over assets left by her late husband. Koo Kwang-mo is the biological son of Koo Bon-neung, chairman of Heesung Group and younger brother of Koo Bon-moo. Koo Bon-moo adopted his nephew at age 26 in 2004 after losing his only son in an accident, a move widely viewed as paving the way for the succession of LG Group, which has traditionally followed a firstborn-son succession principle. After Koo Bon-moo’s death in 2018, Koo Kwang-mo inherited most of his adoptive father’s shares in LG Group and became the conglomerate’s largest shareholder. The inheritance dispute began in 2023, when Kim and her two daug

Sep 3, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
Court rejects LG chief's adoptive mother's petition to end adoption
Companies

Busan becomes Olive Young's beauty hub outside Seoul

CJ Olive Young is stepping up efforts to establish Busan as a global K-beauty hub, opening a large-scale town store and a design-focused outlet. The country’s largest beauty retailer said Wednesday that it relocated and expanded Olive Young Nampo Town in Nampo-dong, Busan’s Jung District, on Friday, making it the largest town-format store outside the capital region. It also opened Olive Young Millak The Market in Millak-dong, Busan’s Suyeong District, on Sunday. The expansion reflects a sharp rise in foreign visitors to Busan. The city welcomed 3.1 million international tourists last year, the largest number among cities outside the capital region. During the first half of this year, the number rose 44 percent from previous year to 2.4 million. Cruise tourism has been a major driver of the increase. The number of cruise passengers visiting Busan is projected to nearly quadruple to 990,000 this year from 257,000 in 2025. Olive Young Millak The Market store is located in a waterfront commercial district stretching from Gwangalli Beach to Millak-dong, which includes Olive Young’s Gw

Sep 2, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
Busan becomes Olive Young's beauty hub outside Seoul
Companies

Jung Kwan Jang remains No. 1 in global ginseng market for 12th year

Jung Kwan Jang, Korea Ginseng Corp.’s global health food brand, ranked first worldwide in the retail market for ginseng and red ginseng products and herbal dietary supplements for 12 consecutive years from 2014 to 2025, according to global market research firm Euromonitor International. Euromonitor International’s 2025 report showed that Jung Kwan Jang held a 44.3 percent share of the global retail market for ginseng and red ginseng products in 2024 by sales. The brand has ranked first every year since Euromonitor began tracking the market in 2014. Its market share increased 3.9 percentage points from 40.4 percent in 2020. Jung Kwan Jang also ranked at the top of the broader herbal dietary supplements market, with a 3.5 percent share. The Korean Ginseng Corporation (KGC), which owns Jung Kwang Jang, exports its products to more than 40 countries, building on its 127-year history in the red ginseng business. Its major brands include Red Ginseng Extract, Hwa-Ae-Rak, Everytime and CheonNok. The company has recently expanded its portfolio beyond ginseng, adding products featuring ingred

Sep 1, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
Jung Kwan Jang remains No. 1 in global ginseng market for 12th year
Companies

Chipotle lands in Seoul, begins Asian expansion

Chipotle Mexican Grill will open its first restaurant in Asia in Seoul on Wednesday, marking the U.S. fast-casual chain’s first expansion into the region since its founding in Denver in 1993. The restaurant, located near Gangnam Station, one of Seoul’s major hot spots, faces a main road for easy access. It has 96 seats, an open kitchen and a counter where customers can order and customize their meals, including bowls, burritos, tacos and salads. A crew of culinary experts from Chipotle’s headquarters was inside the kitchen of the new restaurant on Tuesday, helping locally hired workers become familiar with kitchen operations. According to a restaurant employee, the crew travels to all newly opened Chipotle restaurants worldwide to train local workers. Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright said Korea was an ideal market to begin the company’s Asian expansion because of local consumers’ growing interest in quality ingredients and the country’s ability to generate global market trends. “We know that Korea is a very sophisticated market with very dynamic consumers who care deeply about

Sep 1, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
Chipotle lands in Seoul, begins Asian expansion
Companies

SK hynix still reviewing feasibility of Japan semiconductor plant

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won said Monday that SK hynix is still reviewing the possibility of establishing a joint venture semiconductor plant in Japan, amid reports that the Korean chipmaker is considering building a facility in the neighboring country. On the sidelines of a meeting between representatives of the Korean and Japanese chambers of commerce in Sendai, Chey was quoted as saying, “We are in the process of studying it, and as soon as we finish, I will let you know,” when asked whether SK hynix would invest in Japan to build a chip production facility or establish a joint venture with a Japanese company to produce memory chips. However, Chey left without providing further details on potential sites in Japan, whether the plant would be built as a joint venture or who the potential partner might be. SK hynix is pursuing overseas expansion while continuing to invest in Korea. On Thursday, the company broke ground for an advanced high-bandwidth memory packaging fab in West Lafayette, Indiana. The company also plans to invest 54 trillion won ($39 billion) to expand semiconduct

Aug 31, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
SK hynix still reviewing feasibility of Japan semiconductor plant
Companies

Dongwon F&B launches health-focused Chuseok gift sets

Dongwon F&B has launched more than 110 types of gift sets for this year’s Chuseok holiday, expanding offerings centering on protein, reduced-sugar products and eco-friendly packaging. The major food company said Monday it increased the number of tuna can gift set varieties by 20 percent in response to growing consumer interest in protein. The lineup includes sets featuring Dongwon Tuna’s high-protein Light Standard product, which contains 25 grams of protein in a 135-gram can, nearly half the 55-gram recommended daily protein intake for adults. Dongwon F&B will also offer sets combining flavored tuna products, including spicy and vegetable tuna, as well as gift sets containing two new Super Tuna products. Available through online shopping malls, the products include Protein 30, which contains 30 grams of protein, and low-sodium albacore tuna, which contains 70 percent less sodium, according to the company. Yangban seaweed, which marks its 40th anniversary this year, will offer gift sets made with selected raw seaweed. The lineup includes premium varieties and expanded sets featuring

Aug 31, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
Dongwon F&B launches health-focused Chuseok gift sets
Companies

KTX expands Tuesday following SRT absorption

An integrated high-speed railway service integrating KTX and SRT trains will officially launch Tuesday, marking the first time the combined services will be available through a single dedicated platform. SRT trains, previously operated by SR, will join KTX services operated by KORAIL under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The integration of SR into KORAIL is intended to result in a major increase in seating capacity for passengers. The government said 15,000 additional seats will be available on weekdays and 17,000 on weekends. It also said the number of seats on routes departing from Suseo Station in southern Seoul will increase by 30 percent. Fares will be reduced by an average of 10 percent to match SRT pricing structures. Trips departing from Suseo Station will also now be eligible for mileage deals, usually equivalent to 5 percent of each ticket purchase. All trains will be available for booking through KORAIL+, the online platform launched by KORAIL in early August. The expanded KORAIL service will introduce 31 additional new trains next year, each with 500 seats

Aug 31, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
KTX expands Tuesday following SRT absorption
Companies

Oriental Brewery enters soju market with zero-sugar 'Charlang'

Oriental Brewery (OB), an AB InBev-owned brewer best known for its Cass beer brand, is entering Korea’s soju market for the first time with “Charlang,” a zero-sugar soju made with water from Jeju Island. The company said Monday that Charlang will hit the market in late September, marking a new chapter for OB as it expands beyond its core beer business. OB’s move into the soju business follows its acquisition of Jeju Soju from Shinsegae L&B, giving the company a foothold in the soju market and expanding its beverage portfolio beyond beer. Charlang is made with water sourced from eastern Jeju’s volcanic bedrock. OB said the water, naturally filtered through volcanic rock, gives the soju a milder taste, while sea salt adds a subtle savory note. The 15 percent alcohol-by-volume soju is designed to reduce the artificial aroma and sweetness found in some soju products, according to the company. The product’s name and branding draw inspiration from Jeju’s natural landscape. Charlang evokes the image of gentle waves and a tranquil setting for sincere conversations. The bottle featur

Aug 31, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
Oriental Brewery enters soju market with zero-sugar 'Charlang'
Companies

'Cosmetics ODM's role is creating what's not out there yet,' Cosmax makeup research head says

SEONGNAM, Gyeonggi Province — Cosmax, one of Korea’s largest beauty original development manufacturing (ODM) companies, has to stay ahead of market trends as it develops products for some 5,000 beauty brands worldwide. Working with clients ranging from major European labels to emerging boutique brands, the company seeks not just to follow demand but to help shape the next beauty trend. At its research center in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, the company is working on what it hopes will be the next market breakthroughs. While many basic consumer needs and desires are relatively obvious, the paths to providing those solutions can be creative and innovative. According to Woo Young-hwa, director of the Cosmax Makeup Research & Innovation Center, there are three technologies currently under development that could emerge as major trends in the global beauty industry. Gel-type formulas are one of the technologies Cosmax sees as potentially reshaping product lines. After introducing a gelatinous lipstick this summer that leaves little residue after use, Woo is now focusing on developing form

Aug 29, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
'Cosmetics ODM's role is creating what's not out there yet,' Cosmax makeup research head says
Companies

NCT contributes to Seoul Fashion Week with costumes, runway music

K-pop boy band NCT is bringing both their costumes and music to Seoul Fashion Week 2027 SS runways. The band’s involvement is a highlight of the weeklong event aimed at promoting Korean designer brands to global buyers and consumers, hosted by the city government. Along with band-related events at Lotte World Tower in Jamsil, there will also be a series of programs held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) and in the trendy Seongsu neighborhood, including trade shows, food and beauty exhibitions and a special showroom for Berlin-based brands. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of their debut, NCT will help celebrate the finale on Sept. 6 with a “curated runway,” according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Costumes worn by the artists over the past decade as part of shows, along with personal articles, will be centerpieces of the runway, with models putting on a choreographed performance using some of the band's best-loved music. City officials said the NCT-themed runway show will “combine fashion, music and entertainment" in a rare experiment for the fashion industry. Lotte World Tow

Aug 28, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
NCT contributes to Seoul Fashion Week with costumes, runway music
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