my timesThe Korea Times
bkim

Kim Bo-eun

Korea Times Digital Content Reporter

Bo-eun leads the digital content team. She has covered foreign affairs, North Korea, tech, economy and gender issues at The Korea Times. She did a short stint at the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong, where she obtained a new perspective on news production and life. Small sources of joy for her are lounging in the sun, having a good latte and swimming.

Go to Email

Read more

Politics

Seoul under growing pressure to join Washington-led economic framework

Minster of Trade Yeo Han-koo, left, shakes hands with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai at the Korea-U.S. FTA Joint Committee meeting held at Shilla Hotel in central Seoul, Nov. 19. Yonhap By Kim Bo-eunWashington is ramping up pressure on Seoul and other key allies in Asia to become part of a U.S.-led economic framework it is seeking to set up as a means to combat China's growing influence in the region. Key officials in charge of U.S. economic policy are making a series of visits to Korea in a bid to ensure the country's participation in the initiative, as Seoul has been caught in the middle of the world's two superpowers while seeking its own best interests.U.S. Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Jose Fernandez is on a trip to Tokyo and Seoul this week, and is expected to seek Korea's reaffirmation of its participation in the framework in a meeting with his counterpart Choi Jong-moon, Friday.The U.S. State Department said last we

Dec 13, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Seoul under growing pressure to join Washington-led economic framework
Companies

Brokerages slash GC Pharma target stock price after suspension of Janssen CMO talks

A researcher is seen working on GC Pharma's COVID-19 plasma therapy development at the company's Ochang plant in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. Courtesy of GC PharmaBy Kim Bo-eunBrokerages slashed GC Pharma's target stock price, Friday, after the company stated a day earlier that talks with Johnson & Johnson regarding the contract manufacturing of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine had been suspended.GC Pharma implied in three filings since August that it had been in discussion with J&J for the possible contract manufacturing of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine.Daishin Securities and Kiwoom Securities lowered their target price for GC Pharma's stock to 300,000 won and 290,000 won, respectively. GC Pharma's stock closed at 237,000 won, Friday, up 0.85 percent from the previous day's close.Analysts stated that the adjusted prices exclude the value of the company's contract manufacturing organization (CMO) business, given uncertainties over the CMO contract with Johnson & Johnson.Daishin Securities maintained its "buy" view, stating that possibilities for a CMO contract still e

Dec 10, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Brokerages slash GC Pharma target stock price after suspension of Janssen CMO talks
Companies

Apple hit by iPhone 13 incoming call defect

Apple's iPhone 13 / Courtesy of AppleBy Kim Bo-eunApple has come under fire for failing to promptly fix a defect in its latest iPhone launched here in October. The U.S. tech giant took measures last month to address problems with the incoming call function found in the iPhone 13. But it is still receiving consumer complaints about problems with incoming calls. The problem is mostly related to the signal for incoming calls and disruptions when receiving text messages.Under the circumstances, Apple is blaming LG Uplus, considering that most iPhone 13 users tend to be subscribers of LG Uplus, one of the three mobile carriers here.Posts on online communities showed subscribers of the two other mobile carriers, SK Telecom and KT, also experienced the same problem. But the two have stated they have not received any official complaints from users.Users of the iPhone 13 opened a groupchat on the KakaoTalk messenger app to share the problems they have experienced and discuss how to address the matter. The groupchat has over 600 participants as of Friday.Apple made an updated iOS available on

Dec 10, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Apple hit by iPhone 13 incoming call defect
Companies

Samsung names more young executives for generational shift

From left: Kim Chan-woo, Park Sung-beom, Yang Hye-soon, Jude Buckley / Courtesy of Samsung ElectronicsTech giant seeks to make organization more flexible amid competitionBy Kim Bo-eunSamsung Electronics promoted more young workers in their 30s and 40s to key executive positions Thursday in a bid to speed up a generational shift and make its organization more agile and capable of embracing change.Two days after its annual yearend C-suite level management reshuffle, Samsung said its executive promotions were focused on performance and growth potential. In recent years the company has been attempting to improve its hierarchical culture as it its increasingly being challenged by international rivals that have a younger, more casual and dynamic workforce.This is in line with its promotions of CEOs that took place earlier this week, in which it essentially changed all managers in major leadership positions with the exception of Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong. Samsung's below CEO-level promotions highlighted the future course of the company's business strategies. It now has workers in their 40s

Dec 9, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Samsung names more young executives for generational shift
  • New young leaders set to back Samsung's core strengths
Companies

LG Innotek CEO Jeong receives IEIE award

By Kim Bo-eunLG Innotek CEO Jeong Cheol-dong / Courtesy of LG InnotekLG Innotek CEO Jeong Cheol-dong will be honored with an award presented by the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers (IEIE), LG's component affiliate said Thursday.Jeong will receive the organization's 31st Haedong Technology Award on Friday, for his contributions in developing high-tech parts and heightening the competitiveness of Korea's high-tech materials and parts industry.The Haedong Technology Award was created by the late Daeduk Electronics Chairman Kim Jeong-sik, who established the Haedong Science Culture Foundation. The late chairman wished to honor those who contributed to academic and technological developments in the field of electronic engineering. Jeong has a 37-year career in the B2B business in the sectors of materials and parts at LG's key affiliates. He joined now-defunct LG Semiconductor in 1984, and worked at affiliates including LG Display, LG Chem and LG Innotek. He led the development of technology and products and the innovation of production processes, LG Innotek said.At LG Di

Dec 9, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
LG Innotek CEO Jeong receives IEIE award
Companies

Market Kurly's growth potential driving valuation

Market Kurly CEO Sophie Kim / Courtesy of Market KurlyConcerns also exist over operating lossesBy Kim Bo-eunAll eyes are on grocery delivery service Market Kurly's valuation as it prepares for its listing on the local stock market. The online retailer received a valuation of 4 trillion won ($3.4 billion) in a pre-IPO, via which it secured 250 billion won before its debut on the main KOSPI bourse, slated for the first half of next year.Its valuation is up 60 percent from July, when it received its sixth "Series F" investment, amounting to 225.4 billion won, backed by expectations over the company's growth potential. Market Kurly's stock received a valuation of 100,000 won per share in the pre-IPO, which compares with the 50,000 won it received at the time of its Series F investment in July.The company's revenue for 2020 came to 953 billion won, and this year, the figure is set to reach 2 trillion won. Market Kurly said that it isn't immediately considering pursuing an overseas expansion but the platform is expected to make inroads into overseas markets in the coming years.But concerns

Dec 8, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Market Kurly's growth potential driving valuation
Companies

SK faces hurdles to building chip plant in US

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, right, speaks with U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., Oct. 27. Courtesy of Senator Mitch McConnell's officeCosts, securing workforce pose obstacles for chipmakergBy Kim Bo-eunSK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won grabbed headlines recently after commenting on the possibility of its chip affiliate building a manufacturing plant in the U.S. But SK hynix is highly unlikely to make the move mostly due to the huge estimated cost of building chip fabrication lines there as well as high labor cost in the world's largest economy."We have a so-called precondition study," the SK Group chief said in a recent media interview, but added "The problem is the workforce and cost."The U.S. and China are the most important markets for SK hynix. The group's semiconductor affiliate already operates a massive memory chip plant in the Chinese city of Wuxi with the help of huge tax breaks and administrative support from both the central and regional Chinese governments. But SK does not operate a chip plant in the United States.Chey

Dec 7, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
SK faces hurdles to building chip plant in US
Companies

Samsung Life faces possible probe for violating shareholder law

Samsung Life Insurance's headquarters in southern Seoul / YonhapBy Kim Bo-eunSamsung's life insurance unit, currently facing punitive measures by financial authorities for violating shareholder regulations, could come under review for a penalty by the country's top antitrust regulator on the same allegation.The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) said Monday it is considering whether to open a probe into Samsung Life Insurance for allegedly providing improper benefits to another affiliate. "We received filings by a local civic group last week and we are currently reviewing whether we will launch a probe into the allegations," a KFTC official said.The civic group Solidarity for Economic Reform filed the request with the watchdog last week.Samsung's life insurance unit is suspected of exempting IT service provider Samsung SDS from paying indemnities for failing to complete a 156 billion won project on time.Samsung Life Insurance CEO Jeon Young-muk / Courtesy of Samsung Life InsuranceSamsung Life signed a 156.1 billion won contract with Samsung SDS back in 2015, requiring the latter to s

Dec 6, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Samsung Life faces possible probe for violating shareholder law
Companies

What is Samsung's Harman up to?

A digital cockpit developed by Samsung and Harman is on display at the Consumer Electronics Show 2018 in Las Vegas. YonhapConnected car tech provider's performance yet to justify price tagBy Kim Bo-eunSamsung Electronics made an ambitious $8 billion investment to acquire connected car technology provider Harman in 2016. It was the most expensive acquisition of a foreign entity by a Korean company and there were high hopes of the synergy Samsung could create with Harman as a leading tech firm.Samsung has affiliates for manufacturing display panels and batteries, and the conglomerate was expected to bolster its competitiveness in connected car products.Among Harman's key products is a digital cockpit featuring monitors that are replacing the traditional instrument clusters inside cars. They provide a digital experience for drivers via multiple screens, voice assistance and other means of input.But expectations have yet to be met. The company grew in the first three years after the acquisition, but earnings slowed in the following years. Harman is owned by Samsung, but operates independ

Dec 6, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
What is Samsung's Harman up to?
Companies

Korean firms appoint more young executives for agility

Korea's top companies are appointing young members in their 30s and 40s to key positions amid the increasing competition to develop new businesses. / gettyimagesbankCompanies also seek better communication with Gen MZ workers By Kim Bo-eunKorea's major companies are shattering their formerly rigid, rank-based and hierarchical cultures by promoting talented young workers in their 30s and 40s to executive positions, in a bid to make their organizations younger and more agile, and able to respond to changes. What is noticeable is that this is not an isolated development at a few companies, but in fact has become an industry-wide trend, which has led to a major generational shift at many Korean companies. Most firms are increasingly becoming aware of the importance of a flexible organizational culture and leadership, as they scramble to develop new businesses in emerging sectors, such as artificial intelligence and the virtual world.The growing voices of the MZ generation ― Millennials and Generation Z workers in their 20s and 30s ― constitute a key driver behind the latest transition. Y

Dec 5, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Korean firms appoint more young executives for agility
previous page
1314151617
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.