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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.

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Economy

Can Chinese demand cushion blow of US recession on Asian economies?

Jerome Powell, chairman of the US Federal Reserve, speaks during a news conference following a Federal Open Market Committee meeting in Washington DC on June 15. EPA-YonhapChina is expected to pick up steam in coming months: HSBC economistBy Kim Bo-eunHONG KONG ― Record-high inflation, aggressive rate hikes and stock market chaos have stoked concern that the U.S. economy could slip into recession, causing a growth slump in other parts of the world.In Asia, eyes are also fixed on China, with some wondering whether the world's No. 2 economy will be able to act as a buffer against a potential contraction in the U.S.China has a significantly lower rate of inflation than the U.S. and “prudent” economic policy during the first two years of the pandemic has given Beijing room to roll out targeted support for the economy. While numerous headwinds remain, the easing of coronavirus restrictions after months of lockdowns in major cities like Shanghai, coupled with new stimulus measures, have buoyed hopes among some analysts that the worst might be over.“China is likely past it

Jul 3, 2022By Kim Bo-eun
Can Chinese demand cushion blow of US recession on Asian economies?
World

Xi praises 'one country, two systems' framework at 25th anniversary of Hong Kong handover

Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, is seen with Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, at the latter's inauguration ceremony held at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, Friday. AP-Yonhap By Kim Bo-eunHONG KONG ― Chinese President Xi Jinping praised the "one country, two systems" principle on his two-day visit to Hong Kong, marking the 25th anniversary of the handover of the city by the U.K. to China. The remarks come as Beijing increases its influence over the city, with the passage of the national security law in 2020.It was the Chinese leader's first trip out of the mainland since the outbreak of the pandemic, and also since the passage of the controversial security law. Xi last visited the former British colony in 2017, for the 20th anniversary of the handover.In a speech upon his arrival on Thursday, and in a keynote address the following day, Xi praised the framework proposed by former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping underscoring that Hong Kong and Macau ar

Jul 1, 2022By Kim Bo-eun
Xi praises 'one country, two systems' framework at 25th anniversary of Hong Kong handover
World

Former journalist recalls handover of Hong Kong as 25th anniversary approaches

Son Key-young, a former reporter for The Korea Times, and now a professor at Korea University's Asiatic Research Institute / Courtesy of SonBy Kim Bo-eunHONG KONG ― Twenty-five years ago, on the eve of July 1, 1997, masses gathered at Tiananmen Square in Beijing to celebrate the U.K.'s official handover of Hong Kong to China, which ended 156 years of British rule over its former colony.Son Key-young, a former reporter for The Korea Times and now a professor at Korea University's Asiatic Research Institute was there to see the ceremony take place and file a story, after asking spectators there how they felt about the handover."Police were surrounding citizens, but it was clear that it was a festive mood at the time," he said in an email interview. He noted that the fireworks at the Workers' Stadium in Beijing after the gathering at Tiananmen Square were so loud that it felt like a war had erupted."At the time China was poor and lacked infrastructure in many aspects, so we could not imagine it would become the powerful nation it has now become. I felt that the event (celebrating the ha

Jun 30, 2022By Kim Bo-eun
Former journalist recalls handover of Hong Kong as 25th anniversary approaches
Banking & Finance

INTERVIEW NH Investment & Securities accelerating growth in Hong Kong

NH Investment & Securities' Hong Kong subsidiary CEO Lee Jung-soo / Korea Times photo by Kim Bo-eunHong Kong subsidiary accounts for over 80 percent of securities firm's overseas earningsBy Kim Bo-eunHONG KONG ― Korean financial firms are seeking to expand overseas operations as they face limits in the domestic market. But as relative latecomers and foreign entities, overseas expansion has proven a difficult task due to substantial barriers to entering overseas markets that are dominated by larger existing players. NH Investment & Securities, which has been in Hong Kong since 1994, has managed to beat the odds and establish itself in the local market. The securities firm was formerly owned by the conglomerate, LG, and then by Woori Financial Group, before being acquired by NongHyup Financial Group in 2014. NH is one of the largest brokerages in Korea, and the Hong Kong subsidiary is among the best-performing of its Korean peers.The scale of overseas earnings of Korean securities firms still accounts for a small percentage of the total earnings, but the companies are intent on

Jun 29, 2022By Kim Bo-eun
[INTERVIEW] NH Investment & Securities accelerating growth in Hong Kong
Economy

Korea on track to cut dependency on China for rare earths

A machine is seen at the Bayan Obo mine mining for rare earth minerals, in Inner Mongolia. Reuters-YonhapKorea places hopes in US-led Minerals Security Partnership, domestic production of rare earth metalsBy Kim Bo-eunHONG KONG ― South Korea's decision to join a U.S.-led pact on mineral supply helps satisfy a “definite need” to cut dependency on China for key resources, including rare earths, analysts said.Securing key resources has become a core task for major economies around the world, as minerals are a crucial element incorporated into cutting-edge technologies, green energy and national defense industries.Countries have traditionally relied on China as it not only holds the largest amount of rare earth reserves, but it also is the world's biggest producer.But China's recent moves to regulate the mining and exports of rare earths has had economies scrambling to secure alternative supplies, with the U.S.-led Minerals Security Partnership launched earlier this month.“Korea is more dependent on China [for supply of rare earth] because of proximity and because of th

Jun 28, 2022By Kim Bo-eun
Korea on track to cut dependency on China for rare earths
World

South Korea, China battle population woes

South Korea's fertility rate ― the average number of children a woman is expected to give birth to in her lifetime ― came to 0.81 in 2021. This is the lowest figure since the country's statistics agency began compiling related data in 1970. gettyimagesbankSimilar culture attributed to falling birth rateBy Kim Bo-eun, Luna SunHONG KONG, BEIJING ― Japan has long been suffering from the worst population crisis, but South Korea's fertility rate is now one of the lowest in the world, and China's is not much better.Last year, in a nation of over 51 million people, the average number of children a woman in South Korea was expected to give birth to in her lifetime sat at 0.81 ― the lowest since Statistics Korea began compiling related data in 1970 when the figure stood at 4.53 and down from over 2 in 1983.According to an estimate from a team of demographers, including Liang Jianzhang, Ren Zeping and He Yafu, as China did not release an official figure last year, for China's population of 1.4126 billion, the fertility rate in 2021 was 1.15, down from an official figure of 1.3 a year earlier.E

Jun 24, 2022By Kim Bo-eun
South Korea, China battle population woes
World

Hong Kong to offer Korean in college entrance exam

Hong Kong students take the university entrance exam at a school in the city in April 2020. AP-YonhapInclusion of Korean in foreign language category will provide Hong Kong students with wider employment opportunitiesBy Kim Bo-eunHONG KONG ― Hong Kong will include Korean in the foreign language category of the city's university entrance exam starting from 2025. The Consulate General of South Korea in Hong Kong said Wednesday that Hong Kong's Examinations and Assessment Authority and Korea's National Institute for International Education had reached an agreement on the matter.“The documents on the agreement are ready, but a physical ceremony for the memorandum of understanding (MOU) was postponed due to Hong Kong's COVID-19 restrictions,” Deputy Consul General Park Kyongsig said. Under the agreement, Hong Kong's test authority will allow students to submit scores for the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK), taken in the last two years. Currently, Hong Kong's university entrance exam has French, Spanish, German, Japanese, Hindi and Urdu in its foreign language category. &

Jun 22, 2022By Kim Bo-eun
Hong Kong to offer Korean in college entrance exam
North Korea

N. Korea snaps up Chinese soybeans as COVID-19 exacerbates food shortage fears

The North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported June 18 that medical supplies and other goods prepared by party central committee officials and their family members were delivered on June 17 to a region in South Hwanghae Province that has seen an infectious disease outbreak. KCNA-YonhapChina's exports to North Korea slumped by 85.2 percent in May from AprilBy Ji Siqi, Kim Bo-eunSHENYANG, HONG KONG ― North Korea bought a large volume of soybeans from China in May even though overall imports from its neighbor slumped more than 80 percent from the previous month, trade data from Beijing showed, amid suspicion the reclusive state is suffering food shortages as it fights a coronavirus outbreak.North Korea spent $2.97 million on 3,744 tons of Chinese soybeans last month, the second-largest monthly amount since 2017, Chinese customs data showed.The country imported just 500 tons of soybeans from China in the first four months of 2022.North Korea is facing a potentially dire food situation this year, which has been exacerbated by trade disruptions caused by the pandemic.The CIA estima

Jun 22, 2022By Kim Bo-eun
N. Korea snaps up Chinese soybeans as COVID-19 exacerbates food shortage fears
World

Dragon Boat Festival sheds light on Hong Kong's fishing community

Englishman Charles Thirlwell remembered for his contributions, grandson competes in boat race to preserve and promote cultural heritageBy Kim Bo-eunHONG KONG ― The Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday that falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the year according to the lunar calendar. Dragon boat races are held on this holiday across the mainland, and also in Hong Kong. The annual festival took place on June 3 this year after two years of cancellations, due to the coronavirus pandemic. While Stanley Beach in the south of Hong Kong Island and the traditional fishing village of Tai O on Lantau Island were among the main locations of boat races, some races also took place at Chai Wan on the east end of Hong Kong Island.Gabriel Sit talks about training for the dragon boat race at Chai Wan, June 3, where races were held marking the traditional Chinese Dragon Boat Festival holiday. Korea Times photo by Kim Bo-eunGabriel Sit, a 31-year-old medical doctor who took part in the races in Chai Wan, said that the event means more than training, thrills and fun.“When

Jun 7, 2022By Kim Bo-eun
Dragon Boat Festival sheds light on Hong Kong's fishing community
Companies

China emerges from COVID lockdown, but Korean companies see damage

An aerial view of Shanghai's container port / gettyimagesbankFrom small traders to some of South Korea's top conglomerates, China's hardline coronavirus containment policy has taken a tollBy Kim Bo-eunHONG KONG ― South Korean businesses in Shanghai are rushing to normalize operations after the city lifted its two-month long citywide lockdown on Wednesday.Park Sang-min, a South Korean businessman based in the commercial hub, said many companies involved in trade like his own had lost business partners during the lockdown, when cargo-handling capacity at the city's port plunged.The city's port, the world's biggest based on cargo throughput, handled 17 percent fewer containers in April compared with the same month of 2021, data from Shanghai International Port Group shows. As Park's company was unable to ship parts and materials overseas over the past two months, business partners in Europe and Northern Africa found other companies shipping goods from regions of China not under lockdown.Payments for some orders delivered before the lockdown were also suspended because banking services w

Jun 3, 2022By Kim Bo-eun
China emerges from COVID lockdown, but Korean companies see damage
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