my timesThe Korea Times
jinhai

Park Jin-hai

Korea Times K-Culture Reporter

Park Jin-hai primarily focuses on K-dramas, entertainment shows and actor interviews. Beyond that, she also pens articles covering the broader arts scene, with a particular emphasis on classical music, dance and various aspects of lifestyle. Since joining The Korea Times in 2013, she has made significant contributions in the realms of hallyu (Korean wave), industry news and international affairs.

Go to Email

Read more

Companies

FTC investigates VW ads

By Park Jin-haiThe Fair Trade Commission said Monday it has begun investigating Volkswagen’s advertisements to see if they misled customers.The commission requested Volkswagen submit related documents and it will review whether the German carmaker has breached the local law that prohibits advertising that can mislead customers by exaggeration and giving false information about the products.Volkswagen Korea has been using the terms “clean diesel” and “eco-friendly” in their sales campaigns since 2009, stressing their diesel engines have passed the high emission standards of the U.S. and Europe.The decision followed the announcement of the Ministry of Environment last week that concluded it had found evidence of emission cheating software in Volkswagen and Audi models, ordering the recall of 123,000 cars and slapping a 14.1 billion won fine on the company.If false advertising is confirmed, the German carmaker can be levied with a fine that could reach 2 percent of their total sales at maximum, as well as being sued by the prosecution.Some say that the fine

Nov 30, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Companies

Hyundai Motor sales bottom out in China

By Park Jin-haiHyundai Motor sales are recovering in China after a months-long slump.The company and its sibling Kia Motors sold a combined 156,575 cars in China last month, up 4.7 percent year-on-year.Their market share in the world’s biggest automotive market reached 8.9 percent in October, compared to 8.4 percent a month earlier.The figure is the third largest after Volkswagen at 17.4 percent and General Motors at 12.3 percent.Hyundai and Kia have maintained their market share at between 10.4 and 10.5 percent since 2012. However, sandwiched between global auto giants armed with aggressive marketing campaigns and fast-growing local automakers, they have been struggling to hold on to their market share since early this year.In June, their market share fell to 7.2 percent.In August, Hyundai had a massive personnel shuffle in its China business, hoping to make a breakthrough in the troubled market. Hyundai and Kia have fought to earn back their market share, offering deep price cuts for their popular models and launching strategic models such as the new Avante compact, locally n

Nov 30, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Companies

Car industry feels fallout from Volkswagen emission scandal

By Park Jin-haiThe local car industry is feeling the fallout from the global Volkswagen emission scandal as the government introduces successive measures to widen the investigation and penalize all polluting diesel makers.The environment ministry last week confirmed Volkswagen’s cheating and ordered a recall, slapping a total fine of 14.1 billion won for its 15 models, the largest yet.Now the investigation has been widened to include all diesel models sold here. Included are models of 16 carmakers including Porsche, Jaguar, Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors.The government is also close to raising the cap for the polluting carmakers tenfold to 10 billion won.Moreover, the land ministry, which watches over fuel efficiency and safety, said it would investigate how the so-called defeat device could affect fuel efficiency.The ministry plans to conclude its investigation by mid-December and take punitive and administrative measures against companies whose vehicles’ fuel efficiency exceeds by more than five percent the figure that has been claimed.Experts said that such unpreced

Nov 29, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Companies

KAIDA forecast slower imported car growth next year

Jung Jae-hee, KAIDA chairman and Ford Korea CEO, makes his opening speech at an event to mark its 20th anniversary, at Banyan Tree Club and Spa in Seoul, Wednesday. / YonhapBy Park Jin-haiThe Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA) expects the local imported vehicle market, which has posted double-digit growth in recent years, to have slower growth next year.This announcement was made during the 20th anniversary of the organization, Wednesday.It predicts 255,000 imported vehicles will be sold here next year, an increase of 8.5 percent from this year. It is a conservative figure, in consideration of the market developments at home and abroad that adversely affect the local industry.Apart from the Volkswagen scandal that is shaking confidence in German cars, lawmakers are moving to revise tax and insurance codes affecting the industry. “For the past two decades, KAIDA has worked hard to make the foundation for growth,” said Jung Jae-hee, KAIDA chairman and Ford Korea CEO, during the celebration at Banyan Tree Club and Spa in Seoul, Wednesday.

Nov 25, 2015By Park Jin-hai
KAIDA forecast slower imported car growth next year
Companies

Hyundai EQ900 records 4,000 pre-orders in a day

A rendered image of Hyundai Motor EQ900By Park Jin-haiHyundai Motor’s EQ900 (globally named the G90), the first model in the company’s luxury Genesis brand, is set to stir up a storm in the domestic car industry.Hyundai received 4,342 preorders for the top-of-the-line luxury sedan one day after it began to accept reservations Monday.This number is four times higher than the 1,180 recorded for the second-generation Equus in 2009. “Given that the EQ900 is a high priced luxury flagship sedan, the number is surprising,” said a Hyundai Motor official. “The elegant and refined exterior and high-end craftsmanship, together with people’s expectations of luxury cars, seemed to have all worked to our advantage,” he added.The EQ900 will be launched next month with various engine types ― the Lambda 3.8 V6, the Lambda 3.3 V6 Turbo and the Tau 5.0 V8 ― all of which were developed by Hyundai Motor.The vehicle will be the first mass-produced car with partially autonomous driving, including the highway driving assist system, whereby the car can

Nov 24, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Companies

Hyundai marks 100th anniversary of late founder Chung's birth

Former President Lee Myung-bak, left, shakes hands with Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Mong-koo during a ceremony to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the late Hyundai Group founder Chung Ju-yung’s birth, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul, Tuesday. / YonhapBy Park Jin-haiHyundai Motor Group and other affiliates held a ceremony to pay tribute to the conglomerate’s late founder, Chung Ju-yung, marking the 100th anniversary of his birth Tuesday.Over 500 Hyundai executives, business leaders, politicians and diplomats participated in the celebration to commemorate Chung’s leadership and “Can-do” spirit.Remembering the late founder during the celebration at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, former President Lee Myung-bak said, “Chung was the nation’s first startup founder. His creativity, can-do spirit, and lack of fear of failure are values that will carry us to even greater heights in today’s digitalized world.”“I believe his entrepreneurship provide great lessons for the business leaders of today, faced with fierce global competiti

Nov 24, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Hyundai marks 100th anniversary of late founder Chung's birth
Companies

Gov't to step in POSCO restructuring

By Park Jin-haiThe government is expected to intervene in the restructuring of steelmaker POSCO to prevent the company from following in the footsteps of the local shipbuilding industry.Government officials say as steel is also a backbone industry along with automobiles, shipbuilding and IT, pre-emptive and defensive measures are required for early normalization.POSCO said it will accelerate efforts to shut down money-losing businesses and keep exploring ways to achieve soundness. However, it seems evident that this cannot be done using existing tools.Strategy and Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan ordered POSCO to undergo the largest-ever restructuring and vowed the government will actively step in to make it happen.“Many shipbuilding and steel making companies faced with the global oversupply issues have reached their limits. Without immediate change, they could hamper other businesses,” Choi said in a recent meeting with the heads of local private think tanks. “We will have all political policies so that structuring process could be working.”The government ha

Nov 22, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Companies

Kumho supports Chopin competition winner Cho

Kumho Asiana Group Chairman Park Sam-koo, third from right, poses with Chopin competition winner Cho Seong-jin, center. Cho played with the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo, Friday. / Courtesy of Kumho Asiana GroupBy Park Jin-haiKumho Asiana Group Chairman Park Sam-koo lavished praise on Cho Seong-jin, the first Korean winner of the annual Kumho Prodigy Concert Chopin competition.“Cho’s achievement is a great phenomenon for the Korea arts circles,” Park said. “Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation will provide full support to help find more like him.”Cho competed against 78 young pianists from 20 countries last month.Cho made his debut at the 2005 Kumho Prodigy Concert when he was 11. The young prodigy also performed at the company’s concerts in 2006 and 2009.In 2010, he joined Kumho Asiana Soloists, a chamber group made up of Korea's up-and-coming young musicians. Cho played Chopin’s Concerto in E minor, Op. 11 with the NHK Symphony Orchestra for 40 minutes, bringing an enthusiastic response from the audience at NHK Hall, in Tokyo, Frida

Nov 22, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Kumho supports Chopin competition winner Cho
Companies

Hyundai's autonomous vehicle hits city roads

Hyundai Motor’s autonomous Genesis sedan demonstrates how to avoid another vehicle during the Future Growth Engine Challenge Parade on a street in southern Seoul, Sunday. / YonhapBy Park Jin-hyeHyundai Motor’s self-driving Genesis traveled along busy city roads for the first time Sunday.The three-kilometer test-drive between northern Yeongdong Bridge and COEX in southern Seoul was a pre-event for the four-day Creative Korea 2015, which will start Thursday.The annual exhibition, organized by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, aims to showcase the past achievements of government-led creative economy initiatives. During the special event, named “Future Growth Engine Challenge Parade,” Science, ICT and Future Planning Minister Choi Yang-hee experienced Hyundai’s advanced autonomous driving technology.The Genesis carried out 11 tests on streets, including driving under the speed limit, staying in the right lane, starting and stopping at traffic lights, automatic lane changing, reading hand signals and traffic jams, and making way

Nov 22, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Hyundai's autonomous vehicle hits city roads
Companies

Dongwha Enterprise hits record quarterly performance

An aerial view of the VRG Dongwha MDF, Dongwha Enterprise’s Vietnam plant, in BinhPhuoc Province, Vietnam.By Park Jin-haiKim Hong-jinDongwha Enterprise CEODongwha Enterprise has broken another profit record in its recently disclosed third-quarter financial report, buoyed by rising demand in the local housing market and its growing Vietnam business.Experts say that following the first quarter “earning surprise,” when the leading building materials maker posted over a 100 percent increase in operating profit year-on-year, it has been beating its own record and this pattern is expected to continue.“Its third-quarter sales broke the record,” said Kim Yeol-mae, a senior analyst at Hyundai Securities. “The sales of all products ranging from particle boards (PB) and medium-density fiberboards (MDF) to building materials have shown growth, while its bullish Vietnam business has been contributing to the company’s overall performance as well.”The company’s third quarter sales posted a record 175.8 billion won, up 24.3 percent year-on-year,

Nov 19, 2015By Park Jin-hai
previous page
6263646566
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.