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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.

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Companies

Kia Motors unveils new Sportage SUV

Kia Motors showed off the fourth generation new Sportage SUV during a media event in advance of its September launch, at the Kia design, research and development center in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. / Courtesy of KiaBy Park Jin-haiKia Motors unveiled its fourth-generation Sportage SUV, Thursday, prior to its September launch. With an upgraded design and performance the nation’s second-largest automaker said it will compete against rivals such as the Volkswagen Tiguan and Honda CR-V SUVs.“Compared with our sibling firm, Hyundai Motor’s Tucson, its design is sportier, which will appeal to younger generations,” said a Kia Motor official, during a media event in Kia's design research and development center in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province.  “The new Sportage will rival the Volkswagen Tiguan in domestic and European markets, while competing against the Honda CR-V in the North American market.”The Sportage has been one of Kia’s best-selling cars. Since its launch in 1993, the company has sold more than 3.5 million over the past 22 ye

Aug 27, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Companies

BMW to rev up sales by launching new models

BMW the new 7-seriesBy Park Jin-haiBMW Korea, the No. 1 imported carmaker in sales, is poised to accelerate its local sales drive by adding fresh models in the latter half of this year.An array of new models in each segment, including the new 3-series, 7-series and X1 compact SUV, will be imported soon after their world debut.The refreshed new 3-series will be the first to be rolled out in the second half of the year.Launching in September, the face-lifted sixth-generation BMW 3-sereis sedan and touring car have a refreshed look with sharper front and rear design. The 3-series has long enjoyed popularity among car lovers over the past four decades and is one of the most successful BMW models, recording a fourth of the carmaker’s sales.With the new 3-series, four gasoline engines and seven diesel engines will be available, giving more options.Customers can select either a rear or an all-wheel drive system.After that comes the highly anticipated fully changed 7-series, launching in October.The flagship 7-series luxury limousine world premiered at the Frankfurt motor show in June

Aug 26, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Economy

Mirae Asset receives Best Company Award

By Park Jin-haiMirae Asset Financial Group has received the Best Company Award from a renowned academic organization for its efforts to expand overseas.At the 17th Korean Academic Society of Business Administration’s annual award ceremony last week, Mirae Asset got the top prize for the first time as a financial institution.The society has presented the award each year since 2003 to companies that have contributed to national economic development.“It seems that the judges have given us high points for our growth in the global financial market, competing against overseas rivals,” said Park Hyeon-joo, chairman and founder of Mirae Asset, during the ceremony, where more than 1,500 people from academic circles gathered.Mirae Asset, since its establishment in 1997, is taking the lead in implementing innovation in the financial market. With the adoption of open-end mutual funds and alternative investment funds, the company has changed the local investment market environment, while spearheading the globalization of local financial institutions.Starting from its Hong Kong o

Aug 25, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Companies

QM5 turns into art piece

Scrap metal from a Renault Samsung Motors’ QM5 SUV has been turned into an art piece at local optician Gentle Monster, near Hongik University in Seoul./ Courtesy of Renault Samsung MotorsBy Park Jin-haiRenault Samsung’s flagship QM5 SUV has returned as an art piece displaying the carmaker’s love of nature.The local unit of French automaker Renault SA is displaying its QM5 SUV until Sep. 14 under the theme of “Off Road Rally” at a local optician near Hongik University in Seoul.Requested by Gentle Monster, scrap metal from a QM5 has been rejuvenated as an art piece.“We provided our vehicle for this project because the idea of recycling scrap is fun for people and also sits well with our image as an environmentally friendly carmaker,” said a Renault Samsung official. “It also corresponds with our existing art collection series.”Since 2013, the carmaker has had an art collection campaign. During the campaign, premium options had Boss sound systems, bi-xenon adaptive head lamps and Napa leathers given away for free.The QM5’s fram

Aug 24, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Companies

Hyundai, Samsung land war reignites

By Park Jin-haiHyundai Motor Group and Samsung Group are expected to enter the second round of competition to clinch a piece of land in southern Seoul.The two have finished a review and will participate in a bid to buy the site, where Seoul Medical Center (SMC) was located. It is just 100 meters from land that Hyundai bought from Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) last year.Hyundai and Samsung showed interest in that property, but Hyundai won the bid by offering 10.5 trillion won, three times the land’s appraised value.Hyundai is developing the land into a mammoth complex accommodating its headquarters, a hotel, convention and entertainment facilities.Hyundai previously said it was not interested in the SMC land, but given the possible synergy with the current building project, it seems to have changed its position.This time, Hyundai E&C, Hyundai’s construction unit, will lead the bid.“We have been considering the bid, although a final decision has not been made yet,” said Hyundai E&C CEO Jung Hyun-soo.Samsung Group also is likely to enter a bid becaus

Aug 21, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Hyundai, Samsung land war reignites
Companies

Tivoli receives top rating in vehicle safety test

By Park Jin-haiSsangyong Motor’s Tivoli compact SUV received the top score in the Korean New Car Assessment Program (KNAP), the automotive safety test conducted by the land ministry.It scored 91.9 points out of 100.The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport applied new standards for the tests. Five local and imported models were tested in the categories of crash safety, passenger protection, driving performance and accident prevention. The other vehicles were the Infiniti Q50 sedan, the BMW X3 compact SUV, the Kia Soul compact and the Hyundai Tucson SUV.The Tivoli, in particular, posted a strong result in the crash test, scoring 65.8 points, the highest among leisure vehicles since 2013.    “The 71.4 percent use of high-strength steel as well as 40 percent ultra-high-strength steel, the biggest in the segment, has made Tivoli’s body very rigid,” said Ssangyong Motor. “By having a perfect score on front and side crash tests, its crash safety has been verified.”Ssangyong’s popular compact SUV, since its launch in January,

Aug 21, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Companies

Porsche dealer refutes labor claims

By Park Jin-haiSSCL CEO Graeme HunterStuttgart Sports Cars Ltd (SSCL), the largest local Porsche dealer, hit back at its car dealers that are staging walkouts, saying they have distorted the truth and are playing games with the media.It said most of the union’s claims that the company unfairly dismissed union members and that dealers face poor working conditions are simply not true.“Unions insist on an unconditional retraction of the disciplinary action legally taken by the company. The recent dismissal of four dealers was a measure against individuals who violated not only ethical regulations of the company but also Korean law,” said Shin Ye-hwan, SSCL’s sales and marketing director, during a recent press meeting.The 49 union members out of the company total of 68 dealers have been on strike since Aug. 5, calling for the return of the four union members that were dismissed. The SSCL claims one of the union members was fired for abusing his position and committing sexual harassment on two occasions; another lost his job for a trademark violation; while th

Aug 20, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Porsche dealer refutes labor claims
Companies

Hyundai Motor sacks executives amid struggles

By Park Jin-haiTan Tao-hung, head of China business strategyfor Hyundai-KiaLee Byung-ho, head of Beijing Hyundai MotorHyundai Motor Group, Korea’s biggest automaker, has sacked several senior executives in China as part of a corporate strategy to reverse falling sales in the world’s largest auto market.In a rare mid-year reshuffle of management, Sichuan Hyundai Motor’s Sales Division Vice President, Tan Tao-hung, was named new head of China business strategy for both automakers.Lee Byung-ho, vice president at Hyundai WIA, will be responsible for handling Hyundai's main joint venture in China, Beijing Hyundai Motor. Kim Gyun, vice president at Kia Motors, was given a mission to put its affiliate, Kia's China joint venture, Dongfeng Yueda Kia Motors, on track as quickly as possible, the company said Wednesday.In a measure to take full responsibility for the continued sales slump in China, the outgoing executives were demoted.“It is a move to change the organizational atmosphere in our China business as well as strengthening our ability to cope with market change

Aug 19, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Hyundai Motor sacks executives amid struggles
Companies

Volvo Group Trucks aims to double sales in Korea by 2020

By Park Jin-haiChristophe Martin, president of Volvo Group Trucks’ Asia-Oceania sales divisionA senior executive at Volvo Group Trucks Asia said the Swedish truck manufacturer plans to double sales of its products in the Korean market by 2020.“Volvo aims to double annual sales by 2020 focusing on medium and heavy-duty trucks. Volvo is confident in maintaining its leadership in the local truck segment thanks to strong brand awareness,” Christophe Martin, president of Volvo Group Trucks’ Asia-Oceania sales division, said in a recent interview.He stressed Korea is a “very unique” market for the group for two reasons. “Volvo was impressed to see the outstanding growth rates over the last few years unlike other truck brands. Also, the consistency and speed of this trend is very strong and impressive,” the executive said.Volvo said it holds between 45 percent and 50 percent market share in the imported heavy-duty truck segment in Korea. According to Martin, the release of its brand-new FL-series medium-duty truck lineup in Korea represen

Aug 19, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Volvo Group Trucks aims to double sales in Korea by 2020
Companies

Mercedes Financial offers zero-interest loans

By Park Jin-haiMercedes-Benz Financial Services has been offering zero-interest car loans to buyers since last month.Nine out of the 11 Mercedes official dealers, with the exception of Star Motor and Han Sung Motor, have joined Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, providing zero-interest car loans for small and mid-sized cars to woo younger customers.The massive no-interest car loan promotion is the first since Mercedes-Benz did something similar in 2012.The models affected are A-Class, CLA-Class and GLA-Class cars.When the car is paid off in 24-month installment plans, customers must pay 30 percent of the car’s price in a lump sum and then pay the rest interest-free over the remaining months. In the case of a 36-month installment plan, the initial payment must be 40 percent of the total car price.Dealers say they will decide whether to continue the sales policy after reviewing sales reports and customer reactions accepted until the end of this month.   When other imported luxury car makers, including BMW and Volkswagen, have competitively offered zero-interest loans to

Aug 18, 2015By Park Jin-hai
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