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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

Tivoli cruising toward overseas market

Ssangyong Motor’s workers applaud on a dock in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday, as the automaker starts its first overseas shipments of compact Tivoli SUVs. / Courtesy of Ssangyong MotorBy Park Jin-haiSsangyong Motor has shipped its popular compact SUV Tivoli overseas, aiming to repeat its local success abroad.Some 2,000 Tivoli vehicles were shipped Tuesday from Pyeongtaek port to European and Latin American countries, including Belgium, the U.K. and Spain.It is the first overseas shipment since its January launch in Seoul, and the vehicles will hit local showrooms in June.“The Tivoli is our strategic model for the global market and the result of 40 months of research and development. It will serve as the model for the company’s mid- and long-term growth strategy,” said CEO Choi Johng-sik.Ssangyong held a ceremonymarking the model’s first shipment from Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province.The Tivoli represents a fresh start for the carmaker, which almost reached the point of liquidation. Buoyed by its fashionable design that caters to the tastes of young

Mar 31, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Companies

Home shopping channels fined W14.4 billion for unfair practices

By Park Jin-haiThe Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has fined CJ O Shopping, Lotte Homeshopping and four other TV home shopping channels a combined 14.4 billion won (12.98 million) for unfair business practices.Irregularities ranged from the intentional delay of signing contracts with suppliers, non-payment or overdue payment of goods received, passing the costs of TV sales promotion to suppliers and unilaterally changing contracts on commissions.The four other companies punished are GS Homeshopping, Hyundai's Hmall, HNS Mall and NS Mall.It is the first time that home shopping channels have been slapped with fines for unfair business practices by the commission.It is the anti-trust watchdog’s first move to apply the toughened Large-Scale Retailers` Fair Trade Practices Act to penalize big companies that engage in illegal trade with their suppliers.CJ O, which has been slapped with the largest fine of 4.6 billion won, was revealed to have passed 99.8 percent of sales promotion costs or 5.6 billion won to its 146 suppliers.Lotte, fined 3.7 billion won, failed to sign contracts with su

Mar 30, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Economy

Shinhan, Kookmin plan to expand recruitments

By Park Jin-haiShinhan Bank and several other major banks announced Sunday that they will expand hiring this year, nearly doubling recruitment from the previous year.Shinhan Bank will expand the number of its new employees to 1,000 from last year’s 590. The hiring breaks down to 350 college graduates; including 70 high school graduates and 280 women, who had to quit their jobs to care for their children, plus 220 part-timers.  Calling it “warm employment,” Shinhan Bank CEO Cho Yong-byoung said, “Employment is important for banks, but it is also important in terms of corporate responsibility. We will maintain our warm employment policy in the future, extending help to diverse classes of people.”Kookmin Bank will also more than double the size of its recruitment to 800 from last year’s 355. This will include jobs for 300 women whose career has stalled as they raised children.Kookmin Bank says its employment policy will leave out specifications such as educational background to hire talents with job competency.To enforce local branches’ bus

Mar 30, 2015By Park Jin-hai
People & Events

Hanssem founder donates W440 bil. to nurture future leaders

Hanssem DBEW (Design Beyond East & West) Research FoundationCho Chang-gulBy Park Jin-haiCho Chang-gul, 76, the founder of furniture maker Hanssem, will donate 2.6 million company shares, half of his stake, worth 440 billion won to his company’s non-profit foundation for talented young people, the firm said Thursday.The founder and honorary chairman gave 600,000 of his company shares worth 105 billion won in a first batch to the Hanssem DBEW (Design Beyond East & West) Research Foundation.The foundation is a non-profit think tank Cho founded in 2012 to give guidance to young Koreans on reading and changes in geopolitics, in a bid to nurturing future global leaders.   The remaining 2 million worth of shares will be injected into the fund over the next few years.“Chairman Cho used to say that Korea should play a leading role among the super powers of the U.S., China, Russia and Japan,” said a company official. “The foundation will be run in a way that develops future strategies for Korea and incubates leaders, emulating the Brooking Institu

Mar 26, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Hanssem founder donates W440 bil. to nurture future leaders
Companies

BMW launches first plug-in EV sports car

Models showcases i8, BMW’s first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), during a launch event at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, Thursday. The luxury PHEV sports car that appeared in the movie Mission Impossible 4 is priced at 199.9 million won. Over 100 people have already preordered the car. / YonhapBy Park Jin-haiBMW Korea unveiled the i8 ― a futuristic plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) sports car that appeared in the movie “Mission Impossible 4” ― in Korea on Thursday.The i8, priced at nearly 200 million won and comes with scissor doors, is the German carmaker’s first PHEV launched here. It is also the second of the German auto group’s lineup looking to gain a foothold in the environmentally-friendly car segment here after its i3 electric vehicle.    The car was launched in advance of being displayed during the Seoul Motor Show early next month.The car, which runs either on a gasoline engine or on battery, showcases the company’s determination to lead in the burgeoning PHEV market.The i8 plug-in sports car can r

Mar 26, 2015By Park Jin-hai
  • BMW marks 100th anniversary
Companies

Hyundai, Kia plan to speed up China marketing

By Park Jin-haiHyundai Motor and Kia Motors say that they will beef up their sales network in China to strengthen their presence in the world’s fastest-growing market.Hyundai will increase the number of its dealers to 1,000 from the current 920 within this year, while its sister firm Kia will also up its dealers to 885 from the current 785, according to the companies.  Industry sources say that it is a preemptive step to secure sales networks ahead of their fourth China plant in Changzhou and fifth plant in Chongqing on which the companies will start construction within this year.  “The dealership will grow in the midwestern part of China. So far we have focused on big cities like Beijing and Shanghai, but see their growth has reached its limit. Thus, smaller midwestern cities of Chongqing and Xuchang will also see our dealerships grow within this year,” said a Hyundai official.When Hyundai increase its dealerships to 1,000, it will become the second foreign automaker to have more than 1,000 shops in China following Shanghai GM, which currently runs 1,269

Mar 23, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Companies

James Bond's Aston Martin launched here

Models stand next to British supercar maker Aston Martin’s Rapide S, Vanquish and DB9, at the British Embassy in Seoul, Friday. The firm plans to introduce 11 models to Korea to provide a wider choice for customers. / YonhapBy Park Jin-haiDr. Ulrich BezAston Martin chairmanAston Martin, better known as the makers of James Bond’s car, roared into the Korean market Friday, heating up the already intense competition in the country's growing luxury sports and supercar market.Kiheung International, which also imports Harley-Davidson, was designated as the authorized dealer and importer of Aston Martin, which announced the sales of such models as the DB and Vanquish.“It is such an iconic brand,” said British Ambassador Charles Hay, at a media event at the British Embassy in Seoul. “For a young boy and girl growing up in the U.K., it is everybody’s dream one day to have an Aston Martin.”Dr. Ulrich Bez, chairman of Aston Martin, said he was convinced the brand was right for Korea. “It is for those who love special and who love design and e

Mar 20, 2015By Park Jin-hai
James Bond's Aston Martin launched here
Companies

Hanwha expected to benefit from merger

By Park Jin-haiThe share prices of Hanwha Corp., the parent company of Hanwha Group specialized in defense business, are expected to perform strongly on a positive earnings outlook, analysts said Friday. They said the company’s proposed merger with Samsung Techwin will further bolster its defense segment. The stock closed up 1,700 won or 5.15 percent at 34,700 won, while the benchmark KOSPI closed down 0.65 points or 0.03 percent at 2,037.24. “Unlike other affiliates, Hanwha recorded an operating profit that beat market expectations last year, boosted by robust sales in its core aerospace and defensive business,” said Park Joong-sun, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities.The proposed merger last year with Hanwha TechM, a machinery and technology unit, will start creating synergy this year, he said.Other analysts also said the stock is expected to maintain upward momentum.Kang Sun-a, an analyst at KB Investment and Securities, said, “From the first quarter, sales from guided weapon Cheonmu, worth 150 billion won, will boost its bottom line. T

Mar 20, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Companies

KHNP steps up nuclear security

The construction of the Shin Hanul No. 1 and No.2 reactors is underway in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province. Both 1,400 megawatt reactors are scheduled to go online in April 2018. / Courtesy of KHNPBy Park Jin-haiCho SeokKHNP CEOKorea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) has beefed up security against potential future cyber attacks to calm public fears about the safety of nuclear energy.“Through the Fukushima disaster and the cyber attacks, people are afraid of anything nuclear. Yet, it is still one of the cleanest and soundest energy sources,” a company official said.He said that the level of security is rock solid, as there are multiple layers of protection.“The moment a reactor is detected to be electrically manipulated, it will instantly switch to a manual mode to allow total control of the situation,” he added.The number of cases where reactors are stopped to check for a malfunction for such reasons as aged parts has been on the decrease.In 2012, nine such cases were reported, but it dropped to six in 2013 and five in 2014.The state power operator says it has

Mar 19, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Companies

Hyosung to take over importer of Ferrari, Maserati

By Park Jin-haiHyosung Group will take over FMK, the official dealer for Italian supercars Ferrari and Maserati.Hyosung is already an official importer of Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Lexus brands.It said Wednesday it would buy the entire 100 percent stake in FMK, an affiliate of DongA One, for 20 billion won.  Flour maker DongA One is selling FMK shares to improve its financial structure.DongA One, which posted 77.6 billion won in net profit last year, is selling its assets including affiliates and plants worth nearly 100 billion won.Hyosung said it wanted to expand its auto imports operation.“It will create synergy to boost our existing import car business,” said a company official.Maserati sold 723 vehicles here last year, up 500 percent from a year earlier.In February, visiting Maserati Japan CEO Fabrizio Cazzoli said Korea was the country with the fastest purchasing growth in the Asia Pacific region and that he expected to see another 70 percent growth in sales this year.Thanks to the success of the Maserati brand, FMK has been expanding its showrooms and serv

Mar 18, 2015By Park Jin-hai
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