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  • Companies

    FTC approves Coupang’s co-prosperity plan for its private brand contract

    The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has approved a 3 billion won ($2 million) "co-prosperity" remedy package proposed by Coupang to resolve its allegation that the e-commerce giant unfairly slashed supply prices for its private brand (PB) products. The decision will allow Coupang to avoid regulatory sanctions and will instead fund product development, advertising and other related expenses for its subcontractors. Since October 2022, Coupang had been under investigation for violating the Fair Transactions in Subcontracting Act. The company allegedly failed to issue formal, legally compliant contracts to 314 subcontractors. It was also accused of forcing 94 suppliers to fund uncontracted promotional events and cut supply prices for its PB goods. The FTC finalized Tuesday the consent decree for Coupang and Coupang Private Label Brands, which handles manufacturing and sales operations for the retailer’s private brand products. Under the consent decree, companies can settle antitrust cases without admitting liability by offering voluntary remedies. The decision marks the first time a consent dec

    2 MIN READBy Lee Min-hyung
    FTC approves Coupang’s co-prosperity plan for its private brand contract
  • Companies

    Homeplus ordered by court to submit 200 bil.-won funding plan by next week

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Homeplus ordered by court to submit 200 bil.-won funding plan by next week
  • Tech & Science

    LG Chem bets $9.7 bil. on semiconductors, mobility, robotics materials

    2 MIN READBy Lee Gyu-lee
    LG Chem bets $9.7 bil. on semiconductors, mobility, robotics materials
  • Banking & Finance

    New fire protection association chief vows shift from response to prevention

    2 MIN READBy Lee Hyo-jin
    New fire protection association chief vows shift from response to prevention
  • Business

    Samsung Electronics, SK hynix to benefit further from AI memory bottleneck

    2 MIN READBy Lee Yeon-woo
    Samsung Electronics, SK hynix to benefit further from AI memory bottleneck
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Companies

Nearly 4 in 10 firms participating in RE100 initiative face difficulties in sourcing renewable power

Nearly 40 percent of South Korean companies participating in the global Renewable Energy 100 percent (RE100) initiative are struggling to source renewable energy due to high costs and limited procurement options, a report showed Tuesday. Out of 183 South Korean firms that have joined the global campaign, 70, or 38.3 percent, said they had difficulty sourcing enough renewable energy to power all of their operations with 100 percent renewable electricity in 2024, according to the report from the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI), citing data from the nonprofit Climate Group and the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). It marked a sharp increase from 39 companies in 2022, representing an 80 percent rise over the two-year period. Cost burdens and a lack of available procurement mechanisms were cited as the main reasons for the difficulty in sourcing renewable power. Compared with other major economies, South Korea's 2024 figure was significantly higher than 20 companies in the United States, 29 in China and 48 in Japan. Based on the findings, the FKI said it has recommended a list of 20 poli

Jan 20, 2026By Yonhap
Nearly 4 in 10 firms participating in RE100 initiative face difficulties in sourcing renewable power
Tech & Science

Top 3 telecoms expect over $2.7 bil. in combined operating profit despite cybersecurity incidents

Three major Korean telecom companies are projected to post a combined annual operating profit exceeding 4 trillion won ($2.7 billion) for 2025, despite a series of large-scale hacking incidents and data breaches that weighed on short-term performance. According to analysts’ consensus estimates released over the past month, SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus are expected to reach total revenue of 60.9 trillion won with an operating profit of 4.38 trillion won for the year. The combined revenue rose 3.25 percent and operating profit increased 25.4 percent compared to the previous year, recovering to the 4 trillion won range for the first time since 2023. The rebound comes even with short-term losses for SK Telecom and KT in response to security breaches, including contract termination fee waivers, bill discounts and customer compensation programs. While these measures impacted their quarterly earnings, steady performance in their core businesses and the growth of new ventures helped offset the losses. SK Telecom is expected to record revenue of 17.15 trillion won and an operating profit of 1.0

Jan 20, 2026By Lee Gyu-lee
Top 3 telecoms expect over $2.7 bil. in combined operating profit despite cybersecurity incidents
Companies

Tesla’s aggressive pricing secures its dominance in Korea’s EV market

Tesla Korea’s aggressive pricing strategy makes its models stand out, with few electric vehicle (EV) rivals matching the U.S. brand’s strong commercial value, according to market watchers. The iconic EV brand demonstrated its market strength in Korea last year. According to data from market tracker CarIsYou, Tesla Korea sold 59,949 EVs in 2025, up 101.5 percent from the previous year, driven by the strong popularity of its price-competitive Model Y SUV. The vehicle was Korea’s top-selling imported model last year, with sales of 50,405 units, up 169.3 percent from a year earlier. Its exceptional growth surprised the market, surpassing sales of Mercedes-Benz Korea’s flagship E-Class sedan, long the country’s best-selling imported car. Tesla is looking to solidify its position in Korea by rolling out a series of aggressive discount campaigns for its most price-competitive models, the Model Y and Model 3. The carmaker’s latest discount on its Model 3 electric sedan brings its price below 40 million won ($27,100) after subsidies. Late last month, the company also implemented a pri

Jan 20, 2026By Lee Min-hyung
Tesla’s aggressive pricing secures its dominance in Korea’s EV market
Business

SK Telecom files lawsuit to revoke record $91 mil. fine over data breach

SK Telecom, Korea's largest mobile carrier, has filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn a record 135 billion won ($91 million) fine handed down by the state data protection regulator over a massive data leak last year that affected its entire 23 million user base, industry sources said Monday. SK Telecom filed the suit with the Seoul Administrative Court on Monday afternoon, just a day ahead of the deadline given to the company to seek a revocation of the decision by the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) made in August last year, according to the sources. The PIPC had imposed the fine on SK Telecom about four months after the wireless carrier belatedly disclosed a major leak of universal subscriber identity module (USIM) data from its servers. The disclosure prompted the company to offer free USIM replacements to all of its users and an investigation by the regulator. It marked the highest-ever penalty imposed by the PIPC since its launch in 2020, surpassing a combined 100 billion-won fine against Google and Meta Platforms Inc. in 2022. SK Telecom is reportedly expected to st

Jan 19, 2026By Yonhap
SK Telecom files lawsuit to revoke record $91 mil. fine over data breach
Companies

Korean Air open to playing part in Canadian submarine bid

Korean Air said Monday it is open to supporting Hanwha Ocean’s consortium in its bid to beat Germany’s TKMS for Canada’s order of 12 patrol submarines worth 60 billion Canadian dollars ($43 billion). The deal would mark the largest single contract in Korea’s defense export history if successful. Along with Hyundai Motor, which has already received Ottawa’s request to invest in Canada’s car industry in exchange for the massive submarine deal, Korean Air has been mentioned as one of the companies expected to join senior government officials and Hanwha executives on their planned visit to Canada later this month. “We are considering ways our company can contribute to the project,” a Korean Air official said. The airline’s willingness to support the Korean shipbuilder contrasts sharply with Volkswagen’s stance. The German carmaker denied any role in the bid despite Ottawa’s request for additional auto investments, saying last week it has no involvement in the ongoing competition, no cooperation with TKMS and no intention to help the German shipbuilder win the contract.

Jan 19, 2026By Park Jae-hyuk
Korean Air open to playing part in Canadian submarine bid
Banking & Finance

IMF raises Korea's 2026 growth outlook to 1.9%

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised its 2026 economic growth outlook for Korea to 1.9 percent, Monday, up from its previous forecast of 1.8 percent last October. The revised projection for Asia’s fourth-largest economy is higher than the 1.8 percent growth forecast for advanced economies. It also reflects brighter prospects for the country, in line with projections from institutions both locally and abroad, compared with 2025 when growth was estimated at just 1 percent. For 2026, the Ministry of Economy and Finance projects 2 percent growth, the Bank of Korea forecasts 1.8 percent and the OECD expects 2.1 percent. The IMF did not elaborate on the details behind its upward revision for Korea’s outlook. Meanwhile, it noted that downside risks to the global economy stemming from changes in trade policies are balanced by upside factors, including a surge in artificial intelligence (AI) investment, fiscal and monetary support and accommodative financial conditions. It accordingly revised up its world economic growth forecast for 2026 forecast by 0.2 percentage points to 3.3 percent

Jan 19, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
IMF raises Korea's 2026 growth outlook to 1.9%
Companies

HD Hyundai’s Gunsan dockyard drawn into election debate ahead of June 3 polls

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) is under growing pressure to resume full-scale operations at its dockyard in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, as politicians are ramping up efforts to win votes ahead of the June 3 local elections. Since 2017, HD HHI has not built any new ships at the Gunsan dockyard. After reopening in 2023, the facility has only produced shipbuilding blocks shipped to Ulsan. Despite the dockyard’s private ownership, some politicians have urged the shipbuilder to sell the facility if it does not plan to resume full-scale operations. Rep. Lee Won-taeg of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), who represents Gunsan, Gimje and Buan County, met with Prime Minister Kim Min-seok on Jan. 8 to ask for the central government’s intervention. According to the lawmaker, the prime minister showed keen interest in the issue and promised to review the proposal. “I told him the government should consider selling the dockyard if necessary, although resuming full-scale operations is the best option,” Lee said. Running for the governorship of North Jeolla Province, Lee has been e

Jan 19, 2026By Park Jae-hyuk
HD Hyundai’s Gunsan dockyard drawn into election debate ahead of June 3 polls
Companies

SK Bioscience opens Korea’s largest vaccine R&D center in Incheon

SK Bioscience on Monday completed its relocation to its new headquarters in Incheon, as the company seeks to transform its Songdo base from a manufacturing-centered site into an advanced research hub. The company said operations have begun at its Research & Process Development Center in Songdo, Incheon. SK Bioscience invested 377.2 billion won ($256 million) in the facility, which enables vaccine research, process development and quality analysis to be conducted within a single, integrated development flow. SK Bioscience said the center is the largest facility in Korea dedicated to vaccine research, housing specialized laboratories for next-generation vaccine platforms, including messenger RNA, recombinant protein and viral vector technologies. At the center, the company plans to strengthen its existing portfolio, including influenza and pneumococcal vaccines, while expanding its vaccine platforms. It also aims to pursue mid- to long-term strategies, such as expanding global joint projects with international organizations including the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, th

Jan 19, 2026By Nam Hyun-woo
SK Bioscience opens Korea’s largest vaccine R&D center in Incheon
Tech & Science

Samsung's Texas plant emerges as buffer against possible US memory tariffs

Samsung Electronics’ semiconductor plant in Taylor, Texas, is emerging as a potential buffer against the U.S. threat to impose a 100 percent tariff on memory chips, as the site offers room for future memory fabs aligned with Washington’s policy push. This scenario is gaining traction as U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told reporters last week that memory semiconductor makers will have to either “pay a 100 percent tariff” or “build in America.” Although Lutnick did not single out any specific countries or companies, his comments were widely seen as a call for more U.S. investment from Korean memory makers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, which dominate the global memory market. The two Korean chipmakers have responded to Washington’s frequently changing tariff push on chips by highlighting that they are building semiconductor plants in the U.S. While Washington has yet to spell out what would qualify as “build in America,” the fact that Lutnick made the remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony for Micron Technology’s new memory plant in New York suggests that bu

Jan 19, 2026By Nam Hyun-woo
Samsung's Texas plant emerges as buffer against possible US memory tariffs
Companies

GS to offer self-developed AI safety agent free of charge to SMEs

GS Group is offering its self-developed artificial intelligence (AI)-powered safety management agent, AI Risk Assessment (AIR), to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) free of charge. Through the initiative, the company aims to share its field-driven AI transformation experience and expertise with smaller workplaces that have been slower to adopt AI, in a bid to raise safety standards across industries. “AIR is an AI agent developed based on real on-site needs identified by field staff themselves,” a GS Group official said. “Through this initiative, we hope SMEs can experience the benefits of AI-driven safety management firsthand and ... meaningfully help close safety gaps across worksites.” “GS will continue to enhance Korea’s industrial competitiveness and safety standards through its accumulated AX experience and expertise,” the official added. GS Power, a subsidiary of GS Group, first introduced AIR — an agent that integrates AI into job risk assessments — to improve both efficiency and quality in the process, drawing attention as a model case in industrial saf

Jan 19, 2026By Lee Gyu-lee
GS to offer self-developed AI safety agent free of charge to SMEs
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