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  • Companies

    Will Homeplus liquidation decision be postponed again?

    Homeplus has submitted an amended rehabilitation plan just three days before a court deadline, but its failure to secure a crucial 200 billion won ($129 million) capital injection is increasing uncertainty over whether the troubled retailer will face liquidation, industry sources said Wednesday. The Seoul Bankruptcy Court will now assess the feasibility of the revised proposal to determine whether to continue with rescue proceedings or dissolve the company. Although the current deadline expires this Friday, expectations are rising that the court will defer the date once more to review the new submission. The country’s second-largest retail chain, controlled by private equity firm MBK Partners, filed for corporate rehabilitation on March 4 last year after struggling with financial difficulties and facing credit rating downgrades. The original deadline for court approval of its rehabilitation plan was March 4 this year, but the court first extended it to May 4 before granting an additional extension until this Friday. Bankruptcy law dictates that a rehabilitation scheme must receive appr

    3 MIN READBy Jun Ji-hye
    Will Homeplus liquidation decision be postponed again?
  • Tech & Science

    SK hynix finishes filing for US depositary share offering

    2 MIN READBy Nam Hyun-woo
    SK hynix finishes filing for US depositary share offering
  • Companies

    Renault Korea's June sales plunge 45 % on weak demand

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Renault Korea's June sales plunge 45 % on weak demand
  • Companies

    GM Korea's June sales rise 6.6% on robust overseas demand

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    GM Korea's June sales rise 6.6% on robust overseas demand
  • Companies

    Hyundai Motor's global sales down in June on weaker demand

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Hyundai Motor's global sales down in June on weaker demand
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Banking & Finance

Kbank to offer industry’s first full compensation for identity theft

Kbank will launch a new service aimed at protecting customers from financial fraud and offering full compensation in cases of identity theft, the internet-only bank said Monday. The new service, which takes effect on Tuesday, introduces enhanced identity verification procedures such as video calls or facial recognition whenever users change their mobile devices. Should any losses arise from identity theft despite these measures, Kbank will provide full compensation. The firm noted that although several financial institutions operate compensation programs for fraud victims, this is the first to guarantee full reimbursement of the entire amount. Identity theft scams typically involve tactics such as posing as a family member or a credit card courier, or using phishing or smishing (a form of phishing using text messages) to steal personal data or identification documents. The fraudsters then open a mobile device under the victim’s name, install financial apps and withdraw money using the stolen identity. The bank explained that by requiring additional identity verification when users chan

May 12, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
Kbank to offer industry’s first full compensation for identity theft
Banking & Finance

Seoul shares up late Monday morning after US-China trade talks

Korean stocks traded higher late Monday morning as the first high-level tariff negotiations between the United States and China boosted optimism that the two countries may reach a trade deal. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) had added 15.06 points, or 0.58 percent, to 2,592.33 as of 11:20 a.m. Washington and Beijing held a two-day trade dialogue in Geneva from Saturday (local time) to discuss tariff and other trade issues. Both sides have yet to issue an official statement on the results of the talks, but U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said a deal had been reached with China to cut the U.S. trade deficit, touting "substantial progress." The Chinese delegation also said in a news conference that it held a "constructive" dialogue with the U.S. The two countries are expected to release a joint statement on the details of the negotiations later in the day. In Seoul, market heavyweight Samsung Electronics rose 1.46 percent, and its chipmaking rival SK hynix jumped 2.42 percent. Top automaker Hyundai Motor climbed 1.74 percent, and its sister, Kia, advanced 2.13

May 12, 2025By Yonhap
Seoul shares up late Monday morning after US-China trade talks
Tech & Science

Netflix under fire for rate hike as rivals freeze fees

Netflix has come under criticism for its excessive rate hike of 27.3 percent here, while rival streaming platforms have opted to freeze their respective subscription fees. The streaming giant announced Friday that it is raising prices for its Standard with Ads and Basic plan, marking its second price hike after increasing the Standard and Premium plans in 2021. The ad-supported plan, which was previously 5,500 won ($3.93), is now 7,000 won per month, representing an increase of about 27 percent. Meanwhile, the Basic plan has increased by 26 percent, from 9,500 won to 12,000 won. As the Basic plan has been discontinued for new subscribers, the change only applies to existing users who have maintained the plan. The new price took effect for new members on the day, while existing members will see the new prices reflected in their next subscription bill. The Standard and Premium plans will remain at their current prices, along with the Naver Plus membership, which includes access to Netflix's ad-supported plan for 4,900 won per month. The price increase in Korea marks the third highest among

May 11, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee
Netflix under fire for rate hike as rivals freeze fees
Companies

Construction CEOs ramp up site visits to cut worker deaths from falls

It has become increasingly common to see helmeted CEOs of major construction companies inspecting safety measures at job sites under their supervision. Their frequent site visits come in response to a government request to prevent fatal industrial accidents — especially from falls. GS E&C CEO Huh Yoon-hong inspected an apartment complex construction site in Incheon on Wednesday as part of the company's weekly executive visits to worksites nationwide. In January, Huh even held the company's annual kick-off meeting at a desalination plant construction site in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province. Last month, Daewoo E&C CEO Kim Bo-hyun visited an apartment complex construction site in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, to inspect safety facilities and confirm workers were following guidelines. The company said Kim visited three worksites in the first quarter of the year. Hyundai E&C CEO Lee Han-woo also visited a Hyundai Motor service center construction site in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, last month. The company said Lee emphasized the importance of safety to on-site workers. Samsung C&T sent CEO Oh

May 11, 2025By Park Jae-hyuk
Construction CEOs ramp up site visits to cut worker deaths from falls
Banking & Finance

Hana Bank teams up with leisure-focused platform operator Nol Universe

Hana Bank has teamed up with Nol Universe, an online travel and leisure company. Together, they aim to create innovative digital finance products that integrate banking with leisure. These products will also expand to include travel, sports and culture, the lender said Sunday. The partnership is part of Hana’s strategy to expand digital financial services into the rapidly growing leisure tech space. Nol Universe is a comprehensive online operator that provides a range of leisure services, including travel bookings for flights, hotels and tour packages. Other services include ticket sales for cultural events, performances and exhibitions, as well as sports content. Nol Universe operates several platforms, including NOL, NOL Ticket and NOL Interpark. The lender said the two signed a business agreement, May 9 at Nol Universe's Pangyo headquarters in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. They plan to jointly develop a savings account only for Nol Universe affiliates and its members and roll out financial products tailored to sports fans. More teamwork will be outlined to strengthen their collaborative

May 11, 2025By Lee Kyung-min
Hana Bank teams up with leisure-focused platform operator Nol Universe
Companies

SK Telecom introduces USIM format solution amid data leak incident

SK Telecom has decided to introduce a universal subscriber identity module (USIM) format solution that is equivalent — in terms of security — to replacing users' USIM chips, in a move to alleviate public concerns following a major data leak, the company said Sunday. Starting Monday, the nation’s largest telecom operator will initiate the service for its customers to speed up crisis management following the massive data leak last month. The solution updates user identification information from USIM chips, thereby blocking hacking threats from leaked USIM information, according to the company. The service ensures a high level of security, equivalent to replacing USIM cards, it said. The decision came amid continued public criticism of SK Telecom after its customer USIM data was leaked in a malware attack. The company has yet to confirm any specific compensation plans for its customers. “The solution prevents any potential hacking threat from leaked customer USIM data,” an official from SK Telecom said. Unlike USIM chip replacement, with the new solution, customers will not have to

May 11, 2025By Lee Min-hyung
SK Telecom introduces USIM format solution amid data leak incident
Companies

Korean Air nearly halves int'l flights from regional airports amid industry restructuring

Korean Air Lines, Korea's leading air carrier, has significantly reduced the number of its international flights from regional airports, data showed Sunday. The airline operated 6,199 international flights from all regional airports nationwide, excluding Seoul's Gimpo Airport and Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, in 2024, marking a 45 percent drop from 11,408 flights in 2019, according to the data compiled by the land ministry. Korean Air's international flights at Gimhae Airport in the southern port city of Busan sank by 42 percent from 9,675 in 2019 to 5,567 in 2024. The figure for the first quarter of 2025 also dropped by 36 percent compared with the same period in 2019, falling to 1,632 international flights from 2,580. Korean Air explained that the adjustment was inevitable due to delays in aircraft deliveries from manufacturers, prompting it to temporarily scale back operations on certain routes. But civic groups and local politicians have criticized the move, noting that its international flight operations at Incheon Airport declined by a mere 5.7 percent over the same

May 11, 2025By Yonhap
Korean Air nearly halves int'l flights from regional airports amid industry restructuring
Companies

LX Group cruises toward stable growth in 5th year of independence

LX Group marked its fifth year as a standalone conglomerate on May 1, following its separation from LG Group in 2021. Defying initial worries over its viability as an independent business group amid the prolonged global economic slowdown, the group has steadily expanded its business portfolio and stabilized its earnings, creating a rosy outlook for its long-term growth. According to the group, the combined assets of its affiliates stood at 12.67 trillion won ($9.04 billion), up 33.37 percent from 9.5 trillion won in 2021. The number of affiliates also increased to 17 as of April, up from 11 when it split from LG Group. After its separation, LX Group launched with LX Holdings as its holding company, overseeing four key subsidiaries: trading firm LX International, housing materials company LX Hausys, semiconductor fabless firm LX Semicon and chemical company LX MMA. Since then, the group has pursued an aggressive expansion strategy, taking over glassmaker Han Glas, now LX Glas, along with other firms in the fields of biomass and logistics to further diversify its portfolio. As a result of t

May 10, 2025By Nam Hyun-woo
LX Group cruises toward stable growth in 5th year of independence
Business

Korean Air to acquire 10% stake in Canada's WestJet to boost N. American operations

Korean Air, South Korea's leading air carrier, said Friday it will acquire a 10 percent stake in WestJet, Canada's second-largest airline, in a bid to strengthen its presence in the North American market. The Korean airline's board approved the $220 million deal earlier in the day, the company said in a press release. Delta Air Lines, Korean Air's joint venture partner in the United States, will also purchase a 15 percent stake in WestJet for $330 million. Founded in 1994, WestJet operates a fleet of over 180 aircraft and serves more than 100 airports globally. Korean Air has maintained a codeshare partnership with WestJet since June 2012. Korean Air emphasized that the equity investment is aimed at deepening the codeshare alliance and expanding connectivity in Canada and the broader North and Latin American markets. The company noted that the stake acquisition does not entail a management takeover or a merger with WestJet. Canada, the world's second-largest country by landmass, relies heavily on air transport and was ranked as the world's seventh-largest aviation market in 2023, valued a

May 9, 2025By Yonhap
Korean Air to acquire 10% stake in Canada's WestJet to boost N. American operations
Banking & Finance

Fitch upgrades Hanwha Life’s credit rating to A+ with stable outlook

Fitch Ratings, a major global credit rating agency, has upgraded Hanwha Life Insurance’s rating from A to A+, reflecting the firm’s improved profitability following its adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards 17 (IFRS 17) in 2023, as well as its stable financial health and strong risk management capabilities, the insurer said Friday. The upgrade means that the outlook for the firm's rating has been revised from "positive" to "stable," reflecting expectations that the insurer will maintain financial soundness over the medium to long term. Fitch assessed that Hanwha Life’s focus on building a portfolio centered around high-margin protection-type products helped strengthen both profitability and capital adequacy. The insurer’s strategy for overseas expansion, along with a stable sales network supported by competitive distribution channels and a strong brand image, also received favorable evaluations. Fitch further cited the company’s rebalancing toward long-term bonds in anticipation of potential interest rate cuts, as well as its proactive asset-liability manageme

May 9, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
Fitch upgrades Hanwha Life’s credit rating to A+ with stable outlook
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