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    Surging SK shares complicate owner's property division suit

    The high-stakes property division suit between SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and his former wife Roh Soh-yeong are heading into a critical juncture, as a dramatic surge in SK Inc.'s stock price has introduced fresh legal complications over how marital assets should be valued and divided. The Seoul High Court is scheduled to hold a second mediation session on Monday in the retrial of the property division case, which was remanded by the Supreme Court last year. Both sides are widely expected to appear in person — their first face-to-face courtroom encounter in roughly two years and two months since the final appellate hearing in April 2024. At the heart of the dispute is the stock value of SK Inc., the holding company of SK Group. When the appellate court closed arguments in April 2024, shares were traded at around 160,000 won ($105). They have since surged to approximately 600,000 won, driven by mounting expectations surrounding the expansion of the group's artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem and the strong rally of its cash-cow chipmaker, SK hynix. The timing question is now lega

    2 MIN READBy Lee Min-hyung
    Surging SK shares complicate owner's property division suit
  • Companies

    Airlines on high alert over strengthening dollar, prolonged oil price hike

    2 MIN READBy Lee Min-hyung
    Airlines on high alert over strengthening dollar, prolonged oil price hike
  • Companies

    Smilegate, ‘GTA’ creator take stage at Tribeca to tease next big game

    2 MIN READBy Jhoo Dong-chan
    Smilegate, ‘GTA’ creator take stage at Tribeca to tease next big game
  • Companies

    INTERVIEW Life sciences company bBHC bets on regenerative medicine through Energy Water, novel stem cell platform

    3 MIN READBy Lee Gyu-lee
    [INTERVIEW] Life sciences company bBHC bets on regenerative medicine through Energy Water, novel stem cell platform
  • Companies

    Innocean, SBVA partner to support growth of AI, tech startups

    2 MIN READBy Jhoo Dong-chan
    Innocean, SBVA partner to support growth of AI, tech startups
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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.

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Companies

With inheritance tax paid, Samsung chairman set to expedite future investment

With the Samsung Group owner family set to complete one of the largest inheritance tax payments in Korea’s history, Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong is expected to accelerate future investments based on his stronger control over the group. Hong Ra-hee, the widow of former Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee, sold 15 million shares in Samsung Electronics worth nearly 3.1 trillion won ($2.1 billion) in a block deal on Thursday. The sale has reduced Hong's stake in Samsung Electronics to 1.24 percent from 1.49 percent. The sale was intended to fund inheritance tax payments on assets left by the late chairman. Since his death in 2020, the heirs — Hong and her children Jae-yong, Boo-jin and Seo-hyun — have been in the process of paying 12 trillion won in taxes in six installments, starting in 2021. The process is expected to be completed this month, once Hong uses the proceeds from the latest sale to pay the final installment. The inheritance process strengthened Lee Jae-yong’s grip on Samsung Electronics. Before the late chairman’s death, Hong held a 0.91 percent

Apr 10, 2026By Nam Hyun-woo
With inheritance tax paid, Samsung chairman set to expedite future investment
Business

Korea, Finland seek ways to boost cooperation in supply chains, advanced industries

Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo met with his Finnish counterpart Friday to discuss bilateral cooperation in supply chains and advanced industries amid heightened global uncertainties, his office said. In their meeting in Seoul, Yeo and Finland's Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio explored ways to deepen cooperation between their countries in artificial intelligence (AI), circular economy and other advanced industries, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources. They also discussed upgrading the countries' ties to a strategic and comprehensive partnership while agreeing on the need for closer cooperation among countries, including Korea and Finland, that support open trade amid volatility in the global trade environment stemming from the rise of trade protectionism and geopolitical conflicts. "Finland, with its critical minerals infrastructure and advanced technological capabilities, is a key partner for Korea, and the Seoul government will work to further strengthen economic and security ties with Europe through its mutually beneficial partnership with Fin

Apr 10, 2026By Yonhap
Korea, Finland seek ways to boost cooperation in supply chains, advanced industries
Companies

Samyang Foods' Buldak to return as official partner of Coachella Festival

Samyang Foods’ Buldak brand — known for its intensely spicy “fire chicken” ramen and sauces — will return as the official ramen and hot sauce partner of the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, organizers said, marking its second consecutive year in the role and extending its distinction as the first Korean brand to secure an official partnership with one of the world’s largest music events. The festival runs April 10–12 and April 17–19 in Indio, California. This year’s program will center on the “Buldak Crawl,” a roaming festival experience that allows attendees to sample limited-edition dishes infused with the brand’s signature spicy flavors at multiple vendor locations across the festival grounds. Participating food partners will include Prince St. Pizza, Rokstar Chicken, Sumo Dog, Birrieria San Marcos and Sidekicks, each offering a distinct menu item built around Buldak’s signature spice. Offerings include a pizza slice with Buldak drizzle, tenders and honey butter fries with Buldak sauce, a Buldak Hotzilla Dog with Sumo Tots, a Buldak quesadilla a

Apr 10, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Samyang Foods' Buldak to return as official partner of Coachella Festival
Banking & Finance

Insurers race to increase subscriptions in Korea's underinsured pet market

Choi Kwang-soon, whose Shih Tzu is about to turn 15, hesitated before opening the bill. Caring for a dog with an aging heart already meant steady monthly spending on medication and checkups. But this time was different. Her dog had undergone surgery to remove a cancerous adrenal gland, and by the time the procedure and hospital stay were over, the cost had climbed to nearly 8 million won ($5,400). But she had no pet insurance. “A decade ago, pet insurance wasn’t something people talked about. I didn’t even know it existed and there were barely any products available,” Choi said. “If I had known earlier, I would have signed up. You pay a small amount upfront, and it saves you from these overwhelming expenses later.” In Korea, the number of pet owners reached 15.46 million in 2024, roughly 30 percent of the population. Yet despite the surge in ownership, enrollment remains low, with only 1 to 2 percent of households signed up. But as veterinary bills climb, so too does interest in such policies. According to a KB Financial Group report, households that sought medical treatment f

Apr 10, 2026By Park Han-sol
Insurers race to increase subscriptions in Korea's underinsured pet market
Tech & Science

Record profits expected for SK hynix in Q1 as market weighs chip momentum

SK hynix will announce its first-quarter earnings for the year on April 23, with analysts expecting the memory chip giant to post record-breaking profits. The market is now debating whether the company can sustain its current level of profitability or if the global memory chip upcycle is nearing its peak. As of Thursday, brokerages expect SK hynix to post 47.66 trillion won ($32.2 billion) in sales and 32.69 trillion won in operating profit for the first quarter, representing year-on-year growth of 170 percent and 339 percent, respectively. The operating margin is projected to reach 68.6 percent. SK hynix is highly likely to smash its previous performance record — 32.83 trillion won in sales and 19.17 trillion won in operating profit — from the fourth quarter of last year. The surge was driven by robust demand tied to the artificial intelligence boom, with expanded sales of high-value memory products centered on high-bandwidth memory (HBM), while the average selling price of memory products rose across all segments, including conventional dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and NAND

Apr 10, 2026By Nam Hyun-woo
Record profits expected for SK hynix in Q1 as market weighs chip momentum
Companies

Financial watchdog orders Hanwha Solutions to submit revised share issue plan

Korea's financial regulator on Thursday ordered Hanwha Solutions to submit a revised filing over its plan to issue 2.4 trillion won ($1.6 billion) worth of shares, citing insufficient information. The Financial Supervisory Service said in a regulatory filing that the company's securities registration statement failed to meet formal requirements or contained unclear or missing information on key matters. As a result, the filing has not been accepted, and its effectiveness has been suspended. If Hanwha Solutions fails to submit a revised filing within three months, the registration will be deemed withdrawn. Hanwha Solutions, the energy solutions arm of chemicals-to-shipbuilding conglomerate Hanwha Group, said it will take the regulator's order seriously and prepare a revised filing that reflects feedback from shareholders and the media. The company announced the large-scale rights offering plan on March 26 to repay debt, drawing criticism over the decision-making process and the purpose of the capital increase. Hanwha Solutions said the move was necessary to improve its financial structure

Apr 9, 2026By Yonhap
Financial watchdog orders Hanwha Solutions to submit revised share issue plan
Companies

Hanwha Aerospace halts review of Poongsan's ammunition unit acquisition

Hanwha Aerospace, Korea's leading defense systems manufacturer, said Thursday it has halted its review of acquiring the ammunition business of Poongsan. In a regulatory filing, Hanwha Aerospace said it has been continuously exploring various business opportunities, including Poongsan's ammunition division, to strengthen its defense capabilities and enhance corporate value, but has decided to stop its review of acquiring Poongsan's business. The disclosure came after a local media last week suggested Hanwha was likely to acquire Poongsan's ammunition business as part of efforts to integrate its weapons and munitions operations. Poongsan is Korea's leading producer of copper alloy and ammunition.

Apr 9, 2026By Yonhap
Hanwha Aerospace halts review of Poongsan's ammunition unit acquisition
Companies

CJ CheilJedang, Binggrae among 145 firms to lead Korea's food exports

CJ CheilJedang and Binggrae have been selected for the government’s new food export initiative, "Global Next K-Food," along with 143 other companies, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Thursday. CJ CheilJedang, the food subsidiary of CJ Group, will share its global market network with small- and medium-sized breweries as part of a consortium aimed at jointly boosting exports of Korean liquor products. The move comes as the ministry begins restructuring the country’s food export channels by linking large companies with small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) that lack global market access and networks. The collaboration will enable four wineries and breweries specializing in rice-based traditional liquors, including Danong Bio and Moonbaesool, to export their products to premium restaurants in North America through CJ’s existing distribution channels. Binggrae will help two food SMEs export their halal-certified products to Muslim markets across Southeast Asia. Leveraging popular K-food items such as rice cake stir-fried with red hot pepper paste, ba

Apr 9, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
CJ CheilJedang, Binggrae among 145 firms to lead Korea's food exports
Banking & Finance

KakaoBank signs MOU with Mongolia's largest telecom operator

KakaoBank has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Mongolia’s MCS Group, taking a step toward expanding its footprint in Central Asia, the company said Thursday. MCS Group is one of Mongolia’s leading conglomerates, with subsidiaries spanning telecommunications, finance and engineering. It also operates M Bank, the country’s only digital bank. The agreement, signed April 3 at KakaoBank’s headquarters in Pangyo, Gyeonggi Province, details plans for a strategic equity investment in M Bank, as well as the joint development of alternative credit-scoring models tailored to local financial conditions. Speaking at a press conference, Wednesday, KakaoBank CEO Yun Ho-young described the partnership as “a meaningful step in bringing KakaoBank’s inclusive finance model to the global stage,” following the company’s expansion into Indonesia and Thailand. Mongolia possesses strong growth potential for digital finance, supported by high internet penetration and state-led efforts to expand financial infrastructure, KakaoBank said. At the same time, its young population, with a

Apr 9, 2026By Park Han-sol
KakaoBank signs MOU with Mongolia's largest telecom operator
Companies

Kia to invest $33 bil. by 2030 to boost future mobility competitiveness

Kia, Korea's second-largest automaker, said Thursday it will invest 49 trillion won ($33 billion) in facilities and research and development (R&D) through 2030 to strengthen its position in future mobility. The planned investment for 2026-2030 represents an increase of 7 trillion won from the previous five-year plan, with 43 percent allocated to electrification, autonomous driving and robotics, the company said in a statement. Kia aims to expand its electric vehicle (EV) lineup from 11 models in 2026 to 14 by 2030, targeting global EV sales of 1 million units despite a prolonged industry slowdown. At the same time, the company will continue to broaden its internal combustion engine and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) offerings to offset weak EV demand. HEVs include both conventional gasoline hybrids and plug-in hybrid models. Among upcoming models is an extended-range electric version of the Tasman pickup, built on a body-on-frame platform, which is scheduled for launch in the U.S. market in 2030. To meet future EV demand, Hyundai Motor Group — which includes Kia and its larger affiliate

Apr 9, 2026By Yonhap
Kia to invest $33 bil. by 2030 to boost future mobility competitiveness
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