[DISCLOSURE] Fidelity Management & Research Company announced on Sept. 21 that it has bought a total of 11.12 billion shares (4.55 percent) of BGF Retail (027410), which operates CU, a convenience store franchise chain in Korea. By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.com)

Sept. 22, 2016

[THE INVESTOR]  Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho said on Sept. 21 that the government will push forward with reforming the corporate sector under the principles of self-help efforts by businesses and do its best to minimize the adverse impact.“Based on the principles that creditor banks give out additional aid only when troubled companies come up with painstaking self-reform plans, the government will firmly lead the nationwide corporate restructuring process,” he said in a meeting of economy-related

Sept. 21, 2016

[DISCLOSURE] Macrogen (038290), a genome sequencing firm, announced on Sept. 21 that it has gained a patent for extracting fusion protein that encodes RET fusion protein which can be used as a diagnostic marker of cancer. The patent includes primer pair of base sequence to detect KIF5B fusion protein and composite to inhibit activation of relevant fusion protein of lung cancer. By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.com)

Sept. 21, 2016

[DISCLOSURE] Woongjin (016880) announced on Sept. 21 that it will sell its entire 1.01 million shares of Ocean Suites for 18 billion won (US$16.05 million) to secure investment for future growth. By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.com)

Sept. 21, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] South Korea said on Sept. 21 that it plans to host a trade fair for fisheries in China this week.A total of 12 South Korean seafood makers are set to meet with about 70 Chinese buyers about potential exports during the K-Fish Fair, set to be held in Shanghai from Sept. 22-25, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said.South Korea hopes its seafood makers can sign deals with Chinese buyers to export such items as dried seaweed, oysters and abalone.In June, the ministry hosted a simi

Sept. 21, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] South Korea’s exports plunged 17 percent in the first 20 days of September from a year earlier, the latest customs data showed on Sept. 21. Outbound shipments totaled US$22.9 billion between Sept. 1-20, down from $27.6 billion tallied over the same period last year, according to the Korea Customs Service.“Working days shrank three days compared with the same period a year earlier due to the Chuseok holiday. Considering this fact, actual exports jumped 2.9 percent on-year,” the KCS

Sept. 21, 2016

[DISCLOSURE] Gaeasoft (051160), which provides wireless internet solutions, has decided to issue convertible bonds worth 2 billion won (US$1.79 million) with no warranty and offer them to Jang Chul-ho, Cho Duk-soon and Kim Sook-ja.The coupon rate and maturity interest rate are both 4 percent. The convertible price is 2,522 won and the bonds expire on Sept. 22, 2019.By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.com)

Sept. 21, 2016

[DISCLOSURE] KD E&C (044180), a producer of mold bases and building construction, reported on Sept. 21 that its 1 billion newly issued stocks offered to existing shareholders have reached 55.44 percent subscription rate.It will offer the remaining 44.55 million shares for public subscription from Sept. 22.By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.com)

Sept. 21, 2016

[DISCLOSURE] Barunson E&A (035620) has decided to cancel a US$7.5 million publishing contract with a Chinese firm to provide online games, it announced on Sept. 21. The company has already received US$1.35 million. By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.com)

Sept. 21, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] South Korea and Vietnam will hold a joint committee meeting this week to discuss economic cooperation, the Foreign Ministry said on Sept.20. The 15th Joint Economic Committee will be held in Hanoi on Sept. 22 with the talks to be led by Lee Tae-ho, deputy foreign minister for economic affairs and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen The Phuong, according to the ministry.The committee has been held since 1993 and aims at providing a platform for both sides to exchange views and ideas

Sept. 20, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] South Korean smartphone users spend an average 43 minutes per day playing mobile games, a survey showed on Sept. 20. According to the survey of 23,626 smartphone users, conducted in August by WiseApp, an app analytics company, the respondents spend an average 43 minutes per day, or 4 minutes and 28 second per session in a day. The most popular game app was the “Everybody’s Marble” run by KaKaoTalk, the nation’s biggest mobile messenger app, the survey showed. “Minecraft” and “Come

Sept. 20, 2016

[DISCLOSURE] Samyoung M Tek (054540) announced on Sept. 20 that it has decided to retire its 544,827 common shares on Sept. 21. “The equity capital will not be reduced as the shares are acquired with profit available for dividends,” the company added.By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.com)

Sept. 20, 2016

[DISCLOSURE] Cowell Fashion (033290) announced on Sept. 19 that it has signed a trust contract with Meritz Securities (008560) to repurchase stocks worth 2.98 billion won (US$2.66 million). The repurchase aims to stabilize its stock price and boost shareholders’ value. The stock acquisition is expected to expire Dec. 19. By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.com)

Sept. 19, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] Ediya Coffee has the most shops in South Korea amid rising demand for cheap take-out coffee, government data showed on Sept. 19. There were 1,577 Ediya Coffee franchise outlets across the country last year, followed by 821 Caffe Bene stores and 813 Angel-in-us shops, according to the data compiled by the Fair Trade Commission. The two other coffee franchise operators are also homegrown brands.Starbucks has around 900 shops in the country, but the brand was not subject to the surve

Sept. 19, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] Rising wine imports have led to a sharp decline in size of grape fields in the country’s central region, a county official here said on Sept. 19.A total of 725 farm houses submitted applications to the county government from the June-July period alone to stop grape farming, with their total size reaching 302 hectares, the official said. Yeongdong, 214 kilometers south of Seoul, and its neighboring county, Okcheon, make up one of the three largest grape producing regions in the cou

Sept. 19, 2016