Ably Corporation, operator of women’s fashion e-commerce platform Ably, announced on Monday that it has secured its first global capital investment of 100 billion won ($75 million) from China’s Alibaba Group. This marks Alibaba's first stake acquisition in a Korean e-commerce platform, with the group reportedly obtaining some 5 percent of Ably's shares. Ably's valuation has tripled in three years, compared to 900 billion won during its pre-Series C funding round in Jan

Industry Dec. 2, 2024

South Korea's major confectionery companies have decided to raise the prices of their popular chocolate snacks on the back of soaring cacao prices, driven by climate change. Orion announced a 10.6 percent average price increase for 13 products starting Sunday. The price of its popular products like Choco Songyi and Bichobi will rise by as much as 20 percent. Orion also said it would temporarily suspend the supply of its chocolate bar, To You, instead of applying an unavoidable price increas

Industry Dec. 1, 2024

Incheon International Airport unveiled a large-scale art project on Saturday, as part of its fourth-phase expansion completion, transforming Terminal 2 into a vibrant cultural hub. Featuring 18 art pavilions spread across 8,000 square meters, travelers can enjoy a fusion of Korean traditions and art from across the world as they walk through and spend time at the terminal. Some highlights from the permanent exhibition include Chae Byungrok’s "Good Luck & Colorful Wishes" an

Industry Dec. 1, 2024

Korean Air’s 1.8 trillion won ($1.4 billion) merger with its smaller rival Asiana Airlines has secured approval from Europe’s antitrust regulator, bringing Korea’s flag carrier one step closer to becoming the largest airline in Northeast Asia. The European Commission announced on Thursday that it has decided to give the nod to the high-profile merger, 10 months after it granted conditional approval in February when it required Korean Air to further reduce overlapping routes to

Industry Nov. 28, 2024

Stepping into Olive Young N Seongsu, just a minute’s walk from Seongsu Station’s Exit 4, visitors are immediately greeted by a vibrant and spacious interior filled with colorful cosmetics. The cheerful atmosphere is enhanced by classic and upbeat music playing softly in the background. “Welcome to our new chapter of the store, Olive Young N Seongsu,” said Kim Soo-ju, Olive Young's cross-functional team leader, during a guided press tour on Thursday. "The speci

Industry Nov. 21, 2024

In a step toward sustainable agriculture, Canadian fertilizer company Genesis Fertilizers has signed a $35 million front-end engineering design, or FEED, contract with South Korea's DL Engineering & Construction to develop a low-carbon nitrogen fertilizer plant in Saskatchewan. Genesis Fertilizers CEO Jason Mann highlighted the plant’s innovative approach, emphasizing its role in global food security. “We capture 95 percent of the CO2 emissions, making this one of the world&

Industry Nov. 21, 2024

South Korean pizza chain Gopizza is strengthening its foothold in the Indian market by blending food technology with the distinct flavors of Korean cuisine, offering a fresh take on the classic pizza experience. Founded in 2016 as a single-serving pizza concept aimed at making pizza more accessible, Gopizza entered the Indian market in 2019, tailoring its approach to meet the distinct preferences of Indian consumers. "We currently operate 60 stores across southern India and plan to expand

Industry Nov. 20, 2024

The appointment of Lee Han-woo, head of Hyundai Engineering & Construction's housing business division, as its new executive vice president and CEO marks a generational shift as Lee becomes the company's first CEO born in the 1970s. Born in 1970, Lee joined the company in 1994 and has held a range of leadership roles over the past 30 years, including head of the strategic planning division. As the incoming CEO, he is expected to enhance Hyundai E&C's global portfolio in ci

Industry Nov. 19, 2024

South Korean food giant CJ CheilJedang has reportedly decided to sell its industry-leading bio division, which had been a key pillar alongside its food business, signaling a shift in its strategic growth priorities. According to investment banking sources Tuesday, CJ CheilJedang is believed to have appointed Morgan Stanley as the lead manager for the sale and is engaging with potential buyers. The main auction is expected to take place as early as next month, with the division estimated to value

Industry Nov. 19, 2024

Jefferson’s Bourbon Founder and Chief Strategist Trey Zoeller explores experimenting in Korea by pairing its bourbon with local culinary practices and pursuing partnerships with cultural industries as his brand establishes its foothold here. Ahead of the first anniversary of Kentucky-born Jefferson's Bourbon’s debut in Korea, Zoeller visited Seoul for the first time to introduce and share the allure of the brand to a growing number of bourbon enthusiasts in the country. He said

Industry Nov. 17, 2024

Daewoo E&C is making significant strides in its global expansion efforts, securing major projects across Central and Southeast Asia under the leadership of Chairman Jung Won-ju, the company announced Friday. Celebrating its 51st anniversary this year, Daewoo E&C has reaffirmed its vision of evolving into a company moving into the next century by tapping broader overseas markets and addressing challenges in the sluggish domestic construction industry. A prime example is the Turkmenistan M

Industry Nov. 17, 2024

Trade specialists agreed that Donald Trump’s second term could be both a boon and bane for Korean businesses as they discussed the outlook for policy changes under the upcoming US president during The Korea Herald Security Forum held in Seoul on Wednesday. Over 200 foreign affairs and trade specialists, lawmakers and ambassadors joined the inaugural event, titled “Alliance after US Election 2024: A Seoul Perspective.” The second economic and technological security session was m

Industry Nov. 14, 2024

South Korea’s leading cosmetics original design manufacturer Kolmar Korea said Wednesday it recently won a lawsuit against Intercos Korea, the Korean subsidiary of Italian cosmetic firm Intercos that was accused of transferring trade secrets of Kolmar’s sun care technology. On Oct. 18, the Suwon District Court imposed a 5 million won ($3,700) fine on Intercos Korea for violating the trade secret protection law. The ruling was finalized after the company chose not to appeal. The all

Industry Nov. 13, 2024

After years of record exports, especially to the US, Korea’s food industry is now keen to gauge the impact of Donald Trump’s second presidency. The outspoken leader declared during this campaign that he could impose blanket tariffs of 10 to 20 percent on all US imports, raising concerns for Korea’s key export items such as computer chips and cars. But it is often overlooked that the US remains the largest export destination for Korea’s agricultural and seafood products. I

Industry Nov. 12, 2024

As Korea’s foreign workforce nears the 1 million mark, JobKorea, the nation’s leading online recruitment platform, has launched the spinoff Klik, or Kickstart Life in Korea, to bring quality jobs and community to foreign national job seekers. Chris Heo, a 33-year-old Canadian national who leads the Klik team, said that the platform’s birth was largely inspired by his own experiences and challenges as a foreign national living in Korea. “I’ve struggled with complex a

Industry Nov. 11, 2024