Articles by Park Han-na
Park Han-na
hnpark@heraldcorp.com-
[KH Explains] Missing pieces of 'value-up' program
The government’s measures aimed at increasing shareholder returns to boost Korea's undervalued stock market have sparked much debate on their effectiveness due to the lack of motivational drivers for companies to join the program. In the Corporate Value-up Program announced by the Financial Services Commission on Feb. 26, the government directed some 1,600 firms listed on the Kospi and Kosdaq markets to disclose their major investment indicators such as price-to-book ratio, and make p
Market March 10, 2024
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JB acquires stake in Vietnam's fintech app Infina
JB Financial Group on Thursday said it will acquire a minority stake in Vietnam’s retail investing app Infina, in a bid to help the group’s securities affiliate expand its customer base in the Southeast Asian country. In a strategic partnership deal, the group will buy 3.9 percent of Infina's shares and increase its holdings to some 5 percent depending on the results of collaboration between its brokerage unit JB Securities Vietnam and Infina. JB Securities Vietnam, based in H
Industry March 8, 2024
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Korean firms eye chances in net zero, global market: ChatGPT report
The global transition to net zero will be a boon for companies in renewable energy and secondary batteries, while supply chain restructuring will challenge Korean chipmakers, according to data analysis released Wednesday by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The business group released a report on opportunities and risk factors that Korean firms expected this year by analyzing 2024 management messages from the top 100 listed companies using ChatGPT. The opportunity factors for Korean
Industry March 6, 2024
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SK chief to lead KCCI for 2nd term
SK Group Chair Chey Tae-won is set to serve as chairperson of the country’s business organization Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry for another term. On Thursday, members of the Seoul Chamber of Commerce and Industry unanimously agreed to tap Chey as chair of the regional chamber under the KCCI for a three-year term that ends in February 2027 during a general meeting of members held in Seoul. With Seoul members’ backing, Chey, whose first term expires in March, is on the course
Industry March 1, 2024
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Woori, UAE’s Mubadala seek to bolster ties
South Korea’s major banking holding firm Woori Financial Group and Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Investment Company took the first step toward partnership as their subsidiaries signed a deal for joint efforts in discovering global investment opportunities. Woori Venture Partners, the venture capital unit of the Korean conglomerate, and Mubadala Capital, the asset management subsidiary of Mubadala, signed a memorandum of understanding for their strategic cooperation in Abu Dh
Companies Feb. 28, 2024
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Toss Bank taps ex-DGB CFO as new CEO
Toss Bank, the internet-only banking arm of fintech firm Viva Republica, said Wednesday it has appointed Rhee Eun-mi, former chief financial officer of DGB Daegu Bank, as its new CEO. The bank’s CEO recommendation committee picked Rhee as the sole candidate for the next top leadership position in recognition of her deep understanding of the banking industry and excellence in making strategic decisions. “Rhee's achievements, organizational management capabilities, and insight b
Market Feb. 21, 2024
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Coupang, Yuhan join labor policy-focused business lobby
E-commerce giant Coupang and pharmaceutical firm Yuhan Corp. are set to join the Korea Enterprises Federation, a business lobby representing over 4,000 businesses here, according to industry sources on Monday. Some 10 firms, including Coupang, have submitted membership applications to the group, which are subject to approval from board directors and existing members at a meeting slated for Wednesday. Coupang’s decision came after three years of deliberation since its parent company, Coupan
Industry Feb. 19, 2024
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Korean stock market could duplicate Japan's bull run: Shinhan chief
Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Jin Ok-dong believes that undervalued Korean stocks including his banking group’s shares could gain impetus with the government’s strong drive with its upcoming market revamp program aimed at creating a new investment wave. With the Korean financial authorities set to put forward detailed schemes to iron out deep-seated low valuation of Korean stocks this month, listed companies and investors are paying keen attention to what would be included in th
Market Feb. 15, 2024
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Korea no longer a land of workaholics, study suggests
The proportion of South Koreans working more than 50 hours a week has sharply dropped over the past 20 years to be on par with the average for member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, according to a new report from a Korean business lobby group on Tuesday. According to the Korea Enterprises Federation, the number of wage earners working more than 50 hours per week stood at 2.53 million in terms of actual working hours and 2.24 million in terms of con
Economy Feb. 13, 2024
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Hanshin E&C cements foothold in Southeast Asia
With decades of know-how in the infrastructure building business, Hanshin Engineering & Construction is taking a big leap by tapping deeper into the Southeast Asian market and diversifying its business portfolio. Hanshin E&C Chairman Choi Yong-sun singled out Indonesia and Ukraine as the builder’s “future markets.” “Indonesia is Southeast Asia's largest economy and has a high demand for infrastructure construction and urban development. Hanshin E&C purs
Industry Feb. 6, 2024
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[Herald Interview] BridgeRock offers strategic solutions for real estate loan workouts
Once deemed an investment that produced a stable income stream, office buildings in the US are causing a headache for Korean investors as they wrestle with defaults on loans amid weakening demand and increased interest rates. With their investments turning sour, investors should come up with “creative ways to handle defaulted loans to draw a path to recovery," US commercial real estate investment firm BridgeRock Capital’s founder and managing director Jin Kim said. “Kore
Market Jan. 29, 2024
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Chambers call for more incentives, eased regulations in health care, renewables
Korea would be more attractive for global renewable energy and health care companies if they were given higher financial incentives and eased regulations, chiefs of foreign business lobby groups said Wednesday. The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry held the 2024 Foreign Chamber Day with representatives of foreign business networking organizations to share opinions on difficulties faced by global firms operating here in the fields of economic cooperation, labor, trade and regulatory appr
Industry Jan. 24, 2024
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Korea's global bond index inclusion likely this year: Standard Chartered
South Korea’s sovereign bond market is likely to be included among the top grade of global market indices, as abating inflation revives investors’ appetite for government bonds, according to economists from Standard Chartered Group on Friday. At the 2024 Global Research Briefing conference hosted by the Korean unit in Seoul, Arup Ghosh, Standard Chartered Bank's co-head of Asia rates research, predicted that Korean treasury bonds will take a positive turn this year due to the tr
Market Jan. 22, 2024
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KB Kookmin Bank vows W372b support for SMEs
KB Kookmin Bank said Wednesday it will provide 372.1 billion won ($276.4 million) in financial support measures for the self-employed, small business owners and vulnerable groups facing difficulties due to high borrowing costs and prices. The sum represents the largest among such other plans put forward by its local peers responding to the government’s call to share profits yielded from high rates with those still struggling to recover from the fallout of COVID-19. KB’s dual-track
Market Jan. 17, 2024
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DGB chairman offers to step down
The chief of DGB Financial Group, the holding firm of leading regional lender Daegu Bank, decided to step down from his post Friday after being acquitted of bribery and embezzlement charges tied to the group’s overseas expansion plan this week. After about five years at the helm of the company, DGB Financial Group Chairman Kim Tae-oh, expressed his intent to not to seek a third term. His current two-year term ends in March. “The group needs new leadership capable of achieving sustain
Market Jan. 12, 2024
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