-
Time to buy Korean won: FX strategist
The Korean won is poised for a rebound, making the deeply undervalued currency an appealing bet for investors, particularly when paired against the overvalued Thai baht, according to a seasoned foreign exchange strategist. Before the US-Israeli strikes on Iran that rattled global markets earlier this month, the Korean equity market had been booming; the benchmark Kospi briefly topped the 6,300 level for the first time, roughly doubling from a year earlier. Despite the rally in stocks, the local
March 8, 2026 -
Iran war puts Korean drugmakers on edge
Unease centered around the Iran war is keeping Korean drugmakers and health device companies on their toes amid growing concerns over supply chains and exports. The Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association has warned that product supply schedules could be disrupted if the conflict in the Middle East leads to reduced flights, altered flight routes or closed airways. Delayed payments could also pose risks for companies, the business lobby said. “Disposable culture bags, filter
March 8, 2026 -
Samsung SDI to unveil AI solution for ESS battery safety
Samsung SDI will unveil an AI-based battery safety solution for energy storage systems at InterBattery 2026, the company announced Sunday. Samsung Battery Intelligence uses artificial intelligence to diagnose the overall health of batteries, including their condition and potential anomalies, allowing operators to detect and predict safety risks in advance. Drawing on operational data from more than 1,400 ESS deployment sites worldwide, the system learns from large datasets accumulated over time.
March 8, 2026 -
Renault Filante crossover blends hybrid power with sedan comfort
Renault Korea has launched the Filante crossover — the second model in its Aurora Project lineup — aiming to build this year’s sales momentum much like the Grand Koleos SUV did last year. Developed entirely at Renault Korea’s R&D center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, the new hybrid flagship builds on its smaller sibling Grand Koleos’ dynamic performance while adding sedan-like comfort, offering a fresh interpretation of Renault Group’s crossover DNA. Compared with the Grand Koleos, Filante takes
March 8, 2026 -
Lee Jae Myung’s war on housing speculation
President Lee Jae Myung has declared war on housing speculation, using X as both a megaphone and a pressure tool. “For the sake of a sensible and prosperous nation, I will rein in, by any means, real estate speculation that can ruin the country,” Lee wrote in an X post on Feb. 3. In just over a month, he has posted more than two dozen times on real estate, framing it not as a narrow property issue but as a broader distortion of the national economy. “Housing speculation robs young people of hope
March 8, 2026 -
HD Hyundai Electric breaks ground on 2nd US transformer plant
HD Hyundai Electric said Sunday that it held a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday for a second plant at its North American production base in Montgomery, Alabama, HD Hyundai Power Transformers USA. Construction is scheduled for completion in April next year. The new facility will span about 29,000 square meters within the existing site and is expected to generate roughly 200 billion won ($134 million) in annual revenue. The company plans to invest about $200 million to boost production of extra-h
March 8, 2026 -
S. Korea mulls adopting oil price cap system for 1st time in 30 yrs: sources
The government is considering adopting a price cap system for oil for the first time in nearly 30 years, sources said Sunday, amid concerns over rising energy prices following the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Officials began reviewing the possibility after surging global crude prices were reflected almost immediately in domestic fuel prices, rather than after the typical two-week lag, following US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran's retaliatory attacks in the region. South Korea, whi
March 8, 2026 -
FX volatility reaches highest since COVID-19 pandemic amid Middle East tensions
The daily volatility of the Korean won against the dollar has risen to its highest level since the COVID-19 pandemic amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, data showed Sunday. The won has fluctuated sharply following the US-Israeli joint attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, with the average daily fluctuation of the won against the greenback reaching 13.2 won as of Friday, according to the economic statistics system of the Bank of Korea. The level of volatility marks the highest since March 2020, wh
March 8, 2026 -
Industry minister, trade chief visit US to discuss Seoul-Washington tariff issues
South Korea's industry minister and trade chief visited the United States this week to coordinate responses to tariff issues and other pending trade matters between Seoul and Washington, the industry ministry said Saturday. Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan and Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo met separately with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Friday (US time) to discuss pending bilateral trade issues. The visit was arranged to ease uncertainty surroun
March 7, 2026 -
Google reportedly in Korea data center talks after map data approval
Google is reportedly in discussions with South Korean telecom operator LG Uplus over a data center partnership, according to industry sources cited by Korean media Thursday, as the company works to comply with conditions attached to Seoul's landmark approval of high-precision map data exports last week. LG Uplus told The Korea Herald that there was nothing it could officially confirm. Google Korea did not respond to inquiries, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said it had no
March 7, 2026 -
Samsung pushes Exynos 2700 to cut Qualcomm reliance
Samsung Electronics is moving quickly on its next flagship smartphone chip, preparing production-ready samples of the Exynos 2700 by midyear as the company seeks to expand the use of its own processors in future Galaxy devices and reduce reliance on Qualcomm. Industry sources said this week that Samsung aims to complete production-ready samples of the Exynos 2700 between May and June. The chip is widely expected to power a significant portion of the Galaxy S27 lineup scheduled for release early
March 7, 2026 -
SK On lays off nearly 1,000 workers at Georgia battery plant amid EV slowdown
The battery unit of SK Innovation Co. is laying off more than a third of the workforce at its plant in Georgia as the South Korean manufacturer navigates a slowdown in electric vehicle sales. SK Battery America laid off 958 employees Friday, about 37 percent of its 2,566-person workforce, according to a notice filed with the state of Georgia on Friday. The factory in Commerce, Georgia, supplied cells for Ford Motor Co.’s now-canceled electric F-150 Lightning pickup truck. It also supplies Volksw
March 7, 2026 -
Korean Air extends suspension of Incheon-Dubai route through March 15
Korean Air Co., South Korea's flag carrier, said Friday it has extended its suspension of the Incheon-Dubai route by one week through March 15 due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Korean Air flights 951 and 952, which fly between South Korea's Incheon and the United Arab Emirates' Dubai, were diverted or canceled on Feb. 28 following U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran. The daily flights were initially set to be suspended through Sunday. "Dubai's airport authorities informed us of a fligh
March 6, 2026 -
Seoul shares end flat amid prolonged Iran crisis; won declines
South Korean stocks pared earlier losses to close nearly unchanged Friday on a growing appetite for autos and defense firms amid the ongoing Middle East crisis. The local currency fell against the US dollar. Starting 1.66 percent lower, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index turned positive in the afternoon to close at 5,584.87, up 0.02 percent, or 0.97 point. The index has suffered an extreme rout this week in the wake of the Middle East conflict, tumbling 7.24 percent and 12.06 percent Tuesday
March 6, 2026 -
Samsung Electronics unions launch strike vote, eye May walkout
Samsung Electronics’ labor unions will hold a strike authorization vote starting Monday as they move toward a possible general strike in May. The unions’ joint struggle headquarters said Friday that a vote on industrial action will take place from Monday to March 18, with the aim of securing the legal right to strike by mid-March. If more than half of all union members approve the move, the unions plan to stage a large-scale rally of members in April and proceed with a general strike in May. “Th
March 6, 2026