July 02, 2022

• 
• 
• 

EDITOR'S PICKS

• Markets 
  

  Worsening inflation outlook fuels sharper rate hike bets

  South Korean consumers raised their outlook this month for where inflation will be in one year to the highest level in 10 years, a Bank of Korea survey showed Wednesday, reinforcing expectations that the central bank would be emboldened to back a steeper-than-expected rate hike in July. In a monthly survey of 2,500 households conducted June 13-20, consumers forecast inflation to average 3.9 percent, up from the previous 3.3 percent in May. The monthly increase is also the largest gain seen sinc

• Markets 
  

  Kospi’s rebound to 3,000 unlikely to happen anytime soon

  When South Korea’s key stock index surpassed the 3,000-mark for the first time in its 40-year history in January 2021, it seemed the bull market would last forever. But risks stemming from high inflation, fears of recession and the global supply bottleneck this year has beaten down the index down to some 2,400 points as of this week, with analysts warning investors that they are unlikely to feel the relief of recovering to 3,000 anytime soon. “Our base Kospi target of 3,000 implies

• Markets 
  

  LG Energy Solution reconsiders US battery plant in fear of surging costs

  LG Energy Solution said Wednesday that it is reviewing the profitability of its new battery plant in the US, citing growing uncertainties surrounding inflation woes and unfavorable foreign exchange movement. In March, the world’s second-largest electric vehicle battery maker announced plans to build its own battery plant in Queen Creek, Arizona, with an annual capacity of 11 gigawatt-hours of cylindrical batteries. A 1.7 trillion won ($1.3 billion) investment had been planned to be inject

• Markets 
  

  LG turns to clean tech as future growth driver

  LG Group is betting big on clean energy technology as part of its ongoing efforts to seek future growth drivers that are also environmentally sustainable. LG Corp., the holding unit, said Wednesday that LG Group plans to inject 2 trillion won ($1.55 billion) in the next five years into the fields of bio materials, batteries and plastic recycling and other carbon neutral technologies. The new clean tech push comes as Chairman Koo Kwang-mo marked his fourth anniversary at the helm of the natio

• Markets 
  

  4 years in, Koo’s leadership still in making

  LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo on Wednesday marks his fourth anniversary at the helm of the nation’s fourth-largest conglomerate, with his leadership taking shape, though not yet completed. Koo, then 40, took office as chairman and CEO of LG Corp., the holding unit, on June 29, 2018, following the death of his father, Chairman Koo Bon-moo. He was the youngest person to lead one of the nation’s top four chaebol groups, which also include Samsung, SK and Hyundai Motor. Pragmatism i

• Markets 
  

  Court greenlights KG Group’s acquisition of SsangYong Motor at W900b

  A Seoul bankruptcy court on Tuesday approved a local consortium led by chemical-to-steel firm KG Group to acquire a 58.85 percent stake in SsangYong Motor at a reported 900 billion won ($700 million), ending a two-way race to acquire the debt-ridden South Korean SUV maker. SsangYong has been under court receivership for 14 months after its Indian parent Mahindra & Mahindra failed to attract fresh funding amid worsening financial health during the pandemic. Following the court’s appro

• Markets 
  

  Korea to invest W24.7tr in science R&D next year

  The South Korean government will invest 24.7 trillion won ($19.2 billion) into the country’s research and development efforts in 2023, a 1.7 percent increase on year, the Ministry of Science and ICT said Tuesday. According to the ministry, the R&D budget is focused on the three pillars of strengthening strategic investment for developing core technologies, working towards carbon neutrality and achieving digital transformation. The ministry said it plans to invest a total of 1.1 tri

• Markets 
  

  Korean Air to bring back flights to half of pre-pandemic level by Sept.

  The country’s largest air carrier, Korean Air, is gearing up to restore international flights that had plunged during the last three years due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We plan to restore international flights to 50 percent of pre-pandemic levels by September,” the company said Tuesday. Currently, Korean Air’s international flights are only one-third of the pre-pandemic level, but it plans to gradually increase flights starting in July, when the summer