South Korea warns North Korea against provocation

South Korea's Defense Ministry on Tuesday urged North Korea to abandon its fixation on nuclear weapons development in response to Pyongyang’s criticism of the recent deployment of the USS Carl Vinson, a US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, to the Korean Peninsula. “North Korea’s nuclear ambitions will never be tolerated. The only path to survival for the regime is to abandon its delusions and obsession with nuclear weapons,” the ministry said in a press statement. Earlier in the day, Kim Yo-jong

March 4, 2025

PPP leadership calls on ex-President Park Geun-hye

The leadership of the ruling People Power Party, including interim chair Rep. Kwon Young-se (fourth from left), floor leader Rep. Kweon Seong-dong (third from right), party policy chief Rep. Kim Sang-hoon (third from left), and spokesperson Rep. Shin Dong-wook (second from right), pose for photos with former President Park Geun-hye (fourth from right) at the former president's residence in Daegu on Monday. Park, whose parliamentary impeachment was upheld in a unanimous Constitutional Court rulin

March 3, 2025

Over 55% of Korean voters expect opposition to win early election: poll

Expectations for a change of administration to one led by the opposition have widened beyond the margin of error, outpacing projections for the ruling party’s continued rule, a poll showed Monday, as the likelihood of an early presidential election grows. When asked "What outcome would you expect in the election if an early presidential election were to be held," 55.1 percent of respondents answered "a change in administration led by the opposition," while 39 percent supported "the ruling party

March 3, 2025

Yoon's signature industrial policies at risk

South Korea’s political crisis, triggered by President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law declaration, is casting doubt on several of his administration's cornerstone industrial projects and the country’s ability to navigate trade challenges. The initiatives facing increased uncertainty include a multibillion-dollar nuclear power deal in the Czech Republic and the Donghae deepwater gas field development. The instability comes at a critical moment for South Korea, as sh

Dec. 8, 2024

Railway workers launch strike to call for wage hikes

The 20,000-member Korean Railway Workers' Union launched an indefinite strike Thursday, calling for wage and bonus hikes. This marks the first railway strike in 15 months, following one in September last year. The strike impacts Subway Line Nos. 1, 3 and 4, express KTX trains, and regular Saemaeul and Mugunghwa trains, all operated by Korea Railroad Corp. It is reported that negotiations between the union and the railway operator on Wednesday ended without agreement. However, the union stat

Dec. 5, 2024

CJ CheilJedang ups nutrition ingredients business

South Korean food giant CJ CheilJedang said Thursday that it plans to boost its global nutritional ingredients business with enhanced product lineups. Under its “Three B” strategy, the company will outsource quality ingredients from partners (Borrow), invest in the firms and secure sales rights (Buy), and develop new materials on its own (Build). CJ recently launched BiomeNrich, a biotics brand with seven probiotics and postbiotics developed in collaboration with a domestic research

Dec. 5, 2024

Celltrion starts production at new Songdo plant

South Korean biopharmaceutical firm Celltrion announced Thursday that its third plant in Songdo, Incheon, has officially commenced commercial production, following the completion of a performance qualification test. The five-story facility, spanning 22,300 square meters, was built between 2021 and 2023 with an investment of 270 billion won ($190 million). With a production capacity of 60,000 liters, the new plant boosts Celltrion’s total biopharmaceutical manufacturing capacity to 250,000

Dec. 5, 2024

Martial law crisis stokes fears among food, beauty exporters

The unexpected martial law declaration late Tuesday by President Yoon Suk Yeol, which was lifted just two and a half hours later, left South Korean export-driven businesses fearing its impact on their global expansion. In particular, food and beauty companies, which have found renewed growth in overseas markets amid a stagnating domestic economy, voiced concerns about whether the incident might tarnish Korea’s reputation abroad and harm export performance. "We received multiple calls

Dec. 4, 2024

How much will you spend on Christmas cakes?

Luxury cakes have emerged as seasonal highlights in South Korea's hotel industry, appealing to consumers seeking something special for Christmas, but they have drawn criticism as well as praise, thanks to their high prices. On Nov. 25, Hotel Shilla showcased "The Taste of Luxury," a Christmas cake priced at 400,000 won ($285), up 30 percent from the hotel's most expensive Christmas cake last year. According to the hotel, this year’s version has 25 percent more premium w

Dec. 3, 2024

Lotte Biologics hires pharma veteran as new CEO

Lotte Biologics said Monday that it has hired James Park, former sales chief at Samsung Biologics and CEO of GC Cell, as its new CEO. Park, a 58-year-old industry veteran, holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of California, Davis, and a master’s degree in industrial engineering from Columbia University. He has held various leadership roles at global pharmaceutical companies, including Merck and Bristol Myers Squibb, where he oversaw drug development a

Dec. 2, 2024