Subsidies for kimchi-making? Napa cabbage's importance in Korea

South Korea has unveiled a series of measures to stabilize the market for napa cabbage and daikon radishes, aiming to support preparations for "gimjang" -- the traditional process of preparing kimchi for winter -- as demand for these key ingredients is expected to rise during the peak gimjang season. This initiative includes expanding supplies of key gimjang ingredients through government-contracted cultivation and additional reserve stock distribution, as well as offering price subsid

Oct. 28, 2024

[From the Scene] How robotics reflect shift in S. Korea's food industry

Upon receiving an affogato order, the three-jointed arm of barista robot Porty readies the portafilter and locks it into the coffee grinder. After extracting a fresh shot from the espresso machine, Porty pours it over a cup of ice cream, prepared by fellow robot, Mixie. When there are no visitors, the duo reportedly spend their time dancing to the cafe's background music. Mixie and Porty are the only servers at Better Than Yours, a fully automated cafe in Seongsu, eastern Seoul. Together,

Oct. 25, 2024

Daewoo E&C eyes bigger footing in Indonesia

Daewoo Engineering & Construction Chairman Jung Won-ju met with former Indonesian President Joko Widodo to explore new business ventures in the country, the company said Tuesday. The meeting took place at the presidential palace, Istana Merdeka, in Jakarta on Friday -- the last day of Widodo's term. During the meeting, Jung expressed appreciation for Widodo’s presidency which has enabled Indonesia to achieve steady economic growth through development policies related to social i

Oct. 22, 2024

Hanjin Logistics eyes bigger footing in Eurasisa

Hanjin Logistics, an affiliate of South Korean airline-to-logistics conglomerate Hanjin Group, said Monday that it is strengthening its logistics business in Eurasia, with a particular focus on Uzbekistan. According to the company, Hanjin Logistics CEO Noh Sam-sug and President and Chief Marketing Officer Emily Cho visited Uzbekistan from Oct. 13 to Tuesday as part of their overseas management initiative. This time, the visit aimed to assess logistics conditions and strengthen relationships with

Oct. 21, 2024

Daewoo E&C wins W1tr plant project in Turkmenistan

South Korean builder Daewoo Engineering & Construction has been selected as the winning bidder for a mineral fertilizer plant project in Turkmenistan, valued at approximately 1 trillion won ($730 million), according to the company Monday. The project involves the construction of a mineral fertilizer plant in Turkmenabat, 450 kilometers east of the capital Ashgabat. The plant will have an annual production capacity of 350,000 tons of phosphate fertilizer and 100,000 tons of ammonium sulfate,

Oct. 21, 2024

[Weekender] From underdogs to culinary stars: How 'Culinary Class Wars' brings chefs into spotlight

On the second floor of a modest building in Seoul’s Songpa-gu, a hidden gem of a Chinese restaurant awaits: Jokwang 201. Previously known among food lovers for its bold dishes like marasyanggwo, maratang and soy sauce-braised pork belly, also known as dongpayuk, the restaurant has recently attracted broader attention after its owner, Jo Kwang-ho, appeared on Netflix’s "Culinary Class Wars" as a chef on the black team, referred to in Korea as "the black spoons." Th

Oct. 19, 2024

Hyosung chair meets Vietnamese PM in Hanoi

Hyosung Group Chairman Cho Hyun-joon met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Hanoi on Monday, seeking government support for the chemical, textile and construction conglomerate’s new business ventures in Vietnam. The meeting focused on Hyosung’s ongoing investments and potential expansion into environmentally friendly and high-tech sectors, the group said Tuesday. Hyosung executives, including Vice Chairman Lee Sang-woon, and senior Vietnamese officials were also in a

Oct. 15, 2024

Samsung Biologics unveils new platform

Samsung Biologics announced Monday that it has launched S-HiCon, a new platform specializing in high-concentration formulation development, designed to meet rising demand for high-concentration biopharmaceuticals. The company officially introduced the platform at Bio Japan 2024, a biotechnology expo held from Wednesday to Friday in Yokohama, Japan. A webinar explaining the platform was also released via the company's official website Monday. S-HiCon is designed to meet increasing market dem

Oct. 14, 2024

[From the Scene] Kurly joins beauty retail war as new growth driver

Kurly, the South Korean e-commerce company, is ramping up efforts to expand its beauty platform Beauty Kurly as a key pillar of its business alongside its flagship overnight grocery delivery service. As part of this initiative, Kurly hosted the Beauty Kurly Festa 2024, which ran from Thursday to Sunday and drew over 20,000 visitors. The event featured over 90 beauty brands, including luxury names like Lancome and Sisley, alongside mid-range brands. Attendees enjoyed promotions, raffles, product

Oct. 14, 2024

Han Kang's Nobel Prize boosts book market

South Korean writer Han Kang's books are enjoying soaring popularity across various sales channels, from bookstores and e-commerce platforms to department stores, following her Nobel Prize in literature win last week. Kyobo Book Center reported Friday that around 103,000 copies of Han’s works had sold through its online and offline stores just one day after the Nobel announcement. Competitors Yes24 and Aladin sold more than 132,000 and 70,000 of her books, respectively, over the sam

Oct. 13, 2024