In his recent report from the launch of the EU FTA-related UKTI document: “South Korea Open for Business,” Peter Corbishley mentioned an outward mission to the Korean legal sector in April, in association with the legal and professional services section of the Law Society. The Law Society supported visit has now been extended to include … [Read More]
Category: Business & economy (page 8)
Pucca products bring in the cash
Something to get animated about – Pucca, the funky Korean cartoon character, continues to bring in the cash: JoongAng Daily http://bit.ly/dtvYHr #. Products bearing her likeness racked up more than 500 billion won ($441 million) in retail sales from 120 countries worldwide and 15 billion won in royalty fees in 2009 alone. The products range … [Read More]
Thomas the Tank Engine musical tours Korea
Thomas the Tank Engine returns to Korea for a stage musical. Thomas & Friends Live! On Stage: A Circus Comes to Town debuted in Korea in 2007, and this year will tour seven Korean cities: Seoul, Suwon, Gwangju, Jeonju, Seongnam, Daegu and Goyang. Source: Korea Times # [Read More]
DPRK Finance chief executed
Who’d want to be a top official in the DPRK? Finance chief gets executed following the botched currency reforms. Sources: New York Times | JoongAng Daily #. Pak Nam-gi “was executed at a firing range in Pyongyang on the trumped-up charges of being an antirevolutionary element as public sentiments worsened over the failure of the … [Read More]
FTA brings new opportunities for British companies in Korea
Monday 15th March 2010 was the first public UK speech of the new ambassador Choo Kyu Ho, which he made before 150 business people at the launch of the UKTI report “South Korea Open for Business – 100 Opportunities for UK Companies in South Korea following the EU–South Korea Free Trade Agreement.” The agreement, though … [Read More]
British cigarettes generate cash for DPRK
North Korea resells British cigarettes – BAT State Express 555s – to generate hard cash: BAT sold the so-called “NK555s”, made and packaged in Singapore for the US market, to a Singaporean distributor for shipment to Nampo … However at least 15,000 cases worth $6.3m rebounded out of Nampo to ports in Vietnam and the … [Read More]
Arirang sells French Connection
“This is The Woman,” opens a new ad for French Connection. “The Woman of All Women.” The voiceover is rather reminiscent of British children’s TV programming from the 1960’s (Watch with Mother), albeit with a French accent. The footage is in black and white, adding to the slightly dated feel. And in the background, we … [Read More]
Hamheung celebrates reopened Vinalon factory
That’s one big parade, celebrating the reopening of a Vinalon factory in Hamheung after a closure of 16 years. Vinalon is the DPRK’s own fabric made of limestone and anthracite. Source: JoongAng Daily # [Read More]
No longer the underdog? The FT talks up Korea
While Kim Yu-na’s victory – now celebrated across every media – still hung in the balance, an unusual article about Korea appeared in the Financial Times. Written by the Asia editor David Pilling, it was distinguishable from most articles about Korea in that a) it did not primarily concern the situation in the North and … [Read More]
Makgeolli extends its reach
More on makgeolli: exports surge to record levels, and in some quarters the milky alcohol becomes a political metaphor for Lee Myung-bak’s presidential style – “down to earth, and up close and personal” #. Sources: Chosun Ilbo | Korea Times [Read More]
Korean pensioners buy in to London
At a total cost £1,040.5m, the National Pension Service of South Korea, the fifth biggest pension fund in the world, has bought three properties in London. These are half of a six storey commercial building in Grosvenor place, followed by a tower at 88 Wood Street in the heart of the City. But the most … [Read More]
Samsung now the biggest technology company in the world
‘All hail Samsung Electronics’ says the Lex column in the Financial Times on the 28th of January. The news (reported fully here) that Samsung Electronics has overtaken Hewlett Packard as the world’s largest technology company may come as a surprise, especially to those who regard Samsung as a poor relation of the erstwhile dominant Japanese … [Read More]
On glamorous advertising
Could you imagine hot Hollywood stars modeling for an air conditioner? Han Ye-seul & Song Seung-heon earn their fees – from an article in the Korea JoongAng Daily (article no longer on their website). 11:35 PM Jan 9th from bit.ly JamesTurnbull: @lklinks See what Londoner Bruce Haines says to understand why (is head of Korea’s … [Read More]
A belated look back at 2009
For the past 3 years LKL has concocted a quiz of the year as a way of gathering together some of the news stories which have most caught our eye. This year, as I came to draw up the list in mid December I found it hard to think of anything amusing or diverting: most … [Read More]
Foreigners find iPhones hard to get
First it was credit cards, now it’s iPhones: Foreigners in Korea are denied those necessities in life (HT: Marmot) http://bit.ly/4CT9Gh. 10:40 PM Jan 4th from bit.ly [Read More]
How Chaebol bosses get out of jail
How Chaebol bosses get out of jail: the Marmot on Lee Kun-hee’s release to spearhead the Pyeongchang 2018 campaign. http://bit.ly/6GlQ9l. | 3:56 PM Dec 30th, 2009 from bit.ly. Some extracts from the comment section: Jaekoo: Indeed it was an interesting news to me as well. Don’t know why business professors and some media use jargons … [Read More]