London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

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]

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 Jaekoo: Indeed it was an interesting news to me as well. Don’t know why business professors and some media use jargons like Chaebol when more neutral (or … [Read More]

LKL 2007 Quiz of the Year – the answers

Question 1: Corporate crooks and corruption Match the alleged quote with the appropriate chaebol The conglomorate had run a vast network that bribed government officials, prosecutors, tax collectors, journalists and scholars I don’t want to take a gamble on causing a crisis in the country’s economy The sentence of one year and six months is … [Read More]

Round-up of recent business stories

Some recent stories I don’t want to lose. Mercer’s annual cost of living survey for expats has recently been published. Seoul, last year’s number 2, has been pushed to number 3 by London. Moscow stays top of the list. Tokyo is fourth. Korea is also slipping in the GDP rankings. Bank of Korea data shows … [Read More]

A suggested answer to Samsung’s profit woes

Samsung recently reported lower than anticipated profits for the first quarter of 2007. “While operating profit came in slightly below market consensus, this shortfall was limited to weaker than expected performance in the semiconductor business,” said Lee Keonhyok of Samsung’s investor relations department in a telephone conference call. “While not making any excuses, it’s fair … [Read More]

The London Korean Links Awards 2006

In the year-end spirit of reviewing the highlights and lowlights of 2006, here are the winners of the first LKL Awards – a personal and unscientific selection. The awards are in the following categories: Man of the Year Woman of the Year Best cultural promotion: Briton in Korea Best cultural promotion: Korean in Britain Best … [Read More]

Samsung chief visits his favourite football club

The boss was over from Korea, so there was a Samsung management team outing to see Chelsea draw 1-1 with Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge last Saturday, according to the JoongAng Daily. Lee Kun-hee used the occasion to compare a successful business with a successful football club. “The premier league is where the best athletes … [Read More]

Samsung’s $800 million apology

A recent editorial in the Chosun Ilbo talked about the donation of 800 billion won by the Samsung Group, in penance for past avoidance of inheritance tax, and makes for an interesting read. Here’s an extract: After the Samsung Group in May handed the Education Ministry a W800-billion (US$1=W965) scholarship fund, the foundation’s entire board … [Read More]

Samsung – am I missing something?

I’m puzzled by this item on the KBS site today Samsung to Pay W1 Tln in Inheritance Tax The Samsung Group will follow the example of the Shinsegae Group in paying a trillion won in inheritance tax. A Samsung source said Tuesday that Samsung will pay at an appropriate time around a trillion won in … [Read More]

Saying Sorry with cash

I haven’t been following the Hyundai Slush Fund story, but Hyundai hopes to have drawn a line under it with a $1bn charitable donation. Samsung apparently adopted a similar approach to the tune of $840mn last year. Lone Star, meanwhile, is making a $100mn donation as a goodwill gesture in relation to its KEB purchase … [Read More]