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KMI expands beyond health screenings with new vision

The Korea Medical Institute is expanding beyond traditional health screenings into long-term health management, unveiling a new corporate identity to mark its 41st anniversary on Oct. 29. The move reflects the health screening provider's new vision, "Beyond Health Screening, Toward Health Care," which aims to help patients better understand their examination results and manage their health after checkups. Founded in 1985, KMI operates eight screening centers nationwide, including three in Seoul
Lotte's Hanoi mall hits W1tr sales milestone

Lotte Mall West Lake Hanoi has surpassed 1 trillion won ($744 million) in cumulative sales, becoming the Korean department store operator's first overseas retail complex to reach the milestone, Lotte Department Store said Monday. The landmark comes just over three years after the mall opened in Vietnam's capital. Sales reached 100 billion won within 122 days of opening in January 2024 and topped 600 billion won in 2025. With quarterly sales growing by an average of 20 percent, the cumulative tot
Tous les Jours taps US bakery network to boost Korean grape exports

CJ Foodville's bakery chain Tous les Jours has rolled out limited-edition cakes and pastries featuring Korean shine muscat grapes at five US stores, seeking to boost exports of the premium fruit through its growing American retail network. The promotion, which started Thursday and continues to Nov. 30, is being held in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation and the Korea Grape Export Association. The seasonal lineup fea
HD Hyundai Robotics cuts troubleshooting time 63% with Palantir AI

HD Hyundai Robotics has cut the time needed to resolve robot-related problems by 63 percent using AI agents developed in partnership with US software company Palantir Technologies, the South Korean firm said Sunday. Since deploying the AI agents in August, the company has reduced its average problem-solving time from 21.5 days to 7.9 days. It also expects the technology to slash robot programming costs by more than 50 percent. The results were unveiled at Palantir's Sovereignty Bootcamp in New Y
APR doubles Q3 revenue as US, European sales soar

South Korean beauty company APR posted record third-quarter revenue of 773.1 billion won ($579.8 million), doubling from a year earlier as booming demand in North America and Europe fueled its global expansion. Operating profit jumped 68.9 percent on-year to 160.6 billion won, according to preliminary earnings released Friday. For the first nine months of 2026, revenue reached 2.13 trillion won and operating profit totaled 503.5 billion won, already surpassing the company's full-year 2025 result
SK hynix hosts first Partners Day in Japan to strengthen chip supply chain

SK hynix brought together more than 20 Japanese semiconductor suppliers at its first Partners Day in Japan, seeking closer cooperation on advanced chip technologies and supply chain stability as artificial intelligence-driven memory demand surges. The event, held Thursday in Chiba prefecture, brought together major Japanese materials suppliers Shin-Etsu, Sumco, JSR and Namics; equipment-makers Tokyo Electron and Screen Holdings; and chip processing and testing specialists Disco and Advantest. Wh
Hana Financial joins Autism Race to promote inclusion

Hana Financial Group joined the 2026 Autism Race on Saturday, marking its seventh consecutive year supporting the event to raise autism awareness and promote inclusion, the company said Sunday. About 100 employees and family members, including Hana Financial Vice Chairman Lee Eun-hyung, participated alongside runners with autism. Organized by the Autism Society of Korea, the annual event seeks to foster greater understanding and acceptance of autism. Hana Financial has sponsored the race since 2
Boditech Med partners with Brazil's Biosys for local diagnostics production

Boditech Med, a South Korean in vitro diagnostics manufacturer, has signed an agreement with Brazilian diagnostics firm Biosys to establish a local production base, aiming to cut costs and expand its presence in South America, the company said Thursday. The deal extends the companies’ existing distribution partnership into manufacturing, as Boditech seeks to strengthen price competitiveness and improve supply efficiency in Brazil. The initiative comes as the diagnostics market adjusts following
Merck bets $334m on Korea as Asia-Pacific biopharma hub

German science and technology company Merck has opened a $334 million bioprocessing plant in Daejeon, its largest life science investment in Asia-Pacific, as it seeks to bring production closer to regional drugmakers. The company said Thursday that the 44,500-square-meter facility in Dungok, Daejeon, will manufacture critical materials used in the development and production of biologic medicines, strengthening supply chains for drugmakers across the region. The plant will produce dry powder and
Kolmar Korea makes skincare needles that melt away

Kolmar Korea has developed what it says is South Korea's first dissolvable hyaluronic acid skincare powder, offering a potentially gentler alternative to conventional spicules used to enhance ingredient absorption. The cosmetics manufacturer said Thursday it had secured a patent for the technology, which turns hyaluronic acid, a widely used moisturizing ingredient, into microscopic needle-shaped crystals that dissolve upon contact with moisture. Conventional spicules, typically derived from mari
HanmiGlobal to explore Tumen River's role in Arctic trade

HanmiGlobal, a South Korean construction project management firm, will host a seminar in Seoul on Nov. 5 to explore infrastructure development and economic cooperation along the Tumen River, which marks the border between North Korea and China, and between North Korea and Russia at its lower end. The event, jointly organized by HanmiGlobal's Institute of Unified Korea Construction Strategy and the Korean Association of North Korean Studies, will examine how emerging Arctic shipping routes and re
Hana Financial brings AI, VR job training to students with disabilities

Hana Financial Group has opened a digital vocational training classroom for students with developmental disabilities in southern Seoul, offering hands-on experience through robotics and virtual reality, the company said Wednesday. Opened Tuesday at Miral School in Gangnam-gu, the classroom simulates real-world workplaces, allowing students to practice taking orders, processing payments and serving customers in restaurants and cafes. The facility is equipped with a voice-enabled humanoid robot, v
HD Construction Equipment opens W116.8b engine plant targeting AI data centers

HD Construction Equipment has opened a 116.8 billion won ($87.5 million) engine plant in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, to ramp up production of high-capacity power-generation engines amid surging demand from AI data centers, the company said Wednesday. Built over two years on a 62,700-square-meter site, the facility has an annual production capacity of 1,250 power-generation engines rated between 1 and 3 megawatts, as well as 120 military tank engines. It can also produce 1,460 megawatt-hours o
Kumho Tire sweeps four major global design awards

Kumho Tire has swept four major international design awards in 2026, completing the feat with a win at Japan's Good Design Award, the South Korean tire-maker said Wednesday. The latest honor went to its Ecsta Sport A/S, an ultrahigh-performance all-season tire designed for both conventional and electric vehicles. The tire features longitudinal tread grooves to reduce road noise and extended lateral channels to improve water drainage and wet-road performance. Racing-flag patterns on the sidewalls
AmCham stresses workforce training, risk management in AI transition

The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea stressed that businesses must invest in workforce training and risk management to turn artificial intelligence adoption into lasting productivity gains. The message was delivered at AmCham's HR Workshop 2026, held Tuesday at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, where around 100 business leaders and industry experts discussed how companies can integrate AI into daily operations while managing organizational and legal risks. "Having the tools is only the beginning. Empl