June industrial production posted slower than expected growth of 0.7 percent, a government report said Friday.Output in the construction, service, mining and manufacturing sectors expanded by 6.4 percent from a year ago, down from a revised 8.1 percent growth forecast in March, Statistics Korea said. The 0.7 percent on-month expansion is the slowest output growth in nine months, and a slow down fr

Auto insurers face a sharp increase in claims from rain damage that has caused at least 41 deaths in the capital area since Tuesday.More than 400 millimeters of precipitation was recorded in Seoul between Tuesday and Wednesday, causing a landslide at Mount Woomyeon and at least 16 deaths in the city’s south.Car insurers are expected to see a major decline in profits for the month as they were alre

Hyundai Motor Co., the nation’s largest carmaker, logged a 37 percent increase in net income for the second quarter, beating consensus forecast on record overseas sales benefited from the demand-drop for Japanese carmakers after the March earthquake.The company posted a net income of 2.3 trillion won ($2.2 billion) in the April-June period, posting a sharp increase from 1.68 trillion won in the sa

Won hits fresh 3-year high on U.S. debt crisis, recording 1,050 against dollarThe won hit a near 3-year high Wednesday, one of a basket of currencies strengthening against the U.S. dollar on jitters Washington may fail to agree on raising its debt ceiling.Investors unloaded dollars on fears of a possible U.S. debt default and sent the won to 1,049.10 by mid-day, its strongest level since September

Tariff raise eases cost burden for KEPCO, complicates inflation fightThe government announced Tuesday it will raise electricity tariffs by an average 4.9 percent starting August to reflect rising energy costs even as inflation remains high.The Economy Ministry said electricity bills will rise 6.1 percent for industrial use but said the raise for home use will only be 2 percent. Finance Minister Ba

Richard Hill, chief of the Korean unit of Standard Chartered, on Monday expressed his “deepest regret” for service inconvenience due to an ongoing strike and pledged his commitment to resolving the dispute over the introduction of a performance-based pay system this week.During a press conference in Seoul, Hill bowed in apology to the Korean public. The news conference was held as the bank’s labor

Jean-Marie Hurtiger, the outgoing CEO of Renault Samsung Motors Co., expressed satisfaction over the achievements in his nearly six-year reign and urged the company to continue localizing automotive components. Jean-Marie HurtigerIn his final official interview as chief, Hurtiger said he is proud to have renewed all of RSM’s vehicles, including the SM3, SM5, SM7 and QM5, as well as leading its cus

The modified Korea-U.S. free trade agreement will bring in less surplus for domestic carmakers than had initially been forecast, a government report said Friday. The FTA, signed in 2007 and modified in November is expected to expand local carmakers’ trade surplus by $488 million annually, $53 million less than the equivalent figure under the earlier terms agreed. The two nations agreed to scale ba

Red meat market widens for Australia, U.S., CanadaBy Cynthia J. KimImported red meat from Australia, the United States and Europe is enjoying a fast-increasing market share in Korea, benefiting from the huge loss of livestock here after the worst-ever foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in the past year.And competition in the imported beef market is set to become fiercer as Canada will soon resume its

SC First Bank and its labor union, staging the longest walkout in the industry, are increasingly under pressure to strike a deal to end the dispute after the fight resulted in its lowered credit rating and intense scrutiny from the regulator.About half of its 6,500 workforce has been on strike since June 27 to protest against the proposed introduction of a performance-based pay system. The bank wa

Imported red meat from Australia, the United States and Europe is enjoying a fast-increasing market share in Korea, benefiting from the huge loss of livestock here after the worst-ever foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in the past year.And competition in the imported beef market is set to become fiercer as Canada will soon resume its beef exports to Korea.Beef and pork from Australia and the United

The Renault Group will appoint Francois Provost, the French carmaker’s deputy managing director in Russia, to head Renault Samsung Motors on Sept. 1, an official at Renault Samsung Motors said Thursday.Provost will replace Renault Samsung’s current CEO Jean-Marie Hurtiger, who took the Seoul office in May 2006.“Renault Samsung will have new leader effective Sept. 1. Francois Provost will transfer

Finance Minister Bahk Jae-wan on Wednesday visited a wet market with representatives of business groups, making a timely move to coordinate with the private sector to revive sagging domestic demand. The visit to Sooyu Traditional Market in northern Seoul, along with ruling Grand National Party leader Hong Jun-pyo and Huh Chang-soo, chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries, is aimed at promo

Foreign investors are expected to scoop more than half of the coming dividends at Korea’s four major financial holdings companies this year, spurring concerns about capital flight in the industry increasingly tapped by foreign investors.A study by Daishin Securities Co. said Monday that 53 percent, or 1.24 trillion won ($1.17 billion), of the total net profit set aside as dividends at the four maj

 Renault Samsung challenges Hyundai’s dominance with fully revamped premium sedanNAMHAE, South Gyeongsang Province ― Tagging Hyundai Motor’s Grandeur as the sole leader of the mid-sized sedan market is about to get presumptuous with new premium sedans from Renault Samsung and GM Korea. Throughout the years, the Grandeur has dominated the segment and outsold Renault Samsung’s SM7 and GM’s Alpheon.

Volkswagen AG, Europe’s biggest carmaker, said it expects to continue outperforming the auto market in the second half after posting a record 4.1 million deliveries in the first six months of the year.Sales of cars, sport-utility vehicles and vans at the company’s brands including the Audi luxury division and Czech unit Skoda rose 14 percent, VW said today in an e-mailed statement. Global industry

Kyobo Life Insurance, Co., the nation’s third largest insurer, launched a product offering monthly annuities for those looking to secure a stable income stream until retirement. The product, dubbed the Kyobo Premier Variable Whole Life Insurance, differs from other whole life insurance in that it provides monthly annuities for the family even after the subscriber dies. It protects the family again

The job market in June grew to the healthiest level in six months, posting a 3.3 percent unemployment rate as hiring conditions improved in manufacturing and service sectors, Statistics Korea said. The June figure is unchanged from May, but it saw the largest number of jobs in 11 months, 472,000, added to the economy.“The job growth is driven by the private sector and we’re seeing the job market c