[DISCLOSURE] Samho Development (010960) announced on Sept. 23 that it has amended a contract worth 21.58 million (US$19.54 million) with Hanshin Engineering Construction (004960) as the construction completion date has been changed to Dec. 25, 2016. This amounts to 10.12 percent of its revenue last year.By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.com)

[THE INVESTOR]  President Park Geun-hye on Sept. 23 attended a ceremony to launch a government-led institution handling micro-financing services in a show of resolve to pay greater attention to the underprivileged.Based on a law enacted in March, the Korea Inclusive Finance Agency was launched to serve as a one-stop lending center for financially strained citizens, including workers, young entrepreneurs and college students. The agency has integrated a set of existing microcredit and other loan

[DISCLOSURE] DE&T (079810), a manufacturer and distributor of flat panel display equipment and components, announced on Sept. 23 that it is purchasing real estate worth 10 billion won (US$9.04 million) in Osan, Gyeonggi Province. This amounts to 24.2 of its equity capital. By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.com)

[DISCLOSURE] E-TRON (096040) announced on Sept. 22 that it has decided on a capital increase of 999 million won (US$905,960).Around 1.57 million shares will be issued for public offering at the price of 633 won per share with 10 percent discount rate applied. The payment is due Sept. 28 and the listing date is Oct. 12. By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.com)

[DISCLOSURE] Rayence (228850), a manufacturer of medical and veterinary X-ray detector products, said on Sept. 22 that it has acquired the entire 78,791 shares of OSKO, a US X-ray manufacturing company, worth 2.29 billion won (US$2.07 million). This amounts to 1 percent of its equity capital. OSKO will become a stronghold for its business expansion in Central and South America, the company said. By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.com)

[THE INVESTOR] South Korea’s eight credit card firms posted a 13 percent on-year decline in their first-half net profit, the financial regulator said on Sept. 22. The country’s eight card issuers earned a combined 948.7 billion won (US$861 million) in net profit for the January-June period, down 139 billion won from a year earlier, the Financial Supervisory Service said in a statement.Increased card spending and fees were offset by higher provisions and bigger marketing costs to draw customers a

[DISCLOSURE] Korea Polymer (009810), a flexible intermediate bulk containers provider, announced on Sept. 22 that it has issued around 32.66 million shares and offered them to its shareholders for capital increase. The subscription rate reached 107.47 percent. By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.com)

[DISCLOSURE] Singapore-based Aberdeen Asset Management Asia announced on Sept. 21 that it has sold off a total of 280,000 shares (1.03 percent stake) in E-mart (139480), the largest retailer in Korea, and now has a 11.19 percent stake. By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.com)

[THE INVESTOR] Despite declining sales, the profitability of South Korean firms improved in the second quarter compared to a year earlier, central bank data showed on Sept. 22. Combined sales in local firms with assets worth over 12 billion won (US$10 million) decreased 1.9 percent in the April-June period from a year earlier, showed a Bank of Korea survey conducted on 3,062 companies between Aug. 1 and Sept. 9.Sales of conglomerates dropped though the rate of decline slowed to a 2.3 percent on-

[DISCLOSURE] CJ Korea Express (000120) announced on Sept. 21 that it will invest 122.7 billion won (US$111.44 million) to install SK Telecom’s automated parcel sorting solutions at 195 sub terminals, which will shorten the distribution process of delivery from the hub. The automated system will lead to more deliveries on the same day as the order. This investment amounts to 5.17 percent of last year’s consolidated equity capital and expires Apr. 30, 2018. By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.

[DISCLOSURE] Fidelity Management & Research Company announced on Sept. 21 that it has bought a total of 11.12 billion shares (4.55 percent) of BGF Retail (027410), which operates CU, a convenience store franchise chain in Korea. By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.com)

[THE INVESTOR]  Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho said on Sept. 21 that the government will push forward with reforming the corporate sector under the principles of self-help efforts by businesses and do its best to minimize the adverse impact.“Based on the principles that creditor banks give out additional aid only when troubled companies come up with painstaking self-reform plans, the government will firmly lead the nationwide corporate restructuring process,” he said in a meeting of economy-related

[DISCLOSURE] Macrogen (038290), a genome sequencing firm, announced on Sept. 21 that it has gained a patent for extracting fusion protein that encodes RET fusion protein which can be used as a diagnostic marker of cancer. The patent includes primer pair of base sequence to detect KIF5B fusion protein and composite to inhibit activation of relevant fusion protein of lung cancer. By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.com)

[DISCLOSURE] Woongjin (016880) announced on Sept. 21 that it will sell its entire 1.01 million shares of Ocean Suites for 18 billion won (US$16.05 million) to secure investment for future growth. By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.com)

[THE INVESTOR] South Korea said on Sept. 21 that it plans to host a trade fair for fisheries in China this week.A total of 12 South Korean seafood makers are set to meet with about 70 Chinese buyers about potential exports during the K-Fish Fair, set to be held in Shanghai from Sept. 22-25, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said.South Korea hopes its seafood makers can sign deals with Chinese buyers to export such items as dried seaweed, oysters and abalone.In June, the ministry hosted a simi

[THE INVESTOR] South Korea’s exports plunged 17 percent in the first 20 days of September from a year earlier, the latest customs data showed on Sept. 21. Outbound shipments totaled US$22.9 billion between Sept. 1-20, down from $27.6 billion tallied over the same period last year, according to the Korea Customs Service.“Working days shrank three days compared with the same period a year earlier due to the Chuseok holiday. Considering this fact, actual exports jumped 2.9 percent on-year,” the KCS

[DISCLOSURE] Gaeasoft (051160), which provides wireless internet solutions, has decided to issue convertible bonds worth 2 billion won (US$1.79 million) with no warranty and offer them to Jang Chul-ho, Cho Duk-soon and Kim Sook-ja.The coupon rate and maturity interest rate are both 4 percent. The convertible price is 2,522 won and the bonds expire on Sept. 22, 2019.By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.com)

[DISCLOSURE] KD E&C (044180), a producer of mold bases and building construction, reported on Sept. 21 that its 1 billion newly issued stocks offered to existing shareholders have reached 55.44 percent subscription rate.It will offer the remaining 44.55 million shares for public subscription from Sept. 22.By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.com)

[DISCLOSURE] Barunson E&A (035620) has decided to cancel a US$7.5 million publishing contract with a Chinese firm to provide online games, it announced on Sept. 21. The company has already received US$1.35 million. By Yun Jeong-hyeon (clareyun@heraldcorp.com)

[THE INVESTOR] South Korea and Vietnam will hold a joint committee meeting this week to discuss economic cooperation, the Foreign Ministry said on Sept.20. The 15th Joint Economic Committee will be held in Hanoi on Sept. 22 with the talks to be led by Lee Tae-ho, deputy foreign minister for economic affairs and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen The Phuong, according to the ministry.The committee has been held since 1993 and aims at providing a platform for both sides to exchange views and ideas