[THE INVESTOR] South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has received the highest rating from an annual ranking of the world’s antitrust authorities. In a survey conducted by Global Competition Review, a leading international antitrust and competition law journal based in UK, it was awarded five stars along with its US, German and French counterparts, among the authorities from 39 countries. This is the first time an Asian competition authority has received the top ranking, named Elite. The size of st

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung C&T has received a US$240 million order from Hong Kong International Airport, it announced on Aug. 2. Under a consortium with local partner, it has won a bid for HKIA’s US$340 million ground improvement project, and its share is 70 percent. This is the largest single order a South Korean company has won in Hong Kong.Scheduled to be completed by March 2018, the project is the first phase of the airport’s plan to expand into a three-runway system from the existing two. It re

[DISCLOSURE] Lock&Lock (115390) announced on Aug. 2 that its second-quarter operating profit rose 47.90% to 14.3 billion won (US$12.89 million) from the same period last year. Its sales slipped 2.56 percent down to 101.78 billion won and net profit increased 156.13 percent to 9.93 billion won.

[DISCLOSURE] Hyundai Development Company (012630) announced on Aug. 1 that it has won a 301.7 billion won (US$207.70 million) order for a renovation project in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. This amounts to 6.6 percent of its revenue.

[DISCLOSURE] GS Global (001250) announced on Aug. 1 that it will guarantee 22.45 billion won (US$20.14 million) debt of its subsidiary GS Entec. This amounts to 11.1 percent of its equity capital.

[DISCLOSURE] CS (065770) announced on Aug. 1 that it has signed a 6 billion won (US$5.38 million) contract with SK Telecom (017670) to supply long-term evolution (LTE) optical dispersion and repeater. This amounts to 10.94 percent of its revenue last year.

[THE INVESTOR] The US Forces in Korea has terminated its exclusive contract with Hanjin Group for the supply of gasoline and diesel, throwing open the doors for other competitors, according to local media reports Aug. 1.　Under the previous contract that expires at the end of this month, its affiliate Hanjin Transportation was the sole provider of oil for land use estimated to be worth an average of 70 billion won (US$62.81 million) a year. 　Hanjin Group sold off its entire stake in S-Oil, owned

[THE INVESTOR] Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering has received a 200 billion won (US$179.2 million) order to build two oil tankers for Singapore’s BW Group, it announced on Aug. 1.DSME will provide the oil and gas transporter two 318,000-ton Very Large Crude Carriers by 2018. The BW Group has ordered a total of 63 ships from the South Korean shipbuilder and has received 53 so far. DSME has been struggling from liquidity crisis and the Singapore-based company has paid 30 percent upon signin

[THE INVESTOR] South Korean low-cost carriers are further expanding their capacity, increasing their flights to and from destinations in Japan and China. South Korea`s largest budget carrier Jeju Air.Eastar introduces regular flights between Jejudo and Quanzhou on Aug. 29, increasing the regular routes to China to eight. It already operates flights from Incheon to Jinan and Cheongju to Ningbo, Shenyang, Shanghai, Yenji, Harbin and Dalian, boasting a record of shuttling 1.3 million visitors from

[DISCLOSURE] ViroMed (084990) announced on Aug. 1 that its VM202RY has been approved to initiate phase 2 of its clinical trials. VM202RY is a medicine for acute myocardial infarction by directly injecting into the cardiac muscles of the coronary artery territory.

[THE INVESTOR] Sales of duty-free stores almost doubled in June on-year rising for the ninth consecutive month, as the number of Chinese tourists increased, latest data showed Aug. 1. Duty-free sales in June surged 94.1 percent from the same period last year, according to the Korea Customs Service and Statistics Korea. The increase is attributed the low figure last year following the Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak from June to August that saw a sharp fall in number of tourists. Free f

[THE INVESTOR] South Korean airplane parts manufacturer Hize Aero has signed a memorandum of understanding with Boeing Tianjin Composite to establish a plant in Tianjin, it announced on Aug. 1. Hize has been aiming to expand itself in the fast-growing Chinese market, and has signed supply contracts with a number of Chinese partners including AVIC International Holding, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China and Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing. The factory, set to be completed by the end of nex

[DISCLOSURE] LG Uplus (032640) announced on Aug. 1 that its operating profit in the second quarter decreased 6 percent to 180.1 billion won (US$161.6 million) from the same period last year. Its sales rose 8 percent to 2.88 trillion won and net profit increased 13 percent to 130.8 billion won on-year.

[DISCLOSURE] Woori Bank (000030) announced on Aug.1 that it will issue contingent convertible bonds worth US$5 billion in US and Europe. HSBC will be the lead manager.

[DISCLOSURE] Naver (035420) announced on July 29 that its subsidiary LINE Corp. has decided to issue 5.25 million shares and offer them to Nomura Securities and Morgan Stanley & Co. for capital increase. This is to finance 186.02 billion won (US$166.90 million) to acquire stocks of other firms and is in accordance with the greenshoe option, which allows additional stocks to be issued when the stock price stays above the subscription price after IPO.

[DISCLOSURE] Dong-A ST (170900) announced on July 29 that it will sell 2.35 million shares of its affiliate M.I.Tech worth 30 billion won (US$26.67 million) to secure funds for investment in core business.

[DISCLOSURE] CJ Korea Express (000120) announced on July 29 that its Chinese holding company CJ Korea Express (China) Investment will acquire 50 percent stake of Chinese logistics company Shenzen Speedex Commercial Service at 81.1 billion won (US$72.09 million). This amounts to 3.42 percent of its equity capital.The rest is owned by its previous largest shareholder TCL, an electronics company in China. TCL and CJ will establish a joint venture. The due date for acquisition is Aug. 31.

[DISCLOSURE] Samsung Heavy Industries (010140) announced on July 29 that it posted 283.7 billion won (US$252.18 million) in operating loss, continuing to be in red from the same period last year. Its sales hiked 89 percent to 27.21 trillion won while net loss came in at 212.4 billion won remaining in red.

[DISCLOSURE] Samsung Card (029780) announced on July 29 that its operating profit in the second quarter fell 10 percent to 83.7 billion won (US$74.4 million) from the same period last year. Its sales came in at 833.6 billion won, up 5.5 percent while net profit was down 9.7 percent to 109.64 billion won on-year.

[DISCLOSURE] AmorePacific (090430) announced on July 29 that its operating profit in the second quarter rose 15.6 percent to 240.6 billion won (US$213.87 million) from the same period last year. Its sales reached 1.44 trillion won, up 20.7 percent and net profit increased 19.3 percent to 192.6 billion won on-year.