Korea's Araon brings emissions-cutting tech to India in CSR push

Araon, a South Korean startup specializing in vehicle emissions reduction technology, said Friday it is promoting a project in India that combines Korean environmental technology with corporate social responsibility initiatives by Korean firms operating in the country. The project aims to reduce vehicle emissions and improve fuel efficiency in major Indian cities by installing Araon’s emissions-control devices on corporate and public vehicles. This project is being carried out in cooperation wit

March 13, 2026

AmCham, Korea's privacy chief discuss cross-border data rules for AI era

The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea hosted a policy dialogue Friday with Personal Information Protection Commission Chairperson Song Kyung-hee to discuss Korea’s data protection policies and the evolving role of trusted data use in the artificial intelligence era. The session, held at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, brought together about 80 representatives from AmCham member companies and the broader business community. During the event, Song outlined the government’s policy direction for Korea’s

March 13, 2026

Celltrion to accelerate biosimilar pipeline on eased US regulations

Celltrion said Friday it will immediately apply newly eased US biosimilar development rules to its pipeline, a move expected to cut development costs and shorten timelines. The decision follows the recent release of the fourth revision of the biosimilar development Q&A guidelines by the US Food and Drug Administration, which simplifies pharmacokinetic testing requirements for biosimilars. A key change in the revision relaxes the criteria for reference drugs used in clinical comparisons. Previous

March 13, 2026

Toss unveils ‘Money 3.0’ blueprint for borderless finance

Viva Republica, operator of the fintech platform Toss, said Thursday it is moving toward a new “Money 3.0” era centered on blockchain and stablecoins, outlining its vision at the 2026 Seoul Blockchain Meetup Conference in Seoul. Speaking at the event held at the Seoul Textile Center, Seo Chang-whoon, corporate development director at Toss, introduced the company’s future financial model under the theme “Trust as infrastructure: a digital economy driven by blockchain and stablecoins.” The present

March 13, 2026

Orion’s Ojingeo Peanut turns 50 with fresh new packaging

Orion Corp. on Friday unveiled a redesigned package for its iconic snack Ojingeo Peanut to celebrate the product’s 50th anniversary, marking half a century of one of Korea’s most beloved treats. The new design highlights the phrase “50 Years of the Original,” proudly emphasizing the snack’s heritage and long-standing popularity across generations of Korean consumers. First introduced in 1976, Ojingeo Peanut has remained a staple snack thanks to its distinctive texture and flavor. The product is

March 13, 2026

Coupang CEO joins early-morning delivery shift

Coupang CEO Harold Rogers conducted an overnight visit to a logistics site and joined early-morning deliveries, according to industry sources on Friday. Rogers visited a delivery camp near Seongnam in Gyeonggi Province late Thursday night and helped deliver early-morning orders alongside logistics workers in the area. The visit became known after photos believed to show Rogers at the site were posted on an online community by a person identified as a warehouse worker. Coupang confirmed that Roge

March 13, 2026

LS Group rides power supercycle to record earnings

LS Group said Wednesday it posted record revenue and operating profit in 2025, driven by strong demand for power infrastructure during the global “electricity supercycle.” The Korean industrial group reported consolidated revenue of 45.7 trillion won ($31.4 billion) and operating profit of 1.49 trillion won last year, marking the highest figures since its establishment in 2003. Revenue and operating profit rose 9.1 percent and 23.1 percent year-on-year, respectively. LS attributed the strong per

March 13, 2026

Starbucks takes spending crown, Mega Coffee leads visits in Korea

Starbucks ranked as the food and beverage retail brand with the highest total spending by Korean consumers, while budget coffee chain Mega Coffee recorded the most transactions, according to data released Friday by market analytics firm Wiseapp Retail. Based on a sample analysis of Korean credit and debit card payments, Starbucks topped the list of food and beverage retail brands by total payment value over the six months from September 2025 to February 2026. When Starbucks’ spending was indexed

March 13, 2026

Nol Universe partners with Woori Bank on prepaid card for foreign tourists

Nol Universe, a South Korean travel and entertainment platform operator, said Friday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Woori Bank and Kona I to launch a prepaid card service tailored for foreign visitors to Korea. The agreement aims to improve financial accessibility and payment convenience for international tourists. The three companies plan to develop the necessary infrastructure ahead of the card’s official launch in April. The prepaid card will be offered through Nol World, No

March 13, 2026

Samsung Heavy launches US research hub in San Diego with SDSU

Samsung Heavy Industries said Friday it has opened its first research hub in the United States in partnership with San Diego State University, aiming to strengthen technological cooperation and support the revival of the US shipbuilding industry. The new facility, named the SHI-SDSU Advanced Maritime Center (SSAM Center), was established in San Diego. The opening ceremony was attended by about 60 officials, including Samsung Heavy Industries Chief Operating Officer Lee Wang-keun, SDSU Vice Presi

March 13, 2026