Middle East Economic Digest
Scope
Date
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War in Ukraine
Korea swings to trade surplus in Feb; Russia risks loom
South Korea logged a trade surplus in February on strong exports after deficits in the previous two months, the recovery remained fragile, given Rus...
Mar 02, 2022 (Gmt+09:00)
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War in Ukraine
Korean inflation fears grow amid Ukraine crisis
Fears are growing over accelerating inflation in South Korea as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine boosted energy and raw materials prices. The cris...
Feb 28, 2022 (Gmt+09:00)
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ETFs
The Korea Economic Daily's index set for ETF market debut
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have been solidifying their position in the investment market of Korea for the past years. Individual investors in Sout...
Feb 04, 2022 (Gmt+09:00)
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Economy
S. Korea's economic growth jumps to 11-year high
South Korea recorded 4% economic growth in 2021 – its highest jump in 11 years – according to the country’s central bank. The Ban...
Jan 25, 2022 (Gmt+09:00)
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Economy
S. Korean economy grows 4% in 2021
. South Korea's economy is estimated to have grown 4 percent last year, the highest growth rate in 11 years, as consumption and exports bounced back...
Jan 25, 2022 (Gmt+09:00)
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Entertainment
Squid Game’s mega-hit spurs Netflix to release record K-content
Netflix Inc. plans to release 10 additional Korean-language originals this year as the smash success of Squid Game has impelled the world’s to...
Jan 19, 2022 (Gmt+09:00)
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E-commerce
Coupang’s share price rebounds as market digests lockup release
Shares of Coupang Inc., widely seen as the South Korean version of global e-commerce giant Amazon.com, are staging a rebound as the market is grad...
Dec 27, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Corporate restructuring
Hyundai Motor reshuffles overseas units to deal with changing markets
Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea’s top automaker, has reorganized its overseas units, reducing the number of business sectors to five from nine,...
Dec 19, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Cosmax’s China arm targets late-2022 Kosdaq listing
Cosmax East, which owns and manages Cosmax’s business in China in its entirety, has announced plans to seek listing on the Korea Stock Exchang...
Dec 17, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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AgTech
Korea sets up smart farm in UAE, envisions more projects in Middle East
South Korea is building a smart farm in the Middle East desert with technology enabling the growth of various crops while minimizing water consumpti...
Dec 07, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Economy
Korea 2021 GNI per capita to top $35,000 to record high
South Korea’s gross national income (GNI) per capita is expected to surpass $35,000 to a record high this year on strong economic growth, surg...
Dec 06, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Supply chain
Urea crisis lays bare South Korea’s heavy dependence on China
The diesel exhaust fluid crisis hitting South Korea across various industries lays bare the supply chain vulnerability of the country, which has hea...
Nov 14, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Monroe Capital
[ASK2021] Middle Market Direct Lending & Market Outlook
Monroe Capital LLC (“Monroe”) is a premier boutique asset management firm specializing in private credit markets across v...
Nov 03, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Economy
Slower Korean economic growth puts 4% target at risk
South Korea’s economy expanded slower than expected in the third quarter on sluggish private consumption and capital expenditures offset healt...
Oct 26, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Entertainment
Netflix brings $4.7 bn economic impact to Korean industries: Deloitte
Netflix Inc. has contributed to a socio-economic impact worth 5.6 trillion won ($4.7 billion) across various South Korean industries through the joi...
Sep 29, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Korean chipmakers
Batteries, chips strengthen US-Korea economic ties
Battery and chip industries are reinforcing economic cooperation between the United States and South Korea, expanding their ties focused on security...
Sep 27, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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North Korea fires two ballistic missiles off its East Coast
SEOUL—North Korea launched two ballistic missiles off its east coast on Wednesday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, in Pyongyang&rs...
Sep 15, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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S.Korea's potential growth rate drops to record low
The COVID-19 pandemic has dampened South Korea's growth potential between this year and the next by 0.2 percentage points to its historic low of 2.0...
Sep 14, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Petrochemicals
DL Chem to spend $2 bn on petrochemical expansion
DL Chemical Co., the petrochemical arm of South Korea's DL Group, will spend 2 trillion won ($1.7 billion) over the next five years to sharply boost...
Sep 12, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Chief Executives
US may return to low rates after modest inflation
The rising inflationary risk in the US, fueled by strong recovery from the pandemic-induced slowdown, is likely to be short-lived and modest, and in...
Aug 20, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Machinery
Doosan Infracore expands Middle East market share with more orders
Doosan Infracore Co., a leading South Korean heavy machinery and construction equipment maker, secured more orders in the Middle East where rising c...
Aug 12, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Fintech
SK Group expands foothold in Southeast Asia fintech sector
South Korea’s energy and telecom conglomerate SK Group is aggressively strengthening its foothold in the Southeast Asian fintech business.SK S...
Aug 09, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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IPOs
Krafton aims to become global content provider with $3.7 bn IPO
South Korean game developer Krafton Inc. dreams of growing into global content provider with an up to $3.7 billion fund to be raised from an initial...
Jul 26, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Energy
Samsung Heavy aims renewable energy markets with offshore wind floater
South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries Co. unveiled an offshore wind floater to branch out into renewable energy markets at home and abroad. ...
Jul 19, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Biotech
Seegene develops one-stop COVID-19 testing lab on wheels; eyes MENA expansion
South Korea-based diagnostic kit maker Seegene Inc. has developed a mobile diagnostic and testing lab that offers a one-stop solution for COVID-19 t...
Jun 25, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Economy
BOK ratchets up warning over asset price bubble, private debt
The recent asset price rises in South Korea, in particular in the equities and real estate markets, have been too rapid, even considering an expecte...
Jun 23, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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SK Innovation in CO2 capture, storage technology project
SK Innovation Co. signed an agreement on May 26 to participate in South Korea's first government-led project to develop carbon capture and storage (...
May 26, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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President Moon's state visit to US
Korea’s top 4 conglomerates pledge $40 bn investment in US
Samsung Group, Hyundai Motor Group, SK Group and LG Group, companies unofficially accompanying South Korean President Moon Jae-in on his state visit...
May 23, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Water technology
LG Chem's water filter business thrives amid high demand in Middle East
LG Chem Ltd., the parent company of South Korea’s leading battery maker LG Energy Solution Co., is enjoying a strong rise in demand for its wa...
May 20, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Korean startups
SoftBank Ventures invests in fashion app targeting middle-aged women
South Korea-based Queenit, a fashion mobile platform targeting middle-aged women, has secured around 5.5 billion won ($5 million) from a pool of hig...
May 13, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)