Coffee brands, roasters, experts and authorities from around the world are gathering in Seoul for the 25th Seoul International Cafe Show, a four-day event that kicked off Wednesday. This year, India and Guatemala took part in one of the event’s flagship programs, Origin Discovery, showcasing their coffee traditions and explaining how their distinctive beans have won loyal followings among coffee lovers worldwide. Organized by the Coffee Board under the Government of India, a session titled Coffees of India introduced the country’s history of coffee cultivation, which dates back to the 1600s and reached its commercial zenith in the 18th century. Indian coffees, including Arabica, Robusta and Excelsa varieties, have been cultivated across Western Ghats — a biodiversity hotspot recognized by the UNESCO — as well as Eastern Ghats and Northeastern states. Amulya K.G., director of the Coffee Board and the host of the session, said there are 441,000 coffee farms in India, 99 percent of which are small holdings of less than 10 hectares. India is the world’s fifth largest coffee export

Mercedes-Benz Korea has entered the nation's fast-growing luxury van market with the V-Class, intensifying competition in a segment previously dominated by Toyota’s Alphard and Lexus LM. The German luxury carmaker launched Wednesday the seven-seat V-Class as a single-trim model priced at 124 million won ($92,700), targeting customers looking for a premium vehicle that combines passenger capacity with a high level of comfort. The launch comes as demand for high-end vans grows in Korea, particularly among business executives, celebrities and families seeking more spacious and comfortable transportation. Toyota and Lexus have established a strong presence in the segment with their Alphard and LM models, respectively. The two brands have benefited from growing demand for premium multipurpose vehicles that offer more space and comfort than conventional luxury sedans and SUVs. The arrival of Mercedes-Benz is expected to intensify competition by giving consumers another premium option. The V-Class luxury van is only available for a diesel powertrain here. The V-Class is positioned as a more sp

Deutsche Bank said Korea needs to improve financial market accessibility and regulatory predictability to attract more global capital, as its world-class companies continue to underpin the country's investment appeal. In a recent exclusive interview with The Korea Times, Alexander von zur Muehlen, Deutsche Bank's CEO of Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa and Germany, said "few economies have produced such a concentration of globally competitive companies across strategically important industries" as Korea has. "The next step is to make its financial markets as international as its companies," said von zur Muehlen, who is also a member of the bank's management board. "Greater openness, simplicity and predictability can help broaden international participation." Korea has been opening its financial markets to global investors, introducing 24-hour foreign exchange trading in July. The country also allows foreign institutions to participate directly in its onshore foreign exchange market through the Registered Foreign Institution program, with Deutsche Bank among the first participa

The government is set to prevent incumbent CEOs at financial companies from having an undue influence on appointing their successors, while imposing tougher voting requirements for bank holding company chiefs who seek to extend their tenure, according to financial authorities, Thursday. The measures are part of a long-delayed corporate governance reform package unveiled by the Lee Jae Myung administration and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), aimed at making leadership succession more transparent and strengthening board independence across the financial sector. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) plans to draw up amendments to the Act on Corporate Governance of Financial Companies within the year. The changes are expected to take effect six months after the legislation is passed. A central focus is to give independent directors greater control over leadership succession and strengthen their ability to hold management accountable. Under the proposed changes, committees responsible for nominating CEO candidates would consist entirely of independent directors. Sitting CEOs wou

Korea's ramyeon exports are expected to increase 30 percent in 2027 from a year earlier, driven by expanded production capacity, industry sources said Thursday. Ramyeon shipments rose 26 percent to $1.59 billion in the January-October period, already surpassing last year's full-year growth rate of 22 percent and total exports of $1.52 billion, according to data from the trade ministry and other sources. "Major ramyeon makers' investments in production facilities are expected to continue driving export growth next year," an industry official said over the phone. Nongshim, Korea's leading instant noodle maker, began operations last month at its first plant dedicated to exports in the southern port city of Busan. The company currently generates about 40 percent of its total ramyeon sales from overseas markets, including the United States, China and Japan. It operates seven plants in Korea and six overseas facilities — two in the US and four in China — and sells flagship products such as Shin Ramyun, Chapagetti and Neoguri worldwide. Samyang Foods, known for its globally popular Buldak spi

Korean chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are monitoring leadership uncertainty at Nvidia, one of their biggest clients, company insiders said Thursday. As the major suppliers of chips used in artificial intelligence (AI) accelerators, the two are assessing potential succession scenarios following reports that Nvidia's board is considering possible replacements for CEO Jensen Huang amid allegations of multiple extramarital affairs. Huang's close ties with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won have raised concerns that his possible departure could affect business relations. "If Huang is removed, it could inevitably affect networking among top industry executives," a company official said, requesting anonymity. "We cannot rule out the possibility that business discussions could slow or existing plans could change." Others, however, said existing supply agreements were unlikely to be affected, noting that the two companies have traditionally worked with Nvidia executives, including Senior Vice President Jeff Fisher, on detailed business plans.

The global semiconductor upcycle, coupled with easing pressure from higher oil prices, is expected to lead to stronger consumption next year, a state-run think tank projected Thursday. The outlook came amid assessments that this year's global chip upcycle, driven by the artificial intelligence (AI) boom, has had a limited impact on domestic consumption due to the gradual spillover of its benefits, while higher oil prices have weighed more immediately on the room for spending. "Next year, the negative impact of oil price hikes is expected to gradually weaken, while the positive impact of the chip upcycle spreads, leading to stronger consumption compared with this year," the Korea Development Institute (KDI) said in a report. The KDI said bonuses and dividends paid by major chipmakers could also provide additional momentum for domestic consumption, although geopolitical uncertainties in the Middle East may pose some downside risks. Amid the potential challenges, the KDI advised the government to refrain from measures aimed at stimulating short-term spending and instead focus on improving e

Players who have pre-ordered the game digitally can start downloading it now, but will need up to 212GB of free space.

The iPad Air could become the third iPad model to adopt OLED, following the iPad Pro and iPad mini.

Nvidia shares fell more than 8 per cent at one point in US after-hours trading on Wednesday as CEO Jensen Huang’s prospects of hanging onto his role became more clouded after media reports of a board meeting and another extramarital affair. The drop in the American AI chip giant’s share price erased a 2.9 per cent rebound in the regular trading session, after the stock lost over 9.5 per cent in trading on Monday and Tuesday. It came as speculation mounted over whether Huang would keep his job....