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

Sangmidang Holdings said Wednesday that its charitable foundation donated two refrigerated trucks to the Korea Foodbank on Tuesday, expanding a delivery support program launched to help local food banks safely transport donated food. The latest contribution brings the total number of trucks provided since the foundation signed a partnership agreement in October 2022 to 12. The foundation plans to provide eight more by 2030. Sangmidang Holdings Chairman Hur Young-in and Kim Hyun-hoon, president of the Korea National Council on Social Welfare, attended the handover ceremony in Dongjak District in Seoul. The company also donated 4,000 bakery products, which were loaded onto the trucks. The vehicles will serve Busanjin District in Busan and Gyeryong, South Chungcheong Province. The company said aging vehicles have hampered deliveries at some food banks, with refrigeration failures and frequent breakdowns creating operational difficulties. Replacing the vehicles also posed a financial burden to the food-sharing organization. The nationwide food bank network distributes donated food and househ

The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) raised a record 175 million won ($127,000) for university scholarships at its annual charity event on Tuesday, bringing together business leaders to support students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds. The total marked a 17 percent increase from the 150 million won raised a year earlier. Organized by AMCHAM’s Partners for the Future Foundation, the event featured 44 CEOs and senior executives from member companies volunteering as servers, personally serving dinner to approximately 440 guests. The number of executive volunteers increased from 41 last year. Now in its 19th year, CEO Servers’ Night is one of AMCHAM’s signature charity events, bringing business leaders out of their boardrooms to serve guests and raise funds for university students in financial need. “CEO Servers’ Night brings business leaders together in a different capacity, united by a common purpose: helping students pursue their education,” AMCHAM Chairman James Kim said. “I want to thank every CEO and executive who took the time to serve, as well as

LX Hausys has won a 2027 Home Reno Award with VIATERA Solea, its E-stone surface material, the interior materials company said Wednesday. The Home Reno Awards, organized by U.S. lifestyle magazine Good Housekeeping, recognize home renovation products and services for their design, functionality and other qualities through expert evaluations and testing. VIATERA is LX Hausys' engineered stone brand, made primarily from natural quartz. It is known for its durability and natural stone-like appearance, and is used for kitchen countertops and bathroom vanity tops. VIATERA Solea features wide and subtle gold-toned veining against a white background, giving the engineered stone surface a natural stone-like appearance. It is designed to have patterns align seamlessly when multiple slabs are installed side by side, creating the appearance of a single continuous surface across large areas. It also offers high resistance to scratches and stains from everyday use, making it durable and easy to maintain, the company said. LX Hausys has won the award for the second consecutive year, following last year

Global food service and restaurant franchise operator, Theborn Korea, has partnered with Italian oven manufacturer UNOX to program its standardized recipes into commercial equipment, paving the way for an automated K-food rollout across Europe. Theborn Korea said Wednesday it signed a memorandum of understanding with UNOX on Nov. 4 at the Italian company's headquarters, combining its expertise in Korean cuisine and TBK sauces with UNOX's commercial cooking technology. Under the agreement, the companies will test Korean dishes using 11 varieties of TBK sauces and convert cooking conditions into data to develop standardized recipes and operating manuals. The goal is to allow local restaurant workers with little experience preparing Korean food to produce dishes with consistent taste and quality using UNOX smart ovens. Founded in 1990, UNOX specializes in commercial smart ovens and recorded global revenue of 360 million euros (540.6 billion won) last year, according to Theborn Korea. Its product lineup includes convection ovens, which use circulating hot air for even cooking, and combination

Hanwha Qcells has earned top ratings across two major international solar module evaluations, strengthening its position in the U.S. market as manufacturers face growing pressure to demonstrate product quality and domestic production credentials. The solar division of Hanwha Solutions said Wednesday that its modules received Top Performer recognition in all eight categories of the 2026 PV Module Reliability Scorecard published by U.S.-based Kiwa PVEL, one of the industry’s leading independent testing organizations The evaluation, released Tuesday (local time), subjected solar modules to eight rigorous tests designed to simulate harsh operating conditions, including high temperatures, humidity, sudden temperature changes, mechanical stress and hail impacts. The assessment also included modules manufactured at Hanwha Qcells’ Cartersville, Georgia, facility, which was completed in July. The results are particularly significant for the U.S. market, where locally manufactured products can qualify for additional tax incentives under the domestic content bonus credit provisions of the inves

Korea is pushing ahead with plans for a new generation of aircraft that can take off and land without runways, following a record-setting seven-day flight by its solar-powered unmanned aircraft in the stratosphere. The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) announced Wednesday that it will pursue development of hybrid vertical takeoff and landing aircraft after its EAV-4 unmanned aerial vehicle completed 170 hours and 5 minutes of continuous flight from Aug. 18 to 25. The achievement more than tripled Korea's previous domestic endurance record of 53 hours, set by the EAV-3 in 2020, and ranked second globally behind Airbus' Zephyr, according to the agency. During the flight test, the EAV-4 also demonstrated wildfire surveillance capabilities, using electro-optical and infrared cameras to identify ignition points within seconds and track and predict the direction of smoke and the movement of embers. Flying at an altitude of about 20 kilometers, solar-powered stratospheric aircraft can remain airborne for extended periods, potentially serving as persistent surveillance platforms and emergenc