Welcome to the AKBC e-newsletter

The Australia-Korea Business Council has commenced a monthly e-newsletter that will be sent straight to your inbox. These newsletters will provide you with the latest Australia-Korea related news and events.  

News

Opportunities and barriers in boosting trade and investment in the services sector

By Simon Yoo

As the Australian and Korean economies move away from traditional trade in resources and manufactured goods, the services sector is becoming increasingly important.  This article explores the opportunities for Australia in tourism, education, pension funds, healthcare,  ICT and the knowledge economy as well as some of the challenges that face the services sector such as the lack of currency hedging services and cultural differences. 

Korean business culture lesson #2

What is ho-ching 호칭?

In Korea, people address each other by their position/title, rather than their first/given names, especially in a business context. Therefore, address your Korean client or colleague using  [Surname] [Nim]. Note that Nim is a honorific term. For example you could say Kim Manager Nim or Kim Bujang Nim. 

KNOC, KOGAS and KORES in debt

Korea's three major energy-related public companies are to pay back more than 8 trillion won ($6.8 billion) in debts maturing this year, which stemmed from their heavily leveraged investments in overseas energy assets

South Korea's luxury Hotel Lotte eyes $6.7b IPO

In what would be the world's biggest initial public offering since late 2015, South Korea's Hotel Lotte plans a share sale worth up to 5.7 trillion won ($6.7 billion) next month. The IPO is part of an effort to simplify its ownership structure amid a family feud over leadership succession.

South Korean author Han Kang wins the Man Booker International Prize
 

South Korean author Han Kang has won the Man Booker International Prize for fiction with The Vegetarian, an unsettling novel about a woman whose decision to stop eating meat has devastating consequences.
 

Become a member of AKBC
 

The Australia Korea Business Council welcomes new members. The AKBC has recently revised its membership categories to accommodate small to medium enterprises and professionals. This reflects the changing nature of the relationship between Australia and Korea and the increasing number of small businesses interested in doing business with South Korea.

Upcoming events

Seoul

Joint Meeting of the Australia-Korea Business Council and the Korea-Australia Business Council

17+18 October 2016

The 37th Joint Meeting between the Australia Korea Business Council and Korea Australia Business Council will be held in Seoul on the 17th and 18th of October. The annual Joint Meeting brings together leaders from  South Korea and Australia to further strengthen the alliance and economic ties between Korea and Australia.

Melbourne

AKBC Event with Victorian Commissioner to Korea Mr Adam Cunneen

24 May 2016

The AKBC will host Victorian Commissioner to Korea Mr Adam Cunneen and special guests to discuss the current trends and opportunities relating to the Victoria-South Korea relationship and the Victorian Government’s plan for engagement with Korea going forward.

Melbourne

Capturing the Global market

25 May 2016

This event is held by the International Women’s Federation of Commerce and Industry and will explore challenges and success stories on how to convert Asian clients into long term profitable business alliances.

Melbourne

Infrastructure Investor Australia Forum

7 June 2016

The inaugural Australia Forum will gather the key infrastructure players to discuss the best approaches to acquiring, managing, and exiting infrastructure assets, and opportunities for private funding in global markets.

Special rate for AKBC members - save 15% off the current rate. Reply to this email to receive the code. 

Melbourne

Agri Investor Australia Forum

8 June 2016

Join domestic and offshore institutions, family offices, fund managers and regulators to explore the trends shaping investment and value creation across the agriculture cycle in Australia and beyond.

Special rate for AKBC members - save 15% off the current rate. Reply to this email to receive the code. 

Sydney

AKBC event with Professor You-il Lee on Australia-Korea relations

28 June 2016

The Australia-Korea Business Council invites you to join our event on the 28th of June to hear from Professor You-il Lee from the University of South Australia about the political economy of Northeast Asia and its implications on the Australia-Korea relationship.

Sydney

New Romance: art and the posthuman (MCA)

30 June – 4 September 2016

New Romance: art and the posthuman brings together artists from Australia and Korea whose works encourage us to question what it means to be human today and what it might mean in the future. It is presented in association with the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea.