
SK hynix named one of world's most ethical companies by Ethisphere
SK hynix said Wednesday it has been recognized as one of the world's most ethical companies of 2025 by the global ethical business evaluation organization Ethisphere.
Ethisphere honors companies with superior ethics and compliance programs through its annual World's Most Ethical Companies recognition. It evaluates companies based on five key categories: ethics and compliance, governance, a culture of ethics, environmental and social impact, and initiatives that support a strong value chain. The evaluation consists of over 240 detailed criteria.
This year, Ethisphere selected a total of 136 companies across 44 industries in 19 countries. In the semiconductor sector, SK hynix was one of four companies recognized, making it the first Korean semiconductor company to receive the distinction.
SK hynix has actively fostered an ethical corporate culture by implementing initiatives such as an annual ethical commitment pledge and an ethical practice survey, and by encouraging employees to engage in and improve ethical management practices.
Since 2023, the chipmaker has also introduced a program that shares information on the operation of its ethics system with business partners, aiming to build a collaborative ethical business framework.
'I would like to express my gratitude to our members for their continued efforts to achieve global recognition of the company's principles for ethical management,' SK hynix Chief Executive Officer Kwak Noh-Jung said. 'We will strive to uphold the trust of our stakeholders and do our part to continue as an ethically responsible AI memory supplier.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Korea Herald
2 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Seoul shares open higher ahead of US-China trade talks resumption
South Korean stocks opened sharply higher Monday on stronger-than-expected US jobs data and expectations over the planned resumption of high-level trade talks between the United States and China. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 49.27 points, or 1.75 percent, to 2,861.32 in the first 15 minutes of trading, continuing last week's bullish momentum. The KOSPI tracked Wall Street's rally on Friday, sparked by better-than-expected US jobs data, which relieved investors' concerns of economic slowdown in the world's largest economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.05 percent, the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite added 1.2 percent and the S&P 500 grew 1.03 percent. Investors' eyes are on the second round of high-level trade negotiations between Washington and Beijing set to kick off later in the day in London. Market bellwether Samsung Electronics increased 1.61 percent, while its chipmaking rival SK hynix surged 3.56 percent. Top automaker Hyundai Motor jumped 3.11 percent and its auto-parts making affiliate Hyundai Mobis shot up 7.87 percent. Major nuclear power plant constructor Doosan Enerbility also soared 4.68 percent, and internet operator Naver climbed 2.3 percent. Financial shares were also strong, with KB Financial up 1.32 percent and Hana Financial advancing 3.27 percent. On the other hand, major defense firm Hanwha Aerospace dipped 3.31 percent and leading shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean lost 1.67 percent. The local currency was trading at 1,361.4 won against the greenback at 9:15 a.m., down 3.0 won from the previous session. (Yonhap)


Korea Herald
3 hours ago
- Korea Herald
K-beauty's US crown under tariff strain in 2 minutes
Korean beauty, born from local culture, is now soaring on a global scale. Its triumph is most vividly illustrated in the US, where it became the top cosmetics exporter in 2024, surpassing former leader France for the first time. Despite this meteoric rise, however, a question remains: How far can K-beauty go at this pivotal juncture, now clouded by looming tariffs? Success formula • Global K-content wave meets lab-developed innovation, popularized through e-commerce • Localized, high-quality products with clean formulations tailored for US consumers • Strong foothold on Amazon, with competitive pricing fueling demand • Viral marketing on TikTok and Instagram, opening new channels like TikTok Shop • Expansion into major US retailers: Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Walmart and Target Navigating US regulations • Compliance with the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act rules for Food and Drug Administration registration, product listing and labeling • Dedicated compliance teams at beauty giants and major original design manufacturers • Successful product testing and certification for over-the-counter sunscreens Tariff headwinds • Delayed 25 percent tariff set for July 9 alongside existing 10 percent tariffs • Growing concerns over won-dollar exchange rate and its impact on import prices • Expansion of US-based production by companies such as Kolmar Korea and Cosmax • Increased US investments by Amorepacific and LG H&H, including LG's $130 million capital infusion and Amorepacific's US facility plan What's next? • Long-term strategy emphasizing technological leadership, product innovation • Shift in innovation focus to AI-powered devices and next-generation beauty technology
![[Yoo Choon-sik] President Lee should look beyond market cheers](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.heraldcorp.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2025%2F06%2F08%2Fnews-p.v1.20250608.c3de5fa082994a0b9703c29f42d6141a_T1.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![[Yoo Choon-sik] President Lee should look beyond market cheers](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fkoreaherald.com.png&w=48&q=75)
Korea Herald
6 hours ago
- Korea Herald
[Yoo Choon-sik] President Lee should look beyond market cheers
The South Korean stock market soared on each of the first two trading days following President Lee Jae-myung's official inauguration after securing a decisive victory in the early election held on June 3, winning by a substantial margin over his opponents. The peaceful transition of power and the political clarity it brings have been met with visible enthusiasm. Undoubtedly, Lee and his party, together with the people of South Korea, have every reason to relish the celebratory honeymoon phase of their administration. The stock market's benchmark Kospi posted a remarkable combined gain of 4.2 percent over those two days to end at 2,812.05 points on Friday, representing the highest closing level in nearly a year since July 18 last year. During the same period, foreign investors made net purchases totaling 2.07 trillion won ($1.52 billion) on the main board, marking the most net inflow from overseas investors in a year. This sharp uptick in buying activity reflected renewed confidence in the Korean market under the new leadership. The rise in stock prices is widely interpreted as a reflection of relief across the investor community, stemming from the peaceful resolution of the monthslong political impasse, triggered by the former president's controversial declaration of martial law last December. With stability now restored, there is cautious hope that Lee's administration will introduce pragmatic, market-friendly reforms. Contributing to the rally are also favorable external factors: a persistent weakening of the US dollar against major global currencies and the announcement that the US and China intend to resume trade negotiations —developments that typically benefit emerging markets like South Korea. Historically, traditional markets served as informal forums where policymakers could gather sentiment from the people, as citizens exchanged views and insights while trading goods. In our current era, financial markets serve a parallel — yet far more complex and consequential — role. They function as barometers of public and investor sentiment, allowing market participants around the globe to continuously evaluate a nation's economic performance, policy direction and future outlook. From that perspective, the recent rally in the stock market, alongside the strengthening of the Korean won, can be read as a strong initial endorsement of the promises and rhetoric offered by President Lee during the campaign. His campaign period, however, was notably brief, offering limited time for his team to flesh out fully detailed policy plans. Nonetheless, the messaging struck a chord, especially among investors and market observers eager for reform and modernization. One of Lee's key campaign priorities is addressing the "Korea Discount" — a persistent and well-documented phenomenon that refers to the comparatively low valuation of Korean-listed companies relative to their international peers. It is largely attributed to weaknesses in corporate governance, low shareholder returns and systemic inefficiencies in South Korea's regulatory and economic framework. To address this issue, Lee has pledged to revise Article 382-3 of the Commercial Act. The proposed amendment would obligate directors of listed companies to act not just in good faith but specifically in the interest of both the company and all its shareholders. The current version of the act requires directors to act for the benefit of the company, but lacks explicit emphasis on shareholder interests. Lee has also vowed to introduce the cumulative voting system. Many view this as a powerful tool for enhancing minority shareholder rights, as it allows shareholders to pool votes to elect at least one representative to a board, in contrast to the traditional system of one vote per share per director. Deliberative policymaking In addition, he supports other measures aimed at prompting companies to return a greater portion of earnings to shareholders and limiting the negative effects of corporate spinoffs that often disadvantage minority investors. While these governance-focused reforms are grabbing headlines, Lee has also promised fiscal stimulus on a massive scale. Though not explicitly intended to push stock prices higher, a major supplementary budget is expected to provide a strong economic stimulus to offset faltering domestic demand. This comes at a time when South Korea, an export-driven economy, is grappling with declining overseas sales due mainly to the US government's imposition of steep tariffs on most of its trading partners. It is worth noting that the previous administration had already introduced a 13.8 trillion won supplementary budget back in May, aimed to assist those affected by weak consumer spending, fund recovery in wildfire-stricken regions and support the development of national artificial intelligence infrastructure. The new extra budget being considered under Lee's administration is reportedly about three times the size of the previous one, signaling a bold fiscal approach. Taken together, these initiatives have offered a strong psychological boost to the stock market. They enhance the growth outlook for shares in a wide range of South Korean companies, many of which have long underperformed relative to their counterparts in other advanced economies. The anticipation of pro-growth reforms, combined with short-term liquidity injections, has widened the upside potential for equities. Yet, such optimism must be tempered with realism. The market lift resulting from policy announcements and fiscal measures may not be sustainable unless underpinned by genuine improvements in economic fundamentals. Corporate earnings, gross domestic product growth and export competitiveness — particularly in light of evolving global trade dynamics and tariff uncertainties — remain the true drivers of long-term performance. Furthermore, the risk of unintended consequences looms large. Even the best-intentioned policy can yield adverse results. Business leaders and major corporations have already voiced concerns that overly aggressive changes to the Commercial Act might deter boards from making bold, strategic investments, out of fear of legal entanglements or shareholder activism. Similarly, the large supplementary budget, if not crafted with precision and expertise, risks missing its mark. Without broad consultation and careful planning, the spending could end up inefficiently allocated, raising government debt while failing to generate meaningful economic uplift. That would not only disappoint voters but also strain public finances further. These concerns are especially pertinent in today's political landscape, where the Democratic Party of Korea holds a commanding majority across both the executive and legislative branches. This political dominance could enable the administration to push forward its agenda swiftly, but also tempt it to bypass the kind of open, deliberative policymaking that democracy requires. President Lee must remain aware that while voters handed him a clear mandate, they did not grant him unchecked authority. The people expect reform, yes — but they also expect balance, consultation and accountability. As the proposed revision of the Commercial Act implicitly acknowledges, those in power have a duty to act not just in their party's interest, but in the collective interest of the entire nation. Yoo Choon-sik worked for nearly 30 years at Reuters, including as the chief Korea economics correspondent, and briefly worked as a business strategy consultant. The views expressed here are the writer's own. — Ed.