Latest news with #KangSeok-hoon
Korea Herald
30-07-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Ably swings to profit as K-fashion platform scales up payments, overseas push
Ably Corporation, operator of women's fashion e-commerce platform Ably, announced Wednesday that it has recorded a record first-half performance, achieving both the highest-ever revenue and a turnaround to operating profit. The performance was driven by the rapid growth of its in-house system, Ably Pay, and the overall balanced growth across all major services, including Ably, 4910 and Amood. The company's revenue and total transaction volume both increased by approximately 20 percent year-on-year, reaching all-time highs. Notably, Ably's total transaction volume in May rose by 40 percent compared to the same month last year, far exceeding the 0.9 percent growth in Korea's overall online shopping sector, according to Statistics Korea. Ably Pay became the top payment method in the online retail sector within a year of its launch, demonstrating outstanding growth with a 4.7-fold increase in transaction volume during this second quarter compared to the third quarter last year. User engagement across platforms also increased sharply. The men's fashion platform, 4910, launched in late 2023, saw its monthly active users surge 7.5 times, reaching 1.21 million in the first half of this year, according to mobile market research firm Wiseapp. Ably Corporation is now accelerating global expansion. Its Japanese shopping app, Amood, recorded a 50 percent year-on-year increase in transaction volume in the first half of this year. Backed by this momentum, Ably is investing in infrastructure to support global commerce, including a recently expanded fulfillment center in Seongsu, Seoul. This facility is expected to serve as a key hub for helping Korean sellers reach overseas markets. 'Our competitive edge lies in our focus on connecting diverse sellers and users through technology,' said Ably Corporation CEO Kang Seok-hoon. 'We will continue to empower sellers across both domestic and international markets under our win-win growth philosophy.'
Korea Herald
14-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Celltrion secures direct sales of cancer treatment in Spain
Korean biopharmaceutical company Celltrion has initiated direct sales operations in Spain, completing its transition to locally led sales across all major European markets, the company announced Wednesday. Following the conclusion of its partnership with former distributor Kern Pharma, Celltrion's Spanish subsidiary will now manage local operations independently, directly distributing three oncology drugs: Truxima (rituximab), Herzuma (trastuzumab), and Vegzelma (bevacizumab). This strategic move follows a successful tender win from CSC, a major procurement consortium serving 25 public hospitals in Catalonia. Under the agreement, Celltrion will supply Truxima and Herzuma to CSC from 2025 through 2029. Building on its local market experience since 2018, Celltrion has reinforced its distribution network and built strong stakeholder relationships to support this transition. According to health care analytics firm IQVIA, Truxima and Herzuma achieved market shares of 23 percent and 22 percent, respectively, ranking among the top prescribed treatments in the third quarter of 2024 in Spain. In Portugal, Celltrion has also completed its direct sales transition, launching Stekima and securing a national tender covering approximately 60 percent of the market in its first year. 'By this initiative, Celltrion has proven its ability to operate independently and competitively in Europe,' said Kang Seok-hoon, head of Celltrion Spain and Portugal. 'We will continue leveraging our expertise to strengthen our position and accelerate growth across key European markets.'
