Prosecutors on Monday grilled an e-commerce tycoon believed to be at the center of the large-scale insolvency incidents involving online shopping platforms TIMON and WeMakePrice, the Korea Herald reported. Ku Young-bae, CEO of the Singapore-based Qoo10 Group, the parent company of TIMON and WeMakePrice, underwent questioning as a fraud and embezzlement suspect at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office in the morning. He entered the prosecution office at 8:55 a.m. after telling reporters that he will faithfully undergo the investigation.
Read more
Japan’s industrial production declined more than expected in August, with uncertainties over the global economy further clouding the outlook for the country’s manufacturing sector, the Wall Street Journal reported. Industrial output fell 3.3% in August from the previous month, government data showed Monday. That compared with a 0.9% decline expected in a poll of economists by data provider Quick and July’s 3.1% increase. Companies expect production to increase 2.0% on month in September, according to the data.
Read more
Top Chinese cities Shanghai and Shenzhen are planning to lift key remaining restrictions on home purchases to attract potential buyers and shore up their flagging real estate markets, four sources with knowledge of the matter said, Reuters reported. Under the planned changes, potential buyers will no longer have to be vetted for eligibility and people from other places in China will be allowed to buy homes in the popular cities, which had been previously tightly controlled due to worries about excess speculation.
Read more
A court in Seoul suspended the rehabilitation process of the Korean Federation of Film Producers (KFA), the organization behind the Grand Bell Awards, South Korea’s oldest film awards ceremony, The Chosun Daily reported. This development raises uncertainty about whether the ceremony will take place later this year. The Seoul Bankruptcy Court decided to revoke the KFA’s court-ordered small business reorganization KFA’s on Sept. 26, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Read more
Liquidators of debt-laden China Evergrande are still in talks with a potential buyer to sell a stake in the electric vehicle arm of the company with a view to provide a new credit line to support production, Reuters reported. In its initial days, the electric vehicle (EV) maker aimed to take on Tesla and had a market valuation higher than Ford Motor, but it has since been mired in the debt crisis engulfing its property developer parent.
Read more