[Foreign] Korea: Big Come Back

Financial Storm Years ago Corporate Korea was laughing stock as many of the mega enterprises went bankrupt due to over expansion and mounting debts. The series of bankrupcy of the major Korean corporations, whose sales revenu marked 97% of Korea's GDP, trigger sell-off in the stock and currency market. The financial storm, in which Korea Won plunged to all time low of 2067 to 1 US dollar, forced the Korean government to implement major surgical operation to very illed financial and business structure which in the beginning result in closing of more corporations and many financial institution with bad loans. Finally the operation worked.

Today Corporate Korea stands tall as one of the most exciting growing market of the world. The electronic twin towers of Samsung and LG have grab major maket shares in home appliance, personal entertainment and cell phones. The Big Auto Hyundai, once considered an unreliable brand, has been making high quality vehicles and has began to penetrate the high end market. On the other hand the broadband and online game subscribers have been growing rapidly within the nation making it one of the most net-literate nation of the world.

Now let's take a look at some of the exciting Korea companys traded in US stock exchanges:

• SK Telecom Co. (SKM): the Seoul based company provides wireless telecommunications services in Korea. The company is the largest operator in the nation in terms of revenue of 11 billion. The stock has been on a rally recently and now is trading at new 52 week high of $24.1 per share.
• LG Philips LD o. (LPL): the Seoul based liquid crystal display maker produces panel for desktop monitors, laptop as well as handheld devices. The company earned revenue of 10.47 billion, almost twice as much as its rival AU Optronics(AUO) of Taiwan. The stock is now trading at $23.37 per share, up $5 from 52 week low of $18 last October.
• Kookmin Bank (KB): the largest commercial bank in Korea with 1144 branhes generating annual revenue of 14 billion. The stock has rose 100% in the past year from last January low of $37 per share to last months high of $80 per share. The stock is trading at near 52 week high of $77.39 per share.
• Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEP): the Seoul company generates and provides electricity to industrial, commercial and residential customers, basically the backbone of the growing Korean industry. The company has generated annual revenue of 26 billion with 10% revenue growth every quarter. The stock is currenlty trading at $21.35 per share up 50% from a year ago.