Lotte Chemical has reported a staggering operating loss of 413.6 billion won for the third quarter, marking a significant earnings shock for the South Korean chemical giant. The company announced on Nov. 7 that despite a 5.6% increase in consolidated sales to 5.2012 trillion won compared to the same period last year, its operating profit has turned into a substantial loss.

The reported operating loss far exceeded the securities market's estimate of 152.9 billion won, highlighting the severity o