[Contribution] How can Korean chip giants adapt to shifting global landscape?

By Jang Hye-lim The return of President Donald Trump signals a transformative moment for the global semiconductor industry. Geopolitical tensions, trade restrictions and rapid technological advancements are reshaping this critical sector. South Korea's semiconductor giants, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, are global leaders in the memory chip market, but maintaining their dominance in this evolving landscape will require strategic adaptability. They face unprecedented challenges as they

IndustryNov. 19, 2024

Police to push for licenses for personal mobility devices

Police are pushing to introduce driver’s licenses dedicated specifically for personal mobility devices, such as electric scooters or motorized bicycles, according to the Korean National Police Agency. “The agency is planning to derive a reasonable proposal by January next year at the latest, after conducting surveys and consultations with related agencies and organizations by the end of this year,” a KNPA official told the press on Tuesday. Currently, three methods are being co

Social AffairsNov. 19, 2024

Singer Ailee to tie the knot with actor Choi Si-hun

Singer Ailee is set to marry actor Choi Si-hoon next April, A2Z Entertainment announced Tuesday. The two met through a mutual acquaintance and have been openly dating for about a year. They became engaged in May after developing a deep bond built on love and trust, the agency said. "I have met someone who is not only supportive and caring, but also someone I can rely on. His understanding and consideration made me want to spend the rest of my life with him,” Ailee shared on her offici

K-popNov. 19, 2024

BTS’ Jin releases ‘Running Wild’ remix album

Jin of BTS is releasing the remix album, “Running Wild (Remixes),” at 2 p.m., Tuesday. The album contains eight versions of “Running Wild,” the main song in Jin’s first solo album “Happy.” The eight versions are the original version, instrumental, extended, band, ballad, holiday, Afropop and UK Garage versions. The extended version features an extra chorus, intensifying the song's energy, while the band version amplifies the song’s genre appea

K-popNov. 19, 2024

Lee Seung-gi to mark 20th anniversary with album release next month

Singer and actor Lee Seung-gi is celebrating his 20th debut anniversary with a new album next month. According to Big Planet Made Entertainment, Lee will drop “With” on Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. This marks Lee’s first physical album release in four years since his seventh LP “The Project” in December 2020. Reflecting on this 20-year career as a singer, Lee shared his enthusiasm and vision for the upcoming album, the agency said. The album title symbolizes reuniting and colla

K-popNov. 19, 2024

CJ CheilJedang to divest W6t bio division

South Korean food giant CJ CheilJedang has reportedly decided to sell its industry-leading bio division, which had been a key pillar alongside its food business, signaling a shift in its strategic growth priorities. According to investment banking sources Tuesday, CJ CheilJedang is believed to have appointed Morgan Stanley as the lead manager for the sale and is engaging with potential buyers. The main auction is expected to take place as early as next month, with the division estimated to value

IndustryNov. 19, 2024

Campbell to Trump: Be ‘constant, not variable’ for US allies

S. Korean FM reaffirms commitment to ‘peace through strength’ US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell speaks during a forum co-hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the Korea Foundation in Washington on Monday. Kurt Campbell, the US deputy secretary of state and a key architect of America’s Indo-Pacific strategy, made a direct appeal to the incoming Trump administration: be a "constant," not a "variable," in its military

Foreign AffairsNov. 19, 2024

Vice foreign minister vows support for Posco Future M’s anode plant

Second Vice Foreign Minister Kang In-sun visited Posco Group’s battery materials subsidiary Posco Future M’s anode manufacturing plant in Sejong, pledging to support the facility in recovering its production levels. While touring the site Monday, Kang said, “Natural graphite and anode materials are critical minerals with high reliance on imports, underscoring the urgent need to diversify the supply chains. The government will actively support companies, including Posco Future M

IndustryNov. 19, 2024

Children’s Museum reopens at National Museum of Korea

The National Museum of Korea has rolled out a new way for children to appreciate the country’s cultural heritage: a redesigned Children’s Museum that will engage children with interactive features. The exhibition “Heritage Quest: Discovering the Magic of the Past” marks the reopening of the Children’s Museum after an 18-month renovation. Children can view artifacts through vivid color displays and zones that invite them to touch the heritage artifacts rather than re

Arts & DesignNov. 19, 2024

‘Hangang River,’ not 'Han River': Seoul city

The Seoul Metropolitan Government stated on Tuesday that the correct English name for the river running through the capital city, commonly referred to as the “Han River,” is the “Hangang River.” The recent announcement comes as the city government aims to address the ongoing confusion caused by the mixed usage of both terms. Known as Hangang in Korean -- "gang" meaning "river" -- the 508-kilometer-long waterway is a major national landmark and a popula

Social AffairsNov. 19, 2024

Seoul Metro union to strike on Dec. 6

The main labor union of Seoul Metro, which operates subway Line Nos. 1 through 8 said Tuesday that it will launch a full-scale strike on Dec. 6 if a deal with the company cannot be reached. The move comes after more than 70 percent of the Seoul Transit Corp. Labor Union members, the union representing about 60 percent of the Seoul Metro workforce, voted this month in favor of a strike to demand better working conditions, including a wage increase of more than 2.5 percent. The unionized workers,

Social AffairsNov. 19, 2024

Palace museum opens Joseon cuisine exhibition

A special exhibition featuring around 200 royal dishes from the Joseon era (1392-1910) will run from Wednesday through Feb. 2 at the National Palace Museum of Korea. “Joseon’s Royal Cuisine: A Table for Food, Reverence and Sharing” explores everything from dinnerware to dining tables, cooking equipment and paintings, as well as documents related to royal cuisine. The first section of the two-part presentation focuses on how royal chefs prepared meals for kings -- from screening

Arts & DesignNov. 19, 2024

Hanwha Life partners with Stanford HAI for AI technologies

Hanwha Life, a leading Korean insurance company and subsidiary of Hanwha Group, announced Tuesday that its artificial intelligence research unit has been conducting a joint study with Stanford University's AI institute after signing a collaboration agreement. Launched in June, Hanwha Life AI Research Institute aims to keep pace with changes in the market, focusing on four key areas: enhancing investment strategies, developing a “digital persona,” integrating AI into health care

IndustryNov. 19, 2024

Daewoong develops drug candidate for oral obesity treatment

Daewoong Pharmaceutical announced Tuesday that it has filed for a domestic patent for a new obesity drug that suppresses appetite and promotes fat burning. The company said the candidate drug targets both GLP-1 and GIP receptors and is designed as a small molecule-based oral agonist. GLP-1 and GIP are hormones that help regulate blood sugar levels and body weight. GLP-1 boosts insulin secretion to control blood sugar and suppress the appetite, while GIP supports insulin release and promotes fat

CompaniesNov. 19, 2024

[Out of the Shadows] Drug addiction is illness, not moral failing, experts say

Drug addiction is a thorny public health issue in South Korea that should be seen as an illness rather than a moral failing, according to experts, calling for a more supportive environment that helps those rebuilding their lives from substance use disorder. Referring to drug addiction as a "chronic disease," Kwak Young-sook, the president of the National Center for Mental Health, stressed that drug-related issues are a growing public health challenge that affects the entire community

Social AffairsNov. 19, 2024

Man gets jail term for stalking ex-girlfriend, sending over 300 messages in 2 days

A Seoul court on Monday sentenced a man to a one-year prison term for stalking his former girlfriend by leaving hundreds of unwanted messages and calls and visiting the victim's home and work. The Seoul Central District Court found the defendant guilty of violating the Act on Punishment of Crime of Stalking, which punishes stalking with up to three years in jail or a 30 million won ($21,500) fine. The defendant contacted the victim regularly against her wishes after they broke up in April

Social AffairsNov. 19, 2024

Model claims she was forced to take drugs; police say she hasn't told them

South Korean model who has confessed drug use recently claimed that she was forced to take drugs by an unidentified businessperson, but police said she made no such claims during the investigation. Kim Na-jung, who recently returned from the Philippines after admitting online to having used drugs, posted on her Instagram page Monday a statement made by her lawyer. She claimed that a "young businessman born in 1995" met with her in the Philippines, tied her up and blindfolded her and fo

Social AffairsNov. 19, 2024

8.3% of middle school students in Hwaseong used drugs: survey

Some 8.3 percent of middle school students in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province have used drugs, a survey by the state-run drug addiction center showed Monday. The Hwaseong Community Addiction Management Center conducted a survey between Aug. 28 and Sept. 27 of 2,450 middle school students in the city south of Seoul, which showed that 204 students of them said they have used substances defined as illegal drugs by the Narcotics Control Act. South Korea defines narcotics, cannabis and psychotropic subst

Social AffairsNov. 19, 2024

Traveler endures invasive search at Daegu Airport after drug scanner error

A traveler was forced to undergo an invasive body search, including the removal of her sanitary pad, after a drug detection scanner at Daegu Airport falsely flagged her for carrying drugs. On Oct. 8, a woman in her 30s was traveling from the Philippines through Daegu Airport when an ion scanner at the checkpoint detected a high level of narcotics in her suitcase, which contained e-liquid for an electronic cigarette, according to Daegu Regional Customs on Monday. She told the customs officials th

Social AffairsNov. 19, 2024

Ambulance employee fined for causing death of terminally ill patient

An employee of a privately run ambulance service has been fined for dropping a terminally ill patient and causing an injury to the head that ended up killing the patient. Seoul Central District Court found the 29-year-old employee guilty of death by negligence, for the death of the 85-year-old cancer patient in February. The patient, who had been given three months to live, was being taken home from a local hospital. The patient was dropped while being moved from the ambulance, resulting in ce

Social AffairsNov. 19, 2024