EvidNet supports global data research to fight COVID-19

After the World Health Organization declared a COVID-19 pandemic, global health care researchers are becoming more interested in South Korea’s experience and data. The country is becoming a center of research on international clinical data to overcome COVID-19 based on data of treatment information and progress in Korean patients. EvidNet, which has built up clinical data of 27 general hospitals in Korea as well as 33 million hospitals that are part of the standard data network, began re

April 10, 2020

LG offers sneak peek of ‘raindrop’ camera phone

LG Electronics on Thursday unveiled a render image of its upcoming flagship smartphone that is expected to be more focused on design, after more than a monthlong delay in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. The released image highlights the design of the rear triple camera module that evokes the image of falling raindrops. The company has nicknamed it as “raindrop” camera, and will be released next month in South Korea. The main camera sits slightly above the surface while

April 9, 2020

[Herald Interview] ‘Materials key to stepping up flexible displays’

South Korea has secured flexible displays that are durable enough for partial commercialization. But the current level of technologies can improve durability and expand diversity in display types by applying new cutting-edge materials, according to a top academic expert. “The weakness of up-to-date flexible displays is the lacking of durability and variety,” said Han Chang-soo, professor of mechanical engineering at Korea University, in a recent email interview with The Korea Hera

April 9, 2020

Samsung unveils 5G versions of mid-range smartphones

Samsung Electronics Co. on Thursday unveiled 5G versions of its mid-range smartphones as the South Korean tech giant aims to boost handset sales amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. The world's largest smartphone vendor introduced the new Galaxy A71 5G and Galaxy A51 5G smartphones, expanding its smartphone lineup that supports the next-generation mobile network. The LTE versions of the Galaxy A71 and the Galaxy A51 were revealed in Indonesia this January and in Vietnam last year, respectiv

April 9, 2020

KT is still after D’Live

KT on Wednesday said that it is still considering options to acquire local cable TV operator D’Live. According to a regulatory filing Wednesday, it is still discussing options of acquiring the cable TV operator, but no details have been confirmed yet. The company added it is current exploring various choices to strengthen its pay TV business. The latest official comment on the acquisition of D’Live came in six months since it showed its intention to purchase the local cable TV op

April 8, 2020

Samsung, Apple scurry to meet new phone launch schedules

The world’s two biggest smartphone makers Samsung Electronics and Apple are working on new products with the aim of meeting initially set launch schedules, despite rumors that tech companies are delaying plans amid the global coronavirus pandemic. According to industry sources on Wednesday, Samsung has begun to prepare for the launch event for its Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Fold 2 planned for August. Samsung was lucky to hold a flashy event to unveil its Galaxy S20 series and Galaxy Z

April 8, 2020

KT signs partnership with Taiwanese telco on 5G services

KT Corp., a major South Korean telecommunications firm, said Wednesday it has a signed a partnership with a Taiwanese telecoms operator on 5G services and digital content development. Under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Far EasTone Telecommunications Co. (FET), KT will collaborate in developing 5G-related solutions. FET, an affiliate of Taiwan's major conglomerate Far Eastern Group, said the business cooperation will help the company become a market leader in 5G services. "

April 8, 2020

South Korean research institute develops low-cost cold-chain safety sticker

The Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology on Tuesday announced that it has invented a cold-chain safety sticker that allows one to tell whether frozen food products have been mishandled during delivery. The nanofiber-film sticker, which costs around 120 won (1 cent) to produce, can be used when transporting different types of frozen foods, as well as expensive medicines and medical supplies, the research team said. The cold-chain sticker is designed to indicate how long frozen food

April 7, 2020

Cyberattacks in Korea spike on virus crisis

The number of cyberattacks in South Korea spiked in the first quarter this year, due to the number of people working remotely amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, according to SK Infosec on Monday. The nation‘s biggest data security solution provider detected 1.74 million cyberattacks in the first quarter, up 21 percent on-year -- the monthly average reached 0.58 million, up from 0.48 million last year. The company said that there has been a significant increase in hacking attempts a

April 6, 2020

[Chew on IT] Tech firms mobilize AI capabilities to fight COVID-19

Artificial intelligence has a great chance to prove its worth in the ongoing global war against the novel coronavirus. From garnering data about the pandemic to analyzing transmission patterns, providing information about prevention and diagnosing contamination, a variety of AI programs are being used to contain the virus spread and related treatments. IBM, the world’s leading cloud platform and computing business, is mobilizing its AI and supercomputing capabilities to support govern

April 6, 2020

LG Chem CEO urges caution amid ‘abnormal’ situation

South Korean lithium-ion battery maker LG Chem’s leader on Monday highlighted the company’s efforts to preserve cash and reestablish a contingency plan to tackle the “new abnormal,” amid the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic. While the “new normal” time has been endeavored since the 2008 global financial crisis, the coronavirus pandemic has ushered in an era of “new abnormal,” Shin said citing futurists and economists warning of econ

April 6, 2020

KT signs W24b deal to supply IPTV solutions to Thai firm

KT Corp., South Korea's leading telecommunications firm, said Sunday it has signed a 24 billion-won ($19.4 million) deal to supply internet protocol television (IPTV) solutions to a Thai firm. Under the deal with 3BB TV Co.., an affiliate of Thailand's telecommunications giant Jasmine Group, KT will provide its various IPTV-related solutions, including content delivery network technology and set-top box management ideas, to help the Thai IPTV operator start its commercial service in the second

April 5, 2020

Tobacco firm BAT jumps in coronavirus vaccine development venture

BAT’s US biotech subsidiary, Kentucky BioProcessing is developing a potential vaccine for COVID-19 that is now in pre-clinical testing, the tobacco firm said Thursday. BAT aims to gain partners and support from government agencies to manufacture a vaccine, if successful, to a capacity of between 1 million and 3 million doses per week, beginning in June, it said. The venture is not aimed at making a profit, it added. The project involves BAT’s proprietary, fast-growing tobacco pla

April 2, 2020

Human testing for Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine this fall

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- Johnson & Johnson said on Monday it had selected a lead candidate vaccine for the new coronavirus that would move to human trials by September and could be ready for emergency use by early next year. The pharmaceutical company has signed an agreement with the US government's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to invest $1 billion in the effort, it said in a statement. J&J began working on the vaccine under investigation -- Ad26 SARS-CoV-2 -- in

March 31, 2020

KT’s new chief gets rid of chairman title

Newly appointed CEO of South Korea’s leading telecom company KT Koo Hyun-mo on Monday relinquished his title as chairman, vowing independent and future-oriented management. Koo, who was formerly head of KT’s customer and media division, officially received the green light as the new CEO and president during a shareholders meeting in Seoul. The shareholders also approved the removal of the chairman position, as part of efforts to maximize roles of other decision-makers to improve i

March 30, 2020

LG dumps flagship smartphone brand G Series

LG Electronics has decided to drop plans to highlight its flagship smartphone brand G Series as part of efforts to turn around its struggling mobile device business, according to industry sources Friday. The company has reportedly decided to ditch the brand name for premium, mass-market models, according to sources. Instead it will start giving separate names for each model. The decision was made public at a meeting between the company and mobile carriers in South Korea. Since launched

March 27, 2020

Samsung, LG employees to get lower pay raise this year

South Korea’s biggest companies Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics have decided to lower the pay raise for employees this year, according to industry sources Friday. Samsung’s management and representatives of the employees have agreed on a 2.5 percent increase in base salary. However, depending on personal performance evaluation, the rate will vary. Samsung granted a pay raise of 3.5 percent in 2018 and 2019. The lower increase this year reflects growing uncertainties in

March 27, 2020

[Graphic News] Secondhand smoke kills 880,000 people per year worldwide

　More than 880,000 people worldwide died from exposure to secondhand smoke in 2016, compared with nearly 950,000 in 1990, an analysis published by JAMA Network Open concluded. 　This despite the fact that there were more smokers globally in 2016 - nearly 1 billion, thanks in large part to the increasing popularity of the habit in Asia and Africa - than in 1990, when roughly 850 million people smoked worldwide. 　The figures suggest that one nonsmoker died from exposure to secondhand smoke for

March 26, 2020

LG Display deploys engineers to complete OLED fab in China

LG Display said Thursday it aims to complete its new organic light-emitting diode panel manufacturing plant in Guangzhou, China, soon and has deployed 290 engineers from here. The engineers flew on a chartered Korean Air flight after getting entry permission from Chinese authorities. They will stay at a quarantine facility prepared by the company for a certain period of time. All of them have tested negative for COVID-19. LG Display had planned to start operating the Guangzhou fab within

March 26, 2020

Kakao’s co-CEOs to serve another 2-year term

South Korean internet giant Kakao announced Wednesday that its co-CEOs -- Yeo Min-soo and Joh Su-yong -- will serve another two-year term. The decision was approved at its annual shareholders meeting held in the southern resort island of Jeju. “Kakao’s mission for the next 10 years is to make continuous renovation and evolution to minimize inconvenience of people,” Yeo said in the statement. “The company will also take the lead in resolving various kinds of social iss

March 25, 2020