Line enters game publishing business with new subsidiary

Line Corp., the Japan-based mobile messaging company under South Korea’s Naver, has officially stepped into the global game publishing business with the formation of a new subsidiary, Line Games.The establishment of Line Games was announced Monday to broaden the scope of its game business, which had been limited to offering Line messenger as a platform for featuring new mobile games.Line Games will specialize in global game publishing services, which involve providing marketing and operations su

July 11, 2017

Brokerage firms to begin pilot project on blockchain-based authentication service

South Korean brokerage firms plan to provide a joint authentication service based on blockchain technology, an official said Tuesday, in the latest move to further strengthen security.The pilot project -- which involves 25 securities firms and five blockchain companies -- is set to begin within this month, said Lee Sang-gi, an official handling the issue at Koscom Corp., the system manager of South Korean bourse operator Korea Exchange. (Yonhap)Lee said the brokerage firms plan to provide full-s

July 11, 2017

[News Analysis] Can Korea successfully ditch ActiveX once and for all?

Despite being known for cutting-edge tech hardware, South Korea has long been held back in the area of software by an outdated security requirement that almost every user loves to hate -- ActiveX plug-ins.Like the previous administration, Korea’s new President Moon Jae-in has pledged to abolish ActiveX downloads from all government websites to improve user convenience and catch up with global cybersecurity standards.But the solution proposed by the government -- EXE extensions -- is a similar sy

July 10, 2017

IT budget of financial firms hits record high in 2016

Information technology spending by more than 150 South Korean financial firms hit a record high in 2016, the central bank said Monday, in an apparent move to meet the growing demands for more wired banking services.A total of 153 South Korean financial firms set aside 5.69 trillion won ($4.94 billion) for IT-related spending last year, the highest since 1992, when the Bank of Korea began to collect related data. (Yonhap)The move came as a growing number of people do their banking on their comput

July 10, 2017

Parliament adopts hearing report for science minister nominee

A parliamentary committee on Monday adopted a report on the outcome of a confirmation hearing for Science, ICT and Future Planning Minister nominee Yoo Young-min, clearing the way for his official appointment.The adoption of the report is a key procedure before President Moon Jae-in formally appoints him. This photo, taken on July 4, 2017, shows Science, ICT and Future Planning Minister nominee Yoo Young-min speaking during a parliamentary confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in Seoul.

July 10, 2017

Health ministry to inspect new e-cigarettes for possible risks

Government authorities said Monday they will be examining the e-cigarette IQOS for any health risks starting next month.IQOS, a product that heats tobacco, went on sale locally in June. Its manufacturer, Philip Morris International, claims that it has removed health-harming substances in the product by 90 percent compared with conventional burning cigarettes. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said it will verify the claims, and measure nicotine and tar levels: the two chemicals that are said

July 10, 2017

[Reshaping semicon map] SK hynix on quest for 3-D NAND crown

The global semiconductor industry is experiencing an unconventional market boom as the world approaches the “fourth industrial revolution.”Defined by the World Economic Forum as a fusion of technologies that blur the lines between the physical, digital and biological spheres, the fourth industrial revolution brings the possibilities of connecting not only billions of people but also countless objects. At the core of the gigantic change lies a 3-D technology to develop NAND flash memory chips. Th

July 9, 2017

LG to use energy efficient, quiet compressors on all new

LG Electronics Inc. said Sunday that it will adopt its energy efficient and quiet compressors on all new refrigerators this year.The global home appliance manufacturer said its top-of-the-line inverter linear compressor will be used in refrigerators with the exception of one-door units and larger volume machines used commercially. Inverter linear compressor (Yonhap)The company was the first in the world to build a premium linear compressor in 2001 that helped condense and move refrigerants. The

July 9, 2017

Samsung Galaxy S8 rated as No. 1 smartphone in early adopter review

Samsung Galaxy S8, the Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics Co.'s flagship smartphone, has been rated as the No. 1 smartphone in the U.S. market, industry tracker Strategy Analytics said Sunday.   The industry tracker's analysis of more than 1,500 reviews of the device during the first 40 days following the release of the product on April 21 showed that early adopters have given the Samsung S8 the top rating of 4.57 out of 5.   The reviews were posted on major online sites, including Amazon, AT

July 9, 2017

Scientists, engineers debate ways to capitalize on 4th industrial revolution

More than 1,700 South Korean scientists and engineers gathered Friday to seek ways to capitalize on the changes as the world is transformed by the "fourth industrial revolution."The annual forum -- hosted by the country's largest scientist's group, the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies -- was held at the COEX convention center in southern Seoul."I believe the core value of the fourth industrial revolution is people. The scientists and technicians gathered here today all face

July 7, 2017

Kakao partners with Volkswagen for smart mobility business

South Korean mobile messaging giant Kakao and global automaker Volkswagen have partnered to move forward their smart mobility businesses centered on technologies for autonomous vehicles and connected cars. 　Kakao, the operator of Korea’s most popular mobile messenger KakaoTalk, confirmed Friday that its CEO Rim Ji-hoon held private meetings with high-level Volkswagen executives earlier this week to discuss the partnership.News of the private meetings were publicized via a Twitter post from Volks

July 7, 2017

Measures to separate subsidies for device, service plans likely this year

Among measures being considered by the South Korean government to help reduce the burden of mobile costs on households, the separation of subsidy costs paid by mobile phone manufacturers and telecom companies and expansion of the “blacklist system” on all mobile phones are highly likely to be implemented this year. The two measures were mentioned during the confirmation hearing of Yoo Young-min, the nominee for minister of science, ICT and future planning earlier this week, with the candidate sh

July 6, 2017

Kakao to transfer to Kospi on Monday

Kakao, the operator of mobile messenger KakaoTalk and web portal Daum, will be relisted on the top-tier Kospi market Monday, after delisting itself from the second-tier Kosdaq, stock market operator Korea Exchange said Wednesday. The Kosdaq-listed information technology powerhouse was granted approval to move some 67.8 million ordinary shares from the Kosdaq to Kospi on Tuesday, 40 days after it applied for an eligibility review. Shares of Kakao have responded accordingly for two consecutive day

July 6, 2017

NCSoft’s ‘Lineage M’ adopts trading system, boosts profitability outlook

South Korean game company NCSoft has received the green light from local regulators to introduce an in-game item trading system to its recently-launched hit mobile role-playing game “Lineage M,” boosting its profitability outlook.Korea’s Game Rating and Administration Committee on Wednesday granted NCSoft official approval to introduce a new version of the game with an in-game item trading system.With the change, the Seoul-based game firm will now offer “Lineage M” in two versions -- the “Lineag

July 6, 2017

KNHP board to meet to discuss reactor construction stoppage

South Korea's nuclear power operator is set to hold a board meeting this week to touch on the issue of axing two planned nuclear power plants, officials said Thursday, as Seoul pushes forward a controversial nuclear-free energy policy of the Moon Jae-in administration. This photo, taken on July 2, 2017, shows the site where construction of the Shin-Kori 5 and 6 reactors has been under way in Ulsan, 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)The board of the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. is sch

July 6, 2017

Scholars demand Moon halt his nuclear policy

A group of university professors and scholars demanded on Wednesday that President Moon Jae-in halt his push to scrap the building of new nuclear power plants and phase out those in operation. Joo Han-kyu and university professors at press conference(Yonhap)"(The government) should immediately halt the push to extinguish the nuclear energy industry that provides cheap electricity to the general public," the group said in a press release.During a ceremony in Busan last month to mark the permanent

July 5, 2017

Nagoya Protocol forum to open in Seoul

INCHEON -- The members of the Conference of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol will meet for a forum in Seoul later this week about one month ahead of its implementation to protect biological resources, a state-run research organ here said Tuesday.  (Yonhap)"The National Institute of Biological Resources of Korea under the environment ministry will hold the forum titled 'National Implementation of the Nagoya Protocol on ABS: Sharing Lessons and Discussing Challenges' at a Seoul hotel on Wednesda

July 5, 2017

IoT service subscribers near 6 million in Korea

The number of South Koreans using Internet of Things services introduced by the country’s three mobile carriers is on the rise, providing a new breakthrough for the telecom companies’ stalled growth, according to government data and industry sources Wednesday. Data from the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning showed 5.95 million Koreans have subscribed to IoT services as of May, accounting for nearly 10 percent of the total number of subscribers of mobile network services, at 61.45 mill

July 5, 2017

KRX greenlights Kakao relisting

Korea Exchange gave Kakao, which is listed on the second-tier stock market, a nod of approval for entry into the main bourse Monday, 40 days after the company applied for the change.Stocks of Kakao showed a tepid response Tuesday upon the news released after Monday’s market closing. Kakao closed at 98.300 won ($85.40) Tuesday, down 1.11 percent from the previous day.The operator of mobile messenger KakaoTalk and web portal Daum said in a disclosure it would begin the procedure of relisting on th

July 4, 2017