Samsung abandons Galaxy Note 7

　Samsung Electronics on Tuesday said it would officially discontinue the sale and the production of Galaxy Note 7, hours after it halted all sales and replacements of the smartphones amid successive reports of overheating.　In a regulatory filing posted on 6 p.m., the tech giant said it has made a final decision to put the sales as well as the production of the smartphone to an end to ensure consumer safety.　From Friday until the end of the year, owners of Galaxy Note 7 in South Korea can exchang

Oct. 11, 2016

Samsung begins mass production of new mobile processor for wearable devices

Samsung Electronics Co. said Tuesday it has started mass production of a new mobile processor for wearable gadgets, based on its latest 14-nanometer process technology. The new mobile processor, or application processor, features higher performance and lower electricity consumption, Samsung said in a statement. Mobile processors power entry-level smartphones, smartwatches and other smart devices. With the new processor, named the Exynos 7270, Samsung "introduces the benefits of this cutting-edge

Oct. 11, 2016

Korea to invest 500 bln won to foster robot industry in coming 5 yrs

South Korea will spend a total of 500 billion won ($450 million) in the coming five years to foster the robot industry as a new growth engine for Asia's fourth-largest economy, the trade ministry here said Tuesday."The robot industry has emerged as a new technology frontier that will give a fresh boost to the manufacturing sector," Trade Minister Joo Hyung-hwan said in a meeting with businessmen in Daejeon. "The government will fully support the businesses' investment into research and developme

Oct. 11, 2016

KT develops new cost-efficient 5G network repeater

South Korean network carrier KT on Monday said that it has successfully developed a new, cost-effective telecommunications device able to deliver next-generation 5G network signals inside closed buildings by using network infrastructures already installed in buildings.KT’s newly-built repeater -- a device which amplifies network signals for small areas or buildings and plays an integral role in enabling network services indoors -- runs on existing network cables and repeaters built for Long-Term

Oct. 10, 2016

Samsung plagued by fire-prone Note7, patent row with Apple

Samsung Electronics has been plagued by a series of woes recently related to its fire-prone Galaxy Note 7 and patent battles with Apple.Samsung halted the production of its Galaxy Note 7 on Monday after a number of replacement phones caught fire  globally and the US major mobile carriers AT&T and T-Mobile stopped sales of the phones on the grounds of consumer safety.“The production halts include Samsung’s plants in Vietnam, which are in charge of global supplies. The measure was taken for the sa

Oct. 10, 2016

KTX to install in-seat power supply system

The Korea Railroad Corporation said Monday it will install a power supply system and USB ports for mobile devices in all KTX bullet trains for the convenience of passengers.The in-seat charging port will have a 220 volt power outlet and two USB ports which will allow passengers to charge their smartphones, tablets and laptops on the train. The power supply system will be equipped with anti-electric shock and one-touch plug separation functions for the safety of users, the national railroad opera

Oct. 10, 2016

Samsung temporarily halts production of Galaxy Note 7: official

Samsung Electronics Co. has temporarily suspended production of the Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, an official at a supplier for Samsung said Monday, amid a series of media reports that some Note 7 replacements have caught fire. The halt is in cooperation with consumer safety regulators from South Korea, the United States and China, the official said on the condition of anonymity. Galaxy Note 7 (Samsung)"This measure includes a Samsung plant in Vietnam that is responsible for global shipments (of the

Oct. 10, 2016

[Herald Interview] Nokia’s AP head bets on Korea’s 5G leadership

South Korea may be in a leadership position in the global market for 5G broadband, Nokia’s Asia Pacific and Japan head said last week.  Korea aims to be the first to unveil the next-generation network 5G -- which can deliver data 1,000 times faster than long-term evolution -- in time for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. The successful launch of the technology, being developed by local telecom operators in partnership with Samsung Electronics, Nokia, Ericsson and NEC, is critical for Korea i

Oct. 9, 2016

Despite recall, Samsung expects W7.8tr profit

Amid a worldwide recall of its latest Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, Samsung Electronics on Friday predicted 7.8 trillion won in operating profit for its third-quarter business period, a 5.5 percent increase compared to last year.The 3Q earning guidance released by the South Korean tech giant beat analysts’ estimate, an average of 7.4 trillion won, according to FN Guide, a local fund tracker.The better-than-expected estimate appears to have been supported by the strong sales of NAND flash memory chip

Oct. 7, 2016

Samsung remains cautious as share price surges on Elliott’s proposal

As Samsung Electronics remained cautious over US hedge fund Elliott’s proposal on governance restructuring, stock prices of the tech giant and related affiliates surged Thursday.Earlier Wednesday, Elliott sent a letter to Samsung Electronics, noting that the “unnecessary complex” structure of the company was weighing on its stock prices and it is thus undervalued by as much as 70 percent.The activist investor asked Samsung Electronics to split into a holding company and list its operating compan

Oct. 6, 2016

Samsung phone mired in safety controversy again

Samsung Electronics is mired in another round of controversy after a US airliner was forced to evacuate its passengers and crew before taking off Wednesday from a Louisville airport after smoke was detected from a replacement Samsung smartphone, according to reports Thursday.The Southwest Airlines jet was getting ready to take off from a Louisville airport when the smoke was detected coming from one of the passenger’s Galaxy Note 7.The owner of the phone, Brian Green, told local media his device

Oct. 6, 2016

[Photo News] Preorders for Luna S begin

Korean network carrier SK Telecom on Thursday began receiving preorders for the Luna S smartphone, a mid-tier smartphone jointly developed by local electronics maker TG&Co. and SK Telecom. The Luna S, priced at 568,700 won ($511), is an upgraded handset based on its predecessor Luna, promoted to success here by Seolhyun of K-pop girl group AOA last year. It will begin official sales Wednesday. (SK Telecom)

Oct. 6, 2016

Merck Korea launches biopharma support center in Songdo

German life sciences and chemicals giant Merck opened a new biopharmaceuticals production and development support center in Incheon’s Songdo district on Thursday, as part of its moves to ramp up its presence in the country’s fast-growing biotechnology industry.　Located in the heart of Korea’s fast-growing biotechnology hub, Merck’s M Lab Collaboration Center is designed to provide local clients such as Samsung BioLogics, Celltrion and Green Cross with more comprehensive training and research and

Oct. 6, 2016

LG Chem breaks ground on EV battery plant in Poland

Korean battery maker LG Chem broke ground on its electric vehicle battery plant located in Wroclaw, southwestern Poland, the company said on Thursday. LG Chem aims to operate the 41,300 square-meter plant by the second half of 2017 with an investment of 400 billion won ($360 million). The plant will be capable of producing more than 100,000 batteries annually for electric vehicles that can run up to 320 kilometers on a single charge, the company said. LG Group Chairman Koo Bon-moo (second from r

Oct. 6, 2016

US flight evacuated after another Samsung phone fire

A Southwest Airlines flight leaving Louisville, Kentucky was evacuated Wednesday after a passenger’s Samsung phone began emitting smoke. Flight 994 was evacuated on the runway prior to takeoff after a passenger’s Samsung Galaxy Note 7 -- described as a replacement in Samsung’s global recall of the device -- apparently caught fire, the airline said.“All customers and crew deplaned calmly and safely via the main cabin door,” it said in a written statement.  (Brian Green)There is an ongoing global

Oct. 6, 2016

New data on ‘Korean human genome’ published in ‘Nature’ scientific journal

New data detailing the genome sequence of a Korean individual was published in the scientific journal Nature on Thursday, offering new reference points specific to the Asian population for genetic scientists around the world. 　Titled “De Novo Assembly and Phasing of a Korean Human Genome,” the new academic research was compiled by the Seoul National University’s Genomic Medicine Institute in partnership with Korean genetic sequencing firm Macrogen.A graphic of a human genome based on a Korean in

Oct. 6, 2016

Fitbit Charge 2 launched in Korea

US wearable maker Fitbit launched its latest model “Fitbit Charge 2” in Korea on Wednesday.  (Fitbit)Fitbit Charge 2 is an update to the brand’s previous best selling product “Charge HR,” with enhanced design and functions that gauge the wearer’s heartbeat, breathing and fitness level in real time. The measured data are all put into a numerical scale for maximum workout results, the company said. The price for the smart band is 199,000 won ($178). The product can be found at online shopping chan

Oct. 5, 2016