Sales of Go-playing products soar

With all attention on the ongoing five-day match between Lee Se-dol and Google’s artificial intelligence AlphaGo, sales of Go boards and stones are soaring here especially among young people in their 20s. According to the nation’s largest online shopping mall Auction on Wednesday, sales of Go products increased 42 percent over the past month compared to the same period last year.  A foldable magnetic Go boardEspecially spending by 20-something consumers surged 81 percent. Until recently, the key

March 9, 2016

[Photo News] LG signature debuts in China

LG SIGNATURE DEBUTS IN CHINA -- LG Electronics unveiled its new luxury brand LG Signature at the Appliance and Electronics World Expo in Shanghai on Wednesday. The Korean tech giant has set up a 768 square-meter exhibition booth to showcase its premium appliances ranging from its latest organic light emitting diode TV and other appliances to its latest flagship smartphone G5. (LG Electronics)

March 9, 2016

Samsung produces dual pixel image sensor for mobile

Samsung Electronics said Wednesday it has started production of a 1.2 megapixel image sensor for smartphones that applies its own dual pixel technology. The company’s latest smartphone Galaxy S7 and its Edge variant that boast advanced camera functions are the first to adopt the sensor.  Samsung’s dual pixel image sensorDual pixel technology means each of the 12 million pixels have two photodiodes that collect light. The pixels work better like human eyes, improving autofocus speed and allowing

March 9, 2016

SoftBank Ventures to invest W3b to Korea’s Meat Box

SoftBank Ventures Korea, the local venture capital arm of Japan’s SoftBank Group, on Wednesday announced that the company has decided to invest 3 billion won ($2.5 million) in Global Networks, an online business-to-business meat dealer. “Meat Box, Global Networks’ e-commerce platform, has abundant experience in livestock product distribution, on top of state-of-the-art information technology. It has secured a great deal of data and know-how already,” Edward Chung, a senior associate at the compa

March 9, 2016

Lee Se-dol, AlphaGo in tight first race (Live)

Ahead of a historic showdown between Go grandmaster Lee Se-dol and Google’s artificial intelligence program AlphaGo, tension filled the air of the venue, the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul, on Wednesday. Mirroring the worldwide attention, some 300 journalists from around the world gathered at the battleground to witness what would become a new chapter in history of both Go and AI regardless of the outcome.  Lee chose black stones to start the game first. It was an unexpected choice considering that

March 9, 2016

LG chairman stresses ‘insight and action’

LG Group chairman Koo Bon-moo stressed “insight and action” for the group’s next big leap at an executive meeting in Seoul on Tuesday. “At a time of technological convergence and fierce competition across industries, we are experiencing destructive changes,” he said. “We should focus on our strengths to further elevate our competitiveness.” Koo Bon-moo. (Illustration By Park Gee-young)LG, the nation’s fourth-largest conglomerate, has continued business restructuring centered on its next growth e

March 8, 2016

[Photo News] LG to release stylus 2 smartphone

LG TO RELEASE STYLUS 2 SMARTPHONE-- LG Electronics said Tuesday that it will release the 5.7-inch (14.5 cms) Stylus 2, a budget smartphone featuring a stylus pen, via mobile carriers SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus in Korea this week. (LGE)

March 8, 2016

[Photo News] Galaxy S7 makes China debut

GALAXY S7 MAKES CHINA DEBUT – Samsung Electronics on Monday held the launch event for its latest smartphone Galaxy S7 and its Edge variant in Shanghai, China, with some 600 journalists and retailers in attendance. (Samsung Electronics)

March 8, 2016

Korea develops advanced GPS for car use

Korea has developed a high-accuracy global positioning system (GPS) with a 1 meter maximum error tolerance to be used for commercial transportation, the first of its kind in the world, the government announced Tuesday.The new system has enhanced accuracy with a normal error range of 20-90 centimeters. The maximum error tolerance is 1.5 meters, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.The Global Navigation Satellite System currently used in civilian vehicles or smartphones,

March 8, 2016

KT plans overseas hologram concert halls

Network operator KT has unveiled a new hologram show that aims to attract global fans of Korean culture with lifelike 3-D technology.The new hologram show, dubbed “Let’s Go,” combines futuristic hologram technology with the real-life antics of performers. It comes after a virtual concert by K-pop star G-Dragon last year. Actors perform the “Let’s Go” show at the virtual concert hall in Donddaemun. (KT)“KT wants to create a new type of entertainment and expand the value of art,” said Lee Mi-yeoun

March 7, 2016

CrucialTec receives prize for management transparency

Fingerprint module-maker CrucialTec has been recognized for its efforts to promote management transparency and contributions to the tech-heavy KOSDAQ market.The Pangyo-headquartered company won an award along with nine other KOSDAQ-listed firms, including CJ O’shopping, Seohee Construction and Spigen Korea, from Korea Exchange, the nation’s sole stock exchange operator, for receiving the highest scores in an annual assessment for 1,100 KOSDAQ firms. CrucialTec CEO Charles Ahn poses with the firm

March 7, 2016

[Photo News] LGE tops consumer product test in Italy

LGE TOPS CONSUMER PRODUCT TEST IN ITALY -- LG Electronics said Monday its washing machine and refrigerator were recognized for their overall performance and energy efficiency by Italian product-testing magazine Altroconsumo. (LGE)

March 7, 2016

[Photo News] Samsung laptop gains traction

SAMSUNG LAPTOP GAINS TRACTION -- Samsung Electronics said Monday that the sales of its ultrathin laptop, the Notebook 9, has crossed the 100,000 mark in two months since it was released in January.(Samsung Electronics)

March 7, 2016

LG Chem braces for electric car boom

OCHANG, North Chungcheong Province -- An automated assembly line at chemical and battery firm LG Chem’s Ochang Plant 1 here was busily ferrying a long battery separator sheet attached with positive and negative plates.Along the assembly line, the sheet was folded, or rather rolled, in layers and then cut and packaged to turn into square, thin pouch-type battery cells.The lithium-ion battery cells will later be mounted on electric cars of around 20 global automotive makers, including Ford, Volksw

March 6, 2016

Tensions high at Cheil Worldwide amid merger rumors

Tensions are growing high at Cheil Worldwide, the advertising unit of Samsung Group that has been widely rumored to be merging with French ad giant Publicis Groupe within the first half of this year. According to industry sources, Cheil has continued talks to sell off a controlling 28.28 percent stake that is owned by Samsung C&T, Samsung Electronics and Samsung Card to Publicis. Even though the company has not yet confirmed the deal, a sense of anxiety is already prevalent among Cheil workers.

March 6, 2016

Alphabet’s Eric Schmidt to visit Seoul for Go match

Former CEO of Google and executive chairman of the parent company, Alphabet, Eric Schmidt is scheduled to visit Seoul on Tuesday to attend the historic Go match between top player Lee Se-dol and Google’s artificial intelligence program AlphaGo.  The five-day games will be held at a Seoul hotel on March 9, 10, 12, 13 and 15. There is a $1 million prize for the winner. All the matches will be live-streamed via YouTube. Schmidt is also expected to attend the gala dinner on the eve of the first matc

March 6, 2016

[Photo News] LG partners with MS

LG-MS PARTNERSHIP -- LG Uplus CEO Kwon Young-soo (right) and Microsoft Korea CEO Alfred Koh pose Friday after the two companies agreed to extend their partnership on new business based on cloud, big data and machine learning technologies. (LG Uplus)

March 6, 2016

Experts divided over human-AI Go battle

With the battle between a top-notch baduk player from South Korea and Google's state-of-the-art program slated for this week, industry watchers on Sunday cast divided predictions of the game, which may write a new chapter in the development of artificial intelligence.The board game "baduk," also known globally as Go, originated in China more than 2,500 years ago. Although it is similar to chess in that two players take turns playing on a board with lines, baduk is considered to be more complicat

March 6, 2016