KT lays out blueprint for safety network

South Korea’s leading telecommunications company KT unveiled a set of plans to build a Long-Term Evolution network for emergency services and provide emergency telecom services in PyeongChang, the host city of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Gangwon Province, Tuesday. The public safety LTE, an emergency communications technology, allows fire, police and rescue responders to better communicate with each other using standard devices operating on the same frequencies, according to the firm. Oh Sung-mok

Nov. 24, 2015

KT releases DNA-screening test for newborn babies

Mobile carrier KT has teamed up with Lab Genomics, a local gene analysis laboratory, to launch a new DNA-screening test, named NobleGuard, for newborn babies. About 6 percent of newborn babies are born with genetic disorders every year. Even though many of the diseases are treatable when detected early, there is a shortage of screening tests, KT said. NobleGuard, launched on Monday, combines KT’s big data analysis technology and Lab Genomics’ next-generation DNA sequencing technology. Using its

Nov. 24, 2015

[Photo News] LG boosts morale among soldiers

LG BOOSTS MORALE AMONG SOLDIERS -- Executives and employees of LG Group affiliates -- LG Chem, LG Innotek and Serveone -- pay a visit to six frontline troops near the Demilitarized Zone, a buffer zone across the Korean Peninsula, to give care packages to soldiers. In the photo Park jin-soo (fourth from left, second row), the chief executive of LG Chem, poses with divisional commander Lee Jong-hwa (fifth from left, second row), military officials and soldiers at the First Infantry Division, in Gy

Nov. 23, 2015

Samsung Gear VR sees strong start in U.S.

Samsung Electronics’ new Gear VR virtual reality goggles are getting an upbeat response in the U.S. as the device has already sold out at some online retailers such as Amazon and Best Buy in just 10 days of its launch. The $99 Gear VR is a stripped-down version of the Gear VR Innovator Edition, the Korean tech giant’s first generation VR headset that is priced at $199. The device weighs only 310 grams, about 22 percent lighter than its predecessor. A model tries the Gear VR at a launching event.

Nov. 23, 2015

Korea rolls out cross-carrier VoLTE services

　Korea’s three leading wireless carriers -- SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus -- will start voice over long-term evolution services for subscribers from different operators Monday, according to the companies Sunday. 　“VoLTE” is a data-based communications technology utilizing the LTE networks to provide improved voice and video calls -- up to 12 times better compared to those utilizing 2G or 3G networks.　The three mobile carriers ran pilot programs for the advanced telecom technology from late June to

Nov. 22, 2015

Daegu creative center leads disruptive innovation

DAEGU -- A mainspring of the blazing economic growth of South Korea in just half a century after the 1950-53 Korean War was the export-oriented policy, which fostered the creation of competitive conglomerates in a variety of industrial sectors.The export-driven initiative propelled the nation, which had been regarded as a have-not country, to the upper echelon of the world’s economies.Today’s rapidly changing industry landscape coupled with fast technology development, however, requires global g

Nov. 22, 2015

[Photo News] Samsung SDI supplies batteries for Chinese car maker

GIANT CAR-BATTERY MARKET — A model showcases Samsung SDI’s cylinder-shape lithium-ion batteries, which will be supplied to Chinese electric vehicle firm JAC. The batteries will power the firm’s new iEV6S electric SUV with a drive capacity of about 250 kilometers on a full charge. (Samsung SDI) 

Nov. 22, 2015

Samsung holds memorial service for late founder

The owner family of the nation’s largest conglomerate Samsung Group held the 28th memorial service for its late founder Lee Byung-chull on Thursday. Samsung Electronics vice chairman and heir apparent Lee Jae-yong presided over the event on behalf of his ailing father, chairman Lee Kun-hee, who has been hospitalized since suffering a heart attack in May last year. His mother Hong Ra-hee and two sisters Lee Boo-jin and Lee Seo-hyun attended the event that was held at a family burial ground in Yon

Nov. 19, 2015

‘Korean tech is gauge for Silicon Valley’

Whenever he visits Seoul, Silicon Valley investor Eric Kim likes to watch people on the subway.Goodwater Capital cofounder and managing partner Eric Kim (Goodwater Capital)Just riding the train for hours and watching how people use their smartphones, whether they spend more time watching TV or on social networks, gives him an insight on user habits before they reach Silicon Valley.Kim, who left Texas-based Maverick Capital to found Goodwater Capital last year, has been an early-stage investor an

Nov. 18, 2015

Naver seeks global success beyond Line messenger

Naver, the nation’s largest search engine, has reaffirmed its ambition for global success ― a goal that has never been truly achieved by a Korean Internet company. “Now when companies are competing in a single world market, going global is crucial for our survival,” CEO Kim Sang-hun told reporters during the company’s annual conference in Seoul on Tuesday. “We are going back to the hungry spirit with which we knocked the door of the Japanese market 15 years ago.”Naver CEO Kim -hun speaks at the

Nov. 18, 2015

LG cements alliance with Google for smart TV

LG Electronics said Wednesday that it had rolled out Google Play Movie & TV, an application for videos on demand, on its smart TVs.The combination between smart TVs and Google’s online video-on-demand app, which allows users to purchase or rent movies and TV shows, is the first of its kind in the domestic market. An LG official said that “the collaboration is aimed at offering utmost value for consumers to enjoy various content and services.” A model poses with LG’s smart TV, running the Google

Nov. 18, 2015

Samsung to release budget handsets with premium features

Samsung Electronics plans to churn out mid- and low-end handsets with higher-end features including its mobile payment system Samsung Pay and fingerprint scanners, according to sources Wednesday.“Samsung is planning to deploy fingerprint sensors in budget smartphone models,” an industry source said.The official, however, did not specify the timeframe of the release or further details. Samsung Electronics‘ Z1 smartphone running on the Tizen operating system. (Yonhap)Only a handful of high-end mod

Nov. 18, 2015

Merck renews brand for growth 　

The Korean branch of the world’s leading chemical firm Merck has renewed its brand in a bid to shift its focus toward future-oriented businesses.Introducing its redesigned logo, which comes in a series of different colors, Michael Grund, the managing director of Merck’s Korean office, said the rebranding was not just about the change of the corporate logo, but is about changing directions for the company. Merck Korea managing director Michael Grund delivers a speech at a press meeting in Seoul o

Nov. 17, 2015

[Photo News] LG LED projector in spotlight

LG LED PROJECTOR IN SPOTLIGHT -- LG Electronics said Tuesday its portable projector lineup Mini Beam has crossed the 500,000 sales mark worldwide, maintaining the No.1 position in the global light-emitting diode projector market for five years in a row. (LGE)

Nov. 17, 2015

Reebok CrossFit Sentinel’s Euljiro branch to relocate to Gwanghwamun

The Euljiro branch of CrossFit gym Reebok CrossFit Sentinel will be relocating to Gwanghwamun, it said in a statement Tuesday. Established in 2012 as the second “box” of the CrossFit franchise, the Euljiro branch will close its facilities from Nov. 30 for six months, during which existing members will be able to use other branches located in Hannam-dong, Pangyo, Yeouido and Samseong-dong. The new Gwanghwamun quarters will open next year.The gym will make up for the inconvenience by offering vari

Nov. 17, 2015