Samsung taps new smartphone biz head, seeks stability

Samsung Electronics on Monday decided to retain its current chief executive officers for stability, while creating a new leadership position for the smartphone business to be held by a relatively young executive in his 50s.As part of its 2020 personnel reshuffle and organizational restructuring, Samsung announced appointments of four new presidents and adjustments in the positions of five current leaders. The announcement comes about a month and a half later than usual due to the lingering legal

Jan. 20, 2020

[News Focus] Galaxy phone users jolted by privacy concerns

Users of Samsung Galaxy smartphones and Samsung Cloud in South Korea are on high alert regarding personal security issues in the wake of private data thefts involving some celebrities. A growing number of Galaxy users here are checking on the security status of their gadgets to ensure they follow the recommended security guidelines. Samsung Electronics has notified users to enhance their phone’s security by activating the two-step verification mode that double-checks user authenticity when

Jan. 19, 2020

S. Korea sharply expands public radio frequency band in 2020

The radio frequency band allocated for public use will increase more than eightfold in 2020 so South Korea can better meet its safety, disaster response and transportation requirements, the science ministry said Friday.The Ministry of Science and ICT has approved a total bandwidth of 2.8 gigahertz for public use, up from the 336.4 megahertz set aside last year and the 81 MHz designated in 2018."A broader band allows public agencies to use more communication equipment and devices to send and

Jan. 17, 2020

ICT Ministry to ramp up R&D support, investment

The Ministry of Science and ICT said fostering the industries of data, network and artificial intelligence will be a priority this year in its annual policy briefing to President Moon Jae-in on Thursday. This year, the ICT Ministry will control some 24 trillion won ($20.7 billion) for its research and development budget, an increase by about 18 percent from 2019, it said in the presentation held at Daedeok Innopolis, an R&D complex in Daejeon. The budget will be spent in sectors with growing

Jan. 16, 2020

KT, Samsung take first step in smart hospital evolution with 5G

KT and the Samsung Medical Center announced on Tuesday that they have started an official test-run of 5G-powered medical solutions designed to enhance health care. During a press conference held Monday at the Samsung Medical Center in southern Seoul, the two companies introduced several applications that make use of the 5G network throughout the hospital complex.The RAN-based 5G network at the tertiary hospital makes certain procedures possible at lower cost, when compared with the cost of

Jan. 14, 2020

SKT forges 5G alliance in Asia-Pacific region

SK Telecom said Monday it has initiated a group of multinational mobile carriers to cooperate on the development of a pan-national 5G network environment in the Asia-Pacific region. The six entities joining the group -- titled Bridge Alliance -- include South Korea’s SKT, Singapore Telecommunications, Hong Kong Telecom, PCCW, Globe Telecom Philippines and Taiwan Mobile. The South Korean mobile carrier’s recent initiative comes as part of its efforts to take the lead in multiaccess ed

Jan. 14, 2020

[From the scene] LG’s large-screen OLED TVs increasingly popular in US

LAS VEGAS -- At the TV section of Best Buy Arroyo Crossing Parkway in Las Vegas -- the largest electronics retail chain in the US -- South Korea’s LG Electronics boasts its organic light-emitting diode TV lineup on its display wall next to competitors like Sony and Samsung Electronics. Among others, the latest 88-inch LG Signature OLED Real 8K model with the official 8K Ultra HD logo granted by US Consumer Technology Association stood out, capturing the attention of visitors with its stunn

Jan. 13, 2020

Mundipharma partners with Samsung Bioepis for Hong Kong, Taiwan

UK-based Mundipharma said Monday it has secured a partnership with Korea’s Samsung Bioepis to commercialize its first-wave biosimilar candidates in Taiwan and Hong Kong.The partnership covers Samsung Bioepis’ biosimilar candidates in the field of immunology and oncology, including SB5 (adalimumab), SB4 (etanercept), SB3 (trastuzumab) and SB8 (bevacizumab). Mundipharma will be the exclusive commercialization partner, while Samsung Bioepis will remain responsible for clinical developme

Jan. 13, 2020

[From the Scene] Amorepacific shines at CES 2020 with K-beauty tech

LAS VEGAS -- Throngs of visitors from global cosmetics firms flocked to a suite on the 29th floor of the Venetian, where South Korean cosmetics behemoth Amorepacific privately offered them an opportunity to check out its latest skin care technologies during the Consumer Electronics Show last week. Although the company didn’t set up an open exhibition booth to trumpet its prowess, its first participation in the world’s biggest tech show was deemed successful as its global competit

Jan. 13, 2020

[From the Scene] LG’s digital signage displays spruce up Topgolf in US

LAS VEGAS -- Satiating the demands of all things golf for lovers of the game at a Topgolf chain in Las Vegas is a unique display solution designed by South Korea’s LG Electronics. At the sports entertainment venue, where people play golf, have drinks and food and watch sports games, some 120 55-inch LCD commercial displays made by LG are vertically mounted at the three-floor golf zone of the venue, playing three different video contents on a single screen.At Topgolf, a player scores points

Jan. 12, 2020

[Herald Interview] ‘Philips has same DNA as Korea in innovation’

LAS VEGAS -- Roy Jakobs, head of the personal health business of Royal Philips, believes today’s innovation is not just about individual products. Innovation involves building a new ecosystem and gaining the trust of consumers, and he believes South Korea is on the same page as the Amsterdam-based electronics maker. “In terms of high standards required for innovation, Philips has the same DNA as Korea,” Jakobs said in an interview with The Korea Herald during the Consumer

Jan. 12, 2020

Pharma firms flock to JP Morgan Healthcare Conference 2020

SAN FRANCISCO -- Samsung BioLogics CEO Kim Tae-han and Celltrion Chairman Seo Jung-jin are among the South Korean C-level officials making presentations at the 38th JP Morgan Healthcare Conference being held from Monday through Thursday. Both the executives have been invited to speak on Wednesday at the Grand Ballroom at the Westin St. Francis Hotel, that can accommodate some 800 people.Kim and Seo are joining the likes of global big pharma firms such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis, Merck, Ro

Jan. 12, 2020

[CES 2020] SKT plans major transformation, including name change: CEO

SK Telecom CEO Park Jung-ho said the company will face major changes down the road including a name change, during a press conference on the sidelines of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Wednesday. According to Park, the company is targeting initial public offerings for some of its affiliates in the near future. If possible, a name change could also be considered. The mobile carrier aims to expand its cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence with local and global businesses

Jan. 9, 2020

[CES 2020] Korean electronics giants pack technology into cars

LAS VEGAS -- Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics boasted their technological prowess with up-to-date developments of connected car platforms exhibited at the world’s biggest technology show that kicked off Tuesday.LG Electronics showcased a connected car model for the first time this year at the Consumer Electronics Show 2020 in Las Vegas. The company exhibited the connected car model, co-designed with automotive seating supplier Adient, next to the AI ThinQ zone at its booth, offering

Jan. 8, 2020

LG sees record high revenue but earnings dip 10%

LG Electronics said Wednesday its fourth-quarter operating profit is expected to have increased by more than 30 percent from a year earlier, but the performance was below analyst expectations. The annual sales, however, are expected to reach an annual record high of 62.31 trillion won ($53.22 billion), up 1.6 percent from a year earlier. The operating profit will be around 2.4 trillion won for the whole of last year, a year-over-year decline of 10 percent, in the firm’s regulatory fil

Jan. 8, 2020

[CES 2020] SK Telecom partners with HK-based EV brand Byton

South Korean mobile carrier SK Telecom said Tuesday it has signed a memorandum of agreement with Hong Kong-based all-electric vehicle brand Byton to cooperate on next-generation mobility. The two companies signed an MOU at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the world’s largest annual tech show that is currently underway.Last year, Byton’s parent company, Future Mobility, signed a deal with Korea’s Myongshin to build electric sport utility vehicles in Korea -- with

Jan. 8, 2020

[CES 2020] Samsung to roll out robots around June: CEO

Samsung Electronics is planning on commercializing a new robot in June or July this year, said Kim Hyun-suk, chief executive officer of Samsung’s consumer electronics division.  During a press conference held Tuesday at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Kim said the new robot would be the third or fourth Project Prism product. Project Prism is the company’s personalized electronics platform. For wider access, the price of the robot will be similar to that of a large washing machine f

Jan. 8, 2020

[Exclusive] Neon, Bixby to complement each other: Samsung exec

LAS VEGAS -- Samsung Electronics’ humanoid artificial intelligence chatbot Neon and its current platform Bixby will complement each other, said Chung Eui-suk, head of the mobile division’s software R&D on Tuesday in Las Vegas. Chung told The Korea Herald that unlike Bixby which is embedded as a software in devices, Neon makes virtual humans that act like real people.“The Neon platform will be complementary with Bixby, but goes beyond what Bixby does,” said the ex

Jan. 8, 2020

[Exclusive] Samsung vice chairman says memory market is recovering

LAS VEGAS -- The memory chip market is starting to show signs of improving, leaving Samsung Electronics to deliberate carefully on the timing of the launch of its second memory chip plant in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, according to Kim Ki-nam, vice chairman of the tech giant’s semiconductor business on Tuesday. “There are signs that make us believe the market is recovering,” the vice chairman told The Korea Herald in Las Vegas at Consumer Electronics Show 2020. “Howeve

Jan. 8, 2020

[CES 2020] SK hynix boasts advanced memory solutions

SK hynix said Tuesday it will showcase its latest memory chip solutions at the world’s largest annual tech show in Las Vegas. The memory product lineup of SK hynix at the Consumer Electronics Show this year includes its next-generation DRAM products, as well as other memory solutions related to future businesses that utilize artificial intelligence, augmented reality, virtual reality, automotive, internet of things, big data and 5G.The company, whose business profile heavily relies on

Jan. 7, 2020