Netizens abuzz over security robot’s apparent ‘suicide’

A security robot that fell into a fountain for unknown reasons while doing its regular rounds has become a hot topic on social media.On Tuesday (local time), US media programs Fox News and The Verge reported that a Nightscope K5 security robot that patrolled a Washington DC office building had fallen into a fountain and “drowned.” 　The robot, which stands 1.5 meters tall and weighs 300 pounds, has no arms or legs, and cannot right itself if it falls. The robot is of a new series of high-tech aut

July 19, 2017

Scientists discover method to identify 'gambling rats'

A group of South Korean scientists have developed a method to differentiate the gambling tendencies of different rats, the science ministry said Tuesday, a finding that may contribute to studies of gambling addiction in humans.The team led by Kim Jung-hoon of Yonsei Medical University said that by observing rats they found a method to find traits and environmental factors that affect decision-making, core problems in psychiatric disorders such as pathological gambling and substance abuse, the Mi

July 18, 2017

Samsung ramps up high bandwidth DRAM production

Samsung Electronics announced Tuesday it will ramp up production of its 8-gigabyte high bandwidth memory-2, known as HBM2, to meet growing demand across a wide range of applications including artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, advanced graphics, network systems and enterprise servers. The 8 GB HBM2 is a high-density DRAM chip, consisting of eight 8-gigabit dies (integrated circuit) produced on 20-nanometer processing technology and a buffer die at the bottom of the stack, which

July 18, 2017

Kakao Mobility to seek out profit-making business models

Kakao Mobility is slated to begin official operation as an independent subsidiary of Kakao from next month, with aims to apply new profit-making business models to the firm’s key transportation services.Kakao, operator of South Korea’s most widely-used mobile messenger KakaoTalk, said Monday that Kakao Mobility, which it spun off in May, would officially take off from Aug. 1.　The new subsidiary will oversee the operations of Kakao’s mobility services including the taxi-hailing app Kakao Taxi, ch

July 18, 2017

Korea ranks sixth in Olympiad for chemistry

South Korean teenagers ranked sixth in an international chemistry competition for youth, winning two gold and two silver medals, the government said Monday.The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning said the achievement was made during the 49th International Chemistry Olympiad held in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, from July 6-15. This photo provided by the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science & Creativity shows student representatives posing for a photo at its building in Gwacheon, 1

July 17, 2017

Korean scientists find solution to retrieve precious metals from sea water

A team of South Korean scientists announced Monday it has developed a material that can be utilized to collect precious metals from sea water, which can help recycle industrial waste.The team from Pohang University of Science and Technology said the material, which took a cue from sea squirts, successfully collected 99 percent of gold liquefied in sea water, while filtering out chrome, which is considered a hazardous material. Sea squirts are categorized as "filter feeders," which consume food p

July 17, 2017

Uncertainty heightens over SK hynix's bid in Toshiba deal

Uncertainty mounted over South Korea’s SK hynix’s bid in the ongoing Toshiba sale on Sunday with unverifiable claims swirling around that the Korean memory chipmaker has already given up on acquiring a stake in the Japanese firm’s flash memory unit.Since a global consortium of US private equity firm Bain Capital, two state-backed Japanese financial institutions and SK hynix, the preferred bidder, failed to ink a $18 billion deal on purchasing the NAND flash memory unit of Toshiba on June 28, sus

July 16, 2017

LG’s OLED technology wins top recognition in US, UK

LG Electronics said Sunday its organic light-emitting diode television won the top spot both in US and UK surveys.  LG Electronics USA CEO Tim Alessi (middle) pose at the CE Week in New York on Thursday. (LG Electronics)The South Korean tech company said its OLED TV products snatched three crowns in a survey conducted by display experts at CE Week, a consumer electronics exhibition, held last Thursday in New York. LG won the top spots in terms of the TV’s performances in dark studios and bright

July 16, 2017

New venture firm to commercialize innovative microfluidics technology

A group of South Korean scientists will launch a venture company to commercialize their technology to more effectively manufacture microfluidic devices that can be used to detect pathogens very quickly and precisely, the ICT ministry said Sunday.The team led by Yoo Yeong-eun of the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials has developed a new technology to design microfluidic device, an instrument that uses very small amounts of fluid to do certain laboratory tests. (Photo courtesy of the Minis

July 16, 2017

Google Assistant to compete with Bixby in Korea

Google Assistant has launched its beta test in Korea ahead of its debut here, according to local tech communities on Friday. Google will have to compete with several local rivals, Samsung, Naver, Kakao and local telecom carriers all working on similar services. Google Assistant is a virtual personal assistant, providing diverse services such as answering questions, playing music, making reservations, checking schedules and sending text messages. Available only in English, the service is speculat

July 14, 2017

Deregulation crucial for Korea to foster innovative startups: McKinsey

Despite the emphasis on startups’ role as the country’s future, South Korea’s startup ecosystem currently lags behind the global competition, as it is weighed down by overregulation, according to a new report by McKinsey & Company on Thursday.　Excessive regulations make it difficult for startups to introduce new tech-driven services and products to the market, according to the “Startup Korea!” report by McKinsey Korea, commissioned by Google Campus Seoul and the Asan Nanum Foundation. The report

July 13, 2017

Fintech firms obliged to tackle terror financing

South Korea's financial regulator said Thursday it will require fintech firms to come up with measures to deal with terrorist financing, in line with an agreement reached at the recent Group of 20 summit. About 40 fintech firms in South Korea are expected to launch international money transfer services for small funds on Aug. 15. During the G-20 summit in Germany, leaders of the world's top economies agreed to step up efforts to tackle the financing of terrorist groups.  G-20 summit in Germany.

July 13, 2017

Korean women see themselves chubbier than they are: survey

South Korean women tend to consider themselves chubbier than they actually are while men are inclined to think the opposite, a survey showed Thursday.About 20 percent, or 5,002 women, of the 25,281 women polled said they are overweight, although they actually have normal body weight, according to the survey jointly conducted by professor Kwon Jin-won of Kyungpook National University and Park Suzan of the Institute of Health and Environment of Seoul National University between 2007 and 2014. (Yon

July 13, 2017

Korea to open 2 more VR, AR complexes

South Korea's ICT ministry said Thursday that it will open two additional new complexes to promote virtual reality and augmented reality technology as the country aims to become a global powerhouse in the sectors.The two centers will be set up at Korea National University Of Arts in Seoul and at the Jeju Free International Development Center, located on the southern resort island of Jeju, to accommodate various VR and AR companies, the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning said.The comple

July 13, 2017

Korean startups pitch ideas, appeal to investors in Hong Kong

HONG KONG -- On a small green stage dubbed “PITCH,” one of three judges posed a sharp question to Sunny Choi, chief operations officer of Yana Trip, a travel startup from South Korea, after Choi’s presentation about her company at the RISE 2017 event being held in Hong Kong on Wednesday. “So why did you say it is difficult for big players like Expedia to interrupt your business?” the judge asked. “We do have a lot of exclusive products that can be found only in Asia -- trips to small and unknown

July 12, 2017

Scientists develop alloys that can withstand extreme low temps

A group of South Korean scientists have developed high-strength and high-entropy alloys that can withstand temperatures as low as minus 196 degrees Celsius, the ICT ministry said Wednesday, a finding that can have various industrial applications.The team led by Kim Hyung-seob at Pohang University of Science and Technology developed the world's first such alloys by improving the cryogenic tensile properties, the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning said."Here, we induced twinning at room

July 12, 2017

Facebook to help Korean startups go global

US social networking giant Facebook said Wednesday it has partnered with South Korean business agencies to launch a new program to help Korean startups expand overseas with digital strategies leveraging its platform.Facebook Korea and the state-run Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency introduced the Made by Korea program designed to offer local startups export-related support.Korea’s e-commerce solution providers MakeShop and Cafe24 as well as digital business training institution Fast Campus

July 12, 2017

Startups, investors meet for talks about Asia’s new economy

HONG KONG -- Around 14,000 startup founders, investors and media figures from about 90 countries gathered at the RISE 2017 event in Hong Kong on Tuesday to discuss ways to build Asia’s “new economy” with new technologies. Joe Tsai (left), co-founder and vice chairman of Alibaba Group, and Gary Liu, CEO of South China Morning Post, speak at the opening session of RISE 2017 held at Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center on Tuesday. (RISE)Being held in Hong Kong for the third consecutive year, th

July 11, 2017

New ICT minister vows to push forward tough reform

South Korea's new chief ICT policymaker said Tuesday that he will push forward tough reforms as the country must deal with various challenges under the fourth industrial revolution."The Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning should be reborn so that the ministry that can prepare for the future amid the changes," You Young-min said during his inauguration ceremony.The government has been engaged in various projects to cope with the latest revolution that is characterized by a fusion of cut

July 11, 2017