[Photo News] New home IOT service

KT and Samsung SDS introduce a specialized home monitoring service that uses Internet of Things technology in South Korea on Wednesday. The GiGA IoT Home Premium Pack connects a wall pad installed inside a home to a smartphone, allowing users to monitor the status of their homes. (KT)

Aug. 17, 2016

Samsung says automotive is next big thing in ICT

A senior researcher at Samsung Electronics said automotive is the next big thing in the information technology sector, at a tech seminar in Seoul on Wednesday.“Automotive will ultimately be the next big thing in the information technology sector and it‘s just a matter of time,” said Kim Do-kyun, a senior researcher at Samsung Electronics’ memory business division, at the Mobile & IoT Forum held in Yangjae, southern Seoul. Automotive has a vast array of electronic components, which include system

Aug. 17, 2016

Naver's online map service adds real-time traffic information

South Korea's top portal operator Naver will soon launch a new, improved online map service that will not only show its users how to get to a desired destination, but also how to get there in the least time possible, company and government officials said Wednesday.The National Transport Information Center will begin providing its traffic information to Naver, which in turn will use the information to provide online map and mobile navigation services that will offer the currently best available r

Aug. 17, 2016

DJI’s first drone arena opens in Korea

The world’s biggest drone maker DJI is slated to open its first indoor drone arena on Thursday in South Korea. The 1,395-square-meter arena is to open in Yongin, a city in the south of Seoul’s greater metropolitan area, the company said. “We hope this place would be a venue where anyone can enjoy their drones with safety and ease,” said Moon Tae-hyun, DJI‘s manager in South Korea, at the media briefing held on Tuesday. “The diverse programs of DJI arena will help expand the base of drone and est

Aug. 17, 2016

Samsung to release new smartwatch on Aug. 31

Samsung Electronics said Tuesday that it will release its new smartwatch, the Gear S3, in Berlin later this month. The unpack event will take place at 6 p.m. on Aug. 31, just two days before the German capital holds the Internal Funkausstellung (IFA) tech fair, a leading annual trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances. The invitation sent by the South Korean tech giant suggested that the new smartwatch will inherit features of its predecessor the Gear S2 including its round shape

Aug. 16, 2016

Korean makers to face tough global DRAM competition in 2018: reports

Leading global DRAM-makers -- Samsung Electronics and SK hynix -- may face tough competition from 2018 as the mass production of Chinese chipmakers is predicted to raise oversupply concerns, according to industry reports. According to the latest report from market research firm IC Insights, the average selling price of DRAM, or dynamic random access memory, chips is expected to rise through the end of this year and into 2017 due to growing demand for enterprise systems -- for the use of “big dat

Aug. 15, 2016

Lotte Homeshopping fined W200m for selling customer data

Korea Communications Commission, the state telecom and media regulator, on Thursday handed Lotte Homeshopping a fine of 200 million won ($182,000) for mishandling customers’ personal data.　Lotte Homeshopping is a television shopping channel under South Korean retail giant Lotte Group, which is currently under heavy investigation on charges of embezzlement and bribery.Woori Homeshopping Co., the operator of the Lotte-based TV channel, was found to have sold the personal data of some 29,000 custom

Aug. 12, 2016

Six in 10 Koreans use 2 or more mobile messaging apps

About six in 10 South Koreans use two or more mobile messaging apps, with KakaoTalk standing as the most-used chat service, a survey showed Friday.According to the survey of 279 people aged between 19 and 59, conducted by market researcher DMC Media, 64.1 percent of respondents said they use two or more mobile messaging apps. The survey found that 35.8 percent use one messaging app, 38.8 percent use two, 16.8 percent use three and 8.6 percent use more than four. Asked why they use multiple messa

Aug. 12, 2016

Fuel cell vehicles a possible solution to fine dust problem: study

Fuel cell vehicles might just be a solution to various environmental issues, including climate change, as they can help reduce fine dust without even trying, a study by a local automaker showed Friday.According to local industry leader Hyundai Motor Co., a fuel cell electric vehicle can collect up to 20 milligrams of fine dust for every kilometer it travels.An FCEV is a type of hybrid vehicle that uses a fuel cell and a battery to power an electric motor instead of an engine. Because its fuel ce

Aug. 12, 2016

Various translation devices to assist PyeongChang Olympics athletes

Major South Korean tech firms have recently rolled out a number of automated translation applications for Korean and major foreign languages, industry officials and analysts said Thursday.Co-developed by local software firm Hancom Interfree Inc., and the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, "Genie Talk" is capable of translating Korean, Japanese, English, Chinese, Spanish, French, German, Russian and Arabic.The app will be available to athletes during the 2018 PyeongChang Winte

Aug. 11, 2016

[Industry 4.0] Self-driving car, drone face safety questions, lack of support

Within eight years, Korea will have autonomous vehicles manufactured wholly by homegrown technology. According to a 2.2 trillion won ($2 billion) blueprint rolled out by the Korean government Wednesday, the country will produce eight major components required for self-driving vehicles including visual sensors and radar by 2019. By 2021, carmakers will secure technology that enables a driverless vehicle to keep distance from cars ahead and change lanes without human input. And by 2024, automated

Aug. 11, 2016

[Industry 4.0] Network carriers engage in IoT war

The dawn of Internet of Things technology has sparked a fierce war between Korea’s three major telecom carriers as they seek to become the dominant network provider for IoT-based services.While improvements in information and communications technology have advanced communication between people through objects, the Internet of Things seeks to facilitate communication between objects themselves.According to a July report by the Hyundai Research Institute, the Korean IoT market is expected to grow

Aug. 11, 2016

[Industry 4.0] Long road ahead for Korean biotechnology

South Korea is looking to make its mark in biotechnology as it eyes leadership in new industries geared for sharp growth in the years ahead.Biotechnology refers to technology that harnesses the science of genetics and molecular biology to develop new medical treatments and services. In the coming era of aging populations, the global biotech market is set for significant growth.The Ministry of Strategy and Finance forecasts the global biotechnology market will reach $2.61 trillion by 2024, surpas

Aug. 11, 2016

SK Networks seeks business opportunity in Brazil

The head of SK Networks has vowed to expand its business partnership and seek new opportunities in Brazil during his business trip to the nation this week, according to the company on Thursday. Chairman Choi Shin-won paid a courtesy call to Brazil’s Acting President Michel Temer in his office in Brasilia.  SK Networks chairman Choi Shin-won (right) poses with Brazil’s Acting President Michel Temer. (SK Networks)“As an honorary consul to Brazil and chairman of Korea-Brazil Society, I will make ef

Aug. 11, 2016

Netmarble to launch ‘Lineage II: Revolution’ mobile game in October

South Korea’s leading mobile game developer Netmarble Games on Thursday announced that it will launch “Lineage II: Revolution” for mobile devices in Korea in October.Netmarble’s upcoming mobile game -- categorized as a “massively multiplayer online role playing game,” or MMORPG -- is based on NCSoft’s original online role-playing game “Lineage II.”“Lineage II: Revolution” has sought to optimize the original online game to fit mobile devices while offering the same high-quality graphics, characte

Aug. 11, 2016