Posco International ready to help rebuild Ukraine

Posco International, a commodities trader affiliated with South Korean steel giant Posco Holdings, said Tuesday that it is eager to take part in reconstruction projects in Ukraine after the war to help the country rebuild. The Posco unit is the only Korean company that has maintained its business operations in the war-torn country since the onset of Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24 last year. It operates a grain terminal in the southern city of Mykolaiv, about 480 kilometers away from the Ukra

Feb. 21, 2023

Samsung, Naver join forces against Apple on payments

As IT behemoth Apple will likely launch its mobile payments service Apple Pay in Korea next month, Samsung Electronics appears to be reacting to the rival’s move by strengthening its digital payment service Samsung Pay through a strategic partnership with internet giant Naver. Samsung announced Monday that it signed a partnership agreement with Naver Financial to promote its mobile payment system, making digital payments more convenient for its users. Samsung has gained a stronger online p

Feb. 21, 2023

Former SK hynix VP named chief economist for US team overseeing chip development fund

A former vice president and chief economist for SK hynix has joined the US government team overseeing a $52.7 billion fund to boost development and manufacturing in the chipmaking industry. On Friday, the US Commerce Department announced that Dan Kim has joined the CHIPS Program Office as chief economist and director of strategic planning and industry analysis. The program is aimed at spurring manufacturing and innovation in the US semiconductor industry under the CHIPS and Science Act signed in

Feb. 20, 2023

[KH Explains] Samsung returns to OLED TV market after 10 years, renews competition with LG

Almost a decade after Samsung Electronics ditched the organic light-emitting diode TV business, the tech giant has returned to the market where crosstown rival LG Electronics dominates almost 60 percent of sales. Following its global launch last year, Samsung said Monday it would take preorders for its brand-new OLED TV at home, ahead of its official release on March 9. Samsung debuted 55-inch and 56-inch OLED TVs in Latin America, Oceania and Southeast Asia in March last year, but their Korean

Feb. 20, 2023

Korea aims to showcase pre-6G network in 2026

South Korea will demonstrate the sixth generation of wireless technology to the world in 2026, the Ministry of Science and ICT said Monday as it unveiled the government’s network advancement plan called the "K-Network 2030" strategy. In order to carry out the technical display, the Korean government will host an international event, tentatively called 6G Vision Fest, to invite leading telecommunication companies, experts and ministerial-level state officials from across the world

Feb. 20, 2023

[Photo News] Fire-detecting robot

SK Telecom said Monday it has developed an artificial intelligence-based robot kit, using its own Vision AI technology that controls robots and analyzes high-definition images of the cameras attached to them. The robots are especially designed to detect fire or leakage of harmful gas, as well as offering the 3D measurement of spaces. The company plans to expand their industrial adoption by developing more customized solutions for corporate clients.

Feb. 20, 2023

SKT, KT to present cutting-edge mobile technology at MWC

With the opening of the world’s largest mobile tech show just a week away, South Korea’s major telecommunications firms including SK Telecom and KT Corp. are poised to showcase their future technologies. Korea's No. 1 mobile carrier, SK Telecom, said Sunday it will operate an exhibition space at the annual Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, under the theme of "AI, the Wave of Innovation." The company will showcase its innovative future technologies like artific

Feb. 19, 2023

[Beyond Earth] ‘Space technology is matter of state survival’

South Korea's space development is more than just science, but also a matter of state survival in terms of security, according to a high-ranking official at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute. “Frankly, space has been regarded as science technology until now. Space development was done by project, such as developing satellites and space launch vehicles. But with a deeper understanding of space, it has become clear that it's not just about science,” said Lee Joon, execut

Feb. 19, 2023

LG Chem signs lithium supply deal with US-based Piedmont Lithium

LG Chem, South Korea's leading chemical firm, announced Friday that the company has signed a deal to receive 200,000 metric tons of spodumene concentrate from Piedmont Lithium, which will ensure a stable supply of the key material for the company's electric vehicle battery production. Under the deal, LG Chem will receive 50,000 tons of spodumene concentrate every year, starting in the third quarter of this year, from North American Lithium, a lithium mine in Quebec, Canada, in which Pi

Feb. 17, 2023

Celltrion, LISCure Biosciences to develop microbiome therapy for Parkinson's disease

Celltrion announced on Friday that the company has signed a joint research and development contract with LISCure Biosciences for a microbiome-based Parkinson's disease treatment. LISCure Biosciences is a Pangyo-based biotech company that conducts research for microbiome-based treatment for Parkinson's disease. The biotech currently has an oral microbiome drug development pipeline for Parkinson's disease, called LB-P4. Under the contract, the two companies aim to co-develop live bi

Feb. 17, 2023

KCCI donates $100,000 in aid to quake-hit Turkey

The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry said Friday it had given $100,000 in aid to Turkey, which is suffering from untold casualties and destruction after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the country on Feb. 6. Woo Tae-hee, executive vice chairman of the largest business lobby in Korea, visited the Turkish Embassy in Seoul on Friday to pay tribute to the victims of the tragedy, according to the KCCI. There, Woo met with Turkish Ambassador to Korea, Salih Murat Tamer, and donated the $100,000.

Feb. 17, 2023

Samsung officially launches Galaxy S23 series, first in 55 countries

Samsung Electronics, the world's largest smartphone maker by shipment, announced the official launch of its Galaxy S23 series in 55 countries Friday, touting record-breaking preorders in South Korea. Starting sales in 55 countries, which include United States, Britain, Dubai and Australia, the tech giant will ultimately launch the new flagship models in 130 countries, the company said. In South Korea, the Galaxy S23 series garnered 1.09 million preorders in seven days, up slightly from the

Feb. 17, 2023

[Newsmaker] Time to take the 'human' out of HR?

Looking to get hired? Your next job interview could be with a robot. As artificial intelligence applications grow across industries, it is increasingly being used in human resources. According to a survey conducted by Saramin, an online recruiting company, in 2022, nearly 2 out of 3 local companies said that AI recruiting programs have helped them save time and human labor. At present, AI is mainly used by recruiters to save time and give more chances to more candidates by screening a lot more r

Feb. 17, 2023

[Newsmaker] ChatGPT not to be trusted on Korean names

Artificial intelligence-powered chatbot ChatGPT is all the rage, with the potential to change the way many people work. But for those hoping to get quick answers about Korea from the AI platform, it is not to be trusted, at least for now. As of Thursday, the bot developed by Microsoft-backed OpenAI gives error-ridden answers to some basic questions about Korea, starting from the profile of Korea’s current President, Yoon Suk Yeol. For the question, “Who is President Yoon Suk Yeol?&rd

Feb. 16, 2023

LG CNS, Kyung Hee University team up for 5G development

Information technology service provider LG CNS said Thursday it is joining hands with Kyung Hee University to jointly develop and expand a 5G network system that can be applied in manufacturing plants and logistics. Earlier in the month, the IT service provider inked an agreement to jointly develop a 5G-based smart factory predictive maintenance solution, the company said. Predictive maintenance refers to a technique that uses data analysis to detect anomalies or defects in industrial operations

Feb. 16, 2023

[Photo News] Robot guide in museums

Kids watch an LG CLOi GuideBot translate sign language at the Gongju National Museum in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province. LG Electronics said Thursday it is introducing its multipurpose customer service robot at the national museum in Gongju and National Assembly Constitution Memorial Hall in Seoul.

Feb. 16, 2023

Uncertainty ahead for Lotte's venture into CDMO

Lotte Group, the country's fifth largest conglomerate, hopes its biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing arm will become a future engine of growth, following in the footsteps of Samsung. But the road ahead remains uncertain as Lotte is still in the early stages of the business. According to industry sources, Lotte Biologics is expected to face a myriad of challenges when it comes to finding a foothold in the market, with issues from price competitiveness to talent recruitment. In 2022, t

Feb. 16, 2023

Samsung introduces reusable photocatalytic air filter

Samsung Electronics said Thursday it has developed a new technology for a single air purification filter that simultaneously removes fine dust and harmful gases, and can be used for up to 20 years through simple water washing. Researchers at the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology implemented a filter technology that applies photocatalysts such as copper oxide and titanium dioxide -- the first development to be introduced anywhere in the world, according to Samsung officials. Before the lat

Feb. 16, 2023

AI chatbot services will boost chip demand, says SK hynix chief

The proliferation of chatbots using artificial intelligence will become "killer applications" in boosting demand for advanced memory chips, SK hynix Vice Chairman Park Jung-ho said at a symposium Wednesday. Park, who also serves as the chief executive officer of the world's second-largest memory chip maker, said memory chips will always be at the center of innovation as the era of artificial intelligence unfolds. "As the era of AI unfolds, unsolved challenges of the past will

Feb. 15, 2023

SK Biopharmaceuticals makes big sales pitch in US

SK Biopharmaceuticals on Wednesday said its subsidiary SK Life Science is holding sales meetings in the US this week to boost sales of its seizure medicine cenobamate in the all-important market. Cenobamate, which is sold under the brand name of Xcopri, was approved in 2019 for partial-onset seizures in adults. The company has held the promotional event traveling across the US for the fourth consecutive year with an aim of strengthening its sales network and sharing its business plans with partn

Feb. 15, 2023