Tmax’s Gaia allows to build apps without coding

Korean software developer Tmax Group on Thursday unveiled a groundbreaking super-app platform, Gaia, which allows users to create apps without coding skills, declaring a new era of digital transformation. “There have been numerous attempts to achieve great IT integration, but no one has been able to achieve effective integration in the right way,” Chairman and CTO Park Dae-yeon said during a press conference held in Seoul. “The IT grand integration presented by Tmax refers to i

June 13, 2024

Same price, less content: 33 products accused of 'shrinkflation'

A state-run agency said Thursday it has found 33 products that have downsized but maintained the same price in an inspection of so-called "shrinkflation" in the country. The Korea Consumer Agency, under the Korea Fair Trade Commission, inspected the products currently being circulated in the market to check the state of shrinkflation, which refers to a manufacturer downsizing a product while retaining the price as an alternative to raising the price. The agency used its price informa

June 13, 2024

Finance minister calls for 'external safety net' against global interest rates uncertainty

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok on Thursday called for beefing up an "external safety net" to better respond to uncertainties regarding interest rates in the United States and other nations. Choi made the remarks during an emergency macroeconomic meeting meant to assess the Federal Reserve's rate-setting meeting Wednesday, where it kept the benchmark interest rate at between 5.25-5.5 percent for a seventh straight time. The Fed also signaled fewer rate cuts than previously estimate

June 13, 2024

Seoul shares open higher on Wall Street gains

South Korean shares opened over 1 percent higher Thursday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index surged 37.26 points, or 1.37 percent, to 2,765.43 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The bullish start follows overnight gains on Wall Street where the advances of tech shares, led by Apple, pushed the Nasdaq to a new high for the third consecutive session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.09 percent to 37,712.21, but the Nasdaq jumped 1.5

June 13, 2024

Denmark recalls 3 types of Buldak ramyeon for extreme spiciness

The Danish government has recalled three types of spicy ramyeon Buldak products made by the Korean manufacturer Samyang Roundsquare simply because they are too spicy. On Tuesday, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, under the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, ordered a recall of three types of Buldak Spicy Noodles, citing a risk of acute poisoning due to high levels of capsaicin in the products. The food safety agency stated, “The total levels of capsaicin in a single

June 12, 2024

SK’s Sapeon, Rebellions to merge for AI chip push

SK Telecom said Wednesday that it is seeking to merge its fabless unit Sapeon with Korea-based chip designer Rebellions, as part of its renewed push for artificial intelligence chips. The merger push is the result of an agreement between the two sides to create a “homegrown company” to lead the global AI race, the telecom giant said. The market for neural processing units powering AI services is growing rapidly, driven by the widespread adoption of AI across industries. Competition i

June 12, 2024

Evolus CEO vows to boost US sales of Daewoong's botulinum toxin

David Moatazedi, CEO of Evolus, the US company that sells Daewoong Pharmaceutical's botulinum toxin product Nabota, marketed as Jeuveau in the US, has pledged to boost its sales of the botulinum toxin product to $700 million by 2028, the Korean pharmaceuticals company said Wednesday. “Jeuveau is the fastest growing neurotoxin in the US for the past three years, and Evolus is on track to achieve at least $700 million in total revenue by 2028,” Moatazedi said during his visit to D

June 12, 2024

Posco International breaks ground for its Polish motor core plant

Posco International began construction of its new traction motor core plant in Brzeg, Opole Voivodeship, Poland on Tuesday, the company announced Wednesday. A traction motor core is a crucial component in the powertrain systems in most eco-friendly vehicles, except the ones powered by traditional combustion engines. Construction of the new factory in Poland, which will be built on a 100,000-square-meter land plot, will be completed in mid-2025. The goal is to begin commercial production of tract

June 12, 2024

Seoul shares up for 2nd day ahead of Fed's rate decision

South Korean shares closed higher Wednesday led by gains in tech shares tracking advances on Wall Street, ahead of the Federal Reserve's rate decision. The local currency gained ground against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 22.85 points, or 0.84 percent, to close at 2,728.17. Trade volume was moderate at 499.4 million shares worth 11.5 trillion won ($8.35 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 502 to 372. Foreign investors net purchased 234.4 billio

June 12, 2024

Are company directors responsible to shareholders?

Debate over a bill expanding the responsibilities a company director not only to the interest of the firm but also to the interest of the shareholders has been rekindled, with business groups showing strong resistance, arguing it could invite damage claims from individual shareholders. Rep. Jeong Jun-ho of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea proposed on June 5 an amendment to an article of the Commercial Act tied to the "Duty of Loyalty by Directors," after a similar bill was

June 12, 2024

SK, China's Geely partner on EV innovation

SK Inc., the investment arm of South Korea's SK Group, has announced a partnership with China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group to advance green mobility initiatives, focusing on electric vehicle batteries and automotive electronics. This collaboration aims to integrate SK's business development capabilities with Geely's expertise in mobility technology. The partnership was formalized with the signing of a framework agreement Wednesday. The global networking efforts of Chey Jae-

June 12, 2024

Hyundai hydrogen trucks hit 10m km of emission-free rides in Switzerland

Hyundai Motor Company’s hydrogen-powered truck Xcient Fuel Cell has surpassed 10 million kilometers in accumulated mileage in Switzerland, the South Korean automaker announced Wednesday. The milestone came three years and eight months after the world’s first mass-produced hydrogen-electric truck began to hit the roads in Switzerland in Oct. 2020. Currently, there are 48 Xcient Fuel Cells in operation in the central European country. The truck, which is equipped with a 180-kilowatt hy

June 12, 2024

SK CEOs to hold strategy meeting at end of June

SK Group, the country’s second-largest conglomerate in terms of assets, will hold its biannual business management strategy meeting June 28-29 to comprehensively review the group’s plans and renew commitment to "go back to basics," according to industry sources Wednesday. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and other members of the founding family, including SK Innovation Vice Chairman Chey Jae-won and SK Supex Council Chairman Chey Chang-won are expected to join the meeting, al

June 12, 2024

Hyosung Heavy to ramp up output of power transfomers in Korea, US

Hyosung Heavy Industries announced Wednesday its plans to expand its ultra-high voltage transformer factories in the US and Korea to meet increasing global demand for electricity infrastructure. The company will add a test line and expand the existing testing and production facilities at its ultra-high voltage transformer plant in Memphis, Tennessee. This expansion is expected to double the production capacity of the plant. Simultaneously, the Changwon plant in South Gyeongsang Province, which i

June 12, 2024

GS Ventures hosts tech day for battery startups

GS Group’s corporate venture capital arm, GS Ventures, said Tuesday that it has successfully hosted Monday's GSV Tech Day at GS Tower, the conglomerate’s headquarters in southern Seoul. Initiated last September, GSV Tech Day provides a platform for startups within the venture capital unit's investment portfolio to exchange technology and cooperate. This year's event was themed on the future of batteries, featuring eight startups specializing in battery-related technolo

June 12, 2024

Han Sung Motor launches industry-first 3-day trial of used cars

Han Sung Motor, the official Mercedes-Benz car dealer in Korea, on Wednesday launched a three-day trial service of its certified used cars, in an industry first. Customers who purchase a certified preowned Mercedes-Benz from Han Sung Motor can test drive the vehicle for three days and get a full refund with no penalties if dissatisfied. Vehicles eligible for the service are selected monthly, mainly among popular models. Customers can apply for the service through the inquiry channel of Han Sung

June 12, 2024

Shinhan Card partners with Canada's Alberta to boost tourism

South Korean card issuer Shinhan Card is collaborating with regional Canadian governments and state-run tourism promotion agencies for local tourist marketing, starting with Alberta. Shinhan Card, the card arm of Korean finance giant Shinhan Financial Group, announced on Tuesday that it has signed a strategic partnership agreement with the Government of Alberta, Canada, to jointly develop services and launch marketing initiatives targeting tourists visiting Alberta. The signing ceremony took pla

June 12, 2024

[From the Scene] Kakao unveils first data center

Korean IT giant Kakao, having suffered from its worst-ever server shutdown in October 2022, unveiled its first in-house data center in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, to local media Tuesday. As part of Kakao's efforts to keep users' daily lives safe, this data center is the first one of its kind to maximize stability. Located on a 47,378-square-meter site, about 2.6 times the size of a soccer field, Kakao Data Center Ansan is situated in Hanyang University’s ERICA campus in the industr

June 12, 2024

Seoul shares open higher on US tech gains

South Korean stocks opened higher Wednesday, tracking overnight gains by US big tech shares. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 9.05 points, or 0.33 percent, to 2,714.37 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The US stock market closed mixed overnight as investors remained cautious about the conclusion of the Federal Open Market Committee meeting, set to end Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average retreated 0.31 percent to close at 38,747.42, but the tech-heavy Nasdaq advance

June 12, 2024

KDB chief pledges W100tr high-tech fund, sticks to Busan relocation

The chief of the state-run Korea Development Bank on Tuesday unveiled plans to provide 100 trillion won ($72.5 billion) in policy funds for the development of high-tech industries while continuing efforts to push for the relocation of headquarters to Busan. KDB Chairman Kang Seog-hoon made the announcement during his second-anniversary press conference held at the bank's headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, and called for swift legal revisions to implement the plans. "We are currently prepa

June 11, 2024