[Herald Interview] Improving R&D productivity crucial amid growing tech competition: IP agency chief

In this time of escalating rivalry for technology hegemony, it is crucial for countries to stake claims on advanced technologies in core industries in order to survive the patent war, South Korea’s intellectual property agency chief said Monday. As for South Korea, the country should work on improving research and development productivity, and also utilize big data analytics for patent protection, Kim Yong-rae, commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office, said in an interview

Sept. 28, 2021

S. Korean shippers forecast to log record earnings for Q3

South Korean shipping lines are expected to chalk up record earnings for the third quarter of the year thanks to surging freight rates, a market tracker said Tuesday. HMM Co., South Korea's largest container shipper, is projected to post a consolidated operating income of 1.82 trillion won ($1.54 billion) for the July-September, according to an analysis of brokerage house forecasts. That would break HMM's operating income record of 1.39 trillion won set in the previous quarter, which was up 901

Sept. 28, 2021

Manufacturing sentiment dips for Q4 on COVID-19 resurgence

A majority of South Korean manufacturers expect their business conditions to worsen in the fourth quarter from three months earlier on a coronavirus resurgence and rising material costs, a poll showed Tuesday. A survey of about 2,300 manufacturing firms put the business sentiment index (BSI) at 91 for the October-December period, down 12 points from the third quarter, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) said. A reading below 100 means companies expecting deteriorating business cond

Sept. 28, 2021

Samsung loses ground in smartphone image sensor market in H1: report

Samsung Electronics Co. remained in second place in the global smartphone image sensor market in the first half of the year, a report showed Tuesday, although its share declined from a year earlier. Samsung captured a 25 percent revenue share in the first six months of the year, down from 28 percent a year ago, according to market researcher Strategy Analytics. Sony dominated the market with a 42 percent revenue share, slightly down from 45 percent a year earlier, while OmniVision came in t

Sept. 28, 2021

SK Innovation, Ford to invest W13tr to build three US battery plants

South Korean battery maker SK Innovation Co. and American automaker Ford Co. said Tuesday they will invest 13 trillion won ($11 billion) to build three electric vehicle batteries in the United States by 2025. A joint venture between the two companies, called BluOvalSK, will build an assembly and battery complex in Tennessee, and two additional battery factories in Kentucky, which will be the single largest investment in Ford's 118-year history, the two companies said in a statement. The three fa

Sept. 28, 2021

Global Netflix hit 'Squid Game' signals new round of streaming competition

For South Koreans who were children in the 1970s and 1980s, the phrase “squid game” is likely to evoke a mix of thrills and nostalgia. The tag game on a squid-shaped board drawn in the dirt was fairly tough to play -- sometimes brutal to the point of causing injury -- but it remained hugely popular, as making it to the final goal area after physically clashing with those on the defense was nothing if not exhilarating. Hwang Dong-hyuk, the director of “Squid Game,” is no

Sept. 27, 2021

Bankruptcies soar by over 10% as pandemic takes toll

Personal and corporate bankruptcies in South Korea increased by more than 10 percent last year, data showed Monday, reflecting the economic impact of COVID-19 on both businesses and households. According to the report released by the National Court Administration, the number of personal bankruptcies filed in 2020 rose by 10.4 percent from the previous year, from 45,654 cases to 50,379 cases. Last year’s tally was the biggest figure since 2015. After hitting a record high of 150,439 c

Sept. 27, 2021

S. Korea's 5G users continue to soar, but base stations grow at slower pace

South Korea’s 5G users increased by millions this year, but 5G network base stations are still being rolled out slowly, a local agency said Monday. According to data compiled by the Korea Communications Agency, the number of 5G users increased by 1.99 million during the second quarter this year to reach 17 million, up 13.7 percent on-year. As of June, 5G users accounted for 23.8 percent of the total mobile network users here. The number of 4G and 3G network users reached 50.5 million a

Sept. 27, 2021

Hyundai to use Samsung sludge to make steel

Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Steel announced Monday that they had developed a new wastewater recycling technology that would allow sludge from the chip manufacturing process to be reused for steelmaking. Their joint research found that calcium fluoride in the sludge was similar to fluorite, a material used in steelmaking to reduce melting temperatures and remove impurities. Hyundai Steel said it expected the deal to help the company save on costs, since South Korean steelmakers rely entirel

Sept. 27, 2021

Seoul stocks up on drop in virus cases

South Korean stocks rebounded Monday amid easing concerns about the country's new coronavirus cases and the China Evergrande Group's debt crisis. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 8.4 points, or 0.27 percent, to close at 3,133.64 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 872 million shares worth some 12.1 trillion won ($10.3 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 492 to 373. Foreigners bought a net 337 billion won,

Sept. 27, 2021

[Herald Interview] Cars are going electric. What about ships and airplanes?

The whole world is talking about the electric future of mobility, with auto brands churning out a dizzying array of electrified passenger cars. But for commercial vehicles such as cargo trucks, airplanes and freight ships -- which have to carry as many payloads as possible -- batteries are simply too heavy and expensive. Like it or not, they need liquid fuels for the time being. In that case, why not just make a new, eco-friendly fuel out of renewable materials? During an interview with Th

Sept. 27, 2021

CJ OliveNetworks to introduce NFT ticketing at BIFF

CJ OliveNetworks will introduce the country’s first “non-fungible token” tickets at the Busan International Film Festival next month, the company said Monday. A type of blockchain technology, NFTs are unique and not interchangeable. NFT-based tickets, therefore, allow ticket issuers to track holders of each ticket and prevent scalping or fraud. The company has named the ticketing service “One Order Ticket.” CJ has partner with domestic blockchain platform firm

Sept. 27, 2021

Korean chipmakers in quandary over US request

The US government’s strategic interest in chips is putting South Korean chipmakers in a quandary, as Washington adds pressure on chipmakers to share sensitive data on technology, clients and inventory status. With a stated purpose of solving the chip shortage, which is affecting automotive and other industries around the world, US authorities on Thursday held an online meeting with major automakers and chipmakers, which Samsung Electronics attended. Following the meeting, the US Depart

Sept. 27, 2021

BAT unveils glo pro slim in Korea

BAT Rothmans on Monday launched the new tobacco heating product Glo Pro Slim in South Korea in an online media conference. Glo Pro Slim marks the latest edition of the Glo series, following the launch of Glo Pro early last year. The company said the new product adds to its growing list of Glo products and will appeal to consumers seeking potentially reduced-risk products. “BAT Rothmans will lead the market transformation through product portfolio expansion and innovation in tobacco heati

Sept. 27, 2021

Small media stocks surge on ‘Squid Game’ bonanza

Small-cap stocks related to the local media and entertainment business are on a bull run, as traders hoped to piggyback on the success of the Netflix megahit “Squid Game.” Content production firm Bucket Studio saw its stock price nearly double over the course of three trading days, since the stock market reopened Thursday following the national Chuseok holiday. Last week, Bucket Studio hit the price ceiling on both Thursday and Friday, and rose 2 percent Monday. Its market cap appr

Sept. 27, 2021

Samsung to log robust Q3 earnings on chip biz, currency effect: analysts

Samsung Electronics Co. is expected to report strong third-quarter earnings on the back of its semiconductor business and a weak won, analysts said Monday. The South Korean tech giant was projected to log 16.3 trillion-won ($13.8 billion) in operating profit for the July-September period, up 31.9 percent from a year earlier, while its sales were forecast to increase 12.2 percent on-year to 75.1 trillion won over the period, according to the data from nine local brokerage houses compiled by Yonh

Sept. 27, 2021

UNIST develops world‘s 1st all-in-one VR gloves with heat, vibration, motion controls

Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology said Monday it has developed the world’s first virtual reality gloves with heat, vibration and motion controls all integrated together. According to UNIST, the VR gloves track angles of two joints on each of the fingers in real-time and reflect the changes on the display. Also, the gloves can feel subtle vibrations and temperatures. “If a user grabs an item inside hot water, a sudden change of temperature will be delivered realis

Sept. 27, 2021

Doosan Fuel Cell ships first hydrogen fuel cells for power generation

Doosan Fuel Cell on Monday shipped four hydrogen fuel cells worth $13.2 million to China in what was marked as South Korea’s first export of the product. According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Trade Monday, the fuel cells with a combined capacity of 1.8 megawatts will be installed at seven apartment buildings of 400 households and one commercial building in Foshan, Guangdong province. The fuel cells will generate heat and electricity. The fuel cells were manufactured almost e

Sept. 27, 2021

Cash-back rewards for card spending to start next month

South Korea said Monday it will start a cash-back reward program for card spending next month in an effort to boost private spending amid the fourth wave of the pandemic. The two-month scheme will allow people to receive up to 100,000 won ($85) per month if their card spending exceeds 3 percent of their monthly average use in the second quarter, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The government earmarked 700 billion won in its budget to fund the scheme, with an aim of boosting p

Sept. 27, 2021

S. Korea to unveil additional measures next month to curb household debt

South Korea plans to unveil additional measures next month to curb household debts, the head of the financial regulator said Monday. Financial Services Commission (FSC) Chairman Koh Seung-beom said such measures will focus on improving ways of calculating a household's ability to repay debts. Koh said the government will continue to take stricter measures to rein in household debts, calling such debts the "biggest potential risk" on the nation's economy. Since July, the FSC has a

Sept. 27, 2021