KB Financial pledges W50b for child day care programs

KB Financial Group on Monday pledged to donate 50 billion won ($38.5 million) in donations over the course of five years from this year to 2027 to add forces to the Ministry of Education’s plans to advance the nation’s elementary care system. KB’s donation will be used mainly to support the Neulbom School service, an edu-care service operated by the Education Ministry that simultaneously cares for and offers diverse and flexible after-school activity programs for elementary sch

Feb. 20, 2023

SK Signet Europe wins first W10b order in UK

SK Signet, a South Korean manufacturer of electric vehicle chargers, said Monday it had recently won its first supply deal in Europe, worth 10 billion won ($7.7 million), through a regional subsidiary. The establishment of SK Signet’s European subsidiary, SK Signet Europe, was announced at the CES trade show in January. Based in Germany, the local office aims to create sales and partnership opportunities in the region’s top five EV markets, Germany, the UK, Italy, France and Spain. T

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

Innocean names ex-Meta exec as new creative chief of US office

Innocean Worldwide, a South Korean marketing communications agency under Hyundai Motor Group, said Monday that Jason Sperling, a former executive creative director of Meta's Reality Labs, has joined the agency as chief creative officer of its US office. An industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience, Sperling has worked for many international brands, including Apple, Meta, TikTok, Amazon, Disney Pixar, Honda and UNICEF. Most recently, he served as global executive creative direct

Feb. 20, 2023

BOK likely to freeze base rate after 18 months of hikes

With the Bank of Korea set to hold its rate-setting meeting on Thursday, the market is expecting a freeze to the base interest rate for the first time in a year and half, marking an end to its rate hike cycle. The central bank, with its base rate standing at 3.5 percent, has been leading an aggressive monetary tightening policy, continuously raising the key rate since August 2021 to tamp down soaring prices. The market, however, expects the central bank to take a pause this month, considering th

Feb. 20, 2023

LG H&H to debut portable tattoo printer at MWC

LG Household & Health Care said Monday that it will be unveiling its own portable temporary tattoo printer, dubbed Imprintu, at the upcoming Mobile World Congress that is slated to kick off next week in Barcelona, Spain. The company will be the first South Korean beauty firm to participate in MWC, one of the largest trade shows for telecommunications and mobility technologies. A combination of "impromptu" and "print," the tattoo printer connects with mobile devices to all

Feb. 20, 2023

South Korea’s life satisfaction among lowest in OECD

South Korea ranked near the bottom on reported levels of life satisfaction among member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, according to a report released this month. Statistics Korea's report Quality of Life Indicators in 2022 showed that South Korea ranked 36th among 38 OECD countries in terms of life satisfaction, based on data collected from 2019 to 2021. The country had a score of 5.9 out of 10, substantially lower than the OECD average of 6.7. Thi

Feb. 20, 2023

[Photo News] Future military vehicle

South Korean automaker Kia said Monday it will showcase its hydrogen fuel cell all-terrain vehicle concept car on the global stage for the first time at the International Defense Exhibition and Conference 2023 held in the United Arab Emirates' capital city Abu Dhabi this week. According to Kia, the future-fit hydrogen fuel cell ATV concept car is prepared to adapt to coming green policies and can maneuver with tactical quietness.

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

Auto exports up 21.9% in Jan. on record sales of eco-friendly cars

South Korea's car exports jumped 21.9 percent in January on-year, driven by record-high global sales of eco-friendly cars, data showed Monday. The value of outbound shipments of automobiles came to $4.98 billion last month, up from 4.09 billion a year earlier, according to the data from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. It is the highest figure for any January, the ministry noted. The previous record was set in January 2013, when exports stood at $4.2 billion. In terms of volume,

Feb. 20, 2023

Seoul shares open lower on tech losses

South Korean stocks opened lower Monday as big-cap tech shares lost ground amid persistent concerns over the aggressive monetary tightening by the US Federal Reserve to curb inflation. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 12.70 points, or 0.52 percent, to 2,438.51 in the first 15 minutes of trading. On Friday, US shares ended mixed amid uncertainty over future rate hikes. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.39 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell 0.58 percent.

Feb. 20, 2023

[Graphic News] S. Korean oil refiners’ exports hit fresh high in 2022

　South Korean oil refiners’ exports hit a record-high in 2022, data showed, on the back of soaring global energy prices amid the protracted war between Russia and Ukraine. 　The combined exports of local oil refiners reached $57 billion in 2022, up 71.2 percent from a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Korea Petroleum Association. 　It marked the highest level since $53.2 billion posted in 2012. By destination, South Korea shipped petroleum products to 64 countries last y

Feb. 20, 2023

Food companies log record sales, but profits lag

South Korean food companies reported robust sales last year, but high raw material prices weighed down their profit growth. In 2022, Korean food companies Lotte Confectionery, SPC Samlip, Ottogi and Nongshim newly joined the short list of Korean food companies who posted annual sales of 3 trillion won ($2.3 billion) or more -- a feat achieved by only four Korean food companies so far. The top four food companies leading the country in terms of sales, which include CJ CheilJedang, Dongwon F&B

Feb. 19, 2023

FSS urges tougher regulations for big tech's finance biz

South Korea’s financial watchdog emphasized the need for a stronger regulatory system to prepare for new risks that might arise as big tech companies expand their finance business. “There should be in-depth discussion and research on introducing entity-centered regulations for big tech,” Lee Bok-hyun, chief of the Financial Supervisory Service, said during a speech at the Diagnosis and Future Tasks of Big Tech's Financial Industry seminar held in Myeong-dong, Seoul, Fr

Feb. 19, 2023

Hana Bank to offer energy expense support

Hana Bank announced Sunday that it has raised 30 billion won ($23.07 million) through a joint labor-management fund to provide energy expense support for the financially vulnerable. The funds raised are enough to cover cash subsidies for the energy expenses of 150,000 people, including users of financial products for the working class and borrowers who are adversely affected by high interest rates. The fund was put together with donations and proceeds from the management’s additional volun

Feb. 19, 2023

SK Nexilis signs W1.4tr copper foil deal with Northvolt

SK Nexilis, the South Korean copper foil producer under SKC, has inked a supply contract worth up to 1.4 trillion won ($1.08 billion) with Swedish battery maker Northvolt, the company said Sunday. The Korean company’s five-year deal with Europe’s largest secondary battery maker will take effect next year, the announcement read. The supply volume will cover about 80 percent of Northvolt's copper foil demand during the signed period, which would be enough for 1.7 million electric

Feb. 19, 2023

[Photo News] On top again

Hyundai Motor's electric vehicle Ioniq 5 has been named the Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year, adding another accolade to the EV's long list of recognitions, the South Korean automaker announced Sunday. The EV received the World Car of the Year and scored top recognitions in Germany and the UK. According to Hyundai Motor, the Ioniq 5 also got the highest rating from the German automobile magazine Auto Bild in a recent assessment of EVs.

Feb. 19, 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