Samsung Electronics has upstaged its top global rival Apple in the tablet market, according to a U.S.-based consumer magazine on Monday.Consumer Reports cited Samsung's Wi-Fi-based 10.1 Galaxy Tab Pro as the best tablet PC for users for large-sized models.It also said that the South Korean tech giant's 8.4-inch model won a comparable rating for smaller models.As a relative newcomer to the tablet market, Samsung's Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 won the combined grade of 90 in its evaluation, which compiled

Technology March 24, 2014

What does it take for both domestic and foreign consumers to log in and buy items on Korean e-commerce sites?The answer is “patience.” There are about a dozen steps to go through to download security programs, set up personal authentication functions and enter personal information, and on some low-end computers this can take ages. Furthermore, they need to agree to a long list of conditions and hand over sensitive data such as resident registration numbers before typing in their credit card numb

Industry March 23, 2014

Korea Gas Corp., the nation’s sole liquefied natural gas provider, is expected to help shine the spotlight on Asia’s gas leadership by hosting the 2014 Gastech conference and exhibition.It marks the first time for the world’s largest gathering of energy professionals in the gas industry to meet in East Asia, and will take place at KINTEX, an exhibition facility in Gyeonggi Province from March 24 to 27.“The arrival of Gastech in Korea means that the global gas industry is paying closer attention

Industry March 23, 2014

Hyundai Heavy Industries, the world’s largest shipbuilder, is emerging as a key player in the global market for liquefied natural gas carriers and LNG offshore plants.The company completed the world’s first LNG floating storage regasification unit, or LNG FSRU, in February this year.Named “Independence,” the newly built offshore plant can store up to 70,000 tons of natural gas in its liquid form, which is then regasified before being supplied to various facilities via onshore pipelines. The unit

Industry March 23, 2014

Local Internet giant Naver Corp. turned out to have made the largest corporate donations in comparison to its earnings in 2013, according to data on Sunday.Naver, which contributed 116.2 billion won, posted the highest donation-to-sales ratio at 5.02 percent, far outpacing all other players, which held figures hovering far below 1 percent, according to CEO Score.The operator of South Korea's most-visited website increased its donations by nearly five-fold, despite its sales shedding 3.4 percent

Industry March 23, 2014

The South Korean stock market is likely face more pressure this week as investors try to assess the market conditions after global markets reacted to a a slew of international events including the uncertainties in Ukraine and hints from the U.S. Fed of a rate hike. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) finished at 1,934.94 this week, a 0.02 percent dip from a week earlier following some volatile trading.The main bourse, though managing to shrug off geopolitical uncertainties co

March 23, 2014

박근혜 대통령은 20일 해외 시장에선 이미 사라진 낡은 규제들이 한국의 경제발전을 저해하고 있다며 이는 지난 정부의 과오라는 견해를 내비쳤다.박 대통령은 이날 청와대에서 <규제개혁장관회의 및 민관합동 규제개혁점검회의>를 주재한 자리에서 “역대 정권들이 모두 규제개혁을 관철하기 위해 노력했지만 세계 어느 나라에도 없고 우리나라에만 있는 규제가 많다”며 이같이 밝혔다.참석자들과의 토론에 앞선 모두발언에서 박 대통령은 여러 부처에 걸쳐 있는 덩어리 규제들이 여전히 많다고 지적했다.이어 “정부가 기업들에게 투자 확대를 주문하면서 정작 투자를 가로막는 규제를 개혁하는 데 소극적이라면 어느 누구도 그런 정부를 믿고 투자에 나서지 않을 것”이라고 말했다.박 대통령은 또 ‘한류’가 경제에 미치는 막대한 영향을 언급하고 쓸데없는 규제가 이를 가로막고 있다고 말했다.박 대통령은 우리 드라마를 본 중국 시청자들이 한국 쇼핑몰에서 결제를 시도했으나 공인인증서 문제 때문에 구매에 실패한 사례를 지적했다.

한국어판 March 20, 2014

The central bank’s debt level has risen to a new record high of more than 440 trillion won, while its net profit has fallen to the lowest in six years, data showed on Thursday.The debt grew 3.1 percent to 448.4 trillion won ($417 billion) in December 2013, compared with 435 trillion won from a year earlier, according to the Bank of Korea.The BOK data comes amid growing concerns about the country’s escalating public and household debts. The 2013 data also shows that the BOK’s debt had grown at a

March 20, 2014

South Korea's main stock market fell in late morning Thursday as investors were rattled by U.S. Fed's meeting results. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) stood at 1922.20 as of 11:20 a.m., down 15.48 points or 0.80 percent from the close of trading on Wednesday.Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen said at a press conference after her first monetary policy meeting that the Fed could start raising interest rates about six months after its current expansive monetary policy comes to an end. She ad

Business March 20, 2014

KMI has applied for a business license for the sixth time on Wednesday, hoping to start services by October next year.KMI is a telecom firm that has been repeatedly seeking to become the country's local mobile carrier.The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning said it has received the application from KMI, who said it will first launch services in 85 major cities and gradually cover the entire country by January 2016.The company failed to obtain licenses in five previous attempts due to a

Business March 19, 2014

Four of the nation's cable channels were able to renew their contract with the government, according to the Korea Communications Commission on Wednesday.The telecommunications watchdog granted another three-year television license to TV Chosun, JTBC, Channel A and news Y, but also advised them to secure impartiality when reporting news items.Two of the commission members objected in the voting, citing a lack of transparency in reviewing the channels' performance over the past three years.Except

Business March 19, 2014

일부 카드사들이 보험사와 연계해 판매하는 카드슈랑스 보험상품을 소비자들에게 속여 팔다가 대거 적발됐다고 금융당국이 19일 밝혔다.금융감독원은 국민카드에 대한 부문 검사를 한 결과, 전화를 통한  보험모 집 시 보험상품의 내용을 사실과 다르게 안내하는 등 불완전판매를 한 사실을  적발하고 기관경고에 과태료 1천만원을 부과하고 직원 2명을 감봉 등 조치했다고 밝혔다.카드사들이 카드슈랑스에 열을 올리는 이유는 보험사에서 받는 판매 수수료가 방카슈랑스 판매로 은행에서 받는 수수료보다 4~5배 많기 때문이다.국민카드는 2011년 7월부터 지난해 3월까지 저축성 보험계약  1만3천689건(20억 원)을 전화로 모집하면서 소속 설계사가 불완전판매를 유발할 수 있는 상담용  상품 설명대본을 사용하게 했다가 발각됐다. 국민카드는 최근 대규모 고객 정보 유출에 이어 카드슈랑스 상품 판매 과정에서 도 고객에게 제대로 알리지 않은 사실이 드러남에 따라 적지 않은 타격을 입게 됐다.아울러 금감원은 카드슈랑

한국어판 March 19, 2014

Last week's rare back-to-back visit by a senior Chinese diplomat to both Koreas was aimed at easing tension and promoting denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, China's foreign ministry said Monday, calling the visit "shuttle diplomacy."Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying made the comments two days after China's Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin wrapped up his three-day visit to South Korea, immediately after a four-day trip to North Korea.The highly unusual trip to both Koreas came sho

North Korea Feb. 24, 2014