Meta Platforms has failed to provide a proper channel for communication to uphold its legal responsibilities in Korea, a lawmaker claimed Friday, citing data provided by the Ministry of Science and ICT. The Science Ministry lacks basic contact details for Meta Communication Agent Limited, which refers to Meta's legal entity that is supposed to serve as a communication channel with Korean authorities. The only available means of contact to the agent is an automated landline that redirects ca

Technology Oct. 27, 2023

Hyundai Motor Company said Monday that it is set to launch a hydrogen mobility ecosystem in Saudi Arabia, in step with the kingdom's pivot away from its traditional oil-centric economy. Upon President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to the Middle East, the Korean carmaker signed a memorandum of understanding on Sunday in Riyadh with three entities -- Air Products Qudra, a joint venture between Sau Air Products and Qudra Energy; SAPTCO, a Saudi public bus company; and the Korea Automotive T

Industry Oct. 23, 2023

Hyundai Motor Group announced Monday it has entered into a joint venture agreement with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) to construct its first-ever automobile assembly plant in Saudi Arabia and expand its presence in the Middle Eastern market. This announcement came as part of a broader initiative that saw 46 memorandums of understanding and joint partnerships signed between South Korean companies and Saudi Arabian counterparts during President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit t

Industry Oct. 23, 2023

DONGHAE -- LS Cable & System, South Korea's leading cable manufacturer, showcased last Thursday its extensive line of undersea cable production facilities at its Donghae plant in Gangwon Province, aiming to more than double its yearly sales from undersea cables to 1 trillion won ($740 million) over the next five years, tapping into the global surge in demand for energy and power grids. The plant is Asia's most expansive undersea cable production base. A gangway that resembles a tra

Industry Oct. 22, 2023

Despite consistently falling reader engagement, independent bookstores are surviving -- and even thriving -- in South Korea. "Over the last decade, we've seen a pretty sharp drop in the number of people picking up at least one book a year – down from 72.2 percent in 2013 to just 46.9 percent in 2021. But when you consider all the different ways people can get their info these days, maybe that's not quite the disaster it seems," said Baek Won-geun, the brain behind 15 of

Consumer Oct. 21, 2023

South Korean missile defense systems provider LIG Nex1 said Wednesday it had inked a series of collaborative ties with several global defense and aerospace leaders at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition, or Seoul ADEX 2023. The agreements are intended to bolster the company's international presence and spur innovation in missile technology, avionics and space exploration. During the Seoul ADEX held from Tuesday to Sunday, LIG Nex1 is showcasing a slew of innovations. No

Industry Oct. 18, 2023

Hyundai Rotem, a defense solutions and railway vehicles maker affiliated with Hyundai Motor Group, said Tuesday it is showcasing its next-generation defense technologies during the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition 2023, which is taking place at Seoul Airport in Seongnam this week. The biennial event is the defense industry's biggest gathering in Korea. This year, a record 550 exhibitors from 35 nations are joining the event. Under the theme of “Shielding Peace wi

Industry Oct. 17, 2023

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, the shipbuilding unit under HD Hyundai, announced Monday that it is set to construct two of the world’s first ammonia-powered medium-sized vessels, with targeted delivery by 2026. The company said it has decided to adopt a dual-fuel engine using both ammonia and liquefied petroleum gas for two ship orders made by Belgian shipping firm Exmas in March. The ships, slated for construction at the Hyundai Mipo Shipyard in Ulsan, measure 45,000 cu

Industry Oct. 16, 2023

South Korea's $6 billion payment for Iranian crude oil has been frozen by the US administration again due to rising tensions regarding Iran's suspected links to the militant group Hamas, according to reports from multiple media outlets on Friday, including The New York Times. These funds were originally intended for humanitarian assistance under strict US oversight. Now held in a Qatari bank, they are caught up in a diplomatic tangle following recent Hamas-initiated hostilities against

Economy Oct. 13, 2023

Authorities are planning to slim down on the procedure for insurance companies acquiring foreign subsidiaries. The Financial Services Commission, South Korea's financial regulator, announced Friday its planned revision of the Enforcement Decree of The Insurance Business Act, reducing down the procedures for insurance companies seeking to acquire foreign subsidiaries. Currently, Korean insurance companies must either obtain direct approval from the FSC or submit a preliminary report when acq

Economy Oct. 13, 2023

South Korean shipbuilder HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, a subsidiary of HD Hyundai, announced that it has signed a 45 million euro ($47 million) investment deal with an Estonia-based fuel cell manufacturer, Elcogen AS. The signing ceremony was held in Seoul on Wednesday, with top executives, including HD Hyundai’s President Chung Ki-sun and Elcogen CEO Enn Ounpuu and Estonian President Alar Karis in attendance. The central objective of this investment is to upgrade HD Ko

Industry Oct. 12, 2023

Innospace, the South Korean small satellite and hybrid rocket startup, laid out Wednesday the strides being made in small satellite technology and emphasized the growing role of Innospace in this domain. "The old space era, dominated by large institutions and national objectives, contrasts sharply with the current landscape. Today, startups and medium-sized ventures with market-driven objectives are shaping the 'New Space Era'. Innospace is at the forefront of this shift," sa

Industry Oct. 11, 2023

LG Display and LG Chem, prominent display and chemical makers, respectively, boasted Monday of their joint success in producing p-type dopants in-house, a crucial material for producing organic light-emitting diode displays, the supply of which has been solely dependent on imports. This development aligns with LG Display's ongoing efforts to strengthen the domestic production ecosystem for more advanced OLED displays. Last year, the proportion of materials the company procured locally, both

Industry Oct. 9, 2023

The 2022 US best-selling novel "Offerings," authored by Korean-American Michael Byung-ju Kim, co-founder and chairman of South Korea's largest private equity fund, MBK Partners, is set to be adapted into a film, according to the company on Monday. Hollywood production company Anonymous Content, known for hits like "True Detective" and "The Revenant," is teaming up with Anthology Studios, co-founded by director Kim Jee-woon and actor Song Kang-ho, for the adapti

Companies Oct. 9, 2023

South Korean automakers Hyundai Motor and Kia on Thursday announced a shift to Tesla's charging system for their electric vehicles sold in North America, joining other automakers such as General Motors, Ford and Mercedes-Benz. The change will take effect in the US by the end of next year and extend to Canada by mid-2025. The transition from the Combined Charging System, the widely adopted charging standard that Hyundai-Kia currently employs for their North American EVs, to Tesla's Nort

Mobility Oct. 6, 2023