Artificial intelligence technology restores the voices of deceased musicians to sing contemporary songs. A game company airs a song competition show for the soundtrack of its title game. The local music scene continues to evolve, with the convergence of media, technology and industries. South Korean game company Nexon adopted a TV competition show format to best fit Dungeon and Fighter, an arcade-style action game. The five-episode series, available on YouTube channel Dingo Music, has garn

Technology Jan. 6, 2021

South Korea’s chip exports are expected to grow 10.2 percent and surpass $100 billion this year, which would be the nation’s second-best performance since 2018, according to the Trade Ministry on Tuesday. Korea will again become the world’s second-largest semiconductor provider this year, following the US, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s first-ever market report focusing solely on semiconductors. The report said Korea’s shipments of chip

Industry Jan. 5, 2021

Samsung Electronics will introduce its new flagship smartphone Galaxy S21 on Jan. 15, the company announced Monday. The first launch from the global smartphone giant this year, the Galaxy S21 series comprises a 6.2-inch S21, 6.7-inch S21 Plus and 6.8-inch S21 Ultra, which have been drawing expectations for their upgraded specs and designs. The models to be launched in North America are expected to feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 processor, while those for Europe and South Korea will

Technology Jan. 4, 2021

The number of fifth-generation network users in South Korea surpassed 10 million as of the end-November, according to data released Sunday by the Ministry of Science and ICT. The number of 5G subscribers in November reached 10.9 million, up 930,000 from the previous month. By companies, SK Telecom secured 5.05 million users, accounting for 46 percent of the market. KT and LG U+ followed with 3.33 million and 2.54 million users. The ICT Ministry explained the increase was largely due to the

Technology Jan. 3, 2021

Samsung Electronics has begun offering digital certificates via its biometric authentication program Samsung Pass, heating up the local market for online ID certification. The service, launched by Samsung Pass on Dec. 30, enables users of Samsung Galaxy models to obtain certificates on their mobile devices after updating the application. Samsung Pass users can use the digital certificates for the annual tax return process, which starts in January. Samsung Electronics is one of the five priva

Technology Jan. 3, 2021

New Year’s events are no exception to social distancing rules against COVID-19. People in South Korea will have to “e-connect” for the upcoming New Year’s celebrations, as the government maintains strict antivirus measures that include a ban on large gatherings. The annual bell-ringing ceremony on New Year‘s eve at the Bosingak Pavilion in Jongno in central Seoul will go virtual, as the Seoul Metropolitan Government officially canceled the in-person event for t

Technology Dec. 30, 2020

South Korea‘s 5G quality and coverage have slightly improved in the second half of the year, said the Ministry of Science and ICT on Wednesday. The overall quality of Long-Term Evolution networks here, however, have degraded, it said in a report. SK Telecom’s 5G network showed the fastest average download speed at 795.57 megabits per second. KT followed at 667.48 Mbps, with LG U+ at 608.49 Mbps. SKT is the country‘s largest mobile carrier in terms of subscribers, followed by

Technology Dec. 30, 2020

In the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, indoor air quality has become an important issue for many. Coway, moving quickly to respond to consumer need, has introduced Dual Clean, an air purifier and humidifier combo model for those who want clean, fresh and pleasant air. Dual Clean uses ultrafine water vapor to add moisture to the air, instead of water droplets. The company explained that its fine vapor sprayer helps keep the air crisp but prevents it from feeling damp. This combo model also

Industry Dec. 29, 2020

The South Korean government announced Tuesday it has decided to postpone the launch of its first home-built space launch vehicle Nuri by eight months due to complications in the assembly process. The Ministry of Science and ICT said the launch of the three-stage rocket with a mock payload will take place in October next year, during an online press conference held Tuesday. The launch with an actual satellite will also be postponed to May 2022 accordingly. The ICT Ministry explained the delay

Technology Dec. 29, 2020

The government has finalized its energy mix for 2020-2034, aiming to increase the use of renewables while reducing the dependence on nuclear and coal-fired power plants. According to the Ninth Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand approved by a review committee affiliated with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, renewable energy will account for 40.3 percent of South Korea’s nameplate capacity in 2034, reaching 77.8 gigawatts, from 20.2 gigawatts in 2020. Renewables&rsqu

Industry Dec. 29, 2020

A South Korean research team has built the world’s largest dataset and new browsing tools for the study of large-scale genomic rearrangements that could potentially cause cancer, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology said Monday. Researchers led by KAIST professor Jung In-kyung and Korean Bioinformation Center professor Lee Byung-wook have collected and processed around 230 billion raw reads including 220 Hi-C samples. Based on the data, the team has completed constructi

Technology Dec. 28, 2020

The US is expected to become the most promising market for local carmakers next year, while China is to yield the greatest opportunities for chipmakers, according to big data analysis released Monday. The state-run Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency’s report looks into market prospects of major markets overseas for Korean exporters expected to lead the post-pandemic economic recovery. Markets that would show solid demand for automobiles in 2021 include the US, Germany, the UK and

Industry Dec. 28, 2020

South Korea’s kimchi exports have reached an all-time high this year, government data showed Sunday. According to the Korea Customs Service, overseas sales of kimchi amounted to $131.52 million as of November, surpassing $106 million, recorded for the whole of 2019. By export destination, Japan accounted for 49.3 percent of the shipments, valued at $64.95 million. The US and Hong Kong followed, with $21.04 million and $7 million worth of sales. The largest exporter was Daesang, the

Industry Dec. 20, 2020

The COVID-19 outbreak shook up the startup scene around the globe. While many suffered, some well-placed companies, like US-based videoconferencing firm Zoom, saw explosive growth because they offered pandemic-friendly solutions. Hwang Jong-duck, who helps foreign startups enter the South Korean market, sees plenty of opportunities for Zoom-like success in Korea as disruptive solutions gain ground in everyday life and spread to a wider range of business sectors. “Firms are now launchi

Technology Dec. 20, 2020

South Korean food and beverage manufacturer Dongsuh Foods and its holding firm, Dongsuh Companies, made year-end donations worth 550 million won ($500,000), the companies said Sunday. The donations are for the Community Chest of Korea, ChildFund Korea and the Korea Foundation for Women, according to the companies. The money will be spent on basic necessities for low-income families as well as medical care for children from those families. “We have decided to deliver the donation dur

Industry Dec. 20, 2020