The Korea Herald is publishing a series of articles highlighting South Korea’s promising startups in the emerging sectors of digital health care and next-generation medical devices. This is the 10th installment. -- Ed.　For most people, recognizing the slightest differences between objects that look similar is difficult. This is especially true for pills, which can easily look the same, even to professional pharmacists.　Targeting this problem, one tech startup in South Korea has set out to introd

Technology July 23, 2017

South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense plans to overhaul the cyber and security commands that have been under criticism for excessive oversight on civilian and military affairs during past conservative governments, military officials said Sunday. 　Led by new defense chief Song Young-moo, the overhaul measure would aim to prevent Cyber Command from interfering with domestic politics and Defense Security Command from surveilling innocent civilians and military officers.　“The move would include

Defense July 23, 2017

South Korea‘s parliament on Saturday passed an 11.03 trillion won (US$9.8 billion) extra budget bill after marathon negotiations over what President Moon Jae-in has promoted as a vital tool to create jobs and prop up economic growth.　The National Assembly held a floor vote to endorse the bill that includes funds to support drought-hit regions, the disabled, the ailing shipbuilding industry, preparations for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, and the installation of air purifiers at elementary

Politics July 22, 2017

The United States will ban its citizens from traveling to North Korea amid concerns about their safety in the communist nation, the State Department said Friday.　The announcement comes after the death of U.S. college student Otto Warmbier, who died last month after returning from the North in a coma. This file photo taken on April 17, 2017 shows an Air Koryo aircraft as it sits parked in front of houses outside Pyongyang airport. (Yonhap-AFP)　“Due to mounting concerns over the serious risk of ar

North Korea July 22, 2017

Samsung Electronics on Thursday officially denied a local news report alleging that it forced South Korea’s major portal website operators Naver and Kakao to remove negative news articles about its de-facto chief Lee Jae-yong.Samsung Electronics said in an official statement sent to Kakao and Naver that it “did not come into any form of (illicit) contact with the two firms” and that “the news report is groundless.”Earlier this week, the Hankyoreh newspaper reported that Samsung forced the two fi

Technology July 21, 2017

South Korean internet giant Naver begun offering its artificial intelligence language translation program Papago as an official service this week, expanding the software’s functions and service range.　Naver introduced Papago in the form of a mobile app in August 2016 in beta testing to showcase its machine learning-based translation algorithms to users, collect more data and receive broader feedback.The translation program was initially offered only as a mobile application and could handle only

Technology July 21, 2017

President Moon Jae-in’s plan to reduce conscripted soldiers’ mandatory military service sparked debate Thursday, amid growing concerns over a shortage of young draftees and North Korea’s escalating military threat. 　The government says the measure is part of a bigger plan to transform the Army into a more modernized force based on career military officers, but critics warn that it runs the risk of undermining the country’s fundamental military capability, if confronted by the 1.2 million-strong

Defense July 20, 2017

Most fitness wearables typically come in the form of electronic watches or bands that measure physical activity or track biological signals. However, a US-based startup has come up with a new device that has a more active, stimulatory relationship with the wearer. 　Halo Neuroscience officially introduced its brain-stimulating fitness headphones in South Korea on Wednesday. Dubbed the Halo Sport, the device sends weak electrical pulses into the wearer’s brain to enhance the effectiveness of their

Technology July 19, 2017

Line Friends, the character merchandising unit of Japan-based mobile messenger Line, will open its first store in the US at Times Square in New York City on July 21, the company announced on Twitter.According to Line Friends, July 21 will mark the store’s “pre-opening” ahead of the official grand opening day slated for August. This is so that the firm can have time to test operate and optimize the store in line with consumer needs before the official opening, a company spokesperson said Wednesda

Industry July 19, 2017