Biotech company G+FLAS Life Sciences, Inc. has been selected as a preliminary unicorn company eligible for special guarantee support by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. The special guarantee for preliminary unicorns can be applied for by companies with proven innovation, growth potential, and market evaluation, or companies with a corporate value of 100 billion won or more and with high grades in technology evaluation. G+FLAS was one of the 15 finalists selected through a national recommenda

Technology Dec. 22, 2020

With less than a month left to the Samsung Galaxy S21 debut, leaks of renders of the first new phones of 2021 are raising expectations about remarkable changes brought to the Samsung devices. The leaks offered glimpses into some noticeable changes in the Galaxy S21 lineup, such as smaller camera cutouts and greater use of flat displays. While it has been widely known that the Galaxy S21 Ultra, the highest-end model among the lineup, would support the stylus S Pen as an option, the entry mo

Technology Dec. 22, 2020

Exports could be a breakthrough for the South Korean economy in the post-coronavirus era, a state-run trade agency said Monday. Despite numerous uncertainties that are expected to linger in 2021, the state-run Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency raised its exports forecast for next year, saying semiconductors and biotech products, among others, are likely to lead the gains. Overseas shipments would grow 6-7 percent in 2021 to reach $540 billion-560 billion next year, from around $510 bil

Economy Dec. 21, 2020

As South Korea’s daily coronavirus tally rose to a new record on Sunday, local businesses are bracing for a possible upgrade in the country’s social distancing rules to the toughest level yet – a partial shutdown. While Level 3 of the government-set five-tier social distancing scheme is expected to decimate conventional retail industries, export-driven sectors such as mobile phones and semiconductor chips are less likely to be massively affected, experts and industry insiders

Industry Dec. 20, 2020

What determines a fair portion of success of new smartphones is the brain of the devices: the mobile application processor. With the news of an upcoming January launch of the Samsung Galaxy S21 series, attention is moving to what will be the core AP of the upcoming gadgets. According to various industry sources on Thursday, Samsung is highly likely to adopt the latest edition of its in-house chipset, supposedly called Exynos 2100, for the highest-end model of the Galaxy S21 series. Throu

Technology Dec. 17, 2020

Samsung Electronics has tightened measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus on its campuses, including a temporary travel ban on its employees, ahead of a possible upgrade in social distancing rules by the government, the tech giant said Wednesday. A task force on pandemic response within its semiconductor division on Tuesday sent a notice to the executives and employees about enhanced rules banning nonessential trips and visits to public facilities such as restaurants and cafes o

Technology Dec. 16, 2020

The year 2021 is approaching, but the tech world won’t have the excitement it used to have at the beginning of each year. As the unrelenting pandemic forbids in-person tech fairs, where major brands used to unveil innovative new products and technologies, local firms seem to be adjusting their strategies for new launches. The Consumer Electronics Show, the world’s largest event of its kind, which normally takes place in Las Vegas in early January, is set to be held on a virtual

Technology Dec. 16, 2020

Roh Tae-moon, president of Samsung Electronics’ mobile business, suggested Wednesday through a blog post that the tech giant will unveil its flagship Galaxy S21 series in January, one month earlier than usual. Amid mounting rumors that Samsung would roll out the Galaxy S21 lineup next month, Roh raised the expectations of an early launch by saying, “I look forward to sharing more in January!” in his post titled “Samsung defines one-size fits-all mobile experiences with

Technology Dec. 16, 2020

Imjingak Pyeonghwanuri Park in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, is located about 7 kilometers south of the cease-fire line.  Developed right after the South-North joint communique of 1972, the park has become a tourist spot.  Relics with sorrow and pain from the Korean War that broke out on June 25, 1950 and confrontation between the two Koreas still exist there.  A steam locomotive preserved and exhibited as a cultural heritage in the park is one of the symbols of the tragic history o

Travel Dec. 12, 2020

Samsung Electronics on Thursday unveiled the first MicroLED screen for home use, announcing its push for a whole new category of home entertainment. In an online press conference, the South Korean TV manufacturer showcased the new 110-inch MicroLED model, with a retail price tag of 170 million won ($156,612) for the domestic market. It refuses to call the new display a TV, preferring “screen” or “display solution,” it said. “As demand is rising for better home

Technology Dec. 10, 2020

Son Kil-dong, senior vice president at LG Innotek, won a presidential award in recognition of his contribution for development of the electronic material industry. Son, who joined LG Electronics as an engineer in 1995, moved to LG Innotek, the parts making affiliate in 2008. He has led a variety of new technologies and manufacturing processes in the field of semiconductor substrate. His works include development of radio frequency-system in package substrate for telecommunications, and a

Technology Dec. 10, 2020

Samsung Electronics may be considering ramping up its Austin, Texas-based semiconductor factory as part of efforts to strengthen its foothold in the foundry market, according to industry sources on Wednesday. Expectations are growing as Samsung seeks a zoning change for plots of land near its Austin campus it purchased in late October. Samsung Austin Semiconductor has filed a request with the Austin City Council for a rezoning of some 205 acres of the 258-acre land, which is about 104,089 sq

Technology Dec. 9, 2020

The 2020 Korea Electronics Show will kick off Wednesday for a three-day run amid caution due to an ongoing wave of coronavirus cases in Seoul and nearby areas. According to the event’s organizer, around 200 companies in the fields of semiconductors, consumer electronics, smart home technologies and future mobility will take part in the biggest IT trade show in South Korea. The number of participating firms was over 450 last year, but this year many foreign businesses weren’t ab

Technology Dec. 8, 2020

Samsung Electronics on Friday announced a large-scale personnel reshuffle, the biggest in three years, owing to a strong performance this year despite the COVID-19 impact. The tech giant promoted a total of 214 executives, the largest number since 2017. “In spite of difficulty amid the global spread of COVID-19, the company timely responded to demand and raised efficiency in operations, which led to improved earnings from last year,” the company said in a statement. In the thir

Technology Dec. 4, 2020

Park Jung-ho, current chief executive officer of South Korea’s leading mobile carrier SK Telecom, has risen to the chief position of chipmaker SK hynix, the group announced Thursday. According to SK Group’s organizational restructuring and executive reshuffling plan for 2021, Park was promoted to vice chairman of SK hynix as he retains the SKT CEO post. “Synergy between ICT expert Park and semiconductors expert SK hynix CEO Lee Seok-hee is highly anticipated,” the grou

Technology Dec. 3, 2020