IPTV operators in South Korea are attempting to nurture a new segment -- “tablet TV” -- to meet growing demand for another TV screen, as more people tend to stay home due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Streaming on-demand video via mobile phones and tablet computers is nothing new, as millions of Koreans already enjoy Netflix and other services. For IPTV operators that rely heavily on fixed-line networks, however, such a “cord-cutting” trend in which viewers dit

Technology Aug. 3, 2021

The number of ransomware attacks on Korean companies, organizations and schools is on the rise and hackers are using more sophisticated techniques to exploit vulnerabilities in security systems, the country’s state-run cybersecurity body warned. Ransomware refers to malware that infects computer and mobile devices by exploiting system vulnerabilities, and threatens to destroy data unless a ransom is paid. According to the Korea Internet & Security Agency, 78 ransomware attacks on

Technology Aug. 2, 2021

A revision bill has been proposed to allow game players to withdraw from their contracts with game developers and get refunds when faced with unfair practices. “If game developers and publishers decide to roll back their games to a previous version as a result of their own mistakes, they must provide proper compensations to game players,” said Rep. Yang Jung-suk, an independent lawmaker, who authored the draft of the revision bill to the Act on the Consumer Protection in Electronic

Technology Aug. 1, 2021

Last week, I was struggling to fix the nagging security upgrade problem of my blog. To find a way to update an encryption security protocol, I studied dozens of online documents, but I felt clueless as they were filled with too much jargon and complex code-related instructions. I had no other choice but to take up the technical problem myself and somehow manage to stop the warning message popping up, since it’s a self-hosted blog. In other words, there is no kind technical assistant to r

Viewpoints July 31, 2021

A growing number of clashes between parents and their children revolve around the use of parental control apps that filter out obscene content on online platforms, but there are concerns these apps may not even be working. The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic is forcing students to study from home through smartphone apps, prompting parents to apply filtering apps to block harmful online content. Parental control apps can be installed on computers and mobile devices, with a comprehensive list of

Technology July 28, 2021

The prolonged global semiconductor shortage is having a sweeping impact on a wide range of sectors ranging from cars and computers to smartphones and gaming devices. South Korea, home to major chipmakers and tech players, is keen to soften the effect, but the outlook remains mixed, experts said. Last week, German automakers Daimler and BMW were forced to temporarily slow down or halt assembly lines, citing the global semiconductor drought. Automakers elsewhere faced similar disruptions caused

Technology July 27, 2021

A growing number of South Korean companies are rushing to join the fledgling digital blockchain market based on nonfungible tokens, as artists, museums and diverse digital asset holders are exploring the potential of the new segment. 　 An NFT, a unit of data stored on a digital ledger, is gaining popularity as a way for people and companies to use the blockchain technology to buy and sell the ownership of digital assets, ranging from works of art to games and videos. Korean companies with a

Technology July 26, 2021

“Why We Fail to Read” By Ji Bi-won (Memento) “Why We Fail to Read,” a collection of essays written by Ji Bi-won and published by Memento, starts with a simple yet thought-provoking question: Why are certain texts almost undecipherable? In this digital era, texts are overflowing from online news outlets to social media to mobile messengers. People tend to read and write more as the virtual space for writing expands at a breakneck pace. With the explosive growth of rea

Books July 24, 2021

The trouble-laden Tokyo Olympics is scheduled to kick off Friday with a scaled-down opening ceremony amid deepening concerns about a surge of COVID-19 infections among athletes and other participants. After an unprecedented year-long delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 11,000 athletes from 206 countries are scheduled to compete in 33 sports at the Tokyo Olympics, which will be held at 42 competition venues through Aug. 8. But the mood remains jittery as the host city is in a state

Olympic Games July 22, 2021

South Korea’s “3N” game developers -- NCSoft, Nexon and Netmarble -- are estimated to have suffered disappointing earnings in the second quarter, hurt by a slew of negative developments amid the deepening distrust of players, brokerages and industry sources said. The gloomy earnings outlook came as NCSoft and Nexon did not produce notable hits in the April-June period, and with Netmarble’s much-anticipated mobile title Cross Worlds yet to contribute to the company&rsquo

Technology July 21, 2021

Google has decided to postpone the application of a 15-30 percent cut on in-app purchases of digital content via its Play Store from late September this year to March next year, amid growing complaints from independent developers and content creators. The move comes as Korean legislators are pushing for a revision to the law aimed at blocking Google from enforcing such a mandatory commission policy on all in-app purchases made by local users. It is not the first time Google has changed the s

Technology July 20, 2021

With the absence of a new Galaxy Note series model, Samsung Electronics is poised to steer its marketing and sales resources toward its next-generation foldable smartphones to outsmart its archrival Apple, which is set to launch a new iPhone later this year. Samsung used to release its Note series model targeting those who wanted a dedicated stylus and upscale features ahead of Apple’s annual iPhone launch. This year, however, Samsung has not rolled out a new Note due to chip shortages.

Technology July 19, 2021

South Korea plans to introduce a set of policy measures aimed at protecting restaurant owners against malicious food app reviewers, amid a rapid increase of online food orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the country’s top telecom regulator said. The Korea Communications Commission said Sunday it would push for new guidelines to prevent malicious reviews on food delivery apps and step up monitoring of major platform operators involved. “Now that people carry out many activities

Technology July 12, 2021

A class action lawsuit against SK Telecom, filed by a group of 5G mobile service users in South Korea, formally started Thursday, amid conflicting claims about the quality of the mobile service. In the lawsuit, 237 people who signed up for SK Telecom’s 5G service presented their case at the Seoul Central District Court through local law firm Serim. In February, the law firm recruited Korean 5G users who experienced problems with the service and wanted to join the class action suit. On

Technology July 8, 2021

Samsung, LG, Apple and Sony usually engage in fierce competition in electronics and IT gadgets. In recent years, they’ve also shown their willingness to tap into a small device with big potential: wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation. Headphones and earphones with ANC functionality used to serve a small group of tech-savvy users and those working in environments where noise levels were too high. But this specialty label for ANC gear changed drastically in 2019, when Apple hit i

Technology July 7, 2021