May 25, 2020

[News Focus] Caught between the US and China, Korean chipmakers on edge

South Korea’s chipmakers are again on edge over the second round of technology war between the United States and China involving semiconductors, according to industry sources Monday. Although the flagship businesses of Samsung Electronics and SK hynix pivot on memory products, which aren’t yet subject to the new US sanctions on China’s tech giant Huawei Technologies, worries are growing over the their dependence on US technologies broadly applied to the comprehensive proces

May 25, 2020

LS C&S receives international standard certification for photovoltaic cable

LS Cable & System said Monday its photovoltaic cable has received international standard certification from Germany’s TUV SUD, a global certification authority. TUV SUD assessed that LS C&S’ 1,500 voltage direct current solar cables conform to functions and safety standards of International Electrotechnical Commission and European Standards, according to the cable maker. The firm expects the certification to serve as an opportunity to expand not only in the domestic marke

May 24, 2020

Korea Post introduces parcel tape with missing children info

To help search for missing children, the Korea Post said Sunday that some of the parcel tape it provides for mail packages will bear information about missing children and QR codes linked to the National Police Agency. The agency will start with tapes printed with photos and descriptions of 28 children. QR codes printed alongside the information will be useful if anyone wishes to make a report. It also links to a service where one can register fingerprints of their children in case of emergenc

May 24, 2020

KT introduces warehouse automation service

South Korean telecom firm KT said Sunday it has rolled out a warehouse automation solution that utilizes 5G networks and self-driving vehicles. The company has been running the solution at its warehouse located in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. It comprises of two types of self-driving warehouse carts, designed to carry large amounts of materials on their own, or to follow staff who maintain the inventory, and also comes with a computerized system that collects real-time data, through which worke

May 22, 2020

Samsung sends additional 300 engineers to Xian memory plant

Samsung Electronics has sent around 300 semiconductor engineers to Xian, China, to accelerate the work to expand the second NAND flash line there, the company said Friday. The workforce departed from Incheon International Airport Friday morning through the fast-track corridor allowed for businesses under an agreement between the South Korean and Chinese governments. Samsung has sent the engineers just five days after its de facto leader Lee Jae-yong visited the plant in addition to some 20

May 22, 2020

Samsung unveils first outdoor QLED 4K TV The Terrace

Samsung Electronics unveiled this year’s Lifestyle TV lineup, led by the first outdoor QLED 4K TV The Terrace, through an online showcase amid the prolonging COVID-19 impact, the company said Friday. Samsung showcased The Terrace, featuring ultra-bright picture quality, as the latest Lifestyle TV model that will provide new viewing experiences for users outside. Samsung says it is designed to bring the full indoor entertainment experience outside. The Terrace offers a crystal-clear

May 21, 2020

KT CEO meets venture capitalists amid COVID-19

KT CEO Koo Hyun-mo on Wednesday met with representatives of venture capital firms, urging them to look into new opportunities to prepare for the post-coronavirus era, the firm said Thursday. Speaking during a seminar hosted by the telecommunications firm, Koo discussed some new business areas -- online education solutions, telecommuting platforms, telemedicine and others -- where the new coronavirus had strengthened demand. Some 40 executives from up-and-coming venture capital companies were

May 21, 2020

KAIA appoints new vice chairman with close ties to Moon

Korea Aerospace Industries Association said Thursday it has appointed former external cooperation advisor of Gangwon Province Joung Kyung-hwan as its new vice chairman. Joung was a strategic advisor to President Moon Jae-in’s presidential election campaign committee from September 2016 to March 2017. He also headed the message team for three months when President Moon made his first presidential bid in 2012. Previously in 2002, Joung was credited for aiding late President Roh Moo-hyun

May 21, 2020

LG releases new budget smartphone in S. Korea

LG Electronics Inc. on Thursday introduced a new budget smartphone as the South Korean tech firm seeks to overcome a long slump in its mobile business. LG said the Q61 will go on sale in South Korea on May 29 with a price tag of 369,600 won ($300). The handset made its debut in the South American market earlier this month. The Q61 will be released in the North American market next month as well, according to LG Electronics. The Q61 comes with a quad rear camera setup. It houses a 48-megap

May 21, 2020

Samsung to break ground for 2nd EUV line in Pyeongtaek

Investment worth W10tr to add momentum on Samsung’s 2030 system-on-chip vision

May 20, 2020

Samsung Display temporarily suspends construction at Asan complex

Samsung Display, one of the largest screen manufacturers in the world, said Wednesday that it has temporarily suspended construction at an industrial complex in South Korea amid market uncertainty caused by the novel coronavirus. The company said it halted work on the second plant area at the Tangjeong 2 complex in Asan, 90 kilometers south of Seoul. "The COVID-19 pandemic has made it necessary for changes in the construction schedule as the business environment is changing rapidly,"

May 20, 2020

SK Telecom’s AI-based senior care service saves 23 lives since launch

SK Telecom said Wednesday its artificial intelligence-based senior care service has helped the 119 emergency system to rescue around 23 seniors living alone since its launch last year. The company held an online press conference to promote its service dedicated to strengthen social security net for the elderly. SKT’s senior care service uses its AI speaker Nugu which allows the elderly and those with mobility difficulties to access information with voice commands and contact others wh

May 20, 2020

LG reduces domestic TV lines, expands overseas production

LG Electronics has decided to expand its overseas production of televisions, while reducing domestic production, by relocating two manufacturing lines from South Korea to Indonesia, the company confirmed on Wednesday. Under its strategy to tackle the stagnated demand for TVs worldwide, the Korean tech giant will move out two of its six production lines that are currently located in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, to Cibitung in Indonesia within the year. Built in 1995, the Cibitung TV plan

May 19, 2020

Lingering COVID-19 fears deter people from changing telecom providers

With South Korea continuing to see the number of new COVID-19 infections per day back in the double digits after signs that the crisis was winding down, telecommunication services are gaining fewer new subscribers, industry sources said Tuesday. The number of customers who moved from one service provider to another posted 16,082 during the third weekend of May, down by 25 percent from the two previous weekends. The timing coincides with the revelation that nightclubs in the Itaewon area of Se