Articles by Shin Ji-hye
Shin Ji-hye
shinjh@heraldcorp.com-
N. Korea's trade with China falls 2.1 pct in H1
North Korea's trade with its economic lifeline China fell 2.1 percent on year to US$2.89 billion in the first six months of this year, data compiled by South Korea's government trade agency showed Monday, in another sign that strained political ties between the two nations have affected their economic relations.During the six-month period, North Korea's exports to China declined 3.9 percent to $1.31 billion and imports slipped 0.6 percent to $1.58 billion, according to the data provided by the B
North Korea Aug. 4, 2014
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KB’s LIG takeover bid faces hurdles
Speculation is rife that KB Financial Group’s attempt to buy LIG Insurance may fail as the banking group’s top executive may face severe sanctions from financial authorities.KB Financial Group is scheduled to submit the application to financial authorities this week to take over the country’s fourth-largest nonlife insurer, according to market watchers. The banking group promised to apply within 45 days of signing a deal with LIG Insurance on June 27. The deadline is Aug. 11. KB Financial Group
Industry Aug. 3, 2014
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Naver profit rises 38% on robust overseas sales
Naver, South Korea’s largest search engine, on Thursday said its operating profits rose 38 percent in the second quarter, driven by its strong overseas performance. The company posted 191.1 billion won ($186 million) in business profits to record a 38 percent rise from the 189.1 billion won a year ago. Sales were at 697.8 billion won, representing a 22 percent increase compared to the same period in 2013. “The growth in sales was driven by a solid performance from overseas businesses including L
Industry July 31, 2014
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[Weekender] ‘Joint efforts needed for data protection’
Social media is an important digital platform to build social networks and share activities. According to the Korea Internet & Security Agency, around 55 percent of South Koreans used social media in 2013, and the number is expected to rise this year. With more personal information being exposed online, however, experts are voicing concerns about privacy issues. They say digitalized personal information can be a target for hackers or criminals, who attempt to take advantage of such data. “South
Technology July 25, 2014
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Kakao to launch mobile news service
Kakao Corp., the operator of Korea’s most-used mobile messenger Kakao Talk, is scheduled to launch a news content service later this year.“We plan to start offering news content that collects and shows information from news, blogs and social networking services. For this, the company is in talks with media outlets to open the new mobile service in the second half of this year,” Kakao’s spokesperson said Friday. The service will reportedly be launched in September. Kakao’s move to launch a news s
Industry July 25, 2014
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Windshield navigation may become a reality
Displaying navigation information on car windshields may become reality in about a decade, according to a local display expert. “If thin, transparent and curved display panels could be attached to a windscreen, drivers would be able to see navigation information displayed there,” Chu Hye-yong, head of the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute’s display research department, said in an interview with The Korea Herald. The related technology is expected to become commercialized by n
Industry July 23, 2014
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Foreign handset makers eye Korea
Foreign smartphone makers are eyeing the domestic market, which has so far been nearly impenetrable due to strong local brands. Experts say that although the foreign brands may not perform impressively in the short term, they may gain more popularity down the road as more users become attracted to the lower prices and unique designs. Sony, Acer and Asus already launched smartphones in the domestic market over the last couple of months, with prices ranging between 160,000 won and 350,000 won ($15
Industry July 21, 2014
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Foreign companies eye local mobile game market
Foreign game companies are eyeing South Korea’s 1.3 trillion won ($1.2 billion) mobile game market, which is the second largest globally, behind only Japan. The London-based King Digital Entertainment and Helsinki-based Supercell in may began promoting their marquee mobile games “Candy Crush Saga” and “Clash of Clans” in the domestic market. Supercell spent around 10 billion won advertising “Clash of Clans” on television, subway platforms and billboards over the last couple of months. The commer
Industry July 20, 2014
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iPhone may adopt sapphire glass for premium models
Apple may adopt sapphire glass for the highest-end models of its new smartphone, the iPhone 6, according to a display research company. “Apple’s sapphire material supplier, GT Advanced Technologies, appears capable of producing the glass for around 45 million smartphones. Still, only the iPhone 6’s most premium models may adopt it due to its high cost and a possible supply (set aside) for the iWatch,” said Brian Huh, a senior analyst at NPD DisplaySearch Korea, at its touch conference in Seoul.
Industry July 17, 2014
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[Herald Interview] Staying cool in summer
Winix, once a parts supplier for Samsung Electronics’ refrigerators and water dispensers in the 1980s, has grown into a leading dehumidifier manufacturer in South Korea, beating home appliance giants including LG Electronics.Dunstin Yoon, senior director of Winix’s management innovation, said the company will make all-out efforts to retain its leadership in the dehumidifier market, especially during July and August, the hottest and most humid months of year.“We will continuously forge ahead to m
Industry July 16, 2014
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ETRI invents sensors for flexible, transparent displays
Flexible and transparent displays have emerged as the next promising technology that could change the way consumers watch content on screens.A local researcher, however, said they require new components such as circuits and sensors that also need to be flexible and transparent before the displays can be fully commercialized.A team of South Korean researchers has recently developed flexible, transparent touch sensors which can better detect the intensity, direction and location of users’ fingers.
Industry July 16, 2014
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Samsung, Kakao may enter mobile payment market
South Korean tech giants Samsung Electronics and Kakao are expected to muscle into the domestic mobile payment market, which has long been dominated by financial companies, industry sources said. A recent media report said that Samsung Electronics was exploring the business potential in cooperation with local retail companies. Shares of related companies including Korea Cyber Payment, Korea Information & Communications, and Danal all rose on Friday, following the media report. Samsung Electronic
Industry July 11, 2014
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Power of praise
Professor Lee Kwang-hyung at KAIST is known in the university as an eccentric scientist. He puts his television upside down, ties his shoelaces in different colors and hangs picture frames at slanted angles.But Lee’s reputation, however, mostly comes from his achievements in incubating start-up business leaders. The companies that his students set up generate around 2.5 trillion won ($2.4 billion) in annual sales and employ 7,000 people. The nation’s largest game company Nexon, created by Kim Ju
Technology July 11, 2014
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Pantech chief appeals for support
The CEO of the nation’s third-largest handset maker, Pantech, pleaded on Thursday for support from telecom carriers and its creditors in a bid to save the struggling company. “Pantech can be a viable company if mobile carriers agree to a debt swap and the company carries out its plan to normalize the management,” said Lee Jun-woo, CEO of Pantech, at a press conference at its headquarters. The press conference comes with the country’s three telecom giants ― SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus ― dragging
Industry July 10, 2014
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Samsung Electronics expects 24% drop in operating profit in Q2
Samsung Electronics’ quarterly operating profits are expected to fall below 8 trillion won ($7.9 billion) for the first time in two years. The company said in its earnings guidance Tuesday that it posted 7.2 trillion won of profit in the second quarter, a 24 percent drop from the 9.5 trillion won recorded a year ago. Its sales were at 52 trillion won, representing a 9.5 percent fall compared to the same period in 2013. Samsung Electronics tried to explain the profit decline, saying that a strong
Industry July 8, 2014
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