Presidential AI committee to devise nat'l AI strategy early next year

The presidential artificial intelligence (AI) committee plans to devise a national strategy within the first three months of next year to make South Korea one of the world's top three leaders in the AI industry, the science ministry said Monday. The committee held its first workshop earlier in the day to kick off its preparations to devise the national AI strategy aimed at fostering the country's competitiveness in the field, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT. The government

Dec. 2, 2024

Samsung promotes tech-savvy execs to tackle challenges

Samsung Electronics on Friday promoted a total of 137 executives in a year-end reshuffle, including tech-savvy executives with strong achievements in their respective areas, with a goal of reviving stagnant business performance. The total number of promotions is slightly down from last year’s 143, and includes 35 new vice presidents and 92 new managing directors. “Samsung Electronics carried out a major personnel reshuffle strictly based on the principle of meritocracy, with an aim t

Nov. 29, 2024

Zyx Technology, TMA Solutions join hands for global AI collaboration

South Korean design software developer Zyx Technology announced Friday that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with TMA Solutions to strengthen global collaboration and expand into the Vietnamese market. The agreement was finalized during a meeting in Seoul on Tuesday between Zyx Technology co-CEOs, Choi Jong-bok and Eom Shin-jo, and Park Hyo-geun, head of TMA Solutions’ Korea office. Established in 1997, TMA Solutions is a leading software outsourcing provider specializing in art

Nov. 29, 2024

[Contribution] Preparing for future with strategic public procurement

By Baek Seung-bo South Korea's public procurement has grown to a market worth 210 trillion won (about $150 billion). Each year, central government agencies, local governments, and other public institutions spend this staggering amount procuring goods, services, and infrastructure. This represents nearly 10 percent of Korea’s GDP. With such an immense scale, it’s no surprise that the public procurement market involves numerous participants -- approximately 600,000 companies and

Nov. 29, 2024

Trailblazing women CEOs drive innovation at Pangyo Culture Creation Hub

The Gyeonggi Content Agency’s Pangyo Gyeonggi Culture Creation Hub has become a key platform for supporting female-led startups in the content and ICT fusion sectors, reflecting a growing influence of women entrepreneurs in reshaping South Korea’s competitive content industry. Since the center's establishment in 2014, K-content and AI-driven platforms have grown in tandem over the past decade, creating synergies with startups and SMEs at the forefront of this evolution. “As Sou

Nov. 29, 2024

S. Korea to promote industrial use of quantum computing

South Korea's industry ministry on Friday hosted a session to discuss strategies for applying quantum computing technologies in industries, including biohealth, chemical and materials. The event at Yonsei University, attended by government, business and academic officials, came as the government aims to offer tailored support for the initiative, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Yonsei University is building a new computing center, set to be completed by 2028, featuri

Nov. 29, 2024

Samsung, SK hynix in rush to secure chip subsidies in US

Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, the nation’s top two chipmakers, are apparently in a rush to secure subsidies for their massive facility spending in recent years in the US, following a fresh threat from President-elect Donald Trump that he could cancel the promised Chips Act federal funding. On Monday, Vivek Ramaswamy, one of the leaders selected by Trump to head the proposed Department of Government Efficiency alongside Tesla founder Elon Musk, hinted at the possibility of subsidy cuts,

Nov. 28, 2024

SK hynix to increase dividend payouts by 25% per share by 2027

SK hynix on Wednesday announced plans to increase dividend payouts by 25 percent per share by 2027 as part of a broader strategy to boost corporate value amid the chipmaker's rapid growth in the artificial intelligence chip market. As part of its new shareholder return program, the company will raise annual dividends to 1,500 won ($1.08) per share over the next three years, up from the current 1,200 won. This will result in a total annual dividend payout of approximately 1 trillion won, SK

Nov. 27, 2024

Samsung shakes up management, commits to reviving chip business

Samsung Electronics, the world's leading smartphone and memory chip maker, announced a management reshuffle on Wednesday, replacing the top brass at its sluggish chipmaking business division. While retaining the company's three vice chairs for management stability, the company replaced the foundry business chief and created two new positions to enhance operational efficiency. "The company sought to overcome uncertain internal and external business challenges and aim for a new brea

Nov. 27, 2024

Move over, X. Korea’s skies are turning blue

Bluesky, the decentralized social media platform making waves globally, has reached a milestone this month — 20 million users worldwide. And South Korea is riding this wave, too. According to Mobile Index, the rising platform’s Korean monthly active users reached 595,588 in October, marking a staggering 1,147.69 percent increase from September. Though these numbers are still modest compared to X’s 6 million and Threads' 4 million Korean monthly active users, the momentum i

Nov. 27, 2024

Samsung entangled in legal risks amid calls for drastic reform

As Samsung Electronics is grappling with multiple challenges including poor earnings and technological setbacks, the conglomerate's chaebol chief has publicly acknowledged the struggles for the first time. With chairman Lee Jae-yong pledging to tackle the difficulties, the tech giant is expected to introduce some drastic changes, including a major personnel reshuffle anticipated this week. In the final hearing of a retrial on allegations including stock manipulation related to a controversi

Nov. 26, 2024

Prosecutors seek 5-year prison term for Samsung chief in merger retrial

Prosecutors requested five years in prison and a fine of 500 million won ($356,000) for Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong on Monday, in the final hearing of a retrial over suspected stock manipulation related to a high-profile 2015 merger case. The prosecution had appealed in February immediately after a lower court acquitted Lee of all 19 charges it had filed. In the appellate court on Monday, the prosecution kept to their original claims, insisting the chief of the country's large

Nov. 25, 2024

Nvidia CEO signals Samsung’s imminent shipment of AI chips

Samsung Electronics, the world's largest memory chip maker, is expected to supply its cutting-edge chips to the top graphics processing unit maker Nvidia soon, stepping closer to securing a footing in the lucrative AI chip market. Speaking on the sidelines of a convocation ceremony at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology on Saturday, Nvidia CEO and founder Jensen Huang told Bloomberg Television that the company is "working as fast as it can to certify Samsung's AI memory

Nov. 24, 2024

OpenAI in talks with Samsung to power AI features, report says

OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has reportedly engaged in discussions with Samsung Electronics to integrate artificial intelligence capabilities into Samsung’s electronic devices, according to a report Friday. This move could position OpenAI as a potential challenger to Google, the leading player in the browser and search markets. The discussions were said to mirror a recent agreement between OpenAI and Apple, where OpenAI’s technology powers Apple Intelligence features on new device

Nov. 22, 2024

SK hynix begins production of world's first 321-layer NAND flash memory chips

SK hynix said Thursday it has started mass production of the industry's first triple-level cell-based 321-layer NAND flash memory chips. NAND flash memory is a non-volatile memory storage medium widely used in memory cards, USB drives, solid-state drives (SSDs), and smartphones for general storage and data transfer. It stacks memory cells vertically and is categorized into single-, multi-, triple-, and quadruple-level cells. SK hynix announced that it has become the world's first suppl

Nov. 21, 2024

Samsung obtains European certification for camera software

Samsung Electro-Mechanics said Wednesday it has achieved the automotive spice (A-spice) level 3 certification for its camera modules used in automotive electronics and electrical equipment. A-spice is a European certification that evaluates the software reliability and development capabilities of automotive component manufacturers. It is categorized into six levels, ranging from the lowest, level 0, to the highest, level 5. Companies must meet level 2 or higher to supply products to European aut

Nov. 20, 2024

Mixed reactions as Korea seeks to lift 52-hour work limit for chipmakers

Amid intensifying competition for chip supremacy, Korean lawmakers are pushing to lift the national cap on working hours to give chipmakers more flexibility. The ruling party's proposal, however, has sparked mixed reactions, with critics labeling it "regressive." In South Korea, home to the world's top memory chip makers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, employees are prohibited from working more than 52 hours per week -- consisting of 40 regular hours and up to 12 hours of o

Nov. 19, 2024

Samsung, LG clean up at CES 2025 Innovation Awards

Korean tech giants Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics were recognized with a slew of prizes at the CES 2025 Innovation Awards for their newest products, ahead of the world’s largest tech trade show set to be held in Las Vegas in January. In this year’s program, Samsung won 29 awards, including four best of innovation products, while LG received 24 awards with three top innovation winners. The Consumer Technology Association organizes the annual competition honoring outstanding de

Nov. 15, 2024

Samsung, SK to unveil supercomputer chips at SC24

South Korean chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix will showcase their latest chips for artificial intelligence applications and supercomputing at Supercomputing 24, the largest international conference on high-performance computing, next week. The annual event which first kicked off in 1988 and is organized by Association for Computing Machinery and the IEEE Computer Society, will take place at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, from Sunday to Nov. 22. The Korean chipmakers wil

Nov. 14, 2024

Braun razor popular gift option for young men

P&G Korea on Thursday suggested Braun’s Series 7 razor as a thoughtful gift option for young men approaching adulthood, citing a recent survey that high school students who finished college entrance exams prefer practical gifts rather than traditional sweets. Designed to deliver a personalized shaving experience, the German brand’s Series 7 razor features a flexible 360-degree head that adapts to facial contours, allowing young adults to easily maneuver over challenging areas lik

Nov. 14, 2024