Most Popular
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Jimin of BTS, actor Song Da-eun suspected to be dating, again
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What's next for the government's push in quota hike?
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Trump may like to 'solve' N. Korean nuclear problem if reelected: ex-official
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Woman falls to death from acquaintance's home after exhibiting ‘unexplained' behaviors
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‘Malice should not undermine the system, social order,’ says Hybe's Bang
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N. Korea slams planned S. Korea-US military drills, warns of 'catastrophic aftermath'
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N. Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles toward East Sea: JCS
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[Graphic News] How much do Korean adults read?
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N. Korea says it test-fired tactical ballistic missile with new guidance technology
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Korean firms target EV charging market in US
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Samsung, SK hynix up memory chip investment
Memory chipmakers -- Samsung Electronics and SK hynix -- are spurring investment as Chinese tech giants are making an aggressive push into the semiconductor business backed by their government, analysts said.Chinese conglomerate Tsinghua Unigroup recently acquired half of the state-run chipmaker XMC. The tie-up is viewed by industry watchers as helping China move toward the goal of self-sufficiency in memory chips. Tsinghua Unigroup reportedly plans to set up memory chip factories with an invest
Aug. 2, 2016
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SK Telecom, Nokia develop portable LTE network that fits in a backpack
South Korean network operator SK Telecom and Nokia on Tuesday said they have jointly developed a backpack-size portable Long Term Evolution network system tailored for rescue operations and emergency services.Compact enough to fit inside a backpack, the new portable LTE network system is equipped with a standalone base station as well as additional communications solutions, according to SKT.“The portable all-in-one PS-LTE system is a ground-breaking solution that enables communication among firs
Aug. 2, 2016
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Korea to invest 200 bln won this year to expand EV charging infrastructure
South Korea will spend about 200 billion won ($180.3 million) this year to sharply expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure nationwide as part of its efforts to foster the eco-friendly sector as a new growth engine, the trade ministry here said Tuesday.Under the plan, led by the Korea Electric Power Corp., the country's sole power supplier, the government will build 150 on-street stations by November to accommodate 300 super chargers that are available for privately owned electric cars an
Aug. 2, 2016
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Jicen Hitech, Chinese city unite for watch phone release
Watch phone-maker Jicen Hitech has signed a memorandum of understanding with Huaian City in China‘s Jiangsu province to provide 50,000 units of the smart wearable device, the Korean company officials said Monday.Under the agreement reached on July 14, the Korean company will establish a joint venture firm with China’s Unicom and the city. The city will provide the construction site and bear the set-up costs for the new firm while Jicen will supply the technology.Jicen’s Watch Roid (Jicen Hitech)
Aug. 1, 2016
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Naver’s photo app Snow embroiled in plagiarism row
A local start-up has accused South Korean Internet search giant Naver of copying its photo and video-editing app. Seerslab alleged that Naver’s Snow app copied the image and camera functions of its photo-editing app Lollicam. Naver’s Snow is a photo app that enables users to take photos with face-tracking “stickers” and share them with friends. The app has hit 40 million downloads so far since it was first launched in September. Seerslab claims that Snow’s imaging functions, “stickers” and backg
Aug. 1, 2016
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Samsung considers LG Innotek parts for Galaxy S phones
[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics is continuing talks with LG Innotek, the parts unit of LG Group, to use the company’s “2 metal chip-on film” for its flagship Galaxy S phones, the Chosun Ilbo reported on Monday. Samsung uses chips and display panels from SK hynix and Chinese rivals, but it is rare for the company to use parts from its cross-town rival LG. The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, a curved-screen variant that outsells its flat-screen sibling (Samsung Electronics)The 2 metal chip-on film is u
Aug. 1, 2016
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Duty-free sales nearly double in June
Sales at South Korea's duty-free stores nearly doubled in June from a year ago thanks to a rising influx of Chinese travelers and last year's low base in the wake of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome outbreak, data showed Monday. Sales at duty-free stores nationwide jumped 94.1 percent in June from a year ago, surging for the ninth consecutive month, according to the data compiled by the Korea Customs Service. The June sales marked a sharp yearly growth because the market was hit hard by the
Aug. 1, 2016
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[Weekender] Augmented reality beyond gaming and entertainment
The explosive popularity of Nintendo and Niantic’s augmented reality game “Pokemon Go” has set off a boom in Korea, with companies, the government and consumers thinking about how the combination of reality and digital imagination can change everyday life.For now, the primary focus is on games and entertainment as augmented reality is largely perceived as an advanced version of virtual reality. Virtual reality, which completely changes how users perceive their surroundings rather than adding com
July 29, 2016
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[Weekender] 'Pokemon Go’ spotlights augmented reality’s potential
The explosive popularity of Nintendo and Niantic’s GPS-based mobile game “Pokemon Go” around the world, including South Korea, has thrust into the spotlight the core technology behind the game -- augmented reality.What exactly is augmented reality? It's a technology that overlays (or augments) digital images onto a person’s view of the world, merging one’s physical reality with digital imagination. In the case of “Pokemon Go,” the app utilizes gamers’ real-world locations to make Pokemon charact
July 29, 2016
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KCC to investigate KakaoTalk over its in-app notifications
The Korea Communications Commission, the state media regulator, on Thursday said it plans to investigate Kakao Corp., operator of South Korea’s top mobile messenger KakaoTalk, over the legality of its in-app notifications. The move came after a local civic group accused Kakao of unilaterally sending out messages notifying users of purchases, orders and deliveries made through the app -- which costs nominal data usage fees -- without obtaining the consumer’s consent.The civic body had asserted th
July 29, 2016
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Nexon founder steps down from board amid corruption scandal
Nexon founder Kim Jung-ju on Friday officially stepped down from the company's board, following his indictment earlier in the day on suspicious stock transactions and bribery.Kim is charged with providing some 920 million won ($821,000) in bribes to Jin Kyung-joon, a South Korean senior prosecutor and college friend of Kim. Jin was arrested and indicted on Friday, and subsequently dismissed from his post.“I express my deepest apology to everyone,” Kim said in a statement. “I committed a grave wr
July 29, 2016
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KT posts highest Q2 operating profit in 4 years
South Korean telecommunications firm KT said Friday that it posted an operating profit of 427 billion won ($379.6 million) in the second quarter, marking its highest quarterly performance in four years. The company disclosed that its operating profit rose 15.8 percent on-year during the April-June period, thanks to its strong performance in its wireless network, landline telecom and media businesses.KT’s second-quarter performance overtook that of SK Telecom, the country’s leading telecom compan
July 29, 2016
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[Weekender] Pokemon no longer child’s play
The augmented reality smartphone game “Pokemon Go” is fueling the already hyped-up market for “kidults,” a newly coined term that combines “kid” and “adult.” The Pokemon craze worldwide is likely to ignite new momentum for more nostalgia seekers in their 30s and 40s.They grew up watching the popular “Pokemon” animated series in the 1990s. Given that they now have the purchasing power, they are more than willing to buy products that can help them relive their childhood. The market value for kidu
July 29, 2016
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[Weekender] Augmented reality shines only with right storytelling
Following the “Pokemon Go” craze, the Korean government and companies are looking to pour money into advancing the local augmented reality sector. This is not the first time for Korea to push for AR.In 2012, talent agency S.M. Entertainment produced a program that allowed fans to dance with holograms of K-pop idol group EXO-K. Telecommunications giant KT also launched a mobile game called “Catch Catch,” which was a nearly identical precursor to “Pokemon Go.” Circus Company CEO Park Sun-uk demons
July 29, 2016
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Nexon GT to withdraw ‘Sudden Attack 2’ by Sept. 29
[THE INVESTOR] Nexon GT said on July 29 that it has decided to withdraw its “Sudden Attack 2” game by Sept. 29. The decision came just 23 days after the game was introduced, and comes amid controversy over its alleged exploitation of the female sexuality. Nexon GT deleted some of the characters, but was unable to quench the criticism, which further mounted on a scandal involving Nexon founder Kim Jung-ju and his friend and prosecutor Jin Kyung-joon who was arrested and indicted today. Nexon GT h
July 29, 2016
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Top Korean firms invest W21b in AI research institute
[THE INVESTOR] Seven South Korean conglomerates joined hands to launch on July 29 a research institute focused on artificial intelligence technologies. Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor, SK Telecom, KT, LG Electronics, Naver and Hanwha Life Insurance have contributed 3 billion won (US$2.67 million) each to launch the AI Research Institute. 123rf“We will bring in the best human resources and develop core technology for the information intelligence society,” said Kim Jin-hyung, head of the instit
July 29, 2016
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Samsung files trademark for Gear S3 Frontier
[THE INVESTOR] While Samsung Electronics is busy with the upcoming launch of the Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, it is also preparing to showcase other big products, including the Gear S3, before the end of this year.The South Korean tech giant filed the trademark for Gear S3 Frontier at the nation’s patent office on July 26, implying that there could be more than one smartwatch model the firm has up its sleeves.The new project for Samsung smartwatch is reportedly named Solis, meaning the sun in Spani
July 29, 2016
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[Weekender] Pokemon -- strong story meets technological potential
The emerging technology augmented reality is showing immense potential in the digital world especially after the success of “Pokemon Go,” a location-based AR mobile game.AR, in fact, is nothing new. But the game has brought the technology another step closer to reality, pushing companies and governments to commercialize AR by integrating it with unique content.In movies and science fiction, AR -- the incremental technology from virtual reality that can be further developed into holograms -- has
July 29, 2016
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'V20 not enough for LG Electronics' turnaround'
[THE INVESTOR] LG Electronics' clout in the global smartphone market is steadily declining on the back of cut-throat competition in the sector.And the Korean firm’s bet on its next high-end smartphone, the V20, which succeeds the V10, is not expected to bring about a dramatic turnaround, according to industry watchers. LG V10 phablet. Its successor, tentatively called V20, is expected to come out in September. LG Electronics"LG’s upcoming new high-end smartphone will not be able to offset the s
July 29, 2016
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Samsung drops from list of top 5 smartphone-makers in China
[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics has failed to make it to the list of top five smartphone-makers in China, despite having the largest global market share, falling behind local rivals and Apple. According to Strategic Analytics, a market research firm, Chinese handset makers, including Huawei, Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi, were the top sellers in the April-June period. Samsung Galaxy S7.Huawei, China’s largest handset maker, topped the list with 19.1 million unit sales or 17.5 percent market share, fo
July 29, 2016