Apple still in need of Korea-made displays despite production push

US tech giant Apple will likely continue its reliance on Korean-made displays, although it has been making a “sweeping effort” to develop its own components for more direct control over its designs, a report showed Tuesday. According to a report released by the Institute for Information & Communications Technology Promotion, Apple is expanding its use of in-house components such as chips and displays in its flagship iPhones as part of a strategy to maintain its dominance in the m

April 25, 2023

Are Koreans really fat?

For 27-year-old Choi, the main focus in her life recently has been getting her weight down. The after-work dinners at her new job and frequent dates with her new boyfriend have resulted in her tipping the bathroom scale into the above-55-kilogram range for the first time in her life, prompting her to panic-buy a gym membership, exercise equipment and organic meal kits. “I just feel so big since I’ve put on the extra weight. I want to get my weight down to below 50 kilograms,” s

April 25, 2023

Samsung, SK under renewed pressure to join US chip battle against China

South Korean chipmakers are facing increasing pressure amid an intensifying US-China rivalry, as Washington has reportedly requested the Korean government to hold back from filling China's shortfalls in chips. Seoul’s presidential office refused to comment Monday over a report from the Financial Times that the White House had asked the Korean government to urge its chipmakers to "not fill any market gap" in China, if Beijing bans US-based Micron Technology from selling chips

April 24, 2023

Yoon joined by chaebol leaders on US trip amid concerns of protectionism

South Korea’s top conglomerate chiefs are heading to the US this week to accompany President Yoon Suk Yeol on his state visit, hoping to find a breakthrough in business uncertainties surrounding increasingly protectionist policies in the all-important market. Taking his biggest economic delegation to date in his weeklong state visit to the US from Monday, Yoon is expected to relay the difficulties Korean companies face with the US' introduction of the CHIPS and Science Act and Inflati

April 23, 2023

Celltrion employees unimpressed by company's new dress code

South Korean pharmaceuticals giant Celltrion last week announced a set of new workplace policies, including a stricter dress code, prompting complaints and mockery among young employees. According to the company on Sunday, the official dress code bans employees from wearing jeans and other casual attire such as hoodies, sweatpants, crew-neck tees and anything that has large brand logos. Instead, workers are advised to wear collared shirts, jackets, slacks and black sneakers. Celltrion allowed

April 23, 2023

[Photo News] Samsung's Ramadan offers

Visitors try out Samsung Electronics devices at Samsung's pop-up store at Dubai Mall in Dubai, Friday. The pop-up store, marking the Eid Al Fitr, offers hands-on experiences of Samsung's latest mobile devices and home appliances, and SmartThings, its smart home platform.

April 23, 2023

Samsung hit with $303m jury verdict in computer-memory patent lawsuit

Computer-memory company Netlist convinced a federal jury in Texas on Friday to award it more than $303 million for Samsung Electronics's infringement of several patents related to improvements in data processing. The jury in Marshall, Texas determined after a six-day trial that Samsung's "memory modules" for high-performance computing willfully infringed all five patents that Netlist accused the Korean tech giant of violating. Representatives for the companies did not immed

April 22, 2023

LG wins ISO certification for open-source software security assurance

LG Electronics said Friday that it has been recognized as complying with the global standard for its open-source software security management system by a globally renowned nonprofit organization. The South Korean tech giant was accredited by Linux Foundation’s OpenChain Project as the first firm in the global industry to certify the ISO/IEC DIS 18974 standard, the key requirements of a quality open-source security assurance program, LG officials said. The company met all 30 security cert

April 21, 2023

S. Korea to spend W560b to promote software sector this year

South Korea will invest over 560 billion won ($422.6 million) to foster software development companies and experts, with the goal of accelerating the country's push for digital innovation, the Science Ministry said. The Ministry of Science and ICT announced its plans for advancement of the software industry at an economic meeting Friday, intending to build on the fundamental strength of digitization and support the sector’s overseas expansion. Its yearly budget for the project stands

April 21, 2023

[Photo News] Samsung honors Korean War heroes

A video featuring Korean War heroes is displayed on a giant outdoor billboard Samsung Electronics set up in Times Square in New York on Thursday. Samsung released the video to mark the 70th anniversary of the South Korea-US alliance and the 1953 armistice agreement that brought about a cessation to the Korean War.

April 20, 2023

[Photo News] LG honors Korean War heroes

A video featuring 12 high-profile US and South Korean war veterans plays on LG Group’s giant billboard in the heart of Times Square in New York on Thursday. South Korea’s Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs made the video in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Korea-US alliance this year.

April 20, 2023

Samsung, LG resume talks on OLED partnership

Talks for a rare partnership between Samsung and LG appear to have been resumed recently as Samsung seeks to buy LG panels for its latest OLED TVs for the first time, according to industry sources on Thursday. “The two have resumed related talks ... with an aim to sign a deal by the end of the first half this year,” an industry source said on condition of anonymity. Samsung Electronics is reportedly interested in buying around 200,000 to 300,000 white OLEDs from LG Display, and when

April 20, 2023

Is Google Korea no longer dream workplace?

Google’s biggest round of layoffs across its global operations has forced workers into a game of chance to keep their jobs. Amid escalating job insecurity, a labor union has been set up at the Korean unit to organize some 850 workers and speak out their concerns. “With the ongoing job cuts within the US tech industry, employees have been concerned about their job security and decided to establish a union,” Kim Jong-sub, head of the Google Korea union, said upon its launch earli

April 20, 2023

[Photo News] Hyundai's lunar dream

Hyundai Motor Group on Thursday unveiled the concept image of a lunar exploration rover, signaling the auto giant's initiatives to develop future space mobility. Working with South Korea's leading institutes, Hyundai Motor said it expects to complete the development of a prototype in the second half of 2024, setting 2027 as the target year to launch the actual product. The lunar rover will be equipped with autonomous driving technology, a self-charging system based on solar power, and

April 20, 2023

EU Chips Act potential boon for Korean parts makers: ministry

South Korea's Industry Ministry said Wednesday the European Union's version of the Chips Act could provide as an "opportunity" for Korean manufacturers. The European Union agreed Tuesday to pass the 43 billion euro ($47 billion) Chips Act aimed at doubling the bloc's share of global chip output, from the current 9 percent to 20 percent by 2030. Countries around the world, such as the United States, China, Taiwan and South Korea, have been introducing state support progra

April 19, 2023

[Photo News] World IT Show kicks off

The latest home appliances are showcased by Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics at the World IT Show 2023 that kicked off Wednesday in Seoul. The nation’s two top tech giants set up exhibition booths to show off their latest home appliances and mobile devices at the tech trade show running through Friday. Above is LG’s MoodUp color-changing refrigerator, while below is a gaming zone for Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S23 smartphone.

April 19, 2023

Samsung reclaims No. 1 ranking in global smartphone sales

Samsung Electronics has regained the top spot in the global smartphone market in the first quarter of this year, slightly outpacing its archrival Apple, the No. 1 in the previous quarter, a report showed Wednesday. In the January-March period, Samsung held a market share of 22 percent, followed by Apple with 21 percent, according to the report released by market tracker Canalys. The South Korean tech giant was the “only leading vendor” to achieve a quarterly jump during the first thr

April 19, 2023

[Photo News] Robot for rehabilitation

Hyundai Motor said Wednesday that it held a ceremony to donate two units of the X-ble MEX, a wearable robot developed to help users exercise the lower body, to Asan Medical Center in Seoul. The wearable robots will be used to help with the treatment and rehabilitation of paraplegia patients, according to the company. Hyundai has trademarked X-ble as its wearable robot brand with the intention to expand the technology to various industries.

April 19, 2023

Samsung may ditch Google for Bing

Speculation is growing that Samsung Electronics may be ditching its close ties with Google by replacing the default search engine for its flagship Galaxy devices with Microsoft’s Bing which has been upgraded with OpenAI’s powerful chatbot, ChatGPT. According to industry sources and media reports on Tuesday, Samsung was considering switching to Bing last month, putting roughly $3 billion in annual revenue at risk for Google. Citing internal documents, the New York Times reported that

April 18, 2023

LG chief orders to bolster leadership in batteries

LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo inspected the cathode manufacturing plant of LG Chem, the group's chemical arm, on Tuesday, checking on the company's global supply strategy amid rising demand in the electric vehicle market. During his visit to the chemical firm's cathode manufacturing plant in Cheongju in North Chungcheong Province, Koo was briefed on the production and global supply strategy, LG said. “Cathodes are the foundation for securing a competitive edge in the batter

April 18, 2023