Samsung Electro-Mechanics to boost sales of high-end chip substrates

Samsung Electro-Mechanics, the electronic parts manufacturing affiliate of Samsung Electronics, said Sunday it will ramp up the sales portion of high-end flip chip ball grid array (FCBGA) substrates for servers and artificial intelligence to over 50 percent by 2026. FCBGA is a semiconductor package substrate applied to high-performance semiconductors, such as central processing units and graphic processing units for servers and PCs. It can be used in various applications requiring high-performan

Aug. 25, 2024

Korea's 'value-up' efforts stall on 0.7% corporate participation

Nearly three months after the government launched the "Corporate Value-up Program" in May, participation by South Korean companies remains minimal. As of Friday, just eight companies had released value enhancement disclosures, representing a mere 0.3 percent of the 2,585 firms listed on the Kospi and Kosdaq, according to Korea Exchange data. Including the 10 firms that have preannounced disclosures, just 0.7 percent have joined the program. The "value-up" initiative, rolled o

Aug. 25, 2024

[Advertorial] Eximbank, LS Cable to bolster supply chain for rare-earth magnets

The state-run Export-Import Bank of Korea, or Eximbank, on Friday signed a business agreement with the nation's leading cable manufacturer, LS Cable & System, and its Asia-focused subsidiary, LS Eco Energy, to support building a stable supply chain for rare-earth permanent magnets, a key component for electric vehicles and turbines. Under the agreement, the three parties will share business information related to rare-earth permanent magnets and other electric drive system projects and

Aug. 25, 2024

Renault Grand Koleos boasts extensive safety features

Renault Korea’s Grand Koleos stands out as a mid-size hybrid sport utility vehicle with extensive safety features, including numerous advanced driving assistance systems and high-strength materials. This vehicle has gained attention in the Korean market since its June debut, particularly for its robust safety features, which have become increasingly important to consumers amidst rising concerns over road safety. The Grand Koleos comes in three trims: Techno, Iconic and Esprit Alpine. Even

Aug. 25, 2024

Samsung, LG to unveil new AI-powered home appliances at IFA 2024 in Berlin

South Korean tech giants Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. are planning to showcase various new artificial intelligence-powered home appliances at the IFA 2024 home electronics show in Berlin next month, industry sources said Sunday. Samsung will present a range of products, including the Bespoke AI Combo, an all-in-one washer-dryer; the Bespoke AI Family Hub, a premium refrigerator product; and the Bespoke AI Steam, a new robot vacuum cleaner product. The company will also showcas

Aug. 25, 2024

National, household debt surpasses 3,000 tr won amid lower state revenue

The combined debt of the government and households in South Korea has surpassed 3,000 trillion won ($2.26 trillion) for the first time, driven by lower tax revenue, increased bond issuance and aggressive borrowing from households for real estate investments, government data showed Sunday. According to data from the finance ministry and the central bank, the country's combined national debt and household debt reached a record 3,042 trillion won as of the end of the second quarter. This amoun

Aug. 25, 2024

Seoul shares snap 3-day rise ahead of Fed chief's speech

South Korean stocks ended slightly lower Friday, snapping three consecutive sessions of gains, as investors sat on the sidelines ahead of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speech later in the day. The local currency fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Indexfell 5.98 points, or 0.22 percent, to close at 2,701.69. Trade volume was moderate at 324 million shares worth 8.1 trillion won ($6.05 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 429 to 428. Foreigners sold a

Aug. 23, 2024

Korea's private consumption to pick up after H2: BOK

South Korea’s domestic consumption is expected to recover gradually after the latter half of this year, but an aging population and sluggish self-employed businesses could dampen the rebound hope, the country’s central bank said Friday. The Bank of Korea said that the recovery of private consumption remains delayed as the debt repayment burden has risen due to high prices and interest rates in a report analyzing the current economic situation. It said deferral in corporate performa

Aug. 23, 2024

[Photo News] Art meets high-tech at Samsung’s TV exhibition

Samsung Electronics kicked off an exhibition Friday that features a 10-meter art wall displaying contemporary works of art on its QLED TVs. "Bazaar Exhibition: Under/Stand with Samsung The Frame" is a collaborative event the tech giant is hosting in partnership with the fashion magazine Harper’s Bazaar. The show will run at Process Itaewon in Seoul through Sep. 14. The exhibition suggests new ways of enjoying artwork through The Frame, Samsung's lifestyle series mid-range QL

Aug. 23, 2024

Hanwha Aerospace opens 1st overseas plant in Australia

Hanwha Aerospace announced Friday that it has completed the construction of the Hanwha Armored Vehicle Centre of Excellence, or H-ACE in Geelong, Australia, signifying the first overseas production foothold for a Korean defense company. “This facility represents Hanwha's commitment to Geelong, Victoria and Australia, demonstrating that the company is focused on the future of programs in this region, including howitzers, vehicles and other technological advancements beyond our current

Aug. 23, 2024

Hanwha heir makes W54.4b tender offer for Galleria shares

Kim Dong-sun, the youngest heir of Hanwha Group and vice president of Hanwha Galleria, has initiated a public tender offer to increase his control over the retail subsidiary. According to a regulatory filing released Friday, Kim has offered to purchase 34 million shares, representing 17.54 percent of Hanwha Galleria, from Aug. 25 to Sept. 11. The offer price is set at 1,600 won ($1.19) per share, a 23 percent premium over the previous day's closing price of 1,303 won. The filing noted that

Aug. 23, 2024

Sung Kim to receive US diplomatic award

Sung Kim, a former United States ambassador to South Korea and currently an adviser for Hyundai Motor Group, has been chosen as this year’s recipient of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy’s George F. Kennan Award for Distinguished Public Service, the Korean auto conglomerate said Friday. The NCAFP, which was established in 1974 as a think tank for supporting the US government’s diplomatic and foreign policies, underscored that Kim has built an outstanding diploma

Aug. 23, 2024

Seoul shares open lower ahead of Fed chief's speech

South Korean stocks opened lower Friday after three consecutive sessions of gains as investors cashed in profits ahead of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's speech at the Jackson Hole symposium. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 10.91 points, or 0.4 percent, to 2,696.76 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 0.43 percent lower, with the S&P 500 falling 0.89 percent. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite decreased 1.67 perce

Aug. 23, 2024

Seomjae applies for patents for AI-based learning system

Seomjae, a Seoul-based education solutions developer, announced Thursday that the company applied for three patents for its AI-based learning system earlier this month. One of the patents is an AI technology that automatically analyzes and summarizes online lectures and captures lecturers’ characteristics using a neural network system. The technology can offer personalized data to its users by systematically summarizing lecture content and carrying out an in-depth analysis of the lecturers

Aug. 22, 2024

Korea unveils trade roadmap to tackle protectionism in mega election year

South Korea has set a goal to secure the most extensive free trade agreement network and to establish a risk management system to handle growing geopolitical uncertainties in a "super election" year, the Industry Ministry said Thursday while announcing the country's new trade policy roadmap. In a ministerial meeting on economic affairs, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and other ministers reviewed the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's trade achievements of the past two years and intr

Aug. 22, 2024

Seoul shares up for 3rd day as investors weigh BOK's rate freeze, Fed chief's speech

South Korean stocks ended slightly higher on Thursday, extending their winning streak to a third day as investors await more clues over the US rate policy direction amid the Bank of Korea's rate freeze. The local currency gained against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 6.54 points, or 0.24 percent, to close at 2,707.67. Trade volume was moderate at 434 million shares worth 8.83 trillion won ($6.61 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 597 to 283. For

Aug. 22, 2024

Samsung to widen gap with Chinese rivals with AI TVs

Samsung Electronics said it is confident in maintaining its No. 1 position in the global TV market by widening the gap with Chinese rivals with its advanced artificial intelligence technology. “We believe that AI TVs will be a unique differentiator that other companies do not offer, as it is not just a TV but a platform that can connect various devices customers own,” Yong Seok-woo, president and head of visual display business at Samsung Electronics, said during a press conference i

Aug. 22, 2024

SK chief embraces AI for future growth at Icheon Forum

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won stressed the importance of adapting business strategies to the evolving AI ecosystem at the closing session of Icheon Forum 2024, SK Group's annual strategy meeting of top executives, which ended Wednesday. "Artificial intelligence presents us with numerous opportunities," Chey said. "Leveraging this trend effectively and embracing change swiftly will be crucial for thriving in the AI ecosystem." The chairman emphasized that while adapting

Aug. 22, 2024

BOK keeps rate at 3.5%, cuts growth projection to 2.4%

The Bank of Korea kept the base rate steady at 3.5 percent Thursday while slashing the projection for economic growth by 0.1 percentage point to 2.4 percent due to slow domestic demand. All members of the monetary policy board agreed on the rate freeze. Of the six members, excluding BOK Gov. Rhee Chang-yong, four suggested leaving room for a rate cut within the next three months, according to Rhee. With the rate decision, the BOK has kept the rate steady for the 13th straight time since it raise

Aug. 22, 2024

SK chief, partner ordered to pay W2b to estranged wife

A Seoul court on Thursday ordered SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and his live-in partner to pay 2 billion won ($1.50 million) in alimony to his estranged wife and the director of Art Center Nabi, Roh Soh-yeong. The Seoul Family Court ordered in a lawsuit seeking damage, filed by Roh against Chey’s partner Kim Hee-young, who is serving as the chair of T&C Foundation, that the defendant should jointly pay 2 billion won to the plaintiff along with the SK chief. “Based on the submitt

Aug. 22, 2024