Kakao to launch new AI service with OpenAI this year

Kakao Corp. on Thursday said it plans to launch a new AI-powered service with ChatGPT operator OpenAI later this year, as the Korean messenger giant ramps up its AI push through partnerships to stay ahead in the competitive landscape. During the company's earnings call for the October-December 2024 period, Kakao CEO Chung Shin-a outlined the company's goals and its blueprint for artificial intelligence, including its recently announced high-profile partnership with OpenAI. “The strategic partner

Feb. 13, 2025

LG Innotek to showcase cutting-edge vehicle lighting technology in Germany

LG Innotek on Wednesday said it plans to showcase its latest innovations in vehicle lighting technology at the upcoming DVN Lighting Workshop in Munich, Germany. LG's electronic parts maker is participating in the workshop hosted by Driving Vision News, a renowned gathering of global carmakers and electronic component firms, to discuss industry issues and technological trends. This year’s conference, which takes place Feb. 19-20, will focus on sustainability, development speed acceleration and s

Feb. 12, 2025

Corporate Korea's US sales soar amid looming tariff threats

South Korean conglomerates saw their sales in the US increase by around 20 percent last year, data showed Tuesday, but concerns have escalated as President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs could undermine their earnings in the all-important market. If Trump proceeds with tariffs as he has announced, sectors such as semiconductor, IT, electronics, pharmaceutical and bio-health companies are expected to take the biggest hit, according to corporate analysis firm Leaders Index. Leaders Index analyzed

Feb. 11, 2025

Korea sees sharp rise in management disputes, SMEs most affected

KCCI suggests lawmakers halt discussions on Commercial Act revision over shareholder dispute concerns South Korea has been witnessing a rise in management control battles, with the number of disputes reaching the highest in five years last year, according to a report released Monday by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In 2024, 87 publicly traded companies filed a total of 315 cases related to corporate control lawsuits, according to the KCCI’s report, which analyzed regulatory filings

Feb. 10, 2025

Samsung launches Galaxy S25 worldwide

Samsung Electronics on Friday released its latest flagship model Galaxy S25 series in major markets, starting with South Korea, the US, the UK, India and Thailand. The firm said the devices would eventually be sold in more than 120 countries. In tandem with the launch, Google’s AI model Gemini, which is built into the S25 series, now supports 46 languages. The tech giant unveiled the latest S25 series at its Galaxy Unpacked event in San Jose, California, last month. Even before the launch, the S

Feb. 7, 2025

Samsung to donate $1 million in electronics for LA wildfire relief

Samsung Electronic on Friday said it pledged to donate $1 million worth of electronic products to support relief efforts in Los Angeles, where destructive wildfires throughout January left thousands of residents displaced and homes destroyed. Samsung’s US affiliates, Samsung Electronics America and Samsung Semiconductor, have partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, Team Rubicon and the Los Angeles Unified School District Education Foundation to provide both immediate relief a

Feb. 7, 2025

LG teams up with SNU to accelerate AI-driven drug discovery

LG AI Research, the artificial intelligence arm of LG Group, is accelerating efforts in new drug discovery by partnering with a Seoul National University professor to develop AI for predicting protein structure. LG said Thursday it signed a joint research agreement with Baek Min-kyung, professor of biological science at Seoul National University, at LG Science Park in Magok, western Seoul, a day earlier. Predicting protein structures, which are critical to human biological processes, is essentia

Feb. 6, 2025

Samsung chief’s decadelong legal saga explained

Samsung Electronics Chair Lee Jae-yong walked free from years of legal battles on Monday, after an appellate court cleared him of stock-rigging and accounting fraud charges related to the 2015 merger of Samsung affiliates. With his legal troubles behind him, Lee is expected to focus on spearheading the tech giant through its various business challenges. Conflict origins Lee’s legal troubles trace back to the contentious merger of two Samsung affiliates: Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries. The deal

Feb. 6, 2025

Naver founder set to return as board chair after 7 years

Naver founder Lee Hae-jin will likely return as chair of the board at South Korea's internet giant, reclaiming a leadership role seven years after stepping down to focus on overseas expansion. According to industry sources on Wednesday, Naver’s board of directors plans to approve a proposal Friday to reinstate Lee as an internal director ahead of the shareholder meeting in March. Once approved by shareholders, he is expected to take on the role of board chair. A Naver official declined to confir

Feb. 5, 2025

Trump’s tariff reprieve gives brief respite to Korean firms, but uncertainty lingers

25 Korean companies have 201 entities operating in Canada, Mexico With US President Donald Trump’s long-threatened tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico paused for a month, South Korean companies operating in these countries breathed a sigh of relief. However, firms remain vigilant as the measures are temporary and subject to change in the near future. Following a last-minute deal struck between the leaders of the three neighboring countries, the US plan to impose 25 percent duties on imports

Feb. 4, 2025