Riding high on AI boom, SK hynix beats earnings estimates

Buoyed by record sales and profits, chipmaker offers rosy outlook as HBM leader SK hynix, the world's second-largest memory chip maker, logged its best-ever yearly earnings in 2024, successfully capitalizing on the global AI chip boom with its cutting-edge high bandwidth memory products. The company reported Thursday it achieved 66.1 trillion won ($46.1 billion) in sales in 2024, increasing by a whopping 102 percent on-year. The operating profit stood at 23.4 trillion won with an operating margi

Jan. 23, 2025

Instagram starts Teen Accounts in Korea

Parental supervision features strengthened to protect from explicit content Instagram launched Teen Accounts in South Korea on Wednesday, a feature designed to protect teen users from explicit content and inappropriate contact. Since introducing the initiative last September, the social media app rolled out the protective account settings in the US and Australia before expanding to other locations. “(The Teen Account) aims to help keep teens safe on Instagram by limiting unwanted contact, showin

Jan. 22, 2025

Samsung, SK hynix on edge over ailing Chinese fabs

Korean chipmakers brace for heightened export controls under Trump 2.0 South Korean chipmakers are on high alert over stricter US regulations on China, where they operate and have heavily invested in semiconductor chip fabrication plants, also known as fabs. Though tariff advocate US President Donald Trump has officially begun his second term, he has yet to clarify his pledges targeting China, including the proposed 60 percent tariffs on Chinese goods. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are thus w

Jan. 21, 2025

LG Display CEO pledges turnaround in 2025

Major flatscreen maker unveils 4th generation OLED panel for AI TVs LG Display CEO Jeong Cheol-dong pledged a turnaround in 2025, introducing the company's new business strategy dubbed "JUMP" on Thursday. In an unveiling event, the flatscreen maker also debuted a 4th generation organic light-emitting diodes panel which is the industry's first to achieve a maximum brightness as high as 4,000 nits. “Our goal for this year is to make it a year of bold leaps forward and meaningful advancements with

Jan. 16, 2025

LG Display turns profitable in Q4 on OLED push

South Korean flatscreen maker LG Display said Wednesday it has narrowed yearly losses in 2024 and posted a first quarterly turnaround in the October-December period, thanks to its strategic shift to more profitable organic light-emitting diode panels. In a regulatory filing, LG reported it posted a revenue of 26.6 trillion ($18.3 billion) in 2024, which grew 24.8 percent when compared to the year earlier, while the operating loss stood at 560.6 billion won, down 77.7 percent on-year. Net loss lo

Jan. 15, 2025

Samsung registers trademark 'Bot Fit' for its wearable robot

Samsung Electronics has registered the trademark "Bot Fit" for its wearable robot in a filing with the state intellectual property agency, strengthening its push into the robotics business. According to the Korea Intellectual Property Office on Wednesday, the tech giant registered the trademark on Jan. 8, with a logo featuring the letter "F" within a blue shape. The trademark is described as being intended for use with body rehabilitation apparatus for medical purposes. Samsung first unveiled th

Jan. 15, 2025

Tech giants race for early lead in next-gen glass substrates

Korean tech giants Samsung, LG and SK are ramping up competition to gain an early lead in glass substrates for chipmaking, a next-generation technology anticipated to significantly enhance chip performance, with top executives signaling their entry into the burgeoning market. At this year’s CES, the world’s largest tech show annually held in Las Vegas, SK Group Chair Chey Tae-won revealed he had “just sold” glass substrates of SKC, the advanced materials arm of the conglomerate producing the cut

Jan. 14, 2025

Industry Minister reassures US officials in Washington

US lawmakers see South Korea as serving a critical role in the global supply chain and are willing to provide support, Korean Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun said Monday, sharing his reflection after his visit to Washington last week. "During the trip, I learned that Korea’s industries play a big role in the global supply chain and the ecosystem. I met with foreign commerce chambers and investors after all the incidents, and they are all willing to help," Ahn said in a press briefing with reporte

Jan. 13, 2025

Tech giants focus on robotics, AI, Trump at CES 2025

Korean tech leaders take versatile roles from salesman to trade analyst LAS VEGAS -- The world's largest tech show CES 2025 once again highlighted technological advancements that could reshape the future, while also providing Korean tech giants a platform to address looming trade concerns under the incoming US administration. During the four-day event, which kicked off on Jan. 7, Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics focused on demonstrating their latest AI-powered home automation ecosystems an

Jan. 12, 2025

Fairfax County development chief courts Korean innovators at CES

Korea Herald Correspondent LAS VEGAS -- Las Vegas teemed with global innovation at this year's CES trade show, and Victor Hoskins, CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, seized the opportunity to deepen ties with Korea, a key partner for his municipality. Fairfax County, Virginia, already hosts over 80 Korean companies, making Korea the country with the largest business presence in the jurisdiction, located just outside Washington, DC. “Our county’s relationship with Korea spa

Jan. 10, 2025