South Korean game maker Netmarble and global metaverse gaming platform The Sandbox have signed a strategic partnership to enhance gaming content and provide various experiences to players, officials said Wednesday. According to the announcement, The Sandbox will set up a Netmarble intellectual property space within the K-Verse -- a specialized space dedicated to Korean culture and entertainment in the virtual world -- to offer players a chance to immerse themselves in Netmarble’s popular c

Technology April 12, 2023

The third launch of Nuri, the Korean homegrown space launch vehicle, has been set to take place on May 24, the Ministry of Science and ICT said Tuesday. According to the ministry, the Nuri rocket, also known as the Korean Satellite Launch Vehicle II, will blast off from the launch pad at 6:24 p.m. at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province. The preliminary launch period will be from May 25 to 31. The ministry said that the Nuri rocket had completed the process of assembling the f

Technology April 11, 2023

LS Group Chairman Koo Ja-eun has completed a nine-day trip to Europe as the South Korean conglomerate looks to expand its presence in the electric vehicle ecosystem of the region. According to LS Group Monday, Koo visited the local production sites of LS Cable & System and Superior Essex in Germany, Poland and Serbia from April 2-9. Koo conducted on-site tours to check the manufacturing processes of copper wires for EVs, battery parts and communication cables during his first overseas trip s

Industry April 10, 2023

Dozens of customers were seen waiting in the lounge of the first floor at Han Sung Motor’s Mercedes-Benz Seongdong Service Center on a Thursday afternoon. About two hours later, only several remained. As the official dealer of Mercedes-Benz cars, it showed Han Sung Motor’s swift customer service for Korean owners of the German luxury brand. “The first keyword is superior customer dedication. Under superior customer dedication, we understand customers’ intricacy, customer

Mobility April 10, 2023

South Korea will invest 160 trillion won ($121 billion) to secure core technologies in the country’s three major sectors -- semiconductor, display and battery -- through 2027, the Ministry of Science and ICT said Thursday. “The semiconductor, display and next-generation battery sectors are the supporting technologies that have stably backed up our economy based on the super capabilities of the private sector,” said Science Minister Lee Jong-ho. According to the government&rsquo

Technology April 6, 2023

LG Energy Solution has secured a supply chain of critical material for making electric vehicle batteries in Morocco in its efforts to bolster its readiness for toughened regulations in its key markets -- the US and Europe. According to the South Korean battery maker on Wednesday, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with Chinese lithium compounds producer Yahua to produce lithium hydroxide in the North African country. The US’ Inflation Reduction Act and EU’s Critical Raw

Mobility April 5, 2023

The US government has turned down Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power’s report on bidding for a nuclear power plant project in the Czech Republic, raising concerns that the Korean export plans of reactors may fall short due to ongoing litigation with Westinghouse Electric Co. The documents, which were submitted to the US District Court in Washington, showed Wednesday that KHNP submitted the relevant paperwork to the Department of Energy in December in compliance with the US Code of Federal Reg

Technology April 5, 2023

Masta Electric Vehicle on Tuesday signed a partnership with the Korean federation of small and medium business (SME) groups to support SME owners and expand its presence in the market. The two sides inked a memorandum of understanding at Masta Electric Vehicle’s exhibition booth at the Seoul Mobility Show held at Kintex in Gyeonggi Province. Representing some 20 SME groups and their 7 million members nationwide, the SMEs federation bought 400 units of Masta Him, the automaker’s small

Mobility April 4, 2023

South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission is closely reviewing Hanwha Group’s acquisition of Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering as it could lead to unfair trade practices if completed, officials said Monday. “The issue is that ships are used in battle. They are weapons. In terms of the weapons system, Hanwha has a high market share and possesses control over the market. There are other companies that make military ships other than DSME. In this case, there is a possibility th

Industry April 3, 2023

LS Materials, a secondary battery subsidiary of LS Cable & System under the South Korean conglomerate LS Group, will attempt to go public on Korea’s secondary tech-heavy bourse, the Kosdaq, this year, officials said Monday. According to LS Cable & System, LS Materials signed a representative management contract with KB Securities and Kiwoom Securities for its initial public offering. The secondary battery maker plans to file for a preliminary review with the Korea Exchange before t

Industry April 3, 2023

South Korean battery makers are breathing a sigh of relief as the US Treasury Department’s newly unveiled guidance on battery sourcing does not require them to change their current production process right away to receive the US government’s subsidies provided to electric vehicle buyers under the Inflation Reduction Act. Under the IRA, EV and battery makers have to meet certain requirements for both the critical minerals and battery components contained in the vehicle to be eligible

Industry April 2, 2023

South Korean oil refiners are turning to eco-friendly energy and searching for future growth engines to cope with the rise of electric vehicles threatening the current business model of traditional gas stations. According to the Korea Energy Economics Institute’s report on the oil industry’s countermeasures in regard to electric mobility, the number of gas stations in South Korea is expected to drop to 2,980 in 2040 to maintain the level of operating performance to keep their busines

Industry April 2, 2023

BMW has revived the high-performance M lineup with the launch of the BMW XM, the automaker’s first plug-in hybrid model in the BMW M series and the first standalone model since the debut of the BMW M1 coupe in 1978. At first sight, the BMW XM gives an overwhelming impression with its size and forceful exterior design. The sports activity vehicle is measured at a length of 5,110 millimeters, a width of 2,005 mm and a height of 1,755. The massive kidney grills on the front that light up on t

Mobility April 2, 2023

The swap to electric vehicles from cars equipped with internal combustion engines is happening much faster than we think, and EVs will eventually replace traditional cars, Mercedes-Benz Korea CEO Thomas Klein says. “I believe, sorry to say, the internal combustion engine is dead. The energy efficiency of that compared to electric engine is unfortunately not very good, and the one thing that we will all be short of is sustainable energy,” said Klein in an interview with The Korea Hera

Mobility April 2, 2023

Hyundai Motor Company on Thursday launched the newest edition of its Sonata at the 2023 Seoul Mobility Show held at Kintex in Gyeonggi Province. The latest version of the midsize sedan is named “Sonata The Edge.” As the long-time popular model of the carmaker, the eighth-generation model has undergone almost a full face-lift with its design and technology updates. The automaker said it will begin taking pre-orders for the new Sonata on April 20. The new Sonata, which will go on sale

Mobility March 30, 2023