Articles by Kan Hyeong-woo
Kan Hyeong-woo
hwkan@heraldcorp.com-
Webzen labor union to stage game industry’s 1st strike
The labor union of local game developer Webzen has decided to go on what will be the first strike in the country’s game industry if its planned walkout takes place on May 2 as scheduled. “It is hard to see this incident as just an issue where employees of a company are dissatisfied with the way they are treated,” said Webzen’s labor union in a press conference held in front of the game maker’s office in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. “This strike is m
Social Affairs April 19, 2022
-
Korean researchers develop robotic catheter
South Korean researchers have developed the country’s first robotic catheter system that can be inserted into human organs to perform interventional therapies, the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials said Monday. A catheter is a thin tube-like medical device that can be inserted in the body to treat diseases or perform surgical procedures. Interventional therapies, which refer to treating surgery-requiring-diseases through non-surgical procedures, have been implemented in a wide r
Technology April 18, 2022
-
Google Korea logs W292b in sales without app store transaction fees
Amid the ongoing controversy over Google’s new in-app payment policy deemed Google Korea posted sales of 292 billion won ($237 million) from last year, up 32.8 percent on-year - but that did not include commission from the Play app store, estimated to be trillions of won. According to the regulatory filing submitted by the Korean arm of the global IT giant on Thursday, Google Korea’s operating profit recorded 29.4 billion won, up 88.4 percent on year, while its net income rose 152.
Technology April 15, 2022
-
PTSD treatment mechanism unlocked for 1st time
The Institute of Basic Science has identified the scientific mechanism of post-traumatic stress disorder treatment for the first time in the world through animal experiments, the Ministry of Science and ICT said Thursday. According to the ministry, the researchers used the PTSD treatment NYX-783, which is currently under clinical trials by the US biopharmaceutical company Aptinyx, for animal experiments using mice and discovered the principle of its treatment effects. In doing so, the resear
Technology April 14, 2022
-
Naver's new goal: 1b users in 5 years
SEONGNAM, Gyeonggi Province -- South Korean IT behemoth Naver is aiming to double its annual sales to reach 15 trillion won ($12.2 billion) in the next five years and secure 1 billion users worldwide, company executives said Wednesday. “Naver has entered the ‘Global 3.0’ stage where we create multiple growths through the synergy of various business portfolios, technological leadership as well as domestic and overseas partnerships,” CEO Choi Soo-yeon said at a press conf
Industry April 13, 2022
-
S. Korea, Israel to invest $5.3m for robotics development
South Korea and Israel have pledged to invest up to $5.3 million (6.6 billion won) to support the joint development of robotics technology under a new strategic collaboration project named the Lighthouse Program, officials said Tuesday. As a joint research and development project between Seoul and Jerusalem, the Lighthouse Program is a follow-up of the revisions made to the industrial technology agreement between the two countries last year. Both sides agreed to double the annual funding for th
Technology April 12, 2022
-
Samsung Biologics secures W3.2tr via new shares issued
Contract manufacturing giant Samsung Biologics has raised 3.2 trillion won ($2.6 billion) through issuing new shares, allowing the company to secure capital needed for the buyout of Samsung Bioepis’ stake and construction of its fourth plant, officials said Monday. According to the firm’s regulatory filing, some 2 trillion won out of the 3.2 trillion won will be used for buying out Biogen’s stake in Samsung Bioepis and cover expenses of building its fourth manufacturing plant
Market April 11, 2022
-
Retail, manufacturing giants turn to bio, health care as strategy for future growth
More South Korean conglomerates relying heavily on manufacturing and retail networks for growth are turning to the bio and health care industries to secure future growth engines and expand areas of business. Retail and confectionary giant Lotte Group officially announced that bio and health care businesses will be its new growth engine at the shareholders’ meeting last month. Lee Dong-woo, CEO of Lotte Holdings, said the firm plans to directly invest in the bio and healthcare businesse
Industry April 10, 2022
-
Renowned chip expert nominated as science minister
Science Minister Nominee Lee Jong-ho is a chip engineering scholar who supported, as an adviser, South Korea’s policy endeavor in building its strength in semiconductor industry for years. “I have experienced the semiconductor industry for a long time and I believe it has a great importance. I will try to advance it,” said Lee at the nominee selection announcement Sunday. “But our country has more than just semiconductors. I will look at all industries and listen to va
Technology April 10, 2022
-
Hyundai Motor invests in Netmarble’s virtual human projects
Metaverse Entertainment, a subsidiary of Netmarble F&C, has attracted 2 billion won ($1.6 million) in investment from Hyundai Motor Group’s tech fund Zer01ne, according to Netmarble on Wednesday. Netmarble F&C is a development arm of the nation’s top mobile game developer. Netmarble said the latest funding was based on the auto giant’s tech fund’s valuation of the metaverse company at 100 billion won. With the investment, Netmarble said virtual humans being
Market April 6, 2022
-
Instagram taps S. Korea as test bed for expanded Reels
Instagram has picked South Korea as a test bed for its expanded Reels service, the social media platform said Wednesday. The new Reels feed will include videos that can be up to 15 minutes long. The previous Reels feed only showed short clips up to 60 seconds, according to Instagram. Korea, along with Brazil, was one of the only two countries to be selected for the trial run of the more inclusive Reels service. As the video tab will be removed from each account’s profile page, all vid
Technology April 6, 2022
-
Regulator says Google’s billing policy violates Korean law
The South Korean regulator on network and IT services said Tuesday that it has reached the conclusion that Google’s new payment policy violates the Korean law that prohibits app store operators from forcing app developers to use in-app payment systems. Based on its conclusion, the Korea Communications Commission will make a final ruling on whether Google’s new billing system is against the law after reviewing related cases based on the levels of coercion and unfairness. The regulato
Technology April 5, 2022
-
Kakao to build S. Korea’s 1st K-pop arena in Seoul
South Korean IT giant Kakao and the Seoul Metropolitan Government have signed an agreement to build the country’s first and largest arena dedicated to staging K-pop performances, officials said Monday. Called Seoul Arena, the multicultural complex will begin construction in June and is expected to be completed in October 2025. Seoul Arena will be built in Seoul’s northern Dobong-gu and will be capable of accommodating more than 20,000 concertgoers for a single event. According to
Social Affairs April 4, 2022
-
Medytox files complaint with ITC against Hugel over botox dispute
South Korean botox maker Medytox has filed a complaint with the US International Trade Commission against its local rival Hugel over allegations of stealing its bacteria and manufacturing processes, the company said Friday. According to Medytox, the company lodged the complaint on Wednesday against Hugel, Hugel America and Croma-Pharma GmbH with top global law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan leading the litigation. Croma-Pharma, an Austrian family-owned company based on north of Vie
Industry April 1, 2022
-
[Weekender] Rise of never-aging young women in Korea
South Korea’s entertainment and commercial fields have seen a rise of beautiful, multi-talented young women capable of doing almost everything -- from acting to fashion design. Despite being in their early 20s, they display impeccable skills and give performances that exceed human expectations. They have no stress, no sleep and no scandals. Though they are labeled as perfect human beings, they have their own limits. They are not actual people, but virtual humans produced by cutting-edge co
Technology March 31, 2022
Most Popular
-
1
Yoon, Lee end first talks with differences, agree to meet more
-
2
What is Hybe’s next move?
-
3
China outpaces Korea in smaller OLED shipments for 1st time
-
4
[Herald Interview] Mom’s Touch seeks to replicate success in Japan
-
5
Police to open alleged stalking probe over pastor over Dior bag scandal
-
6
'Queen of Tears' finale sets record viewership ratings as tvN's most-watched series ending
-
7
[News Focus] Lee tells Yoon that he has governed without political dialogue
-
8
Seoul to deploy more military doctors to fill med prof void
-
9
Samsung chip business back on track, logs W1.9tr operating profit in Q1
-
10
Liberal bloc moves to rewrite student rights ordinance