Articles by Moon Joon-hyun
Moon Joon-hyun
mjh@heraldcorp.com-
LG launches battery swap service for e-scooters
LG Energy Solution said Tuesday that KooRoo, its company-in-company operating the battery swapping station business for electric two-wheelers, is kicking off full-scale operations following a successful pilot program. KooRoo's service allows users to easily swap the depleted batteries of electric scooters for fully charged ones, seeking to offer delivery riders reduced operating costs and increased convenience compared to conventional vehicles. A recent pilot program in collaboration with d
Mobility March 5, 2024
-
[KH Explains] Shipping constraints shackle Korea's auto export boom
Korean automakers are grappling to maintain their export momentum due to a shortage of car carriers to transport them, driven by the increasing volume of Chinese automotive exports and stringent maritime environmental regulations. The scenario has led to an unprecedented rise in the cost of chartering vehicle transport vessels. This comes as South Korea's auto production exceeded 4 million units for the first time in five years in 2023, with auto exports reaching a record $70.9 billion, con
Mobility March 4, 2024
-
InterBattery 2024 to spotlight all-solid-state, affordable batteries
InterBattery 2024, the largest battery industry exhibition in Korea, will take place at the COEX Convention and Exhibition Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, from March 6 to 9, attracting 579 companies from 18 countries and nearly 75,000 attendees for a comprehensive showcase of innovation, industry conferences and networking opportunities. Organized by the Korea Battery Industry Association and COEX, this year's event marks the largest gathering in the event's history, showcasing 1,896 boot
Mobility March 1, 2024
-
LG, Honda complete steel framework for JV battery plant
LG Energy Solution, the nation's largest electric vehicle battery maker, said Friday that its Ohio-based joint venture plant with Honda has recently completed its steel framework, indicating a smooth ride ahead for the plant’s full operation slated for 2025. The companies held a ceremony in Ohio's Fayette County on Thursday to celebrate the completion of the steel framework for the facility, which means that the construction has moved from site preparation and laying the foundati
Mobility March 1, 2024
-
LG Uplus seeks partnership with Google, Meta in AI push
LG Uplus, one of the top three telecommunications providers in South Korea, has announced its venture into the generative AI field with the introduction of its AI model, ixi-GEN, setting the stage for competition with its larger rivals SK Telecom and KT in offering AI-driven services for consumers and businesses. LG Uplus CEO Hwang Hyeon-sik made the announcement at the Mobile World Congress being held in Barcelona this week. He outlined plans to launch ixi-GEN in the first half of this year and
Technology Feb. 29, 2024
-
US Navy secretary scouts Korean shipbuilders for fleet support
US Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro toured the shipyards of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean on Tuesday to explore their military shipbuilding capabilities for handling comprehensive support services for the US Navy fleet, as part of US defense needs to bolster its naval presence in Asia. Del Toro's visit to Korea comes as the US contemplates outsourcing naval ship maintenance, repair, and overhauls, or MRO, to alleviate domestic capacity constraints. These services keep na
Industry Feb. 28, 2024
-
Samsung ready to launch Galaxy Ring this year
Samsung Electronics shared Monday that it is expanding its wearable technology portfolio with the introduction of the Galaxy Ring, a health tracker designed for unobtrusive, continuous wear, at a press briefing at the Mobile World Congress 2024 that kicked off this week in Barcelona. Following a teaser at Samsung's Unpacked Event last month, the company has now shared more details about the product. The Galaxy Ring, characterized by its unique ring design, is Samsung's foray into a new
Technology Feb. 27, 2024
-
Ex-ministry official to join Hyundai’s global policy team
Hyundai Motor Group said Sunday that Woo Jung-yeop, a former director-general for strategy at South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is joining its Global Policy Office as a senior vice president. This appointment, effective Monday, is part of Hyundai's efforts to strengthen its response to global economic challenges, particularly in light of the US Inflation Reduction Act and the forthcoming US presidential election. The Global Policy Office at Hyundai, led by executive vice presi
Mobility Feb. 26, 2024
-
French ambassador visits Renault Korea's Busan plant
French Ambassador Philippe Bertoux visited the Renault Korea Motors plant in Busan on Friday, highlighting the facility's role in the automotive industries of both South Korea and France, and its position within the global Renault Group network. The visit was accompanied by Renault Korea Motors CEO Stephane Deblaise and other French Embassy officials including Economic Counselor Adeline-Lise Khov and Commercial Counselor Matthieu Lefort. The Busan plant, where Renault Korea's most popu
Mobility Feb. 25, 2024
-
Kia’s eco-friendly Niro hits 1 million units sold
Kia's Niro, an eco-friendly sports utility vehicle lineup featuring exclusively green powertrains, has reached a milestone by surpassing 1 million global sales in eight years after its launch, primarily fueled by the popularity of its hybrid model. According to Kia on Sunday, the Niro tallied 1,082,822 units in global sales by January this year, with a breakdown showing 1,241 units sold in its home market and exports exceeding 10,000 units in January alone. Initially unveiled as a hybrid ve
Mobility Feb. 25, 2024
-
[KH Explains] Will LG Energy Solution be Tesla's 4680 battery crisis savior?
Four years after Tesla revealed the hyped Cybertruck, its production still lags with 1.9 million orders pending. The bottleneck stems from challenges in mass-producing what are known as 4680 battery cells, which are key to the Cybertruck’s success due to their superior energy density and cost efficiency. Currently, Tesla can only produce a fraction -- only a tenth -- of the required output, pushing it to lean on global battery manufacturers. LG Energy Solution, a leading South Korean batte
Mobility Feb. 22, 2024
-
[KH Explains] Will BYD redefine EV affordability in Korea?
Even those unfamiliar with the world's largest electric vehicle maker BYD Auto may have noticed their commercial electric buses that have been navigating city streets in Korea since 2017. Now the Chinese automaker, known for its exceptional affordability, is reportedly entering the broader consumer Korean EV market in the latter half of this year by introducing the Dolphin hatchback, Atto 3 compact crossover, and Seal midsize sedan electric vehicles. They are currently undergoing a performance e
Mobility Feb. 20, 2024
-
Hyundai takes over Mobis' hydrogen fuel cell business
Hyundai Motor Company has acquired a hydrogen fuel cell business from the group's affiliate and auto parts supplier Hyundai Mobis at 217 billion won ($163 million) to consolidate the group's hydrogen energy efforts. The agreement, finalized on Friday, includes a complete transfer of assets, personnel, and operations related to Hyundai Mobis' domestic hydrogen fuel cell activities to Hyundai Motor Company. Hyundai Motor Group is streamlining its operations by focusing its hydrogen
Mobility Feb. 16, 2024
-
LS Cable, Germany’s VAC team up for EV magnets
LS Cable & System, through its subsidiary LS Eco Advanced Materials, has partnered with European magnet manufacturer Vacuumschmelze to create a joint venture aimed at making special magnets needed for electric vehicles. Announced on Wednesday, this partnership will start producing 1,000 tons of neodymium permanent magnets annually by 2027, enough for half a million electric cars. Neodymium permanent magnets are crucial for the motors that power electric cars, making this venture particularly
Mobility Feb. 16, 2024
-
Hyundai Motor to cut foreign chip reliance with local push
South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group has initiated a project aimed at significantly boosting the local production and procurement of automotive semiconductors from early this year, according to industry sources on Friday. Challenges stemming from the auto group's heavy reliance on international suppliers for its semiconductor needs, such as supply chain vulnerabilities exposed during the global pandemic, are expected to be resolved through the initiative. Over 90 percent of Hyundai's
Mobility Feb. 16, 2024
Most Popular
-
1
40 flights canceled on Jeju Island due to bad weather
-
2
Pandemic left Korea more depressed than before: report
-
3
N. Korea slams US, other countries for seeking alternative to UN sanctions monitoring panel
-
4
Korean labor force to shrink by 10 million by 2044: report
-
5
Gov't appears to shelve punitive measures against mass walkout by doctors
-
6
[AtoZ Korean Mind] Does your job define who you are? Should it?
-
7
Govt. asks hospitals to mitigate impact of medical professors' absence
-
8
S. Korea's working-age population to dip nearly 10m by 2044 amid low births
-
9
Doggy patrol team on the move to protect their cities
-
10
Samsung mocks Apple over iPhone alarm glitch