April 16, 2024

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EDITOR'S PICKS

• Tech 
  

  US confirms $6.4 billion chip subsidy for Samsung

  The US government announced Monday that it will award up to $6.4 billion to Samsung Electronics for its chip fabrication facilities in Taylor, Texas. "The return of leading-edge chip manufacturing to America is a major new chapter in our semiconductor industry," said White House National Economic Adviser Lael Brainard in a press briefing. US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo also revealed that the subsidy plan, coming under the US Chips Act, will support Samsung's two chip product

• Markets 
  

  How should Korea adjust its trade defenses against Chinese EVs?

  Korea, home of the world’s third-largest automaker, Hyundai Motor Group, finds itself at a critical juncture as the rise of Chinese-made electric vehicles in the domestic market poses a complex challenge: how to protect national interests while embracing the inevitable shift toward electrification. Unlike the United States and the European Union, which perceive Chinese EVs as a grave security threat, experts argue Korea should adopt a more nuanced regulatory strategy. This involves refin

• Markets 
  

  Korea braces for blows from Middle East conflict

  The heightened geopolitical tensions from Iran's attack on Israel have cast gloom on Korea as well, bringing down local shares and leading to currency depreciation. While the Korean won has been losing its value against the US greenback in recent days with weakened anticipation on the US Federal Reserve taking a pivot in its monetary policy any time soon, the escalated volatility has led to further depreciation. The won weakened against the dollar on Monday, with the exchange rate closing at

• Companies 
  

  Greyd’s video platform helps Korean sellers go global

  Greyd, a social commerce platform developed by Seoul-based software developer Arbaim, aims to secure a bigger footing in overseas markets as it offers an effective marketing tool for Korean sellers that is also entertaining to attract global customers. Short-form videos, typically defined as any video under 90 seconds in duration, have become increasingly popular on a variety of social media platforms, including TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. Advertisers are also turning their eyes to the new

• Tech 
  

  Samsung, LG showcase built-in lineup at Milan Design Week

  Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, the leading home appliance giants in Korea, are participating in this year’s Milan Design Week this week to showcase their new built-in appliances incorporating artificial intelligence and connectivity. Milan Design Week is one of the largest international design and furniture exhibitions, held in the city in northern Italy with the participation of some 2,300 companies. This year the event runs from Tuesday to Sunday. The tech giants have also set

• Markets 
  

  Hanlim, Kazakhstan partner on greenhouse gas reduction project

  Hanlim Architecture Group said Saturday it was embarking on a joint collaboration with Kazakhstan's environmental group KMG and the city of Shymkent on a landfill greenhouse gas reduction project. The partnership went through a joint project agreement, which was marked by a visit to the landfill site in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, by KMG Chairman Choi Ik-jun, Hanlim Architecture Group Chairman Park Jin-sun, and other officials. During the site visit, Chairman Park detailed the project’s devel

• Companies 
  

  BMW purchases over $4.7b Korea-made parts in 2023

  BMW Group Korea said on Monday that in 2023, BMW Group’s global spending on parts sourced from Korean suppliers totaled approximately 6.53 trillion won ($4.72 billion), surpassing its own sales figures within the country for that year. The global group’s procurement from Korean suppliers increased by 25 percent compared to 2022, and even exceeded the Korean branch’s sales revenue, which was around 6.10 trillion won last year. Major contributors to this supply chain include d

• Tech 
  

  LG Uplus chief lures AI talent in Silicon Valley

  LG Uplus CEO Hwang Hyeon-sik traveled to Silicon Valley and hosted a special event to lure young talents in the field of artificial intelligence, the telecom carrier said Monday. Hwang hosted the “2024 LG Uplus AI Visionaries Summit" at the Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley in San Francisco on Saturday. Invited were some 10 doctoral candidates and master's students in key AI fields such as natural language processing, large language model and vision from major US universities, inclu

• Companies 
  

  Burger King reveals New Whopper following buzz marketing campaign

  The fast-food chain Burger King unveiled the New Whopper, a revamped version of its signature item on Monday, one week after announcing the discontinuation of sales of the original Whopper. According to an announcement on the fast-food chain's Korean website Monday, the reinvention was focused on intensifying the smokey flavor in the burger patties. Compared with the original Whopper, the new version has a thicker patty to enhance its juiciness and texture, along with additional salt and pepp

• Companies 
  

  Hyundai Mobis to test fully autonomous driving in Incheon

  Hyundai Mobis, an auto parts manufacturer under Hyundai Motor Group, said Monday that it will begin conducting test rides of level 4 autonomous driving in Incheon this month to accelerate the commercialization of self-driving vehicles. The Society of Automotive Engineers categorizes autonomous driving in six levels, ranging from 0 to 5. Level 4 autonomous driving requires the vehicle to perform the majority of driving tasks independently. The auto parts maker signed a memorandum of understand

• Markets 
  

  KAI inks W1tr eVTOL parts supply deal with Brazil's Eve

  Korea Aerospace Industries announced Monday that it signed a contract with Eve Air Mobility to supply structural components for electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. Eve, established by the Brazilian aerospace corporation Embraer, leads in urban air mobility industry with the largest customer base. With the undergoing development of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, the company aims to put the first vehicles into service by 2026. Having previously supplied ma

• Companies 
  

  HD Hyundai to develop uncrewed surface vessel by 2026

  HD Hyundai has teamed up with Palantir Technologies, a US software company, to develop uncrewed surface vessels by 2026, the Korean shipbuilding conglomerate said Sunday. Officials from HD Hyundai and Palantir signed a memorandum of understanding at the US side’s office in Washington, DC, on Thursday. The two sides plan to develop reconnaissance USVs by 2026 and expand their portfolio to combat USVs later on. In doing so, Avikus, an autonomous navigation solutions developer that was laun

• Markets 
  

  [Hello India] Venturing into India's regulatory landscape

  The Indian government ostensibly fosters foreign investment to fuel economic expansion, yet, stringent and unclear regulations often result in mixed signals for foreign investors, observed Brian K. Oh, a senior lawyer at major Korean law firm Jipyong. "While the Indian government encourages foreign participation, particularly to strengthen the domestic manufacturing industry, strict compliance, especially in the tax system, poses significant obstacles," Oh said in a recent interview

• Companies 
  

  Korean steel companies' earnings expected to dip in Q1

  Earnings of Korean steel companies in the first quarter are expected to fall due to increased prices of raw materials and the sluggish construction market, according to reports from local securities companies, Sunday. Analysts had a bleak outlook for Posco, the country's steel giant, expecting that both sales and operating profit will drop from the previous year, when its sales and operating profit came to 15.5 trillion won ($11.2 billion) and 338 billion won, respectively. Due to the decreas

• Markets 
  

  S. Korea ups guard against economic impact from Middle East conflict

  The South Korean government on Sunday announced heightened vigilance against potential domestic repercussions in light of the escalated tensions in the Middle East following Iran's attack on Israel. President Yoon Suk Yeol convened an emergency meeting with cabinet members and relevant government agencies to discuss strategies to respond to the the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel. The meeting followed Iran's launch of drones and missiles into Israel early Sunday, apparently in retali

• Companies 
  

  Nongshim brings Chapagetti to the fore for global market

  South Korea's leading ramyeon manufacturer Nongshim plans to prioritize the promotion of Chapagetti, its black bean-flavored ramyeon product, to diversify its overseas marketing appeal. Following Shin Ramyun, its top-selling instant noodle product, the company will now focus on promoting its 40-year-old Chapagetti as the next major brand targeting the global market, a Nongshim official said during a press conference held in eastern Seoul on Friday. "We have previously concentrated on an