Most Popular
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Russia sent more than 165,000 barrels of refined petroleum to N. Korea in March: White House
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Key suspects grilled over alleged abuse of power in Marine death inquiry
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[Graphic News] Number of coffee franchises in S. Korea rises 13%
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S. Korean children, teens grow taller, mature faster than before: study
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Some junior doctors are returning: Health Ministry
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Army takes group action against Hybe for neglecting BTS
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[Robert J. Fouser] AI changes rationale for learning languages
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Marine Corps commander summoned by CIO for questioning on alleged influence-peddling case
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Woman dangling from power lines rescued by residents holding blanket
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Ador CEO's request for exclusive right to terminate NewJeans' contract with Hybe refused in February
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KT invests W23.6b in country’s largest enterprise fintech firm
KT, the second largest telecom business in South Korea, is moving to expand its presence in the financial sector by making an investment in a local fintech firm, the carrier said Thursday. The mobile carrier signed a deal to invest a total of 23.6 billion won ($20.8 million) in WebCash Group that owns WebCash, BizPlay and Roum IT, as part of forming a strategic partnership with the financial IT platform group for enterprises. It is KT’s second investment made in a financial firm afte
June 17, 2021
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Local pharma to begin phase 2 clinical trial for Lou Gehrig’s disease therapy
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has granted approval for a phase 2a clinical trial of Engensis, an investigational gene therapy for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, under development by South Korean biotechnology company Helixmith, the company said Thursday. Engensis is a gene therapy that utilizes a plasmid, a small circular DNA molecule, to provide the hepatocyte growth factor gene to patients’ nerve and nerve-supporting cells, whi
June 17, 2021
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Kakao to launch new subscription-based content platform in August
Kakao, the nation’s largest mobile messenger operator, is preparing to launch a new subscription-based content platform in August, according to the company on Thursday. The company is currently running a closed beta test of the new platform among its content partners, it said. The platform will allow producers to create, edit and publish various forms of content including news, videos, music and texts. Users can choose the content they want and subscribe via KakaoTa
June 17, 2021
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Cha Vaccine Institute to begin clinical study of hepatitis B third-generation vaccine
South Korean biotechnology company Cha Biotech has received approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for its plan to conduct a phase 1 clinical trial of a hepatitis B third-generation vaccine, the firm said Thursday. Following the green light, Cha Vaccine Institute, the firm’s vaccine development subsidiary, will begin administrating the vaccine candidate to adults between the ages of 19-65, aiming to complete the study by October 2023. The hepatitis B vaccine candidate is dev
June 17, 2021
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KT to invest W23.6b in fintech Webcash Group
KT Corp., a major South Korean telecom operator, said Thursday it will invest a total of 23.6 billion won ($20.9 million) in three companies under the fintech-focused Webcash Group in a move to strengthen its foothold in financial services. A KT spokesperson said the company will invest 14.4 billion won in Webcash, which operates Kyungrinara, a bookkeeping solution for small businesses, and a combined 9.2 billion won in bizplay, a business expense management platform operator, and Roumit, also
June 17, 2021
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The ‘impossible’ race for leftover vaccines
In South Korea, real-time information on leftover COVID-19 vaccines is available to everyone on the country’s No. 1 portal Naver and No. 1 messenger app KakaoTalk. Thanks to the easy access and people’s zeal to get vaccinated early, the no-show vaccine slots have become nearly impossible to grab, many Koreans complain. “I was able to find a local hospital in Suwon with six does of AstraZeneca this morning on the reservation system on KakaoTalk. I hesitated for about one s
June 16, 2021
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LG Display readies new offensive with innovative OLED solutions
Poised for a turnaround after years of restructuring efforts, LG Display is rolling out new innovative OLED products, including transparent panels. The world’s largest provider of organic light-emitting diode display panels said Wednesday it will be taking part in the Korea Railways & Logistics Fair 2021 that kicked off a three-day run on Wednesday in Busan to showcase its transparent OLED technology. Transparent OLED panels are what the company believes could be a new cash cow in
June 16, 2021
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Samsung Display labor union set to go on 1st-ever strike next week
The labor union of major display maker Samsung Display Co. said Wednesday its union leadership plans to go on strike next week, as the union and the management failed to narrow differences in wage talks, marking the first-ever walkout for the company and any Samsung Group affiliate. The labor union said its six officials will first stage a walkout on Monday and will encourage more members to join the move. It will be the first strike for any Samsung affiliate since Samsung Electronics Vice Cha
June 16, 2021
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KT tests 5G-based autonomous cruise ship
KT Corp., a South Korean telecom giant, said Wednesday it has tested an autonomous cruise ship being remotely controlled hundreds of kilometers away on its high-speed 5G network. The telecom operator said a 12-person cruise ship navigated through the narrow 10-kilometer Pohang Canal in the port city, 302 kilometers southeast of Seoul, without a captain on board and with it being controlled from its offices in Gwacheon, just south of the capital. KT said it partnered with Avikus Corp., an auton
June 16, 2021
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[Herald Interview] South Korean researchers first to discover cause of rare hearing loss
South Korean researchers became the world’s first to discover a gene variant that causes a rare type of hearing impairment whose origins had so far remained unknown. The newly identified gene will help doctors better treat patients with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder, or ANSD, and to find out if their condition can be improved through surgery, according to Dr. Choi Byung-yoon, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital’s otorhinolaryngology professor who led the research.
June 15, 2021
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SKT unveils world’s 1st keycard combined with quantum, biometrics tech
SK Telecom said Tuesday it has launched the world’s first keycard applied with both quantum technology and biometric identification technology. Together with Switzerland-based quantum safety solutions firm ID Quantique and a local biometric identification startup Octatco, SKT co-developed the “EzQuant” keycard equipped with a quantum random number generator. “EzQuant combines QRNG technology with FIDO-based fingerprint certification keycard,” a company officia
June 15, 2021
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Samsung releases new multi-chip package for 5G smartphones
Samsung Electronics Co. on Tuesday released a new multi-chip package (MCP) memory product for use in 5G smartphones as the South Korean tech giant tries to better target the fast-growing handset market. The world's largest memory chip producer said it has begun mass-producing low-power double data rate 5 (LPDDR5) universal flash storage (UFS) MCP that integrates high-performance DRAM and NAND flash memory chips in a single compact package. The latest MCP comes with Samsung's LPDDR5 mobile DR
June 15, 2021
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LG Uplus launches AI call center biz
LG Uplus Corp., a major South Korean mobile carrier, said Tuesday it has joined hands with IT affiliate LG CNS Co. to develop call center services that use artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The service incorporates AI technology, such as speech recognition and synthesis as well as natural language processing, to respond to user questions and requests and can replace simple, repetitive tasks handled by call center agents. LG Uplus said it has accumulated the technology through its automa
June 15, 2021
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Samsung likely to unveil new foldable smartphones in August
Samsung Electronics Co. is likely to unveil its new foldable smartphone in August, industry insiders said Tuesday, amid its push to popularize the foldable category. The South Korean tech giant is expected to hold its Galaxy Unpacked online event in early August to introduce the Galaxy Z Fold3 and the Galaxy Z Flip3 before officially launching those products later that month, according to the sources. Foreign tech reviewers have predicted that the event may take place on Aug. 3, but the sour
June 15, 2021
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Celltrion proves efficacy of COVID-19 antibody treatment in phase 3 trial
South Korean pharmaceutical firm Celltrion announced Monday that its COVID-19 antibody treatment has significantly shortened the recovery time and rate of progression for severe symptoms. The firm disclosed top-line results from a global phase 3 clinical study of Regkirona, or CT-P59, which was conducted with 1,315 patients from 13 countries around the globe between January and April. Celltrion found Regkirona reduces the risk of cases progressing to severe COVID-19 by 70 percent. Among high
June 14, 2021
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SKT buys into ViveStudios to enhance metaverse service
In an effort to lead the emerging era of the metaverse, SK Telecom has made a strategic equity investment in ViveStudios, a producer of virtual content, it announced Monday. The two sides did not disclose details of the deal, including the size of stake to be purchased or the agreed price. ViveStudios, based in Seoul, is recognized for its international award-winning virtual reality movie “Volt.” The producer is well known for superb 3D computer-generated images and visual ef
June 14, 2021
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Naver-Kakao rivalry heats up in global webtoon market
South Korean digital comics platform operator Naver faces growing competition from its crosstown rival Kakao as the latter ups investment to tap into overseas markets. A webtoon refers to a series of comic strips published online. In South Korea, Naver and Kakao are the two largest online webtoon platform providers. Earlier last month, Kakao Entertainment launched its webtoon platform, Kakao Webtoon, in Thailand and Taiwan. Last week, the firm revealed that it has taken the top spot in the Go
June 13, 2021
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Naver Labs unveils Alike, a step toward the digitalization of cities
Naver Labs, the research arm of the largest internet company in South Korea, unveiled a solution on Friday at the Seoul Smart Mobility Expo that could support the digitalization of large cities. Dubbed “Alike,” the solution can be used to create “digital twins” of cities, complete with roads and buildings. A digital twin is a virtual representation of a physical object or process that serves as its real-time digital counterpart. By using aerial photography and artifi
June 11, 2021
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[Herald Interview] Samsung’s ShoeDresser to replace shoe closet at home
One day, Koreans might bid adieu to bulky wooden shoe closets at the entrances of their apartments. Samsung ShoeDresser, a brand new category of home appliance, could replace old closets, changing entirely the way people store and care for their shoes, and also reflecting the importance of the fashion item to millennials. After launching clothing care system AirDresser in 2018, Samsung’s engineers at the consumer electronics unit caught the growing trend of shoe-lovers, which led to t
June 11, 2021
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[News Focus] Legal risks persist at Samsung as Lee’s trial continues
Samsung Group’s de facto chief Lee Jae-yong attended a court hearing on Thursday as part of an ongoing trial on alleged irregularities surrounding his ascension to the helm of the South Korean tech conglomerate. As always, the tycoon, who is serving a 2 1/2-year jail term over a previous bribery conviction, didn’t utter a single word throughout the full-day session held at the Seoul Central District Court, as his attorneys fought hard to fend off additional convictions. The charge
June 10, 2021