When YouTube replaces TV, news and politics: what South Korea learned the hard way in 20 years

When YouTube launched its Korean-language service on Jan. 23, 2008, it entered a nation ready to embrace it — and be transformed. Seventeen years later, South Korea has become one of the most YouTube-centric societies in the world, using the platform not just for entertainment, but to wage political battles, reshape pop culture, and redefine the public square. Now, as YouTube marks its 20th anniversary globally, the scale of its influence in South Korea is almost unmatched. According to a 2024 g

May 3, 2025

SKT freezes new sign-ups, toughens consumer protection amid hacking fallout

SK Telecom said Friday it will suspend new subscriber sign-ups at its retail stores starting from Monday, to expedite USIM card replacements and to enhance customer protection in the fallout of a massive data leak from a recent hacking incident. In a press briefing at the company's headquarters in downtown Seoul on Friday, CEO Ryu Young-sang announced that all 2,600 T World stores nationwide will halt receiving new subscriptions so the company can focus on replacing compromised USIM cards. It wi

May 2, 2025

Samsung Electronics beats Q1 estimates, but chip woes persist

Samsung Electronics on Wednesday reported stronger-than-expected earnings for the first quarter, buoyed by robust sales of its AI-enhanced Galaxy S25 smartphones, even as its key chip division continues to tumble. For the January-March period, the tech giant posted an operating profit of 6.69 trillion won ($4.7 billion), up 1.2 percent from a year earlier. The figure exceeded analysts' expectations, which had hovered in the 5 trillion won range. Revenue for the quarter came to 79.14 trillion won

April 30, 2025

SK Telecom scrambles to restore trust after massive data breach

South Korea’s leading mobile carrier SK Telecom is facing mounting fallout from a recent hacking incident, with more than 70,000 users switching to rival providers in just two days after the company began offering free USIM card replacements. Amid growing concerns that the data breach could spill over into the financial sector, South Korean financial authorities on Wednesday launched an emergency response team and tightened security protocols. According to industry sources, 35,902 SK Telecom use

April 30, 2025

Why Apple’s foldable iPhone creates dilemma for Samsung

As Apple's foldable iPhone development gains momentum, Samsung Electronics finds itself facing more complex strategic situations. For Samsung, which has led the foldable smartphone market so far, the US archrival's entry represents both an opportunity to expand the market and the prospect of fierce competition over market share. For its sister firm Samsung Display, expectations are rising as it is set to exclusively supply foldable panels to Apple. According to industry sources on Wednesday, App

April 30, 2025

Korea’s intelligence agency urges SKT USIM card replacements across all ministries

South Korea’s top intelligence agency has ordered all government ministries and public agencies to replace SK Telecom USIM cards used in official devices, following a cyberattack that compromised the core systems the company uses to verify mobile users on its network. The National Intelligence Service confirmed to The Korea Herald that it issued the directive on Tuesday, requiring USIM replacements in all SKT-connected work phones, tablets, and even mobile routers that support essential services

April 30, 2025

280,000 SKT users replace USIM chips through hacking-prompted replacement service

SK Telecom Co. said Tuesday around 280,000 users have received new universal subscriber identity module (USIM) chips through its free replacement program, launched in response to a recent hacking incident. As of 9 a.m., some 4.32 million users had also booked USIM replacements online, according to the company. The service began at 10 a.m. on Monday, with about 2,600 retail stores nationwide also participating in the replacement effort. Some 25 million SK Telecom subscribers, including nearly 2 m

April 29, 2025

[Photo News] LG, Guggenheim celebrate art

Artworks by Kim A-young, the first Korean to win the LG Guggenheim Award, are being showcased on public signage in Times Square, New York, from Monday through May 25, LG said Tuesday. A video featuring Kim’s “Delivery Dancer” series and celebrating her award is expected to be seen by about 10 million people while on display, according to the company. (LG)

April 29, 2025

Jusung Engineering adopts 3-CEO system in succession push

Jusung Engineering, a first-generation chipmaking equipment company in Korea, is transitioning from a single-CEO to a three-CEO structure, signaling a strategic push for leadership succession. The company announced Monday that its board has approved a plan to divide the CEO role, previously held solely by founder Hwang Chul-joo, into three distinct areas: research and development, sales, and strategy. Under the new leadership structure, Chairman Hwang will oversee all R&D activities, with a focu

April 29, 2025

Samsung Display unveils brand identity for QD-OLED tech

Samsung Display said Tuesday that it has unveiled a new brand identity for its quantum dot organic light-emitting diode technology, and is preparing to file a trademark application for it. The brand identity visualizes the letter “Q” from QD-OLED, incorporating a blue hue representing the blue OLED material and a gradient that symbolizes the technology’s expansive color spectrum. First introduced in late 2021, QD-OLED technology has been recognized for delivering superior picture quality compare

April 29, 2025

S. Korea to devise long-term strategy to commercialize autonomous vessel technology

South Korea will set up a long-term strategy this year to commercialize autonomous marine vehicle technology as part of efforts to innovate the shipping industry, the oceans minister said Tuesday. "Autonomous ships utilizing cutting-edge digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence, will play a significant role in improving maritime safety and reducing carbon emissions of the shipping industry," Oceans Minister Kang Do-hyung said in the inaugural meeting of a new policy committee on suc

April 29, 2025

SK Telecom stores overwhelmed as customers rush to replace USIM cards over security fears

What was meant to reassure customers after a major security scare quickly turned into long lines, delays and frustration, as SK Telecom’s free USIM card replacement program struggled to meet overwhelming demand on its first day. Earlier this month, South Korea’s largest mobile carrier disclosed that it had discovered malware inside a key internal system, the Home Subscriber Server — the database that manages mobile user identities and network authentication. The discovery raised concerns that se

April 28, 2025

LS Marine wins first overseas subsea cable deal for Taiwan wind project

LS Marine Solution announced Monday that it has secured a $15.8 million contract to install subsea cables for Taiwan Power Company’s offshore wind project, marking its first overseas order in the power grid sector. It is also the first time a Korean company has bagged an international subsea cable installation project. According to LS Marine, the project is part of the TPC wind farm’s phase 2 initiative, with a generation capacity of 294.5 megawatts. It is a core project within the Taiwanese gov

April 28, 2025

Acting president orders government to check SK Telecom's response to data leak

Acting President Han Duck-soo on Sunday instructed the government to check the adequacy of SK Telecom Co.'s response measures for a potential major leak of universal subscriber identity module data. On April 18, SK Telecom detected signs of a massive leak of customers' USIM data due to a cyberattack, prompting the company to announce Friday that it would replace the USIMs of all of its 23 million users. Han instructed the Ministry of Science and ICT to "closely" inspect the company's response me

April 27, 2025

Naver, Kakao bolster map services to counter Google’s data export push

As Google seeks regulatory approval to export high-precision map data from Korea, local IT giants Naver and Kakao are ramping up their efforts to reinforce their map services -- both in functionality and user experience -- in a strategic push to defend their home turf. “Google appears to be taking an aggressive stance. Coupled with the trade tensions sparked by the Donald Trump administration in the US, the situation has become challenging for local companies. Domestic map application developers

April 27, 2025