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Industry minister heads to US again for high-stakes trade, energy talks
South Korean Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun is set to travel to Washington this week to discuss Korea's trade terms with the US and request that the Trump administration remove Seoul from its "sensitive countries" list. During a high-level economic affairs meeting on Monday, acting President Choi Sang-mok urged government agencies to actively engage with their US counterparts to prevent any negative impact on bilateral cooperation in science, technology and energy following the US Department of
March 17, 2025 -
Samsung Chair Lee Jae-yong urges 'do-or-die' mentality amid challenges
Samsung Electronics Chair Lee Jae-yong sought to convey a message of urgency to company executives, saying Samsung has “lost its unique strength” and must take on a “do-or-die” mentality to tackle mounting challenges. In a rare and direct message, Lee's remarks came via a prerecorded video shown to some 2,000 executives from Samsung affiliates who had gathered for a recent internal seminar, according to sources. The company has been holding a series of education seminars aimed at restoring what
March 17, 2025 -
Calls grow for digital inheritance rights in Korea
As societal consensus on digital inheritance remains elusive, voices advocating for at least granting "account access rights" to heirs are gaining traction in Korea. The issue of digital inheritance has resurfaced following the Jeju Air crash at Muan International Airport last December. Families of the victims sought access to the deceased's social network accounts and contact lists to facilitate funeral arrangements, sparking a renewed debate. The National Assembly has called for urgent discuss
March 16, 2025 -
Kakao’s Daum spin-off: Strategy for growth or path to sale?
South Korean internet giant Kakao is spinning off Daum, its in-house independent company that operates the country’s second-largest portal site, reigniting speculation about a potential sale of the service. According to industry sources Friday, Kakao revealed the spin-off plan during an internal town hall meeting on Thursday, explaining that the move is part of its strategy to address intensifying competition in the portal, search and content sectors. “By becoming a fully independent entity, Dau
March 14, 2025 -
Samsung's foundry woes deepen amid TSMC-Intel JV talk
Samsung's foundry business could be in “serious jeopardy” if TSMC and major US chip designers form a joint venture to operate Intel's semiconductor manufacturing facilities, making a decline in Samsung’s market share inevitable, industry experts warned Thursday. On Wednesday, Reuters reported that TSMC has proposed a joint venture with Nvidia, AMD and Broadcom to manage Intel’s semiconductor factories. According to the report, TSMC would limit its stake to no more than 50 percent. Qualcomm was a
March 13, 2025 -
Korean firms revamp US lobbying strategies as Trump's tariff threats grow
Samsung in search of lobbying experts with strong ties to Trump With US President Donald Trump escalating threats of tariffs and trade restrictions, South Korean conglomerates are rushing to revamp their Washington offices to establish direct connections with the new administration. Samsung Electronics, the world's leading smartphone and semiconductor maker, is considering appointing a new head for its US office and is actively seeking experts with strong ties to Trump. "We are actively looking
March 12, 2025 -
Samsung wins injunction against TCL in Germany
Samsung Electronics has won a temporary injunction against Chinese appliance-maker TCL in Germany, barring TCL from using the contested TV brand name in the European Union. Samsung filed an injunction lawsuit in November against TCL’s German subsidiary at the Dusseldorf Regional Court, alleging that TCL’s Nxtframe infringes on the trademark of Samsung’s The Frame TV, according to sources. The court ruled in Samsung’s favor on Feb. 26, following an oral hearing on Jan. 29, where it found a likeli
March 12, 2025 -
Govt. will work to allow extension of work hours for semiconductor workers: acting president
Acting President Choi Sang-mok said Wednesday the government will work to allow semiconductor workers to put in extra hours when needed and adopt measures to foster the development of new technologies and industries to ensure the country's sustainable growth amid intensifying global competition. Choi made the remarks at a regular meeting of economy-related ministers, saying the country's "technological capability equals the national strength." "The government will work to foster the growth of ar
March 12, 2025 -
South Korea raises issue over potential US designation as 'sensitive country': FM
South Korea has been informally told that the US Department of Energy (DOE) was considering categorizing it as a "sensitive country" and has since raised the issue with the department, Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said Tuesday. Cho made the remarks during a parliamentary session amid signs that the DOE, which oversees energy and nuclear policies, is reviewing the possibility of placing South Korea on its sensitive country list. If placed, researchers from countries on the list undergo more strin
March 11, 2025 -
Samsung Electronics' investment in R&D, facility hits record high in 2024
Samsung Electronics Co. said Tuesday it made its largest-ever investment in research and development (R&D) and facility expansion last year. The tech giant spent about 35 trillion won (US$24.09 billion) on R&D projects in 2024, up 23.5 percent from a year earlier, according to its business report released in the day. The 2024 figure marked the greatest R&D investment Samsung has ever made. The total facility investment rose by 500 billion won on-year to come to 53.6 trillion won in 2024, also an
March 11, 2025 -
Police to disclose identity of teacher accused of fatally stabbing student
Police said Tuesday they decided to disclose the identity of the teacher this week accused of stabbing an 8-year-old student to death at an elementary school in the central city of Daejeon. The female teacher in her 40s confessed to stabbing the student after the girl was found with stab wounds in a school building on Feb. 10. The girl was later pronounced dead at a hospital due to excessive bleeding. The Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency decided to disclose the suspect's name, age and photos o
March 11, 2025 -
Kia denies responsibility for anti-Musk ad
South Korean automaker Kia told AFP on Tuesday it had not approved an advertising campaign that featured one of its electric vehicles with a bumper sticker denigrating rival Tesla owner Elon Musk. The advertisement, posted last month on the social media accounts of Kia Norway, features the company's entry-level electric car, the EV3, with a bumper sticker saying: "I bought this after Elon went crazy." The sticker appears to riff on a viral trend of Tesla owners, unhappy with the world's richest
March 11, 2025 -
LG weighs response to US proposed TV tariffs
LG Electronics is grappling with anticipated tariffs from the administration of US President Donald Trump on imported televisions. However, building a new manufacturing facility in the US immediately would be challenging due to logistical hurdles, an official said Tuesday. Baik Sun-pil, the LG Electronics vice president leading the company’s TV product planning division, made the remarks as the company unveiled its 2025 lineup of organic light-emitting diode and quantum nanocell-emitting diode T
March 11, 2025 -
Billions at stake: Trump’s CHIPS Act repeal plan worries Korean chipmakers
Prolonged political turmoil leaves Korean firms without US negotiating power South Korean chipmakers are in a tough spot as US President Donald Trump threatens to revoke the federal subsidies pledged to them for building advanced semiconductor production facilities in the US, escalating his attacks on his predecessor’s chip support program. Although some view Trump’s remarks as political posturing aimed at pressuring chipmakers to invest more, companies that have already committed tens of billio
March 9, 2025 -
Samsung's robotics push gets traction with final nod for Rainbow Robotics
Samsung Electronics has received final approval from South Korea's antitrust regulator to acquire Rainbow Robotics, paving the way for the tech giant to expand its robotics business to humanoid robots. The Fair Trade Commission approved Samsung's acquisition of a controlling stake in Rainbow Robotics on Wednesday, concluding that the merger poses minimal concerns regarding market competition. “With the approval, we will accelerate the development of future robots, including advanced intelligent
March 7, 2025