Hyundai, Kia seek to boost presence in China market

Hyundai Motor Group on Wednesday unveiled a slew of new vehicles at the 2024 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, ramping up efforts to boost its sluggish presence in the world's largest automotive market. At the Beijing Auto Show, one of the biggest motor shows that has returned in-person after four years, all three brands of the Korean auto giant -- Hyundai Motor, Kia and Genesis -- promised to introduce electric vehicles tailored for Chinese customers. Unveiling the Ioniq 5 N hig

April 25, 2024

SK hynix profits soar on AI chip boom

SK hynix, the world's second-largest memory chip maker, said Thursday it has returned to profit, thanks to its leadership in advanced memory chips critical to generative artificial intelligence tools, recovering from a long slump in the memory market. The company reported a quarterly operating income of 2.89 trillion won ($2.10 billion) for the January-March period, compared with a loss of 3.4 trillion won marked a year ago. The figure is far higher than the consensus of 1.86 trillion won b

April 25, 2024

SK hynix pledges W20tr to ramp up DRAM production at home

SK hynix, the world's second-largest memory chip maker, said Wednesday it will expand the production capacity of next-generation DRAM, including High Bandwidth Memory, which is critical to generative artificial intelligence tools, in response to rapidly increasing demand for AI chips. The decision came as the board of directors approved the plan during a meeting held later in the day to build the M15X fab in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, for a new DRAM production site, according to

April 24, 2024

Korea’s homegrown nanosatellite successfully launches into space

South Korea launched its first homegrown earth observation nanosatellite into orbit as part of the country’s project to create a satellite constellation by 2027, the Science Ministry said Wednesday. The Earth observation satellite, named NEONSAT-1, lifted off aboard Rocket Lab's Electron rocket from a spaceport in Mahia, New Zealand. The Ministry of Science and ICT said the satellite was deployed into space at an altitude of 520 kilometers and successfully separated from the launch ve

April 24, 2024

Korean robot startup aims to transform human walking

South Korean robotics startup WIRobotics aims to transform the walking experience via its award-winning wearable robot WIM, made lighter and more convenient for everyday use, the company's chief said Wednesday. "We believe humans will be able to enhance walking and physical abilities with the assistance of the interactive robotics technology, and have thought wearable robots will be optimal," WIRobotics CEO and Chief Technology Officer Kim Yong-jae said at the press conference in

April 24, 2024

Samsung starts production of 290-layer V-NAND chips

Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest memory chip maker, said Tuesday it kicked off the mass production of its one-terabit triple-level cell vertical NAND, or V-NAND, which is about 50 percent denser and 10 percent more energy efficient than its predecessor that launched in 2022. “We are excited to deliver the industry’s first 9th-gen V-NAND which will take future applications leaps forward. To address the evolving needs for NAND flash solutions, Samsung has pushed the bou

April 23, 2024

LG Innotek earns Edison silver for mobile zoom camera

LG Innotek has clinched a silver Edison Award for its ultra-thin optical telephoto zoom camera module for smartphones, marking its second consecutive Edison win, the company said Sunday. The module, which allows for 3x to 5x magnification, brings what the company describes as near-DSLR-quality optical zoom in a single compact unit. First commercialized in 2022, this innovation enhances image quality and spares internal device space for other components. The core of this technology is the Zoom Ac

April 21, 2024

LG CNS teams up with Yonsei University to nurture AI specialists

South Korean IT solutions provider LG CNS announced Friday that it has partnered with Yonsei University to establish a new Master's degree program dedicated to nurturing intelligent data and optimization specialists. During the signing ceremony on Thursday, LG CNS Chief Executive Officer Hyun Shin-gyoon and Yonsei University President Yoon Dong-sup agreed on creating the Department of Intelligent Data and Optimization at Yonsei University. “We will focus on nurturing DX specialists wh

April 19, 2024

SK hynix joins with TSMC to produce High Bandwidth Memory 4

SK hynix is joining hands with TSMC, the world’s top foundry, to develop High Bandwidth Memory 4 and cutting-edge packaging technology, the company said on Friday. Under the partnership agreement, the two sides plan to proceed with the development of HBM4, the sixth-generation model of the advanced memory chip, and enhance logic and HBM integration through advanced packaging technology, SK hynix said. "We expect a strong partnership with TSMC to help accelerate our efforts for open co

April 19, 2024

SK hynix chief underscores chip cooperation between Korea, US

SK hynix Chief Executive Officer Kwak Noh-jung underscored the importance of cooperation between South Korea and the US, warning that it is "dangerous" to concentrate semiconductor supply chains in any one region, during his visit to Washington. Speaking at the “Chips for America: Execute for Global Success” forum on Wednesday, Kwak also noted that SK hynix is working to develop highly advanced technologies to meet the growing needs in the artificial intelligence market. Th

April 18, 2024

[Contribution] Building a better future with Africa

By Ko Kwang-hyo What image comes to your mind first when you think of Africa? Many might envision the vast Serengeti Plain with lions and zebras -- a portrayal popularized by countless media depictions. Yet, this is merely a fragment of the continent’s rich tapestry. Today’s Africa, bolstered by advancements in technology and communication, remains interconnected with the global community. Africa, the world's second-largest continent, is home to 55 diverse nations, boasting a

April 17, 2024

Samsung develops fastest DRAM chip optimzied for ondevice AI

Samsung Electronics, the world's top memory chip maker by revenue, has developed the industry's fastest LPDDR5X memory chip optimized for on-device artificial intelligence applications, the company said Wednesday. The new Low Power Double Data Rate 5X manifests the highest performance of up to 10.7 gigabits-per-second and is the smallest in size among existing products leveraging the 12-nanometer-class process technology, the company said. The speed is equal to sending about 20 4-gigab

April 17, 2024

Samsung CEO bets big on connectivity to take on Apple

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman and co-CEO Han Jong-hee said its home appliance division, backed by enhanced connectivity with mobile devices, will enjoy its heyday in the second half of this year, showing confidence in the competition with its powerful rival Apple. “We may not yet be the No. 1 player in the home appliance sector. But if we can offer more enhanced connectivity, based on our leadership in TVs and smartphones, consumers will respond positively,” Han said at a press c

April 17, 2024

LG sets W1tr sales goal for built-in appliances by 2027

LG Electronics unveiled the ambitious target of 1 trillion won ($722 million) in sales solely from built-in appliances by 2027 at this year’s Milan Design Week, one of the largest international design and furniture exhibitions. “Within three years, we will be able to make our built-in (appliance) business worth trillions and turn it into another growth engine,” Lyu Jae-cheol, head of LG Electronics' home appliance and air solutions division, told a group of local reporters

April 17, 2024

SK hynix sees 30% surge in market cap in Q1

South Korea’s total market cap increased by nearly 100 trillion won ($72 billion) during the first quarter of this year, backed by jumps in stock prices in key industries, including semiconductors, data showed Tuesday. According to a report from local corporate tracker Korea CXO Institute, the combined market cap of 2,692 local firms jumped 96 trillion won during the January-March period to reach 2,599 trillion won. The figures exclude the value of preferred shares. The number of stocks wi

April 16, 2024

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 produ

April 15, 2024

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 u

April 15, 2024

LG Uplus chief woos 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, in

April 15, 2024

Kakao joins AI Alliance, promotes safe, responsible AI

Korean IT giant Kakao joined AI Alliance, the global open-source community dedicated to the responsible development of artificial intelligence, becoming the first Korean firm to do so, the company said Friday. “We will work together with the AI Alliance to establish an open AI ecosystem meeting the global standard for the open, responsible and safe development of AI technology,” Kakao AI Safety Leader Kim Kyung-hoon said. “We will take on the social responsibility as a digital

April 12, 2024

SK hynix exec pins high hopes on new US packaging plant

With the advances in artificial intelligence, there is a growing demand for cutting-edge memory chips. As the technology environment has evolved, SK hynix vice president expressed his ambition to contribute to the development of the highest-performance memory products through advanced packaging technologies. “Package and test (P&T) technology is turning into a crucial factor in the battle for semiconductor leadership,” Choi Woo-jin, vice president in charge of SK hynix’s pa

April 11, 2024