HD Hyundai Marine Solution secures W3b stake in AI startup

HD Hyundai Marine Solution, a ship maintenance unit affiliated with Korean shipbuilding giant HD Hyundai, has joined hands with logistics solutions provider SeaVantage, aiming to advance its maritime transport network, the company announced Sunday. HD Hyundai Marine Solution said it signed a deal with SeaVantage, agreeing to strategically invest in the startup by acquiring a 3 billion won ($2.17 million) stake in the company. Lee Ki-dong, CEO of HD Hyundai Marine Solution, Song Hyung-jin, founde

EconomyJuly 14, 2024

LG Energy Solution’s AI model to expedite battery cell design

LG Energy Solution said Sunday that it has developed an artificial intelligence solution to substantially shorten the battery cell design period from two weeks to just one day. This significant leap in the initial stage of battery production leverages generative AI techniques to output battery cell designs from clients' specific requirement input. Harnessing the proprietary battery design algorithm, which uses data from approximately 100,000 design cases, the AI model ensures optimal cell

MobilityJuly 14, 2024

Samsung chief renews commitment to India

Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong inspected Indian operations in Mumbai over the weekend, following his attendance at the wedding of Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, according to the Korean tech giant Sunday. “Let’s make history with a fierce competitive spirit and urgency,” Lee was quoted as saying during his meeting with local employees. His four-day visit to India comes as Samsung is pouring resources into the market to se

IndustryJuly 14, 2024

S. Korea's average export price of cars hits record high in H1

The average price of South Korean automobiles shipped overseas hit a new record high in the first half of 2024, data showed Sunday, following the growing demand for premium models. According to data compiled by the Korea Automobile & Mobility Association, the average price of car exports reached $25,224 over the January-June period, up 0.5 percent from $25,079 recorded a year earlier. The increase came amid growing demand for eco-friendly models, as well as SUVs and commercial cars, which ty

EconomyJuly 14, 2024

Hyundai Motor union secures wage deal without strike for 6th consecutive year

Hyundai Motor Company's labor and management have concluded their wage negotiations without a strike for the sixth year in a row, agreeing on the highest wage increase in the company's history. The union said Saturday its members have voted to accept a tentative wage deal reached earlier in the week. Under the agreement, Hyundai will increase workers' basic monthly pay by 4.65 percent, or 111,200 won ($81), and give a one-off performance-based bonus equivalent to 500 percent of

CompaniesJuly 13, 2024

Coupang denies speculations of buying Homeplus Express

South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang said Friday it is not considering acquiring a part of Homeplus, a supermarket chain grappling with poor performance in recent years. The announcement was made in response to local media reports suggesting that Coupang plans to acquire Homeplus Express from MBK Partners, the private equity fund that owns Homeplus. Homeplus' supermarket business comes in two types: Homeplus, a large discount store, and Homeplus Express, a smaller hypermarket. Homeplus o

CompaniesJuly 12, 2024

GS E&C sets new vision centering on innovation, trust building

GS Engineering & Construction unveiled Friday a new vision and six core values to foster ongoing growth and enhance employee integration. GS E&C CEO Huh Yoon-hong announced the company's new slogan: "Perfecting a safer today, forging a brighter tomorrow: with transparent trust and relentless innovation, we create a better future for all," to the builder's employees via an intranet video. The company aims to transcend traditional construction, aspiring to become an org

IndustryJuly 12, 2024

Seoul shares snap 3-day rise on profit-taking

Seoul shares closed lower Friday, snapping a rise for three consecutive sessions, as investors cashed in profits after the US market finished bearish despite slowing inflation data. The local currency fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 34.35 points, or 1.19 percent, to 2,857. Trade volume was heavy at 399 million shares worth 13.7 trillion won ($9.93 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 430 to 426. Foreigners sold a net 549 billion won, while i

MarketJuly 12, 2024

[Photo News] Kia electrifies Paju with Wible Biz

Starting Monday, Kia will operate its electric vehicle-sharing service, "Wible Biz," in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. The eco-friendly subscription service enables companies or organizations to rent an electric vehicle during designated business hours on weekdays, while individuals can drive them to commute to work or during weekends. With the service launch, Paju City government officials will use 10 Kia Niro EV vehicles. Other city governments currently subscribed to the service include

MobilityJuly 12, 2024

Doosan Group realigns business structure to maximize synergy

South Korean conglomerate Doosan Group has decided to shake up its business structure to focus on clean energy and smart machine sectors to maximize synergy between it’s affiliates. According to Doosan’s regulatory filing Thursday, Doosan Bobcat, a compact equipment and industrial vehicle builder, will undergo a spin-off merger process to become a 100 percent-owned subsidiary of Doosan Robotics. Doosan Enerbility, which currently owns a 46 percent stake in Doosan Bobcat, will split i

CompaniesJuly 12, 2024

Daewoo E&C launches multilingual safety videos for foreign workers

Daewoo Engineering & Construction said Friday that it released a set of multi-language videos to provide safety and health guidelines to foreign workers at its construction sites. The videos were created in the languages of the top 10 countries from which foreign workers are recruited, including China, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Mongolia, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and Indonesia, as well as in English. The company expects these multilingual resources will enhance site efficien

IndustryJuly 12, 2024

Samsung invests in US DNA-sequencing biotech Element Biosciences

Samsung Electronics took part in a $277 million Series D investment for Element Bioscience, a US-based DNA analysis equipment company, to expand its footing in the medical device market, the company said Friday. Element Biosciences, established in 2017 in San Diego, is a life science company that developed the disruptive DNA sequencing and multi-omics technology that boasts the industry's "top level" accuracy for research markets, Samsung said. According to the bioscience firm, th

IndustryJuly 12, 2024

Kakao Bank donates W1b to tackle global climate crisis

Kakao Bank announced Friday that it is donating 1 billion won ($726,000) to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund to aid in tackling the global climate crisis and supporting future generations. The internet-only bank and the Korean Committee for UNICEF conducted a ceremony Thursday to deliver the donation. Kakao Bank CEO Yun Ho-young and Cho Mi-jin, Secretary General of the Korean Committee for UNICEF, attended the event. The donation will fund programs to address and a

IndustryJuly 12, 2024

Seoul shares open lower as US tech shares tumble

Seoul shares opened lower Friday, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street after investors cashed in profits from major tech shares despite signs of cooling US inflation. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 23.8 points, or 0.82 percent, to 2,867.55 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite plunged 1.95 percent, and the S&P 500 dipped 0.88 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, on the other hand, increased 0.08 percent. The US inflatio

MarketJuly 12, 2024

South Korea faces existential issue: OECD

The South Korean economy is poised to continue its recovery in the latter half of this year, yet the country must address its "existential issue," which stems from problems such as low productivity, a declining population and climate change, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said Thursday. "We publish surveys every two years, but this one is about an existential issue for Korea," said Vincent Koen, the OECD's country studies division chief in the

EconomyJuly 11, 2024

Genesis to launch GV60 Magma in Korea next year

Genesis will launch the GV60 Magma, a high-performance electric compact crossover sports utility vehicle, in Korea next year to mark the first Magma model to undergo mass production, Hyundai Motor Group's luxury auto brand announced at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed in England's Chichester on Thursday. According to the automaker, the sales of the GV60 Magma are expected to begin during the third quarter of next year in Korea and follow in Europe in the fourth quarter. The company

MobilityJuly 11, 2024

Asiana Airlines unions ramp up opposition to Korean Air merger

Unionized workers of Asiana Airlines reiterated Thursday their opposition to a merger with the nation’s largest air carrier Korean Air, expressing their intention to block further procedures by all means. Asiana Airlines' labor unions urged the air carrier's main creditor Korea Development Bank and the European Commission, the EU's antitrust regulator which gave conditional approval on the merger, to review the deal from the ground up. The possible future actions that Asiana

IndustryJuly 11, 2024

[Gadget Review] Galaxy Z Flip6, Fold6 bring AI tech to palm of your hand

Samsung Electronics’ latest foldable phones -- the Galaxy Z Flip6 and Z Fold6 -- were unveiled at the summer edition of the Galaxy Unpacked 2024 event in Paris on Wednesday, surprising the audience with slimmer and lighter designs. The Korea Herald had a chance to try out the new foldable lineup the day after the unveiling event in Korea. The tech giant’s first artificial intelligence-powered foldable phones are easy to hold and fun to play with, but the more you use them, the more t

TechnologyJuly 11, 2024

Seoul shares up for 3rd day ahead of US inflation data

Seoul shares closed higher Thursday to extend their winning streak to a third day as investors also wait for the US inflation data. The local currency gained against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 23.36 points, or 0.81 percent, to 2,891.35. Trade volume was moderate at 453 million shares worth 14.4 trillion won ($10.4 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 438 to 414. Foreigners bought a net 606 billion won, while individuals sold a net 351 billion won.

MarketJuly 11, 2024

BOK maintains key rate at 3.5% but hints at cut

The Bank of Korea kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged for the 12th consecutive time Thursday, while hinting at a future rate cut if the current path of disinflation continues. The central bank has maintained the rate at 3.5 percent for over one and half years, since the rate-setting decision made in January 2023. This is the longest rate freeze ever, surpassing the previous 17-month record in 2016-2017. All six members of the monetary policy board, excluding BOK Gov. Rhee Chang-yong, agre

EconomyJuly 11, 2024