South Korea’s top mobile messenger app operator Kakao said Monday it has suspended sales of its highly sought-after emoji, amid plagiarism allegations by a Japanese developer. According to the firm, its “DDingdongs Day” emoji is no longer available on its Kakao Talk app store. After it was launched last year, the emoji gained popularity after some K-pop fans spotted popular boy band BTS members using it. Japanese developer Yuki Kanai has claimed that Kakao’s emoji plagiar

South Korean food chain operator SF Innovation is officially launching its Korean food brand School Food in Hong Kong by opening a store in Tseung Kwan O, the company said Monday.  The new store, the third of its kind in Hong Kong, will be located in Metro City Plaza and will showcase the grab-and-go food concept. Metro City Plaza is one of the largest shopping centers in the Tseung Kwan O area, run by Hong Kong’s real estate group Henderson Group.The company said it aims to offe

SEJONG -- Earlier this year, South Korea pledged to foster “smart harbors” across the country as part of a move in a variety of sectors preparing for the coming era of the “fourth industrial revolution.”The futuristic harbors will likely be equipped with state-of-the-art technologies such as artificial intelligence, the internet of things and robotics, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.Officials said the project’s focus will be 31 harbors designated

Philips Korea, the local unit of Dutch health care giant Philips, said Monday it has been providing a digital pathology system that aids diagnosis of cancer for the Catholic University of Korea’s St. Mary’s Hospital since last month. The system, dubbed “Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution,” allows the hospital’s pathology team to obtain accurate diagnosis results through a digitalized method. The team is able to manage patients’ tissue slides in the fo

Samsung Electronics Co. said Monday it will release its Galaxy M20, a low-end smartphone, in South Korea to target budget costumers.The Galaxy M20 will go on sale via Samsung's online mall and other e-commerce marketplaces, including Gmarket and Auction, for 220,000 won ($187.30) on July 15.  Ahead of its official launch, the unlocked smartphone will be sold on the local fashion online shopping mall Musinsa, Samsung said. The device has a 6.3-inch display with a minimum bezel and packs a du

The Korea Electric Power Corp. plans to sell stakes in its two affiliates, officials at the state-run utility company said Monday, in a bid to improve its financial status.The two affiliates are KEPCO Engineering & Construction Co. and Korea Electric Power Industrial Development.  In a report submitted to the US Securities and Exchange Commission in April, KEPCO said it plans to sell a 14.77 percent stake in KEPCO E&C and all of its shares in KEPID to pay off debts and enhance manag

LG Household & Health Care, an affiliate of LG Group that manufactures cosmetics and household goods, has considered acquiring South Korean botulinum toxin maker Hugel as part of efforts to expand its “cosmeceutical” business, sources told The Korea Herald on Sunday. The LG affiliate was seeking financial investors early this year to acquire the domestic biopharmaceutical firm, which is developing patch-type BTX, an innovative alternative to the conventional injection form of the

Amid intensifying fears over Japan’s retaliatory moves against Korea, leaders of major South Korean conglomerates were invited to a private meeting with top policymakers on Sunday to discuss countermeasures, according to reports. Economy and Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki and Kim Sang-jo, presidential chief of staff for policy, were to meet Hyundai Motor Executive Vice Chairman Chung Euisun, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and LG Group Chairman Koo Gwang-mo, Yonhap News Agency reported, citin

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong traveled to Japan on Sunday, apparently to meet with local business leaders and discuss Seoul's response to Tokyo's retaliatory limits on exports of high-tech materials.Japan said last week it would tighten regulations on exports of materials used in chips and smartphone displays to South Korea amid a widening dispute over Koreans who were forced to work for Japanese companies during World War II. Samsung Electronics and other chipmakers are experie

Hyundai Engineering & Construction has successfully launched Caisson 227, a structure the size of a 12-story building that will play a critical role in Singapore’s Tuas Finger 3 reclamation project, the company said Sunday.A caisson is a hollow concrete structure that is used in the foundation of a bridge, breakwater or wharf. The 29-meter Caisson 227 will have its own 20,000-ton floating dock, increasing construction efficiency, Hyundai E&C said.The launch of Caisson 227 signals m

South Korea ranked 12th out of 205 countries in terms of gross domestic product in 2018, maintaining its spot from a year earlier, the World Bank said Sunday. The country’s gross national income, or earnings per person, came in at No. 30 in the world. The World Bank data showed Korea’s GDP in the cited period amounted to $1.6 trillion.  Korea had ranked 14th between 2009 and 2013 before climbing a notch to No. 13 in 2015 and reaching No. 11 in 2015 and 2016. The country then sli

Solar firms grapple with supply glut in global market, heavy residential backlash

The South Korean government has embarked on a 160 billion won ($136 million) project to develop disruptive technologies, including technologies to produce electric vehicles capable of traveling more than 600 kilometers after just one minute of charging, officials said Sunday.The seven-year project, called “Alchemist,” is a follow-up to the “manufacturing renaissance” vision and strategy announced by the Industry Ministry in June. It will cover six categories of products,

McKinsey suggests CEOs be more innovative to incorporate digital technology

Delisting decision to be made no later than July 26