LG Innotek said Tuesday it has developed a cutting-edge direct-heating camera module designed for autonomous vehicles, which can quickly remove frost and snow from the lens. The latest module is an optimized version of the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems cameras, equipped with a heater to promote safe autonomous driving, especially during extremely cold weather conditions. An increasing number of automakers consider direct-heating cameras essential products for ensuring safe driving, as obstr

Even those unfamiliar with the world's largest electric vehicle maker BYD Auto may have noticed their commercial electric buses that have been navigating city streets in Korea since 2017. Now the Chinese automaker, known for its exceptional affordability, is reportedly entering the broader consumer Korean EV market in the latter half of this year by introducing the Dolphin hatchback, Atto 3 compact crossover, and Seal midsize sedan electric vehicles. They are currently undergoing a performance e

Four budget carriers may compete for pricey deal with high upfront costs

SK Telecom said Tuesday that it has jointly released a technical white paper with Japan's No. 1 mobile operator, NTT Docomo, for the adoption of the virtualized Radio Access Network. The joint white paper, titled “Key Considerations for vRAN,” marks two years of cooperation on the metaverse, mobile network infrastructure and media business since the two companies signed a memorandum of understanding in November 2022. VRAN, a technology that incorporates various network functions

Starbucks Korea on Tuesday said more than 400 employees have successfully attained their bachelor's degrees through a tuition assistance program in collaboration with Hanyang Cyber University. In the fall of 2016, Starbucks Korea signed a partnership with Hanyang Cyber University, under which the specialty coffee chain pledged to cover the tuition fees for employees pursuing their first bachelor's degree. Employees are given the freedom to choose their majors independent of their work

Samsung Electronics has opened a brand experience space at the Plaza de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain, ahead of the upcoming MWC Barcelona 2024, the telecom industry's largest annual gathering, which kicks off Monday next week. Visitors can experience the tech giant’s latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S24 series, alongside diverse Galaxy AI features, until Feb. 29. (Samsung Electronics)

South Korean internet giant Naver is pushing to have its online comics operator Webtoon Entertainment go public on the US Nasdaq as early as June, according to a recent Bloomberg report. Webtoon Entertainment is the head office for the online comics business Naver Webtoon, and has been based in Los Angeles since May 2020. The firm, with a 71.2 percent stake owned by Naver, manages the overall online comics operations and the content platform business. While there has been talk that the online co

Eight out of ten construction firms here said they are experiencing difficulties in paying debt interest, according to a local survey released on Monday. According to the Federation of Korean Industries' survey involving 102 construction companies among the top 500 construction firms, 76.4 percent of the respondents said they are experiencing difficulties paying debt interest with their operating profit. Only 17.7 percent said they can cover debt interest with their profits. “Not only

Samsung Display on Monday said its foldable panel for smartphones has passed the US military’s material durability test, proving its strength in withstanding the harsh conditions of operational and combat zones. According to the display maker, its 7-inch foldable panel used in the latest foldable smartphones passed the MIL-STD 810G test, which is the US Department of Defense's military standard. First developed as a certification for equipment and materials for military applications,

E-commerce giant Coupang and pharmaceutical firm Yuhan Corp. are set to join the Korea Enterprises Federation, a business lobby representing over 4,000 businesses here, according to industry sources on Monday. Some 10 firms, including Coupang, have submitted membership applications to the group, which are subject to approval from board directors and existing members at a meeting slated for Wednesday. Coupang’s decision came after three years of deliberation since its parent company, Coupan

SPC Group on Monday opened “Workshop by Baskin Robbins,” a creative research lab for the ice cream chain to study next-generation products based on artificial intelligence and other futuristic technologies. Located at the food giant’s headquarters in southern Seoul, the company said, new and more experimental products will be introduced first via the venue to gauge consumer sentiment. (SPC Group)

Questions raised over bargaining power amid lukewarm membership rate

Nongshim, the nation’s leading food maker, said Monday that its new meoktae-flavored products are becoming big sellers, building on the huge success of Meoktaekkang launched last year. Meoktae is an Alaska pollack that has been processed through freezing and drying and it is favored as a side dish for beer or soju here. Nongshim first launched the fish-flavored salty snack, Meoktaekkang, which became an immediate success selling 15 million bags since its debut in June last year. Buoyed by

Cho Jeong-lae (right), the president director of KB Insurance Indonesia, places a safety helmet on a student at the Sinar Cahaya Kasih school in South Jakarta, Indonesia, during a donation ceremony Friday. KB Insurance said it will distribute 1,000 helmets to underprivileged children and adolescents in Indonesia to promote road safety. (KB Insurance)

South Korean pharmaceutical giant Daewoong Pharmaceutical said Monday that it has completed a new drug development system that secures drug candidates based on artificial intelligence technology. It created a collection of 800 million preprocessed molecular models, called Daewoong Advanced Virtual Database, or DAVID, and a separate AI system, called Daewoong AI System, or DAVIS, to nurture new drug candidates throughout the preclinical, clinical and commercialization phases. Daewoong said the ex