The Korea International Trade Association’s open innovation venue Startup Branch is becoming a mecca for innovative growth among local and global firms. According to KITA, it has been 500 days since the venue opened. Startup Branch was set up at Coex in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul, in June last year to create a domestic startup ecosystem and encourage global scale-ups. Since that time, leading local and foreign companies and startups have visited the venue and held about 400 large-sca

Daimler Trucks Korea said Tuesday that it is successfully running an exhibition and test-drive event for Mercedes-Benz’s new Actros, launched last month. Presented via a digital launching event Sept. 10, the new Actros has grabbed the attention of truck drivers and Mercedes-Benz customers for its newest technological functions, the automaker said. The fifth-generation Actros is equipped with five innovative functions, the company said: the MirrorCam, Active Drive Assist, Active Brake A

SK Engineering & Construction opened a new fuel cell manufacturing plant in the city of Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, on Tuesday. The facility for the joint venture with US fuel cell company Bloom Energy 2020, known as Bloom SK Fuel Cell, comes as part of the company’s yearslong efforts to locally produce solid oxide fuel cells. The annual generating capacity of the factory is projected at 50 megawatts in 2021 with plans to grow to up to 400 megawatts by 2027. By Yim Hyun-su (hyu

To address mounting used-up batteries, major firms team up to create new business models by reusing them

Special-purpose company Incheon Global City has announced plans for the second phase of its project to build an apartment block for South Koreans based in the US. The plan will see the company sign a contract with Posco Engineering & Construction later this month and see construction begin in December, with its completion scheduled for April 2025. Those eligible for the newly constructed apartment subscription will be allotted apartments through a draw in November before signing deals the

South Korean chipmaker buys Intel’s NAND business for $9b in biggest M&A since 2016

NCSoft is gearing up to enter the fast-growing global console gaming market with its first console title “Fuser,” a DJ rhythm game set for release on Nov. 10. According to the South Korean game company Tuesday, its North American subsidiary NC West will release Fuser for both on PC and three major console platforms -- PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch -- in North America and Europe. NCSoft says its playlist will distinguish Fuser from other rhythm games. While previo

Hanwha Q Cells said Tuesday that it has joined hands with Korea Western Power to launch solar power projects in Spain with a total capacity of 150 megawatts. According to South Korea’s leading solar cell and module maker, it signed a memorandum of understanding with Kowepo at Plaza Seoul Hotel on Monday agreeing to cooperate on the projects. In September last year, Hanwha Q Cells purchased the business rights from Spanish firm Hive to its 200-megawatt solar power projects. Under the a

Drug Ministry moves to cancel license of Coretox and Meditoxin 200 unit for illegally trading in China

Line Corp. announced Tuesday that the company has launched messenger-based banking platform Line BK in Thailand, together with one of the largest banks in the nation. The platform will be operated by joint venture Kasikorn Line, forged by Line Corporation’s subsidiary Line Financial Asia and Thai bank Kasikornbank’s subsidiary Kasikorn Vision Company Limited. Line BK is Line Corporation’s first-ever banking service that allows messenger users to easily transfer money, manag

Oriental Brewery has released a series of goods for beer brands OB Lager, Stella Artois and Budweiser to drive up sales, as interest in drinking-related items grows amid the current pandemic. The brewing company launched an online store dedicated to goods inspired by its long-running mascot Lala Bear last month, including a glass set, a coaster set and a tube-type ice bucket. Stella, a Belgian beer sold by OB, has released a camphor cutting board that can also be used as a plate, while Budweis

SK Telecom, one of South Korea‘s leading telecommunications firms, announced Tuesday that the company would begin the global expansion of its virtual and augmented reality service, starting with Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, SKT has partnered with Hong Kong‘s top telecommunications firm PCCW Group, the company announced during an online conference held Tuesday. The two firms will invest in creating AR and VR content too, which will be available via SKT’s virtual and augmented rea

Hyundai Motor Co. said Tuesday its brand value was ranked fifth among global automakers on its efforts to evolve into a future mobility solutions provider. Hyundai Motor's brand value rose 1 percent to $14.3 billion in 2020 from $14.1 billion a year earlier, the company said, citing global brand consulting firm Interbrand's top 100 brand rankings for this year. Hyundai Motor's brand value ranking was up one notch from the prior year, and it marks the first time for South Korea's leading automa

Samsung Electronics Co., the world's leading maker of smartphones and memory chips, said Tuesday its brand value was ranked fifth in the world this year for the first time. Samsung moved up to fifth most-valuable global brand this year with a record value of $62.3 billion, up 2 percent from last year's $61.1 billion, according to Interbrand's latest top 100 best global brands list. This is the first time Samsung ascended to the list of the global top five after initial evaluation of its brand

GC Wellbeing has finished injection of its novel drug pipeline GCWB204 in European clinical phase 2 trial, the company said Tuesday. By the first half of 2021, GC Wellbeing will learn the scope of the drug’s effects and engage in negotiations for licensing it out, it added. GCBWB204 is a novel drug candidate for cancer cachexia, which is a nutritional imbalance in cancer patients that causes muscular atrophy and metabolic disorders. This medical condition can be caused by cancer itself,