Amid growing efforts to reinforce the domestic chip materials, parts and equipment industry by relying less on Japanese imports, South Korean chipmaker SK hynix said Tuesday it will support three new partner firms and co-develop products for the next two years. The memory chip manufacturer said it has selected Semics, LKN and Evertech Enterprise as innovative tech firms and has signed agreements at its headquarters in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province. “Despite the difficulty that we are end

Hyundai Motor on Tuesday rolled out a face-lifted version of its signature midsized sport utility vehicle Santa Fe, which has been built on a new platform. The new Santa Fe is a refreshed version of the fourth-generation model that was launched in 2018.  The model has gone through drastic exterior and interior design changes, including the T-shape Daytime Running Light and a wide radiator grille which has been designed under a concept “Eagle’s eye,” according to the aut

South Korean smartphone users' connection to 5G network services is far lower than expected, with 5G users only able to use the fastest network 15 percent of the time, a report showed Tuesday. South Korea, the first country around the globe to commercially launch a 5G mobile network in April last year, currently offers 5G services in non-standalone mode, which requires support from the 4G LTE network. Currently, 5G mobile network services are limitedly available in major cities, such as Seoul.

HEALTH FOOD GEUMSAN BLACK GINSENG SPECIALTY When Geumsan Black Ginseng Specialty started out in 2012, it only had two employees. However, despite its humble beginnings, the headcount now stands at 27, with its revenue spiking to 4.3 billion won ($3.5 million) last year from 150 million won in 2015 thanks to its flagship product “Geumheuk.” Geumheuk Korean black ginseng tonic is manufactured by a unique process that steams and dries Korean ginseng nine times. Its juice is extracte

Mercedes-Benz Korea said Tuesday it has launched the company’s latest electric vehicle model the New EQC 400 4MATIC Premium in Korea, following the first model the New EQC 400 4Matic launched in October here.  The latest model has been upgraded with the addition of a head up display function and a ventilation seat, as well as a leather interior. High-end audio brand Burmester’s surround sound system has been also added.  Mercedes-Benz’ unique infotainment system ca

CONSTRUCTION HILLSTATE (HYUNDAI E&C) Hyundai Engineering & Construction, the construction company of South Korea‘s top apartment brand Hillstate, steps ahead to take the residential experience and brand image to the next level. Hillstate is an award-winning apartment brand with high public awareness for its design, landscaping and convenience facilities that it offers its residents. The apartment brand is widely known for its smart features designed to ensure a secure, conven

Hyundai Motor Group said Tuesday it has tapped Martin Zeilinger, former head director at Daimler Trucks, to lead its research and development of commercial vehicles and hydrogen-powered electric trucks and buses.  Zeilinger will join the South Korean automaker as vice president from Wednesday. He has worked at Daimler Group for over 30 years, specializing in both engineering and advanced engineering of trucks and buses, as well as testing electric powertrains.  “I’m very

CONSUMER GOODS PAMPERS (P&G) Consumer goods manufacturer Proctor & Gamble’s baby and toddler brand Pampers has been the most preferred diaper brand among mothers in 130 countries for decades. Pampers first hit the market in 1961, after a P&G engineer Victor Mills looked into the practicality of making a better diaper for his newborn grandchild by changing the cloth diaper into a disposable one. Since then, some 3 million diapers are tested at Pampers annually to offer cust

The European Chamber of Commerce in Korea has appointed Dirk Lukat, CEO of Schenker Korea, as the new chairperson, the organization said Tuesday. Lukat is a German citizen and has been the CEO of Schenker Korea in Seoul since January 2015. He will represent the ECCK and oversee its operations and activities, effective July 1, 2020. The new leader started his career at Schenker & Co. in Frankfurt in 1986 and held management positions at DB Schenker in Singapore, Vietnam and India. Befor

COSMETICS GINKGO (CHARMZONE) Since it was launched in 1993, Ginkgo has been the flagship cleansing brand for cosmetics company Charmzone, recording the company’s highest sales for 22 consecutive years. Charmzone recently released the renewed version of the Ginkgo All New Cleansing Tissue, which is a steady seller with accumulated sales of 1.25 billion sheets as of March this year. The cleansing tissue received much attention even before its renewal, as Korean actress Jang Nara endo

Daewoo Engineering & Construction is slated to start selling apartment units of Giheung Prugio Forepiece in July, offering vicinity to capital Seoul and a peaceful life next to a park. According to Daewoo E&C Tuesday, Giheung Prugio Forepiece will offer a total of 677 households ranging from 59-84 square meters nestled right next to a 59,828-square-meter park in Giheung, Gyeonggi Province, just one bus stop away from Gangnam. When Yongin Station of GTX Line A opens in 2023, it will

WATER PURIFIER COWAY Coway’s P-150N water purifier has steadily changed Korean kitchen culture since its launch in 2010, offering ease of use and high space-efficiency. The flagship Coway built-in water purifier P-150N is designed to reflect the lifestyles of consumers who want spacious kitchens. It is easy to place even in a small space by applying a slim 15-centimeter-wide design. The body is installed under a sink or an island table and only the faucet that water comes out of is ex

KITCHEN UNTENSILS LocknLock Under the influence of COVID-19 this year, a new trend of having healthy home-cooked meals instead of eating out has spread further. In response to the trend, global household goods company LocknLock, has introduced a glass container for rice, called “Barohanki,” to propose a way of enjoying simple but healthy meals at home. The Barohanki container allows users to store rice in small amounts equivalent to a single portion. Users can store it in thei

Less than expected percentages of young Koreans are found to be willing to work on their own or for companies, showed data by Korea Entrepreneurship Foundation on Monday. The foundation conducted a survey on 12,004 individuals and 3,085 companies last year to measure entrepreneurship of Koreans by age group. Some 12.8 percent of the respondents in their 20s said they had plans to work or establish startups, a figure lower than expected. The remaining 87.2 percent said no to the same quest

Korea Aerospace Industries Co. (KAI), South Korea's sole aircraft manufacturer, said Tuesday it has received a 688 billion-won ($575 million) order to supply trainer jets for South Korea's Air Force by 2024. KAI signed the deal with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration to manufacture a total of 20 TA-50 lead-in fighter aircraft for radar tactical and combat mission training, the company said in a statement. KAI has exported a total of 148 trainer jets worth $3.1 billion -- 64 T-50 a