SEJONG (Yonhap News) ― South Korea logged a trade surplus for 13 straight months in February despite the prolonged sluggish export growth affected by the global economic slump, customs data showed Thursday.According to the customs-clearance trade figures provided by the Korea Customs Service, South Korea’s exports shrank 8.6 percent on-year to $42.3 billion last month. Imports also dropped 10.6 percent to $40.3 billion.The country’s trade surplus last month, however, came to $2 billion, larger t

Asiana Airlines Inc., South Korea’s No. 2 flag carrier, has been named the best airline in fuel efficiency in the country, the government said Thursday.The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs made the announcement, citing a test by the Korea Transportation Safety Authority on the amount of greenhouse gas emissions by Asiana Airlines and five other local carriers.Asiana Airlines and Korean Air Lines as well as four other budget carriers signed a voluntary agreement with the ministry

A U.S. trade agency has once again delayed its decision on the high-profile patent war between Apple and Samsung, this time based on considerations of how much consumers and the U.S. economy would be hurt should it ban imports of Apple’s iPhones and iPads over a patent held by Samsung Electronics. The U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington was scheduled to issue a final decision in Samsung’s patent infringement case yesterday. Instead, it asked for comments on how a ban would affect t

A total of 67 percent of South Korean mobile subscribers used smartphones, surpassing usage rates in other major economies, data showed Wednesday.In a survey of 10 countries, South Korea had the highest rate of smartphone usage, surpassing China’s 66 percent and Australia’s 65 percent, according to the data from U.S. market researcher Nielsen.The figure was higher than 62 percent in Italy, 61 percent in Britain and 53 percent in the United States.South Korea also had one of the highest subscript

Samsung SDI Co. topped the global market for lithium-ion batteries for the third straight year in 2012, helped by growing demand for mobile devices, data showed Tuesday.The company shipped 1.07 billion cells last year, claiming 26 percent of the global lithium-ion battery market, according to the data by Japanese market researcher B3.One cell is generally used for batteries for smartphones or tablet PCs, while a larger number of cells are used for bigger batteries such as those for electric cars

SKC Inc., a South Korean industrial film maker, said Wednesday that it has decided to sell a stake in its Chinese polyester film plant to a Japanese maker of plastic film, as part of efforts to strengthen business cooperation.Toyobo Co. of Japan will hold a 15-percent stake in SKC High Tech Plastics Co. in China, becoming the third-largest shareholder after SKC and SKC China, the company said.SKC did not reveal the value of the deal.The PET film plant, located in the Chinese city of Nantong, Jia

Google Inc.’s software will power more tablets than Apple Inc.’s operating system for the first time this year as smaller, cheaper alternatives to the iPad gain favor with consumers, according to IDC.Devices running Google’s Android software will climb to 49 percent of the market in 2013, while Apple’s share will slip to 46 percent, IDC said in a statement Wednesday. Last year, Apple commanded 51 percent, compared with Google’s 46 percent.Machines introduced since the iPad’s debut in 2010 ― incl

Samsung Electronics Co. is making its biggest run yet at the iPhone’s U.S. loyalists, unveiling the new Galaxy S4 a few blocks from Apple Inc.’s flagship store in New York and broadcasting the event live in Times Square.The debut of Samsung’s marquee smartphone, which will be held at Radio City Music Hall tomorrow, lets Samsung bring the fight directly to Apple’s strongest market. The South Korean company is relying on an advertising blitz and cutting-edge features, potentially including a snazz

The U.S. International Trade Commission has postponed to next week its ruling on patent infringement claims filed by Samsung Electronics Co. against Apple Inc., a decision that may lead to an import ban on iPhones.The ITC was originally scheduled to rule Thursday, but said it would delay its decision until March 13, according to its website.In June 2011, Samsung Electronics filed a complaint with the U.S. government agency, claiming Apple products infringed on four of its technology patents, inc

A British court Thursday rejected a claim by Samsung Electronics that Apple stole its technology, in the latest round of a global legal battle over patents between the smartphone giants.The district court in London ruled that Samsung has no rights over technology that transfers data over the third-generation mobile network, which has been adopted by some of Apple's smartphones, according to Samsung officials.Similar lawsuits were heard in Japan, the United States and South Korea, with the Japane