Online game developer NCSoft plans to spend a whopping 60 billion won ($51 million) for dividend payouts to shareholders.The company said in its regulatory filing Wednesday that it would pay its shareholders a cash dividend of 2,747 won per share, which amounts to 60 billion won. Around 219 million shares are eligible for dividend payment. Kim Taek-jin, CEO of NCSoft, speaks on the firm`s plan for mobile games next year in Seoul on Wednesday. (Yonhap)The firm’s dividend payout this year is 12 pe

In the global tech scene, Chinese upstarts armed with price competitiveness and aggressive marketing are a growing force, often posing a challenge to the traditional, bigger and more technologically advanced players. And in their push to go global, these companies are not shying away from Korea, the home turf of Samsung and LG. Xiaomi, the Chinese smartphone-maker often mocked as a copycat of U.S.-based Apple, has recently joined hands with Qualcomm to share patented mobile network technologies,

COMMUNICATION BETWEEN OBJECTS -- SK Telecom said Wednesday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with network equipment maker Nokia to jointly research and develop a network technology, called the narrow band Long-Term Evolution, which allows low power machine-to-machine communication. (SKT) COMMUNICATION BETWEEN OBJECTS -- SK Telecom said Wednesday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with network equipment maker Nokia to jointly research and develop a network technology,

Chinese network equipment firm Huawei launched its budget smartphone, dubbed the X3, in Korea more than a year ago, but has struggled to secure customers in a market dominated by Samsung, Apple and LG.Huawei Korea chief executive Kelvin Ding, however, is “not disappointed.” At a press conference in Seoul on Tuesday, he stressed that the company was “doing great in other sectors,” in particular, in its strategic focus segment of the business-to-business market. “Our main focus is the B2B segment,

EXPANDING MOBILE PAYMENT SYSTEM -- Samsung Electronics said Tuesday that rechargeable public transportation cards T-Money and Cashbee are now available on its mobile payment solution Samsung Pay. (Samsung Electronics)

As part of its Internet of Things drive in China, SK Telecom, the nation’s largest telecommunications company, has formed a partnership with WASU Digital TV Media Group, one of China’s largest media businesses Monday, aimed at developing smart devices and conducting joint marketing activities for smart robots and video projectors, the company said in a press release. WASU operates media platforms for mobile and traditional paid-TV services. The state-run Chinese firm has around 1.5 billion subsc

LG Uplus, Korea’s third-largest mobile network operator, said Monday it has developed a smart monitoring system for parking lots that deploys the company’s Long-Term Evolution technology.The parking lot monitoring system utilizing the “narrow band LTE” technology allows long-distance communications between sensors installed in parking lots, smartphones and digital devices, with which users can check vacant spots and find their cars. LG Uplus staffers pose with a smart parking solution utilizing

Mobile carrier SK Telecom’s desire to increase its presence beyond the mobile network industry into the media content platform segment has sparked a backlash from its rival network operators KT and LG Uplus.SKT, which has Internet Protocol TV operator SK Broadband under its wing, has been pushing to acquire Korea’s top cable TV operator CJ Hellovision. Park Hyung-il, an executive of LG Uplus, gives a speech at a press conference last week in Seoul, opposing to SK Telecom’s proposed plan to acqui

Leading mattress-maker Simmons Bedding Company has launched a new luxury bed dubbed the Four Seasons Bed exclusively designed in collaboration with six-star hotel Four Seasons in Korea. 　The special beds, launched under so-called private brands, were designed to offer users three levels of softness to reflect the hotel’s aim to “offer customers the best sleeping experience possible,” according to Simmons.　These “private brand” beds are featured at other high-end hotels in Seoul, including the We

Noon Square, a shopping mall in the heart of Myeong-dong, Seoul’s main shopping district, is holding a holiday sales event this month.　　Discounts of up to 70 percent are offered at most global brands in the mall, including H&M, which is offering up to 50 percent off various goods until Dec. 13.　Foot Locker is presenting discounts of up to 70 percent until Dec. 31 while Charles & Keith, Raum Edition and Waylon Shop are offering 30-50 percent discounts on select items.　Meanwhile, Shoespa is handin

Starbucks has joined hands with high fashion and cosmetics brand Anna Sui to launch a special collection of mugs, water bottles, bags and card pouches in South Korea.　　The collection includes the Anna Sui Rose DW Mug, the Anna Sui Boutique DW Mug, the SS Swell Anna Sui Water Bottle, the Anna Sui Tote Bag and the Anna Sui Card.Starbucks is selling a limited run of 40,000 of its specially prepared set package — composed of a tote bag, a Starbucks gift card and a card pouch — on a first come, first

Shinsegae officially opened a new duty-free store in Incheon International Airport on Tuesday, offering some 300 brands to those traveling in and out of South Korea.　　“Shinsegae Duty Free will feature a range of new brands in a new store concept unseen among existing duty-free shops in the country,” said Shinsegae DF president Sung Young-mok.Shinsegae’s new duty-free store at Incheon International Airport (Shinsegae)　Established by Shinsegae Group after winning the duty-free operating rights to

MID-END HANDSETS WITH PREMIUM FEATURES -- Samsung Electronics unveiled its updated midrange smartphone lineup Galaxy A in Seoul Thursday. The lineup consists of three models, the A7, A5 and A3. The A7 and A5, fitted with a fingerprint sensor, support mobile payment solution Samsung Pay. (Samsung) MID-END HANDSETS WITH PREMIUM FEATURES -- Samsung Electronics unveiled its updated midrange smartphone lineup Galaxy A in Seoul Thursday. The lineup consists of three models, the A7, A5 and A3. The A7 a

  LG RECOGNIZED FOR SUPERIOR DESIGN -- LG Electronics said Thursday its premium fridge Double Magic Space had won the Compasso d’Oro Award, Italy’s highest accolade for design. The company has also won prizes for the high-end fridge at IDEA, iF and Red Dot design awards. (LGE)

Faced with the looming demise of the PC era, the world’s largest software developer, Microsoft, has been shifting its focus toward operating systems for a wider variety of devices, including smartphones and game consoles.The company has been specifically targeting tablet PCs, which are expected to replace desktops and laptops in the coming years. Jang Hong-kook, the head of Microsoft Korea’s device partner business division, delivers a speech at a press meeting in Seoul on Thursday. (MS Korea)Pa