[THE INVESTOR] Korea leading network operator SK Telecom has signed a memorandum of understanding with Deutsche Telekom and Ericsson to develop core technologies for the next-generation network, or 5G.Through the partnership, the three will conduct trial tests of key 5G technologies including network functions virtualization(NFV), software-defined telecommunications infrastructure(SDTI), and distributed cloud, all of which will provide optimized end-user experiences, SKT said on June 30.The Kore

[THE INVESTOR] Korea’s Defense Minister Han Min-koo said Google Maps will be allowed to offer full services in the nation only if it censors core security facilities on its digital map.Earlier this month, the US Internet giant requested permission from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to get access to South Korea’s geographical data in a bid to make its flagship online maps’ services, such as the zoomed-in view of the satellite images, fully available in Korea.It was Google’s l

[THE INVESTOR] Network operator KT said June 30 that mobile on-demand music app genie, operated by its subsidiary KT Music, received an award at the Mobile World Congress in Shanghai, an annual mobile trade show.GSMA, the organizer of the mobile trade show, evaluated mobile music apps in Asia, and KT Music’s app received top scores in a range of categories including user experience, quality of content, and technology advancement. KT Music’s virtual reality music streaming platform genie VR. KT M

[THE INVESTOR] Tech giant Samsung Electronics said June 30 that it would join a project to build a tourist complex on Jeju Island. The tech giant said it has joined hands with land developer JCC to develop a smart energy grid fitted with environmentally friendly energy management systems in the Jeju Ora Tourist Complex, which is scheduled to be built by 2021. The resort to be built on 3.6 million square meters of land by 2021 will feature 7,650-seat convention center, hotels, condos, shopping ma

[THE INVESTOR] Display maker Samsung Display is reportedly planning to sell its liquid-crystal display equipment at its L7 manufacturing line in Asan, South Chuncheong Province.“Samsung Display is currently negotiating with India-based Twinstar Display to hand over the LCD manufacturing equipment at the L7 line to Twinstar Display,” reported online news outlet iNews 24 citing an anonymous source. “The potential deal will likely involve Samsung’s technical support for the Indian company as the la

[THE INVESTOR] Chemical and battery firm LG Chem said June 29 that its “stack-and-folding battery,” has been deployed in the world’s thinnest laptop Specter made by California-based Hewlett-Packard.First unveiled in 2013, the stack-and-folding battery is made by stacking layers of battery cells, offering more leeway in designing devices.The 13.3-inch Specter laptop boasts 10.4 millimeters in thickness.The LG Chem battery equipped in HP’s laptop model is 1.6 millimeters thick, but boasts a high d

[THE INVESTOR] Tech giant Samsung Electronics said June 29 that it has developed a small-sized antenna and a power amplifier that will accelerate the research and development and commercialization of 5G network devices.The new network technologies can be applied to both 5G base stations and end-user devices which utilize 28 gigahertz millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum. The mmWave frequencies are expected to be one of the primary enablers of next-generation networks, according to Samsung.“This ach

[THE INVESTOR] Network operator SK Telecom said June 29 that a leading Chinese telecommunications firm has decided to invest in two Korean start-ups, which had participated in a start-up program run by the Korean telecom firm.SKT said the two start-ups -- Wisejet and Ezbelle -- have secured 900 million won ($769,500) of funding, respectively, from China Unicom, the second largest telecom firm in China. Jang Dong-hyun(second from left), the chief executive of SK Telecom, looks at products made by

[THE INVESTOR] IT solutions firm Samsung SDS said on June 29 that it would join forces with German software firm SAP to develop cloud systems for businesses.The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding for the partnership at its head office in Seoul on June 29.“We are proud to announce our partnership with Samsung SDS in enterprise cloud, one of SAP’s core services,” said Bernd Leukert, member of SAP’s products & innovations unit.Chung Yoo-sung (left), president and CEO of Samsung SDS,

[THE INVESTOR] Koreas online game developer Neowiz Games has launched its new mobile role-playing game “Devil Breaker: Rise,” on June 28 in 137 nations, including China, and the US.The new game title is a sequel of the “Kingdom of Heroes” released in 2013.The new game is based on a fictional story of heroes striving to take their kingdom back from a Devil troop. Players can choose a character among 100 heroes to play and each of them presents different journeys, the company said.By Kim Young-won

[THE INVESTOR] Despite its properties -- the high mobility of electrons, high strength and flexibility -- all of which are apt for use in electronic components, graphene has struggled to get a foothold in the semiconductor sector due to difficulties in current control.The major stumbling block was due to the nonexistence of what is called a bandgap, which indicates the difference between the states when electrons are not free to move (valence band) and when they are free and carry current (condu

[THE INVESTOR] Internet portal firm Naver will reportedly join the fray for artificial intelligence assistant by rolling out its own voice-recognition smart home system as early as this year.Naver has been conducting research and development projects in artificial intelligence for years, utilizing its vast amount of data, including linguistic data.Naver’s research and development center Naver Labs.Naver LabsCompared to global AI services developer like Google and Amazon, Naver is considered to h

[THE INVESTOR] Chinese Internet portal firm Tencent, which recently took over Supercell, a Finland-based developer of global hit mobile game “Clash of Clans,” is increasing its clout in the Korean online and mobile game industries. The Chinese portal services firm has invested in more than 10 game companies in the Korean market. Among the most noticeable ones are Netmarble Games, 4:33 and Party Games.The Chinese firm is also the third-largest shareholder of Kakao, the mobile messenger firm which

[THE INVESTOR ] Dayou Winia, a Korean electronics firm, has joined hands with Haier, one of China’s leading electronics makers, to jump into the Chinese market,The Korean firm, well known for its electric rice cooker and kimchi refrigerator brand Dimchae, said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Qingdao-headquartered electronics firm for a partnership to sell its electronic cookers in China. Executives of Dayou Winia and Haier participate in an event to sign a sales partnership

[THE INVESTOR] Display experts urged the Korean government to make all-out efforts to enable the nation’s display makers to maintain their lead in the market for organic light-emitting diode display, considered the future display for its flexibility and transparency.Participating in a meeting to boost the next-generation OLED industry in Seoul on June 28, Lee Jeong-ik, a chief researcher at the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, a state-run research institution, said in his s