Latest News

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  State researchers develop new technique for measuring particulate matter SEOUL -- A state research institute has developed a new effective technique for monitoring emissions of particulate matter, which is hazardous microscopic particles of solid and liquid matter suspended in the air. The remote sensing technique is based on measuring the infrared intensity spectra of the sun from a moving vehicle equipped with a measuring device. Particulate matter, also known as fine dust, is not only emitted through chimneys a 2021-04-06
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  U.S. gas company Air Products ties up with Hyundai Oilbank to utilize hydrogen energy SEOUL -- Air Products, an American industrial gas company known for supplying liquid hydrogen for every Space Shuttle launch, tied up with Hyundai Oilbank, a refinery arm of South Korea's top shipbuilding group, to utilize hydrogen energy. The partnership is part of Hyundai Oilbank's strategy to become an eco-friendly energy business platform. Through cooperation with Air Products, which provides essential industrial gases, related equipment an 2021-04-06
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  Macrogen wins state approval to go ahead with direct-to-consumer genetic testing SEOUL -- Macrogen, a biotech company and expert in genomic analysis in South Korea, has secured state approval to go ahead with direct-to-consumer genetic testing that provides people access to their genetic information without necessarily involving healthcare providers or health insurance companies. Genetic testing is done through healthcare providers who collect and send DNA samples and share test results with patients. Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic test 2021-04-06
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  Researchers use RPA array chip to develop onsite diagnosis of respiratory pathogens SEOUL -- Researchers have used a recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) sensor chip to develop a respiratory pathogen detection method that can work as an alternative to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique that is widely used to detect the presence of COVID-19 viruses inside a sample. A clinic-level PCR-based virus detection method using molecular diagnostic techniques offers high sensitivity and specificity. However, the method requires a large space 2021-04-06
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  SK Group acquires 16.3% stake in VinCommerce to expand presence in Vietnam SEOUL -- South Korea's third-largest conglomerate SK Group acquired a 16.3 percent stake in VinCommerce, a top retail company in Vietnam, for $410 million, in a deal that underlined a group-wide strategy to expand its presence in the Southeast Asian nation. VinCommerce controls 50 percent of Vietnam's retail market and operates about 2,300 convenience stores and supermarkets. Masan Group, a diversified private-sector group with a focus on food and be 2021-04-06
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  KT and LG succeed in interlinking AI voice assistant service hub platforms SEOUL -- LG Electronics joined hands with South Korea's top telecom company KT to interlink their artificial intelligence voice assistant hub platforms for cooperation in the smart home platform market. They have already combined their research and development capabilities for the creation of an AI model that could prevent the spread of infectious diseases. In a joint statement on April 6, KT and LG said they have successfully verified the interlinking of the 2021-04-06
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  SK Telecom applies quantum cryptographic communication technology to IP equipment SEOUL -- SK Telecom, a top mobile carrier in South Korea, opened the way for the wider use of its security solution by applying quantum cryptographic communication technology to corporate IP equipment such as routers and switches. Companies with no dedicated networks can use telecom security services using quantum cryptography. SK Telecom (SKT) and its subsidiary ID Quantique (IDQ), a Geneva-based leader in quantum-safe cryptography, have developed a quantum virtua 2021-04-06
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  Researchers set new record in conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells SEOUL -- A team of researchers based in South Korea and Switzerland set a new record of 25.6 percent in the power conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells by introducing an anion engineering concept that uses pseudo-halide anion formate to suppress anion-vacancy defects and augment crystallinity. A perovskite solar cell includes a perovskite structured compound as the light-harvesting active layer. The high absorption coefficient of perovskite solar cells e 2021-04-06
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  Olive Young launches personalized health supplements suggestion service for young customers SEOUL -- CJ Olive Young, the drug and beauty store franchise of South Korea's CJ Group, has launched a mobile app to provide recommendations for health supplements. A COVID-19 pandemic has boosted awareness of health supplements, especially among young consumers who regard health management as an investment for their future. According to the Korea Health Supplements Association, an association of dietary product makers, South Korea's health supple 2021-04-05
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  Hyosung wins six-year deal to supply high-strength carbon fiber for hydrogen fuel tanks SEOUL -- Hyosung Advanced Materials, affiliated with South Korea's Hyosung Group, has secured a six-year contract worth 157.2 billion won ($139 million) from Hanwha Solutions to supply high-strength carbon fiber used to reinforce hydrogen fuel tanks. In December 2020, Hanwha Solutions, a unit of South Korea's Hanwha Group, took over Cimarron Composites, an American company that has developed Neptune, a carbon fiber reinforced polymer tank capable of transpo 2021-04-05
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  Amorepacific ties up with Hansol to develop cellulose-based cosmetics raw materials SEOUL -- Amorepacific, a top beauty and cosmetics group in South Korea, tied up with a domestic paper maker to develop sustainable cosmetics raw materials using cellulose processing technology and push for the production of eco-friendly paper packaging products. If cellulose technology is used, it can replace existing chemical ingredients as well as improve the quality of cosmetics. Cellulose, is an important structural component of the primary cell wall of 2021-04-05
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  ​S. Korea to regulate styrofoam buoys at oyster and seaweed farms SEOUL -- In an effort to reduce pollution by foamed polystyrene pollution, South Korea will take steps to regulate the use of high-density styrofoam buoys used widely for aquaculture and promote the use of eco-friendly plastic products that releases less microplastic waste into the ocean. Currently, aquafarmers are allowed to use high-density styrofoam buoys. However, such buoys are easily disintegrated in a short period. When styrofoam blocks are broken down in th 2021-04-05
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  LG Electronics makes inevitable choice to close troubled smartphone business SEOUL -- LG Electronics closed its troubled smartphone business which has been in the red since the second quarter of 2015, citing a persistent business slump and intensifying competition. The company defended its decision as inevitable to diversify its business portfolio through "choice and focus" and improve its financial structure by bearing a short-term decline in overall sales. In a regulatory filing on April 5, LG Electronics said it would " 2021-04-05
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  Aekyung's department store wing opens smart factory shop for tailor-made cosmetics SEOUL -- AK Plaza, the department store wing of South Korea's cosmetics giant Aekyung, has opened a project shop that produces tailor-made cosmetics products to match the skin of customers, using a smart factory-like automated production booth. With some 110,000 sets of skin data, the shop can create personalized beauty products in two minutes. AK Plaza said in a statement on April 5 that a pop-up store using technology developed by LILYCOVER, a domestic 2021-04-05
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  BTS agency expands U.S. business scope thru acquisition of Ithaca Holdings SEOUL -- Through its American subsidiary, the agency of K-pop wonder BTS acquired Ithaca Holdings, a Los Angeles-based investment holding company that controls the label of Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, underlining efforts to expand its business scope in the U.S. music market. The deal came two weeks after Big Hit Entertainment founded by Bang Si-hyuk changed its name to HYBE to herald a new start as a comprehensive entertainment lifestyle platform company t 2021-04-02
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  CJ Cheil Jedang ties up with SKC to produce new biodegradable material for food packaging SEOUL -- CJ Cheil Jedang, a key subsidiary of South Korea's food and entertainment conglomerate CJ Group, tied up with SKC, a polyester film and chemical material manufacturer, to produce a new biodegradable plastic material that is flexible and durable. The material has been applied to the packaging of some food products. Many degradable plastic products have failed to attract attention because of their weak durability, while some bioplastics ar 2021-04-02
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  Naver beefs up ecommerce platform to increase communication between sellers and customers SEOUL -- Naver, a top web portal service operator and IT company in South Korea, has beefed up its mobile live commerce platform by adopting ultra-low latency technology that will help sellers and customers interact better. The technology will reduce latency in the transmission and reception of live content video from about 10 seconds to two seconds. Live commerce which is basically TV home shopping content converted into online and mobile platforms has garnered p 2021-04-02
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  Hanjin develops online delivery game to provide indirect experience to customers SEOUL -- The transportation and logistics service wing of Hanjin Group will launch an online delivery game aimed at providing a new way of indirect experience to customers and improving their empathy and understanding. It is the first of its kind in South Korea. The group, which runs Korean Air, has no know-how in game production. The online game called "Delivery King Island" allows users to enjoy three mini-games with simple manipulations and experie 2021-04-02
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  SK E&C partners with domestic company to develop competitive solar energy platform SEOUL --SK E&C, a builder affiliated with South Korea's third-largest conglomerate, SK Group, will develop a competitive solar energy platform in cooperation with a domestic energy IT company that provides solar power solutions. SK E&C said it signed a memorandum of understanding with Solar Connect on April 1 for cooperation in renewable energy and RE100, a global initiative that brings together the world's most influential enterprises committed t 2021-04-02
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  Think tank uses big data to solve congestion in Seoul's giant wholesale market SEOUL -- A digital think tank in Seoul will use big data to solve an ever-worsening traffic jam in and around a giant public wholesale market, which is about the size of 76 football fields. Congestion has caused inconveniences for customers, shop owners and nearby residents. Garak Market operated by Seoul Agro-Fisheries & Food Corporation is located in southern Seoul. The volume of daily transactions surpasses 8,000 tons, 2021-04-02