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Baek Byung-yeul

Korea Times K-Culture Reporter

Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.

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Companies

Will Hyundai, LG go to court over EV battery recall?

Firefighters put out a fire in a Kona Electric vehicle in Daegu, Jan. 23. YonhapBy Baek Byung-yeulWith Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution (LGES) deciding to replace battery packs for the former's 82,000 electric vehicles (EVs) including the Kona EV, it appeared that the two companies have not reach an agreement over how they will share the recall expenses estimated at around 1 trillion won ($892 million).According to the battery industry, Monday, no progress has been made yet about how much cost they will incur, and given the sensitivity of the matter, attention is growing on whether the two companies will seek legal remedies to minimize impact.The recall announcement comes after Hyundai Motor announced its first recall of 77,000 Kona EVs four month ago as more than 10 of the cars were reported to have caught fire both here and abroad.Despite Hyundai updating its battery management system (BMS), more fires were reported after the recall, so the carmaker decided to launch an additional recall on Feb. 24 in order to replace the battery packs in some 82,000 EVs.On the same day, the tr

Mar 1, 2021By Baek Byung-yeul
Will Hyundai, LG go to court over EV battery recall?
Tech & Science

Samsung uncertainties remain in absence of Future Strategy Office

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong enters Seoul High Court for the re-hearing of a bribery case, Jan. 18. YonhapBy Baek Byung-yeulIt has been four years since Samsung Group abolished the group's control tower Future Strategy Office in what seemed to be an effort to end old practices of crony capitalism.Ever since then, Samsung has made progress in its management system by strengthening independence of its affiliates and forgoing no-union policies. But an industry official said Sunday that uncertainties over group management are still in play as its leader Lee Jae-yong has been imprisoned. They said Samsung Group has reinforced self-regulatory management after dismantling the control tower, by setting up three small group systems ― for Samsung Electronics and other IT affiliates; non-electronics affiliates including Samsung C&T; and financial affiliates such as Samsung Life Insurance.It also established a compliance committee in 2020, to monitor the group from a legal and ethical perspective as part of the conglomerate's efforts to enhance transparent management.&ldquo

Feb 28, 2021By Baek Byung-yeul
Samsung uncertainties remain in absence of Future Strategy Office
Companies

Hyundai Motor's new EV IONIQ 5 off to outstanding start

Hyundai Motor's IONIQ 5 electric vehicle / Courtesy of Hyundai MotorBy Baek Byung-yeulHyundai Motor is cruising to its goal of becoming a powerhouse company in electric vehicles (EVs) as its new EV model IONIQ 5 has been received well in both domestic and European markets.The carmaker's European subsidiary said Friday (local time) that it sold 3,000 IONIQ 5 vehicles on the first day of preorders. The subsidiary added European consumers showed a robust response to the new EV model as about 10,000 people applied to buy the IONIQ 5.After the new EV was unveiled last week, the European subsidiary said it has generated around 236,000 inquiries. After rolling out the IONIQ 5 in Europe this month, Hyundai plans to release the new EV in other regions including the United States later this year.The IONIQ 5 also enjoyed brisk preorders in the Korean market, reaching 23,760 on the first day of preorders, which surpassed the company's previous record of selling 17,294 Grandeur sedans in advance orders in 2019.The figure was also larger than the record held by Kia, a sister company of Hyundai Mot

Feb 28, 2021By Baek Byung-yeul
Hyundai Motor's new EV IONIQ 5 off to outstanding start
Companies

Gov't ups efforts to nurture local materials, parts, equipment industries

Industry Minister Sung Yun-mo, third from left, poses with provincial governors during a meeting commemorating the establishment of five industrial clusters at the Four Seasons Hotel in central Seoul, Feb. 23. From left, the governors are North Jeolla Province Governor Song Ha-jin, North Chungcheong Province Governor Lee Si-jong, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, South Chungcheong Province Governor Yang Seung-jo and South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Kyoung-soo. YonhapBy Baek Byung-yeulThe COVID-19 pandemic has posed challenges to the supply of goods around the world, and the government is rolling up its sleeves to boost the competence of Korea's materials, parts and equipment industries in order to lower the country's dependence on foreign suppliers.The pandemic also demonstrated to the global industry the importance of global value chains as international trade suffered a severe decline. Even before being hit by the pandemic, the government has been trying to nurture the capabilities of local industries to cut off their heavy reliance on Japanese firms since Tokyo impos

Feb 27, 2021By Baek Byung-yeul
Gov't ups efforts to nurture local materials, parts, equipment industries
Companies

GS launches green council to step up ESG efforts

By Baek Byung-yeulGS Group Chairman Huh Tae-soo / Courtesy of GS GroupGS Group is increasing its focus on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) initiatives, aiming to achieve sustainable growth by creating more substantial green, social and economic value.The conglomerate, whose businesses range from retail to energy, said Thursday that it recently formed an eco-friendly council comprised of chief green officers (CGOs) from its affiliates.The newly established council will serve as a top decision-making body for businesses related to ESG investment themes such as social contribution, mutual growth, sustainable growth, safety, health and environment as well as pursuing new eco-friendly businesses.The move came after the group set the goal of “Growth through Sustainability” as a core value for its affiliates last year when the ESG standard emerged as an important gauge in determining the investment merits of companies. “Pursuing eco-sustainable growth is what our society and customers have demanded. We need to consider this first when carrying forward a

Feb 25, 2021By Baek Byung-yeul
GS launches green council to step up ESG efforts
Companies

Hyundai Motor hires aerospace expert to oversee technology in air mobility division

By Baek Byung-yeulHyundai Motor Group has hired a veteran aerospace expert as the chief technology officer (CTO) of its Urban Air Mobility Division, seeking to bolster the business as its next growth engine.Ben Diachun, the former head of a California-based aerospace startup called Opener, will serve as CTO, effective immediately, to develop technology strategy and vision to bring Hyundai's urban air mobility (UAM) vehicle to market by 2028, the automotive group said.Ben Diachun, Hyundai Motor Group's chief technology officer for its Urban Air Mobility Division / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor GroupDiachun has been at engineering and executive leadership positions over the past 20 years. He was also president of Scaled Composites, a U.S.-based aerospace company founded by American aircraft designer and entrepreneur, Burt Rutan, famed for creating the Voyager, the first plane to fly around the world without stopping or refueling.Diachun earned a master's degree in aeronautics and astronautics from Stanford University and a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University.

Feb 25, 2021By Baek Byung-yeul
Hyundai Motor hires aerospace expert to oversee technology in air mobility division
Tech & Science

ANALYSIS Is Samsung Electronics losing competence in NAND?

SK, Micron, Kioxia boast advanced stacking technologyBy Baek Byung-yeulSamsung Electronics has held a solid lead in the NAND flash memory chip market with more than a 30 percent share. But rival companies appear to be challenging Samsung's technological competence as they are starting to show better workmanship.NAND flash memory is a type of non-volatile storage technology that does not require power to retain data. With IT devices and servers for data centers requiring bigger storage capacity, stacking as many thin layers as possible has become a top priority for NAND flash chip makers.Samsung has yet to announce its latest NAND stacking technology that goes beyond its current 128-layer chips, while competitors such as SK hynix, Micron and Kioxia are racing to reveal cutting-edge designs. This has prompted analysts to believe that the memory chip giant may be losing its technological edge.Last November, U.S. chip maker Micron announced the development of the industry's first 176-layer NAND flash chip. SK Hynix followed by unveiling its own 176-layer chip in December.Japan's Kioxia a

Feb 24, 2021By Baek Byung-yeul
[ANALYSIS] Is Samsung Electronics losing competence in NAND?
Tech & Science

Samsung mass-produces new image sensor with enhanced auto-focusing features

Figure Samsung Electronics' new image sensor, ISOCELL GN2 / Courtesy of Samsung ElectronicsBy Baek Byung-yeulSamsung Electronics has begun mass-producing a new image sensor for smartphones, the ISOCELL GN2, which offers a more accurate auto-focusing feature, as part of efforts to bolster its presence in the fast-growing market.An image sensor converts an optical image into an electronic signal, and Samsung said the ISOCELL GN2 has a new 50-megapixel sensor component with 1.4-micrometer-sized pixels.“ISOCELL image sensors and their technologies have seen vast improvements to deliver the quality and performance one would expect from top-tier professional-grade cameras,” Chang Duck-hyun, executive vice president of Samsung's sensor division, said Tuesday.What distinguishes the new product from its predecessor, the ISOCELL GN1, is its Dual Pixel Pro technology that offers ultra-fast auto-focusing. By employing two photodiodes within every pixel of the image sensor, Dual Pixel Pro makes use of one hundred million phase-detecting agents for ultra-fast auto-focusing, the company

Feb 23, 2021By Baek Byung-yeul
Samsung mass-produces new image sensor with enhanced auto-focusing features
Tech & Science

Huawei shows support for UN's Sustainable Development Goals

Catherine Chen, senior vice president and director of the board at Huawei / Courtesy of HuaweiBy Baek Byung-yeulHuawei has showed its support for the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and building a green, innovative and inclusive world as the tech company believes technology can work as an engine for human progress.On Feb. 22, government ministers from multiple countries took part in the Shared Prosperity forum, hosted by Huawei, GSMA, the Center for Environmental Economic Studies at Fudan University, and The Paper with the support of UNESCO.At the lead-up event to MWC Shanghai 2021, which will be held from Tuesday to Thursday, Catherine Chen, senior vice president and director of the board at Huawei, delivered a keynote speech.The senior vice president said Huawei's belief that the ultimate goal of technology is to benefit all people, and the digital technologies can facilitate the UN SDGs.She also called on enterprises to take firm action to use technology to create more value for the world as a whole.To let technology bring positive changes to us, she said &

Feb 23, 2021By Baek Byung-yeul
Huawei shows support for UN's Sustainable Development Goals
Tech & Science

EXCLUSIVE LG Electronics-Vingroup mobile talk collapses

LG Electronics' new smartphone with a rollable display is introduced during a press conference at the CES 2021, Jan. 11. Courtesy of LG ElectronicsBy Baek Byung-yeulLG Electronics' recent attempt to sell its mobile phone factories to Vingroup has fallen through as the Vietnamese conglomerate's offer was lower than that wanted by the Korean tech company, a high-ranking industry official familiar with the matter said Monday.“LG had been negotiating with Vingroup to sell its smartphone-manufacturing facilities in Vietnam and Brazil, however, the discussions recently collapsed mostly due to the price difference,” the official said.Due to mounting deficits in recent years, LG put its mobile phone business up for sale to concentrate on other areas such as electric vehicle (EV) components. Following the LG announcement, Vingroup was mentioned as the “right bidder” in possibly striking a deal, as the largest listed firm in Vietnam has been seeking to expand into high-tech industries.The official said there would be no more negotiations with Vingroup, and LG would seek

Feb 22, 2021By Baek Byung-yeul
[EXCLUSIVE] LG Electronics-Vingroup mobile talk collapses
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