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Kim Bo-eun

Korea Times Digital Content Reporter

Bo-eun leads the digital content team. She has covered foreign affairs, North Korea, tech, economy and gender issues at The Korea Times. She did a short stint at the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong, where she obtained a new perspective on news production and life. Small sources of joy for her are lounging in the sun, having a good latte and swimming.

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Tech & Science

Regulator grants conditional approval for KT-Hyundai HCN deal

CEO Ku Hyeon-mo speaks about the company's strategy regarding media content during a press conference at KT's headquarters in central Seoul, March 23. Courtesy of KTBy Kim Bo-eunKorea's antitrust watchdog on Tuesday granted conditional approval for KT Skylife's acquisition of local cable TV operator Hyundai HCN. The two entities signed a deal last October, under which the KT affiliate acquires 100 percent of the Hyundai unit's shares. The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) said that its conditional approval is based on the condition that the merged entity ensures the stability of fair market competition.The body said that it outlined seven conditions, given the fact that the acquisition raised the possibility of KT having a monopoly in the paid digital broadcasting services market, as the integration removes Hyundai HCN's former prime competitor ― and therefore competition ― that prevented a raise in cable TV fees. Prior to the acquisition, KT had been Hyundai HCN's greatest competitor in the market.The conditions include a ban on raising cable TV fees beyond the inflation rate, chan

Aug 24, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Regulator grants conditional approval for KT-Hyundai HCN deal
Companies

HanmiGlobal makes top 10 list of non-US international project management firms

By Kim Bo-eunHanmiGlobal CEO Kim Jong-hoon / Courtesy of HanmiGlobalHanmiGlobal made it to a non-U.S. global list of top project management firms, the company said Tuesday.The firm ranked 10th in the U.S.-based construction industry and engineering news magazine Engineering News Record (ENR)'s 2021 ENR Top International Survey's “global construction management and project management” category.HanmiGlobal moved up one place to 10th from last year in the category for the top 20 non-U.S. firms, recording a revenue of $241.3 million in 2020. The company also ranked 10th in revenue generated overseas, up six places from last year, recording $147.5 million in 2020.HanmiGlobal is the only Korean company to make it into the non-U.S. global top 20 list for construction management and project management firms.ENR's ranking is determined by annual revenue. HanmiGlobal first made it onto the non-U.S. global list of 20 firms in 2005, when it recorded $32.5 million in revenue and ranked 18th.HanmiGlobal was established as a project management firm in 1996 and offers services for the ef

Aug 24, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
HanmiGlobal makes top 10 list of non-US international project management firms
Tech & Science

Samsung facing fallout from Ho Chi Minh lockdown

Vietnamese soldiers spray disinfectant on the streets of Hanoi, May 12. EPA-YonhapBy Kim Bo-eunSamsung Electronics is set to see further fallout based on a COVID-19 lockdown in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, following pandemic-related damage at its smartphone factory in the country earlier this year.Vietnam has restricted the movement of citizens in Ho Chi Minh City, a measure which is set to last through Sept. 15. The military will be mobilized during the lockdown to deliver food, in a measure to curb the spread of the virus, as Vietnam has seen cases of new infections spiral to over 10,000 in recent days.Samsung's TV and home appliances production plant in Ho Chi Minh City had already been operating for more than a month under a lockdown applied to all factories in Saigon Hi-Tech Park. Workers at the Samsung plant have been sleeping on-site and in adjacent spaces at schools and other facilities secured by the company."This will inevitably leave workers in a tiring situation, given they will not be able to return home for almost another month," an industry official familiar with the mat

Aug 23, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Samsung facing fallout from Ho Chi Minh lockdown
Tech & Science

Korea urged to better protect key technologies

gettyimagesbankNational Assembly asked to update relevant clauses for Korea's 'sustained' national security effortBy Kim Bo-eun, Kim Yoo-chul There have been growing calls for Korea to take a more detailed regulatory approach to preventing illicit transfer of core technologies involving semiconductors, electric vehicle batteries and displays, which are being considered key technologies of national importance.The calls came as Korea is lagging behind in attempts to update its legislation to support its own strategic industries that underlie advanced technologies that could become the engines of economic growth and prosperity, including driverless electric vehicles (EVs), quantum computing and AI.The United States and other countries have supported legislation and moves to revitalize their respective manufacturing of chips and batteries, in efforts to stabilize their supply chains and prevent their technologies from falling into the hands of rival national or corporate interests. Governments around the world are stepping up their efforts for domestic protection of various technologies

Aug 23, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Korea urged to better protect key technologies
Tech & Science

Competition heating up among local EV battery makers

SK Innovation's booth at Inter Battery 2021, an annual battery exposition, at COEX in southern Seoul, June 9 YonhapBy Kim Bo-eunLocal electric vehicle (EV) battery makers are seeking to secure greater market shares amid the growth of EV markets around the world.Korea's three battery makers have claimed some of the largest global market shares. LG Energy Solution (LGES) ranked second after China's CATL in the first quarter of this year. Samsung SDI ranked fifth and SKI sixth.The battery manufacturers have moved quickly to set up joint ventures with global carmakers in an effort to secure long-term clients. LGES has joined hands with GM, and SKI is set to launch a joint entity with Ford.SKI and LGES have specialized in pouch cells, while Samsung SDI has focused on prismatic battery cells. Each have been supplying respective clients according to the type of battery the carmakers employ in their models.But SKI is now seeking to develop prismatic cells, in an apparent attempt to diversify its product lineup to be able to supply more carmakers. SKI is hiring for positions in prismatic batt

Aug 20, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Competition heating up among local EV battery makers
Tech & Science

Apple trying to strengthen foothold in Korea

Apple's logo is seen at an Apple Store in New York / AP-YonhapBy Kim Bo-eunApple is stepping up its game to increase its share of Korea's smartphone market by diversifying its sales channels, following LG Electronics' pullout from the smartphone business earlier this year. It is yet to be seen though, whether the U.S. tech giant will be able to lure users of other smartphone models to switch to the iPhone.Apple began selling iPhones and other smart products at LG's electronics goods retailer Best Shop this week. LG Best Shop enables Apple to secure an additional regional offline sales channel, given the fact that the retailer has outlets across the country. Previously, the iPhone was only available at Apple's official store and smartphone dealerships. Apple is also projected to open Korea's third and fourth official stores, after opening its second Apple store in December of last year.Apple had a 20-percent share of the local smartphone market in 2020, after Samsung Electronics, which dominated with 65 percent. LG accounted for 13 percent.Smartphone makers have been keen on securing

Aug 20, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Apple trying to strengthen foothold in Korea
Tech & Science

Yonsei, Korea Univ. teams develop foldable transistors for smart devices

By Kim Bo-eunYonsei University Professor Cho Jeong-ho, left, and Korea University Professor Woo Han-young / Courtesy of Yonsei UniversityTeams at Yonsei University and Korea University have co-developed foldable transistors for flexible smart devices, the schools said Thursday. The two teams, led by Yonsei University Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Cho Jeong-ho and Korea University Professor of Chemistry Woo Han-young, respectively, published an article together about their latest development in the journal, Science Advances.The article introduces the completely foldable, polymer thin-film transistors. The authors state that the electrical performance of the transistors is maintained without noticeable degradation even after extreme folding. The article suggests that the proposed fabrication strategy can further be applied to various semiconducting polymers for foldable electronics.There have been advances in stretchable or deformable electronics ― from rudimentary flexible devices to bendable, rollable and foldable devices ― in recent decades with growth in the de

Aug 19, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Yonsei, Korea Univ. teams develop foldable transistors for smart devices
Tech & Science

LG getting closer with Apple

LG Display's production cluster in Paju, Gyeonggi Province / Courtesy of LG DisplayDisplay unit's investment plan reflects Apple's growing OLED demand By Kim Bo-eunLG is strengthening its ties with Apple as its core client, as its affiliates are increasingly supplying components for the U.S. tech giant. LG Display is on track to expand production facilities for medium-sized to small organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) set to be supplied for Apple's smart devices. LG's display manufacturing unit submitted a regulatory filing Tuesday, outlining 3.3 trillion won in investments through 2024 for production of medium-sized to small OLEDs at its plant in Paju, Gyeonggi Province.The additional investments are set to scale up LG Display's production capacity for smaller OLEDs to 60,000 on a monthly basis, up from the current 30,000.LG said that it could not comment on client matters, but sources said that the smaller display panels produced here are set to be supplied for Apple's next-generation iPads and iPhones, as the Cupertino-based company is increasingly opting for OLEDs in its device

Aug 17, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
LG getting closer with Apple
  • LG Electronics begins iDevice sales at its brand stores
Companies

Bio firms raising alert over vaccine tech theft

Researchers work on vaccine development at SK Bioscience's lab in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, last October. Courtesy of SK BioscienceChinese entities engaging in 'illicit activities' to acquire key data By Kim Bo-eunKorea's largest organization of bio firms is issuing warnings against practices by Chinese entities attempting to steal technology vital to COVID-19 vaccines amid the pandemic. Concerns are growing as governments and private companies are rushing to secure patented technology on developing vaccines, some of which are willing to engage in “illicit activities” to acquire key data.The Korea Biotechnology Industry Organization (Korea Bio) alerted its 400 member firms last Friday about the ongoing offense against mRNA vaccine-related biotech companies here, by unspecified third parties. The organization said member companies have become the primary targets for various forms of attempts to obtain their trade secrets. These attempts have been seen in the poaching of employees by offering a significantly higher level of pay. Technology theft has also taken place thro

Aug 15, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Bio firms raising alert over vaccine tech theft
Companies

GS Retail joins hands with Knotted

GS Retail's head of merchandising Ahn Byung-hoon, right, poses with Knotted CEO Joon Lee, at a Knotted store in Seoul, Sunday. The two signed an agreement on developing donut products to be sold at GS convenience stores across the country. Courtesy of GS Retail

Aug 15, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
GS Retail joins hands with Knotted
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