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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

Apple seeks to capitalize on LG's smartphone exit

Apple's logo is seen at an Apple Store in New York / AP-YonhapKorean firm partners with US giant for strategic interestsBy Kim Bo-eunApple is stepping up its efforts to strengthen its foothold in the Korean smartphone market by capitalizing on LG's smartphone exit. LG Electronics made a strategic decision early this year to withdraw its loss-making smartphone business, and the process is set to be completed this month. Existing players in the market are moving quickly to capture parts of LG's market share, offering trade-in programs for LG smartphone users here.LG accounted for 13 percent of the local smartphone market in 2020, and Apple 20 percent, according to market tracker Counterpoint Research. Samsung took up the dominant share of about 65 percent.LG's exit from the smartphone market was widely expected to benefit Samsung, based on presumptions that Android-based handset users would likely opt for models using the same operating system (OS).But Apple appears to see an opportunity to expand its market presence. And LG seems willing to work with the U.S. tech giant, as this is in

Jul 13, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Apple seeks to capitalize on LG's smartphone exit
Companies

Game developers suffer setback amid telecommuting

A poster for NCSOFT's “Blade & Soul 2,” set to be launched in the coming months / Courtesy of NCSOFTNCSOFT, Nexon, Netmarble projected to launch fewer games this yearBy Kim Bo-eunAttention is growing over whether major Korean game developers will see further inconveniences from telecommuting amid a fourth wave of mass COVID-19 infections here.Game companies have enforced the strictest level of their work-from-home policies for the next two weeks, having all employees work from home with the exception of a minimum number of staffers needed for essential office tasks. This is in accordance with the government's introduction of the strictest-yet social distancing rules for the metropolitan area for this period as a means to curb the spread of infections. Game developers had already seen game launches being delayed due to telecommuting policies that have been enforced since the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic last year.NCSOFT said in a conference call on its first-quarter earnings in May that new game releases are being affected by telecommuting. "Blade & Soul 2

Jul 12, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Game developers suffer setback amid telecommuting
Economy

4th COVID-19 wave to have limited impact on financial markets

Office workers are seen commuting to work at a metro station in Seoul, Friday. YonhapBy Kim Bo-eunThe government's plan to introduce the toughest social distancing measures next week took a toll on the local stock market, Friday. The benchmark KOSPI closed at 3,217.95, Friday, down 1.07 percent from the previous day's close. The government announced earlier in the day stricter social-distancing rules for the metropolitan area in a bid to curb a fourth wave of mass COVID-19 infections. For two weeks starting Monday, July 12, only gatherings of two people will be allowed after 6 p.m.The Korean currency closed at 1,145 won against the U.S. dollar, following volatile intra-day trading. The won-dollar exchange rate surged to a nine-month high, Thursday, rising 6.9 won from the previous session's close.Market volatility is attributed to investor preference for stable assets amid uncertainties posed by the fourth wave of infections, following the spread of the Delta variant. But the prevailing view is that the shock felt by the financial markets will be short-lived, because the fundamentals

Jul 9, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
4th COVID-19 wave to have limited impact on financial markets
  • Korea imposes toughest social distancing measures in capital area
Tech & Science

EcoPro, POSCO Chemical looking to overseas plants

EcoProBM's plant in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province / Courtesy of EcoProBMBy Kim Bo-eunLocal battery makers' moves to set up production bases in fast-growing overseas electric vehicle markets is prompting battery material and components suppliers to follow suit. The battery manufacturers are on track to build new factories in the U.S. and to expand plants in Europe because of the growing battery demand from global carmakers.Samsung SDI and SK Innovation (SKI) have manufacturing sites in Hungary, while LG Energy Solution (LGES) operates one in Poland. LG's battery affiliate also has a battery plant in the U.S. state of Michigan and is looking to build a new factory in the country. It is separately constructing two battery facilities in the U.S. under its joint venture with GM, Ultium Cells. SKI is building two plants in Georgia and will set up more battery production units with a planned joint venture with Ford in the U.S.Battery material suppliers are actively catching up with such moves given the greater demand in international markets is also an opportunity for them. Establishing

Jul 9, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
EcoPro, POSCO Chemical looking to overseas plants
Tech & Science

Moon vows Korea will become 'battery powerhouse'

President Moon Jae-in sits in an electric vehicle loaded with batteries from a local manufacturer, at an LG Energy Solution plant in Cheongju, North Chuncheong Province, Thursday. YonhapTax incentives, R&D support to get boost amid greater global competitionBy Kim Bo-eunPresident Moon Jae-in said Thursday that his government would use all available policy measures to ensure that South Korea becomes a global secondary battery-manufacturing powerhouse by 2030. “Korea's goal is evident. Simply put, our country aim is to become a global battery-manufacturing powerhouse by 2030. South Korea has become the world's top battery-producing country in terms of market share in small-sized batteries by passing Japan in 2011. In the mid- and large-sized battery markets, the country is competing with China for the top position,” Moon said at the start of a speech at the LG Energy Solution (LGES) battery manufacturing plant in Ochang, North Chungcheong Province, Thursday afternoon, according to Cheong Wa Dae press pool reports.Moon was attending an event there marking the update

Jul 8, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Moon vows Korea will become 'battery powerhouse'
Tech & Science

Chip supercycle heavily benefits Samsung in Q2

A Samsung flag is seen at its headquarters in southern Seoul. YonhapBy Kim Bo-eunBooming demand for semiconductors amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic was a major driving force behind Samsung Electronics' earnings for the second quarter.Backed by the strong performance of its chip business, the tech giant logged an operating profit of 12.5 trillion won in the April to June period according to preliminary earnings results announced Wednesday. Samsung's sales for the three months that ended June 30 came to 63 trillion won.Samsung will specify its divisional performances later this month. Brokerages anticipate the semiconductor unit accounted for more than 7 trillion won, or over half of the operating profit the company is set to report, which is more than double the profit generated by the division in the first quarter.The quarter saw solid demand for servers for cloud firms' data centers, along with strong sales of PC chips. A subsequent rise in prices is also seen to have contributed additionally to the chip business earnings. According to data from market tracker DRAMeXchange, the

Jul 7, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Chip supercycle heavily benefits Samsung in Q2
Tech & Science

Reporter's Notebook Time for game regulation to be revised

gettyimagesbank By Kim Bo-eunKorea's law that bans minors from playing PC games during night hours has long been disputed. The law went into effect in 2011, with the intention to help prevent those under the age of 16 from losing sleep by staying up late playing games ― an activity that can develop into a serious addiction.The age group subject to the restriction have their connection to game websites severed from midnight to 6 a.m.The law has faced opposition from game developers as this restricts business opportunities for them. But this is not the only argument for repealing this regulation.Many cite that the law is ineffective in curbing hours spent playing games at night. Surveys show that time spent playing games during the regulated hours was hardly reduced after the regulation went into effect.This is because minors find other routes through which they can access games, such as by using their parents' resident registration number. Another major loophole of t

Jul 6, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
[Reporter's Notebook] Time for game regulation to be revised
Tech & Science

Samsung Display union caves in, ends protest

Samsung Display's Asan campus in South Chungcheong Province / YonhapBy Kim Bo-eunSamsung Display's union ended its protest against management over wage hike levels, Monday, two weeks after staging a partial walkout. The end of the protest comes as a relief for the Samsung affiliate, given the group is highly sensitive to issues regarding unions.Six members of the union began protesting at its Asan campus in South Chungcheong Province on June 21, making this the first such action at a Samsung affiliate since the group leader Lee Jae-yong pledged to better comply with laws protecting workers' rights, after decades of intolerance for union activity.The protest had drawn attention over whether it would grow into a larger-scale action against the management, possibly affecting unions of other Samsung affiliates to follow suit. The union appeared to have exercised caution in launching a collective action, taking such possibilities into account.The union had earlier refused to accept a 4.5 percent wage hike for 2021 that was agreed at a labor-management council meeting. It demanded a steepe

Jul 6, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Samsung Display union caves in, ends protest
Tech & Science

ICT minister supports taxing global platform corporations Google, Netflix

Minister of Science and ICT Lim Hye-sook speaks during her first press conference at the ministry building in Sejong, Monday. Courtesy of Ministry of Science and ICTBy Kim Bo-eunKorea's ICT minister on Monday welcomed the global movement to implement a “digital tax” and vowed support for the tax being collected from global platform giants such as Google and Netflix."Imposing a tax on overseas platform businesses such as Google and Netflix is fine," Science and ICT Minister Lim Hye-sook told reporters at the ministry building in Sejong. "But we need to think about exporting firms such as Samsung and SK hynix being taxed overseas." The minister's position comes at a time when countries around the world are pushing ahead with setting up a new framework to reform international taxation rules so as to ensure that multinational companies pay a fair percentage of tax wherever they operate. The taxation plan is set to be finalized in October, as a number of countries are against the move. Implementation is set to begin in 2023.These initiatives are intended to ensure a fairer dis

Jul 5, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
ICT minister supports taxing global platform corporations Google, Netflix
Companies

Korean Air to help reduce cosmic radiation exposure for flight crews

Korean Air's A380 passenger plane / Courtesy of Korean Air By Kim Bo-eunKorean Air has vowed to help reduce cosmic radiation exposure for its flight crews, to better protect their health. The airlines company's pledge came after a meeting with its union on June 10. The company said it will enable flight crews to have their flights determined according to the amount of cosmic radiation they have been exposed to.Cosmic radiation is high-energy radiation that travel through outer space and bombard the earth. It is found in higher concentration over transpolar routes, with exposure increased with altitude. Six millisieverts a year is a typical radiation dose received by an aircrews flying long-haul polar routes.Recently, a pilot who had been with Korean Air for 32 years and who had developed acute leukemia had cosmic radiation exposure recognized as an occupational hazard.Korean Air plans to introduce a program next year via which its flight crews' flights and schedules

Jul 4, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Korean Air to help reduce cosmic radiation exposure for flight crews
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