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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

Will LG supply OLED panels for Samsung TVs?

LG Electronics' OLED TV lineup / Courtesy of LG ElectronicsBy Kim Bo-eunAttention has gathered over a media report that the global No. 1 TV maker Samsung is in talks to buy Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) panels from its rival LG's display unit, as TV manufacturers are seeing their profitability deteriorate due to the rise in liquid crystal display (LCD) prices.Samsung is not producing large OLED TV panels, because it earlier determined the panels would not make money. LG, the second largest player in the global TV market, leads in OLED TVs. Samsung has denied the report.OLED TVs are a premium segment, but the recent rise in LCD panel prices has led to a narrowing of the gap between OLED and LCD TVs.According to market researcher Omdia, the price of a 55 inch 4K LCD panel surged 60 percent to $194 in February from $121 in July 2020. The rise is attributed to a spike in demand amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Projections are that LCD panel prices will rise by up to 6 percent year-on-year in the second quarter.The rise in LCD prices is dealing a blow to TV makers as they account for mor

Apr 16, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Will LG supply OLED panels for Samsung TVs?
Tech & Science

Global tech firms post hefty gains in Korea in 2020

By Kim Bo-eunGlobal tech companies saw their earnings in Korea surge last year, according to regulatory filings made earlier this week. The earnings of local subsidiaries of tech giants such as Google, Facebook, Netflix and Tesla were unveiled for the first time after revised regulations went into effect last November.Google Korea saw its 2020 net profit skyrocket 741 percent year-on-year to 6.18 billion won ($5.53 million), while operating profits surged 52.9 percent to 15.59 billion won. The regulatory filing showed Google's earnings mostly came from marketing related to advertisements.Facebook Korea's regulatory April 5 filing showed the company's operating profit soar 553 percent in 2020 year-on-year to 11.77 billion won, as its net profit jumped 314 percent to 6.33 billion won.Netflix Services Korea saw 2020 sales surge 123.54 percent to 415.45 billion, reaping operating profits of 8.82 billion won, up 295 percent, and a net profit of 6.33 billion won, a jump of 427.5 percent.The stellar performance was backed by a surge in subscribers amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as more and mor

Apr 16, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Global tech firms post hefty gains in Korea in 2020
Tech & Science

Korean battery makers scrambling to increase production in US

By Kim Bo-eunLocal battery makers are in a rush to expand production facilities in the U.S. to capture opportunities amid the fast-growing market for electric vehicles (EVs) there. According to Reuters, Thursday, LG Energy Solution (LGES) will officially announce a decision to build a second battery plant in the U.S., Friday, in a cooperative venture with GM.The two companies earlier set up Ultium Cells that will produce batteries for GM's EVs manufactured in Lordstown, Ohio.The second factory will be built in Tennessee nearby GM's Spring Hill plant and will likely require a similar $2.3 billion investment as the Lordstown plant, the report said.LGES said it could not comment on the report. The battery maker said last month that its joint venture with GM was looking to build a second battery plant, and that the site and scale of investment would be decided on in the first half of the year. The firm said the battery plant would use state of the art technology to provide a stable supply for GM's EVs. The LG affiliate earlier said it would separately invest up to 5 trillion won to build

Apr 15, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Korean battery makers scrambling to increase production in US
Tech & Science

SKT to split into two separate businesses

SK Telecom CEO Park Jung-ho speaks at the company's general shareholders' meeting last month. Courtesy of SK TelecomBy Kim Bo-eunSK Telecom (SKT) said Wednesday that it will split up into two parts through an equity spinoff, with one responsible for the traditional telecommunications business and the other to take control of semiconductor and e-commerce operations.The telecom firm will try to explore the best possible chances for developing businesses in artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure, while the new unit will mostly be assigned to invest in memory semiconductors. SKT said that the new affiliate's name is yet to be decided.The company said that splitting up SK Telecom and the new investment unit is necessary to enable separate management for both telecom and new businesses. New businesses in media, security and commerce accounted for 24 percent of SKT's operating profit for 2020. The country's top mobile carrier is seeking to list its affiliates in these businesses, including the local app market operator, One Store.The world's second-largest DRAM maker, SK hynix,

Apr 14, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
SKT to split into two separate businesses
Tech & Science

KT accelerating drive to expand global media biz

KT CEO Ku Hyeon-mo speaks during a press conference at KT's headquarters in central Seoul, March 23. Courtesy of KTBy Kim Bo-eunKT is speeding up its drive to expand its global media business, as the telecom firm seeks to reinvent itself as a digital platform company by shifting its focus to media content.Early this week, KT took over a 100 percent stake in Alticast's media business Altimedia for 11.26 billion won ($10.08 million). Altimedia is a tech firm that sells security-oriented products to be embedded with various media-related products.The company has offices in Vietnam and the Netherlands and also has some business ties in other countries in Asia and Europe. Last year, KT launched its internet protocol television (IPTV) business in Thailand through collaboration with Altimedia. KT has worked with Altimedia since the early stages of its IPTV business, which has accounted for a substantial portion of the solutions firm's sales here.KT said the acquisition was aimed at obtaining key media technologies to strengthen the company's media platform capabilities and scale up its medi

Apr 14, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
KT accelerating drive to expand global media biz
Tech & Science

Hyundai Motor, Samsung SDI forming battery partnership

Samsung SDI's booth at the International Electric Vehicle Expo, held on Jeju Island in 2016 / Courtesy of Samsung SDIBy Kim Bo-eunHyundai Motor is seeking to build a partnership with Samsung, at this time when the carmaker is pushing forward with its shift to eco-friendly future vehicles. The partnership is focused on developing each company's strategic interests: Hyundai Motor is in need of EV batteries and automotive components, while Samsung is able to provide them.Samsung's battery-making unit is developing a cylindrical battery to be used in Hyundai's new hybrid vehicle models. Samsung SDI has not yet supplied EV batteries to Hyundai Motor. SK Innovation, LG Energy Solution and China's CATL have supplied the batteries for Hyundai's E-GMP EV platform. Samsung SDI has so far focused on prismatic batteries, while Hyundai sought to use pouch-type batteries which are mainly produced by SK and LG's battery affiliates. But Hyundai is seen to be seeking cylindrical batteries for its hybrid vehicle, due to their stability and lower production costs.Cylindrical batteries are known to be m

Apr 13, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Hyundai Motor, Samsung SDI forming battery partnership
Tech & Science

Greenhouse gas emissions concern chip makers

SK hynix' chip plant in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province / Courtesy of SK hynixBy Kim Bo-eunChip and display manufacturers have affirmed pledges to achieve carbon neutrality, but the market cycle is demanding increased production resulting in more emissions.Major companies are paying attention to curbing emissions, as their manufacturing facilities churn out products at full capacity and they look to expand production to meet the surging demand for chips and displays amid the COVID-19 pandemic.Data shows emissions are increasing for Korea's two largest chip makers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, as they scaled up production to meet higher demand last year.Samsung's greenhouse gas emissions grew to 13.6 million tons in 2020, a 22 percent increase from the previous year. SK hynix also saw its emissions increase to 4.68 million tons last year, up 24 percent from a year earlier.“The growth of emissions last year could be attributed to the expansion of production facilities such as in Pyeongtaek,” a Samsung Electronics official said.SK hynix also attributed the emissions increase t

Apr 12, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
Greenhouse gas emissions concern chip makers
Tech & Science

AI-powered English tutor program

Models show an artificial intelligence (AI)-based English tutor program developed by LG CNS and Japan's English academy company AEON in this provided photo. The program launched in Japan applies AI conversation algorithms and voice recognition technologies developed by LG CNS. / Courtesy of LG CNS

Apr 12, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
AI-powered English tutor program
Tech & Science

SK to pay $1.78 bil. to settle battery dispute with LG

By Kim Bo-eunLG and SK groups' corporate images / Korea Times fileSK Innovation (SKI) has agreed to pay 2 trillion won ($1.78 billion) to settle its battery dispute with local rival LG Energy Solution (LGES) in a last-minute settlement that will allow SK to avert a 10-year import ban ruling by the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC). The two companies said Sunday that they also agreed to drop all lawsuits filed both here and abroad, and pledged not to lodge any additional suits over the next decade. Of the 2 trillion won in settlement money, 1 trillion won will be paid over the next two years while the remaining 1 trillion won will be delivered in royalties. The compromise, which came ahead of an April 11 deadline for the White House to veto a USITC ruling, ended a two-year legal battle between the two Korean battery makers that was initiated by LG Chem in April, 2019. LG Chem spun off LGES in December, 2020.Biden welcomed the settlement in a statement, Sunday. "This settlement agreement is a win for American workers and the American auto industry," the statement said.The USI

Apr 11, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
SK to pay $1.78 bil. to settle battery dispute with LG
  • Washington believed to be behind LG-SK battery settlement
  • Biden hails battery dispute settlement between LG, SK
Companies

What are SKT's intentions in bidding for eBay?

By Kim Bo-eunThe participation of SK Telecom (SKT) in the preliminary bid to acquire eBay Korea came as a surprise as it was not on the list of entities expected to take part in the race.Unlike other entities that refrained from speaking out about their participation in the bid, SKT explicitly stated it would take part. This raised speculations that the telecom carrier, with a diverse array of businesses under its arm, was determined to acquire the U.S. e-commerce giant's local unit.However, it has become unclear what SKT's intentions are at a time when its e-commerce platform 11Street is boosting collaboration with Amazon. In addition, SKT CEO Park Jung-ho, who said earlier that the company would take part in the preliminary bid for eBay, did not make clear comments about his intentions to acquire the platform at a general shareholders' meeting held in late March.Lee Sang-ho, who heads 11Street, instead spoke about plans to innovate the online shopping experience for customers by improving processes for which they purchase items on Amazon via 11Steeet's platform.Initially it seemed

Apr 11, 2021By Kim Bo-eun
What are SKT's intentions in bidding for eBay?
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