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Lee Gyu-lee

Korea Times Business Reporter

Lee Gyu-lee is a business writer at The Korea Times, focusing primarily on IT & telecommunications, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and KOTRA. Prior to this, she has covered a wide range of cultural news, from film, television and K-pop to lifestyle and fashion.

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Tech & Science

TikTok lowers entry barrier for Korean sellers to enter US market

Short-form video platform TikTok introduced a new solution that lowers hurdles for Korean companies to enter TikTok Shop for the United States market, the company said Friday. During its business seminar Thursday, TikTok introduced its new "Korea-US Cross-Border" solution, which allows Korean businesses to enter the U.S. TikTok Shop using only their Korean corporate entity. Previously, in order to enter the U.S. TikTok Shop, vendors were required to meet complex requirements, including having a corporate entity, bank account and address within the U.S. With the new solution, Korean companies can now join the shop with a Korean business entity, a Korean passport, a Korean address, a virtual bank account and access to a third-party logistics service that can operate in the U.S. "Allowing Korean businesses to onboard the U.S. TikTok Shop without a local entity is a pivotal moment that accelerates local brands’ global expansion," General Manager of Global Business Solutions at TikTok Korea Matty Lin said. “TikTok Shop aims to go beyond being just a sales channel by offering a comprehensi

May 23, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee
TikTok lowers entry barrier for Korean sellers to enter US market
Tech & Science

Will domestic music streaming services regain market share after YouTube's new subscription program?

With the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) set to opt against imposing fines and instead accept Google Korea’s proposal to roll out a YouTube Premium subscription option without YouTube Music, there are questions over whether struggling local music streaming platforms can reclaim their market share from the global tech giant. The FTC said Thursday it initiated a resolution of agreement procedure to review Google Korea’s own proposal to address its practice of bundling YouTube Music with YouTube Premium. A resolution of agreement allows a company under investigation to propose its own corrective measures, and if accepted by the FTC, the case can be closed swiftly without fines or other sanctions. Google Korea proposed introducing a YouTube Premium Lite membership, which allows ad-free video viewing only, unlike the original Premium plan that includes ad-free access to music and music videos, video downloads and background play. The tech giant also included offering a total 30 billion won ($21.7 million) worth of fund to support Korea’s music industry, artists and creators. If the proposal

May 23, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee
Will domestic music streaming services regain market share after YouTube's new subscription program?
Tech & Science

LG Uplus targets foreigners with multilingual services

LG Uplus is set to expand its foreigner-friendly services by launching stores dedicated to non-Korean-speaking customers across the country. The company announced Thursday that it will provide documents in 17 languages and operate 67 specialized stores in major cities to better serve foreign residents. The 17 languages include English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, Thai, Burmese, Mongolian, Uzbek and Lao — the broadest range of translated options offered by any telecom carrier in Korea. The initiative aims to offer easier and more convenient ways for expats in Korea to sign up for mobile services. “As the number of foreigners residing in Korea continues to increase, we’ve strengthened our services to resolve their inconveniences in using telecom services and to improve their experience,” the company said in a release. “We’ll continue to invest in our customer service infrastructure to better serve all customers.” Offering translations in various languages will address one of the biggest issues for foreign customers. To solve language barriers foreigners experience when signi

May 23, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee
LG Uplus targets foreigners with multilingual services
Politics

Reform Party candidate vows ‘uncompromising business-friendly Korea’

Presidential candidate Lee Jun-seok of the minor conservative Reform Party pledged Thursday to ease regulatory restrictions as part of his campaign to revitalize Korea’s industries. During a special dialogue with the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) in central Seoul, Lee emphasized the need for deregulation to align Korea with the standards of leading economies. “Korea will be a business-friendly country without compromise … It's time for reform," Lee said. "We will remove outdated regulations that serve no public good. We will end overregulation, limiting the fear of unfamiliarity with new technology and ensure (foreign companies’) operations in Korea are guided by predictable rules, transparent processes and fair treatment." Noting Lee’s stance on deregulation aligns with AMCHAM’s longstanding efforts to improve Korea’s business environment, AMCHAM Korea Chairman James Kim welcomed the 40-year-old's vision for reforms to make Korea a more competitive destination for foreign investment. “His political acumen, exceptional intellect and global perspective make

May 22, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee
Reform Party candidate vows ‘uncompromising business-friendly Korea’
Tech & Science

Naver Cloud unveils advanced AI video analysis

Naver Cloud has unveiled its new AI video analysis assistant, Media AI Understanding (MAIU), demonstrating it at this year’s Korea International Broadcasting, Media, Audio, and Lighting Show, taking place from Tuesday to Friday in southern Seoul. The service automatically analyzes various types of information from videos, including people, actions, backgrounds and audio with AI to generate metadata. It allows users to search for specific scenes with simple text searches, such as searching for scenes with the keywords “wine glass" or "male lead character running.” "The rapidly growing video industry is one of the most anticipated areas for innovations through the adoption of cloud and AI technology," the company said. "We will strive to meet various consumer needs and lead innovation in the video industry with end-to-end media services that encompass the entire production process from content production, editing and distributing to management, along with our AI video analysis services." The new AI assistant is expected to help production studios, broadcasters and other content creat

May 22, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee
Naver Cloud unveils advanced AI video analysis
Tech & Science

KT, LG Uplus ramp up security measures amid SK Telecom data breach

As SK Telecom grapples with the fallout from a massive data breach, rival phone plan providers KT and LG Uplus are seizing the opportunity to underscore their commitment to cybersecurity by enhancing security services and customer-focused initiatives in a risk-sensitive market. SK Telecom’s recent hacking incident led to the leak of approximately 27 million user records, prompting around 330,000 customers to switch to rival companies since the breach was reported last month. KT has recently enhanced its business-to-business security service, Clean Zone. The service uses AI to analyze client traffic patterns, filtering out malicious traffic during distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks while allowing legitimate traffic to reach company servers. Using KT's database of over 5.3 million cyber threat entries, the service blocks both local and international cyberattacks in real time with high analytical precision. Users also receive additional preventative measures, including mock drills and monthly security reports. KT announced plans to more than double the capacity of Clean Zone in

May 21, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee
KT, LG Uplus ramp up security measures amid SK Telecom data breach
Tech & Science

Google, Samsung partner for smart glasses

A prototype of Google and Samsung's smart glasses is featured during Google I/O, an annual developer conference in Mountain View, Calif., Monday (local time). Google announced its partnership with Samsung to develop smart glasses with smartphone capabilities, featuring Google’s AI assistant Gemini, as well as a built-in camera, microphone and speaker. Yonhap

May 21, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee
Google, Samsung partner for smart glasses
Tech & Science

Debate sparks over platform firm's refusal to carry rivals' ads

A backlash over Naver’s rejection of ads from an artificial intelligence (AI) startup has prompted the tech giant to overhaul its advertising policy, reigniting a dilemma over its standards for hosting ads from companies in the same industry. Naver recently announced plans to revamp its advertising policy to allow ads from competing businesses and introduce a more transparent ad review system. The move comes in response to a controversy over its decision to block ads from AI website service platform operator WRTN Technologies. Last week, Naver submitted its revised advertising criteria to Rep. Kim Jang-gyeom of the People Power Party (PPP), a member of the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee. The revised policy has changed a clause prohibiting ads from competitors in the same industry to permit contextual discretion. The modified clause states: “Certain ads may be restricted depending on the nature of the service or content of the individual platform where the ad is displayed.” The policy also broadened the scope for ad execution by allowing

May 21, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee
Debate sparks over platform firm's refusal to carry rivals' ads
Companies

Dongsuh Foods’ Kanu coffee sales to exceed $71 mil. this year

Just two years after its launch, Dongsuh Foods’ coffee capsule brand Kanu Barista is on track to exceed 100 billion won ($71.77 million) in sales this year. Now valued at 400 billion won, the coffee capsule market in Korea is booming as more consumers seek convenient and cost-effective ways to enjoy coffee at home. Reflecting this trend, Dongsuh Food launched Kanu Barista in February 2023, drawing on 50 years of coffee manufacturing expertise. The brand is hoping to provide extra quality and quantity, with each capsule containing 9.5 grams of coffee — 1.7 times more than that of typical coffee capsules. "Premium coffee capsule Kanu Barista incorporates Dongsuh Foods’ long-standing coffee manufacturing expertise, allowing local consumers to enjoy the rich, cafe-quality taste of their favorite drink, the Americano," a company official said. "We will continue to introduce various types of coffee, allowing consumers to choose and enjoy coffee based on their individual preferences." Kanu Barista offers 13 different types of coffee, ranging from light and medium roast to dark roast, as we

May 20, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee
Dongsuh Foods’ Kanu coffee sales to exceed $71 mil. this year
Politics

Conservative candidate vows more incentives for foreign firms

Presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party (PPP) pledged Monday to boost foreign investment in Korea by assuring foreign companies a more stable and business-friendly environment. “(If elected) I will remove unreasonable regulations to enable larger and more confident investments in Korea. While offering tax benefits and increasing investment incentives for companies, I will pursue labor reforms to nurture future talent by improving the structure of the labor market,” Kim said during a luncheon with the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) in central Seoul. During the event, Kim outlined his key policy agenda and priorities aimed at shaping Korea’s long-term economic trajectory, including U.S.-Korea economic relations, regulatory reform and innovation strategies, with over 200 leaders from the global business community. “I’ve admired (candidate Kim Moon-soo’s) sharp insight, unwavering integrity and visionary leadership, particularly in the areas of innovation and economic development, and look forward to engaging in a meaningful dia

May 19, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee
Conservative candidate vows more incentives for foreign firms
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