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Lee Kyung-min

Korea Times AI content 2 team Reporter

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Companies

Naver looks to Mexico as export market for AI infrastructure

Naver, the Korean tech powerhouse best known for operating the country’s dominant search engine and digital ecosystem, is expanding its global artificial intelligence (AI) push into Latin America. Company executives met with Mexican government officials and business leaders this week to explore joint initiatives aimed at building a regional AI ecosystem and accelerating industrial modernization. Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon and other company executives visited Mexico from Thursday through Friday as members of President Lee Jae Myung’s economic delegation, the company said Tuesday. Choi met with Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, Mexico’s economy minister, and Rosaura Ruiz Gutiérrez, minister of science, humanities, technology and innovation, as well as officials from the Agency of Digital Transformation and Telecommunications and Mexican IT company Softtek. Choi introduced Naver’s public-sector AI transformation capabilities, sovereign AI strategy and AI factory project being developed with Nvidia and Brookfield, while proposing cooperation on Mexico’s public sector digital transformation a

Sep 29, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Naver looks to Mexico as export market for AI infrastructure
Companies

LG Innotek to operate data collecting vehicle fleet for self-driving tech

LG Innotek will dispatch a fleet of sensor-packed test vehicles to Korean roads to gather real-world data aimed at sharpening technologies that determine how self-driving cars see the world. The company said Tuesday it has begun operating data collection vehicles in Korea in partnership with Applied Intuition, a U.S. autonomous driving software company. The two companies plan to expand the fleet to 20 vehicles by 2028. Operations will initially focus on Seoul, Incheon and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province, with the fleet including both data collection vehicles and vehicles used to develop autonomous driving software. LG Innotek said direct access to road data will help it refine sensors that serve as the “eyes” of autonomous vehicles and strengthen its sensor-fusion technology. The vehicles combine cameras, radar and lidar to capture information about road conditions, vehicle movements, object locations and changes in weather, with the data to be paired with digital twin environments for sensor improvement and system validation. Sensor fusion combines camera imagery with radar measure

Sep 29, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
LG Innotek to operate data collecting vehicle fleet for self-driving tech
Travel & Food

Japanese travelers favor quick and condensed trips to Seoul

A new trend is reshaping tourism in Seoul: the "bullet trip." Rather than settling in for an extended vacation, a growing wave of Japanese travelers is landing in Korea for condensed itineraries packed with skin care treatments, late-night fashion runs and street food. Data released by the Seoul Metropolitan Government shows Japanese tourists averaged a 3.5-day stay last year — far shorter than visitors from China or Taiwan, who averaged roughly six days. Yet, their repeat visit rate stood at an impressive 71 percent. Driven largely by women in their 20s and 30s, who accounted for over a third of all Japanese arrivals to Korea, these travelers choose frequent, targeted getaways over drawn-out sightseeing. Industry analysts point to Seoul’s unique density as the main draw. Within a single neighborhood like Myeong-dong or Dongdaemun, visitors can move effortlessly between K-beauty clinics, traditional markets and late-night shopping malls. According to city consumption data from early 2026, medical and wellness services — including dermatology, body scrubs and semi-permanent makeup

Sep 29, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Japanese travelers favor quick and condensed trips to Seoul
Korean Heritage

Mexican broadcasters turn spotlight on Korea's soft power, tech vision

Mexican broadcasters TV Azteca and Imagen Television turned their cameras to Korea’s cultural rise and approach to artificial intelligence (AI) during three special documentaries aired last Thursday through Saturday timed to President Lee Jae Myung’s state visit to Mexico. The programs, produced in cooperation with Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, explored the roots of Korean cultural influence through the vision of independence leader Kim Koo and examined how Korean society is preparing for an era of human-centered AI. TV Azteca’s “Kim Koo: el sueno que conquisto al planeta (Kim Koo: The Dream That Conquered the Planet,” broadcast Saturday, presented K-culture as the result of long-term investment in education and culture rather than a passing trend. The documentary also traced historical ties between Korea and Mexico through the 1,033 Koreans who moved to Yucatan in 1905 and supported Korea’s independence movement. Imagen Television’s “La apuesta que cambio Corea,” broadcast Thursday, examined how Korean traditions such as “jang” and “hanbok”

Sep 29, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Mexican broadcasters turn spotlight on Korea's soft power, tech vision
People & Events

Seoul Grand Park showcases nature's botanical predators

Long a sanctuary for native flora and exotic animals, the Seoul Grand Park Botanical Garden is turning the spotlight on nature’s most cunning hunters: carnivorous plants. Starting Oct. 2, the park will host its 20th annual carnivorous plant exhibition, a 10-day Exploring North American Carnivorous Plants with JBS showcase. Set in the Welcoming Garden near the main entrance, the event features more than 700 specimens across 16 species native to North America — ranging from the iconic Venus flytrap and dew-beaded sundews to cobra lilies and butterworts. To make the botanical science accessible to families, park organizers are framing the exhibit around JBS (Jabasseu), a whimsical fictional mascot group created to celebrate the botanical garden’s 40th anniversary. Made up of five characters modeled after insect-eating plants — including Fly, Taeyang-i and Sara — JBS acts as a pop-idol-style guide, leading visitors through an interactive journey tracing how these plants thrive in the wild. Carnivorous plants are evolutionary marvels. By adapting to nutrient-poor soils like peat bog

Sep 29, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Seoul Grand Park showcases nature's botanical predators
People & Events

Dongdaemun sees overseas tourist spending surge during fall festival

Over 11 radiant nights this month, more than 700,000 people converged on Seoul’s aluminum-sheathed Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) for Seoul Light DDP, a high-tech projection that flooded the area with media art after dark. The Seoul Design Foundation said Monday that 700,512 people visited DDP from Sept. 3-13, an average of 63,683 visitors per day. Visitors filled DDP’s Eoullim Square and Miraero Bridge during evening media art shows, with food, shopping and entertainment offerings encouraging them to stay in the area after performances. Subway traffic at Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station rose 8.34 percent during the festival, reaching 961,725 boardings and exits compared with 887,702 during the same period in August. Evening traffic from 6 p.m. to midnight increased 15.1 percent, while traffic between 7 pm and 10 p.m. rose 21.9 percent, with visitors peaking around 8 p.m. The foundation said DDP Design Store recorded more than double its previous month’s sales during the festival. A satisfaction survey of 2,122 visitors found that 94.7 percent were satisfied or very satisfied

Sep 28, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Dongdaemun sees overseas tourist spending surge during fall festival
People & Events

Insadong art fair bridges Joseon antiquities, modern craft

Nestled behind the high-rises and neon-lit corridors of central Seoul, the narrow alleyways of Insadong have long served as the historic heartbeat of traditional Korean artistry. This fall, the neighborhood’s historic identity takes center stage as Jongno District hosts the 39th annual Insadong Traditional Cultural Festival, kicking off a four-day celebration of Korea’s material culture. Running from Oct. 1-4, the festival — officially titled the 2026 Insadong Antique & Art Fair — will transform venue hubs like Insa Art Plaza and Anyoung Insadong into a vibrant indoor and outdoor exhibition space. Organized by the Insadong Traditional Culture Preservation Association, the gathering brings together antique dealers, ceramicists, tea masters and contemporary visual artists to highlight the enduring appeal of traditional aesthetic arts. The festival opens Oct. 1 at 1:30 p.m. with a large-scale calligraphy performance, where master artists use giant horsehair brushes to paint sweeping floor scrolls, followed by traditional music recitals and official opening remarks at 2 p.m. At the c

Sep 28, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Insadong art fair bridges Joseon antiquities, modern craft
Companies

Samsung Biologics highlights faster drug manufacturing timelines at BPI Boston

Samsung Biologics showcased manufacturing technologies designed to accelerate biopharmaceutical development and improve product quality at BioProcess International (BPI) 2026 in Boston, highlighting efforts to streamline complex drug production. The company said Monday it participated in BPI from Sept. 22-25, drawing more than 3,000 biopharmaceutical professionals from around the world. Samsung Biologics, which has attended BPI for nine consecutive years, operated its own booth featuring capabilities spanning contract research, development and manufacturing, along with Samsung Organoids, differentiated contract development and manufacturing services and production for multiple modalities. During a presentation Wednesday, the company's antibody purification process development team outlined an integrated chemistry, manufacturing and controls strategy for bispecific and multispecific antibodies. The team said molecule-specific process development reduced a development timeline from 13 months to 9.5 months while maintaining high quality. Scientific posters presented during the conference als

Sep 28, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Samsung Biologics highlights faster drug manufacturing timelines at BPI Boston
Travel & Food

Stray Kids drives 10 mil. views for Busan tourism in KTO's latest campaign

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has scored a major hit in its quest to turn global K-pop fandom into real-world travel momentum. Its promotional video featuring global powerhouse Stray Kids recently shattered the 10-million-view mark, giving Korea's regional tourism strategy a powerful boost. Released as part of the KTO’s flagship BIAS (Be In Artists’ Scenes) campaign — a strategic initiative launched in partnership with JYP Entertainment — the project plays on the fandom term “bias” to inspire international travel. By following directly in the footsteps of their favorite idols, fans are encouraged to venture far beyond Seoul and discover the rich cultural landscape of Korea's broader regions. In the featured Busan installment, Stray Kids takes viewers on an energetic journey through the iconic coastal city, completing playful missions while exploring destinations like Songdo Beach, Bupyeong Kkangtong Market and the vibrant, hillside Gamcheon Culture Village. The video carries a personal touch by highlighting band member I.N., a Busan native, who offers fans a genuine l

Sep 28, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Stray Kids drives 10 mil. views for Busan tourism in KTO's latest campaign
Sports

From Olympic medal to Asian Games gold: Seong Seung-min's golden rise

Seong Seung-min has completed a rare sweep of modern pentathlon milestones: a world championship gold, an Olympic medal and, now, an Asian Games title. The 23-year-old Korean became the first Korean woman to win an individual Asian Games gold medal in modern pentathlon on Saturday, scoring 1,492 points in the final at Anjo Sports Park in Aichi Prefecture. Her victory also delivered Korea’s first gold medal of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Games. Three years ago, however, Seong’s Asian Games story began with a failure she could hardly have scripted. At the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, her horse suddenly stopped during the riding event, resulting in her disqualification from the women’s individual competition. She went on to win a bronze medal in the team event, but the individual disappointment stayed with her. What followed was not a retreat, but a transformation. Seong focused intensely on riding, once considered one of her weaker disciplines, while also sharpening her fencing and shooting. By 2024, she had emerged as one of the leading figures in Korean modern pentathlon. She first made her

Sep 24, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
From Olympic medal to Asian Games gold: Seong Seung-min's golden rise
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