my timesThe Korea Times
lkm

Lee Kyung-min

Korea Times AI content 2 team Reporter

Value context and insight. lkm@koreatimes.co.kr

Go to EmailGo to URL

Read more

Business

Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra sweeps European rankings

Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy S26 Ultra has claimed the top spot in Europe’s smartphone rankings, leading surveys across seven countries and signaling a potential shift in the premium market. The device ranked No. 1 in evaluations by leading consumer organizations in Britain, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium and Sweden, Samsung said Thursday. The reviews followed the global launch of the Galaxy S26 series on March 11. The British consumer group Which? awarded the Galaxy S26 Ultra its highest overall score of 87, placing it at the top of its smartphone rankings. “It showed outstanding performance across all laboratory tests,” the organization said, adding that the phone’s newly introduced privacy display delivered strong security performance. The Galaxy S25 Ultra and Galaxy S25+ tied for second place with scores of 85. France’s consumer group Que Choisir also ranked the Galaxy S26 Ultra first, awarding it 17 points. The group praised the smartphone for producing detailed images with vivid colors, strong low-light performance and videos that remained steady in stabilizatio

Apr 2, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra sweeps European rankings
Business

7-Eleven Korea adds LINE Pay to woo Taiwanese visitors

As Taiwanese tourists visit Korea in growing numbers, drawn by the global pull of K-culture, retailers here are moving to adapt. On Wednesday, 7-Eleven Korea said it would begin accepting Taiwan’s dominant mobile payment service, LINE Pay, at all locations starting April 1, allowing visitors to pay as seamlessly as they do at home. The move underscores a broader push by Korean retailers to capture Taiwanese tourist spending, a quickly rebounding segment. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, foreign arrivals reached a record 18.9 million last year, with spending increasing by 60 percent from a year earlier. Among them, roughly 1.89 million came from Taiwan, making it the third-largest source of visitors after China and Japan. The recovery rate from prepandemic 2019 levels reached 181 percent, the highest among major markets. LINE Pay, used by more than half of Taiwan’s population, has become a default payment method for many travelers. By integrating the service, 7-Eleven aims to remove friction at checkout counters and capture a greater share of tourist spending. Payments will

Apr 1, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
7-Eleven Korea adds LINE Pay to woo Taiwanese visitors
Business

Samsung Heavy Industries to help design next generation of US Navy vessels

Samsung Heavy Industries is stepping into a high-stakes U.S. naval program, signaling a deepening industrial partnership as Washington moves to modernize its fleet and diversify its shipbuilding base. The company said Wednesday it will take part in the conceptual design of the U.S. Navy’s Next Generation Logistics Ship, or NGLS, working with General Dynamics NASSCO and DSEC through March 2027 on early-stage vessel development. The NGLS program is expected to produce at least 13 ships and is a key component of the U.S. Navy’s “distributed maritime operations” strategy, which emphasizes agility and survivability through smaller, more flexible vessels capable of tailored mission support. The company said it will focus on hull form design — a key determinant of speed, stability and fuel efficiency — using its large-scale testing facilities, including a 400-meter towing tank in Daejeon, to meet U.S. Navy requirements. The project marks one of the most visible outcomes to date of the company’s broader push into the U.S. market, often referred to internally as MASGA (Make American

Apr 1, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Samsung Heavy Industries to help design next generation of US Navy vessels
Banking & Finance

Bank of Korea launches QR payment link in Indonesia

Travelers from Korea can now pay in Indonesia by scanning their smartphones, bypassing currency exchange lines and foreign transaction fees as a new cross-border QR payment system goes live. The Bank of Korea said Wednesday that it launched a QR-based payment linkage with Indonesia, allowing users to make purchases by scanning local codes with their existing financial apps. The rollout follows a memorandum of understanding signed in July 2024 between the Bank of Korea and Bank Indonesia to connect the two countries’ payment systems. The service is initially available through the Korea Financial Telecommunications and Clearings Institute, in partnership with Woori Card and KB Kookmin Bank. Officials said additional financial institutions and payment platforms — including Shinhan Bank, Woori Bank, Hana Bank, Shinhan Card, KB Kookmin Card, GLN and Travel Wallet — will be added in phases. Using the system, Korean users can pay at more than 32 million merchants across Indonesia that support the country’s standardized QRIS payment network, simply by scanning a code within their usual b

Apr 1, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Bank of Korea launches QR payment link in Indonesia
Business

CJ Logistics doubles down on Vietnam with full takeover of joint venture unit

CJ Logistics is tightening its hold on Vietnam’s fast-growing logistics sector, taking full control of a key joint venture as it pivots away from shipping toward higher-margin contract logistics. The company said Wednesday that it would acquire the remaining stake in its Vietnam-based affiliate, CJ Gemadept Logistics Holding, as part of a broader restructuring agreement with its longtime partner, Gemadept. The deal will give CJ Logistics 100 percent ownership of the unit, while transferring its stake in a separate shipping business back to Gemadept, effectively splitting the two operations and allowing each company to focus on its core strengths. CJ Logistics and Gemadept had jointly operated two entities since 2018: CJ Gemadept Logistics Holding, which oversees logistics operations, and CJ Gemadept Shipping Holding, which handles maritime transport. Before the restructuring, CJ Logistics held 50.9 percent of the logistics unit and 49 percent of the shipping unit. The agreement calls for a stake swap, with CJ Logistics taking the remaining 49.1 percent of the logistics unit and ceding

Apr 1, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
CJ Logistics doubles down on Vietnam with full takeover of joint venture unit
Others

New multilingual safety guide aims to protect foreign students in Korea

A new government guide to help international students navigate and respond to sexual harassment and violence is being rolled out across Korea, as officials confront rising foreign enrollment and persistent gaps in victim support. The Ministry of Education said Wednesday it had developed and distributed a “Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence SOS Guide” for international students at universities nationwide, aimed at helping them prevent incidents and respond effectively, particularly when language and cultural barriers complicate matters. The initiative comes as the number of foreign students in Korea has risen sharply in recent years, from 153,000 in 2020 to 209,000 in 2024 and 253,000 in 2025, according to government data. Officials said that while the increase reflects Korea’s growing appeal as a study destination, it has also exposed vulnerabilities, including cases in which students struggle to seek help after experiencing sexual misconduct. The guide outlines key concepts and common types of sexual harassment and violence, offering step-by-step responses for different scenar

Apr 1, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
New multilingual safety guide aims to protect foreign students in Korea
South Korea

Jeonbuk Nat'l Univ. taps Purdue partnership to chart new course

Jeonbuk National University and Purdue University have launched a joint research institute to advance physical artificial intelligence (AI) and defense technologies, part of the Korean school’s efforts to stake a claim in the global tech race. Announced Monday by Jeonbuk National University, the partnership represents a strategic alliance with the elite U.S. university to bolster research in next-generation fields. By teaming with Purdue, Jeonbuk National University aims to turn its Jeonju campus into a hub of high-tech innovation. The new institute, named the JBNU-Purdue Research Institute, held its opening ceremony at the university’s Industry-Academic Cooperation Plaza Tuesday, signaling what officials described as a formal expansion of ties between the two institutions. Among those attending were Yang O-bong, president of Jeonbuk National University, and Dimitrios Peroulis, senior vice president for partnerships and online at Purdue University, along with industry and research leaders. Purdue is widely regarded as one of the top research universities in the U.S., especially in en

Mar 31, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Jeonbuk Nat'l Univ. taps Purdue partnership to chart new course
Others

Korea bets homegrown fruit will bear sweet rewards abroad

Korea is shifting toward domestically developed seeds and premium varieties, seeking to reduce its reliance on a narrow range of export staples and gain a foothold in the global market for high-end produce. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Monday it will expand support for homegrown fruit and vegetable varieties, as part of a broader push to diversify Korea’s agricultural exports and target overseas consumers willing to pay more for distinctive, high-quality products. The initiative, now in its third year, focuses on cultivating and commercializing 18 new varieties across four key export crops: grapes, strawberries, pears and paprika. The effort is designed to broaden export portfolios, extend shipping seasons and reduce royalty payments to foreign breeders. The ministry said it has spent the past two years testing the global competitiveness of Korean-developed varieties through tailored, country-specific support programs, laying the groundwork for wider international expansion. Exports of these new varieties reached $3.58 million last year, totaling 590 tons. T

Mar 31, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea bets homegrown fruit will bear sweet rewards abroad
Business

Hankook Tire outpaces Europe’s best in stringent performance tests

Hankook Tire & Technology said its ultra-high-performance tire, Ventus evo, outperformed some of the industry’s most established brands on their home turf, taking top honors in influential European performance tests. The tire ranked first in recent comparative evaluations by leading German automotive publications, underscoring the company’s push into the top tier of the global market. The tire secured the top spot in evaluations by Auto Bild and its sister publication Auto Bild Allrad, outperforming competitors from major brands including Michelin, Goodyear and Pirelli. In the Auto Bild test, 50 tire models in the 245/45R19 category were fitted on a BMW 5 Series and evaluated across more than 10 performance criteria on both dry and wet roads. Ventus evo delivered the fastest lap time in wet handling among the top 20 finalists and demonstrated stable, high-level handling on dry surfaces, according to Hankook Tire. Its braking performance stood out in particular, recording the shortest stopping distance among all tested products — a key safety benchmark — the publication said. The t

Mar 31, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Hankook Tire outpaces Europe’s best in stringent performance tests
Business

Air France-KLM Martinair Cargo opens Incheon route

A major European cargo airline has begun flights to Incheon, opening a new air bridge for premium products and underscoring Korea’s expanding role in global logistics. Incheon International Airport Corp. said Tuesday that Air France-KLM Martinair Cargo launched a cargo route between Incheon and Amsterdam, operating three times a week. The carrier, the cargo arm of the Air France-KLM group, operates out of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and provides freight services to more than 310 destinations worldwide. The new route is expected to deepen cargo links between Europe and Northeast Asia. The service uses Boeing 747-400 freighters and follows a circular route that includes Hong Kong, a structure intended to improve network efficiency across key trade corridors. The airline will primarily transport premium and specialized cargo, including semiconductor equipment, pharmaceuticals and aerospace components. The new route is expected to generate an additional 16,000 tons of annual cargo capacity, the airport operator said. To mark the launch, the airport held a ceremony Tuesday at its cargo termin

Mar 31, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Air France-KLM Martinair Cargo opens Incheon route
previous page
3839404142
next page

Top 5 stories

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.