my timesThe Korea Times
namhw

Nam Hyun-woo

Korea Times Business Reporter

Nam Hyun-woo has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2013, mostly covering business and politics. He currently belongs to the Business Desk where he covers topics such as emerging tech, AI, ICT and Korea's chaebol community. Prior to joining the team, he was the paper's correspondent for the presidential office of Korea during the Yoon Suk Yeol and Moon Jae-in administrations.

Go to Email

Read more

Companies

US ambassador urges fair treatment for American firms in Korea

U.S. Ambassador to Korea Michelle Steel on Wednesday called on Seoul to ensure that American companies operating in Korea can compete on a level playing field, amid U.S. concerns over regulations affecting firms such as Coupang. "American companies in Korea deserve to compete on a level playing field, fairly and without discrimination," Steel said in her opening remarks at a special luncheon hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) in Seoul. The event also featured Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK). Coupang, a U.S.-listed e-commerce firm that is active primarily in Korea, disclosed a data breach affecting over 33.6 million customers late last year, leading to an investigation and sanctions. In response, 50 U.S. Republican politicians signed a letter accusing Seoul of “targeted and discriminatory actions” against American companies, citing the Coupang case. Seoul has rejected the claims of discriminatory treatment, insisting that the investigation has been carried out in accordance with domestic law. The ambassador, addressing concerns ove

Oct 21, 2026By Nam Hyun-woo
US ambassador urges fair treatment for American firms in Korea
Companies

GDF connects Korean SMEs with diplomats to boost exports

The Global Diplomats Forum (GDF) brought together diplomatic representatives from eight countries and Korean businesses at the National Assembly in Seoul on Monday to explore ways to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) expand overseas. The conference was co-hosted by GDF and the Korea Strong Small Business Association (KSSBA). Diplomatic representatives from Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, Italy, Brazil, Germany, Malaysia, Uzbekistan and the Philippines presented their countries’ market conditions, investment opportunities and key industries. The participating ambassadors included Chafik Rachadi of Morocco, Jamal Abdullah Al Suwaidi of the UAE, Emilia Gatto of Italy, Fernando Pimentel of Brazil, Georg Schmidt of Germany, Dato’ Mohd Zamruni Khalid of Malaysia, Alisher Abdusalomov of Uzbekistan and Bernadette Therese Fernandez of the Philippines. About 30 diplomatic representatives attended. The conference aimed to address challenges facing Korean SMEs seeking to enter foreign markets, including limited access to market information, local business partners and distributio

Oct 21, 2026By Nam Hyun-woo
GDF connects Korean SMEs with diplomats to boost exports
Companies

Samsung Bioepis wins FDA Fast Track for 1st anticancer drug candidate

Samsung Bioepis has received Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for SBE303, an anticancer drug candidate based on antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) technology, the company said Wednesday. SBE303 is the first novel drug candidate in Samsung Bioepis' pipeline. It is an ADC, a type of biopharmaceutical drug designed to deliver powerful cancer-killing agents directly to cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissues. ADCs are oftentimes referred to as "biological missiles" because of their targeted approach. SBE303 targets Nectin-4, a cell adhesion protein expressed in several types of cancer, including urothelial, lung and breast cancers. Existing ADCs targeting Nectin-4 face limitations because of their narrow therapeutic window, meaning the difference between an effective dose and a dose that causes serious side effects is relatively small. Samsung Bioepis designed SBE303 to address these limitations by combining an antibody that specifically targets Nectin-4 with a potent anticancer agent known as a topoisomerase I inhibitor, using its own linker

Oct 21, 2026By Nam Hyun-woo
Samsung Bioepis wins FDA Fast Track for 1st anticancer drug candidate
Companies

Foreign nationals make up 0.7% of Korea's research workforce, visa hurdles persist

Foreign experts accounted for less than 1 percent of research personnel at Korean companies, a report showed Tuesday, with companies identifying visa and related administrative issues as the biggest obstacles to hiring foreign workers in the field. According to the report by the Korea Industrial Technology Association (KOITA), there were 72,224 corporate research and development organizations registered with the association in 2025. Of those, only 1,945, or 2.7 percent, employed foreign researchers. The number of foreign researchers stood at 3,155, accounting for just 0.7 percent of the total research workforce. The number of research and development organizations employing foreign researchers and the number of foreign researchers increased 57.9 percent and 21.4 percent over the past decade, respectively. However, foreign researchers' share of the total research workforce remained virtually unchanged at around 0.7 percent. The report also included a survey of 1,225 companies conducted from Aug. 21 to 28 to assess their experiences with foreign researchers, hiring plans and recruitment c

Oct 20, 2026By Nam Hyun-woo
Foreign nationals make up 0.7% of Korea's research workforce, visa hurdles persist
Companies

Coway offers tailored mattress options for different sleeping habits

Coway is promoting three mattresses under its BEREX brand to meet diverse sleeping preferences, offering options for people with different sleeping postures and couples who prefer different levels of firmness. The company said its lineup is designed to accommodate differences in body shape and sleeping habits, as Koreans tend to get relatively little sleep, making it increasingly important for consumers to improve their sleep quality. According to a 2024 survey by the Korean Society of Sleep Research, Koreans sleep an average of six hours and 58 minutes a day, placing the country among the lowest-ranked OECD members in terms of sleep duration. With limited hours of sleep, more consumers are seeking better-quality rest, making it increasingly important for mattress makers to address their diverse needs. For people who sleep on their backs or prefer firmer support, Coway recommends the BEREX Modi Mattress, which uses individually pocketed signature springs made with high-strength steel wire from POSCO for durability and stability, along with Contour 7-Zone Foam designed to distribute body

Oct 20, 2026By Nam Hyun-woo
Coway offers tailored mattress options for different sleeping habits
Tech & Science

Microsoft-IITP program helps Korean AI talents tap into global research resources

Budding artificial intelligence (AI) researchers presented the results of their work during an internship program jointly organized by Microsoft Research and the Institute of Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP), showcasing new findings in areas such as visual agentic AI, brain-inspired AI, AI-native systems and spatial intelligence. Microsoft, IITP and the Ministry of Science and ICT jointly held the 2026 Korea Day presentation event at Microsoft Korea Office in central Seoul, Tuesday, with over 100 students, mentors and officials from Microsoft Research Asia (MSRA) and IITP attending. IITP is the policy-planning and management arm of the ministry. “By embracing interdisciplinary and cross-boundary research rooted in Asia Pacific, we aim to define the new paradigm of computing and AI for the better,” Microsoft Research Accelerator Director Lee Mi-ran said. “Our collaboration with Korea is not a series of one-off events. It has been built steadily over more than 20 years … Government provides the framework, universities provide the talent and idea

Oct 20, 2026By Nam Hyun-woo
Microsoft-IITP program helps Korean AI talents tap into global research resources
Companies

GS Global invests in carbon credit firm to expand trading business

GS Global is expanding into carbon credit trading through an equity investment in Hooxi Partners, a Korean carbon credit specialist, seeking to monetize emissions reductions from its existing eco-friendly businesses. GS Global said Tuesday that the investment would establish a strategic partnership, combining Hooxi Partners’ carbon reduction expertise with GS Global’s global network and trading capabilities. The investment comes as Korea's fourth emissions trading scheme, covering 2026-2030, takes effect. Tighter emissions caps, expanded paid allocations and stricter global carbon regulations are raising the cost of securing carbon credits and increasing exposure to price volatility. GS Global aims to turn carbon credits into a new growth engine. Founded in 2021, Hooxi Partners offers services ranging from carbon credit methodology development and emissions reduction project management to securing Korean Offset Credits (KOCs) and forward trading. The company focuses on transportation-related emissions reduction projects, particularly the transition to electric vehicles. It also oper

Oct 20, 2026By Nam Hyun-woo
GS Global invests in carbon credit firm to expand trading business
Companies

Hyundai Rotem acquires Wia's defense biz as group reorganizes portfolio

Hyundai Rotem, a Hyundai Motor Group affiliate that manufactures the K2 battle tank, will acquire the defense business unit of fellow affiliate Hyundai Wia for 358.4 billion won ($252 million), as their parent company seeks to strengthen its competitiveness by consolidating its defense operations. According to the two companies’ regulatory filings, Hyundai Rotem will acquire Hyundai Wia's defense business, which manufactures main gun barrels for battle tanks and self-propelled howitzers. The two sides signed the contract on Monday and plans to close the deal by March 31. Hyundai Rotem’s main businesses include railway vehicles, such as trains and trams, and weapons systems for land, naval and air operations. Hyundai Wia manufactures engines, modules and gun barrels, supplying the barrels for both Hyundai Rotem’s K2 battle tanks and K9 self-propelled howitzers produced by Hanwha Aerospace. The acquisition will allow Hyundai Rotem to manufacture both complete K2 battle tanks and their main guns, reducing manufacturing costs and improving supply chain management efficiency. By bringi

Oct 19, 2026By Nam Hyun-woo
Hyundai Rotem acquires Wia's defense biz as group reorganizes portfolio
Companies

Korea seeks dedicated US visa quota for shipbuilding workers

Korea is seeking a dedicated U.S. visa quota for shipbuilding workers as a condition for carrying out its $150 billion investment commitment under the Make American Shipbuilding Great Again (MASGA) initiative, according to the information submitted to Rep. Huh Sung-moo of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. On Monday, Huh said that information he had received from the ministry indicated that it has been “explaining” to its U.S. counterparts the conditions “Washington needs to meet for Korea to fulfill its investment commitment.” “In particular, we have requested that the U.S. provide sufficient shipbuilding orders, allow joint shipbuilding through exemptions from restrictions on overseas construction, offer financial incentives and establish a dedicated visa quota for shipbuilding workers as prerequisites for implementing the investment commitment,” the ministry said in its response. The Korean government and business associations have been pushing for the introduction of a new E-4 visa category for Korean professionals in spec

Oct 19, 2026By Nam Hyun-woo
Korea seeks dedicated US visa quota for shipbuilding workers
Companies

Hanwha to distribute 2027 braille calendar to mark 100th anniv. of Korean braille system

Hanwha Group said Monday it will produce and distribute 40,000 copies of its 2027 Braille calendar for visually impaired people. Hanwha Group has been producing braille calendars every year since 2000, when Chairman Kim Seung-youn received a letter from a visually impaired person and launched the project with the belief that people with visual impairments should also be able to share in the joy of welcoming the new year. Starting with 5,000 copies in the first year, the group has distributed about 1 million calendars through last year. The 2027 calendar features braille alongside printed text, allowing both visually impaired and sighted people to use it. Users can check essential information in braille, including dates, days of the week, lunar calendar dates, seasonal markers and public holidays. The calendar also reflected visually impaired users’ feedback to adjust text size and contrast to improve readability. Social enterprise Braille Publishing participated in producing the calendar. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the introduction of “Hunmaengjeongeum,” the Korean bra

Oct 19, 2026By Nam Hyun-woo
Hanwha to distribute 2027 braille calendar to mark 100th anniv. of Korean braille system
previous page
12345
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.