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Carriers to vie for 1.8GHz frequency band

Pedestrians pass by a local handset outlet in downtown Seoul. Amid soaring demand for Long-Term Evolution (LTE) enabled portable devices, the nation’s three carriers — KT, SK Telecom and LG Uplus — will bid in an upcoming auction of a license for the 1.8 GHz frequency spectrum to gain a competitive edge in their LTE services.                                     / Korea Times fileBy Kim Yoo-chulKorea’s telecommunication industry is expected to see another ``cash war’’ as the top regulator plans an additional spectrum auction amid fierce rivalry for fourth-generation (4G) Long-Term Evolution (LTE) networks.The Korea Communication Commission (KCC) said that it will auction the license for the 1.8 gigahertz (GHz) and 2.6 GHz LTE spectrum bands, respectively, in March at the earliest. KT, LG and SK Telecom have all said they will bid in the auction. And attention is being paid to which company will get the license, especially the 1.8 GHz band one, wh

Feb 19, 2013By Kim Yoo-chul
Carriers to vie for 1.8GHz frequency band
Tech & Science

Koo's steady hands

LG Chairman Koo Bon-moo, second from left, talks with LG Uplus CEO Lee Sang-chul, left, and LG Electronics Chief Technology Officer Ahn Seung-kwon, second from right, during the group’s executive meeting at LG Chem’s technology center in Daejeon last year.                          / Courtesy of LG GroupLG to release new smartphones in emerging marketsBy Kim Yoo-chulLG Group is bouncing back with its flagship LG Electronics experiencing a business turnaround on the back of a strong recovery in its handset business. The net profit margin is improving, meaning LG is in a better position to control costs and make effective sales plans to increase revenue.In addition, it has successfully rolled out competitive products in emerging and key markets, giving investors a good reason to return to LG stocks.Some uncertainties still remain as the firm faces an unfavorable economic situation and intensifying competition in its core businesses; but the group is looking ahead rather than worrying about external factors

Feb 19, 2013By Kim Yoo-chul
Koo's steady hands
Tech & Science

LG remains bullish on handsets

By Kim Yoo-chulLG’s Optimus G ProLG Electronics has reaffirmed its bullish stance about handset business with a company executive declaring to clinch another ``million seller’’ flagship smartphone by the end of this year.On Monday, the Yeouido-based outfit released the Optimus G Pro smartphone that features a 5.5-inch screen packing over 2 million pixels or twice as many as smartphones with high-definition (HD) screens.The mobile, powered by Google’s Android software, will go on sale in Korea this week before hitting shelves in Japan in April.``We have no questions that the Optimus Pro will mark the biggest-ever sales curve than any other smartphones that have been selling in the South Korean market,’’ said Ma Chang-min, an executive at LG’s handset marketing division, in a news conference at its headquarters, downtown Seoul.LG sold more than 1 million ``Optimus LTE’’ units since its launch in 2011. ``We have high expectations about the Optimus Pro as the device comes at a time when our handset business is getting back on a stable

Feb 18, 2013By Kim Yoo-chul
LG remains bullish on handsets
Tech & Science

Exclusive Samsung to boost network equipment sales to $10 bil.

By Kim Yoo-chulSamsung Electronics aims to boost network equipment sales to 11 trillion won ($10 billion) from the current 3 trillion won by 2015.If this goal is attained, Samsung will be among the top three firms in the sector globally. The plan is part of the company’s efforts to develop new growth engines and reduce its reliance on the TV, smartphones and component businesses. ``Samsung aims to become a global supplier of network equipment. Currently, we want to shift our focus and raise sales,’’ a senior executive told The Korea Times, Monday.The company recently designated the network equipment business as one of its growth engines as major telecommunication companies worldwide are investing in faster and advanced fourth-generation (4G) Long Term-Evolution (LTE) networks.``Samsung strongly believes it should seek an annual growth rate of more than 50 percent in the sector,’’ said the executive.He added that Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jay-yong and mobile chief Shin Jong-kyun are directly leading the initiative.Lee and Shin will fly to Barc

Feb 18, 2013By Kim Yoo-chul
Tech & Science

KT promotes 5 females to executive

By Kim Yoo-chulKT is taking initiatives to break the so-called glass ceiling for women in the private sector by promoting five female managers to executive posts.KT, led by CEO and Chairman Lee Suk-chai, said Sunday that it promoted 17 senior managers to new executives. Of the total, five or 30 percent were women. The promotion sent the total number of female executives to 13 from the previous eight.``Field experience was the top criteria in this year’s reshuffle for low-ranking executives. Also, KT wanted to change a male dominated corporate culture by giving more authorities to qualified female officials,’’ the company said in a statement.The promotion comes after the Bundang, Gyeonggi Province-based outfit previously promoted former presidential secretary for overseas communications Kim Eun-hye to the head of its public relations office. It also promoted Oh Se-hyun and Lim Soo-kyung as senior executives at its global and enterprise division.Giving more authority to women has emerged as the new trend in the local telecom sector. The smallest carrier LG Uplus recen

Feb 17, 2013By Kim Yoo-chul
Tech & Science

Shipbuilders delay new business plans

Samsung, Hyundai cut investment in solar projectsBy Kim Yoo-chulMajor Korean shipbuilders are moving to either scale down or scrap their investment plans for new businesses in order to weather the business turmoil caused by the prolonged economic slump. Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and Daewoo Shipbuilding are shifting their focus to stability from growth. They are tightening their purse strings after being hit by a toxic mixture of a plunge in shipping rates and oversupply of vessels, as well as a slowdown in the European and Chinese economies. As cash reserves are drying up hit by the industry’s downturn, top management is not looking to long-term projects.   According to fund managers and stock analysts, the world’s top shipbuilder HHI has decided to delay opening its ambitious solar cell plant in Ochang until the end of 2014, as global demand for solar technology-embedded solutions is still very weak.Hyundai-Avancis, the joint venture of Hyundai and France’s Saint-Gobain are building a copper, indium, gallium and disele

Feb 17, 2013By Kim Yoo-chul
Tech & Science

LG TV business challenged by 'China risk'

By Kim Yoo-chulThe head of LG Electronics’ TV business unit said Thursday that Chinese TV firms are emerging as the biggest threat to the Korean electronics giant as they are churning out more affordable models.``The China risk is posing the biggest threat to us. LG isn’t too worried about Japanese rivals. However, we should admit that Chinese TV makers are challenging us,’’ said Kwon Hee-won, the president of LG’s home entertainment unit, in a news conference at its main research center in Seoul.``Unlike Japanese companies, Chinese TV producers have in-house module plants, helping them mass-produce panels for televisions,’’ the executive told reporters.Kwon said the market for next-generation televisions such as OLED sets is booming as Korean, Japanese and Chinese companies are entering the fray for such advanced TVs to find new cash generators.LG, the world’s No. 2 TV maker is working on to release a curved organic light-emitting diode (OLED) TV in the latter half of this year as it still needs to solve some technical problems before

Feb 14, 2013By Kim Yoo-chul
Tech & Science

KT to up investment in energy business

Hong Won-ki, head of KT’s technology centerBy Kim Yoo-chulKT said in a press conference Wednesday that it will increase its investment in the energy business as part of efforts to secure new growth engines and ensure business sustainability. The company also hinted that it will invest more in energy management services as its proven experience in fixed-line and mobile communications segments makes it ideally-positioned to effectively handle energy-saving systems."The local telecommunications market is already saturated. KT identified the energy-saving business as one of our next growth engines,’’ said Hong Won-ki, the head of the firm’s technology center in the conference at its cutting-edge energy management center, downtown Seoul.Hong said the center can control and monitor the current status of energy consumption such as electricity and gas in buildings and households. With financial support from the Korean government, KT is controlling energy consumption in government buildings in Sejong City, the digital complex in Guro and E-Mart stores, the nation&rsquo

Feb 13, 2013By Kim Yoo-chul
KT to up investment in energy business
Tech & Science

Kwon named as new AMD Asia head

David KwonBy Kim Yoo-chulAdvanced Micro Devices (AMD) has promoted its Korean office head David Kwon to lead its Asian division, excluding China.This is the first time that the California-based supplier of computer processors has named a Korean as the chief of its Asian business, AMD said in a statement, Wednesday. Kwon will handle key AMD clients Samsung Electronics and Toshiba. He will also be tasked to find new business partners in India, Australia, Southeast Asia, as well as Japan, the statement read."This is good for Koreans and AMD’s Korean office as well. Despite market uncertainties, I strongly believe AMD will see new chances to grow our existing and next businesses with close collaboration with our trusted partners,’’ Kwon told The Korea Times by telephone.Despite the promotion, Kwon will stay in Korea, meaning that the Korean unit will play the role as the Asian headquarters.Kwon, who worked for DELL over 10 years as a marketing specialist, joined AMD in 2010. Since then, he’s been handling the semiconductor company’s global strategic division

Feb 13, 2013By Kim Yoo-chul
Kwon named as new AMD Asia head
Tech & Science

Dell, Cisco undergo tough times

Foreign firms restructuring businesses here        Dell Korea CEO                     IBM Korea CEO       Kim Kyung-duk                   Shirley Yu-Tsuiy Kim Yoo-chulMajor global corporate giants, such as Dell, CISCO and IBM are speeding up their moves to retool their businesses here in a bid to survive the tough business environment caused by the prolonged economic slump and heated competition.They are mainly embarking on overhaul measures such as streamlining operations and major managerial changes. These moves have become necessary survival mechanisms in the light of the withdrawal of corporate giants such as Motorola Mobility and Yahoo from the Korean market.Dell said Tuesday that it appointed Kim Kyung-duk as its new head of the Korean operation replacing Peter Marrsto to bolster its presence in the lucrative business-to-business (B2B) segments.The replacement is part of Dell’s efforts to restructure its global operations. Dell&r

Feb 13, 2013By Kim Yoo-chul
Dell, Cisco undergo tough times
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