The Korea Times

KT vows better security, remains vague on how

By Kim Yoo-chul KT, the nation’s second-largest mobile-phone operator, issued an apology and promised to introduce measures to strengthen protection of customer following a hacking incident that compromised personal details of nearly 9 million of its wireless users. The company expects to be on the receiving end of a massive class action suit, which is expected to be participated in by tens of thousands of its customers. According to local lawyers, more than 34,000 people have signed up in the suit. They are seeking damages of 300,000 won to 500,000 won per person. ``I sincerely hope that the damaged clients will accept our sincere apology. We will be waiting for a decision by the local court,’’ said Pyo Hyun-myung, president of KT’s wireless group, in a news conference at the company’s central Seoul office. ``I have no intentions to make any excuses. However, I would say this was a very sophisticated criminal act. The hackers used high-level programs to raid our network, but we didn’t know for five months. Yes, I admit that our existing security systems were not good en

Aug 10, 2012By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Internet giant gets creative in CSR

By Kim Yoo-chul In Korea, a nation obsessed with e-this and e-that, even community work and corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts can’t be successful if not integrated fully on the Web. There are numerous websites arranging donations to charities, promoting their causes in flashy and interactive ways, and allowing Internet users the convenience of making donations using credit cards and mobile phones instead of wiring money from banks. NHN, the country’s largest Internet company that operates the dominant domestic search engine Naver and popular game portal Hangame now looks to take Web-based social campaigns to the next level. The company’s CSR activities are built around Happybean, its donation website that has managed to raise more than 30 billion won (about $27 million) since its launch in 2005. While most CSR efforts have been corporate-driven events motivated by public relations strategies, the distinctive character of Happybean is its openness. The website is operated like a blog or a social media page. Community groups and charity organizations can po

Aug 10, 2012By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Samsung denies child labor abuse claims

By Kim Yoo-chul Samsung Electronics Thursday vowed to look thoroughly into allegations of child labor abuse at one of its Chinese suppliers, although company officials aren’t convinced that claims by China Labor Watch have any truth to them. The New York-based human rights organization recently released a 31-page report suggesting that HEG Electronics, one of Samsung’s many Chinese partners, has been employing children under the age of 16. These underage workers have been underpaid and forced to work excessive hours, the report said. Samsung has been quick to respond to the matter, sending a team of inspectors to the Huizhou-based company. It said no problems were found during previous on-site inspections of HEG earlier this year. An official from Samsung’s Chinese headquarters was confident that the case will not turn into its own version of the Foxconn case, the Chinese company that makes iPads and other products for Apple, where a slew of suicides as a result of appalling working conditions gave the American firm a public relations black eye. ``Samsung China has b

Aug 9, 2012By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

LG boss gives cash award of W500 mil. to gymnast

By Kim Yoo-chul LG Group will provide a cash award of 500 million won (about $444,000) to gymnast Yang Hak-seon, who became a national hero after overcoming poverty to win a gold medal at the London Summer Olympics. Yang, Korea’s first gymnast ever to win an Olympic gold, is now the recipient of a number of corporate gifts. A Gwangju-based builder, SM Group, promised to give his family a new apartment after its completion next year, because they have been living in a vinyl greenhouse in Gochang, North Jeolla Province. Snackmaker Nongshim sent the family 100 boxes of instant noodles. Additionally, The Korean Olympic Committee

Aug 9, 2012By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Samsung attempts chip technology jump

By Kim Yoo-chul Samsung Electronics’ souring relationship with Apple ― a friend in parts and foe in finished products ― appears to be causing the former to renew its urgency to advance its chip technology and find new customers. According to industry sources, Samsung is planning to roll out a new range of computer memory chips by the end of the year using 25-nanometer processing technology. Market observers take this as a display of aggression amid whispers that the company is beginning to lose some of its dominance as a major chip provider to global electronics firms. ``Samsung has struggled to increase the output of its conventional memory chips built by 28-nanomter processing technology since beginning production last year. It now appears the company will jump phases to save costs and improve efficiency by moving to produce 25-nanometer chips ahead of schedule,’’ said one of the sources. A spokesman refused to confirm the story. The semiconductor chips of today have millions of minuscule electronic circuits, which are etched into a silicon disk on a nanometer (on

Aug 8, 2012By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Plasma TVs on way out

LG's shutdown of PDP TV line shows technology on way out By Kim Yoo-chul There was a time when plasma seemed to have a real shot against liquid crystal display (LCD) in the battle to become the mainstream technology in flat-screen televisions. That ship sailed a long time ago and the recent decision by LG Electronics to shut down a plasma display panel (PDP) line in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, is an indicator that manufacturers are finding it increasingly difficult to find a place for plasma screens in their product lineups. Multiple sources at LG, the world’s second-largest television maker behind domestic rival Samsung Electronics, say that the company is even discussing whether to completely scrap its plasma television business, although a company spokesman declined to confirm this. Samsung apparently faces a difficult decision over plasma as well. It continues to produce PDP televisions but there has been a sharp pullback in volume in recent years. ``There is high demand for plasma televisions in some emerging nations, but overall, these types of televisi

Aug 8, 2012By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

KT braces for class action

By Kim Yoo-chul Over 34,000 people are willing to participate in a class action lawsuit against telecommunications giant KT over failure to protect their personal details, according to lawyers Tuesday. Police recently arrested two people and are investigating seven others for hacking into KT’s network and stealing the information of about 8.7 million of the company’s 16 million wireless customers. The compromised data includes names, mobile phone numbers, contract terms and resident registration codes, the Korean equivalent of social security numbers. Police suspect that the information was leaked to telemarketers with the suspects pocketing at least 1 billion won (about $877,000) in exchange. KT is the country’s second-largest wireless carrier behind SK Telecom and the leading provider of fixed-line telephony, broadband and portable Internet services. ``We are seeking damage compensation of 300,000 won and 500,000 won for each plaintiff,’’ said a representative of law firm Pyeonggang, which is preparing the lawsuit. KT declined to comment. Korea has been deali

Aug 7, 2012By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Why isn't US court calling key witness in Samsung-Apple trial?

By Kim Yoo-chul A trial on a patent dispute between Samsung Electronics and Apple is under way in the American tech giant’s home court of California. By some indications, Apple is using this advantage a tad too much with a former employee and possible hostile witness being unavailable. Shin Nishibori, a former Apple designer, may hold the key to proving that Apple copied Sony designs and used them for its iPhone, which, if testified to in court, would damage Apple’s claim for original designs and its allegations that Samsung stole its intellectual property. Nishibori has refused to appear in court, although Samsung is pushing for him to do so, claiming that Apple has everything to do with the refusal. Apple argues that he is sick. According to messages recently tweeted by Nishibori, he appears to be running a small restaurant named “efish” in Hawaii. ``efish is currently hiring part-time workers, men and women. Experience a big plus. Please refer to the top page of our homepage for more information,’’ his Feb. 23 twitter account showed. On March 20, he tweet

Aug 3, 2012By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Samsung, SK hynix cut chip production

By Kim Yoo-chul Samsung Electronics has cut its production of flash-type memory chips used in almost all data-intensive consumer devices as NAND chip prices show no signs of recovery amid oversupply and slowing demand. ``Samsung has cut its chip production by more than 9 percent as demand for chips are expected to remain sluggish. We don’t see a meaningful recovery in demand in the near future,’’ said a senior company official, asking not to be identified. To offset falling profit in its NAND business, the firm has shifted some of NAND lines to produce more lucrative and profitable non-memory chips. ``Although Samsung is the world’s biggest supplier of NAND chips, it still believes uncertainties over market demand will persist throughout the year. That means Samsung customers such as Apple, Dell and other technology companies will maintain a conservative approach to their inventory strategy,’’ said a senior fund manager from a U.S.-based investment bank in Seoul who manages Samsung stocks. In the first quarter, Samsung earned $1.86 billion from its NAND business, down

Aug 3, 2012By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Samsung to invest W100 tril. in Gyeonggi Province

By Kim Yoo-chul Samsung Electronics said Tuesday that it will invest as much as 100 trillion won to build a mega industrial complex in the provincial city of Pyeongtaek, some 80 kilometers south of Seoul. This is the biggest investment in Samsung’s corporate history. The investment will proceed over the next three years if the commitment goes through as planned. Gyeonggi Provincial Government said in a statement that Samsung has fixed the big investment plan in the future industrial park that will house chip-making factories and solar-cell facilities and other Samsung-identified next cash-generators such as medical equipment. ``It’s true that Samsung and the provincial government signed a final agreement for the investment plan,’’ said company spokesman Shin Young-june, Tuesday. In December 2010, Samsung signed a preliminary agreement with the provincial government for the investment plan. The statement said the construction of the complex will start from August this year. The completion has been set for late 2015. Government officials say the complex is on a

Jul 31, 2012By Kim Yoo-chul

Kim Yoo-chul

Read more

KT vows better security, remains vague on how

Internet giant gets creative in CSR

Samsung denies child labor abuse claims

LG boss gives cash award of W500 mil. to gymnast

Samsung attempts chip technology jump

Plasma TVs on way out

KT braces for class action

Why isn't US court calling key witness in Samsung-Apple trial?

Samsung, SK hynix cut chip production

Samsung to invest W100 tril. in Gyeonggi Province

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