The Korea Times

LG Chem wins patent suit over Dow Chemical

By Kim Yoo-chul LG Chem recently won a patent suit against U.S.-based chemical giant Dow Chemical, the Korean company said Thursday. The Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of LG in the suit involving the Korean company’s patent for elastomers, denying claims by Dow Chemical. ``Dow’s claims against LG were groundless and the court confirmed it,’’ LG said in a statement. Dow sued in December 2009. Dow is expected to appeal, though company officials in Korea weren’t available for comment. ``This is very inspiring for us,’’ said an LG Chem spokesman Owen Sung. Elastomers are polymers, and are widely used for car bumpers, high-quality adhesives and molded flexible parts. LG is the only Korean company which has the capability to manufacture them among just four worldwide. The firm said it had already secured a patent for metallocene ― one of the critical components needed to produce elastomers ― in 1999. In 2008, its production of elastomers was expanded to 90,000 tons per year and the company is planning to further increase capacity to meet rising demand f

Feb 16, 2012By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Samsung may close solar cell business

By Kim Yoo-chul Doubts in solar cell profitability are prompting Samsung Group to review the value of the solar business. ``We are evaluating the business on a `zero-base’,’’ said a Samsung official, asking not to be identified, Tuesday. Already, a cut of up to 40 percent in our investment plan has been decided, he said. Samsung had planned to invest 6 trillion won for solar batteries by 2020. ``The solar-cell market is reeling from continued oversupply amid aggressive expansion by Chinese cell manufacturers,’’ the official said. ``Samsung is not certain about advancing further with the current level of technology to make the business profitable,’’ said an industry expert. Solar cells were on the list of its ``next-growth revenue drivers’’ along with secondary batteries for electric vehicles, light-emitting diodes (LED), medical equipment and biopharmaceuticals. ``Samsung’s solar business has so far failed to yield any returns,’’ said a fund manager from a Europe-based investment bank in Seoul. Samsung SDI, the group’s arm in solar business, suffered from

Feb 15, 2012By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Samsung unveils new laptop computer

By Kim Yoo-chul Samsung Electronics said Wednesday that its Series 9 notebook computer will strengthen its position in the segment. ``We will expand our global footstep in the notebook market this year,” said Nam Seong-woo, head of the company’s IT solutions division, at the company’s headquarters in Seoul. “We will join the global top 3 by 2015.” Nam said his firm aims to sell 19 million laptops this year, up from 14 million last year and expects to increase its share in the United States. Samsung is currently the world’s seventh-largest notebook maker behind firms including Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Acer and Asustek. ``We lead in televisions and smartphones. We also want to lead in notebooks,’’ said Nam. Samsung will start the sale of its Series 9 ultra-thin notebook in Korea this month. A global launch will follow in March, starting in the United States. The new laptop will comes with two different screen sizes _ a 13.3-inch one using Intel’s core processor, weighing 1.16 kilograms and with a thickness of 12.9 millimeters; and later a 15-inch version. ``Sam

Feb 15, 2012By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Chey talks change as SK finalizes Hynix takeover

By Kim Yoo-chul SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won said Tuesday that he will strengthen Hynix Semiconductor’s non-memory business. While attending a board meeting at the chipmaker’s office in southern Seoul, he said, “SK will help Hynix strengthen its global presence. Hynix is currently focused on memory chip production that is less lucrative than non-memory units but the latter will be boosted because SK Telecom is now its affiliate.” Chey is a board member and leads as CEO together with Kwon Oh-chul, president of Hynix. The two companies are currently considering changing the semiconductor firm’s corporate name to SK-Hynix. ``I’ve talked with Chairman Chey over several pending issues,’’ Kwon told reporters after the board meeting without elaborating further. Separately, officials at the Korea Exchange Bank (KEB), the main creditor for Hynix, said that SK Telecom has finalized the acquisition by paying 3.38 trillion won. ``I’ve already acknowledged some concerns of my status at Hynix,’’ Chey told reporters. Prosecutors recently indicted the SK chairman on char

Feb 14, 2012By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

SK-Hynix names Chey as board member

Shareholders of Hynix Semiconductor-Hynix approved SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won as a new board member Monday. SK Telecom Chief Executive Ha Sung-min and Hynix Executive Vice President Park Sung-wook were also appointed as new members of the board of Hynix, which has been acquired by SK. The official merger announcement is expected in March. ``About 42 percent of Hynix shareholders gave the green-light for SK Chairman Chey to become a new board member, though 16 percent were against the plan,’’ said Hynix Chief Executive Kwon Oh-chul in a shareholders meeting at Icheon, where Hynix’s chip-making plant is located Kwon insisted fast decisions are needed for pending issues, dismissing criticism over Chey’s ongoing legal problems. ``It’s very important for Chey to participate in the Hynix board as he has a widespread global network and is an experienced businessman,’’ Kwon said.

Feb 13, 2012By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

SK-Hynix eyeing chip supremacy

Chipmaker to boost investment in order to close gap with rival Samsung By Kim Yoo-chul Hynix Semiconductor has a new name but its goal remains the same: beating domestic rival Samsung Electronics in the battle for global supremacy in the chip market. Recently renamed SK-Hynix after being acquired by the SK Group, it plans to significantly increase investment for designing and producing computer memory chips to close the gap with Samsung. It can ill-afford to be complacent as company officials admit Samsung is at least ``six months advanced’’ in developing chips, not to mention its edge in manufacturing muscle. Samsung is obviously keeping a close eye on its previously-troubled rival, now with the financial backing of the country’s biggest mobile phone carrier, SK Telecom, by ruthlessly expanding its manufacturing muscle, including the building of its first factories in China. SK-Hynix sources say the company will be able to respond with big announcements of its own soon. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won has promised a big budget to strengthen capabilities in compu

Feb 10, 2012By Kim Yoo-chul

Opinion

Samsung wants own tech show

By Kim Yoo-chul A recent decision by Samsung Electronics to go back on its plan to unveil the Galaxy S III gave a glimpse into what the technology giant wants. Of course, there were boos and jeers by some who were disappointed with the cancelation, accusing the firm of becoming arrogant. But the move, nonetheless, appears to have an ulterior purpose related to its mid-term strategy. ``Samsung has become arrogant,’’ said Kim Bahk-jae, a 34-year-old office worker in Seoul, Wednesday. Kim is planning to fly to Barcelona, Spain, to participate in the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC) in order to check out Samsung’s updated products and business strategies. He needs to revise his plan. No Galaxy S III phone will be exhibited at the MWC, the world’s most-influential technology fair for telecommunications. The reason is obvious. Samsung is aiming to release its strategically-important gadgets at its own show like Apple and Microsoft (MS), according to Samsung executives. Samsung has been using international technology exhibitions such as the Consumer Electro

Feb 8, 2012By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Samsung to sell 25 mil. Internet-linked TVs

By Kim Yoo-chul Samsung Electronics is aiming to sell 50 million flat-screen televisions this year with over half of them Internet-enabled, its senior executive said Wednesday. ``We want to sell at least 25 million Internet-enabled televisions,’’ Samsung Executive Vice President Kim Hyun-suk told reporters, unveiling its new ES8000 Smart TV at the firm’s headquarters in downtown Seoul. The firm believes Apple of the United States will release its ``Apple TV’’ sometime in the latter half of this year. But Kim remained tight-lipped about further details. It’s expected that Apple TV will threaten Samsung’s bottom line as the U.S. company is still in a better position in terms of content. Steve Park, Apple’s representative in Korea, declined to confirm. Samsung said it’s still been in talks with Google to jointly release the Google TV. ``Nothing has been decided yet on which operating system or specifications will be used in the Google TV,’’ Kim said. Asked whether his firm will re-enter the Japanese market, Kim didn’t rule out an immediate venture, however, adding

Feb 8, 2012By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

Samsung mulls merger with OLED unit

By Kim Yoo-chul Samsung Electronics is considering merging with Samsung Mobile Display, an affiliated company which produces advanced digital screens, as part of a strategic realignment. Samsung, which completes closely with LG Display for the title of world’s top liquid crystal displays (LCDs) provider, confirmed the plans in a regulatory filing. Industry sources believe the company is moving to create a comprehensive parts division to handle operations related to light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) within this year. Samsung has already announced plans to absorb its LED unit, Samsung LED, by April. Samsung Mobile Display, a joint venture between Samsung and another, affiliate Samsung SDI, was established in 2008 and has been devoted to OLED displays and screens for smaller devices such as smartphones. Samsung LCD has been the group affiliate that produces larger displays for flat-screen televisions. ``As part of considerations to strengthen synergy between our businesses, we are considering merging with Samsung Mobile Display, but

Feb 7, 2012By Kim Yoo-chul

Tech & Science

To SKT, LTE success is both blessing and curse

Kakao given unexpectred advantage of fast-speed service By Kim Yoo-chul Long Term Evolution (LTE) is inevitable. SK Telecom has spent heavily on wireless technology, the successor to the current 3G and will continue to do so for some time to come. It will spend 2.3 trillion won this year alone and its LTE customers are expected to jump to 6 million to keep ahead of the pack. One fear is byproduct competitors spawned and strengthened by the new technology. SK Telecom is facing the biggest challenge from them because it is way ahead of its rivals KT and LG Uplus. ``They include cross-platform mobile chat service providers such as Kakao Talk, which is set to start voice options,’’ a Seoul analyst said. The free Kakao Talk has dealt a big blow to text message services. If Kakao Talk can offer voice services to its 32 million customers, it would threaten the main revenue sources of the three carriers. It is free of burdens as such subsidies that SK Telecom and other carriers provide in drawing new customers and the government’s pressure to cut mobile rates.

Feb 6, 2012By Kim Yoo-chul

Kim Yoo-chul

Read more

LG Chem wins patent suit over Dow Chemical

Samsung may close solar cell business

Samsung unveils new laptop computer

Chey talks change as SK finalizes Hynix takeover

SK-Hynix names Chey as board member

SK-Hynix eyeing chip supremacy

Samsung wants own tech show

Samsung to sell 25 mil. Internet-linked TVs

Samsung mulls merger with OLED unit

To SKT, LTE success is both blessing and curse

Top 5 stories