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Samsung globalization underway

By Kim Yoo-chul Samsung Group gave out its biggest-ever number of promotions Tuesday. The group advanced 501 people to senior and new executive posts with 48 made executive vice presidents, 127 as senior vice presidents and 318 as vice presidents. Last year’s total was 490. Samsung Electronics accounted for 226 promotions. Tuesday’s promotions affected those below president as a follow-up to the recent top-echelon shakeup. Samsung’s handset division had the largest number of promotions with 34, accounting for 15 percent of the total at Samsung Electronics. ``The handset division has produced a stellar performance this year despite deepening patent disputes with Apple. We have no doubt that the division will do much better next year,’’ said spokesman Ken Noh. ``If there are good performances, we promote,’’ Noh added. The company has become the world’s biggest maker of smartphones since the third quarter of this year after passing its corporate friend and foe Apple with its Galaxy-branded devices. Samsung, which still trails Nokia of Finland in the overall

Dec 13, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul
Tech & Science

FTC scrutinizes Google-Motorola merger

By Kim Yoo-chul Korea’s anti-trust watchdog is looking into possible breach of various competitive laws by U.S.-based Internet giant Google. The nation’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC) is not ruling out the possibility that it could move to block Google buying Motorola Mobility, according to officials familiar with the issue. "The FTC has begun a deep assessment of Google’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility,’’ said an FTC spokesman, Monday. It plans to examine whether Google’s mega deal will hurt fair competition between Korea’s leading technology companies such as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics and cause any damage to South Korean consumers. ``The FTC will fully cooperate with anti-competition regulators of the United States, Europe and Japan for an effective investigation,’’ said a spokesman without elaborating further. Google executives in Korea said they forecast the deal could be effective from early next year with European anti-trust regulators set to decide by January whether they will approve the proposed acquisition plan. Google needs regulatory

Dec 12, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul
Tech & Science

Samsung, Apple even in latest 2 cases

By Kim Yoo-chul Samsung Electronics has seen mixed results in its ambitious challenge to Apple. Simply put, Apple won in France but lost its bid to block the sale of Samsung tablets in Australia. Attention has shifted to the ruling from the European Commission as it recently began an investigation into a possible breach of various competitive laws by both firms. European courts sometimes consider rulings and orders filed by each other, according to patent experts and Samsung officials. ``Samsung’s legal advisors are paying keen attention to the ruling from the European Commission, which Samsung believes will be a barometer in making a huge impact on ongoing patent disputes with Apple. Also, there is an upcoming ruling over patent disputes with Apple and Taiwan’s HTC in the United States," a Samsung executive, who is directly involved with the situation, told The Korea Times, asking not to be identified, Friday. A French court recently rejected Samsung Electronics’ bid to ban sales of Apple’s iPhone 4S there. Samsung had claimed that Apple ``flagrantly violated

Dec 9, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul
Tech & Science

KT bucks ruling on 2G service

Carrier joins forces with regulator in legal battle By Kim Yoo-chul KT decided to appeal to a court decision Thursday to prevent it from going ahead with ending one of its mobile services. ``KT respects the ruling from the Seoul Administrative Court. But, we will immediately appeal and continue on our plan to terminate our 2G service,’’ said spokeswoman Kim Yoon-jeong. KT, the nation’s second-biggest mobile carrier, is planning to partner the nation’s top telecom regulator, the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), to effectively handle legal disputes, said high-ranking KT executives. A KCC spokesman confirmed this. ``The court’s decision means a delay of 2G service termination. We will do as best as we can to help our 2G customers shift to value-added services such as 4G LTE (long-term evolution),’’ said Kim. The court has stopped KT’s plan to completely shut down the service by accepting the request of some 900 2G customers who were seeking for an invalidation of the recent decision by the KCC which ruled KT could completely its 2G service from this month.

Dec 8, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul
Tech & Science

Samsung Electronics recalibrates

Kwon promoted to vice chairman to boost tech giant’s component side By Kim Yoo-chul Samsung Group conducted a larger-than-expected reshuffle, resulting in two promotions to vice chairman and six to president. The highlight of the year-end shakeup was the introduction of a “top-two” system at its flagship Samsung Electronics. Kwon Oh-

Dec 7, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul
Tech & Science

’Smart grids’ to power LS’s growth

CEO expects revenue to W5.1 trillion in 2015 By Kim Yoo-chul ANYANG, Gyeonggi Province - LS Industrial Systems (LSIS) is aiming for rapid but solid growth for revenue of 5.1 trillion won ($4.5 billion) by 2015 by putting more focus on selling energy management-solutions, its CEO said Tuesday. LSIS is Korea’s leading producer and seller of electric power and energy solutions, or “smart grids” to a wide range of customers from commercial buildings to ordinary households. It also provides battery rechargers and automation equipment. LSIS’s CEO and Vice Chairman Koo Ja-kyun said its operating profit target is 750 billion won, enough to achieve a 15 percent operating profit margin as the company has been expanding its business portfolio to untouched territories with higher growth potential. ``LSIS is set to create 750 billion won in operating profit out of 5.1 trillion won in revenue by 2015. Our businesses are less volatile and LSIS has begun yielding meaningful returns from previous investments overseas,’’ Koo said in an interview with The Korea Times at his Anyang offi

Dec 6, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul
Tech & Science

Samsung plans to build 1st memory chip line in China

By Kim Yoo-chul Samsung Electronics said Tuesday it plans to build its first memory chip plant in China with an investment of some $3.6 billion in an ambitious strategy to meet rising demand for high-end smartphones and tablets. The company already runs a chip factory in Austin, Texas, that mainly produces mobile application processors mostly used in Apple’s iPhones and iPads. It is set to create a new legal entity by partnering a Chinese chipmaker, though the company declined to divulge names. “Samsung is waiting for final approval from the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE) to build our first overseas memory chip plant in China,” the firm said in a statement. Spokesman Ken Noh said the new factory will produce NAND flash memories, a vital component used in smart devices with the operating timing slated for 2013. “Samsung will create a joint venture to operate the chip facility and we are in talks with top Chinese officials to decide the location for the factory and to authorize our new partner,” said an executive directly involved. He said the investment will

Dec 6, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul
Tech & Science

Park Sam-koo back in Kumho driver’s seat

Conglomerate now shadow of its former self By Kim Yoo-chul Park Sam-koo is back in the saddle leading Kumho Asiana. But the conglomerate is no longer what it was ― one of Korea’s top 10 business groups. The forced handover of Daewoo Construction and Engineering to creditors and a fight with his brother for the control of the group leaves Park with only a little of the influence he used to wield. But Park is not ready to give up; rather, he is trying his best to pick up where he left off. First of all, he is cutting 20 percent of executives as part of a restructuring drive. His main targets are the group’s key affiliates ― Kumho Tire and Kumho Industrial. Park ordered the termination of the executives, officials directly involved with the matter, told The Korea Times. ``Kumho Tire will lay-off more than 10 percent of its executives, lowering the total to 36,’’ said one official, adding Kumho Industrial has also recently cut its executives by 20 percent. ``That’s mainly due to the continued dismal performances by the two affiliates. Before the lay-offs,

Dec 6, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul
Tech & Science

Is Apple losing grip in patent war with Samsung?

US judge denies iPhone maker’s request for sales ban; new ruling forthcoming By Kim Yoo-chul The ongoing patent war between Samsung and Apple has reached a turning point as the Korean technology heavyweight clinched two straight wins against the iPhone maker, including one in the United States. Its legal team was upbeat after the recent victory in a California court, which the company says was “critical,” to possibly lead to another one in Paris, France, on Dec. 8. The court there will rule on Samsung’s request for a complete sales ban on the Apple iPhone 4S there. “If we win in Paris as well, that’s truly a big blow to Apple,” said an unnamed Samsung executive by telephone, Monday. Apple’s injunction against Samsung’s Galaxy-branded tablet and three Android smartphones was rejected on Apple’s home turf. Lucy Koh, a U.S. District Judge in California, denied Apple’s request filed in April for a preliminary injunction to block the Samsung products, which it alleged infringed Apple’s design-related patent rights. “It is not clear that an injunction on Samsun

Dec 5, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul
Tech & Science

LG reshuffles CEO lineup, shifts tech focus

LG Display CEO Kwon moves to surging battery affiliate LG Chem By Kim Yoo-chul LG Group has so far believed that it doesn’t need to come up with abrupt changes to top management because of its conservative organizational culture. In other words, such catchphrases as change and innovation seem not to be sought-after values for the Seoul-based group, which was accused of just following market leaders such as Samsung. But things are seemingly different now ― it appears to want huge changes and work is already underway as demonstrated by Friday’s personnel shakeup, which caught observers by surprise. LG Display CEO Kwon Young-soo, one of the top confidants to members of the owner family including LG Chairman Koo Bon-moo and Koo’s younger brother LG Electronics chief executive Koo Bon-joon, moved to LG Chem, the conglomerate’s chemical affiliate. LG said Kwon will deal with LG Chem’s information and materials division, while current LG Chem CEO Kim Bahn-suk will remain in charge overall. ``It seems quite humiliating to Kwon. We wonder whether Chairman Koo’s reshuff

Dec 2, 2011By Kim Yoo-chul
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