my timesThe Korea Times
Business

Tech & Science

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.

SK Telecom enjoys subscriber growth with KT's termination penalty waiver

KT’s fee waiver for early contract termination in the wake of its mobile payment fraud case, has triggered a rapid surge in subscriber outflows, with SK Telecom emerging as the biggest beneficiary. As the waiver exemption nears its end, the subscriber exodus has accelerated sharply, with daily churn surpassing 30,000 for the first time over the weekend. On Saturday alone, the telecom company lost about 33,300 subscribers. The majority of them, over 22,100, moved to SK Telecom, while about 8,000 joined LG Uplus and about 3,000 shifted to mobile virtual network operators. From Dec. 31, 2025, when the waiver took effect, until Saturday, a total of over 216,000 subscribers have switched from KT to rival carriers, with about three-quarters of those subscribers opting for SK Telecom during that period. KT rolled out a termination fee waiver late last month in response to a major data breach that resulted in unauthorized mobile payments among some of its users, allowing subscribers to terminate their services at no penalty until Tuesday. The program was retroactive to Sept. 1, 2025, for thos

Jan 12, 2026By Lee Gyu-lee
SK Telecom enjoys subscriber growth with KT's termination penalty waiver

Research team develops battery-free electronic drug

A research team led by professors at Yonsei University’s Department of Materials Science Engineering and Samsung Medical Center has developed technologies for an electronic drug that does not require battery or electrodes, the university said Monday. Yonsei University professors Kim Sang-woo, Lee Kyu-hyoung and hospital professor Choi Byung-ok published their research in the renowned journal Nature Biomedical Engineering on Friday. The research team developed a technology that enables a wireless electronic drug to relieve pain using ultrasound, by generating triboelectric energy inside the body to selectively block pain signals without the use of pharmaceuticals. Existing electronic drug technologies have faced structural limitations, including inflammation and side effects caused by wires or electrodes connected to nerves. The new research presents a novel form of electronic medicine that eliminates metal electrodes, lead wires and batteries. During a surgical procedure, a biocompatible medical polymer that naturally degrades over time is implanted near the nerves. When pain occurs, a

Jan 12, 2026By Nam Hyun-woo
Research team develops battery-free electronic drug

Gov't to launch committee to coordinate R&D budget planning

The science ministry plans to launch a joint committee with the budget ministry to coordinate planning for the country's research and development (R&D) budget, according to officials Monday. The move is aimed at enhancing efficiency and consistency in drawing up R&D budget plans, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT, following concerns in the past over sweeping funding cuts under the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration. The committee will begin its activities with the planning of the 2027 budget. It will hold regular meetings to discuss a wide range of issues, including setting investment directions and finding new projects. "Previously, consultations between the two ministries relied on working-level discussions, making it difficult to seek systematic coordination on major agendas," the science ministry said in a release. Korea's R&D budget for 2026 was set at 35.5 trillion won ($24.3 billion), with the science ministry responsible for allocating 30.5 trillion won, or 85.3 percent. In 2024, the former administration slashed the country's R&D budget by 8 percent to 9 trillion wo

Jan 12, 2026By Yonhap
Gov't to launch committee to coordinate R&D budget planning

LG's K-EXAONE delivers top benchmark results

LG AI Research’s newly developed artificial intelligence (AI) model, K-EXAONE, created for the national AI foundation model project, has demonstrated strong competitiveness in both domestic and international AI arenas. The company shared that K-EXAONE topped 10 out of 13 benchmark tests in the first-round evaluation of the government-backed AI foundation model initiative, scheduled to conclude this month. The model earned an average score of 72 points, delivering the strongest overall performance among models developed by five consortia participating in the project. K-EXAONE scored 32 points on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, ranking first in Korea and seventh worldwide among open-weight models, according to the global AI analysis platform. The Korean model was also the only non-Chinese or U.S. entrant in the top 10, which was dominated by six Chinese and three U.S. models. “We planned the model’s development under realistic timelines and infrastructure constraints, using only about half of our available training data to build K-EXAONE,” said Lee Jin-sik, leader of LG

Jan 11, 2026By Lee Gyu-lee
LG's K-EXAONE delivers top benchmark results

Science ministry, Nvidia share view on swiftly setting up research center in Korea

The science ministry said Sunday it has shared a view with Nvidia on swiftly setting up a research center in Korea. Second Vice Science Minister Ryu Je-myung met with Jay Puri, executive vice president at Nvidia, in California on Friday (U.S. time), according to the Ministry of Science and ICT. During the meeting, Ryu and Puri shared a consensus on the need to promptly establish Nvidia's research and development facility in Korea and discussed ways to jointly foster artificial intelligence startups, the ministry said.

Jan 11, 2026By Yonhap
Science ministry, Nvidia share view on swiftly setting up research center in Korea

Can robotics pull LG Electronics out of slump?

LG Electronics posted a quarterly operating loss for the first time in nearly 10 years, as its TV, home appliance and other existing flagship businesses faced limits in their growth. The company said the downturn is temporary as it seeks to regain momentum through new businesses. Multiple industry officials said LG’s future hinges on robotics, noting that it is more critical than ever for the company to clearly define not only its technology road map but also its broader strategy for expanding its robot business. The company on Friday released its earnings guidance for the fourth quarter of 2025, projecting sales of 23.85 trillion won ($16.35 billion) and an operating loss of 109.4 billion won. If the numbers are confirmed, LG Electronics will post a quarterly operating loss for the first time since the fourth quarter of 2016. Revenue increased 4.8 percent from a year earlier, but the company swung to an operating loss from an operating profit of 135.4 billion won in the fourth quarter of 2024. The estimated loss is far greater than brokerages’ consensus forecast of 8.4 billion won,

Jan 9, 2026By Nam Hyun-woo
Can robotics pull LG Electronics out of slump?

Naver builds Korea’s largest AI cluster with B200 GPUs

Naver said Thursday it has completed Korea’s largest artificial intelligence (AI) computing cluster, powered by 4,000 of Nvidia’s B200 graphics processing units (GPUs). The company has now secured world-class computing capacity with the new infrastructure, which will accelerate the internet giant's efforts to advance its own foundation models and expand AI application across products and industries. Naver said the new B200 cluster combines its in-house technologies in cooling, power distribution and network optimization, based on its experiences in designing and operating large-scale GPU systems, such as Nvidia’s DGX SuperPOD in 2019. “The completion of the latest AI infrastructure is significant because it goes beyond a technology investment to become a core asset that strengthens the nation’s AI competitiveness and technological sovereignty,” Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon said. “With faster training and iterative development now possible, team Naver will continue delivering practical value by bringing advanced AI across services and industries.” The cluster, designed for massi

Jan 8, 2026By Lee Gyu-lee
Naver builds Korea’s largest AI cluster with B200 GPUs

Hanwha chairman renews commitment to space business

Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn visited Hanwha Systems’ space center on Jeju Island Thursday, renewing the conglomerate’s commitment to its space business. During the visit, Kim expressed gratitude to employees for their efforts for the successful fourth launch of the Nuri rocket. “Following this success, Hanwha will consolidate its status as the leader of Korea’s private space industry by developing a lunar orbiter and the propulsion system for a lunar lander," Kim said. Hanwha Aerospace has billed itself as a private space company by overseeing the manufacturing and assembly process of the Nuri rocket used for the fourth launch in November last year. It also signed an agreement with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute on Dec. 29, 2025, to develop the propulsion system for a lunar lander scheduled to be launched in 2032. “Overcoming challenges to have our satellites monitor climate change on Earth, safeguard national security and contribute to a better life for humanity is the true business value that Hanwha pursues,” Kim said. Kim toured the Hanwha Systems’ Jeju S

Jan 8, 2026By Nam Hyun-woo
Hanwha chairman renews commitment to space business

LG Energy Solution vows safer ESS, creation of LFP ecosystem

LG Energy Solution (LGES) said Thursday it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korea Electrical Safety Corp. (KESCO) to strengthen the safety of energy storage systems (ESS) and foster an ecosystem for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in Korea. Under the agreement signed Wednesday, the two sides will work together to develop safety management policies for ESS and share their data, expertise and technologies. They also plan to establish a new safety management system for facilities that will use LGES’ LFP batteries in ESS projects. “With this agreement, we will apply the highest safety standards to ESS sites using our batteries,” LGES CEO Kim Dong-myung said. “We will do our utmost to ensure the safety and build a strong ecosystem for LFP batteries used in domestic ESS.” Among Korea’s three major battery makers, only LGES can mass produce LFP batteries. The company is also preparing to begin local production of LFP batteries at its plant in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. According to energy market tracker SNE Research, more than 90 percent of ESS worldwi

Jan 8, 2026By Park Jae-hyuk
LG Energy Solution vows safer ESS, creation of LFP ecosystem

PHOTO Musk's gas turbine pick

Doosan Group Chairman Park Jeong-won, right, and Vice Chairman Park Gee-won examine a scale model of Doosan Enerbility's 380-megawatt gas turbine at the group's exhibition booth for CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Wednesday (local time). Earlier this week, Elon Musk confirmed that xAI, an artificial intelligence startup he founded, bought five gas turbines from the Korean conglomerate to power its data center. Courtesy of Doosan Group

Jan 8, 2026By Park Jae-hyukphoto
[PHOTO] Musk's gas turbine pick
previous page
2728293031
next page

Most Read in Business