Business - The Korea Times

Samsung Biologics’ spinoff sparks optimism over corporate value

Samsung Biologics has completed the spinoff off its biosimilar developing subsidiary Samsung Bioepis, with stocks of Samsung Biologics and Samsung Epis Holdings finishing their first trading session as separate companies on Monday. Analysts are revising up the estimated corporate value of the biopharmaceutical contract manufacturer, noting that its streamlined structure will be combined with lowered U.S. tariff risks to improve market sentiment on the company. Samsung Biologics closed at 1.789 million won on Monday, down 0.45 percent from Oct. 29, the last session before the stock was suspended from trading due to the spinoff. Despite separating its previously wholly owned subsidiary Samsung Bioepis, the market appears to believe that the company’s intrinsic value remains largely unchanged. In May, Samsung Biologics announced it would spin off a business division overseeing its subsidiary and new investments to create Samsung Epis Holdings. The new holding company would acquire the 100 percent stake in Bioepis from Biologics. With Samsung Epis Holdings debuting as an independent stock

Nov 25, 2025By Nam Hyun-woo

Samsung Biologics’ spinoff sparks optimism over corporate value

Industry ministry, SNU to codevelop AI models for humanoids, AI factories

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources and Seoul National University (SNU) signed a partnership agreement on Monday for the school to join the ministry’s M.AX Alliance project, cooperating to develop artificial intelligence (AI) models for humanoids, self-driving cars and AI factories. The M.AX Alliance is a collaborative initiative jointly launched by the ministry and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in September, with more than 1,000 participants, including major companies such as Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor Group and Rainbow Robotics. It brings together industry, academia and research institutions to accelerate the development and commercialization of advanced AI technologies across sectors ranging from manufacturing to biology by leveraging joint research and large-scale demonstration projects. Through the alliance, the ministry aims to drive innovation in manufacturing processes and foster emerging sectors, including humanoid robotics, with a goal of generating over 100 trillion won ($67.7 billion) in added value by 2030 and establishing Korea as a global

Nov 24, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee

Industry ministry, SNU to codevelop AI models for humanoids, AI factories

Why NCSOFT’s Horizon Steel Frontiers is skipping PlayStation — for now

NCSOFT’s upcoming mobile title Horizon Steel Frontiers (HSF) is drawing strong global interest, as the Korean game developer’s attempt to bring Sony’s Horizon franchise — a console megahit — into a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) format has fueled fan expectations following the release of its recent teaser video. Fans of the franchise are questioning why HSF is limited to mobile and PC platforms despite NCSOFT’s interests in developing a console version, expressing that they want to play HSF on the franchise’s strong home turf of PlayStation. NCSOFT premiered video footage of the pre-alpha version of HSF during the G-STAR 2025 game convention in Busan on Nov. 13, announcing that the game will likely debut as early as late 2026. Developed by Dutch-based Guerrilla Games, the Horizon franchise is one of the key titles for Sony’s PlayStation devices, gaining global popularity with its unique setting of tribal humans hunting advanced, animal-like machines. As of July 2025, it has sold more than 38 million copies worldwide. Building on the franchise’s

Nov 24, 2025By Nam Hyun-woo

Why NCSOFT’s Horizon Steel Frontiers is skipping PlayStation — for now

LG Chem deploys AI across all business areas

LG Chem is transforming the way it works by adopting artificial intelligence (AI) across a wide range of areas, from quality prediction and process optimization to contract review and exchange rate forecasting. For nonmanufacturing operations, the petrochemical company has introduced AI tools that automatically review and edit contracts. It also uses AI-powered translation tools that support up to 24 languages for internal communications. Last year, the company launched a Citizen Data Scientist platform, an in-house AI analytics tool available to all employees regardless of their coding or data analysis experience. According to LG Chem, about 40 employees who were unfamiliar with coding participated in a three-month pilot program and discovered more than 20 improvements, including boosting reverse osmosis membrane production and enhancing the quality of battery separators. “By using AI to predict the properties of superabsorbent polymers used in hygiene products like diapers, we optimized moisture content to make product processing easier for customers,” an LG Chem official said. “

Nov 24, 2025

LG Chem deploys AI across all business areas

Naver expedites AI, digital infrastructure biz in Saudi Arabia

Naver founder and chairman Lee Hae-jin is accelerating the company’s push into Saudi Arabia, signaling a broader expansion beyond its current smart city projects into digital finance infrastructure. His latest visit to the country’s capital of Riyadh marks a key step in Naver’s efforts to establish a stronger presence across the Middle East. According to the local news outlet Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Lee met with the country’s Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, Majed Al-Hogail, in Riyadh on Tuesday (local time) during Cityscape Global 2025, one of the world’s largest construction and real estate trade fairs. The two reportedly discussed cooperation in digital finance, data centers and urban development based on artificial intelligence (AI), deepening ties they initially formed when Al-Hogail visited Naver’s 1784 headquarters in Gyeonggi Province in 2022 to experience the company's digital twins, robots and AI technologies. SPA reported that both sides explored partnerships specifically on stablecoin-based digital currencies and real estate tokenization, as

Nov 21, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee

Naver expedites AI, digital infrastructure biz in Saudi Arabia

Korea expands investment in biological big data 4-fold: report

The Korean government has nearly quadrupled its investment in the biological big data sector over the past few years as part of an initiative to establish a big data platform for advanced medicine, a report showed Friday. The government invested 49.1 billion won ($33.3 million) in the sector in 2024, up sharply from 13.6 billion won in 2020, according to the report by the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology. Last year's steep increase came as the government launched a project to build a data bank containing biological information from 1 million people by 2032 to support precision medicine and industrial innovation. The data bank will serve as research and development (R&D) infrastructure for clinical information, genomic data, and the collection of public data and personal health information. The report noted that the government's move aligns with a global trend in which leading countries are expanding their spending in the sector. The United States, for example, invested $148 million last year, up from $24 million in 2020, with both the number of R&D projects and inv

Nov 21, 2025By Yonhap

Korea expands investment in biological big data 4-fold: report

Gov’t to conduct 1st evaluation of national AI foundation model project in January

The Ministry of Science and ICT will carry out the first round of evaluations for the state-led project to develop homegrown artificial intelligence (AI) foundation models in January. The ministry notified the participating consortia on Thursday that performance assessments to eliminate one of the five teams will take place from Jan. 1 to 15. In August, the ministry selected five consortia led by Naver Cloud, Upstage, SK Telecom, NC AI and LG AI Research to locally develop foundation models, investing around 200 billion won ($136 million) to cover costs for high-performance GPUs, datasets and R&D personnel. Every six months, the government will eliminate one of the teams after evaluation, narrowing the field to two finalists by the first half of 2027. The upcoming January assessment will determine the first team to be eliminated. The evaluation was initially slated for December but was pushed back to accommodate delays from issues running graphics processing units (GPUs). Some of the participating companies reportedly faced problems getting the GPUs provided by SK Telecom and Naver Cloud

Nov 21, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee

Gov’t to conduct 1st evaluation of national AI foundation model project in January

Samsung C-Lab drives startup growth, raising $23.5 mil.

Marking an annual milestone, Samsung Electronics held its 2025 C-Lab Startup Demoday on Thursday, spotlighting startups from this year’s C-Lab Outside venture program, which secured a total of 34.5 billion won ($23.5 million) in investment during the period. The event, held at the company’s R&D Campus in Seoul, introduced the seventh class of the program, comprising 30 startups chosen earlier this year for pioneering innovative technologies in fields ranging from artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics to digital health and eco-friendly solutions. C-Lab began as an in-house venture program in 2012 to encourage creative business ideas from Samsung employees, and expanded in 2018 to include external startups. Since 2023, the program has widened its reach to regions such as Daegu, Gwangju and North Gyeongsang Province to stir up local startup ecosystems and help create quality jobs. “As the era of AI unfolds, the technological paradigm is changing and the global competition for technological leadership is intensifying. It is more important than ever to foster strong startups, which

Nov 20, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee

Samsung C-Lab drives startup growth, raising $23.5 mil.

HD Hyundai, UNIST to collaborate on application of AI in shipbuilding industry

HD Hyundai, Korea's leading shipbuilding group, on Thursday announced a partnership with the Ulsan National Institute of Science & Technology (UNIST) to speed up efforts to apply artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in the shipbuilding industry. Under the agreement involving HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and HD Hyundai Robotics, the business group aims to develop a "digital strategic asset" for the shipbuilding and maritime industry, the Ministry of Science and ICT said. During the signing ceremony, HD Hyundai said it plans to accelerate Korea's AI transformation in the manufacturing sector while supporting the government's drive to become one of the world's top three AI powerhouses, according to the ministry. In detail, HD Hyundai and UNIST will develop an AI foundation model for the shipbuilding and maritime industry, and establish a data ecosystem. "As the shipbuilding and maritime industry is facing both crisis and opportunity, the agreement is set to serve as a key platform to overcome challenges and seize the chance," Science Ministe

Nov 20, 2025By Yonhap

HD Hyundai, UNIST to collaborate on application of AI in shipbuilding industry

LG Energy Solution's 46-series batteries attract global EV makers

LG Energy Solution (LGES) has continued to win orders for its 46-series cylindrical batteries, attracting global electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers by featuring greater power, faster charging rates and improved thermal management. With standardized specifications that allow for mass production and consistent quality, the batteries are considered a game changer for automakers aiming for longer ranges and lower costs. “We have been discussing additional projects with multiple clients beyond key customers and traditional automakers,” an LGES official said. In June, LGES signed a contract to supply 8 gigawatt-hours of 46-series batteries to a Dutch subsidiary of China’s Chery Automobile, enough to power about 120,000 EVs. The deal highlighted LGES' competitiveness in China, where automakers traditionally rely on domestic battery suppliers. Chery has mainly worked with Chinese battery manufacturer CATL, though it also develops all-solid-state battery technology under its own Kunpeng brand. Last November, the Korean firm's Arizona subsidiary agreed to deliver 67 gigawatt-hours of 46-seri

Nov 20, 2025

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