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  • Companies

    Hefty fines loom for Baemin, Coupang Eats as FTC rejects self-correction bids

    The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has rejected self-correction proposals from the country's top two food delivery platforms, Baedal Minjok, informally known as Baemin, and Coupang Eats, paving the way for fines that could amount to tens of billions of won over allegations that they abused their market dominance, the antitrust watchdog said Thursday. The regulatory authority rejected the companies’ applications for a consent decree — a mechanism that allows firms to resolve antitrust cases without admitting liability by offering voluntary remedies — ruling that they did not meet the legal requirements to initiate such a settlement process. The fines expected to be imposed on Baemin and Coupang are estimated at 239 billion won ($157 million) to 510 billion won, and 25 billion won to 42 billion won, respectively. Following the latest decision, the watchdog will resume its formal review to determine the illegality of the practices and the scale of sanctions. The watchdog’s probe into the two companies has focused on finding alleged anti-competitive practices, including unfair treatment

    2 MIN READBy Lee Min-hyung
    Hefty fines loom for Baemin, Coupang Eats as FTC rejects self-correction bids
  • Companies

    KHNP CEO reviews Dukovany project in Czech Republic

    2 MIN READBy Lee Gyu-lee
    KHNP CEO reviews Dukovany project in Czech Republic
  • Companies

    POSCO accelerates low-carbon steel transition with Korea’s largest electric arc furnace

    2 MIN READBy Lee Gyu-lee
    POSCO accelerates low-carbon steel transition with Korea’s largest electric arc furnace
  • Banking & Finance

    All-in-one apps emerge as new battleground among financial groups

    1 MIN READBy Lee Hyo-jin
    All-in-one apps emerge as new battleground among financial groups
  • Companies

    BMW Korea launches iX3 electric SUV with revamped design

    2 MIN READBy Lee Min-hyung
    BMW Korea launches iX3 electric SUV with revamped design
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Companies

bhc chicken spreads its wings with new US branch in Georgia

Bhc chicken, one of Korea's biggest fried chicken franchises, opened its first Georgia location Tuesday, marking the company's latest expansion as it seeks a firmer foothold in the U.S. market. The restaurant, situated in a mixed-use development in Gwinnett County, is the brand’s seventh U.S. location since it first arrived in the country in 2023. Operated by Dining Brands Group, the 80-seat outpost reflects a strategic move into the southeastern part of the U.S., a region where the company hopes to capitalize on rapid residential growth and a broadening appetite for Korean flavors. The new restaurant, called the Exchange at Gwinnett location, is located in the second-most populous county in Georgia. The company said the area is undergoing residential development, which it expects will drive additional customer traffic. The roughly 258-square-meter location offers full-table dining service — a format that bhc said is designed to accommodate families, couples and groups looking for a relaxed dining experience. The menu centers on bhc's signature Bburinkle cheese-seasoned fried chicken,

May 12, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
bhc chicken spreads its wings with new US branch in Georgia
Tech & Science

LG Uplus inks 1st overseas deal to launch ixi-O in Malaysia

LG Uplus has secured its first overseas deal to launch its artificial intelligence (AI) call assistant ixi-O in Malaysia, marking a key step in the company’s push to expand its AI services globally. The company announced on Monday that it has signed an agreement with Maxis, one of Malaysia’s leading telecom operators, to launch ixi-O commercially in the local market. The deal marks the Korean company's first overseas business discussion since it announced its global AI expansion strategy at MWC26 in March. LG Uplus CEO Hong Bum-shik met with Maxis CEO Goh Seow Eng at Maxis headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday to discuss plans to launch ixi‑O in Malaysia. The overseas rollout of ixi-O will use a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, allowing the service to be tailored and delivered to fit the operational environments of the country’s telecom operators. “We are localizing ixi-O for Malaysia’s telecom environment and preparing it as a service that real-world customers can use,” Hong said. “Building on the AI experience accumulated in Korea, we will continue expanding our

May 12, 2026By Lee Gyu-lee
LG Uplus inks 1st overseas deal to launch ixi-O in Malaysia
Companies

Samsung standardizes chip development on Oracle Java to streamline global workflow

Samsung Electronics has moved to standardize its global software operations under a single umbrella, adopting Oracle’s Java SE Universal Subscription to streamline an increasingly complex digital infrastructure, the companies said Tuesday. The shift is intended to unify the Korean tech giant’s application development environment, moving away from a patchwork of platforms toward a centralized system. By integrating Oracle’s enterprise-grade support, Samsung aims to simplify its IT operations and fortify security across its sprawling global workforce. The decision comes as Samsung, a world leader in semiconductors and consumer electronics, faces the daunting task of maintaining consistency across thousands of internal engineering projects. Company executives noted that a standardized platform was necessary to mitigate compliance risks and ensure that critical development pipelines remain uninterrupted. “By adopting the Java SE Universal Subscription, we are providing our internal engineering organizations with a secure, reliable and standardized development environment,” said Le

May 12, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Samsung standardizes chip development on Oracle Java to streamline global workflow
Companies

Samsung Electronics denies Dua Lipa's claim of using her photo without permission

Samsung Electronics on Tuesday denied claims by British pop singer Dua Lipa that the South Korean tech giant used her image on television packaging without permission, saying the image was used with authorization obtained through a content partner. Lipa's legal team filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for Central California last week seeking more than $15 million in damages, accusing Samsung of violating copyright, trademark and publicity rights laws. Samsung Electronics rejected the allegations of "intentional misuse" of Lipa's image. "Ms. Lipa's image was used in 2025 to reflect the content of our third-party partners that is available on Samsung TVs and was originally provided by a content partner for our free streaming service, Samsung TV Plus," Samsung said in a statement. "The image was used only after receiving explicit assurance from the content partner that permission had been secured, including for the retail boxes," it added. Samsung said it has "great respect" for Lipa and the intellectual property rights of other artists, and pledged to continue negotiations with the p

May 12, 2026By Yonhap
Samsung Electronics denies Dua Lipa's claim of using her photo without permission
Banking & Finance

Why Korea's state-run banks are no longer seen as dream jobs

Korea's state-run banks are seeing more employees leave as weakening wage competitiveness and relocation concerns weaken their appeal among young professionals, industry officials said Monday. According to data from ALIO, the public disclosure system for state-run institutions, the turnover rate among male employees at Korea Development Bank (KDB) rose to 9 percent last year from 3 percent in 2021. The rate for female employees edged up to 1.6 percent from 1.5 percent. Over the same period, male turnover at the Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) climbed to 6.2 percent from 1.7 percent. At the Export-Import Bank of Korea (Korea Eximbank), the rate for men rose to 4.1 percent from 3.2 percent, while turnover among women jumped to 2.6 percent from 0.7 percent. Average years of service have also declined across these lenders. KDB employees stayed an average of 185 months last year, down from 199 months in 2021. Similar declines were seen at Eximbank and IBK. Industry officials said state-run banks no longer offer the same advantages they once held over commercial lenders, particularly in terms o

May 12, 2026By Lee Hyo-jin
Why Korea's state-run banks are no longer seen as dream jobs
Companies

Celltrion takes over French health care firm Gifrer

Celltrion said Tuesday it acquired French health care firm Gifrer, securing a sales network capable of responding swiftly to changes in local health care policies. According to the Korean biopharmaceutical firm, its French unit acquired the entire stake in Gifrer. The two sides did not disclose the financial details of the deal, but said they plan to finalize administrative procedures related to the acquisition by the end of this month. Celltrion said it will operate Gifrer as an independent entity and retain the employment of around 70 employees working at the French firm. Established in 1912, Gifrer is a small company but holds a sales network spanning more than 9,000 pharmacies and about 800 hospitals across France. It also holds a meaningful market presence in local over-the-counter products, including physiological saline solution, tooth whitening products, infant care products and other drugstore medicines. The acquisition marks Celltrion’s strategic move aimed at leveraging Gifrer’s local sales network. Through the deal, the company secured pharmacy sales capabilities tailored

May 12, 2026By Nam Hyun-woo
Celltrion takes over French health care firm Gifrer
Business

Korea leads surge in global AI adoption as Asia becomes new tech engine

Korea displayed the fastest growth in artificial intelligence (AI) adoption worldwide in the first quarter of 2026, according to a report released Tuesday by Microsoft, signaling a shift in the global tech landscape as Asian economies outpace the rest of the world. The report, “Global AI Diffusion Q1 2026 Trends and Insights,” found that Korea’s usage rate jumped by 6.4 percentage points to 37.1 percent. The surge reflects a broader acceleration across Asia, which now claims 12 of the 15 fastest-growing AI markets globally, including significant gains in Thailand and Japan. Issued by Microsoft’s AI Economy Institute, the findings attributed the regional momentum to aggressive government-led strategies, long-term investments in digital infrastructure and a high degree of consumer openness to new technologies. The development of more sophisticated Asian-language AI models has also lowered barriers to entry for millions of workers. While Korea led in growth, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore remained the world leaders in total adoption, with usage rates of 70.1 percent and 63.

May 12, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea leads surge in global AI adoption as Asia becomes new tech engine
Companies

Samsung Electronics management, labor union hold mediation talks for 2nd day

The labor union and management at Samsung Electronics held negotiations for the second day on Tuesday to try to narrow differences over performance-based bonuses. The talks are seen as a last-ditch effort to avert a general strike planned for later this month. The second round of government-led mediation talks began at 10 a.m. at the National Labor Relations Commission office in the administrative city of Sejong, after the two sides failed to reach an agreement despite more than 11 hours of talks Monday. Samsung's labor union is demanding performance-based bonuses equivalent to 15 percent of operating profit, along with the removal of the payout cap and the formal institutionalization of the bonus system. The union earlier announced plans to stage a general strike starting May 21 if its demands are not met. "We are working to produce satisfactory results for union members. We will do our best whether the talks end in a compromise or break down," Choi Seung-ho, head of Samsung Electronics' largest labor union, told reporters ahead of the meeting. Samsung Electronics Vice President Kim Hyun

May 12, 2026By Yonhap
Samsung Electronics management, labor union hold mediation talks for 2nd day
Companies

Privacy watchdog wraps up probe into Coupang data leak, to decide penalty as early as June

Korea's data protection watchdog has concluded its probe into a massive data leak at e-commerce giant Coupang, with its final decision on the level of punishment expected to be made next month at the earliest, sources said Tuesday. The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) recently concluded its investigation into the data breach that affected over 33 million Coupang customers and notified its results to the company early last month, according to the security industry sources. The notification reportedly included Coupang's suspected violations of the personal information protection law, along with potential corrective measures the agency may take. It, however, did not include any specific amount of penalties, according to the sources. Under its regulations, the PIPC must notify its punitive measures to alleged violators of the data protection law and give them an opportunity to submit their opinions for a period of a minimum of 14 days. In its opinion, Coupang reportedly pushed back against the overall direction of the watchdog's potential measures. Industry sources believe a

May 12, 2026By Yonhap
Privacy watchdog wraps up probe into Coupang data leak, to decide penalty as early as June
Companies

Zeekr targets Tesla, Polestar, Genesis in bid to replicate BYD rise

Zeekr is set to deepen its rivalry with Tesla, Polestar and Genesis in a bid to follow in the footsteps of BYD’s success in Korea. The Chinese premium electric vehicle (EV) brand is scheduled to introduce the 7X midsize electric SUV in the second half of this year, with its price expected to be around 60 million won ($40,000), directly challenging models from established EV brands, including Tesla’s Model Y, the Polestar 4 SUV and the Genesis Electrified GV70. In particular, the 7X’s biggest rival is expected to be the Model Y, which has emerged as the top-selling EV in Korea, with prices hovering around 60 million won. The Polestar 4 is also viewed as a direct competitor to the Chinese company. The Polestar 4 Long Range Single Motor starts at 66.9 million won in Korea. Although both Zeekr and Polestar belong to China’s Geely Holding Group, Zeekr positions itself as a competitively priced alternative to Polestar, while offering similar electrification technologies. The Genesis Electrified GV70 is another potential rival. While Genesis retains a strong premium image and a nationwid

May 12, 2026By Lee Min-hyung
Zeekr targets Tesla, Polestar, Genesis in bid to replicate BYD rise
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