[K-Tech] LG challenges OpenAI, Alibaba with new hybrid AI model, EXAONE 4.0

SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - LG AI Research on Wednesday unveiled what it calls South Korea’s first hybrid artificial intelligence model, EXAONE 4.0, a system that fuses large language processing with advanced reasoning capabilities. The release marks LG’s fourth major AI launch in as many months, as the company escalates efforts to compete with global players like OpenAI, Anthropic, Alibaba, and Google. EXAONE 4.0 integrates two distinct AI functions — a large lang

July 16, 2025

Korea moves to establish renewable-powered industrial zone

SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - South Korea is intensifying efforts to establish industrial zones powered primarily by renewable energy, part of a broader strategy to align with international sustainability standards and accelerate the country's corporate energy transition. On Wednesday, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy convened the first meeting of a new task force at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in central Seoul. The group, composed of senior officials from

July 16, 2025

US beef exporters intensify lobbying as Korea weighs lifting age restrictions

SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - American beef exporters are intensifying their lobbying efforts to convince South Korea to lift its 16-year ban on U.S. cattle over 30 months old. This push comes as Seoul seeks leverage ahead of critical tariff negotiations with Washington. South Korea has maintained the 30-month age limit on American beef imports since the 2008 bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or "mad cow disease," crisis. Officials have cited a heightened risk of dete

July 16, 2025

Korean dessert chain Sulbing to enter Philippine market

SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - South Korean dessert franchise Sulbing is expanding its footprint in Southeast Asia, announcing a new master franchise agreement with a local partner in the Philippines, Wednesday. The agreement, signed on July 15 at Sulbing’s headquarters in central Seoul, brings the brand into its third Southeast Asian market following Malaysia and Cambodia. Sulbing CEO Kim Eui-yeol and Winnie Go, head of Beyond Bingsu Cafe Inc. — a newly formed company unde

July 16, 2025

The Shilla Seoul picked Korea's top hotel in global La Liste ranking

SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) - The Shilla Seoul has been named Korea’s top hotel and ranked among the world’s 200 best in the 2025 edition of La Liste Top 1000 Hotels, an international ranking published by the French National Tourism Board. The annual list evaluates hotels around the globe based on aggregated scores from international guidebooks, professional media, industry journals, and online reviews. The Shilla Seoul stood out for its highly personalized service and cul

July 15, 2025

Saltlux launches AI center to guide corporate adoption

SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) - South Korean artificial intelligence firm Saltlux on Tuesday announced the launch of its AI Work Innovation Center aimed at helping businesses integrate generative AI and AI agents into their operations from concept to deployment. The center is intended to support companies grappling with the challenges of AI adoption by offering a structured, end-to-end consulting and implementation service. Its offerings span strategy development, technology assessment, pr

July 15, 2025

Korea's budget airlines see passenger decline despite peak travel season

SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) - South Korea’s low-cost carriers reported disappointing results for the second quarter of 2025, as passenger numbers dipped below last year’s levels despite the start of the summer travel season. Total traffic on budget airlines fell 2.8 percent year-on-year to 17.46 million domestic and international passengers, according to data released by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The decline comes amid ongoing fare suppression, pe

July 15, 2025

Biopharmaceuticals account for growing share of new drug launches

SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) - Biopharmaceuticals made up 42 percent of new drug launches worldwide between 2020 and 2024, reflecting their growing influence in the pharmaceutical landscape, according to new data released Tuesday by market research firm IQVIA. The share of biological medicines among newly approved active substances has steadily increased over the past two decades — from 28 percent between 2005 and 2009, to 30 percent in the following five years, and to 39 percent be

July 15, 2025

Industry minister nominee backs US-style tax credits for chips, batteries

SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) - South Korea’s nominee for industry minister, Kim Jung-gwan, is pushing for the introduction of production tax credits for semiconductors and battery materials, according to parliamentary documents released Tuesday ahead of his confirmation hearing. Kim, a former senior economic official and most recently an executive at power equipment firm Doosan Enerbility, said the government must adopt “strategic and proactive industrial policies with competi

July 15, 2025

POSCO to supply advanced steel for Saudi Aramco's gas plant

SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) - South Korea’s largest steelmaker POSCO will supply hydrogen-induced cracking (HIC) resistant steel to Saudi Aramco for its Fadhili gas plant expansion project. The agreement is a strategic win for POSCO and a notable shift in procurement norms for Aramco, the world’s largest oil producer, which has traditionally sourced such critical materials from European manufacturers. The Fadhili expansion, designed to increase the plant’s gas proces

July 15, 2025