Journalist
Candice Kim김혜준
candicekim1121@ajupress.com
ReporterSamsung Electronics, SK hynix, LG Electronics, Olive Young, Musinsa & Semiconductor, K-Beauty
Candice Kim is a dedicated business and technology reporter specializing in the intersection of high-tech innovation and fast-paced consumer trends. Her core beats span the semiconductor, IT, cosmetics, and retail sectors, where she provides in-depth coverage of industry titans including Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, and LG Electronics, alongside leading consumer brands like Olive Young and Musinsa. Whether analyzing complex silicon supply chains or tracking the latest shifts in beauty and fashion retail, Candice is committed to delivering sharp, accurate reporting that keeps readers informed on the forces shaping today's most dynamic markets.
"Connecting the dots from silicon chips to consumer shifts."
Latest by Candice Kim
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Samsung union weighs voluntary donation of bonus to social causes SEOUL, July 23 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics' largest labor union is considering a voluntary program allowing employees to donate a portion of their special performance bonuses to social causes, according to an internal union notice. The Samsung Group Super Enterprise Labor Union said the proposal, which was recently shared with its policy committee, is expected to be announced alongside guidance on special bonuses in the third or fourth quarter. Under the proposal, employees in the Device Solutions (DS) semiconductor division could choose to contribute between 0 percent and 1 percent of their special performance bonus. Participation would be entirely voluntary, with no upper limit on donations, the union said. The notice said the initiative is intended to address public criticism over large bonus payouts while supporting shareholder-friendly policies. Union executives and policy committee representatives also plan to participate in the program. The proposal follows discussions that began in June on encouraging employees to voluntarily donate part of their bonuses after Samsung agreed to a special performance bonus package with labor unions. The union said the timing and details of the program have yet to be finalized and would be announced once discussions are completed. 2026-07-23 16:30:40 -
Samsung's 8-year-old foldables evolve for every need SEOUL, July 23 (AJP) - Foldables in their eighth generation have come of age, arriving in different shapes and forms tailored to different user needs with the artificial intelligence at the center of the experience, according to Samsung Electronics, the pioneer of foldable smartphones. At a media briefing held in central Seoul on Thursday, a day after Galaxy Unpacked in London, executives from the company's Mobile eXperience (MX) division walked journalists through the newly unveiled Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Fold8 and Flip8, explaining the thinking behind Samsung's first three-tier foldable lineup. Rather than presenting foldables as a single category, Samsung said it had redesigned the lineup around different user needs: the Fold8 Ultra for productivity-focused professionals, the Fold8 for immersive content consumption and multitasking, and the Flip8 for users seeking portability and self-expression. "Ultra represents our determination not to compromise on anything," Kim Jae-hyuk, a product planning manager in Samsung's smartphone business, told reporters. He said the Fold8 Ultra combines Samsung's highest-end camera system, premium hardware and productivity features in its foldable lineup for the first time. Artificial intelligence has become the central design principle behind the new devices, he said. The new Galaxy foldables are designed to understand user context, proactively suggest actions and reduce the number of steps needed to complete tasks through Gemini-powered agentic AI. Features such as automatic multi-window suggestions, contextual notifications and AI-assisted note organization were highlighted during live demonstrations. Gemini Notebook combines documents, images, voice recordings and notes into a single workspace capable of generating summaries, reports and infographics, positioning the feature as a productivity tool for professionals handling large volumes of information. Samsung said AI experiences across the new foldable lineup will extend beyond smartphones to Galaxy Watch devices and the company's newly announced AI-powered smart glasses, expanding the Galaxy ecosystem around context-aware AI. Display technology remains another defining feature of the foldable family in its eighth generation. "Flex Titanium" is a new titanium-based display support structure designed to reduce visible creases while improving rigidity without adding weight. The devices also feature a peak brightness of 3,000 nits and a new anti-reflective layer to improve outdoor visibility. Preorders for the new Galaxy devices opened Thursday. Samsung Electronics shares were up 2.98 percent at 268,250 won as of 1 p.m. in Seoul. 2026-07-23 14:21:14 -
Samsung says foldables have arrived — now AI is the real race SEOUL, July 23 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics said foldable smartphones have entered the mainstream, shifting the competitive battleground from hardware form factors to artificial intelligence as it expands its Galaxy Z8 lineup and pushes agentic AI across its device ecosystem. Speaking to reporters after Galaxy Unpacked in London, TM Roh, Samsung Electronics' chief executive and head of the Mobile eXperience (MX) division, said the newly unveiled Galaxy Z8 series marked a new stage for the foldable market, where consumers are increasingly choosing devices based on different usage needs rather than form factor alone. Samsung introduced three foldable models this year — the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Flip8 — targeting users seeking productivity, immersive entertainment and portability, respectively. The company also highlighted its new Flex Titanium technology, which combines reduced weight with improved durability in its latest foldables. Roh said foldable smartphones had reached a level of maturity both technologically and commercially, adding that growing competition reflected broader market acceptance rather than a threat to Samsung's leadership. "More companies entering the market means foldables have become mainstream," Roh said. "The technology and customer understanding we have built over the past seven years remain difficult to replicate." Looking beyond hardware, Roh said artificial intelligence would become the next key differentiator for smartphones. He said Samsung aims to expand Galaxy AI to 800 million users by the end of this year, while evolving AI from a question-and-answer tool into an "agentic AI" capable of carrying out tasks on behalf of users. Roh also emphasized Samsung's broad device ecosystem, saying smartphones, watches, televisions and home appliances would allow the company to deliver more personalized AI experiences than competitors focused on a single product category. He added that protecting users' personal information would remain a priority, saying sensitive personal data would stay on devices whenever possible and users would be able to understand and control how AI processes their information. Samsung also identified digital health as one of the areas where AI could create the greatest value. The company said its latest Galaxy Watch and Samsung Health platform expand health monitoring beyond sleep, exercise and nutrition to include broader biometric indicators aimed at helping users identify potential health risks earlier. 2026-07-23 13:27:33 -
Samsung Semiconductor Division to Implement ChatGPT Enterprise for Enhanced AI Use Samsung Electronics' Device Solutions (DS) division is set to introduce the enterprise version of the generative artificial intelligence (AI) service, ChatGPT Enterprise, by the end of this month. Following an internal data leak incident in 2023, Samsung's semiconductor division had maintained a cautious approach toward the use of external generative AI. The decision to apply enterprise AI in actual operations marks a significant shift. Instead of completely blocking generative AI, the division is transitioning its policy to combine enterprise services with internal management systems while enhancing security controls, given the sensitive nature of the information involved in semiconductor design, processes, equipment, source code, and yield. According to a report from Aju Economy on July 22, Samsung's DS division has signed a corporate contract with OpenAI and is currently proceeding with the necessary steps to implement ChatGPT Enterprise by the end of this month. The initial target for implementation was set for June, but additional security checks regarding semiconductor technology and internal data caused a delay of about a month. A Samsung official stated, "We initially considered a June rollout, but the schedule was adjusted to July. The DS division had more security considerations to review compared to other organizations." Since June 12, all Samsung employees have been allowed to use external generative AI, provided they complete online security training beforehand. However, the DS division conducted separate security reviews due to the critical information related to semiconductor design, manufacturing processes, production equipment, software code, and yield. This led to the decision to implement a corporate service with enhanced data protection and management features rather than a general consumer service. The service Samsung is introducing is OpenAI's ChatGPT Enterprise, which will be provided through a direct corporate contract rather than utilizing a self-developed language model. ChatGPT Enterprise offers enhanced organizational account security and data management features compared to standard generative AI for general users. Samsung expects it to be more effective than existing AI tools in handling large documents, attachments, technical data searches, summaries, and software development support. Previous services reportedly experienced slow processing speeds or operational difficulties when handling large volumes of data simultaneously. With the introduction of ChatGPT Enterprise, semiconductor engineers are likely to utilize it for searching, analyzing, and extracting necessary information from extensive technical documents, research materials, and software code. The semiconductor industry accumulates vast amounts of technical data across various process stages and product lines, with related information dispersed across personal computers, internal servers, shared folders, and databases. This creates a significant demand for integrated search and analysis using generative AI. Choi Byung-ho, a professor at Korea University’s AI Research Institute, explained, "In the past, information could only be searched within databases, but now it can be aggregated from personal PCs, cloud storage, shared folders, and databases, summarized, and linked back to original sources." He added, "Generative AI can perform not only simple searches and summaries but also a certain level of inference, analysis, and prediction based on accumulated information." However, Samsung has not disclosed the extent to which employees can input semiconductor-related data into ChatGPT Enterprise. Sensitive information designated as national core technology or related to semiconductor design, processes, equipment, and yield is likely to be restricted under internal security regulations. Details regarding the operational structure, such as where the service processes and stores data, how external and internal networks are connected, and whether a separate system for accessing internal data will be established, have also not been revealed. The key to implementing enterprise generative AI lies in controlling how information is processed and stored after being input. For semiconductor companies, even a single piece of technical data can directly impact competitiveness, necessitating stricter requirements for server location, data encryption, access rights, and usage record management compared to general businesses. Professor Choi emphasized, "To protect data sovereignty, the first step is to verify where the servers are located. Whether the servers are internal or external, how the data is encrypted, and who can access it are critical security factors." He noted, "Building servers internally and blocking external communications may be the safest approach, but no security technology is 100% foolproof. Ultimately, how well access rights, usage procedures, and post-incident checks are managed determines a company's capabilities." This initiative highlights a shift in Samsung's strategy regarding the use of generative AI. After it was confirmed that some employees in the DS division had input semiconductor equipment-related data, source code, and meeting notes into external ChatGPT, Samsung significantly restricted the use of external generative AI. Subsequently, a separate approval process was established for using external ChatGPT, and the company has also been developing its own AI services to mitigate the risk of internal information leaks. The incident served as a notable example of the security risks associated with generative AI in the global manufacturing sector. As concerns grew that information entered for convenience could be transmitted to external AI providers, Samsung prioritized information protection over generative AI utilization. However, as generative AI rapidly becomes a core tool for software development, document creation, data analysis, and research and development, it appears that a complete ban on its use may hinder operational efficiency and technological competitiveness. Samsung's push to implement enterprise generative AI is interpreted as a strategy to move away from a blanket prohibition on external services and instead combine enhanced security paid services with internal controls to broaden its application scope. Samsung is also expanding its AI-related training. The company is conducting AI transformation (AX) training for key executives, and all employees are required to complete online security training before using external generative AI. To effectively apply AI tools in actual work, it is essential to clearly distinguish between permissible and prohibited information and to verify the accuracy of the results produced. However, there are concerns that simply implementing enterprise AI will not automatically enhance productivity. Without organizing internal data in a format that AI can utilize and removing outdated or duplicate materials, it may be challenging to expect accurate responses. Professor Choi stated, "To apply generative AI in actual work, the process of adequately organizing and processing internal data must occur first. Internal company data often varies in format and version, and even the same information can differ based on the time of writing and department, making it difficult for AI to understand accurately." He added, "What companies want is not a plausible answer but an accurate one. If even one error occurs, it can take considerable time and manpower to verify the results again." The issue of 'hallucination,' where generative AI presents false information as if it were factual, remains a challenge. In semiconductor design or production, the use of incorrect information can impact not just document errors but also development schedules, productivity, and quality control. Professor Choi noted, "Hallucination arises from the structure of generative AI generating responses based on probabilities, making it difficult to eliminate entirely. It is crucial to provide AI with sufficient knowledge about the company and its operations and to ensure it only responds within a reliable data framework to minimize errors." He further suggested, "If AI cannot find sufficient information, it should be programmed to respond with 'I don't know' or to halt operations. A system that also presents the original source and references for the answers provided is necessary." Samsung is also gradually introducing other generative AI services alongside ChatGPT. The coding support service 'Claude Code' was opened to software development personnel in May. Internal notices from Samsung indicate plans to introduce Google's generative AI service 'Gemini' in November. However, this schedule may change based on internal security reviews and system readiness. Industry observers are paying attention to the possibility that Samsung will establish a system to selectively utilize multiple generative AIs, such as ChatGPT Enterprise, Claude Code, and Gemini, based on the characteristics of different tasks. Since each service has different strengths for document search and analysis, software development, and research and development, it may be more effective to apply services according to their intended use rather than relying on a single AI. The introduction of ChatGPT Enterprise by Samsung's DS division is expected to be a test case in finding a balance between the use of generative AI and semiconductor technology security. For this initiative to lead to actual productivity improvements, it is crucial to establish sophisticated operational standards that encompass the scope of input data, access rights, response verification, and accountability in the event of incidents. 2026-07-23 09:28:00 -
Samsung's foldables share spotlight with AI eyewear at Galaxy Unpacked SEOUL, July 22 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics on Wednesday unveiled three new foldable smartphones and detailed its first AI-powered smart glasses, expanding the Galaxy ecosystem as it seeks to make artificial intelligence a more proactive part of consumers’ daily lives. At its Galaxy Unpacked event in London, the South Korean technology giant introduced the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Flip8, marking the first time it has offered three distinct models in its flagship foldable lineup. Samsung also showcased its Intelligent Eyewear, developed with Google and eyewear brands Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, as well as the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Watch9. The announcements underline Samsung’s effort to extend Galaxy AI beyond smartphones into devices that can interpret users’ surroundings, health data and daily routines. “As AI evolves, mobile devices will become the closest point of contact with users, understanding them better and blending naturally into their daily lives,” said TM Roh, Samsung Electronics’ chief executive and head of its Device eXperience division. The new foldables run on Android 17 and Samsung’s One UI 9 and combine Galaxy AI with what the company calls Gemini Intelligence, an enhanced version of Google’s AI designed to understand on-screen context and carry out tasks across applications. Samsung said the system can automatically operate more than 40 apps covering food delivery, reservations and shopping. It can also search for restaurants, make bookings, manage schedules and retrieve ticket information through a series of linked actions. The company introduced an upgraded “Now Nudge” feature that anticipates users’ next actions and “Now Brief,” which provides personalized updates based on schedules, news, health data and usage patterns. The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra sits at the top of the expanded range, featuring an 8-inch main screen, a 200-megapixel primary camera and a 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera. The device weighs 215 grams and measures 4.1 millimeters thick when unfolded, making it the thinnest Fold model Samsung has produced. It carries a 5,000-mAh battery, supports charging of up to 45 watts and uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor. The standard Fold8 features a 7.6-inch main display, a 4,800-mAh battery and a dual-camera system with 50-megapixel wide and ultra-wide sensors. At 201 grams, it is Samsung’s lightest Fold device to date. Both Fold models use Samsung’s new Flex Titanium structure, which combines a titanium alloy film with a reinforced titanium plate. Samsung said the design improves durability and reduces the visible crease in the folding display. Their displays reach peak brightness of up to 3,000 nits, around 15 percent brighter than the previous generation, according to the company. The Galaxy Z Flip8 weighs 180 grams and is 6.1 millimeters thick when unfolded. It features a 6.9-inch main display, a 4.1-inch cover screen and a 4,300-mAh battery. Samsung has expanded the Flip’s cover display into a more AI-focused interface, allowing users to access applications, customized information and AI functions without opening the device. The Flip8 is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 2600 processor and features a 50-megapixel main camera. New video functions include a camcorder-style grip, touch-based zoom control and enhanced stabilization. Samsung said the Fold8 Ultra will start at 2.577 million won ($1,850) in South Korea for the 256-gigabyte model. The Fold8 will start at 2.278 million won, while the Flip8 will be priced from 1.683 million won. Domestic preorders will run from July 28 through Aug. 3, with global sales beginning in major markets including South Korea, the United States, Britain, India and Brazil on Aug. 7. Alongside the foldables, Samsung provided further details of its Intelligent Eyewear, an Android XR-based device that uses cameras, microphones, speakers and sensors to deliver hands-free AI functions. The glasses can interpret voice, gestures and visual information to provide navigation, translations, messaging and information-recording functions. They can, for example, recognize a foreign-language menu or a conversation and relay a real-time translation through Google’s Gemini AI. The device can also record whiteboards, documents and meetings through its built-in camera and automatically organize the information in the Samsung Notes app on a connected Galaxy phone. Samsung said the glasses can operate for up to nine hours on a single charge, with the charging case providing up to seven additional charges. The company revealed two new designs developed with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, bringing the total number of Intelligent Eyewear designs shown so far to four. The products are scheduled to go on sale later this year, though Samsung did not disclose pricing or a specific launch date. The move places Samsung more directly in competition with Meta Platforms, whose Ray-Ban smart glasses have helped build early consumer demand for AI-enabled eyewear. Samsung also introduced the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Watch9, both powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear Elite platform. The Watch Ultra2 features an 800-mAh battery, a display with peak brightness of 5,000 nits and new tracking tools for trail running and diving. It carries 10ATM and IP69K water-resistance ratings and has received EN13319 certification for diving instruments. The Watch9 focuses on continuous health monitoring and adds functions covering vital signs, heart health scores, daily cardiovascular load, physical fitness and hearing protection. The Watch Ultra2 will cost 969,100 won ($655) in South Korea, while the Watch9 will start at 499,000 won ($337) for the 40-mm Bluetooth model. Both will go on sale on Aug. 7, following domestic preorders beginning July 28. 2026-07-22 22:10:55 -
Exclusive: Samsung brings ChatGPT Enterprise into prized chip business SEOUL, July 22 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics is set to deploy ChatGPT Enterprise into its prized and heavily coveted semiconductor business by the end of July, signaling a strategic shift as artificial intelligence enters one of the company's most security-sensitive operations. The rollout marks a notable turn for Samsung's Device Solutions (DS) division, which oversees its semiconductor operations and has maintained some of the company's toughest restrictions on external generative AI since sensitive data leaks in 2023. The chip unit had initially planned to introduce the enterprise service in June, but postponed the rollout by about a month after conducting additional security reviews involving semiconductor technology and internal data handling. An official familiar with the matter said the internal timetable had been revised from June to July, with deployment now targeted by the end of this month. Samsung began allowing employees across its broader corporate organization to use external generative AI services on June 12, according to a separate company official. Employees were required to complete online training covering security guidelines before gaining access. "We made external generative AI available from June 12," the official said. "People say it is much more convenient because they can use it directly from their company PCs." The DS division's rollout has taken longer because semiconductor engineers routinely handle highly sensitive information involving chip designs, manufacturing processes, equipment specifications, software code and production yields. "DS has more security issues to examine than other divisions," the official said. Samsung signed an enterprise agreement directly with OpenAI for ChatGPT Enterprise rather than deploying a separately developed in-house language model. Unlike Samsung's earlier AI tools, ChatGPT Enterprise is expected to process much larger documents and attachments without significant performance loss, an advantage for semiconductor engineers who routinely work with lengthy technical documents, software code and extensive research and manufacturing data. That capability could fundamentally change how engineers retrieve and use technical knowledge, according to Choi Byung-ho, a professor at Korea University's Human-Inspired AI Research Institute. "Previously, information had to be stored in a database before it could be searched," Choi said. "Now, AI can bring together materials scattered across personal computers, cloud storage, shared folders and databases, summarize them and provide links to the original sources." The technology could also move beyond information retrieval by using accumulated corporate knowledge to support a degree of inference, analysis and forecasting, he added. Samsung has not disclosed what categories of semiconductor data employees will be permitted to upload into ChatGPT Enterprise. Highly sensitive information related to nationally protected technologies, chip designs, manufacturing processes, equipment and yields is expected to remain restricted under the company's internal security policies. Nor has Samsung disclosed where employee prompts and uploaded files will be processed or stored, or detailed the architecture supporting the service. Industry officials believe the system is likely to rely primarily on domestic servers, although the precise data-storage location and processing architecture remain unclear. Choi said server location remained one of the most important security considerations for companies handling strategic technologies. "To protect data sovereignty, the first question is where the server is located," Choi said. "The next question is whether the server sits inside or outside the organization and how the data is encrypted." "Installing the servers inside the organization and cutting off external communications could be the safest option," he added. "But no technology is 100 percent secure. Ultimately, how well a company manages security is itself a measure of its capability." The deployment represents a sharp reversal from Samsung's response to generative AI in 2023, when engineers in the chip division were found to have entered source code, equipment-related information and meeting records into ChatGPT. Samsung subsequently restricted access over concerns that confidential information transmitted to external servers could neither be retrieved nor deleted. The DS division later required approval for many external ChatGPT uses while promoting internally developed AI tools. As generative AI has become increasingly integrated into software development, document analysis and research, Samsung is shifting from blanket restrictions toward controlled enterprise deployment supported by internal safeguards. The company has also strengthened employee training. Staff in its broader corporate organization were required to complete online courses covering AI security before being granted access to external generative AI services, the corporate official said. Samsung has separately been providing AI transformation training for senior executives, including presidents and executive vice presidents. Details of training requirements and usage policies for rank-and-file employees in the DS division have yet to be announced internally. Choi cautioned that introducing an enterprise AI platform would not automatically translate into productivity gains. "Applying generative AI directly to business operations is not easy," he said. "A company must first process and organize its internal data, and that requires significant time and cost." Corporate information often exists in multiple versions and formats and contains internal abbreviations, complex tables and inconsistent structures that AI systems cannot accurately interpret without additional preparation, he said. "The information may look plausible, but companies need accurate results," Choi said. "If even one part is wrong in a highly precise task, considerable time may have to be spent reviewing the output." Hallucinations also remain an inherent limitation because generative AI generates responses based on probabilities rather than an independent concept of truth. "Hallucinations cannot be completely eliminated because they are part of how generative AI works," Choi said. "The important question is how much they can be reduced, and the key is to provide the system with sufficient knowledge about the company and the task." Companies should also instruct AI systems to acknowledge uncertainty—or stop generating responses altogether—when sufficient information cannot be found, rather than producing unsupported answers, he added. For investors, the deployment is unlikely to generate an immediate earnings impact. It nevertheless represents a significant milestone in Samsung's broader AI transformation, bringing enterprise generative AI into the daily workflow of its most strategically important business. The semiconductor industry is characterized by long development cycles and enormous volumes of technical information. Reducing the time engineers spend searching, comparing and analyzing data could improve research productivity and accelerate decision-making over the longer term. The corporate official said the biggest early gains were likely to come for software developers. "It should be much better for developers, including for coding," the official said. "Being able to use it directly within the company also makes it more convenient." Choi expects the clearest productivity improvements to emerge first in repetitive, rules-based work. "AI can already perform well in routine tasks where the rules have been defined," he said. "More complex work that requires discussion, judgment and decision-making remains difficult, which means people still need to give the right instructions and review the results." Samsung is also expanding access to other external AI platforms. Claude Code, Anthropic's coding-focused AI service, was opened in May on a priority basis for software developers rather than the broader workforce, according to the company official. An internal notice also lists Google's Gemini for a planned November rollout, although that timetable could change following further internal reviews. 2026-07-22 16:59:06 -
SK hynix bonus pact faces early test as labor talks intensify SEOUL, July 22 (AJP) - A decade-long profit-sharing pact at SK hynix has returned to the negotiating table just one year after it was signed, as unions push back against a proposed overhaul that could require employees to receive part of their bonuses in company shares. The chipmaker’s production and office-worker unions held separate intensive bargaining sessions with management on Tuesday after the two sides failed to narrow differences over bonuses and other key issues during a third round of formal wage negotiations last week. The company has proposed a new bonus-related plan during this year’s negotiations, according to industry sources. Details have not been disclosed, but one option under discussion is believed to involve the mandatory payment of a portion of bonuses in SK hynix shares. The proposal has drawn resistance from both unions, which argue that it could undermine an agreement reached last year after prolonged negotiations. SK hynix and its unions agreed in 2025 to remove the ceiling on the company’s profit-sharing bonus, known as PS, and maintain the framework for 10 years. Under the agreement, 10 percent of annual operating profit is allocated to the bonus pool. Employees receive 80 percent of their PS payment in cash during the relevant year, while the remaining 20 percent is deferred and paid in equal installments over the following two years. Their peers at Samsung Electronics receive bonus mainly in company shares. The company also operates a voluntary shareholder participation program allowing employees to receive up to half of their PS bonus in company shares. Participants who hold the shares for one year receive an additional cash payment equivalent to 15 percent of the purchase amount. The production workers’ union said the company’s latest proposal went against the intent and basic direction of last year’s agreement. The office workers’ union separately said it would reject any change that reduced employee compensation or weakened the existing bonus formula. Employee concern has grown as SK hynix is expected to generate another year of strong earnings on robust demand for high-bandwidth memory used in artificial intelligence accelerators. Any change in the payment structure could have a significant effect on the timing and form of employee compensation. Industry observers said the company may be seeking to limit large cash outflows and link employee rewards more closely to its long-term share performance. Workers, however, have questioned why a framework promised for 10 years is being reconsidered after only one year. SK hynix operates under a multiple-union system. Its technical and office workers’ union, affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, and its production workers’ union, affiliated with the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, conduct wage negotiations separately with management. 2026-07-22 11:29:55 -
Samsung bets on foldables — and fashion — at Galaxy Unpacked SEOUL, July 22 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics is set to widen its foldable smartphone lineup and make its long-awaited entry into the AI smart glasses market on Wednesday (KST), betting that premium hardware, artificial intelligence and fashion-forward wearables can help it challenge Meta in the next phase of consumer AI. At its Galaxy Unpacked event in London, Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra and Z Flip 8, alongside its first Android XR-powered smart glasses and new Galaxy Watch models, extending its AI ecosystem beyond smartphones. The smart glasses are expected to be developed on Google's Android XR platform and designed in collaboration with global eyewear brands including Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, underscoring Samsung's effort to differentiate its offering with everyday wearability rather than technology alone. The strategy contrasts with Meta's Ray-Ban partnership, which currently dominates the AI eyewear market. Samsung is also expected to introduce the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, marking the first expansion of its foldable lineup to three models as it targets the premium smartphone segment. The Ultra model is widely expected to feature an 8-inch display, a 200-megapixel main camera and a 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera, while the broader Fold lineup is anticipated to adopt Samsung's new One UI 9 software and a titanium-based hinge structure designed to reduce display creases and improve durability. The event comes as Meta's Ray-Ban Meta glasses have begun reaching South Korean consumers through the country's three major mobile carriers, highlighting intensifying competition in AI-powered wearable devices. Samsung's unveiling is expected to signal a broader push to connect smartphones, XR devices and AI services into a unified ecosystem as the company seeks new growth beyond conventional mobile hardware. 2026-07-22 10:52:55 -
Samsung, SK, Naver chiefs set for rare AI summit with Nvidia's Huang SEOUL, July 22 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Naver founder Lee Hae-jin are expected to meet Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang in Silicon Valley this week, in what could become one of the highest-profile gatherings of global artificial intelligence leaders amid sustained investment in AI infrastructure. The roundtable, expected to take place on Friday, would also likely include OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, according to industry sources. If confirmed, the meeting would bring together leaders spanning AI memory, computing hardware and generative AI services as companies deepen strategic partnerships across the AI supply chain. Samsung and SK hynix supply high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips to Nvidia for AI accelerators and are expected to provide next-generation HBM4 for Nvidia's upcoming Vera Rubin platform. Both companies are also supplying memory for OpenAI's custom AI chips and have agreed to support the Stargate AI infrastructure project announced last year. Samsung has also expanded its foundry ties with AI companies. The company is manufacturing Groq's language processing units for deployment on Nvidia platforms and is in talks with Anthropic over AI chip production using Samsung's 2-nanometer process, according to industry sources. Naver is expected to discuss potential cooperation on AI factory projects, which combine GPU servers, data centers and cloud infrastructure to support large-scale AI computing. The meeting comes as investors have raised concerns over a potential peak in AI-related demand following recent declines in semiconductor shares. Industry officials, however, continue to expect AI infrastructure investment to remain robust over the next several years, supporting strong demand for advanced memory chips. The gathering would also mark another meeting between Huang and South Korean business leaders little more than a month after the Nvidia chief visited Seoul in June, where he met executives from Samsung, SK Group, Hyundai Motor Group, LG Group and Naver to discuss AI collaboration. 2026-07-22 10:25:23 -
Samsung creates CEO-led robotics office to speed humanoid push SEOUL, July 21 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics on Tuesday unveiled a new robotics unit reporting directly to Chief Executive No Tae-moon, centralizing development and business operations as it steps up efforts to expand its robotics business. The new RX (Robotics eXperience) Business Office, reporting directly to Vice Chairman and DX chief No Tae-moon, will oversee the company's robotics strategy, core technology development and commercialization under a unified structure. Samsung said it will consolidate robotics personnel at its Seoul R&D Campus in southern Seoul and build a data factory at its Gumi plant to strengthen robot data collection and deployment. It also plans to establish research hubs in the United States, China and Japan to expand its technology ecosystem and recruit global talent. Former Hyundai Motor Group executive Lee Dong-geon, who previously led robotics strategy at Boston Dynamics, was appointed head of the robotics strategy team. The company also said robotics experts Kim Hyun-jin of Seoul National University and Kim Eui-gyeom of Ajou University will join the new organization. The move follows Samsung's acquisition of Rainbow Robotics in late 2024 and is aimed at accelerating its humanoid robotics business while advancing its goal of converting all of its domestic and overseas manufacturing sites into AI-powered autonomous factories by 2030. 2026-07-21 16:26:05