Journalist
Lee Hugh
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KT Cloud unveils liquid-cooling systems for AI data centers SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - KT Cloud has launched South Korea’s first commercial liquid-cooling system using direct-to-chip (D2C) technology, stepping up efforts to capture a growing share of the AI data center market. The company on Thursday opened a center which replicates a full AI data center environment to showcase high-efficiency, high-reliability operations. D2C cooling works by attaching a cold plate directly to a server’s GPU chip and circulating coolant to remove heat. KT Cloud said the method delivers significantly better heat management than traditional air-cooling systems, cutting power consumption by 20 to 30 percent. The company has built server and rack load systems that meet global AI server specifications, testing variables such as coolant flow, pressure and temperature. The technology is already in commercial operation at KT Cloud’s Gasan AI data center, with upcoming facilities in Bucheon, Gaebong and Ansan designed to support liquid-cooling. KT Cloud also demonstrated an immersion-cooling setup — submerging servers in a dielectric liquid — which achieved up to 60 percent power savings during load tests. With AI infrastructure demand accelerating, KT Cloud said it will concentrate on developing next-generation cooling technologies. “There is growing demand for liquid-cooling technology among industries requiring high-performance computing and among cloud providers,” said Heo Young-man, head of the company’s data center division. “Although domestic experience is still limited, we aim to emerge as a leading AI data center player when services begin in April.” * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-11 16:12:25 -
Japanese cities top travel destinations for Korean Air passengers SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Tokyo was the most popular destination among overseas travelers aboard Korean Air this year, with Japanese cities dominating the top spots for short-haul travel. According to a year-end report released Thursday by the country's flagship carrier, based on the number of passengers on international flights from January through Nov. 10, Tokyo topped the list, followed by Osaka, Fukuoka, and Bangkok. Flights to Chinese cities rebounded sharply, with passenger numbers to Shanghai increasing by 128,000 compared to the previous year, followed by Beijing, up 71,000, and Qingdao, up 63,000. Of the 16.49 million passengers Korean Air carried, the most frequent flyer took 216 flights. The figure also included some 5,192 minors on international routes traveling without parents or guardians and 31,818 pets. Passengers in their 30s and 40s accounted for 40 percent of the total, followed by those in their 50s and 60s (30 percent) and those in their teens and 20s (21 percent). Foreign passengers accounted for 35 percent of the total, with Americans and Chinese each making up 24 percent. Korean Air, in the process of merging with Asiana Airlines, recently rolled out newly designed aircraft and improved airport lounges and facilities. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-11 16:04:31 -
Korea scales back corporate contenders for CES 2026, but books 60% of awards SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - South Korea's presence at the world's biggest consumer technology show will be notably slimmer next year, even as Korean innovators again dominate the event's coveted awards. CES 2026, slated for Jan. 6 to 9 in Las Vegas, is expected to host between 700 and 800 Korean companies, down sharply from about 1,031 firms in 2025, according to industry data. The retreat is driven largely by startups and sole proprietors pulling back, but major conglomerates are also rethinking their strategies. SK Group — which mounted large-scale, multi-company pavilions from 2019 to 2025 — will send only SK hynix. HD Hyundai, known for showcasing next-generation autonomous vessel technologies in recent years, will skip the show entirely. Hyundai Motor Group is scaling down its exhibition, dropping software and self-driving displays where U.S. rivals currently lead. Samsung Electronics, meanwhile, plans to host its showcase at a private hotel rather than its usual anchor space at the Las Vegas Convention Center's Central Hall, now increasingly dominated by Chinese giants such as TCL and Hisense. Fragmented 'Team Korea' weakens coordination The pullback underscores a long-running issue: Korea's lack of a unified national strategy at CES. "There is no central control tower," said Lee Han-bum, president of the Korea Information & Communication Technology Industry Association (KICTA). "KOTRA, the Seoul city government and dozens of local governments all come separately. There is confusion, and even now many participants have not received final approval." KOTRA will lead a unified Korea Pavilion next year that brings together multiple agencies including the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The pavilion will host 469 companies, up from 445 in 2025. But a large share of exhibitors will still go it alone. At CES 2025, 586 Korean companies participated outside the pavilion. If total Korean attendance falls to around 700, the pavilion's share would rise from 43 percent to roughly 67 percent, but it would still not function as an overarching command structure. KOTRA also directly manages only about 140 companies through its own selection process. Much of its role remains focused on booth design, branding and coordination — not comprehensive oversight. High costs, low returns The financial case for attending CES is becoming tougher. Korea is estimated to have spent around $500 million on CES 2025 but saw less than $20 million in tangible returns, Lee said. Samsung Electronics alone invested 20 billion won ($13.5 million) in last year's exhibition — a cost only the largest corporations can afford, leaving smaller companies heavily dependent on government subsidies. Korea sent the third-largest national delegation in early 2025, behind the United States (1,509 firms) and China (1,339). Yet the Startup Alliance noted that many CES Innovation Award winners from Korea struggled to secure investment or overseas partnerships, raising questions about whether the heavy spending is translating into actual commercial outcomes. Korean startups at Eureka Park, the exhibition's dedicated startup venue, accounted for nearly half of all exhibitors last year at 641 companies out of 1,400 total — a dominance that raised questions about sustainability. A single booth can cost at least 100 million won once accommodation, logistics, patent filings and rental fees are included. A sharply weaker won, higher operational costs and tougher U.S. visa conditions under the Trump administration are adding further pressure. Still, Korea dominates the awards Despite scaling back, Korea remains a standout in innovation accolades. KOTRA said Korean companies have secured 168 awards at CES 2026, accounting for 60 percent of all awards and marking the country's third consecutive year as the event's top winner. Korean firms swept all three Best of Innovation awards in the AI category, with honors going to Doosan Robotics, DeepFusion AI, and CityFive. The Seoul Business Agency will support 70 startups at next year's unified pavilion — down from 104 — but is expanding assistance programs, including investor matchmaking, global IR pitch competitions, and media outreach. "Korea needs to compete on technology, not headcount," Lee said. "That means fewer companies, but better-prepared ones." 2025-12-11 15:57:20 -
Veteran German engineer to lead Hyundai Motor Group's R&D SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor Group is preparing to name Manfred Harrer, its vice president for vehicle development, as the new head of research and development, industry sources said on Thursday. Harrer is expected to be promoted to president and take charge of the R&D division as part of the automaker’s annual executive reshuffle, according to officials at Hyundai’s Namyang R&D Center. The group’s current R&D chief, Yang Hee-won, is scheduled to hold a retirement ceremony on Dec. 15 at the Namyang facility. A veteran engineer with 25 years of experience at Audi, BMW and Porsche, Harrer also worked on Apple’s long-running electric vehicle initiative before joining Hyundai last year. Since then, he has overseen development of high-performance models, including the Genesis GV60 Magma. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-11 15:31:26 -
Naver launches digital warranty service to combat counterfeits in e-commerce SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Naver rolled out its digital warranty service "Naver Collection", aiming to bolster consumer confidence and curb counterfeit risks across its sprawling e-commerce platform. The service, launched Wednesday, replaces traditional paper warranties with tamper-proof digital certificates stored in the Naver app, featuring hologram badges to prevent forgery. More than 600 brands, including Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and global luxury names such as Coach, Vivienne Westwood and Marni, have adopted the system. The launch follows Naver's October expansion of its "High-End" service into home appliances and living categories, with over 30 premium brands now utilizing the digital warranty feature. "Naver Collection is a digital warranty that satisfies both sellers who value brand identity and buyers seeking authenticity," said a company spokesperson. "We will continue to innovate in the digital warranty market by diversifying templates for different product categories." The paperless approach also contributes to environmental sustainability by reducing carbon emissions associated with physical documentation, the company said. To mark the launch, Naver is running a promotional campaign worth about 20 million won until Jan. 20. 2025-12-11 15:26:58 -
South Korea prepares rule changes to channel financial capital into AI, chip sectors SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - South Korea plans to relax rules that restrict financial capital from investing in high-tech industries, including artificial intelligence and semiconductors, while maintaining the core principle of separating industrial and financial capital, the government said on Thursday. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol briefed President Lee Jae Myung on the proposed regulatory changes during a policy briefing session in Sejong. President Lee said the administration was preparing “practical measures within the separation principle,” adding that the work was nearing completion. Lee also asked whether the government was creating special provisions to secure funding for early-stage, capital-intensive technologies. Koo said the proposed adjustments would not alter the underlying separation rule, which prevents financial firms from exerting control over industrial companies. “We have preserved the principle, but we are proposing regulatory easing to support sectors that require massive investment,” he said. South Korea introduced its financial–industrial separation policy in 1982 to stop conglomerates from using financial affiliates as private funding channels. The framework was tightened after the 1997 Asian financial crisis, when chaebol-led cross-support and aggressive expansion were criticized for exacerbating systemic risks. Debate over easing the restrictions resurfaced in the 2010s as major technology platforms such as Kakao and Naver expanded into financial services. Although the cap on industrial capital’s stake in banks was raised from 4 percent to 34 percent, voting rights and other limitations remained in place. Growing demand for regulatory relaxation has continued alongside the rapid rise of digital finance, but concerns over market concentration and conflicts of interest have slowed progress. The Lee administration, however, has stressed that high-tech strategic sectors — including semiconductors and AI — require more flexible capital rules. The Ministry of Economy and Finance said it plans to move forward with measures to ease the investment constraints. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-11 15:16:27 -
Eight out of 10 South Koreans prefer current state over unification with NK SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Nearly eight out of 10 South Koreans prefer sharing the border with North Korea peacefully over a unified Korea, a latest survey showed. According to a survey released Thursday by the Ministry of Unification, 79.4 percent of respondents said that peaceful coexistence without war outweighs the goal of unification. Among them, 37.1 percent strongly agreed and 42.2 percent somewhat agreed. Support was also high for acknowledging the two Koreas as separate states coexisting peacefully, with 69.9 percent backing the idea — including 22.5 percent strongly in favor and 47.3 percent somewhat in favor. Perceptions of North Korea were mixed as 64.6 percent agreed to the regard of North Korea as a separate state, while others disagreed, with 42.6 percent consider the country as a partner for cooperation, 23.8 percent as a threat, 22.6 percent as an adversary, and 8.4 percent as a recipient of aid. Still a combined 62 percent of respondents called unification necessary, with 32 percent saying it is very necessary and 30 percent saying it is somewhat necessary. Public awareness of North Korea’s recently promoted “hostile two-state theory” was high: 80 percent said they were familiar with the concept, and 77.8 percent viewed it negatively. The survey was conducted by Gallup Korea from Dec. 2 to 8, interviewing 1,005 adults aged 18 and older nationwide by phone. The margin of error is ±3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-11 14:52:42 -
Laotian president to visit Seoul for summit SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung will hold a summit with Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith next week to discuss bilateral relations. Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said Thursday that Thongloun, who is scheduled to arrive in Seoul on Sunday, will sit down for talks with Lee on Monday, followed by a state luncheon. According to Kang, his trip to Seoul comes as the two countries mark the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations and it will be the first bilateral visit in 12 years. The two leaders are expected to discuss a wide range of issues, with a focus on combating rising transnational crimes such as online scams and phishing schemes. "The upcoming summit will strengthen cooperation and improve relations between Seoul and Vientiane," Kang said. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-11 14:51:30 -
Bank of Korea likely to extend rate freeze despite Fed rate cut SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - The U.S. Federal Reserve’s third consecutive interest-rate cut is expected to have little immediate impact on South Korea’s monetary stance, with the Bank of Korea likely to keep its policy rate unchanged amid persistent won volatility, elevated housing prices and uncertainty over the U.S. policy path, industry sources said Thursday. The Fed lowered its benchmark range to 3.50–3.75 percent at its Wednesday meeting. Its latest dot plot left the year-end projection unchanged at 3.4 percent, implying only one additional 25-basis-point cut next year. Chair Jerome Powell signaled a more cautious easing trajectory, saying the policy rate is now within a “neutral range.” The Fed has cut rates by 25 basis points in each of September, October and December, shrinking the U.S.–Korea rate differential to 1.25 percentage points. The narrower gap has eased pressure on capital outflows and the won-dollar exchange rate, though foreign-exchange volatility remains significant. The won hit 1,477.1 per dollar on Nov. 24 — the weakest level since April — and has since shown unstable movements. Bank of Korea official Kim Jong-hwa said about 70 percent of recent exchange-rate upward pressure stems from dollar demand related to outbound investments rather than interest-rate differentials alone. BOK Governor Lee Chang-yong has stressed the won’s depreciation is partly driven by increased foreign stock purchases. With the weak currency pushing up import prices and inflation rising to 2.4 percent last month, analysts say the central bank may prefer to maintain its rate at the Jan. 15 policy meeting. Housing market conditions remain another key concern. While prices in the broader Seoul metropolitan area appear to be stabilizing, a Bank of Korea official said certain districts still show declines that warrant continued monitoring. Deputy Governor Park Jong-woo said external risks — including expectations of rate hikes in Japan and ongoing U.S.–China trade tensions — call for a cautious policy stance. “We will closely monitor market conditions and adjust as needed,” he said. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-11 14:45:24 -
Kookmin University highlights new ERC center on robotic functional skin and hypersensory perception SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Kookmin University hosted a K*-Colloquium on December 9 at its Industry-Academic Cooperation Building, where Professor Lim Si-hyung of the School of Mechanical Engineering presented the vision and roadmap of the newly selected Engineering Research Center (ERC) on Robotic Functional Skin and Enhanced Perception. The K*-Colloquium is a regular seminar series organized by the university's Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation. It serves as a forum for sharing research outcomes and future plans from new faculty members, as well as examining core technologies driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including AI, semiconductors and advanced convergence technologies. The "K*" mark reflects Kookmin University's identity and its focus on innovation-driven research. During the session, Lim introduced the center's strategy and research scope following its selection this year by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea. The center aims to overcome the limits of conventional vision-dependent robotic systems by integrating functional skin technologies with multisensory perception. The research program is structured around three pillars: a non-visual hypersensory cognition platform combining tactile, auditory and olfactory sensors; multifunctional skin capable of dustproofing, waterproofing, heat resistance and radiation protection; and high-precision nano- and micro-scale surface manufacturing technologies. The long-term goal is to enable robots to "sense, judge and respond" to their surroundings in a manner more similar to biological organisms. By embedding human-skin-like sensory functions into robotic surfaces, the center seeks to develop technologies that could be applied to disaster-response robots, nuclear and industrial plant inspection systems, space and deep-sea exploration platforms, and defense-related unmanned systems. The consortium includes Kookmin University as the lead institution, joined by Seoul National University, UNIST, Kumoh National Institute of Technology and Gachon University. Ten partner companies, including Hyundai Motor, are providing about 1.3 billion won in private-sector investment to support demonstration projects and commercialization pathways. The center aims to establish global research standards, expand technology transfer and promote deep-tech startup efforts as part of a broader strategy to reinforce South Korea's competitiveness in foundational robotics. "This project aims to elevate the most essential elements of robotics — skin and perception — to a world-class level," Lim said. "We hope to create a turning point for South Korea to become a global leader in foundational robotic technologies that function even in extreme environments." Lim received his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Seoul National University and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. His research covers next-generation sensors and devices, functional robotic materials and high-reliability manufacturing processes. He currently serves as a professor in Kookmin University's School of Mechanical Engineering and has led multiple national research initiatives in related fields. 2025-12-11 14:27:56