Journalist
SEONGJUN JO
critic@ajunews.com
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Samsung Showcases Next-Gen Displays and AI at World IT Show 2026 Samsung Electronics is showcasing a wide range of products using next-generation display, mobile and AI technologies, highlighting its future AI competitiveness. Samsung said it is taking part in the 2026 World IT Show, running April 22-24 at COEX in Seoul, to present innovations spanning displays and mobile devices. At the entrance, Samsung placed its glasses-free 3D display “Spatial Signage” to guide visitors. An “AI Fan Curator” explains each experience zone, with the display delivering a 3D effect without additional equipment. The company said its proprietary “3D Plate” technology adds depth that makes the screen appear to contain another space. Also featured prominently is “Micro RGB,” a next-generation display technology that individually controls ultra-fine RGB elements to render color and contrast more precisely, delivering improved picture quality compared with conventional displays. In mobile, Samsung built camera and AI experience zones around the Galaxy S26 series. Visitors can try the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s 200-megapixel camera and 10x zoom, and test the “Horizon Lock Super Steady” feature for shake-free video. AI demonstrations were expanded. Using “Photo Assist,” visitors can generate images with natural-language prompts and view results on an LED wall in the exhibit area. The “Galaxy AI Live Show” demonstrates key features including photo editing, call screening and privacy tools. Wearables and next-generation platforms were also on display, including a listening zone for the Galaxy Buds4 series and a hands-on area for “Galaxy XR” based on Android XR, offering immersive content experiences. In entertainment, Samsung is running a “cross-platform zone” designed to blur device boundaries. The company set it up so the same game can be played across smartphones, tablets, PCs, TVs and gaming monitors, underscoring its ecosystem strategy. Samsung also introduced the AI portable projector “The Freestyle+” and the TV AI platform “Vision AI Companion.” The Freestyle+ includes automatic screen correction and obstacle-avoidance features to support flexible installation, while Vision AI Companion provides real-time information during viewing. 2026-04-22 10:08:06 -
LG Showcases Connected AI Home at 2026 World IT Show in Seoul LG Electronics has built an “AI home” as a real-life living space, aiming to show a concrete vision of future housing. The company said the focus goes beyond a technology display, letting visitors experience an AI-based environment designed to operate in everyday life. LG Electronics said it is taking part in the “2026 World IT Show,” running April 22-24 at COEX in Seoul, with an 870-square-meter exhibition hall under the theme “Dear Home.” The space centers on an AI home concept and also highlights subscription services and core component technologies in an integrated layout. At the center is the AI home hub “ThinQ On,” which connects appliances and IoT devices. LG set up three zones — a home office, smart kitchen and OLED theater — to demonstrate how AI responds to different situations. In the home office, LG said the system can recognize a user through a door lock and automatically activate a “return home mode,” adjusting lighting and running an air conditioner and air purifier to optimize temperature, humidity and air quality based on the user’s patterns and settings. In the smart kitchen, LG said AI analyzes ingredients in the refrigerator to recommend menus and automatically controls heat and timing during cooking. The induction cooktop can detect when soup is boiling to help prevent overflow, the company said. In the OLED theater area, LG combined an OLED TV with “LG Sound Suite,” which it said recognizes a user’s position to provide optimized audio. LG also presented a strategy to extend the AI home experience through subscriptions. At a central “subscription plaza,” it introduced services for major appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners, including consumable replacement and internal cleaning by experts. LG described it as a model that goes beyond product sales to ongoing care. The company also highlighted technology it says underpins the AI home. In a “tech lounge,” LG showcased “AI Core Tech,” applying AI to key components including an AI DD motor, a dual inverter heat pump and an inverter compressor. LG said the system analyzes usage patterns and the environment to optimize performance and energy efficiency. LG also displayed technologies including AI air care, ultra-low-power displays and high-performance TV processors, describing them as part of the foundation for its AI home concept. LG said the exhibition is meant to show the AI home as a “connected living environment,” not a single product, and that it plans to expand the business by integrating appliances, services and space-based experiences to manage daily life more broadly. 2026-04-22 10:06:34 -
Sleep Tech Heats Up as Samsung, LG Expand Platforms, Stir Small-Business Concerns Sleep tech — applying artificial intelligence, home appliances and health care technology to sleep management — is drawing attention as a next-generation growth industry. But as major conglomerates move in, concerns are also rising that they could squeeze out smaller players. According to market research firm Straits Research on the 21st, the global sleep tech market topped $20.5 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $64.6918 billion by 2033. Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are approaching sleep tech as a connected lifestyle data business. The term combines “sleep” and “technology” and refers to measuring and analyzing sleep data using AI, the internet of things and big data to help people sleep better. Samsung is upgrading a system centered on SmartThings that links sleep data collected from wearables such as the Galaxy Watch with air conditioners, air purifiers and lighting to automatically create an optimal sleep environment. The system adjusts temperature and brightness based on sleep stages, and changes air quality and lighting around wake-up time. LG is also focusing on expanding sleep data across its broader appliance lineup under its “AI Home” strategy. It aims to provide personalized sleep environments by connecting appliances that control air quality, temperature and humidity, and to tie sleep data into health management through integration with health care platforms. LG is also reviewing the possibility of offering sleep management services bundled with its subscription-based appliance business. As big companies enter the market with data and appliance ecosystems, competition is shifting quickly from individual products to platforms. Analysts say that if a structure takes hold in which multiple devices are connected around sleep data, market leadership could move toward appliance and platform companies. That shift is also fueling criticism that large firms could disrupt the existing ecosystem. With sleep tech still in an early growth stage, industry watchers warn that companies with deep pockets and established platforms could rapidly tilt the competitive landscape. Existing sleep tech players are responding by upgrading their technology. Coway, seen as a leading player, is strengthening a “full sleep-cycle management” strategy through its sleep and healing care brand BEREX, building out product lines that include motion beds, massage mattresses and sleep-sensor mattresses. Simmons is also bolstering capabilities through premium mattresses, motion beds and experiential consulting. Jangsu Dolchimdae is pursuing business plans that combine heating technology with sleep and health care functions. “Sleep tech has strong potential to grow into a high value-added industry by combining sleep data with health care,” an industry official said. “But if major companies take control of platforms, existing bed makers could be pushed into the role of simple hardware suppliers, making conflict unavoidable as the market is reshaped.” 2026-04-21 18:15:25 -
KOTRA Steps Up Support for Korean Shipbuilding Equipment Firms Entering Japan Japan’s shipbuilding industry is accelerating its shift to greener and more digital operations under a government-led rebuilding drive, opening more opportunities for South Korean marine equipment suppliers. The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, known as KOTRA, said April 21 it will join the city of Busan and the Korea Marine Equipment Association, or KOMEA, at “Sea Japan 2026,” running from April 22-24 in Japan, to operate a pavilion showcasing top Korean marine equipment products. KOTRA also published a report titled “Japan’s Shipbuilding Revival Policy and Market Entry Opportunities.” KOTRA said the push is aimed at helping Korean firms respond to changes driven by Japan’s shipbuilding reconstruction policy. Japan held about half of the global shipbuilding market in the 1970s, but its share fell to 5.4% last year as South Korea and China rose. Japan’s government drew up a “Shipbuilding Industry Revitalization Roadmap” in 2025, calling for shipbuilding capacity to double to 18 million gross tons by 2035, alongside large-scale investment in digitalization and decarbonization. Under that policy direction, Japanese shipbuilders are stepping up investment in production automation, autonomous navigation technology and development of eco-friendly vessels, KOTRA said. With mandatory implementation of a greenhouse gas emissions trading system starting in April this year, demand is rising quickly for carbon-reduction equipment and propulsion systems based on hydrogen, ammonia and LNG. Structural pressures are also reshaping the market. Japan’s shipbuilding sector faces labor shortages and aging facilities, driving demand for robots, data-driven operations and equipment that improves maintenance efficiency. KOTRA said this is expanding openings for Korean companies with strengths in areas such as AI-based ship safety management and smart design and maintenance solutions. At Sea Japan 2026, KOTRA will hold product displays and business consultations with 20 Korean companies. The pavilion will feature AI-based safety management systems, eco-friendly ship equipment, and design and maintenance solutions, with KOTRA aiming to support export results through networking and B2B meetings with global buyers. Sea Japan is Japan’s largest shipbuilding and maritime exhibition, bringing together global companies and experts across shipbuilding, shipping and marine equipment, and is seen as a key platform for entering the market. KOTRA Vice President Kim Kwan-mook said Japan’s roadmap “is an opportunity for South Korea and Japan to respond together to changes in the global maritime industry,” adding that KOTRA will continue supporting Korean marine equipment companies seeking to expand into Japan. 2026-04-21 14:15:27 -
Samsung widow sells over 3 trillion won in Samsung shares to settle inheritance taxes SEOUL, April 9 (AJP) - Hong Ra-hee, the widow of the late Samsung chief Lee Kun-hee, has sold some of her stocks in Samsung Electronics worth more than 3 trillion Korean won (about US$2 billion) to settle inheritance taxes on the family's vast fortune. According to financial insiders, Hong sold 15 million Samsung Electronics shares, about a 0.25 percent stake, through an after-hours block trade on Thursday, which typically occurs after stock market hours close, allowing large transactions without disrupting regular trading. The shares were priced at 205,237 won each, reflecting a 2.5 percent discount to the previous day’s closing price of 210,500 won. The sell-off totaled about 3.08 trillion won, reducing her stake from 1.49 percent to 1.24 percent. Hong and her family members including current Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong, have been paying inheritance taxes of roughly 12 trillion won over five years. They took out hundreds of billions of won in bank loans and other resources to cover the taxes after their patriarch's death in 2020, with full payment expected this month. 2026-04-09 10:22:55 -
LG's clothing-care machine surpasses 2 million units in cumulative global sales SEOUL, April 5 (AJP) - LG Electronics' clothing-care contraption, called the LG Styler, has sold over 2 million units in cumulative global sales, the home-appliance giant said on Sunday. The milestone comes just five years after over 1 million units were sold in 2021, about a decade after its release in 2011. The machine, which resembles a combination of a wardrobe and a fridge, removes odors, dust, and wrinkles while sterilizing clothes, all without the time-consuming effort of washing. It is now sold in 27 countries worldwide. Sales have surged particularly in Asia and North America, with revenue in China, Taiwan, and the U.S. jumping more than 30 percent last year. LG credited its popularity in Asia to clothing habits involving uniforms and suits that aren't washed often, combined with keen interest in hygiene. LG said the machine, built on advanced technology with more than 200 patents, sanitizes 99.99 percent of harmful bacteria and viruses and removes over 99 percent of 18 types of everyday odors. It added that a moving hanger inside the LG Styler rotates up to 350 times per minute to reduce dust and wrinkles, with the latest version adding a feature that analyzes garment weight and suggests the optimal styling. "We will further strengthen our position in the global market by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into core components and technologies," said Son Chang-woo, a manager in LG's home appliance division. 2026-04-05 12:31:21 -
Kim Yun-ji becomes first South Korean woman to win Winter Paralympics gold SEOUL, March 9 (AJP) - Biathlete Kim Yun-ji on Sunday won gold at the Winter Paralympics, which kicked off last week in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Kim finished with a time of 38:00.1 in the women's sitting sprint 12.5-kilometer biathlon, narrowly ahead of Germany's Anja Wicker, who crossed the finish line with 38:12.09. Kendall Gretsch of the United States took bronze with 38:36.1. With the victory, she became the first South Korean woman to win a gold medal at the Winter Paralympics. The historic achievement was also South Korea's first Winter Paralympics gold medal in about eight years, since skier Shin Eui-hyun won gold in cross-country skiing at the 2018 Paralympics in the alpine city of Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province. The para biathlon combines cross-country skiing and shooting over 12.5 kilometers, with the fastest finisher taking gold. Later in the day, Lee Je-hyuk won bronze in the men's snowboard cross SB-LL2, marking South Korea's first-ever Paralympic medal in the discipline. This year's Winter Paralympics run until March 15. 2026-03-09 09:13:38 -
Korean Artist Park Yu-ra Wins Germany’s Ars Viva Prize Korean artist Park Yu-ra, 35, has won Germany’s young artist award, the ars viva Prize. The Kulturkreis der deutschen Wirtschaft, a cultural association backed by German business, said on the 8th that it selected Park, along with Herman Singh Luchiman, 31, and Luciano Pecovitz, 27, as winners of the 2027 ars viva Prize. Judges said Park shows “a keen sensitivity to how sound exists in the world and shapes environments,” adding that her work explores how acoustic structures affect the relationship between space and people. Park studied at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf and the Academy of Media Arts Cologne. She now works between Düsseldorf and Seoul, presenting site-based pieces that combine audio with sculpture, video and installation. Established in 1953, the ars viva Prize is awarded to visual artists age 35 or younger who live in Germany. Past recipients include Rosemarie Trockel, Candida Höfer and Wolfgang Tillmans.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-08 21:30:15 -
Kim Yun-ji Wins First Winter Paralympic Gold by a South Korean Woman South Korean Paralympic prospect Kim Yun-ji, 19, made history by winning the first Winter Paralympic gold medal by a South Korean woman. Kim won the women’s sitting biathlon sprint 12.5-kilometer race at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Paralympics on Saturday (Korea time) at the Tesero Cross-Country Stadium in Italy. She finished in 38 minutes, 00.1 seconds, beating Germany’s Anja Wicker to the line. The gold was the first by a South Korean woman in an individual event in Winter Paralympic history. It was also South Korea’s first Winter Paralympic gold in eight years, since Shin Eui-hyun won in cross-country skiing at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. The medal was South Korea’s first gold at an overseas Winter Paralympics.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-08 19:12:00 -
Middle East crisis deepens divide between South Korean industries SEOUL, March 6 (AJP) - A triple whammy of high oil prices, a weakening Korean won and rising raw-material costs is casting darkening clouds across South Korean industries following U.S.‑led airstrikes on Iran, as markets and companies grapple with the fallout from the escalating Middle East conflict. Energy-intensive sectors are seeing production costs soar due to rising oil and petroleum prices, with traditional manufacturing sectors including petrochemicals and steel facing the heaviest pressure as costs climb and demand weakens, according to industry insiders. As of early this week, international oil prices briefly surged to over US$80 a barrel. For a heavily export-driven country like South Korea, which depends on imports for more than 90 percent of its energy, higher oil prices translate directly into increased manufacturing costs. The South Korean currency has also been fluctuating, trading near 1,500 won against the greenback, further increasing the cost of importing raw materials. But not every sector is feeling the pinch. AI-driven industries including semiconductors, defense, and shipbuilding, are benefiting from strong global demand, creating a growing divide between sectors. The rising adoption of AI is giving the semiconductor industry fresh growth momentum. According to a forecast by market research Gartner, the global semiconductor market is expected to grow by about 16 percent this year from a year earlier, fueled by increasing investment in data centers and AI infrastructure, boosting demand for memory chips. Defense and shipbuilding sectors are also benefiting from a shifting global security environment. South Korea's defense exports have held at more than $10 billion in recent years, and shipbuilders have secured roughly three years' worth of orders as demand rises for LNG carriers and eco-friendly vessels. Experts warn that divides between sectors could widen further if the ongoing conflict in the Middle East drags on. "Some South Korean industries have been steadily losing ground to China, and crises like the Iran conflict would further expose their vulnerabilities," said Lee Bu-hyung of the Hyundai Research Institute. He emphasized the need for a long-term strategy to overhaul the country's industrial structure. 2026-03-06 17:54:10