Journalist

Oh Joo-Seok
  • RideFlux Releases Video of Fully Hands-Off Autonomous Truck Hauling 11 Tons
    RideFlux Releases Video of Fully Hands-Off Autonomous Truck Hauling 11 Tons RideFlux, an autonomous-driving software startup, said Tuesday it has released video showing a heavy-duty self-driving truck carrying 11 tons of cargo completing a long-distance route between Seoul and Jincheon, North Chungcheong province, without any intervention by a safety operator. The footage highlights a key result from RideFlux’s middle-mile autonomous freight transport service, which the company has been piloting since October last year. RideFlux’s autonomous truck regularly runs a 224-kilometer (139-mile) round trip from the Southeast Logistics Complex in Songpa-gu, Seoul, to a logistics center in Jincheon while loaded with 11 tons of cargo. The video covers the full one-way trip, showing the truck navigating highways and congested city streets, including signalized intersections and roundabouts, without a single manual input. RideFlux said the run demonstrates “hub-to-hub” freight transport that extends beyond highway-only autonomous trucking to complex urban roads. The company said it is the only firm in South Korea holding a temporary permit for a large freight truck to operate autonomously on city streets. RideFlux said it plans to launch full freight service on the Seoul Songpa-Jincheon route once it secures a paid-transport permit in the first half of this year. It also plans to start service later this year on the Gunsan Port-Jeonju-Daejeon route and in Gangneung. “This video is a visible result showing how advanced unmanned technology is being implemented stably in real logistics operations,” CEO Park Jung-hee said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-17 09:00:58
  • Hyundai Motor, Kia expand Nvidia partnership for autonomous driving tech
    Hyundai Motor, Kia expand Nvidia partnership for autonomous driving tech Hyundai Motor and Kia have joined hands with Nvidia to cooperate on autonomous mobility technology, with Nvidia capabilities set to be used in Hyundai vehicles offering Level 2 or higher automated driving. Industry officials said the expanded cooperation follows a recent meeting between Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Euisun and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and now extends to autonomous driving, a key future growth area for automakers. According to the industry on March 17, the two sides began jointly developing next-generation autonomous driving solutions on March 16 (local time), combining Hyundai Motor and Kia’s in-house software-defined vehicle, or SDV, capabilities with Nvidia’s autonomous driving technology. Hyundai Motor and Kia, which are developing SDVs based on their quality and safety philosophy, plan to apply some of Nvidia’s Level 2-plus autonomous driving technology first to select models. Hyundai Motor said it will use Nvidia’s autonomous driving integrated architecture, “Drive Hyperion,” to build its own solution that can scale from Level 2 to Level 4. Nvidia Hyperion is a reference architecture that bundles hardware essential for autonomous driving, including high-performance central processing units, graphics processing units, sensors and cameras. It is designed to integrate platforms across vehicle models. Hyundai Motor plans to make active use of Nvidia’s broad data and AI technologies, while integrating data gathered across the group into a single training pipeline. Hyundai Motor Group said adopting Hyperion will help it build a virtuous data cycle spanning data collection — including video, language and behavior — AI training and performance improvements, deployment in real vehicles, and upgrades in data quality. The group also said it will step up wide-ranging talks centered on its U.S.-based autonomous driving joint venture, Motional, to advance Level 4 robotaxi technology, while strengthening competitiveness in technology and services. The company said combining a standardized architecture with Hyundai Motor Group’s accumulated experience as a global top-three automaker would enable it to develop an optimized SDV architecture in-house. Over the longer term, the group expects its autonomous driving competitiveness to improve as high-performance AI collects, learns from and structures high-quality real-world road data on its own. The cooperation is also tied to the Chung-Huang meeting, the company said. Hyundai Motor plans to allocate some of the 50,000 Blackwell GPUs it is set to receive from Nvidia to Saemangeum in North Jeolla Province for use in developing autonomous vehicles and an AI data center. Kim Heung-soo, vice president in charge of Hyundai Motor Group’s global strategy organization, said, “Expanding the partnership with Nvidia will be an important momentum for realizing the safe and reliable autonomous driving technology Hyundai Motor Group is pursuing.” He added, “Based on a one-team collaboration system across the group, we will secure differentiated technological competitiveness from Level 2-plus autonomous driving technology to Level 4 robotaxi services.” Rishi Dhall, vice president of Nvidia’s automotive division, said, “By combining Hyundai Motor Group’s vehicle engineering capabilities with Nvidia’s computing and AI technology, we are building safe and intelligent autonomous driving systems.” He added, “We will continue collaboration between the two companies from Level 2-plus advanced driver assistance features to robotaxis.” 2026-03-17 08:18:26
  • Kakao Mobility Launches Late-Night Self-Driving Taxi Service in Seoul’s Gangnam
    Kakao Mobility Launches Late-Night Self-Driving Taxi Service in Seoul’s Gangnam Self-driving late-night taxis have begun service in Seoul’s Gangnam area, widening the rollout of autonomous mobility services beyond buses. As commercialization advances mainly through public transportation, Hyundai Motor Co., which has said it will develop independent autonomous driving technology next year, is increasingly seen as facing a major test this year. According to industry officials on the 16th, Kakao Mobility began operating a self-driving taxi service in parts of Gangnam starting that day. The late-night service uses Kia EV6 vehicles, but the autonomous driving system is Kakao Mobility’s in-house “AI Planner.” The company said it has built end-to-end (E2E) autonomous driving technology that allows AI to perceive and make decisions, based on complex urban driving data collected in areas such as Pangyo and Gangnam. The taxis operate in a designated autonomous driving pilot zone on weekdays from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next day. In South Korea, autonomous driving is expanding largely through public transportation. Companies such as Autonomous A2Z and RideFlux have worked with local governments in Seoul, Busan and Daegu to deploy autonomous solutions and build real-world testing experience. Hyundai Motor was selected for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s “K-Autonomous Driving Cooperation Model” project and plans to deploy 200 Ioniq 5-based self-driving vehicles in phases in Gwangju starting in the second half of this year. Motional, Hyundai Motor’s autonomous driving joint venture, is pushing to fully commercialize unmanned robotaxis in Las Vegas by year’s end. Interest is also growing in autonomous features for privately owned vehicles. A survey last month by Chabot Mobility of 450 prospective new-car buyers found 76.5% were interested in subscribing to autonomous driving functions. Tesla and General Motors have introduced autonomous driving features in South Korea, but broader adoption remains limited. Hyundai Motor last year said it would use its autonomous driving technology “Atria AI” to deliver Level 2+ capabilities comparable to Tesla’s FSD (Full Self-Driving) by 2027. Hyundai Motor autonomous driving affiliate 42dot has been developing an E2E model based on cameras and radar and began large-scale hiring in January. Still, profitability remains uncertain given heavy investment. 42dot posted an operating loss of 349.7 billion won last year, about doubling the size of its loss from a year earlier. Motional, which is responsible for the robotaxi business, also faces continued large investment burdens until commercialization. Attention is focused on whether Park Min-woo, recently appointed CEO of 42dot and head of Hyundai Motor’s Advanced Vehicle Platform (AVP) division, can shift the momentum. A Hyundai Motor official said, “The direction of the autonomous driving business could be flexible depending on the new CEO’s perspective,” adding, “There is a possibility that a concrete plan related to autonomous driving will be presented at this year’s investor day.” 2026-03-16 18:21:20
  • Hanwha Group Buys Additional 4.99% Stake in Korea Aerospace Industries
    Hanwha Group Buys Additional 4.99% Stake in Korea Aerospace Industries Hanwha Group has increased its stake in rival Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). Hanwha Aerospace said in an audit report on the 16th that it bought 4,864,000 KAI common shares, equal to 4.99%. The company purchased 3,236,635 shares last year and added 1,627,365 shares in the first quarter this year. Hanwha Systems previously said in a business report filed on the 13th that it bought 566,635 KAI common shares — 0.58% of the company’s total shares — for 59.9 billion won in November last year. Hanwha framed the additional purchase as aimed at potential synergy between the companies. Hanwha and KAI work together on programs including South Korea’s KF-21 fighter project: KAI builds the aircraft and Hanwha Aerospace produces the engines used in the jets. The companies also compete in bidding for a space project involving a small-satellite system. A Hanwha Aerospace official said the company expects to expand “mutual synergy” tied to defense exports and said it also expects the move to contribute to cooperation with partner firms and job creation in South Gyeongsang Province, where both companies have bases.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-16 17:48:05
  • Jin Air Unveils 12 In-Flight Meal Options, Adds 7 New Menu Items
    Jin Air Unveils 12 In-Flight Meal Options, Adds 7 New Menu Items Jin Air passengers will soon be able to order new in-flight dishes such as braised beef short ribs over rice and deodeok bibimbap.  Jin Air said it will revamp its in-flight meals starting on the 16th, shifting from 15 items to 12 and introducing seven new options. Items previously sold as single dishes will be offered as set meals that include snacks and dessert.  The new menu items are braised beef short ribs over rice, deodeok bibimbap, beef porridge, garlic shrimp poke, jambon-butter bagel, shrimp-and-taco chirashi sushi, and chamnamul bulgogi pasta. The airline said it selected items that scored highly in internal reviews. Existing offerings such as bibimbap, spicy pork wraps, kimchi fried rice, sausage omelet rice and a bulgogi sandwich were also upgraded, the airline said.  Bibimbap now comes with more toppings, and the spicy pork wrap set adds fresh wrap vegetables and ssamjang to improve the overall dish. Jin Air also redesigned its tableware packaging. For items such as bibimbap and poke, it introduced pulp-based bowl containers for easier use, and added Jin Air illustrations to the packaging to reinforce its brand image. The airline moved up the cutoff for purchasing in-flight meals to 48 hours before departure, from 72 hours, giving passengers more flexibility in choosing menus. To mark the revamp, Jin Air will run an online members-only promotion from the 18th through April 17, offering a 2,000-won discount coupon for pre-ordered in-flight meals. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-16 10:30:15
  • MINI Korea Launches Limited-Run MINI 1965 Victory Edition
    MINI Korea Launches Limited-Run MINI 1965 Victory Edition MINI Korea said on the 16th it is releasing the MINI 1965 Victory Edition, a special model marking the classic Mini Cooper’s victory at the 1965 Monte Carlo Rally. The edition reinterprets the heritage of the Mini Cooper that competed in the Monte Carlo Rally, applying exterior cues that evoke the winning car. A prominent “52” graphic on the side references the 1965 rally car’s entry number. The 18-inch JCW Lap Spoke two-tone alloy wheels feature edition-only wheel caps in red and white, along with valve caps numbered “52.” The interior also uses a sporty look and color scheme unique to the edition. The MINI 1965 Victory Edition will be sold in two versions: a battery-electric model and an internal-combustion model. The electric version uses a motor rated at 258 horsepower and 35.7 kg·m of maximum torque. It accelerates from 0 to 100 kph in 5.9 seconds and has a single-charge range of 291 km under the Environment Ministry standard. The gasoline version pairs a MINI TwinPower Turbo inline four-cylinder engine producing 231 horsepower and 38.8 kg·m of maximum torque with a seven-speed Steptronic Sport dual-clutch automatic transmission. It goes from 0 to 100 kph in 6.1 seconds. Both versions include safety and convenience features such as Active Cruise Control with stop-and-go, Driving Assistant Plus with lane-keeping assist, Parking Assistant Plus with Surround View, Remote 3D View and a drive recorder, and a Korea-specific MINI navigation system based on T map. MINI Korea said sales will be limited to 25 units of the all-electric MINI JCW Victory Edition and 50 units of the MINI JCW Victory Edition, offered through the MINI Shop Online. Prices in South Korea are 61.5 million won and 56.1 million won, respectively. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-16 10:03:05
  • Air Premia Cuts 18 Seats to Expand Economy Legroom to 33 Inches
    Air Premia Cuts 18 Seats to Expand Economy Legroom to 33 Inches Air Premia is reducing seat counts to increase economy-class legroom to 33 inches, part of a broader effort to improve cabin space. The airline said Monday it cut the total number of seats on aircraft HL8701 from 344 to 326, a reduction of 18 seats. As a result, economy seat pitch on the aircraft has been expanded from 31 inches to 33 inches. After the reconfiguration, HL8701 will enter service starting Monday. Routes operated by the aircraft will offer the wider seat spacing. Air Premia said it has been steadily pursuing seat-space improvements to enhance comfort for long-haul passengers. In 2024, the airline also adjusted two aircraft that had been operated with 338 seats to 320 seats, expanding economy seat pitch. Air Premia operates nine aircraft with the following configurations: 309 seats (three aircraft), 320 seats (two), 326 seats (two) and 344 seats (two). All aircraft except the 344-seat planes are operated with economy seat pitch of at least 33 inches. The airline said it plans to expand economy seat pitch to 33 inches or more across its entire fleet within the year. Air Premia also replaced the cabin carpet as part of the latest changes.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-16 09:33:16
  • T’way Air cargo volume jumps 130% in two years as long-haul network expands
    T’way Air cargo volume jumps 130% in two years as long-haul network expands T’way Air said its cargo business is maintaining steady growth, supported by an expanded global network and the introduction of larger aircraft. The airline said Monday that its first-quarter cargo volume this year was provisionally tallied at about 9,000 metric tons. That is up about 130% from about 4,000 tons in the first quarter of 2024, expanding the business to about 2.3 times its size in two years. T’way Air also reported that its total cargo volume last year rose 92% from about 18,000 tons a year earlier to 34,000 tons. The company attributed the gains to the successful establishment of medium- and long-haul routes, including European services to Paris, Rome, Barcelona and Frankfurt, as well as flights to Sydney and Vancouver, along with what it called strategic cargo sales efforts. T’way Air said it has optimized processes for higher-value shipments such as cosmetics and e-commerce cargo, as well as fresh foods and semiconductor parts. It also said it is strengthening cold-chain capabilities based on temperature-control solutions. A company official said the cargo business has entered a stable phase and is positioning itself as a trusted supplier in global markets. The official said the airline will prioritize safe operations while continuing to upgrade cargo capabilities and pursue sustainable growth. The airline said it will begin introducing Airbus’ next-generation A330-900NEO aircraft in stages starting this year. It said the model can cut fuel consumption and carbon emissions by about 25% compared with existing aircraft and is expected to support higher cargo volumes.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-16 09:12:17
  • Hyundai Opens 400kW EV Fast-Charging Station at Germany’s Nürburgring
    Hyundai Opens 400kW EV Fast-Charging Station at Germany’s Nürburgring Hyundai Motor Co. has opened an electric vehicle fast-charging station inside Germany’s Nürburgring circuit capable of charging at up to 400 kW. The automaker said March 16 that its high-performance brand, Hyundai N, began operating the Nürburgring N fast-charging station on March 14 at the Nürburgring Nordschleife track. The Nürburgring, often called one of the world’s most demanding tracks, is a popular destination for car enthusiasts. Hyundai built the station in the parking lot at the entrance to the circuit’s tourist-drive access point. With the new facility, EV drivers can charge at the entrance and head directly onto the track. Hyundai said it will run the station on a pilot basis starting this month to coincide with the opening of the circuit’s track season this year. The station can charge EVs regardless of brand. It has two direct-current fast chargers, and each unit can charge up to two vehicles, allowing four EVs to charge at the same time. Charging is available at up to 400 kW. The E-GMP-based high-performance EVs Ioniq 5 N and Ioniq 6 N can charge from 10% to 80% in 18 minutes using an 800-volt ultra-fast charging system. After stabilizing and upgrading the service, Hyundai said it will offer free charging at this station starting next month for European Ioniq 5 N and Ioniq 6 N users who use the “Charge MyHyundai” app. The Nürburgring N fast-charging station will operate for 10 years from this year through 2035. Hyundai said it is expanding high-performance EV infrastructure in line with Hyundai N’s mission of “high performance for everyone.” In South Korea, it opened its first N fast-charging station at Inje Speedium in 2023 alongside the launch of the Ioniq 5 N. “Beyond proving the potential of high-performance EVs with the Ioniq 5 N and Ioniq 6 N, we built the N fast-charging station to create an ecosystem where drivers can fully enjoy high-performance experiences on the track,” said Park Jun-woo, head of Hyundai’s N Management Office and an executive director.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-16 08:57:05
  • Autonomous A2Z, Busan Bus Operators Sign Deal to Advance Self-Driving Transit
    Autonomous A2Z, Busan Bus Operators Sign Deal to Advance Self-Driving Transit Autonomous A2Z, a South Korean autonomous-driving company, said it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Busan Metropolitan City Bus Transport Business Association on March 13 for “mutually beneficial cooperation to innovate public transportation based on autonomous driving.” The company said the agreement is aimed at combining advanced autonomous-driving technology with existing public transit operating experience to improve Busan’s autonomous public transportation services and build a cooperative framework to respond to future mobility needs. Under the deal, the two sides plan to cooperate on autonomous-driving demonstrations, joint research based on operational data, joint participation in pilot and demonstration projects, and the creation and operation of a working consultative body. Autonomous A2Z signed a separate MOU in September last year with the Seoul Special City Bus Transport Business Association and related organizations on “K-autonomous driving shared growth.” Last month, it also signed an agreement with the Korea National Federation of Taxi Transport Associations, expanding efforts to build a “Korean-style autonomous driving” ecosystem across public transportation, including buses and taxis. The company said it has accumulated demonstration experience in 13 cities and provinces nationwide, including Seoul, Sejong, Daegu and Anyang. “Autonomous driving technology is not meant to replace existing public transportation, but to work with various modes of mobility, including buses and taxis, to make urban mobility services more efficient as future social infrastructure,” Han said. He added that the company will use its technology and operating experience built in Seoul and other cities to develop an autonomous service model in Busan that works in step with public transportation.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-16 08:36:16