Journalist

KIM NA YOON
  • Nvidia executive Madison Huang meets Samsung, SK hynix and Doosan to expand physical AI ties
    Nvidia executive Madison Huang meets Samsung, SK hynix and Doosan to expand physical AI ties Madison Huang, a senior director for Omniverse and robotics product marketing at Nvidia and the eldest daughter of CEO Jensen Huang, has been meeting with executives at major South Korean companies including Samsung Electronics, SK hynix and Doosan Robotics to pursue cooperation on physical artificial intelligence, industry officials said. Officials said Huang, who is visiting South Korea, met Wednesday morning with key executives from Samsung Electronics and SK hynix to discuss ways to build a physical AI ecosystem spanning semiconductors and robot platforms. The talks were seen as a review of supply chains for high-performance AI chips that serve as a robot’s “brain,” and as an effort to identify practical cooperation models that combine Nvidia’s robot simulation platform, Omniverse, with the manufacturing capabilities of South Korean hardware makers. Omniverse, sometimes described as Nvidia’s metaverse, is used to train robots in a virtual environment. Later Wednesday, Huang visited the Doosan Robotics Innovation Center for a meeting with Doosan Robotics CEO Kim Min-pyo. The two discussed ways to integrate Nvidia’s AI and robotics ecosystem into Doosan Robotics’ intelligent robot solutions and industrial humanoids, officials said. Doosan Robotics aims to link its robot-dedicated execution software, described as an “agentic robot operating system,” with Nvidia’s AI, robotics simulation and training infrastructure to build a robot execution platform that can be deployed at industrial sites. Huang held broad discussions on cooperation a day earlier with Hyundai Motor and LG Electronics. Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun met Huang in person to review ways to strengthen a next-generation physical AI partnership spanning semiconductors and mobility, the report said. Hyundai and Nvidia have recently been expanding their technology alliance from software-defined vehicles to humanoid robots, in what was described as a strategic move to go beyond product cooperation and secure an edge in physical AI standards. With LG Electronics, Huang discussed specific steps centered on robots and AI infrastructure. After meeting for about 1 hour and 10 minutes with LG Electronics President Ryu Jae-cheol and other executives, Huang said they had “fantastic discussions” on “physical AI, AI infrastructure solutions and robotics.” The report said the talks included in-depth discussion of applying Nvidia’s robotics platform, Isaac, to LG’s next-generation home robot, “Cloyd,” unveiled at CES 2026. Under the concept described, Nvidia would provide graphics processing units and simulation technology, and LG would use them to build an “AI home partner” capable of autonomous decision-making. In February, Huang also attended a meeting in Silicon Valley between SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Industry watchers expect Huang’s latest trip to help turn that coordination into concrete business cooperation.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 16:38:40
  • Samsung Display, LG Display win SID Display of the Year awards
    Samsung Display, LG Display win SID Display of the Year awards Samsung Display and LG Display said Tuesday they have each won the Society for Information Display’s “Display of the Year” award. SID is a leading global display industry conference that draws about 7,000 experts, researchers and professors. “Display of the Year” is the top honor among SID’s annual Display Industry Awards. Samsung Display was recognized for its tri-fold smartphone display, first unveiled last year, which the company said demonstrated both high performance and improved portability. SID announced the award Monday (local time), praising the tri-fold’s “immersive 10-inch large screen,” saying it opened new possibilities for productivity, creativity and entertainment. SID also said advanced materials helped maintain thickness while strengthening durability in the dual-folding structure. Samsung Display said the tri-fold module is 0.44 millimeters thick, the thinnest among its foldable panels, while offering strong durability. In internal folding tests, the company said the panel showed no screen issues after 500,000 folds at room temperature. The company also cited work to address “sliding,” a persistent issue in foldable panels that is known to worsen by up to 1.6 times in a tri-fold structure. Samsung Display said it developed a next-generation adhesive and applied an optimized stress-distribution design to improve durability. Lee Ho-jung, vice president and head of product planning for the small and medium display business, said the award again recognized Samsung Display’s technology leadership in the foldable market. He said the company was the first in the world to commercialize a multi in-folding display that folds inward twice, reaffirming the potential to expand the foldable market through new form factors. LG Display’s gaming OLED panel was also honored, with SID citing it as a shift in the gaming display paradigm, the company said. LG Display said its 27-inch 540/720Hz (DFR) OLED gaming monitor applies its proprietary “DFR” technology, allowing users to choose modes as needed. The high-refresh-rate mode is aimed at genres that require rapid screen changes, such as first-person shooters and racing games. LG Display said it delivers QHD resolution and a 540Hz refresh rate at the same time, providing a viewing experience optimized for graphics-intensive games. The panel also received VESA’s top-tier “ClearMR 21000” certification, LG Display said. Choi Young-seok, LG Display’s chief technology officer, said the company will continue to research and develop innovative OLED technology for gaming displays, building on its differentiated technical capabilities. The awards ceremony is scheduled to be held at Display Week 2026, the world’s largest display-focused exhibition, which opens May 3 in Los Angeles.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 10:04:09
  • DB HiTek to Showcase Next-Gen SiC and GaN Power Chip Processes at PCIM 2026
    DB HiTek to Showcase Next-Gen SiC and GaN Power Chip Processes at PCIM 2026 DB HiTek said Tuesday it will take part in PCIM 2026, Europe’s largest power semiconductor exhibition, to be held June 9-11 in Nuremberg, Germany, where it plans to present its latest technology. In its second consecutive year at the show, the company will share the latest development status of silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) processes, which it described as next-generation power semiconductors. DB HiTek also plans to discuss cooperation with customers in Europe, focusing on its BCDMOS process, which it said has secured industry-leading capabilities. The company said it is accelerating work to secure next-generation processes. In December, it produced products for more than 20 customers through a multi-project wafer (MPW) run based on SiC and GaN processes. It said deliveries to customers have recently been completed and evaluations are under way. Based on those results, DB HiTek said it plans to finalize the process technology and begin full-scale mass production starting in 2027. DB HiTek said it is currently in mass production with about 400 customers in its core power semiconductor business. It also said it plans to keep increasing the share of industrial and automotive products, supported by specialized image sensor process technologies such as single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) devices.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 09:34:25
  • LS Electric Signs $220 Million Power Distribution Supply Deal With Bloom Energy
    LS Electric Signs $220 Million Power Distribution Supply Deal With Bloom Energy LS Electric said April 29 it signed a power distribution solutions supply contract worth about $220 million, or 319 billion won, with global power company Bloom Energy. Under the deal, LS Electric will supply key distribution systems — including switchgear and transformers — for a power infrastructure project for a hyperscale data center being built in New Mexico for a major big-tech company, the company said. LS Electric has recently won a series of large power infrastructure projects in North America. It said the latest contract follows an additional order after securing a 170 billion won project this month to build power solutions for a major big-tech data center. The order momentum has carried into results. LS Electric posted first-quarter consolidated revenue of 1.3766 trillion won and operating profit of 126.6 billion won, its best first-quarter performance on record. The company is expanding its direct current power distribution business aimed at next-generation data centers. It said DC distribution can improve energy efficiency by reducing power conversion steps, helping cut operating costs and carbon emissions at AI data centers that consume large amounts of electricity. LS Electric said it plans to move early to capture the market, citing its low-voltage direct current distribution, or LVDC, solutions and operating know-how from its “DC Factory” at its Cheonan site. “The U.S. data center market is seeing distribution infrastructure investment expand rapidly as AI spreads and power demand rises,” an LS Electric official said. “We will expand large-scale orders in North America and further accelerate growth by strengthening local supply chains and partnerships and leveraging core technology capabilities such as next-generation DC solutions.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 09:23:01
  • SK Magic Launches MEGA ICE Water Purifier With Ice Cubes Twice the Size
    SK Magic Launches MEGA ICE Water Purifier With Ice Cubes Twice the Size SK Magic said Tuesday it has launched a new product, the “MEGA ICE ice-making water purifier,” aimed at meeting summer demand for ice. The company said the model focuses on ice quality and can produce “mega ice” cubes of about 25 grams — more than twice the size of typical cubes of about 11 grams. It said a single dispense can fill a large cup, and that the firm, clear ice melts more slowly to help keep drinks and foods tasting fresh longer. SK Magic said the unit can make up to 5.7 kilograms of ice per day in mega mode and includes a 1.1-kilogram ice room for ample supply in summer. It also has a button to dispense ice only and an “ice water” button that dispenses ice and water at the same time. On hygiene, the company said it applied an all-stainless, direct-water pipe system across all water lines to resist contamination and corrosion. It said its “five-layer safety care” system includes triple UV care for the ice room, UV care for the dispensing area and spout, electrolyzed-water care for the direct-water pipe, and circulation care for the water path. The company said the ice room is designed to be replaceable, allowing users to swap a part they cannot easily inspect, and called it a new benchmark for hygiene in ice-making water purifiers. SK Magic said the design won the 2026 iF Design Award, one of the world’s three major design awards, citing a “layer design” inspired by clear ice. An SK Magic official said the product “goes beyond the limits of existing ice-making water purifiers” by addressing ice size, ice quality and hygiene. The official said the company will provide a care service that replaces the MEGA ICE ice room free of charge every year to reduce hygiene concerns. 2026-04-29 09:00:16
  • Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis Meets South Korea’s Top Business Leaders on AI Chips
    Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis Meets South Korea’s Top Business Leaders on AI Chips Demis Hassabis, the Google DeepMind co-founder and CEO known as the creator of AlphaGo, has met in quick succession with leaders of major South Korean conglomerates as he seeks closer cooperation on AI semiconductors. The string of visits by global tech chiefs is fueling views that South Korea is emerging as a key hub in the global AI supply chain. According to industry officials on April 28, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong held a closed-door meeting with Hassabis that afternoon at Samsung’s Seocho office in Seoul. They were reported to have discussed semiconductor cooperation for next-generation AI chip design and ways to expand on-device AI using Google’s Gemini. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won also met with Hassabis to discuss cooperation on building AI infrastructure, reports said. Earlier the same day, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun and LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo also held meetings. The talks were said to have explored collaboration between Google and Korean companies across semiconductors, mobile, telecommunications and robotics. DeepMind is focused on developing artificial general intelligence, or AGI. Google has already moved to place its Gemini model on Samsung smartphones to push on-device AI, and it is applying intelligent life solutions to LG Electronics’ home appliances to broaden user experiences. It is also working with Hyundai Motor Group’s Boston Dynamics to improve AI performance for the next-generation humanoid robot Atlas. Last month, AMD CEO Lisa Su made her first official visit to South Korea since taking the job and met with Samsung Electronics DX division head Roh Tae-moon, among others, to discuss expanding cooperation across the AI mobile and PC ecosystem, including smartphones, PCs and tablets. From AMD’s perspective, Samsung’s advanced manufacturing processes and memory solutions are critical as it seeks to challenge Nvidia’s dominance. In October last year, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang visited South Korea to reaffirm partnerships with local companies. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also visited and explored cooperation with South Korea’s semiconductor ecosystem to produce an “OpenAI-dedicated chip.” Industry experts say Korean companies are moving beyond being chip suppliers to becoming key partners in shaping global AI standards. Ahn Ki-hyun, executive director of the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association, said, “As the global competition for AI leadership intensifies, AI business has reached a point where it is impossible without the memory and foundry technologies of Korean companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK hynix.” He added, “Beyond a simple supply relationship, a ‘one-team’ system is strengthening, with partners thinking together from the design stage.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 19:33:22
  • Samsung Electro-Mechanics CEO says AI, autonomous driving growth is an opportunity
    Samsung Electro-Mechanics CEO says AI, autonomous driving growth is an opportunity Samsung Electro-Mechanics held its “2026 Partner Cooperation Day” on April 28 with key suppliers, highlighting joint growth and recognizing partners for innovation over the past year. About 200 people attended, including CEO Jang Deok-hyeon; Lee Dal-gon, chairman of the Commission for Shared Growth; and Kwon Hyuk-seok, vice chairman of the suppliers’ council and CEO of MK Chem&Tech. Jang said the company sees opportunity in the sectors it is focusing on, citing “continued high growth in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry and the advancement of autonomous driving systems.” He urged partners to “create competitive products together with differentiated core technologies.” Samsung Electro-Mechanics presented awards to five suppliers for innovation in four areas last year: productivity, technology development, quality and a special category. Woosung SE, which supplies equipment for multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC), received a productivity innovation award for shortening equipment manufacturing and setup schedules. In quality innovation, Jeongjin Nextech, a supplier of camera module-related parts, was recognized for introducing a new process, while Abico Tech, which performs lamination for package substrates, was honored for improving lamination quality. The company also introduced support programs aimed at strengthening suppliers’ competitiveness, including financial assistance, ESG management consulting, technology protection and professional training. Starting this year, Samsung Electro-Mechanics will open its patents to suppliers to help them build practical product and technology competitiveness. It also held a product and technology exhibition by suppliers for the first time, creating a forum to share technology trends and explore cooperation opportunities. A company official said Samsung Electro-Mechanics plans to actively support domestic and overseas market development so showcased technologies can lead to commercialization. 2026-04-28 17:34:23
  • SK Hynix to Redeem Remaining Exchangeable Bonds Early, Cutting Debt by 133 Billion Won
    SK Hynix to Redeem Remaining Exchangeable Bonds Early, Cutting Debt by 133 Billion Won SK Hynix said in a regulatory filing on 28일 that it will exercise a cleanup call to redeem the remaining portion of foreign-currency exchangeable bonds it issued overseas in 2023. The face value of the bonds to be repurchased is about 132.7 billion won, representing 5.9% of the total issuance of about 2.2377 trillion won. A cleanup call allows an issuer to redeem bonds early and end the creditor-debtor relationship once the outstanding balance falls to 10% or less. Investors can choose to exchange their bonds for shares or receive cash repayment. Given that the current share price is far above the exchange price, investors are widely expected to opt for share exchanges. With the remaining unredeemed exchangeable bonds set to be fully retired, the company expects its accounting debt to fall by about 133 billion won, which is also expected to lower its borrowing ratio. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 17:07:13
  • Samsung to Add AI Graphics Tech ENSS to Exynos 2600 Mobile Chip
    Samsung to Add AI Graphics Tech ENSS to Exynos 2600 Mobile Chip Samsung Electronics said it will add an AI-based graphics optimization technology called ENSS (Exynos Neural Super Sampling) to its next-generation mobile application processor, the Exynos 2600, aiming to boost performance and power efficiency. The company said on the 28th that ENSS is software being applied to the Exynos 2600 for the first time, developed to meet increasingly demanding mobile graphics needs. It consists of NSS (Neural Super Sampling), which uses AI to reconstruct low-resolution images into higher-quality output, and NFG (Neural Frame Generation), which predicts and generates frames. Samsung said ENSS reduces the computing load needed for screen processing, improving power efficiency while delivering clear visuals without stutter even in complex scenes. Support will be rolled out sequentially depending on product and software conditions, it said. Samsung also said the Exynos 2600 is posting strong results on key performance indicators versus rivals. In Steel Nomad Lite, a 3D graphics benchmark measured by tech YouTubers, it showed about 15% higher performance than a competitor, the company said. In ray tracing, a lighting technique used for more realistic visuals, Samsung said the chip recorded standout results. It ranked No. 1 on Basemark Power Board, a platform that aggregates GPU benchmark results. In one benchmark test, it scored 2,064 points, about 59% ahead of a competitor, Samsung said. Samsung also outlined process innovation plans for the follow-up Exynos 2700. It said the Exynos 2700 will move away from a PoP (Package on Package) structure, which stacks DRAM on top of the mobile AP, and instead place the mobile AP and DRAM side by side on the same substrate. The company said the change is intended to further improve heat management, a key challenge for mobile devices.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 10:33:25
  • LS Eco Advanced Materials Wins First Robot Winding Supply Deal With Global Parts Maker
    LS Eco Advanced Materials Wins First Robot Winding Supply Deal With Global Parts Maker LS Eco Advanced Materials said April 28 it has won an order to supply robot motor windings to a global robot parts company, marking its first deal in the robotics sector. The company said the contract is its first step in expanding beyond its electric-vehicle-focused portfolio. It plans to begin deliveries this month and supply windings for thousands of actuators through the end of this year. LS Eco Advanced Materials said demand for actuator windings is expected to grow to more than about 1 million units a year by 2030, noting that a single robot can use dozens of actuators. An actuator is a drive system combining a motor, reducer and control unit that converts electrical signals into movement. Windings used in motors are a key component that converts electricity into force and affects output and precision. LS Eco Advanced Materials has supplied EV windings to Hyundai Motor and General Motors, among others, and said it has moved early to secure the market. The product to be supplied is a high-performance winding made with fine wire that the company said can deliver higher output and efficiency in motors of the same size. It said the technology is used in future mobility industries such as robots, EVs and urban air mobility. In South Korea, LS Cable & System first developed the product and has expanded competitiveness after entering a market previously dominated by Japanese and European companies, it said. The company said the expansion is expected to create synergies with LS Eco Energy’s rare-earth metals business. If mass production of rare-earth metals ramps up, it said, the group would be positioned to secure a non-China supply chain for key robot components at the same time. Hong Young-ho, CEO of LS Eco Advanced Materials, said the company will respond to expanded mass production “based on quality tailored to customer needs and stable supply capabilities,” and will “continue to expand global supply, centered on North America.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 10:13:41