Journalist

Ahn Tae-joon
  • LG Energy Solution: North America to Mass-Produce Prismatic ESS Batteries by Late 2027
    LG Energy Solution: North America to Mass-Produce Prismatic ESS Batteries by Late 2027 * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 11:00:17
  • LG Energy Solution: North America Grid ESS Demand Growing 30% a Year; Too Early to Call Oversupply
    LG Energy Solution: North America Grid ESS Demand Growing 30% a Year; Too Early to Call Oversupply * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 10:49:57
  • LG Energy Solution Plans Step-by-Step ESS Output at Lansing, Honda and GM JVs; Targets 50 GW North America Capacity
    LG Energy Solution Plans Step-by-Step ESS Output at Lansing, Honda and GM JVs; Targets 50 GW North America Capacity * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 10:49:31
  • LG Energy Solution Says It Began Supplying 46-Series Cells From Ochang, Eyes Arizona Shipments This Year
    LG Energy Solution Says It Began Supplying 46-Series Cells From Ochang, Eyes Arizona Shipments This Year * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 10:45:13
  • LG Energy Solution Says North America ESS Backlog at 140 GW; Early Fixed Costs in EV-to-ESS Line Shift
    LG Energy Solution Says North America ESS Backlog at 140 GW; Early Fixed Costs in EV-to-ESS Line Shift * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 10:35:42
  • LG Energy Solution Targets ESS Sales Share Above 35% by Year-End
    LG Energy Solution Targets ESS Sales Share Above 35% by Year-End * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 10:16:13
  • HD Construction Equipment to Back Suppliers With 85 Billion Won in Loan Guarantees
    HD Construction Equipment to Back Suppliers With 85 Billion Won in Loan Guarantees HD Construction Equipment is launching a financial guarantee program totaling 85 billion won to help suppliers maintain stable operations. According to industry officials on Wednesday, the company signed a memorandum of understanding the previous day at Hana Bank’s headquarters in central Seoul with Hana Bank and the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund to support shared growth in the construction equipment industry. Attendees included Hana Bank CEO Lee Ho-seong, Korea Credit Guarantee Fund standing director Chae Byeong-ho, HD Construction Equipment President Moon Jae-young and supplier council head Kim Do-wan. The agreement is intended to provide practical support to suppliers facing funding difficulties amid recent economic uncertainty. The partners said they expanded the program after strong demand quickly depleted an existing shared-growth fund. Under the deal, HD Construction Equipment and Hana Bank will jointly create a fund of up to 5 billion won. Using that as a source of funding, the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund will provide guarantees of up to 85 billion won when suppliers seek loans from financial institutions. The program will operate in two tracks: a 40 billion won “joint project guarantee” for suppliers participating in future innovation projects such as new model development and mass production, and a 45 billion won “shared-growth financial support agreement guarantee” open to all suppliers. The program includes discounted guarantee fees and preferential interest rates. “Helping our suppliers prepare for the future without wavering, even in an uncertain external environment, is the true value of shared growth,” Moon said. He added that he hopes the support will strengthen competitiveness across the construction equipment industry through cooperation with suppliers.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 09:15:19
  • Doosan posts strong Q1 gains, ramps up semiconductor and energy investments
    Doosan posts strong Q1 gains, ramps up semiconductor and energy investments Doosan Group is posting a sharp early-year performance lift, driven by strength in its core energy business and growth in semiconductor-related materials, parts and equipment seen as a future growth engine. The group plans to accelerate that semiconductor expansion through large-scale investment and mergers and acquisitions. According to industry officials on Tuesday, Doosan Corp. reported first-quarter consolidated revenue of 5.0603 trillion won and operating profit of 340.8 billion won, up 17.71% and 71.68% from a year earlier. Net income came to 101.5 billion won, swinging from a 106.4 billion won loss in the previous quarter. The surge was led by its Electronics BG unit, industry officials said. Demand jumped for high value-added products such as high-performance copper-clad laminate, or CCL, which is essential for printed circuit boards used in artificial intelligence semiconductors. Related results were reported to be up about 40% from a year earlier. Doosan Corp. said it will invest about 180 billion won to build a new production base in Thailand to get ahead of rising CCL demand. The company plans to break ground on a plant on a roughly 73,000-square-meter site in the Araya industrial complex in Samut Prakan province, aiming to begin mass production of CCL locally in the second half of 2028. Doosan Group also said Monday it will pursue about 400 billion won in facility investment and capacity expansion led by Doosan Tesna, as it seeks a stronger position not only in semiconductor materials but also in the back-end processing market. Doosan Tesna plans to buy about 190.9 billion won worth of semiconductor test equipment from suppliers including SEMES, a Samsung Electronics affiliate, to expand test infrastructure. A previously disclosed equipment investment plan of 171.4 billion won, announced in October, was raised to 205.3 billion won. The company also plans to invest a total of 230.3 billion won to build new facilities for a second plant in Pyeongtaek, targeting completion in November 2027. The acquisition of SK Siltron, the world’s fourth-largest wafer maker, is in its final stages. Investment banking industry officials expect Doosan Group and SK Group to announce a deal in early May after finalizing the purchase price. If the SK Siltron acquisition is completed, Doosan Group is expected to broaden its semiconductor footprint across materials such as PCBs and wafers, back-end testing and automation, including robots, in line with Chairman Park Jeongwon’s plan. Doosan’s energy business is also benefiting from growth in nuclear power and related equipment, along with expectations tied to contract manufacturing for SMRs, or small modular reactors. Doosan Enerbility posted first-quarter revenue of 4.2611 trillion won and operating profit of 233.5 billion won, up 13.7% and 63.9% from a year earlier. Net income was 60.2 billion won, turning positive from a 21.1 billion won loss a year earlier. Doosan Enerbility is working with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Korea Electric Power Corp. as part of “Team Korea” to win an order for Vietnam’s Ninh Thuan Unit 2 nuclear power plant. To support the effort, Park Jiwon, chairman of Doosan Enerbility, joined President Lee Jae-myung’s economic delegation during a Vietnam trip on the 23rd and discussed cooperation on new nuclear power projects with Vietnamese government and energy industry officials. 2026-04-29 16:44:52
  • South Korea-Vietnam Forum Spurs Deals on Nuclear Power, AI and Energy Infrastructure
    South Korea-Vietnam Forum Spurs Deals on Nuclear Power, AI and Energy Infrastructure South Korean and Vietnamese business leaders gathered in Hanoi to expand economic cooperation, with talks and agreements spanning artificial intelligence, energy and other future industries. The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry said it sent an economic delegation to Vietnam and held a South Korea-Vietnam business forum on April 23 (local time), timed to President Lee Jae-myung’s state visit. About 500 government and business figures from both countries attended. Lee and Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung appeared together, underscoring their commitment to closer economic ties. Attendees included Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group and the chamber; Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong; LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo; Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin; POSCO Holdings Chairman Chang In-hwa; HD Hyundai Group Vice Chairman Chung Ki-sun; GS Group Chairman Huh Tae-soo; Doosan Enerbility Chairman Park Jie-won; Hyosung Group Chairman Cho Hyun-joon; Daewoo Engineering & Construction Chairman Jung Won-ju; Hyundai Motor President Sung Kim; and Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon, along with other business group leaders. The delegation, involving 109 companies, sought to move beyond manufacturing-centered cooperation toward AI, advanced technology and energy, the chamber said. In welcoming remarks, Chey called Vietnam “Korean companies’ most important global partner,” and said cooperation should go beyond expanding trade to higher value-added areas such as advanced manufacturing, services and digital industries. “Through cooperation in AI and advanced technology, Korea’s technology and Vietnam’s young, dynamic talent can create tremendous synergy,” Chey said, adding that Vietnam is “no longer just a land of opportunity,” but a partner in building the future. The forum, held under the theme of advancing industrial, investment and science-and-technology partnerships, discussed concrete tasks in four areas: training advanced talent, energy, AI transformation and science and technology. Na Ki-hong, head of Samsung Electronics’ Vietnam strategic cooperation office, introduced manufacturing innovation consulting and smart factory support cases and outlined plans to expand “youth future technology education” to develop next-generation talent. SK Innovation CEO Choo Hyung-wook highlighted the importance of power infrastructure for building an AI ecosystem and shared a roadmap for ongoing cooperation projects, including the Quynh Lap LNG power project. KIST President Oh Sang-rok presented a vision linking talent, technology and industry and proposed a cooperation strategy combining Korea’s maturity with Vietnam’s dynamism. Vietnamese presenter Nguyen Trung Chinh, chairman of CMC, shared strategies for advanced-industry innovation based on AI and science and technology, calling for stronger technology partnerships. The chamber said the forum produced about 70 MOUs and contracts. Key areas included AI data centers and digital infrastructure; energy projects such as nuclear power and power-grid construction; production bases for secondary batteries and advanced materials; smart cities and infrastructure development; and finance and investment. SK Innovation and SK Telecom signed MOUs with Vietnam’s National Innovation Center on building AI data centers and an ecosystem, and with Nghe An province on AI infrastructure, expanding cooperation on future infrastructure, the chamber said. Daewoo Engineering & Construction signed an MOU with Vietnam’s SaigonTel to jointly develop a data center business and participate in construction. POSCO Future M said it completed approval procedures with Thai Nguyen province to build a plant for artificial graphite anode materials, a key secondary-battery material, and began building a supply chain for battery materials. Doosan Enerbility signed MOUs with Vietnamese companies PTSC and PETROCONs on cooperation including Vietnam’s new nuclear power projects. Taihan Cable & Solution signed an MOU with Vietnam’s Newtecons on power-grid upgrades and extra-high-voltage cable business cooperation, moving to expand technology partnerships for local energy infrastructure.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 22:30:15
  • South Korea Bets on Vietnam as Hub for Nuclear, Infrastructure and Energy Deals
    South Korea Bets on Vietnam as Hub for Nuclear, Infrastructure and Energy Deals President Lee Jae-myung’s state visit to Vietnam, joined by a business delegation led by heads of major conglomerates, is expected to accelerate South Korean corporate cooperation and investment in nuclear power, transport infrastructure and energy in Vietnam, a key “Global South” emerging economy. Business officials said a Korea-Vietnam business forum was held in Hanoi on April 23 (local time) with Lee and leading executives from both countries in attendance. On the South Korean side, about 250 people attended, including SK Group and Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Chey Tae-won, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin, POSCO Group Chairman Chang In-hwa, HD Hyundai Vice Chairman Chung Ki-sun, GS Group Chairman Huh Tae-soo and Doosan Enerbility Chairman Park Ji-won. About 250 Vietnamese business leaders also participated, including PVN Chairman Le Ngoc Son, EVN Chairman Dang Hoang An, Sun Group Chairman Dang Minh Truong, THACO Group Chairman Tran Ba Duong and FPT Group Chairman Truong Gia Binh, underscoring interest in expanding bilateral economic ties. More than 70 memorandums of understanding were signed across sectors including advanced technology, consumer goods, infrastructure, energy and finance. Nuclear power drew particular attention. Doosan Enerbility signed MOUs with PTSC and PETROCONs, subsidiaries of Vietnam’s PVN, on cooperation for new nuclear power projects and supply-chain development. PVN plans to build two nuclear reactors in Ninh Thuan province in central Vietnam, and the agreements were described as laying groundwork for participation in the No. 2 reactor project. In infrastructure, Hyundai Rotem signed a contract with THACO Group to supply rolling stock and signaling systems for Ho Chi Minh City’s Metro Line 2, marking its first order in Vietnam’s rail market. The deal is worth about 491 billion won. The contract is significant because Japanese and Chinese companies have dominated the market. With THACO pursuing an urban rail project in Da Nang valued at about 14 trillion won, Hyundai Rotem could win additional orders in vehicles and signaling, the business community said. GS Engineering & Construction is reported to be moving ahead with partners including FPT Group on artificial intelligence data centers and smart-city construction in Vietnam. Huh is also expected to discuss broader cooperation with local companies and institutions, including convenience stores and energy businesses. SK Innovation E&S, under Chey’s leadership, said it will focus on ensuring the success of a large-scale liquefied natural gas power project in Nghe An province in north-central Vietnam, targeted for completion in 2030 and valued at about 3.3 trillion won. The project includes a 1,500-megawatt combined-cycle gas power plant, a 250,000-cubic-meter LNG terminal and a dedicated port.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 22:16:51