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LG Electronics and MMCA Collaborate on OLED Art Installation LG Electronics is partnering with the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) to present a large-scale special exhibition utilizing advanced organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology.According to industry sources on July 30, LG Electronics will host the second exhibition of the 'MMCA X LG OLED Series' from July 31 to November 29 at the 'Seoul Box' in MMCA Seoul.The exhibition will showcase a large installation piece titled 'Stubborn Rock, Reckless Fights' by Korean-American artist Kim Christine Sun, who is based in Berlin. The work is a drawing-based animation that visually reinterprets the movements of American Sign Language (ASL) and the motion lines of classic cartoons.To realize the artist's creative vision, LG Electronics collaborated closely from the planning stage through to the implementation of space and technology. A massive curved screen composed of 72 55-inch OLED displays will be installed to present the artist's digital video work.Now in its second year, the MMCA X LG OLED Series is a collaborative project aimed at conveying new aesthetic experiences in contemporary art, combining the visual experiments of talented artists with LG Electronics' display technology to expand the intersection of art and technology.Oh Sung-taek, head of marketing communications at LG Electronics' Korean Sales Division, stated, "We will provide a unique customer experience that blends technology and art through the differentiated picture quality of LG OLED."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-30 10:32:00 -
Samsung Electronics Reports 10% Increase in HBM Shipments Samsung Electronics announced during its second-quarter earnings conference call that shipments of all memory products, including DRAM, NAND flash, and HBM, have increased due to the expansion of agent AI among hyperscale customers.The company reported a 10% increase in shipments compared to the previous quarter, driven by the full-scale supply of HBM4, and noted that DRAM sales achieved record highs with single-digit growth.Regarding its foundry business, Samsung stated that it is undergoing a significant restructuring towards a high-profit model, projecting a more than 30% improvement in revenue compared to the previous year.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-30 10:28:00
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Eco-friendly cars to hit 4 million, half of new registrations in H1 SEOUL, July 30 (AJP) - The cumulative number of eco-friendly vehicles in South Korea is on track to reach 4 million, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on Thursday. The number of registered eco-friendly vehicles including hybrids and electric vehicles increased sharply to 3.95 million as of the end of June, accounting for about 14.8 percent of all registered vehicles. The figure includes 2.81 million hybrids, 1.1 million EVs and 47,000 hydrogen vehicles. Of some 857,000 vehicles newly registered in the first half of this year, 494,000 were eco-friendly vehicles, making up more than half of the total. Passenger cars accounted for the majority of new registrations at 758,000 units, followed by trucks at 85,000, buses at 11,000, and special-purpose vehicles at 3,000. By size, midsize models led with 570,000 units, followed by large models at 166,000, small models at 79,000, and compact models at 42,000. By fuel type, hybrids led with 292,000 units, followed by gasoline vehicles at 276,000, EVs at 199,000, LPG vehicles at 63,000, and diesel vehicles at 21,000. As eco-friendly vehicles continued to increase rapidly, the number of internal-combustion engine vehicles fell to 22.54 million, down 1.3 percent, or 297,000 units, from the end of last year. Diesel vehicles saw the biggest decline, falling by 246,000 units, followed by gasoline vehicles, which fell by 42,000, and LPG vehicles, which declined by 9,000. Meanwhile, the cumulative number of all vehicle registrations stood at 26.68 million as of the end of June, up 0.6 percent, or 161,000 units, from the end of last year, meaning there was about one vehicle for every 1.92 people. 2026-07-30 10:25:21 -
Coca-Cola Launches 'Zero Lemon Lime' Flavor Coca-Cola announced the launch of its new product, 'Coca-Cola Zero Lemon Lime,' set to debut on August 1.Coca-Cola Zero Lemon Lime features the carbonation and taste of the original Coca-Cola Zero, enhanced with a lemon-lime flavor. It is a zero sugar and zero calorie product, marking the first introduction of a lemon-lime flavor in the Coca-Cola Zero lineup in South Korea. The packaging showcases a neon gradient design symbolizing lemon-lime.The product will be available in 190ml cans and 500ml PET bottles. It will be sold through various online and offline distribution channels, including convenience stores and large supermarkets, via Coca-Cola Beverage, a subsidiary of LG Household & Health Care.Prior to the official launch, Coca-Cola held a sampling event for consumers on July 27 near Hongdae in Seoul. The company plans to expand sampling events to key locations, including university campuses. Additionally, new marketing content featuring BTS member V, who has been a model for Coca-Cola Zero since last year, will be released.Meanwhile, Coca-Cola has been expanding its zero beverage product line globally, introducing various flavors such as cherry, vanilla, lemon, and lime. In South Korea, the company has been targeting the zero carbonated drink market since the launch of 'Coca-Cola Zero' in 2006.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-30 10:20:10
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KGM Reaches Labor Agreement as Auto Industry Faces Potential Strikes KG Mobility (KGM) has confirmed that it has successfully reached a labor agreement, following Korea GM's lead. As the domestic auto industry prepares for a summer vacation next week, companies that have not yet reached an agreement may face intensified labor disputes, including the possibility of a general strike immediately after the break.According to industry sources on July 30, KGM's labor union conducted a vote among its members on a tentative agreement for this year's labor negotiations, which was ultimately approved. This marks the 17th consecutive year of a no-strike settlement since 2010.KGM is the second of the five major domestic automakers to finalize a labor agreement, following Korea GM, which reached a tentative agreement on July 22 during its 17th negotiation session.As the outcomes of labor negotiations vary, the entire auto industry will enter summer vacation next week. All five automakers will observe a simultaneous shutdown from August 3 to 7, primarily affecting factories and research centers. Due to the interconnected nature of production lines and supplier schedules, it is common for major facilities in the auto industry to shut down at the same time.The second week of August, after the summer vacation, is expected to be a critical turning point for potential strikes in the domestic auto industry. Hyundai Motor is under particular scrutiny, as official negotiations between the company and its labor union have been stalled since July 8. The union has been conducting its third partial strike since July 29. If no agreement is reached immediately after the vacation, the likelihood of escalating actions, including a general strike, increases.The Kia union has also secured the right to strike following a decision by the Central Labor Relations Commission to cease mediation. In a vote held on July 23, 82% of eligible members and 92.5% of voters approved the motion. The union plans to hold its first central response committee meeting to discuss the timing and methods of a potential strike. There are concerns that the five-year streak of no-strike settlements, which began in 2021, may come to an end.Renault Korea is also set to intensify limited labor actions. The union plans to conduct an eight-hour designated strike involving all expanded committee members. Despite 12 negotiation sessions since their initial meeting in April, disagreements over wage increases and production volume at the Busan plant remain unresolved. This time, the union plans to focus its strike on new models like the Polestar 4, but there is a possibility that limited actions could spread across the entire production line.An industry insider stated, "If there is no progress in negotiations, the level of strikes will increase, and production disruptions in the second half of the year are inevitable."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-30 10:20:00
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Han Byeong-do: Opposition Should Not Hinder Prosecutorial Reform Han Byeong-do, acting leader of the Democratic Party, warned the People Power Party on July 30 against hindering legislative progress and prosecutorial reform as they prepare for a filibuster against the proposed amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act, which includes the abolition of supplementary investigative powers.During a policy coordination meeting at the National Assembly, Han stated, "Today, we are pushing for the passage of urgent livelihood bills, including the special prosecutor law for the election commission and amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act and the National Assembly Act. However, the People Power Party is once again seeking to block these important reforms with a filibuster."He added, "The People Power Party is irresponsibly holding livelihood bills hostage while engaging in political strife. They are leaving discussions in committee and abstaining from votes, yet they are obstructing the legislative process in the National Assembly with filibusters."Han specifically pointed out the opposition's rejection of the Criminal Procedure Act amendments and the proposed shortening of the fast-track period during the full meetings of the Legislative and Judiciary Committee and the Operations Committee held on July 29.He emphasized, "It is contradictory for the People Power Party, which has avoided participation and review in committee, to claim that there is legislative dictatorship and unilateral processing. If there are disagreements on the bills, they should be discussed and voted on responsibly in the meeting room. Walking out when it is unfavorable and delaying with filibusters is not opposition; it is irresponsibility."Furthermore, Han stated that the proposed amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act, which include the abolition of supplementary investigative powers, are in line with the demands of the times. He called the assertion that only direct investigative powers for prosecutors can protect the public a false narrative propagated by the People Power Party.He concluded, "If the People Power Party genuinely cares about the rights of the people, I hope they will carefully examine the protective measures included in the bill. The Democratic Party will ensure that the amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act are completed without any setbacks, allowing the Public Prosecution Service and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency to launch effectively."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-30 10:20:00
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Ministry of Culture Launches Joint Preparation Team for Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games With the 20th Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and the 5th Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games set to begin in September, the South Korean government has initiated preparations to support its athletes.The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced the formation of a joint preparation team involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Unification, Anti-Terrorism Center, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Korean Sports Council, and the Korea Paralympic Committee. The first meeting will be held on the 30th.The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will take place from September 19 to October 4, featuring over 15,000 participants from 45 countries. South Korea plans to send more than 1,100 athletes across 41 sports. The Asian Para Games will follow from October 18 to 24, with around 4,000 participants from 45 countries, and South Korea is expected to compete in 18 sports with about 300 athletes.During the initial meeting, the team will comprehensively assess the preparation status and support measures to ensure the athletes' performance and safety. Notably, the event will be held across five cooperative zones, including Aichi, Tokyo, and Shizuoka, and will be divided into five areas within Aichi Prefecture, such as Nagoya and Chita. Instead of a single athletes' village, accommodations will be spread across containers, cruise ships, and hotels, prompting the preparation team to discuss detailed administrative and medical support based on these regional hubs.Given the anticipated high attendance from the public, the government plans to establish a crisis management and response system to ensure safety during the event.Additionally, the government aims to promote tourism and sports exchanges through the event. The Ministry of Culture will operate a Korea House near Nagoya Port at 'Live Nagoya' to showcase K-Culture and K-Sports, capitalizing on the strong interest in Korean culture in Japan. On October 20, during the Asian Para Games, a sports exchange event titled 'Korea Night' will be held, attended by national Paralympic committees and the Asian Paralympic Committee.Kang Dae-geum, a sports cooperation officer at the Ministry of Culture, stated, "We plan to systematically support the national team to ensure they can fully demonstrate their capabilities at the Asian Games and Para Games, while also allowing our citizens to safely enjoy the events by proactively addressing potential issues in collaboration with relevant agencies."On July 2, the Korean Sports Council began implementing measures to protect the rights of its athletes, distributing guidelines on advertising appearances (Rule 40) and competition uniforms and equipment (Rule 50) for those participating in the Asian Games.The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) adheres to the principles of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Olympic Charter to protect the commercial value and official sponsorship rights of the Asian Games while ensuring the rights of participants. Consequently, the Sports Council has provided guidelines to help athletes, coaches, sports organizations, sponsors, and non-sponsors comply with complex international regulations.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-30 10:20:00
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Busan Smart Manufacturing Center Achieves First S Grade with AI Integration The Busan Smart Manufacturing Innovation Center at Busan Technopark has become the first institution to receive the highest S grade in the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' '2025 Regional Smart Manufacturing Innovation Center Performance Evaluation.'The center's success is attributed to its establishment of a 'growth support system' that connects existing smart factory projects with manufacturing AI and autonomous factories.According to Busan Technopark on July 30, the Busan center improved from an A grade last year to an S grade in this evaluation. The assessment was conducted through a comprehensive review of the achievement of goals in smart factory dissemination projects, project management, corporate support outcomes, and follow-up growth strategies.The Busan center implemented a method of pre-diagnosing the level of manufacturing data accumulation, automation stages, and AI applicability for each company, linking these to subsequent government projects. This support structure checks production processes before factory implementation and analyzes system utilization and operational limitations after project completion, connecting to advanced projects.This approach has encouraged participation in central government projects that progress from basic smart factories to general advancement, manufacturing AI, and autonomous factories.A representative from the Digital Transformation Data Center stated, “We meticulously manage support histories for each company to assist in project planning and government proposal responses, focusing on those with high growth potential.”The support is not limited to specific industries such as automotive parts or shipbuilding materials but is open to various manufacturing sectors. However, significant challenges remain, including a shortage of AI and data experts in the region and an incomplete integrated management system.The Busan center is utilizing a smart factory mentoring group registered with the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology while also securing additional local AI and data experts to support company diagnostics. However, there is a critical shortage of specialized personnel compared to the metropolitan area, prompting the center to conduct its own training and meetings to enhance the data analysis and AI application capabilities of the mentoring group.The 'integrated management system' for assessing the construction level, on-site challenges, and AI demand for each company is still in its initial stages. The center noted, “The current management system is not one that can be completed at once; it is in the early stages and requires continuous improvement.”Busan Technopark plans to expand support for companies to address key manufacturing issues such as quality inspection, defect prediction, predictive maintenance, and process optimization using AI and data.Won Kwang-hae, head of the Digital Transformation Division at Busan Technopark, stated, “We will continuously enhance the Busan-style Manufacturing AX (AI Transformation) support system to improve the productivity and competitiveness of local manufacturing companies by utilizing manufacturing data and AI.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-30 10:16:10
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Jang Dong-hyuk Calls for National Investigation into Stock Market Turmoil Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, stated that the stock market has become a "gambling table" following the unprecedented activation of circuit breakers on both the KOSPI and KOSDAQ for two consecutive days. He called for a national investigation and a special prosecutor to address the situation.During a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly, Jang remarked, "This has gone beyond mere mismanagement; it has approached criminal behavior that requires investigation through a national inquiry and special prosecution."He noted, "The KOSPI has plummeted below the 5,000 mark, and the KOSDAQ has returned to levels seen before the Yoon Suk-yeol administration began." He added, "The monthly decline in the KOSPI has reached an all-time high, with both individual and foreign investors leaving the market, leaving institutions to prop it up alone."In response to comments from Kim Yong-beom, head of the Blue House Policy Office, who stated that the volatility in South Korea is linked to the dynamic nature of individual investors and is not unique to the country, Jang criticized, "This is just a pathetic excuse that insults the public. If I were to add one more thing, they wouldn't even know how to board a plane to Korea."He emphasized, "With the president suggesting that people should borrow money to invest, we have reached this point, yet they remain silent as if it is someone else's problem. It seems that a national investigation and special prosecution are the answers now."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-30 10:16:00
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Jipyeong Law Firm Launches Southwest Center to Support Regional Industries Jipyeong Law Firm announced the launch of its 'Southwest Center' on July 30 to support the sustainable growth and competitiveness of businesses and communities in the Gwangju, Jeonnam, and Jeonbuk regions.The government unveiled its 'Three Mega Projects for a Great Leap Forward in Korea' in June, focusing on semiconductors, physical AI, and AI data centers. As part of this initiative, plans are underway to invest a total of 800 trillion won to establish four semiconductor fabs and a supporting ecosystem of partners and workforce in the Southwest region, while a robotics foundry and parts cluster will be developed in Saemangeum.To successfully implement these large-scale advanced industry projects, it is essential to comprehensively address site acquisition, development and permitting, power and water supply, renewable energy procurement, investment and financial structuring, supply chain management, technology protection, and labor and major accident response.Therefore, it is necessary to proactively respond to changes in the legislative and regulatory environment. In response, Jipyeong has established the Southwest Center to address the complex legal and policy demands in an integrated manner.The center will be led by Sa Bong-gwan, a representative attorney who has served as a chief judge at the Gwangju District Court and the Seoul Central District Court, and Song Kyung-hoon, a deputy center head and an attorney with extensive experience in climate, energy, and environmental law, who is also a director at the Korean Society of Environmental Law.The Southwest Center will combine the expertise of over 400 professionals from Jipyeong's Seoul headquarters with resources from the Jipyeong AI Infrastructure Center, Climate Energy Center, Public Policy Solutions Center, and Jipyeong Technology Center to provide comprehensive support from project planning to permitting, investment and financing, construction, operation, and dispute resolution.The AI Infrastructure Center will handle site, permitting, power, water, construction, finance, and operational consulting for semiconductor and AI data centers. The Climate Energy Center will provide advice on renewable energy, power grids, RE100, environmental regulations, and energy policies, while the Public Policy Solutions Center will support legislative and policy monitoring and regulatory responses.The Jipyeong Technology Center, co-established with Jipyeong Patent Law Firm, will involve technology experts, including patent attorneys, to assist with patents, technology evaluation, technology transactions, technology protection, and dispute resolution in the fields of semiconductors, AI, data, and electronics. The Southwest Center will oversee the entire process from planning to permitting, investment, construction, operation, and dispute resolution.Sa Bong-gwan stated, 'The Southwest Center will systematically support advanced industry projects in the Southwest from the initial stages by consolidating the specialized capabilities of Jipyeong's various centers and experts. We will be a long-term partner to help local businesses realize new growth opportunities.'Founded in 2000, Jipyeong Law Firm is a major law firm in South Korea that provides specialized legal services in corporate law, finance, and overseas investment. Currently, it employs over 300 professionals and operates several overseas offices in Asia and Europe, including in Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Jakarta, with strengths in overseas investment and market entry consulting. 2026-07-30 10:16:00