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LG Electronics partners with Britain's Octopus Energy to push heat pumps in Europe SEOUL, September 02 (AJP) - LG Electronics said Tuesday it had signed an agreement with Octopus Energy, Britain’s largest electricity supplier, to expand clean technology solutions in European markets. The memorandum of understanding, signed last week, calls for combining LG’s heat pump systems with Octopus’s artificial-intelligence energy management platform, known as Kraken. The companies plan to roll out the integrated offering in Britain, Germany and other major European markets, targeting households looking for more affordable heating options amid volatile energy prices. Founded in 2016, Octopus has grown rapidly into a multinational company operating in more than 30 countries. Its Kraken platform, which manages real-time renewable energy pricing and distribution, now serves about 10 million customers. The firm has also been a vocal proponent of replacing traditional gas boilers with heat pumps as part of Europe’s efforts to cut carbon emissions. LG said its heat pump systems use waste heat and untapped thermal sources to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. The company’s technology incorporates inverter scroll compressors designed to improve efficiency, durability and stability. Greg Jackson, Octopus Energy’s chief executive and founder, said in a press release the partnership would help consumers cut heating costs while reducing environmental impact. Yoon Tae-bong, who oversees global sales at LG Electronics, said the collaboration would accelerate the company’s clean technology growth in Europe and create new opportunities in the sustainable energy market. 2025-09-02 15:21:31
[[K-Tech]] Korean researchers develop cheaper, stronger battery material for EVs SEOUL, September 2 (AJP) - The Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute said Tuesday it was preparing to move its silicon-graphene composite anode material for lithium-ion batteries into mass production, a step that could extend the range of electric vehicles and improve battery performance in consumer electronics. Silicon has long been regarded as a promising alternative to graphite, the standard anode material in lithium-ion batteries, because it can store roughly 10 times more energy. But its tendency to swell and crack during charging cycles, coupled with low electrical conductivity, has limited its use. Researchers at the government-funded institute said they had overcome those hurdles by combining silicon with graphene, a single-atom-thick layer of carbon known for its strength and conductivity. In the composite, graphene forms a mesh-like coating around silicon particles, reducing structural degradation and improving stability. The team also developed a water-based dispersion process, using oxidation-reduction methods, that allows for the scalable production of high-quality graphene in forms suitable for battery manufacturing. Using a one-step process, they created a “core-shell” structure in which graphene encapsulates silicon, allowing the proportion of silicon in the anode to rise from 5 percent to 20 percent without sacrificing stability. According to KERI, the technology could boost the driving range of electric vehicles by more than 20 percent. The researchers also emphasized cost advantages: instead of relying on expensive nano-silicon, the method uses more affordable micron-sized silicon. Commercial production of graphene is expected to be carried out by JNC Materials, a battery materials company that licensed the technology from KERI for 1.1 billion won, or about $790,000, in 2021. JNC has since built facilities capable of producing thousands of tons of graphene annually — enough, the company said, to supply batteries for about 60,000 electric vehicles or hundreds of millions of smartphones. “This technology simultaneously delivers higher capacity and improved stability for secondary batteries,” said Jeong Seung-yol, director of KERI’s Nano Hybrid Technology Research Center. 2025-09-02 15:16:54
Kim Jong-un inspects institute for new solid-fuel ICBM engine SEOUL, September 2 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a missile research institute on Monday, right before his departure for Beijing to attend a military parade in China. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim inspected "the relevant institute of the General Academy of Chemical Materials under the Missile Administration of the DPRK" on September 1 and met composite carbon fiber material researchers. KCNA said the institute produced a "high-thrust solid-fuel engine with the composite carbon fiber material and verified the credibility of the operation of the engine and its accuracy through eight static firing tests in the past two years." Pyongyang said that the "new-type solid-fuel engine" will be used in "the next-generation ICBM Hwasongpho-20" as well as in the "ICBM Hwasongpho-19." North Korea's latest test was conducted on October 31 last year with the Hwasong-19. The missile is believed to be capable of striking the entire U.S. mainland with a range exceeding 15,000 kilometers, and Russia may have provided Pyongyang with technical assistance in developing such engines. Kim's visit to the institute reportedly took place shortly before his multilateral diplomatic debut at the parade, seen as an effort to underscore North Korea's status as a self-proclaimed "nuclear weapons state" with missiles capable of targeting the U.S. 2025-09-02 13:53:43
Kim Jong-un's train enters China for Beijing military parade SEOUL, September 02 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un crossed into China early Tuesday aboard his armored train, bound for Beijing to attend China's "Victory Day" military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim "left Pyongyang by his train" on Monday to join the parade, and the train "passed the border early in the morning on September 2," accompanied by senior ruling party officials. Photographs released by the state media showed Kim inside his private train with Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and senior party official Kim Song-nam. Other images showed him smoking outside the train while speaking with aides. Neither his wife Ri Sol-ju, daughter Ju-ae, nor sister Kim Yo-jong were mentioned in the statements or seen in the photos. Pyongyang rarely confirms a leader’s overseas trip right after departure. When Kim traveled to Russia in 2023, the announcement came two days later. Kim's train is believed to have crossed the Yalu River bridge linking Sinuiju and the Chinese city of Dandong, with his delegation expected to arrive in Beijing on Tuesday. He is scheduled to attend the military parade on Wednesday, joining Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The parade is seen as underscoring a broader geopolitical divide, casting China, North Korea, and Russia on one side against Japan, South Korea, and the U.S. For the first time in 66 years, the leaders of the three countries, linked by Cold-War era ties, will share the same stage. According to the Kremlin, Xi will take center position on the reviewing stand at Tiananmen Square with Putin on his right and Kim on his left. Such arrangements are carefully staged to signal political closeness. Positioning Kim and Putin directly beside Xi highlights China’s effort to showcase a united front with its two closest partners, sending a message to Washington and its allies. Kim's trip is also seen as a possible opening for renewed dialogue with the U.S., recalling his meetings with Xi ahead of summits with then-President Donald Trump. This would be Kim's first appearance on a multilateral diplomatic stage since assuming power in late 2011. Until now, his overseas visits have been limited to bilateral summits in China, Russia, and the U.S. 2025-09-02 13:45:33
TSMC widens lead over Samsung in foundry business SEOUL, September 02 (AJP) - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company tightened its grip on the global chipmaking business in the second quarter of 2025, surpassing 70 percent market share and leaving rivals, including Samsung Electronics, further behind, according to new industry data. Worldwide foundry revenue reached a record $41.7 billion in the quarter, up 14.6 percent from the previous three months, research firm TrendForce reported Monday. TSMC accounted for 70.2 percent of the total, an increase from 67.6 percent in the first quarter, aided by rising demand for artificial intelligence processors, smartphones and notebook computers, as well as higher average selling prices. Samsung, the second-largest contract chipmaker, slipped to 7.3 percent of the market from 7.7 percent in the prior quarter. That left the gap between TSMC and Samsung at nearly 63 percentage points, up from about 60 points three months earlier. China’s Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, the third-largest player, fell to a 5.1 percent share from 6 percent. TrendForce attributed the decline to shipment delays and weaker prices, even as Beijing’s subsidies and U.S. tariffs encouraged more domestic chip demand. The strong overall growth reflected a wave of inventory building in China, spurred by consumer subsidy programs, and anticipation of new smartphones, laptops and servers set to launch in the second half of the year. Samsung continued to benefit from smartphone orders and production of the Nintendo Switch 2, but those gains were not enough to narrow the gap with its Taiwanese rival. 2025-09-02 11:03:07
Korean retailers scramble as US ends duty-free imports on small packages SEOUL, September 02 (AJP) - South Korean online retailers are rushing to adapt after the United States eliminated a duty-free exemption for packages under $800, a move that threatens to raise costs and dampen demand in one of their most important overseas markets. Beginning Aug. 29, American consumers ordering from Korean platforms face a 15 percent tariff on purchases that had previously entered the country without customs duties. The policy shift, announced by the Trump administration, has rattled Korea’s cross-border e-commerce sector, which relies heavily on U.S. shoppers for sales of fashion and beauty products. The change affects a significant slice of business. In the second quarter, Korean companies’ direct online sales abroad totaled 738.8 billion won, or about $530 million, according to Statistics Korea. The United States accounted for 138.2 billion won, or $99 million — nearly a fifth of the total — making it the third-largest destination after China and Japan. To soften the blow, retailers are retooling their systems. Musinsa, a popular fashion marketplace, said it will now include U.S. tariffs in the final checkout price rather than charging customers separately on delivery, while also warning of potential customs delays. Beauty company CJ Olive Young has adopted a similar approach, automatically applying a 15 percent duty at checkout. Other companies are placing the burden directly on customers. Amorepacific said U.S. buyers will be billed not only a 15 percent tariff but also an $18.30 clearance fee, collected by DHL on delivery. For Korean sellers, the worry is whether higher costs will blunt the enthusiasm of U.S. consumers for K-beauty creams, trendy streetwear and other cultural exports that have powered sales overseas. “We’re keeping a close eye on how this develops,” one industry official said. “Discounts and promotions may be the only way to keep American customers coming back.” 2025-09-02 10:57:53
KT, LG Uplus reject hacking claims while government probes possible leaks SEOUL, September 2 (AJP) - South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT has opened an investigation into possible hacking incidents at telecommunications firms KT and LG Uplus, after earlier security lapses at rival SK Telecom raised alarm about vulnerabilities in the industry. The ministry said Tuesday it had begun an in-depth review after receiving materials from both carriers during on-site inspections. Officials said they would disclose the findings publicly if evidence of breaches is confirmed. The inquiry follows a tip delivered to the office of Rep. Choi Min-hee of the ruling Democratic Party by an anonymous white-hat hacker. The informant claimed that internal data from the two companies’ servers had surfaced externally, suggesting potential leaks. Security researchers reported that LG Uplus’s internal source code for a privileged account management system, along with information from nearly 9,000 servers, had been exposed. At KT, investigators were told of certificate leaks that could have left its systems vulnerable. The ministry’s move comes just weeks after SK Telecom was fined a record sum for failing to safeguard the personal information of more than 23 million subscribers. Regulators said the company had neglected basic cybersecurity practices and oversight. Both KT and LG Uplus rejected the allegations of cyberattacks. KT acknowledged that external web service certificates and private keys had been exposed through unknown channels, but insisted no direct evidence of a breach was found on its networks. LG Uplus said its own internal checks of access controls and firewall logs revealed no suspicious activity. Earlier this year, the ministry inspected servers at major telecom firms using malware detection tools, and at the time reported no signs of intrusion across the sector. 2025-09-02 10:17:17
French novelist Bernard Werber meets Korean readers at Seoul event SEOUL, September 1 (AJP) - A book event with French novelist Bernard Werber was held at the French Embassy in central Seoul on Monday. Co-hosted by the online bookseller platform Yes24 Corp. and publisher The Open Books Co., the event brought together dozens of Korean book lovers through a competitive selection. The event was part of Werber’s visit to Seoul to celebrate the Korean publication of his 2023 novel “Le Temps des Chimères” (“The Age of Chimeras”) last month. The novel portrays a dystopian future destroyed by nuclear war, where a new species called the "Chimères" comes to dominate. Werber said the idea for the book started when he asked if humanity could survive a massive epidemic. “Today we live in a time obsessed with consumption and surrounded by shocking news every day. With this book, I wanted people to step back and think about where we are and where we are going,” he said. The event also gave fans a chance to ask questions, during which Werber stressed his lasting connection with Korea and its people. "South Korea is like a second homeland for me. I often miss Korea when I am in France," said Werber. Asked about the struggles of young Koreans with anxiety and depression, he said they should "try to find happiness" and recommended traveling to new places as a way to gain perspective, noting that "a problem in one place may not seem like a problem elsewhere." Meanwhile, the embassy said on Monday that France has been selected as the guest of honor at next year’s Seoul International Book Fair (SIBF). The embassy also highlighted various literary programs ahead of the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. 2025-09-01 21:52:56
Firefighters struggle with worsening mental health as support falls short SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - The number of South Korean firefighters struggling with mental health issues has surged in recent years, driven by exposure to traumatic incidents such as the 2022 Itaewon stampede accident, while access to professional counseling for first responders remains critically low. According to data submitted by Democratic Party lawmaker Han Byung-do, counseling sessions provided through the National Fire Agency's "visiting counseling program" rose to 79,453 cases in 2024, up 65 percent from 48,026 cases in 2020. The agency's mental health survey of 61,087 firefighters in 2024 found that 7.2 percent (4,375) suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 6.5 percent (3,937) report symptoms of depression, and 5.2 percent (3,141) are considered at risk of suicide. The mental health toll drew renewed attention after the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush, which killed 159 people during Halloween festivities in Seoul's Itaewon. Several first responders involved in the rescue operations later reported lasting trauma, and at least two rescuers -- officers in their 30s and 40s, diagnosed with depression -- have taken their own lives since the accident. The one officer repeatedly received professional counselling, while the other shared his traumatic experience with his colleagues and later applied for work-related PTSD care. Despite the mounting demand, the agency currently employs only 128 counselors for 268 fire stations nationwide, leaving many units without dedicated staff. As of late 2023, only 102 counselors were in place, with each handling an average of 779 cases annually. Police officers face similar struggles. From 2020 to 2022, the number treated for depression rose 67 percent, while PTSD treatments increased nearly 50 percent, according to the National Police Agency and the National Health Insurance Service. National Assembly records show that between 2018 and 2022, at least 105 officers took their own lives, with mental health issues cited as the cause in 44 cases. These figures highlight the heavy psychological toll of frontline duties and have fueled criticism of insufficient state support. Han said, "It is clear neglect that the state cannot properly safeguard even the mental health of its firefighters," pledging to push for at least one counselor at every fire station. 2025-09-01 17:22:54
Labor minister vows to reduce industrial accident rate to OECD average by 2030 SEOUL, September 1 (AJP) - South Korea's Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon pledged on Monday to reduce the number of fatal accidents at workplaces, including factories, to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) average by 2030. Speaking at a press conference at the government complex in the central city of Sejong, Kim said the ministry will try to reduce the industrial fatality rate from 0.39 deaths per 10,000 workers last year to the OECD's average of 0.29 within five years. The remark came less than two months after President Lee Jae Myung said during a Cabinet meeting in July that the government must root out industrial accidents following the fifth death this year at a construction site operated by POSCO E&C Co., a subsidiary of steelmaker POSCO. Kim said the accidents disproportionately affect older employees, foreign workers, and delivery riders. He stressed that the government is preparing targeted measures for these groups, along with specialized programs for small businesses. The minister also said the government will impose penalties immediately upon finding violations, without prior correction orders, starting next month. The ministry also plans to expand inspections by operating a public reporting center and offering financial rewards beginning next year. According to data released by the Ministry of Employment and Labor last month, 138 workers died in construction-related accidents in the first half of this year, up eight from a year earlier. Fatalities at small workplaces increased to 176, up by 21 from a year earlier (13.5 percent), while those at large sites with more than 50 workers fell to 111, down by 30 (21.3 percent). Foreign workers accounted for 38 deaths, or 13.2 percent of the total, continuing to make up more than 10 percent of annual fatalities. Despite the Serious Accident Punishment Act being enforced since 2022, workplace fatalities have remained largely unchanged. Annual deaths have hovered above 2,000, with 2,062 in 2020, 2,080 in 2021, 2,223 in 2022, 2,016 in 2023, and 2,098 last year. A National Assembly research report released at the end of last month said that of 1,252 cases investigated under the law, 917 cases, or 73.2 percent, remain under investigation by prosecutors. More than half of the probes have taken longer than six months, compared to 10 to 15 percent for other crimes. The acquittal rate has reached 10.7 percent, over three times higher than that of other criminal cases, reflecting the difficulty of proving that employers deliberately or negligently failed to comply with safety measures and that the accidents could have been reasonably foreseen. 2025-09-01 16:59:46