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  • LG CNS Receives Award from Indonesian Tax Authority for CoreTax System
    LG CNS Receives Award from Indonesian Tax Authority for CoreTax System LG CNS has received an award from the Indonesian Tax Authority in recognition of its contributions to the successful establishment and ongoing technical and operational support of the next-generation tax administration system, CoreTax.The award ceremony took place on September 11 in Jakarta, attended by Kim Hong-geun, Vice President of LG CNS's Digital Business Division, Bimo Wiyanto, Head of the Tax Authority, and Iwan Djuwandi, Special Advisor to the Minister of Finance.CoreTax is a next-generation tax administration system initiated by the Indonesian Tax Authority under the Ministry of Finance. It integrates various tax-related tasks, including taxpayer registration, reporting, payment, refunds, audits, and collections, into a single platform, transforming tax administration into a digital framework.The Indonesian government aims to enhance tax administration efficiency, improve taxpayer convenience, and establish a data-driven tax system based on CoreTax, thereby strengthening the country's financial foundation.In December 2024, LG CNS completed the system's construction in partnership with Austrian IT firm Qualisoft. Since then, it has supported the Tax Authority in system operation and stabilization until March of this year. After the Tax Authority began operating the system in April, LG CNS secured maintenance contracts for core infrastructure, including databases, continuing its technical support.CoreTax has shown visible results alongside operational stabilization. According to the Indonesian Ministry of Finance and the Tax Authority, tax revenue in the first half of this year reached 1,035.7 trillion rupiah (approximately $79.1 billion), marking a 24.6% increase compared to the same period last year. Notably, there has been growth across major tax categories, including corporate tax, personal income tax, and value-added tax. The Tax Authority attributed the revenue increase to the recovery of economic activities and the strengthening of tax administration through CoreTax, which has improved taxpayer compliance.LG CNS is currently discussing advanced projects with the Tax Authority to integrate AI technology into CoreTax. Plans include enhancing tax administration efficiency and taxpayer services through automation and data analysis capabilities using AI.For over 20 years, LG CNS has been involved in e-government projects for key public institutions in Indonesia, including the police and the Ministry of Finance, in addition to CoreTax. Since last year, it has expanded its local operations by undertaking a 100 billion won project to build an AI data center infrastructure in Jakarta.Bimo Wiyanto, Head of the Indonesian Tax Authority, expressed hope for the continued partnership between the Tax Authority and LG CNS, based on mutual respect and professionalism.Kim Hong-geun, Vice President of LG CNS's Digital Business Division, stated, "This award recognizes not only the establishment of CoreTax but also our close collaboration with the Tax Authority for its stable operation. We will continue to leverage our accumulated digital transformation capabilities and AI technology to contribute to the digital government innovation in Indonesia."Meanwhile, LG CNS is expanding its business in Indonesia as a key global hub. In addition to public and infrastructure projects like the Jakarta light rail and CoreTax, it has participated in the design of the smart city in the new capital, Nusantara, and established a joint venture with local conglomerate Sinarmas Group in 2024. Recently, it has broadened its business scope to include data centers and cloud services through a project to build an AI data center in Jakarta worth approximately 100 billion won.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-14 10:16:00
  • Europe Defeats U.S. to Regain Solheim Cup Title After Two Years
    Europe Defeats U.S. to Regain Solheim Cup Title After Two Years The European women's golf team defeated the United States on home soil to reclaim the Solheim Cup title after two years.On September 13, local time, Europe recorded 7 wins and 5 losses in the final day of singles match play at the 2026 Solheim Cup held at Bernardus Golf in Cromvoirt, Netherlands. This brought the final score to 15 points for Europe and 13 for the U.S., allowing Europe to lift the trophy.Having lost the trophy to the U.S. in the previous tournament in 2024, Europe restored its pride with this victory. The overall tournament record now stands at 8 wins, 1 draw, and 11 losses for Europe.However, since the 2023 tournament in Spain ended in a tie at 14-14, the previous champion retains the title according to the rules, meaning Europe has held the cup 9 times and the U.S. 11 times.Additionally, since losing in the 2015 tournament in Germany, Europe has maintained an unbeaten streak at home, winning 2 and drawing 1 in the last three tournaments held in Europe.Established in 1990, the Solheim Cup features teams of 12 players each from the U.S. and Europe. Over three days, the teams compete in 8 foursome matches, 8 four-ball matches, and 12 singles match play contests, with the team earning the most points declared the winner. Each match win earns 1 point, a tie earns 0.5 points, and a loss earns no points.During the first two days of foursome and four-ball matches, both teams were evenly matched at 8 points each. However, as the singles match play progressed on the final day, the momentum gradually shifted in favor of Europe.Europe's captain Anna Nordqvist of Sweden took a gamble by sending out Charlie Hull of England as the first player, despite Hull's earlier putting struggles. Hull secured a victory, boosting the team's early momentum.Following that, four players—Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Denmark, Nastasia Nada of France, Julia Lopez Ramirez of Spain, and Lottie Woad of England—each secured wins starting from the fifth match, solidifying Europe's advantage.The victory of rookie Woad, making her Solheim Cup debut, was crucial. She held off a strong challenge from Austin Kim of the U.S., maintaining a 2-hole lead until the 17th hole, earning the team its 14th point.At that point, Carlota Ciganda of Spain was already ahead by 3 holes, ensuring Europe reached the necessary 14.5 points for victory.The U.S. made a late push, with Lauren Coughlin and Lindy Duncan adding points to bring the score to 14-12.The clinching point came from Ciganda, who decisively defeated Jennifer Kupcho of the U.S. by 4 holes, securing Europe's victory. Ciganda had previously lost to Kupcho in the four-ball match the day before but redeemed herself with this win.Despite the U.S. team, led by world No. 1 Nelly Korda, achieving 2 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss in the tournament, they were unable to overcome the deficit.The next Solheim Cup will take place in September 2028 at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-14 10:16:00
  • Jensen Huang: Next Generation AI Applications Will Focus on Cybersecurity
    Jensen Huang: Next Generation AI Applications Will Focus on Cybersecurity Domestic security-related stocks showed strong performance on the KOSPI despite a decline in the market on the 14th.According to the Korea Exchange, as of 10 a.m. on the 14th, Sands Lab was trading at 6,750 won, up 1,270 won (23.05%) from the previous trading day.At the same time, Raon Secure rose 20.26% to 11,330 won, Dream Security increased by 10.31% to 2,895 won, and Xgate was up 7.16% at 10,718 won.Sands Lab specializes in cyber threat intelligence (CTI), providing services that predict cyber threats by analyzing and utilizing malware.Raon Secure is an AI security and authentication platform company, while Dream Security supplies solutions for PKI authentication, wired security, and wireless security to administrative and public institutions.The surge in cybersecurity-related stocks is attributed to comments made by Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, who identified the cybersecurity market as a key next-generation application for artificial intelligence (AI).During the Goldman Sachs Technology Conference held in San Francisco on the 10th, Huang stated, "Cybersecurity is likely to be the next major application area for AI," adding that as AI models automate programming, the speed of code exploitation and modification will inevitably change the cybersecurity industry.Other global AI leaders echoed Huang's sentiments. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, warned on the 12th that uncontrolled high-performance 'AI agents' could build botnets and take over the internet within 6 to 12 months, calling for enhanced safety verification.Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, Elon Musk, CEO of xAI, and Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, also expressed agreement with Amodei's call for stronger safety measures.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-14 10:16:00
  • LG AI Research Institute Unveils Specialized AI for Manufacturing, Finance, and Science
    LG AI Research Institute Unveils Specialized AI for Manufacturing, Finance, and Science LG AI Research Institute has introduced a specialized 'expert AI' tailored for the manufacturing, finance, and science sectors. This initiative aims to go beyond the competition of general artificial intelligence (AI) models and address complex challenges in industrial settings, thereby enhancing competitiveness.On September 14, LG AI Research Institute held the 'LG AI Talk Concert 2026' at the LG Science Park in Magok, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, where it showcased the expert AI currently being developed and applied in manufacturing, finance, and science, along with its future business strategies.Im Woo-hyung, co-head of LG AI Research Institute, stated in his keynote speech, "While creating good AI models is important, our mission is to solve difficult problems that have long plagued the industry." He added, "There are already numerous general AI models in the world that generate excellent responses, but to solve industrial problems, we need AI that can understand and make judgments based on countless variables and even 1% exceptions." He emphasized that AI must demonstrate tangible results to be recognized for its value in industrial settings.During the event, LG AI Research Institute unveiled expert AI solutions developed over the past six years to address industrial challenges in manufacturing, science, and finance.In the manufacturing sector, they presented 'EXAONE Tabular,' which understands and predicts process conditions and quality information, and 'EXAONE Omni-Inspect,' which can inspect products without needing retraining, even if the process or product appearance changes.Lee Soon-young, head of the Data Intelligence Lab at LG AI Research Institute, and Yoo Jeong-sun from LG Innotek's AX division explained that utilizing industry-specific AI foundation models allows for rapid predictions of process outcomes with minimal on-site data and flexible responses to changing process conditions.Looking ahead, LG AI Research Institute plans to enhance its technology with a 'vision inspection agent' that autonomously performs data sampling, labeling, and model training. Ultimately, they aim to implement an autonomous factory where the entire facility operates as a single intelligent entity, surpassing individual process automation.In the science sector, they introduced 'EXAONE Discovery,' which is designed to predict the outcomes of material design and synthesis. The goal is to establish a system where AI conducts actual experiments, going beyond just design and prediction.They also shared real-world applications, including a collaboration with LG Household & Health Care, where they reviewed 420,000 candidate substances and identified the hair loss treatment 'Rhamsydil' within a day. They are also developing next-generation oral peptide drugs with D&D Pharmatech and expanding the scope of new material discovery with GS Caltex, focusing on materials for next-generation AI data centers.'EXAONE 4.5' has been integrated into the new drug review AI of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. LG AI Research Institute anticipates that AI will contribute to shortening the new drug approval process in the future.In the finance sector, they are expanding their market presence with 'EXAONE Business Intelligence (BI),' which performs data analysis, inference, prediction, and explanation.Lee Hwa-young, head of AI business development at LG AI Research Institute, noted, "We officially launched the finance-specific AI solution EXAONE BI earlier this year, which generates everything from data analysis to inference, prediction, and explanation through collaboration among multiple AI agents. We are expanding our business in the global market with the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) and in the domestic market with Koscom."EXAONE BI incorporates the AI foundation model 'EXAONE Forecast,' which understands information that changes over time. LG AI Research Institute expects the application of explainable and reliable predictive AI in the financial market to expand across various asset classes, including bonds and commodities.As the next step for expert AI, LG AI Research Institute is proposing AI that can make judgments and take actions in the real world. To achieve this, they are developing a 'robot foundation model' that serves as the brain for robots. They are also conducting research and development on proprietary algorithms focused on safety to prevent accidents that may occur during robot operations.Im emphasized, "LG has been enabling AI to understand industrial problems for the past six years, and we are now preparing for AI that can make its own judgments and actions. We are moving toward a future of autonomous factories where the entire facility operates as a single intelligence, based on the robot foundation model."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-14 10:12:20
  • Kim Min-seok Respects Yong Hye-ins Resignation, Emphasizes Public Sentiment
    Kim Min-seok Respects Yong Hye-in's Resignation, Emphasizes Public Sentiment Kim Min-seok, the leader of the Democratic Party, expressed respect on September 14 for Yong Hye-in, a member of the Basic Income Party, who announced her resignation from the position of Minister of Gender Equality and Family. He stated, "Isn't there public sentiment above the law?" In addition, he commented on remarks made by Gyeonggi Governor Choo Mi-ae, who accused President Lee of relying on 'insurrectionist forces' for political support, saying, "I do not consider that a statement from a senior member of the Democratic Party."During an appearance on the Democratic Party's official YouTube channel, Min-seok referenced Yong's claim that holding both a proportional representative position and a ministerial role is not illegal, but added, "As Yong said, it is common sense to relinquish such roles." He emphasized, "The public also had opinions separate from whether it is legal or not. I believe there was a strong possibility of a recommendation for resignation based on the premise that holding both roles is not appropriate. Isn’t there public sentiment above the law?"Min-seok also indicated openness to future collaboration with Yong and the Basic Income Party, stating, "We have established a friendly dialogue regarding the easing of the number of negotiating groups and electoral systems. Given Yong's role, we will actively pursue alliances with the progressive camp."Furthermore, Min-seok addressed Choo's recent sharp remarks regarding the nomination of Kim Ji-yong as the head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency. Choo had previously criticized the president during a memorial service for victims of the democratic movement in Gyeonggi Province, questioning why the government was relying on insurrectionist forces.Min-seok remarked, "I think Choo needs to explain why she made such comments. It is unlikely that people would consider it a typical statement from a senior member of the Democratic Party. If it were a responsible political statement from the Democratic Party or a governor, people would likely find it puzzling."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-14 10:12:10
  • Alatau City draws S. Korean partners ahead of Seoul summit
    Alatau City draws S. Korean partners ahead of Seoul summit SEOUL, September 14 (AJP) - Two South Korean technology firms agreed this month to build a digital model of Alatau City, a Kazakh new town that remains largely empty land, in the latest of a series of Korean commitments to the project ahead of Wednesday's first summit between South Korea and five Central Asian countries. The agreement was signed on September 9 at the World Smart City Expo in Busan by AST Holdings, ILJOO GnS and the Alatau City Authority. The following day, in the same convention center, Korea Overseas Infrastructure and Urban Development Corporation briefed Korean firms on a 330-hectare district it intends to develop at the site. President Lee Jae Myung meets the Kazakh president on Tuesday afternoon during three days of bilateral talks, then hosts the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in Seoul on Wednesday for the first Korea-Central Asia Summit 2026. A business summit drawing about 500 government and corporate officials follows. Alatau City lies 47 kilometers from Almaty and covers 88,000 hectares. The Alatau City Authority (ACA) says it will eventually house 1.87 million residents, a projection that runs a quarter century out. Five anchor plants are operating there now, among them the food manufacturer Mareven Food, the German building materials maker Knauf and the Almaty Fan Plant. PepsiCo is building a $360 million facility expected to employ up to 900 people, and work has started on a Mars Petcare plant. ACA puts the full investment portfolio at 67 projects worth $6.9 billion with the potential to create 55,000 jobs. What has drawn Korean interest, however, is less the construction schedule than the legal regime written around it. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed the Constitutional Law on the Special Legal Regime of Alatau City on May 8. It took effect on July 1, with the remaining provisions phasing in through January and July of next year. The law designates Alatau as the country's first city of accelerated development, granting qualifying investors a single-window approval process and tax incentives of up to 30 years. Special economic zone and free customs zone treatment applies for 50 years from January 1, and work permits for foreign specialists are eased. It also allows the city administration to write regulations on the principles and precedents of English and Welsh law, which Kazakh officials say should make the system read as predictable to foreign investors. And it converted ACA, created last year by presidential decree as a state fund, into a government body. The law further permits companies to run artificial intelligence systems, unmanned aircraft, robotics and connected devices inside Alatau under rules that apply nowhere else in Kazakhstan. That provision matters to a sector with almost nowhere to operate. Urban air mobility, the industry built around small electric aircraft carrying passengers across cities, cannot launch on aircraft alone. It needs certification rules, reserved airspace, low-altitude traffic management and landing infrastructure, almost none of which exists in any country. ACA said it is exploring cooperation with Korea Airports Corporation on that set of problems, and that Kazakhstan and South Korea have agreed to keep consulting on company participation in the sector. Only one Korean-linked project at the site has broken ground. A cultural and industrial complex branded K-Park began construction in September last year, led by Kazakhstan's investment agency and the Kazakh conglomerate Caspian Group, which called it the first execution model of the wider city project. The rest remain memoranda, concepts or pilots. The digital twin signed on September 9 is among them. A digital twin is a live software model of a physical place, fed by sensors, used to run utilities and traffic from a single system. In an established metropolis, building one means stitching together decades of incompatible legacy systems. In Alatau the data architecture can be designed alongside the pipes and the roads. AST Holdings chief executive Lee Dong-woo said the city allows digital technology to be built into urban design and operation from the outset, Edaily reported. The three parties have not yet fixed the pilot area or the technical scope and plan to settle both in joint working sessions, with artificial intelligence tools for city operations to follow in stages. Neither firm is large. ACA put AST Holdings' revenue last year at 13.83 billion won ($10.3 million) and ILJOO GnS at 15.65 billion won. AST Holdings has built digital twin platforms for Korea Land and Geospatial Informatix Corporation and worked on the government's Digital Twin National Land program, and it is developing digital twins for five Saudi cities with Naver Cloud. ILJOO GnS has worked on Busan Eco Delta City and on digital manufacturing systems for Hyundai plants. The heavier commitment belongs to Korea Overseas Infrastructure and Urban Development Corporation (KIND), the state body created to move Korean construction and urban development firms into overseas markets. KIND signed a memorandum in Astana on December 11 with Kazakhstan's Ministry of Industry and Construction and ACA, with Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev present. In remarks released by KIND, Bozumbayev called Alatau a national project concentrating demand for energy, water, sewerage and waste treatment as well as housing and industrial estates, and said Kazakhstan welcomed "the active participation of Korean companies with extensive infrastructure experience and technology." KIND's planned district, K-Smart Town, covers 330 hectares and provides for 5.3 million square meters of real estate. A development concept has been prepared. KIND presented the work on September 10 at its K-City Network Global Smart City Partnership Forum at BEXCO, alongside a satellite city planned for Tashkent's new airport and a smart city master plan in Lublin, Poland. The stated purpose was to identify Korean companies willing to join demonstration and investment projects. Questions from the floor ran to local incentives, the point at which smaller firms could enter, and how any of it would be financed. One frequently cited Korean link is less settled than it appears. ACA counts the Qazaqstan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, a research university modeled on the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, among Alatau's partnerships, citing an October 2025 agreement involving Kazakhstan's Ministry of Science and Higher Education, KAIST and Alatau City Bank. The project itself dates to 2020 and was formalized by a science and technology memorandum between the two governments in June 2024. Kazakh officials said last year the institute would open in Almaty, with the exact site to be determined by its feasibility study. That study was presented in Astana on July 31, covering the academic model, faculty structure, research priorities and project risks. Two more Korean names appear in ACA's account at the level of intention rather than contract. Doosan Enerbility is under consideration as a partner in Alatau's power infrastructure, with no parameters announced. An agreement to develop a Hyundai Green Food production and logistics complex was announced by the Kazakh government in August. Hyundai Green Food is the catering and food distribution arm of Hyundai Department Store Group and is not part of Hyundai Motor Group. South Korea is not the only country making this argument to Kazakhstan, and it is arriving with smaller numbers attached. The United States signed and announced more than $25 billion in commercial deals at a dealmaking session tied to last year's C5+1 summit, the European Union has put forward an investment package worth 12 billion euros, and Japan has set a target of 3 trillion yen in private-sector projects over five years, Digital Times reported. South Korea's cumulative investment in Kazakhstan through last year stood at $4.38 billion on a declared basis, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. ACA puts the figure far higher, at $11.8 billion since 2005, and says more than 1,000 companies with Korean participation are registered in the country. Two-way trade reached $3.17 billion last year by ACA's count, with Kazakh exports to South Korea still dominated by minerals and metals, the pattern both governments say they want to break. In August, the South Korean government named three priorities for Central Asia: critical minerals and energy supply chains, emerging industries including artificial intelligence and biotechnology, and transport, logistics and human capital. Alatau touches all three, which makes it one place to measure whether Wednesday's summit produces more than signatures. The two sides have met at ministerial level every year since 2007, and Wednesday is the first time their leaders have sat down together. The master plan and feasibility study for K-Smart Town's 330 hectares are due to be completed by the end of this year. 2026-09-14 10:10:56
  • Marines Participate in Indonesias Super Garuda Shield Training
    Marines Participate in Indonesia's 'Super Garuda Shield' Training The Marine Corps announced that from August 31 to September 11, it participated in the '2026 Super Garuda Shield' joint training in the regions of Lampung and Bandung, Indonesia, alongside 15 countries including the United States and Indonesia.According to the Marine Corps on September 14, Super Garuda Shield began in 2007 as a bilateral training between the U.S. and Indonesia and expanded into a multinational joint exercise in 2022. The South Korean Marine Corps sent special reconnaissance teams and infantry units for the second consecutive year after first observing the exercise in 2023.During the first week of training, the troops honed their skills in combat shooting, jungle survival, and small unit combat techniques. In the second week, they organized multinational joint forces to conduct offensive and defensive operations in the jungle, enhancing their joint operational capabilities and interoperability.This year, the Marine Corps also participated for the first time in joint staff training and cyber training. The participating troops developed and coordinated joint operational plans for next year's command post exercise and practiced cyber attack and defense capabilities.Major Kwon Joo-young, the training commander, stated, "We were able to exchange combat techniques with multinational forces and enhance our joint operational capabilities. We will fulfill our mission entrusted by the nation and the people in any environment."Additionally, prior to the main training, the Marine Corps reconnaissance team conducted special operations training with Indonesian amphibious assault units in the Jakarta area from August 18 to 25. The troops from both countries engaged in combat casualty care, close-quarters combat, and joint high-altitude drops. 2026-09-14 10:08:20
  • Jung Cheong-rae: Prosecutors Office Reorganization Plan Not President Lees Intent
    Jung Cheong-rae: Prosecutor's Office Reorganization Plan Not President Lee's Intent 정청래 더불어민주당 의원이 14일 법무부의 공소청 직제개편안과 관련해 "이재명 대통령의 뜻은 아니었다"고 밝혔다. 정 의원은 이날 유튜브 방송 '김어준의 겸손은 힘들다 뉴스공장'에 출연해 "호시탐탐 기득권을 유지하려는 검찰에 의해 대통령이 뒤통수를 맞은 것 아닌가 생각한다"며 이같이 말했다. 정 의원은 "당초 중대범죄수사청(중수청)은 행정안전부, 공소청은 법무부로 협의가 됐고, 민정수석실에서 핸들링해 잘 조정됐다고 하니 대통령도 그렇게 알고 순방을 가셨다"며 "그런데 제 페이스북 등을 보고 다시 확인해 보니 '이건 내 뜻이 아니다'며 수정 지시를 했고, 현재 개선 작업을 하고 있다"고 전했다. 그는 "특별사법경찰이 1만8000명 안팎인데 처음 원안에는 검찰이 지원하고 핸들링하는 형태로 돼 있었는데, 당시 대통령이 다 들어내라고 했다"며 "그런데 이번 공소청 직제안에 특사경 관련 내용을 살려놨다. 그것만 보더라도 이번 직제안이 대통령 뜻이 아니었다는 하나의 예가 될 것"이라고 지적했다. 아울러 "사법통제를 받아야 할 검사들이 적반하장으로 사법통제부라는 이름을 쓰는 것"이라며 "대검에 남아 있는 범죄정보 수집이나 과학수사 부분도 다 없애야 하고, 합동수사라는 이름으로 검찰이 수사에 개입할 수 있는 여지도 삭제해야 한다"고 주장했다. 초대 중수청장 후보자로 지명된 김지용 전 광주고검 차장검사에 대해서는 "심사숙고가 있어야 한다"며 "수사·기소 분리와 검찰개혁에 반대했던 사람이 중수청장으로 오는 게 맞느냐"고 꼬집었다.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-14 10:08:10
  • Samsung to Raise Prices for Galaxy S26 Series Amid Component Costs
    Samsung to Raise Prices for Galaxy S26 Series Amid Component Costs Samsung Electronics is considering raising the retail prices of its Galaxy S26 series, which was launched earlier this year. Following an unusual price increase for some previous models, including the Galaxy S25 Edge, the pressure to raise prices for the latest products is growing. Analysts attribute this to soaring costs for key components, such as memory chips, which are straining smartphone manufacturers' profit margins.According to industry sources on September 14, Samsung is reviewing plans to increase the retail prices for all models in the Galaxy S26 series. In the telecommunications sector, there are discussions that the base model of the S26, with 256 gigabytes (GB) of storage, could rise from the current 1,254,000 won to around 1,400,000 won. The S26 Plus may see a price adjustment from 1,452,000 won to about 1,600,000 won, while the Ultra model could increase from 1,797,400 won to over 1,940,000 won.Earlier in April, Samsung had already raised the prices of some flagship products by 100,000 to 200,000 won. The price of the Galaxy S25 Edge with 512GB increased from 1,639,000 won to 1,749,000 won, while the Galaxy Z Fold7 with 1TB saw a jump from 2,933,700 won to 3,127,300 won, an increase of 193,600 won. The Fold7 and Flip7 models with 512GB also experienced price hikes of 94,600 won each.Notably, the price increase for the S25 Edge occurred after the release of its successor, the S26 series, which is unusual. Typically, when a new smartphone is released, the previous model's price is lowered to maintain its competitiveness. However, in this case, Samsung has raised the prices of some previous models as well. At that time, Samsung cited rising prices for memory semiconductors and exchange rates as reasons for the price adjustments.The cost pressures from semiconductors are intensifying. According to market research firm TrendForce, the price of general-purpose DRAM rose by approximately 58% to 63% in the second quarter of this year compared to the previous quarter, while NAND flash prices increased by 70%. Additionally, the burden of component prices, including high-performance application processors (AP), has added to the cost pressures. The growing demand for memory capacity and processing power due to expanded AI functionalities in smartphones is also increasing manufacturers' cost burdens.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-14 10:08:00
  • Yen Strengthens Amid Fed Rate Hike Concerns; Won-Dollar Exchange Rate at 1340s
    Yen Strengthens Amid Fed Rate Hike Concerns; Won-Dollar Exchange Rate at 1340s The won-dollar exchange rate has slightly decreased, fluctuating in the 1340s.As of 9:52 a.m. on the 14th, the exchange rate in the Seoul foreign exchange market is 1,344.6 won per U.S. dollar. Earlier, at 6 a.m., the rate was trading at 1,344.1 won, down 1.8 won from the previous day's closing rate of 3:30 p.m.The strengthening of the yen, in response to concerns over potential interest rate hikes by the U.S. Federal Reserve, is seen as contributing to the rise in the value of the won. At the same time, the dollar index, which measures the value of the dollar against six major currencies, rose 0.06% to 99.18. The yen-dollar exchange rate is trading at 153.65 yen, up 0.14%.On the 11th, international oil prices fell. Brent crude for November delivery dropped 2.81% to $104.61 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for October delivery fell 2.37% to $100.05 per barrel. This marks the first decline in six and nine trading days, respectively.In the domestic stock market, foreign investors are showing a selling trend. Early in the session, foreign investors have net sold 1.5227 trillion won worth of stocks in the securities market.The exchange rate is expected to decline initially due to the yen's strength before rebounding. Min Kyung-won, an economist at Woori Bank, stated, "Amid concerns over Fed rate hikes, the yen's strength triggered by bets on Bank of Japan (BOJ) rate increases is likely to attempt to dip below 1,340 won before rebounding."He added, "With core inflation exceeding expectations, concerns over Fed rate hikes have increased, and in the global foreign exchange market, the BOJ's rate increases are being priced in more aggressively than those of the Fed. It is highly likely that Asian currencies, including the won, will also be influenced by the yen's strength."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-14 10:08:00