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  • JB Financial Group Expands into Indonesia with Acquisition of Local Finance Company
    JB Financial Group Expands into Indonesia with Acquisition of Local Finance Company JB Financial Group has completed key regulatory procedures to enter the Indonesian financial market. The company plans to expand its operations centered on automotive financing through a local finance company and to launch specialized services such as financing for electric bicycles.On September 7, JB Financial Group announced that it received approval from the Indonesian Financial Services Authority (OJK) for the change of major shareholders in PT KB Bukopin Finance, a local finance company.Previously, JB Woori Capital signed a stock purchase agreement in July of last year to acquire an 85% stake in KB Bukopin Finance for approximately 29 billion won from KB Kookmin Bank's Indonesian subsidiary, PT Bank KB Indonesia Tbk (KBI).Established in 1983, KB Bukopin Finance specializes in corporate financing and working capital loans. As of the end of last year, it operated its headquarters in Jakarta and eight branches, with total assets amounting to 11.604 trillion rupiah (approximately 928 million won), a 78.7% increase from the previous year. The company reported a net profit of 19.131 billion rupiah (about 1.5 million won).JB Financial plans to leverage JB Woori Capital's automotive financing, corporate financing, credit evaluation, and risk management capabilities to expand its business in the region.In particular, the company aims to develop financing for electric bicycles as a new growth area. Once the acquisition process is finalized, JB Financial will also complete its investment in the Indonesian subsidiary of AI-based fintech company Aigen Global, with which it signed a new share subscription agreement last year, and will begin collaboration.Kim Ki-hong, Chairman of JB Financial Group, stated, "This acquisition marks a significant turning point for JB Financial Group in establishing a long-term growth foundation in Indonesia. We will combine JB Woori Capital's lending and risk management capabilities with Aigen Global's data-driven mobility expertise to create a differentiated local business model."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-07 10:24:00
  • Suwon City Honors Seven Small Business Leaders, Including Nubo CEO Kim Chang-kyun
    Suwon City Honors Seven Small Business Leaders, Including Nubo CEO Kim Chang-kyun The city of Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, announced on September 7 that it has selected the winners of the 12th Suwon City Small Business Awards.This award recognizes small business leaders who have contributed to the local economy through technological development, productivity improvement, and increased exports, thereby enhancing the competitiveness and status of Suwon.In June, candidates were recruited, with 18 business leaders applying. After a document review (quantitative evaluation) and an evaluation by the judging committee (qualitative evaluation), the awardees were selected. The Grand Prize went to Kim Chang-kyun, CEO of Nubo Co., Ltd.In various categories, the following leaders were recognized: - Management Innovation: Kim Dong-bae, CEO of SCA - Technological Development: Lee Sun-hwi, CEO of Future Main Co., Ltd. - Export Promotion: Park Ji-soo, CEO of Eleven Electronics Co., Ltd. - Startups and Ventures: Lee Nam-hee, CEO of Hypernology Co., Ltd. - Job Creation: Seong Chang-hwa, CEO of System & Solution - Labor-Management Harmony: Moon Sang-cheol, CEO of Hope Nest Cooperative.The awards will be presented at the 4th Suwon City Business Day event, scheduled for October 20 at the Suwon Convention Center. Awardees will receive a plaque for the Suwon City Small Business Awards and a certificate from the mayor of Suwon.The winning companies will be recognized as 'Excellent Companies of Suwon City' for three years and will receive additional points when applying for Suwon's trade policies, including participation in overseas fairs. Other benefits include preferential treatment for small business support funds (interest rate increase from 2% to 2.5%), priority in small business support measures, and a three-year exemption from tax audits if there are no local tax delinquencies at the time of selection.The city is focusing on initiatives that enhance industrial competitiveness to designate the Suwon Economic Free Zone and develop a high-tech research city. 2026-09-07 10:24:00
  • Huawei Claims to Solve Heat Issue in Tao Chip, Plans 3nm Release Soon
    Huawei Claims to Solve Heat Issue in 'Tao Chip,' Plans 3nm Release Soon Huawei, a major Chinese IT company, has announced that it has resolved the critical heat issue identified in its 'Law of Tao' presented in May.Due to U.S. sanctions preventing the import of essential semiconductor manufacturing equipment like EUV (extreme ultraviolet) lithography machines, Huawei has stated its vision to produce 1.4nm performance semiconductors within five years using the Law of Tao. This law aims to increase chip density by applying logic folding design without reducing circuit line width. However, concerns were raised that this design could lead to heat generation issues.He Tingbo, president of Huawei's semiconductor division, posted a revised paper related to the Law of Tao on the ChinaXiv preprint platform under the Chinese Academy of Sciences on September 4, as reported by Shanghai Securities News on the 7th. He had previously published the first paper on May 25 and a second revised version in July, marking this as the third revision within four months.The paper focuses on the impact of logic folding technology on chip power consumption and heat generation, presenting empirical data from the 'Kirin 2026' chip. Conventional wisdom suggests that stacking more active transistors vertically increases power density, leading to greater heat burden. However, the paper indicates that the test results for Kirin 2026 show that an increase in transistor density does not necessarily correlate with higher power consumption.According to the paper, the Kirin 2026 features a 55% increase in transistor density, yet power consumption for the neural processing unit (NPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), and central processing unit (CPU) performance cores decreased by 66%, 58%, and 41%, respectively, under the same performance conditions.He explained that most of the chip's energy consumption occurs not during the computational processes of the transistors but during the transmission of data and signals within the chip. Logic folding reduces the signal transmission path by converting long horizontal wiring into shorter vertical connections, thereby lowering interconnect capacitance and energy consumption. However, the paper also notes that the adoption of logic folding does not guarantee low power consumption.The first chip to utilize Huawei's logic folding technology is the Kirin 2026. This chip applies logic folding by expanding the traditional 2D logic design into a two-layer structure. The Kirin 2026 is expected to be featured in Huawei's flagship Mate 90 series smartphones, set to launch this fall. Although the Kirin 2026 is manufactured using a 7nm process, there are predictions that its performance will rival that of 3nm chips.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-07 10:20:00
  • HK Inno.Ns K-Cab Becomes First Oral Drug to Receive Global EPD Certification
    HK Inno.N's K-Cab Becomes First Oral Drug to Receive Global EPD Certification HK Inno.N announced that its gastroesophageal reflux disease treatment, 'K-Cab 50mg,' has become the world's first oral drug to receive Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) certification on September 7. EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) is a system that quantifies the environmental impact of a product throughout its entire lifecycle—from raw material production to manufacturing, packaging, and distribution—according to international standards, and is verified by a third party. It is often referred to as a 'product's environmental ID.' The EPD for K-Cab 50mg was registered in June this year on the internationally recognized platform 'EPD-Global.' Prior to registration, the International Green Sustainability Certification (IGSC) conducted independent verification in accordance with ISO 14025 standards. HK Inno.N completed a life cycle assessment (LCA) following ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards. The assessment scope includes the manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients, as well as the production, packaging, and distribution of the finished drug. However, it excludes the patient consumption phase and disposal process. The pharmaceutical and biotech industries have faced challenges in implementing EPDs due to the lack of certified environmental assessment guidelines specific to pharmaceuticals. In November of last year, the British Standards Institution (BSI) published the international standard PCR (Product Category Rules) for pharmaceutical environmental assessments, 'PAS 2090:2025,' establishing relevant criteria. HK Inno.N explained that it secured the EPD for K-Cab based on these guidelines. The company emphasized that obtaining this EPD allows it to present verified environmental information for its products to global customers and buyers in markets such as Latin America and Asia. This achievement provides reliable data in a global market where standards for calculating carbon emissions across the supply chain (Scope 3) and environmental audits have become more stringent. A representative from HK Inno.N stated, "We plan to expand environmental assessments for our key products in the future to enhance the environmental information management system across our product portfolio." Meanwhile, HK Inno.N's 'K-Cab' was launched in South Korea in 2019 as a P-CAB class treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease and has maintained the top position in the domestic market for digestive ulcer medications for six consecutive years. According to industry reports, K-Cab achieved 120 billion won in external prescription sales in the first half of this year. In April alone, it recorded 20.8 billion won, ranking first among all pharmaceuticals tracked by the market research firm UBIST.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-07 10:16:00
  • Samsung Life Launches AI Role-Playing Service for Consultant Training
    Samsung Life Launches AI Role-Playing Service for Consultant Training Samsung Life is set to introduce an insurance consultant training service utilizing artificial intelligence (AI).The company announced on September 7 that it will launch the 'AI Role-Playing Service' in mid-September.This service operates by having an AI digital human take on the role of a virtual customer, engaging in conversations with consultants. A key feature is the ability to conduct repetitive training sessions. The service was designated as an innovative financial service utilizing generative AI by the Financial Services Commission in July.When consultants select customer types and consultation scenarios, the AI generates conversations tailored to those situations.The service also incorporates a large language model (LLM) based on insurance expertise, allowing for dialogues that flow according to questions and responses, mimicking real customer consultations.Samsung Life plans to use this service for product and consultation training for all consultants, including new hires, aiming to enhance the expertise of individual consultants and improve the quality of consultation services provided to customers.A Samsung Life representative stated, “The AI Role-Playing Service is an example of implementing innovative technology in insurance sales through collaboration with outstanding startups. We will continue to expand partnerships with excellent companies to enhance the service quality experienced by our customers.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-07 10:12:10
  • Mokpo Coast Guard Enforces Life Jacket Regulations, Citing 32 Violations
    Mokpo Coast Guard Enforces Life Jacket Regulations, Citing 32 Violations With the enforcement of stricter life jacket regulations for fishing vessel crew, the Mokpo Coast Guard has identified 32 individuals for failing to wear them during a month-long crackdown.The Mokpo Coast Guard reported on September 7 that it detected a total of 19 violations involving 32 individuals who did not wear life jackets during inspections at fishing sites throughout August.This enforcement action follows the recent amendment to the 'Fishing Vessel Safety Operations Act,' which has strengthened the requirement for crew members to wear life jackets.To minimize confusion following the regulatory changes, the Mokpo Coast Guard conducted a month-long promotional and guidance period in July before initiating enforcement. During this time, they informed fishing vessels and crew about the life jacket requirements, issuing 47 warnings to 80 individuals.Starting in August, the Coast Guard shifted to actual enforcement, resulting in the identification of 19 violations involving 32 individuals who were not wearing life jackets.The fines for not wearing a life jacket can be significant. Penalties range from 900,000 won for the first offense, 1.5 million won for the second, and up to 3 million won for the third offense.Wearing a life jacket is crucial for safety at sea, as immediate rescue is often more challenging than on land in the event of an accident. The Mokpo Coast Guard plans to continue encouraging fishermen and crew members to adopt life jacket use as a standard practice.Park Hye-ryang, head of the Mokpo Coast Guard's Marine Safety Division, stated, "Wearing a life jacket is the most fundamental safety rule for protecting one's life at sea. I urge all fishermen and crew members to wear life jackets to ensure safe fishing activities."Additionally, the Mokpo Coast Guard intends to maintain ongoing promotions and inspections to ensure that the life jacket requirement is firmly established in the field. They will continue safety management activities to help crew members familiarize themselves with the regulations and make life jacket use a habit.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-07 10:12:00
  • Over 6,500 Students to Gather in Gurye for Sports and Culture Festival
    Over 6,500 Students to Gather in Gurye for Sports and Culture Festival More than 6,500 students from Jeonnam will gather in Gurye to compete in sports and experience various cultural and career programs during a festival.The Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Office of Education announced on September 7 that the '2026 Jeonnam Student Sports and Culture Festival' will take place in Gurye County from September 11 to 19.This festival will center around the 20th Education Superintendent's School Sports Club Competition, combining sports and cultural experiences to allow students to learn the values of challenge and cooperation beyond competition.A total of 6,583 students from 22 cities and counties in Jeonnam will participate in the school sports club competition.The events will include a variety of sports, such as soccer, basketball, volleyball, badminton, and dodgeball, as well as less common activities like kin-ball, flying disc, sports stacking, cheerleading, Go, and park golf, totaling 26 events where schools and localities will compete for honor.In addition to the sports competitions, experiential programs will be offered to encourage student participation and enjoyment.On September 17 and 18, a 'Cultural Experience Booth' will be set up at the Gurye Indoor Gymnasium and Gurye Public Stadium.Students will have the opportunity to engage in VR sports, AI Go, golf swing and putting, rocket bowling, shooting and AR experiences, sports taping, and making sports pendants.Moreover, programs related to career exploration, such as hair and makeup, nail beauty, baking, and barista skills, will also be available to broaden student participation.Local schools and educational and sports institutions will contribute to the event. Jeonnam Beauty High School, Samgye Busa High School, Hwasun Invention Education Center, Mokpo University Department of Physical Education, Korea Go High School, Dahyang High School, Hampyeong Golf High School, and the Jeonnam Sports Science Center will all participate in running the experiential programs.Given the large number of students involved, the education office is prioritizing safety management. They plan to designate event coordinators for each sport and ensure medical personnel and ambulances are available at each venue to prepare for emergencies.Gu Yong-hyuk, head of the Physical Education and Health Division, stated, “This Jeonnam Student Sports and Culture Festival is not just a competition for the best students, but a celebration where all students can enjoy sports and support each other's challenges while growing together. We aim to create an educational environment where every student can enjoy sports and cultural arts and grow healthily.”This year's festival will target students from 22 cities and counties in Jeonnam, but starting next year, it will expand to include students from both Jeonnam and Gwangju in a joint sports and culture festival. The education office plans to enhance school sports clubs as educational activities that promote not only physical fitness but also teamwork and community spirit.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-07 10:08:00
  • Gwangjus Seafood Processing Revenue Reaches Record 2.6397 Trillion Won
    Gwangju's Seafood Processing Revenue Reaches Record 2.6397 Trillion Won Gwangju's seafood processing revenue surpassed 2.6 trillion won last year, marking a record high. Notably, the growth of seaweed products was prominent, with Mokpo recording the highest revenue among regions.According to Gwangju's seafood processing industry statistics released on September 7, 2025, the total revenue from seafood processing reached 2.6397 trillion won, an increase of 181.5 billion won (7.4%) from the previous year's 2.4582 trillion won.Since recording 1.5235 trillion won in 2020, Gwangju has maintained its position as the top producer in the country for six consecutive years. Last year, Gwangju accounted for 29.8% of the national seafood processing revenue, which totaled 8.867 trillion won.The main driver of revenue growth was seaweed. The revenue from dried seaweed reached 1.2413 trillion won, an increase of 203.1 billion won (20%) from the previous year, while seasoned seaweed saw revenue rise to 564.8 billion won, up 116.3 billion won (26%). The combined increase from these two products alone amounted to 319.4 billion won.Despite a decrease in revenue from some products like sea mustard, squid, and kelp, the overall performance improved due to the growth of the seaweed processing industry.Although the total production volume of seafood processing decreased by 1% to 233,000 tons due to high temperatures, the revenue reached an all-time high. The increase in revenue from high-value products like seaweed helped boost overall performance.Following seaweed, the revenue from Pacific saury was recorded at 198.4 billion won, with sea mustard at 95.8 billion won and tuna at 86.8 billion won.By city and county, Mokpo led with 544.1 billion won, accounting for 21% of the total. Haenam followed with 457.7 billion won (17%), and Goheung with 340.9 billion won (13%).In terms of production volume, Goheung topped the list with 68,000 tons, making up 29% of the total. Mokpo produced 34,000 tons (15%), while Wando recorded 24,000 tons (10%). Mokpo's revenue share was notably higher than its production volume ranking, highlighting the added value of its seafood processing industry.Son Yeong-gon, head of the seafood distribution and processing division in Gwangju, stated, “Despite challenging conditions such as high temperatures, the revenue from local seafood processing products, centered around seaweed, has reached a record high. We will continue to expand related infrastructure to develop Gwangju as a hub for K-seafood production and export.”Meanwhile, Gwangju plans to promote the growth of K-seaweed across the seafood sector by establishing seafood export complexes, building large-scale logistics centers, and expanding processing facilities. The aim is to transition from a production-focused seafood industry to a high-value industry that integrates processing, logistics, and exports, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of local seafood products both domestically and internationally.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-07 10:04:00
  • Korean Won Falls to 1330s Against US Dollar for First Time in Nearly Two Years
    Korean Won Falls to 1330s Against US Dollar for First Time in Nearly Two Years The won-dollar exchange rate has dropped to the 1330s for the first time in 1 year and 11 months.As of 9:34 a.m. on September 7 in the Seoul foreign exchange market, the exchange rate stands at 1,339.5 won against the U.S. dollar. This marks the lowest level since October 4, 2024, when it was 1,331.3 won.At 6 a.m. the same day, the exchange rate was trading at 1,350.1 won, down 0.3 won from the previous trading day's closing price of 3:30 p.m.At the same time, the dollar index, which measures the value of the dollar against six major currencies, recorded a decrease of 0.08 to 99.10.The decline in the exchange rate, despite the dollar's upward trend, is attributed to foreign investors' net buying in the domestic stock market. In the early trading session, foreign investors have purchased 669.8 billion won in the securities market.However, the exchange rate is expected to rise due to stronger-than-expected new job numbers in the U.S. for August, which have increased the likelihood of interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve.Min Kyung-won, an economist at Woori Bank, stated, "Concerns about a surprise rate hike by the Fed in September are growing, and as the dollar index rises against major currencies, it is likely to put a brake on the won's strength. From a supply-demand perspective, the need for low-priced purchases by importers who need to remit payment mid-month and the demand for currency exchange for residents investing in overseas stocks will lead to an increase in the exchange rate."He added, "However, the influx of selling from exporters may support the upper limit of the exchange rate, and if concerns about further declines in the exchange rate lead to an influx of corporate negotiation volumes in the form of chasing sales, it may open the door for additional short-term declines in the exchange rate."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-07 10:04:00
  • LG Electronics Shares Surge Over 10% on Robot Actuator Contract Hopes
    LG Electronics Shares Surge Over 10% on Robot Actuator Contract Hopes LG Electronics' stock price has surged over 10% in early trading amid expectations of securing contracts for robot actuators from major global tech companies.As of 9:56 a.m. on September 7, LG Electronics shares were trading at 222,000 won, up 10.17% (25,000 won) from the previous trading day. At one point, the stock rose as much as 10.42% to 222,500 won.The increase in stock price is attributed to reports that LG Electronics is in discussions with multiple global tech giants regarding orders for robot actuators. Actuators are key components that combine motors and gear reducers to precisely control the movements of robots, functioning similarly to human joints.Baek Seung-tae, head of LG Electronics' HS Business Division, stated during a media briefing for 'IFA 2026' in Berlin on September 5 that the company is actively pursuing orders for actuators with several big tech firms. He mentioned that meetings are scheduled for October to discuss production preparations and technical aspects with a specific company.He expressed a desire to announce contract wins as soon as possible next month. While specific clients and contract sizes were not disclosed, the discussions with major tech companies have sparked optimism among investors that these talks could lead to actual contracts.Leveraging its motor technology accumulated in the home appliance sector, LG Electronics is developing actuators as a new growth driver in the business-to-business (B2B) market. Earlier this year, at the 'CES 2026', the company unveiled its robot actuator brand 'LG AXIUM', marking a significant step in targeting this market.Given LG Electronics' long history of developing and manufacturing motors for appliances such as washing machines, air conditioners, and refrigerators, the company is positioning its existing technology and production capabilities as a competitive advantage in the robot parts business. Currently, the company is producing initial quantities of actuators at its Changwon plant and preparing to meet future customer demand.The market is closely watching the upcoming meetings with big tech companies next month to see if they will result in actual contract wins. If successful, this could mark a significant expansion of LG Electronics' robot business and increase the proportion of its B2B operations within its appliance-focused business structure.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-07 10:04:00