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Industry

LG hosts global IT competition for youth with disabilities in Manila SEOUL, November 08 (AJP) - LG Electronics concluded its six-day Global IT Challenge for disabled youth Friday in Manila, drawing 104 participants from 16 countries to compete in six categories, including generative AI skills. Nur Zulzahirah Binti Mohd Anwar, 16, a hearing-impaired contestant from Malaysia, won the overall championship. "This was my first time participating in GITC, and I'm surprised and honored to be selected as a global IT leader," she said. She e November 8, 2024
South Korea posts $11.1 billion current account surplus in September SEOUL, November 7 (AJP) - South Korea's current account surplus reached 15.58 trillion won (US$11.1 billion) in September, marking its fifth consecutive month in the black, driven by robust exports, the Bank of Korea said on Thursday. The surplus was nearly double the $6.52 billion recorded in August and stands as the third-largest September figure on record. Outbound shipments rose 9.9 percent from a year earlier to $61.67 billion, extending gains for the 12th straight month November 7, 2024
OPINION: South Korea's data center industry: growth and challenges amid power supply and regulatory pressures SEOUL, November 7 (AJP) - The data center market influencers of technological advancements, such as implementation of cloud computing, deployment of 5G networks, government digitalization initiatives and increasing mobile and internet penetration, have significantly accelerated the demand for data centers. Asia is slower to experience the growth of AI adoption alongside generative AI when compared to the US, but the impending demand for increased data center capacities continues to exi November 7, 2024
South Korea braces for trade headwinds as Trump returns to power SEOUL, November 6 (AJP) - With his strong protectionist and America-first policies, Donald Trump’s likely return to the U.S. presidency is expected to exert mounting pressure on South Korea's export-driven economy. The former president has floated the idea of universal tariffs of 10 to 20 percent on goods from all other countries, and a 60 percent punitive tariff on Chinese imports. Former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has recently warned his policies could be “cata November 6, 2024
Financial watchdog suspends Korea Zinc's rights offering SEOUL, November 6 (AJP) - Korea's financial watchdog on Wednesday blocked Korea Zinc’s rights offering plan amid a battle over control of the world’s largest zinc smelter. The company announced on Oct. 30 it will issue new shares worth 2.5 trillion won ($1.81 billion), apparently to fend off a takeover bid from its largest shareholder, Young Poong, and MBK Partners. The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) ordered Korea Zinc to correct its securities report submitt November 6, 2024
BBQ Chicken to enter Indian market SEOUL, November 6 (AJP) - Genesis BBQ, a major Korean chicken franchise, has signed a master franchise agreement (MFA) with India's Baramati Agro to enter the Indian market, the company said on Wednesday. Baramati Agro, established in 1988, operates across poultry processing, sugar production, retail, and agricultural product exports sectors, with nationwide logistics capabilities and raw material supply chains across India. "India's large youth population and signif November 6, 2024
Coupang posts record Q3 revenue, operating profit up 29% SEOUL, November 06 (AJP) - South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang reported on Wednesday an operating profit of 148.1 billion won ($110.9 million) in the third quarter, up 29 percent from a year earlier, while achieving record quarterly revenue of 10.69 trillion won ($7.87 billion), a 32 percent increase. The company's core product commerce segment, including Rocket Delivery and Fresh, generated revenue of 9.37 trillion won, up 20 percent year-on-year, while growth initiatives inc November 6, 2024
Korean firms lose ground in global EV battery race SEOUL, November 6 (AJP) - Despite slowing electric vehicle demand, global battery usage for EVs continued its upward trajectory this year, data showed Wednesday. The latest statistics from SNE Research, a Korean energy market research firm, also showed that South Korean manufacturers slightly lost ground to their Chinese rivals in the market. Total battery usage for all-electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid vehicles reached 599 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in the first nine months of 202 November 6, 2024
Korea fines Meta $15.6 million for privacy breach SEOUL, November 5 (AJP) - U.S. social media giant Meta Platforms has been fined 21.6 billion won (US$15.6 million) for collecting sensitive personal information of about 980,000 Facebook users without consent, the South Korean cyber watchdog said on Tuesday. The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) found that Meta had gathered and shared data on users' religious beliefs, political views and sexual orientation with around 4,000 advertisers. The data was collected November 5, 2024
Hyundai E&C signs Bulgaria nuclear plant design contract SEOUL, November 5 (AJP) – Hyundai Engineering & Construction signed a 20 trillion won (US$14.5 billion) contract on Monday to design two nuclear reactors in Bulgaria, partnering with U.S.-based Westinghouse. The project will add two 2,200-megawatt Westinghouse AP1000 reactors to Bulgaria's Kozloduy nuclear plant located 200 kilometers north of Sofia. The plant currently operates two Russian-designed units. Construction is scheduled for completion in 2035, with the m November 5, 2024