[CES 2025] Samsung unveils bold vision for AI-driven smart homes

LAS VEGAS, January 6 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics revealed an ambitious blueprint for the future of smart homes, showcasing its commitment to simplifying daily life through advanced artificial intelligence and seamlessly connected devices. During a high-profile press conference, Han Jong-hee, Samsung’s vice chairman and head of the Device eXperience (DX) division, introduced the company’s “Home AI” vision. The initiative leverages AI technology to learn hous

January 7, 2025

Korean top conglomerates ramp up robotics investment

SEOUL, January 7 (AJP) - South Korea's leading conglomerates Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor Group, and LG Electronics are intensifying their focus on robotics development, marking it as a key growth engine for 2025. According to industry sources on Monday, Samsung Electronics has established a new robotics task force team under direct supervision of its CEO, while securing a 35 percent controlling stake in Korea-based Rainbow Robotics through a 354.5 billion won (US$243 mill

January 7, 2025

As Trump's tariff threats loom, Korea's trade dependency on US draws scrutiny

SEOUL, January 07 (AJP) - As the world braces for Trump’s proposed tariff policies, South Korea’s deepening reliance on trade with the United States is raising concerns. The trend runs counter to a global push to diversify trade relationships, reflecting a divergence that could leave Seoul vulnerable to shifting U.S. policies. Economic observers predict that global trade dynamics in the coming year will hinge on Trump’s policies. In a recent column for the

January 7, 2025

Seven Korean words newly added to latest Oxford English Dictionary

SEOUL, January 7 (AJP) - The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has added seven new Korean words and coinages to its latest edition, including dalgona, a traditional street snack made by melting sugar, as the country's rich cultural heritage is getting more recognized overseas. Other words that made it onto the OED also include noraebang (karaoke), hyung (a boy or man's elder brother) maknae (the youngest member of a group), jjigae (stew), tteokbokki (finger-sized rice cakes si

January 7, 2025

North Korea confirms successful test-launch of hypersonic ballistic missile

SEOUL, January 7 (AJP) - North Korea said on Tuesday that it had successfully test-launched a new intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) equipped with a hypersonic warhead. "The hypersonic glide vehicle of the missile fired northeastward at a launching ground in a suburb of Pyongyang..... accurately landed on the waters of simulated target," the renegade country's state-run Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, confirming its IRBM launch the previous day.

January 7, 2025

Korea's U.S. crude oil imports rise steadily despite premium pricing

SEOUL, January 7 (AJP) - South Korea's crude oil imports from the United States reached a record high in 2024, despite higher prices compared to Middle Eastern sources. According to data from the Korea National Oil Corp. on Monday, U.S. crude imports from January to November 2024 totaled 156.29 million barrels, surpassing the previous year's record of 142.37 million barrels. The import value amounted to $13.33 billion, positioning the United States as the second-largest c

January 7, 2025

Russia may share space technology with North Korea: Blinken

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul (right) and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken hold a press conference after their talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul on Jan. 6, 2025. Yonhap SEOUL, January 6 (AJP) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday Russia may provide advanced space and satellite technology to North Korea in exchange for weapons and other military supplies from Pyongyang. "We have reasons to believe that Moscow intends to share advanced

January 6, 2025

[CES 2025] Samsung, LG, SK to present AI-driven innovations

LAS VEGAS, January 5 (AJP) - South Korea’s leading technology companies are poised to unveil groundbreaking advancements in artificial intelligence at CES 2025, the world’s largest electronics and IT trade show, which kicks off Tuesday here. The four-day event will also serve as a platform for these firms to forge strategic alliances with global tech giants, further cementing their standing in the international arena. As of Sunday (local time), two days before the o

January 6, 2025

[CES 2025] Korean firm to unveil smart glass technology

LAS VEGAS, January 5 (AJP) - KCC Glass, a South Korean glass manufacturer, said Monday that it will unveil technology capable of adjusting transparency using electric currents at CES 2025 in Las Vegas. At the four-day exhibition starting on Tuesday, the Korean firm will showcase its Variable Polarized Liquid Crystal (VPLC) technology. This innovation uses a transparent film attached to the glass, through which electric currents flow to control the transparency based on voltage. Th

January 6, 2025

[CES 2025] Startup consultant highlights human-centered innovation

LAS VEGAS, January 05 (AJP) - A startup consultant emphasized the significance of health tech and human-centered innovation, noting that technologies and products blending these two elements will profoundly transform people’s lives in the future. In an interview with AJP at CES Unveiled, a preview event for CES 2025 held in Las Vegas on Jan. 5 (local time), Sam Ha, a professor at UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, advocated for technological advancements that address real

January 6, 2025