LG Electronics acquires Dutch smart home platform to lead AI home era

SEOUL, July 3 (AJU PRESS) - LG Electronics said Wednesday it has recently purchased an 80 percent stake in Athom, a Dutch smart home platform company. The acquisition aims to combine Athom's open smart home ecosystem with LG's artificial intelligence-powered appliances and generative AI to create an "AI Home" experience. LG also signed to acquire the remaining 20 percent within three years. Athom's Homey Pro hub connects over 50,000 appliances and Interne

July 3, 2024

Samsung TV Plus introduces channel on panda family

SEOUL, July 03 (AJU PRESS) - Samsung TV Plus is launching a new Bao Family channel, featuring content from Everland's YouTube series "Talking Zoo Puppa TV." The channel, set to air on Wednesday, will showcase the daily lives of Everland Panda World's mascots: Le Bao, Ai Bao, Fu Bao, Rui Bao, and Hui Bao. Viewers can enjoy programs such as "Grandpop's POV (Point of View)," which focuses on zookeeper Kang Chul-won's interactions with Fu Bao, and

July 3, 2024

Virtual artist Suvi to debut with dance single 'Suncream'

SEOUL, July 3 (AJU PRESS) - Suvi, a virtual artist created by Korean tech startup Studio Meta-K, will debut with the single "Suncream" on July 11. In this dance track, the 22-year-old digital being tells the story of a mermaid coming ashore in search of love but falling for summer instead. A teaser music video for the song will be released on Sunday. Suvi is a member of Studio MetaK's virtual artist group "Season." Standing at 170 centimeters (5'7"

July 3, 2024

Korean researchers develop mass-producible large transparent screens

SEOUL, July 3 (AJU PRESS) - The Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM) has successfully commercialized a 100-inch nano transparent screen that can be mass-produced at a fraction of the cost of existing technologies. The innovation, developed in collaboration with Meta2People, allows for adjustable transparency based on ambient lighting and image information. The new screens utilize titanium dioxide nanoparticles dispersed within a film as thin as a human hair. When c

July 3, 2024

Lotte Biologics breaks ground on new biopharmaceutical plant in Songdo

SEOUL, July 3 (AJU PRESS) - Lotte Biologics Co., a Korean contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), began construction of a new biopharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Songdo, Incheon, on Wednesday. The facility, slated for completion in the first quarter of 2026, will have a production capacity of 120,000 liters of biomedicines. The company plans to build two additional plants of similar scale at the Songdo campus, aiming to establish a total production capacity

July 3, 2024

Opinion: The far-right has surged to the lead in France's elections. But forming government remains tall order

SEOUL, July 3 (AJU PRESS) - Exit polls after the first round of the French legislative elections indicate the far-right National Rally party leading with about 34 percent of the vote. The New Popular Front (a coalition of parties from the far left to the moderate left) was in second with about 28 percent and President Emmanuel Macron's centrist coalition was a distant third with about 20 percent. This is by far the largest amount of votes the far right has received in legislativ

July 3, 2024

CEO of Korea's top food delivery service app resigns

SEOUL, July 2 (AJU PRESS) - Lee Kuk-hwan, CEO of Woowa Brothers, the operator of Korea's top food delivery service app Baedal Minjok (Baemin), resigned on Tuesday for “personal reasons.” Woowa Brothers, owned by Germany’s Delivery Hero, appointed Pieter-Jan Vandepitte as interim CEO through a board meeting on the same day. The Belgian director will serve in this role until the new CEO is officially appointed, possibly next month. Industry sources said there

July 2, 2024

Korea sees consumer prices slow to 11-month low in June

SEOUL, July 2 (AJU PRESS) - Korea's consumer price index, a key indicator of consumer sentiment, stood at 113.83 in June, up 2.4 percent from a year earlier, according to Statistics Korea. But the figure was the lowest over the past 11 months. The pace of increase has remained below three percent for the third consecutive month. The rise in consumer prices in June was driven primarily by higher prices for fresh agricultural produce. Seasonal fruits were particularly sharp i

July 2, 2024

Vietnamese PM discusses enhanced cooperation during meetings with Samsung, Hyundai chiefs

SEOUL, July 2 (AJU PRESS) - Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has met with the heads of major Korean business groups to discuss expanded investment and cooperation. Chinh arrived in Seoul on Sunday for a four-day visit aimed at strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries. The premier met with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong in Seoul on Tuesday and Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun on Monday. During the meeting, Lee emphasized the imp

July 2, 2024

PHOTOS: Korea, Canada connect through friendly hockey tournament

SEOUL, July 2 (AJU PRESS) - Korean and Canadian players faced off against each other at a hockey tournament in central Seoul on Monday. Hosted by the Embassy of Canada to Korea, the friendly tournament was part of celebrations for the 157th anniversary of the country's founding, also called Canada Day. Despite a valiant effort, the Korean team fell short to the host who emerged victorious.

July 2, 2024