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  Samsung Biologics posts record Q1 but faces first-ever strike threat SEOUL, April 22 (AJP) - Samsung Biologics, the world's largest biopharmaceutical contract manufacturer, delivered its strongest-ever quarterly results on Tuesday but faces a looming walkout by its union, casting a shadow over an otherwise buoyant earnings report. Regulatory filings released Wednesday reported that operating profit surged 35 percent year-on-year to 580.8 billion won ($392.7 million), while revenue climbed 26 percent to 1.26 trillion won from the year-earlier qua April 22, 2026
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  South Korea opens World IT Show 2026 with spotlight on physical AI and robotics SEOUL, April 22 (AJP) - South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT on Wednesday opened the World IT Show 2026, a three-day exhibition at COEX showcasing the latest advances in artificial intelligence, robotics and information and communications technology. The event, running through Friday, drew 460 companies and institutions from 17 countries to a 24,800-square-meter exhibition hall under the slogan "Beyond Idea, Into Action: AI moves Reality." Organizers said the show April 22, 2026
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  S. Korean researchers develop DNA molecular computer smaller than two nanometer semiconductors SEOUL, April 22 (AJP) - A research team in South Korea has developed a molecular computer using DNA that is smaller than current two-nanometer semiconductors and can perform calculations while simultaneously storing information. Professor Choi Young-jae and his team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology created a bio-transistor that operates at a scale of 0.34 nanometers, which corresponds to the distance between DNA bases, the research institute said Wednesday. April 22, 2026
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  Sookmyung Women's University researchers identify potential treatment for rare muscle disease SEOUL, April 22 (AJP) - A research team led by Professor Kim Ju-mee at Sookmyung Women's University's Division of Pharmacy has identified a new pathological mechanism for GNE myopathy, a rare muscle disorder, and proposed a potential treatment strategy. By analyzing the genetic pathways of the disease, the team discovered that an existing drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration could be repurposed to restore cellular functions that are impaired by the condition April 22, 2026
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  Kookmin University team demonstrates quantum-secured satellite communication system SEOUL, April 22 (AJP) - A research team led by Professor Lee Ok-yeon at Kookmin University in South Korea has successfully implemented and verified a next-generation security system that combines low Earth orbit satellite communication with quantum-resistant cryptography. Working alongside Arion Communication, the team developed a hybrid structure designed to protect data across both wired and wireless connections. The technology integrates Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) for groun April 22, 2026
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  Severance University Hospital reaches 50,000 robotic surgeries, setting global milestone SEOUL, April 21 (AJP) - Severance University Hospital said Tuesday it has performed 50,000 robot-assisted surgeries, becoming the first single institution in the world to reach the milestone. It comes about 28 months after it hit 40,000 cases, having reached 10,000 in 2013, 20,000 in 2018, and 30,000 in 2021 since pioneering robotic surgery in South Korea in 2005. According to the hospital in Seoul, 12 surgical robots and two training robots are in use, five of which are single April 21, 2026
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  S. Korean scholar pitches trust operating system as algorithms absorb human workflows SEOUL, April 21 (AJP) - Artificial intelligence generated nearly 29 percent of new Python scripts in the United States by early 2025. That metric triggered a silent panic across enterprise software sectors, marking the onset of what industry insiders call the SaaS (software-as-a-service)-pocalypse. Software is no longer just a functional tool waiting for a human click. Machine intelligence is actively moving to absorb complete cognitive workflows, seizing the power of judgment from h April 21, 2026
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  S.Korea bio clinical trials surge in Q1, half near commercialization SEOUL, April 21 (AJP) - South Korea approved more than 50 biopharmaceutical clinical trials in the first quarter of 2026, with late-stage candidates accounting for the majority of the pipeline, according to the Korea Biomedicine Industry Association. The association revealed Tuesday that 53 trials received approval between January and March, averaging about 17.7 approvals per month. Multinational trials dominated the period, comprising about 87 percent of the total, or 46 cases. April 21, 2026
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  South Korean names missing from Forbes' AI 50 list SEOUL, April 20 (AJP) - No South Korean company made Forbes' list of the world's "most promising privately held" companies in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). According to the magazine's "AI 50" list, released last week, U.S. startups dominated the list, with only two from Sweden and one each from Canada and the U.K. No Asian companies were included with none from South Korea. The annual list of top AI companies, now in its eighth year, w April 20, 2026
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  South Korean researchers develop wrinkle-free technology for foldable displays SEOUL, April 20 (AJP) - A research team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has developed a core technology that fundamentally eliminates the wrinkle problem in foldable smartphone displays by redesigning the adhesive areas between the screen and its support plate, the prominent science institute said Monday. According to the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), the new technique ensures that folding stress is distributed across the dev April 20, 2026