SK Innovation targets global market with battery recycling tech

SK Innovation is set to enter the global battery recycling market with its proprietary Battery Metal Recycling (BMR) technology. The company announced on Wednesday that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with U.S. engineering firm KBR at the Fastmarkets Conference in Portugal. Under the agreement, KBR will combine its crystallization technology with SK Innovation's BMR technology for global sales, generating royalty revenue for SK Innovation. KBR, with about 34

September 17, 2025

[K-Tech] South Korean food technology company bets on chocolate without cocoa

SEOUL, September 15 (AJP) - On a recent afternoon, oval-shaped chocolate balls sat neatly on a platter at HN Novatech's research center. Their glossy shells promised indulgence, and the first bite delivered a familiar rush: creamy tartness followed by a flood of chocolate flavor. What the confection lacked was the very ingredient that defines chocolate. Instead of cacao, the morsels were made largely from plants like perilla seeds, almonds and coconuts — engineered to mimi

September 15, 2025

Shadow device attack adds to Korea's cybersecurity scare

SEOUL, September 11 (AJP) - South Korea, an ICT powerhouse, is again confronting the perils of ever-evolving cyber threats, with the latest breach involving what appeared to be a benign device designed to boost mobile coverage. KT Corp., one of the nation's major wireless carriers, estimates losses of around 170 million won ($122,305) after unauthorized micro-payments were routed through rogue micro base stations. Reports of fraudulent transactions surfaced on Aug. 26, with a

September 11, 2025

Hyundai Motor unveils compact electric concept car

SEOUL, September 09 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor Company introduced its first compact electric vehicle concept under its Ioniq brand on Tuesday, signaling the automaker’s move into smaller car segments as it broadens its electric lineup. The vehicle, called the “Concept Three,” debuted at the IAA Mobility 2025 show in Munich, Europe’s largest auto fair. It marks Hyundai’s entry into the compact electric market, following the rollout of mid-size and large EVs i

September 9, 2025

KAIST uses quantum computing to design porous materials like LEGO blocks

SEOUL, September 09 (AJP) - The Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) has become the first in the world to apply quantum computing to the design of multivariate porous materials (MTVs), opening the door to new catalysts, membranes, and energy storage materials. MTVs are materials made of molecular building blocks that can be combined in different ways, much like LEGO pieces, to create tailor-made structures. They have potential uses in gas capture, selective

September 9, 2025

KAIST develops new database technology that could make AI agents much smarter

SEOUL, September 08 (AJP) - The Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) has developed a new database system that brings together two types of databases, relational and graph, into a single, more powerful platform, the prestigious institute said Monday. The technology, called "Chimera," is expected to help create AI agents that can think more like humans by understanding not just simple facts but also complex connections between them. Relational databas

September 8, 2025

Joint Korean university team uses magnetic nanohelices to control electron spins at room temperature

SEOUL, September 05 (AJP) - Researchers from Korea University and Seoul National University have created tiny magnetic structures that can control the spin of electrons at room temperature, a breakthrough that could push spintronics — a new kind of electronics — closer to real-world use. The study, led by Professor Kim Young-keun of Korea University and Professor Nam Ki-tae of Seoul National University, was published in Science on September 4, 2025. Their team successful

September 5, 2025

KAIST and LG Energy Solution develop EV battery capable of charging in 12 minutes and driving 800km

SEOUL, September 04 (AJP) - A joint team of researchers in South Korea has developed a powerful new battery that can charge in just 12 minutes and allow electric vehicles to drive up to 800 kilometers on a single charge. This new battery's performance also lasts for over 300,000 kilometers and could help solve some of the biggest problems in the EV industry. The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) said on Thursday that a research team led by Professor K

September 4, 2025

[K-Tech] UNIST develops AI system to spot microscopic assembly defects in seconds

SEOUL, September 02 (AJP) - The Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology said Tuesday it had developed an artificial intelligence-based inspection system that can detect microscopic assembly defects in less than three seconds, a breakthrough that could speed up manufacturing and cut costs across multiple industries. The system, designed by a team led by Professor Jung Im-doo of the university’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, uses a “smart jig” &m

September 2, 2025

KAIST uncovers hidden mechanism in next-generation memory technology

SEOUL, September 02 (AJP) - Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have successfully visualized, for the first time, how tiny particles inside memory devices move and interact when data is written and erased. The discovery could help make future memory chips faster, smaller, and more reliable — a major breakthrough for next-generation computing and artificial intelligence. On September 2, 2025, KAIST announced that two research teams, l

September 2, 2025