With a view to enhance the efficiency of public services, the government said Tuesday citizens will soon be able to store digital versions of their important documents, including identification cards, in smartphones for verification.　During a joint press briefing in Seoul, the Ministry of Interior and Safety and other related agencies announced extensive plans for the digital transformation. The government pledged to use advanced technology in improving its public services and social welfare pr

Industry Oct. 29, 2019

South Korea’s biggest mobile carrier SK Telecom and the country’s largest chatting app operator Kakao said Monday they will enhance business partnership by exchanging stakes with one another. According to the two companies, SKT will sell 300 billion won ($256 million) of its shares to Kakao and the internet company will issue new shares to the telecom firm. The exchange will allow SKT to secure a 2.5 percent stake in Kakao, while Kakao will obtain a 1.6 percent stake in SKT.The share

Technology Oct. 28, 2019

South Korean internet company Naver said Monday its advanced robot technology would be incorporated into the operation of the tech giant’s second headquarters scheduled to be built by 2021. During its developer conference Deview 2019 in Seoul, Naver’s leadership announced a specific construction plan for its new business complex. The building will be located right next to Naver’s first headquarters, Green Factory, in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province.In what Naver described the world&

Technology Oct. 28, 2019

South Korea’s major internet company Kakao said Friday that it would prevent users from posting malicious comments on its online entertainment news articles, pledging also to overhaul its search engine functionalities to address cyberbullying.During a press conference at its headquarters in Pangyo, Gyeonggi Province, Kakao’s co-chiefs Yeo Min-soo and Joh Su-yong said the company would suspend its online comment service for entertainment news next month. The measure came after mo

Technology Oct. 25, 2019

　The South Korean government decided Friday that it would not seek special treatment reserved for developing countries in future negotiations at the World Trade Organization. The decision followed allegations from US President Donald Trump that some countries were unfairly taking advantage of developing nation status. 　During a nationally televised address in the morning, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said the government would no longer seek developing nation privileges

Industry Oct. 25, 2019

South Korea’s telecom giants are making a foray into the global market with fifth-generation wireless network technology in a push to discover business opportunities beyond the domestic market. SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus are accelerating their efforts to enhance 5G partnerships with mobile vendors around the world -- for example, by exporting network equipment and developing 5G-based content. Since launching 5G services in April, achieving a world first, the mobile carriers are taking adv

Technology Oct. 23, 2019

　South Korea’s telecom giant KT has kicked off the process for choosing a new chief. 　The company’s governance structure committee on Wednesday started accepting applications for the successor of current KT CEO Hwang Chang-kyu. The process is expected to be completed early next month.  　The new KT chief will be appointed in December by the company’s 11-member board of directors, the committee said. The appointment will be ratified at the shareholders meeting in March next

Industry Oct. 22, 2019

　South Korea’s two internet titans Naver and Kakao began their regular news quality assessment Tuesday for media outlets wishing to gain exposure via their online search platforms.　A news partnership evaluation committee of the two firms said that media groups wishing to use Naver and Kakao’s news platforms can send in their applications from Tuesday. The review process takes up to three months. The “qualified partners” will be announced next year.　Basic qualifications in

Technology Oct. 22, 2019

　About 6 out of 10 South Koreans wish to make a living -- or at least supplement their income -- by creating content and uploading it on YouTube, a survey showed Monday.　According to the survey of about 3,500 job seekers by job search agency Saramin HR, more than 60 percent of the respondents said they wanted to become professional or amateur YouTube content creators.　Respondents in their 20s coveted the job the most, with 71 percent of people in this age group consisting of YouTube hopefuls. Am

Technology Oct. 21, 2019

 　Samsung Electronics began selling its first foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold, to Korean consumers Monday, aiming to boost its popularity ahead of the expected release of the iPhone 11 later this week. 　With a 2,398,000 won ($2,042) price tag, the Galaxy Fold can be purchased at retail centers from Samsung and local mobile carriers. Consumers can also order the smartphone online through the Samsung website.　While the coveted foldable smartphones hit the local market last month, they we

Industry Oct. 21, 2019

 　South Korean mobile carriers, smartphone makers and financial firms have joined hands to simplify and decentralize the cumbersome online identity verification process.　The decentralized ID service -- to be launched on a trial basis this year -- named Initial, will essentially verify an individual’s identity without tangible documents like graduation or employment certificates, and enable taking out loans or applying for jobs, through a single mobile app. 　This is the second endeavor

Technology Oct. 21, 2019

South Korea’s antitrust watchdog said Thursday it has decided to delay its judgment on the proposed merger of LG Uplus and CJ Hello, putting the brakes on the country’s third-biggest mobile carrier’s attempt to acquire the largest cable TV operator here. According to the Fair Trade Commission, its decision-making body failed to reach an agreement on the issue during the meeting held a day earlier. The FTC officials said they would revisit the agenda “after reviewing a sim

Industry Oct. 17, 2019

Seonyudo is one of several natural islands on the Han River in Seoul. Located west of Yeouido -- the biggest of those islands -- it is a popular destination for those seeking peace and tranquility inside the concrete jungle of Seoul. The 110,400-square-meter island was the site of a water treatment plant for more than two decades, until the facility closed in 2000. City officials decided to turn it into an urban park, and Seonyudo Park opened to the public in 2002. Its current look is the w

Culture Oct. 17, 2019

With cloud computing technology advancing at a rapid pace, South Korean companies are also transforming the way they handle their data and operations.SK Group’s IT service affiliate SK C&C said Monday it plans to convert 80 percent of its parent company’s business operations to a cloud-based system. For this, it has acquired about 20 percent stake in local cloud service provider Glucose. The decision is designed to integrate Glucose’s Microsoft Azure cloud computing service

Technology Oct. 15, 2019

　Viva Republica has been picked as the preferred bidder for LG Uplus’ mobile payment business unit, according to industry sources Monday.　The operator of mobile payment app Toss is expected to sign a deal worth more than 300 billion won ($253.6 million) within this month. The two companies have not yet confirmed the agreement. 　“The bottom line is whether Viva Repblica can secure that much amount of money to fund the acquisition,” said an industry source. “We ha

Industry Oct. 14, 2019