LG Chem teams up with Italy's Eni SM for Korea's first integrated biofuel plant by 2026

South Korean chemical giant LG Chem said Thursday it is teaming up with Eni Sustainable Mobility, the Italian renewable fuel specialist, to build a hydro-treated vegetable oil (HVO) plant by 2026. They plan to finalize the investment decision by 2024 following a thorough feasibility analysis covering technical and economic aspects. The biorefinery is expected to have a production facility with an annual output of nearly 300,000 metric tons. This facility is slated to be located at LG Chem's

Sept. 14, 2023

Hanwha Aerospace to test out uncrewed vehicle for US military bid

Hanwha Aerospace said on Thursday that its multipurpose uncrewed vehicle, Arion-SMET, will be tested at a US Marine Corps facility in Hawaii in December for potential integration into the US Army. This marks the first time a Korean-made vehicle of this type will undergo such testing. It is part of Hanwha's efforts to solidify its stature in the global aerospace and defense market by 2030. The testing follows Hanwha's recent contract with the US Department of Defense to join the Foreign

Sept. 14, 2023

DS Dansuk to finish new biodiesel refinery next year

Resource recycling company DS Dansuk held the groundbreaking ceremony of its new Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil refinery in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday, the firm said Thursday. Aiming to finish the construction by next July, the second-generation biodiesel refinery is an extension of the company’s first biodiesel plant in Pyeongtaek. DS Dansuk will invest 35.7 billion won ($27 million) in the construction, the company said. The ceremony was attended by about 70 employees, includin

Sept. 14, 2023

CJ to expand UK presence with Korean seaweed

Bibigo's Seaweed Snack will hit supermarket shelves in the United Kingdom, Korean food giant CJ CheilJedang said Thursday. The product will be sold at popular UK grocery market chains Asda and Ocado, as well as online. “Previously, the product was available in local ethnic sales channels (in the UK), but (by distributing it on major retail channels), more consumers will be able to buy and enjoy Bibigo’s Seaweed Snack,” said an official from CJ CheilJedang, which owns the B

Sept. 14, 2023

LG CNS joins forces with Korea University to foster AI talent

Information technology service provider LG CNS said Thursday it has inked a deal with Korea University to nurture future talent in the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence and data science. Under the new industrial-academic partnership, a department temporarily named “AI and Data Science” will be set up at Korea University’s graduate school, and students will receive a job offer at the company upon graduation. Starting next year, the department plans to admit over 20 gra

Sept. 14, 2023

Posco to supply EV parts to Hyundai Motor

Posco International announced Wednesday it has signed with Hyundai Motor Group to supply an additional 3.53 million units of motor core, ramping up its presence in the global mobility industry. Under the contract starting from 2026, Posco International will provide 2.72 million units of motor core to Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, the carmaker’s first EV plant in the US, for eight years. The other 810,000 units will be supplied to Hyundai’s EV production at home for 10 years.

Sept. 14, 2023

Fledgling upcycling startup dreams big to save sea

The coast of Ulsan, a major industrial city in the southeast, was once a site where pods of gray whales were easily spotted, a scene that has become rare as marine pollution and whale hunts took a toll. Among the factors that made the whales disappear, the marine waste issue was what inspired Byun Eui-hyun, CEO of Usisan, to start a business to help clean up the ocean and save the endangered largest animal on Earth from dying from ingesting plastics. "We are the first plastic upcycling comp

Sept. 14, 2023

Samsung's giant billboards become operational at Vatican

Samsung Electronics Co. has finished installing four LED billboards at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican, where the Pope gives his weekly address. Samsung's billboards became operational in time for the Papal Audience, the general audience session held every Wednesday morning for Catholic followers and tourists visiting the revered sanctuary. A Samsung delegation visited the Vatican to meet Pope Francis on Wednesday morning to mark the installation, before meeting Cardinal Lazarus You

Sept. 14, 2023

SMEs agency aids local firms' entry into overseas markets

The Korea SMEs and Startups Agency is supporting local firms to enter overseas markets, with 30 medium-sized companies receiving overseas media promotion and marketing services in the most recent campaign carried out in August. The campaign was conducted in partnership with a global communication company with an extensive PR network worldwide. English-language releases on the selected 30 companies were distributed to North American online media outlets, including newspapers, broadcasters, teleco

Sept. 14, 2023

Industry minister nominee vows swift restoration of nuclear energy ecosystem

South Korean Industry Minister nominee Bang Moon-kyu vowed Wednesday to expedite efforts to restore and further develop the ecosystem of the country's nuclear power generation industry to better achieve net-zero goals and energy security. During a parliamentary confirmation hearing, Bang also pledged efforts to boost exports amid unfavorable global business circumstances and to strengthen cooperation with the United States, Japan and other partners on stable supply chains in advanced indu

Sept. 13, 2023

$6b financial package unveiled to empower African nations

South Korea's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho on Wednesday announced a financial package of approximately $6 billion in support for Africa to be provided by 2025, at the 2023 Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation (KOAFEC) conference held in Busan. This biennial conference, spanning four days from Tuesday to Friday, is jointly hosted by the African Development Bank, the Export-Import Bank of Korea (Eximbank) and Ministry of Economy and Finance. The new fin

Sept. 13, 2023

[Photo News] Sold out

Samsung Electronics said Wednesday that more than 110,000 people applied to order the Galaxy Z Fold5 Thom Browne Edition during the seven-hour lottery event held via its website on Tuesday. The limited-edition bundle, priced at 4.29 million won ($3,230), includes a phone, a smartwatch and accessories featuring the American fashion house’s color scheme. (Samsung Electronics)

Sept. 13, 2023

BBQ Chicken catches US food magazine’s eye

Korean fried chicken franchise Genesis BBQ on Wednesday said BBQ Chicken was introduced as the leader of the K-chicken craze in the United States in a recent report by Quick Service Restaurant magazine. Last month, QSR, a US publication that covers the fast food restaurant industry, released an article that highlights BBQ Chicken’s distinctive strategies behind its sharp growth in the country. The “mouth-watering” crispy Korean fried chicken BBQ is rapidly expanding its presenc

Sept. 13, 2023

Innocean named 2nd best advertising agency in Indonesia

Innocean Worldwide said Wednesday that its Indonesian unit was named the second-best agency of the year by Campaign Brief Asia, a global online portal specialized in marketing and advertising. Campaign Brief Asia assessed firms in Indonesia based on their history of receiving creative awards and an internal evaluation, conferring second place to Innocean Indonesia in the Agency of the Year 2023 ranking on Sept. 7. Despite being a relative newcomer to the Indonesian market, the firm outpaced reno

Sept. 13, 2023

6 in 10 view chaebol favorably: FKI survey

Nearly 60 percent of Koreans expressed a favorable view of the country's chaebol -- large industrial conglomerates run and controlled by families -- indicating an improvement in negative sentiments toward these conglomerates over the past decade, according to a survey conducted by the Federation of Korean Industries. The survey, commissioned by the business organization, which includes over 600 members among Korean companies and industries, was conducted on a total of 1,005 individuals aged

Sept. 12, 2023

[From the scene] Why Adidas shop owners in Korea are protesting

The South Korean unit of the global sports brand Adidas has been hit with backlash from its franchisees who claim that they have been subjected to years of repeated abuse of power from their parent corporation -- only to have their business contracts terminated via the head office’s unilateral announcement. The Adidas Franchisee Association -- comprising 76 Adidas Korea franchisees out of some 100 across the country -- said Tuesday it reported Adidas Korea to the Federal Trade Commission f

Sept. 12, 2023

Coupang Play outpaces streaming rivals

Korean streaming platform Coupang Play has showed the fastest year-on-year subscriber growth in the country, outpacing other local and global competitors to reach a milestone 6 million subscribers last month, less three years since its launch, according to a ranking announced by WiseApp on Friday. A total of 6.34 million people were subscribing to Coupang Play as of last month, according to WiseApp, which analyzes user behavior of mobile applications, in its August analysis of the number of subs

Sept. 12, 2023

[Photo News] IDB chief at Naver

Naver Cloud said Tuesday that Ilan Goldfajn (right), president of the Inter-American Development Bank, visited the South Korean tech giant’s new building, Naver 1784, at their headquarters in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, on Monday. During their visit, IDB officials were briefed on Naver’s hyperscale AI model, Hyper Clova X, and cloud computing technologies. (Naver)

Sept. 12, 2023

Applied Materials awarded as one of top employers in Korea

Applied Materials Korea, a subsidiary of the global leader in the materials science and engineering industry, has been named one of South Korea’s Premier Employers by The Ministry of Employment and Labor. This is the third time the company has received this honor, after 2020 and 2022. The ministry made the announcement at an event held on Monday at its regional office in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. The Premier Employers Initiative celebrates businesses that provide top-tier job opportunit

Sept. 12, 2023

[Photo News] Hyundai Oilbank gets fresh look in 23 years

HD Hyundai Oilbank's new design featuring its updated corporate identity is displayed at the GRC gas station in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. The design, renewed for the first time in 23 years, has blue and green lines against a white background as its prominent feature, underscoring simplicity. The two lines on top converge with a gap, creating an eye-catching and yet harmonious aesthetic. The two lines are illuminated brightly on the gas station roof, enhancing visibility at night.

Sept. 12, 2023