Hyundai Motor Group said Wednesday its US-based urban air mobility unit Supernal is collaborating with Microsoft to develop advanced air mobility (AMM) solutions. The South Korean automotive company said it will use Microsoft’s cloud computing platform, Microsoft Azure, to develop and operate AMM solutions for autonomous flight and virtual manufacturing. The cloud platform will allow Supernal to run simulations at scale and accelerate the commercialization of its solutions, Hyundai added.

Mobility Jan. 4, 2023

US chip materials maker Applied Materials (AMAT) will acquire 51 billion won ($39 million) worth of Absolics shares, the chip glass substrate production arm of Korean chemicals company SKC. According to SKC’s regulatory filing on Monday, Absolics will issue new shares to raise 165.9 billion won to expand its production facilities. Of the 130,000 new shares, SKC and AMAT will acquire 90,000 and 40,000 shares, respectively. SKC alone will invest 114.8 billion won to acquire the shares. &ldqu

Technology Jan. 3, 2023

Han Sung Motor, South Korea's official importer of Mercedes-Benz cars, said Thursday it had completed its annual Dream Gream program that awards talented young artists with scholarships and mentoring opportunities. Under the slogan, “New Earth, New World,” this year’s program aimed to bridge eco-friendly management with the digital world, with environmental, social and corporate governance and the metaverse being main themes. The company said it chose the themes to show it

Mobility Dec. 29, 2022

South Korean agricultural corporation Eco Farm City has developed what it calls “KDS convergence farming,” which systematizes the cultivation, production, processing, manufacture, sales and retail process of farming into a collective “one-stop system.” KDS convergence farming combines primary industries, such as agriculture, livestock and fisheries, with the secondary industries of manufacturing and processing, as well as the tertiary service industries. This integration

Industry Dec. 28, 2022

Automatic car wash system company Come In Wash has recently completed the construction of a new factory in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, to produce automotive washing machines and export them. Over 10 billion won ($7.82 million) has been injected into the project to acquire and renovate a 3,3000-square-meter plot in the city. The company said it will manufacturer automatic car washing machines at the new plant with an aim to export them to North America, Europe and the Middle East. The product line

Industry Dec. 28, 2022

Celebrating its 61st anniversary this year, KYE Dermatology Clinic said it has treated over 8 million patients since it opened in 1961. The clinic started out as a one-office hospital, operated by one doctor in 1961, about a decade after the Korean War, in Yeongdeungpo-gu, western Seoul. Pioneering the field of dermatology in Korea, the clinic was refurbished in 1981, growing from its original one-doctor, one-office system to a facility with nine-doctors and seven offices and over 30 employees.

Industry Dec. 28, 2022

Beer and liquor importer The IB Korea is extending its product lineup by launching US cocktail brand Uptown’s Blue Hawaiian cocktail drinks, together with Texas-based distillery Southern Champion. Uptown's Blue Hawaiian lineup consists of two cocktail drinks, pineapple and citrus-flavored, as well as gluten free. Pre-orders for retailers have been made since June, the importer said. Premixed and bottled in a 1.5-liter liquor bottle, the drink garnered a lot of interest at a tasting ev

Industry Dec. 28, 2022

Swiss knife and watch manufacturer Victorinox is increasingly collaborating with South Korean companies to expand its presence in the Korean fashion market. The Swiss toolmaker launched a limited edition huntsman knife with Korean fashion design firm IAB Studio in May. Released as part of the “IAB at Home” collection, the knife has a wooden frame with the knife maker’s iconic cross logo carved in the middle. More recently, Victorinox partnered with Italian street fashion brand

Industry Dec. 28, 2022

Samsung Group’s construction arm Samsung C&T is hosting an exhibition titled “Moomin Family’s Winter House” at Raemian Gallery in Songpa-gu, Seoul, for two months starting Dec. 15. The temporary exhibition featuring Moomins will be held at the gallery’s main hall and residential exhibition hall "Residential Island," the construction company said. Moomins are characters created by Finnish artist Tove Marika Jansson, based on trolls that frequently appea

Industry Dec. 28, 2022

LG Electronics said Tuesday it is launching its “upgradable” home appliance brand LG ThinQ UP in overseas markets, starting with the US. Debuted as UP Appliance in Korea in January, the brand allows customers to add new features to their existing LG appliances through software updates. Currently, the product lineup consists of 24 different appliances, including washing machines, refrigerators, dryers and dishwashers. As of December, over 120 upgrades are available in Korea. Largely b

Technology Dec. 28, 2022

SK Inc., the investment arm of SK Group, said Tuesday it received an AAA rating from the Morgan Stanley Capital International ESG Ratings. The MSCI ESG Ratings assess 3,077 firms globally and ranks them based on their ability to manage environmental, social and corporate governance risks. It groups the firms into three categories: leader, firms with AAA and AA ratings; average, A, BBB and BB; and laggard, B, CCC. SK Inc. became one of only two South Korean companies in 2022 to receive the highes

Industry Dec. 27, 2022

The Korea Agro-Fisheries and Trade Corporation (aT) said Sunday it had hosted the “Korean Premium Strawberry Launching Show” on Dec. 16, in Hanoi, Vietnam, together with Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and integrated strawberry export organization K-Berry. The event invited local food importers, online influencers, and retail firms to introduce them to different Korean strawberry breeds. Participants were able to try samples of four Korean premium strawb

Industry Dec. 26, 2022

South Korean home appliance maker Coway said Sunday it has been expanding its eco-friendly management in 2022 through clean energy and environment preservation projects. Coway has been installing solar energy plants on the rooftops of its facilities since 2013. Most recently it began construction of a solar power plant in October on the roof of its global sleep technology subsidiary iOBED’s plant in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. The solar plant will begin operation in the first half of 2023, an

Industry Dec. 26, 2022

A simple puffer vest worn by Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong stole the limelight when the business mogul appeared at Gimpo International Airport on Wednesday, with the item selling out online just one day later. Lee, who usually dresses in formal Western business attire for official engagements, was headed for Vietnam to participate in an inauguration ceremony for a newly built Samsung Research and Development center. The mobile device R&D center is the company's largest in So

Consumer Dec. 23, 2022

South Korean defense company Korea Aerospace Industries said Friday it signed a 302 billion won ($235 million) deal with Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration to provide light armed helicopters (LAH). Under the contract, KAI will supply the South Korean military with 10 LAH units starting in December 2024. The deal also requires KAI to provide integrated product support, including training for first-time operators and a maintenance float. The KAI LAH is the second domestically

Industry Dec. 23, 2022