News
Samsung Electronics voted "most trusted" refrigerator brand in UK
2025/02/11 17:00
Refrigerators by Samsung Electronics have been voted the "most trusted" by consumers in the U.K. This is according to a survey conducted by Newsweek an American magazine that recently shared its list of most trusted brands for the year in the U.K. Regarding the reasons cited for their vote of confidence in Samsung's fridges consumers in the U.K. highlighted the Korean company's ethical values its reasonable price and customer service.
Eco-friendly system purifies air through water without waste
2025/02/10 20:00
In other news. Researchers here have developed an eco-friendly mechanism of purifying the air by using water without producing waste. Cha Yun-kyung explains. Worsening fine dust due to the cold weather has increased the use of air purifiers, however, the need to change filters and waste issues have become a problem. To solve these, researchers have developed an eco-friendly air purifying system that imitates the body's circulatory system. Once polluted air enters the system, microbubbles form in a water container as they pass through an elastic microprocessing filter. The small, even-textured micro bubbles capture fine dust and carbon dioxide, sending carbon dioxide outside and oxygen inside through the circulation of water. "We have developed an air-purifying system by imitating the human body's circulatory and respiratory system. We can circulate the air inside and outside through the system to dispense VOC and carbon dioxide outdoors. It can solve the issue of micro dust and 미세먼지 and carbon dioxide at the same time." In tests using a closed space with a mouse inside, the system decreased the level of carbon dioxide by 30-percent, which saw the mouse's activity increase 53-percent. Current systems' performance deteriorates as filters age and can cause odors. The new system does not require filter cleaning or changing as long as the water is renewed. "The system's driving principles and structures are quite simple and suitable to enlarge in scale, and they can replace pricy and complicated former air purifying systems." The research team expects that the system will be able to purify air of other pollutants, such as acetone or ethanol. Cha Yun-kyung, Arirang News.
Eco-friendly system purifies air through water without waste
2025/02/10 17:00
In other news. Researchers here have developed an eco-friendly mechanism of purifying the air by using water without producing waste. Cha Yun-kyung explains. Worsening fine dust due to the cold weather has increased the use of air purifiers, however, the need to change filters and waste issues have become a problem. To solve these, researchers have developed an eco-friendly air purifying system that imitates the body's circulatory system. Once polluted air enters the system, microbubbles form in a water container as they pass through an elastic microprocessing filter. The small, even-textured micro bubbles capture fine dust and carbon dioxide, sending carbon dioxide outside and oxygen inside through the circulation of water. "We have developed an air-purifying system by imitating the human body's circulatory and respiratory system. We can circulate the air inside and outside through the system to dispense VOC and carbon dioxide outdoors. It can solve the issue of micro dust and 미세먼지 and carbon dioxide at the same time." In tests using a closed space with a mouse inside, the system decreased the level of carbon dioxide by 30-percent, which saw the mouse's activity increase 53-percent. Current systems' performance deteriorates as filters age and can cause odors. The new system does not require filter cleaning or changing as long as the water is renewed. "The system's driving principles and structures are quite simple and suitable to enlarge in scale, and they can replace pricy and complicated former air purifying systems." The research team expects that the system will be able to purify air of other pollutants, such as acetone or ethanol. Cha Yun-kyung, Arirang News.
World leaders, tech executives to discuss AI-related risks at AI Action Summit 2025
2025/02/10 17:00
Meanwhile over in Paris on this Monday. The two-day Summit for Action on Artificial Intelligence begins with world leaders industry heavyweights and related scholars poised to take part in the latest gathering. The event seeks to set up standards and solutions for more sustainable ethical AI advances for universal progress and broader public interest. It also follows the first such meeting at Bletchley Park back in November 2023 and here in Seoul earlier in May last year.
Samsung Electronics launches latest Galaxy S25 series on Fri.
2025/02/07 17:00
Samsung Electronics' latest Galaxy S25 series are hitting stores worldwide in phases starting today. The Korean market as well as that in the U.S. in the U.K India and Thailand will be among the early sellers before these Samsung smartphones are made available in over one-hundred-20 countries. This latest lineup also offers Google's AI Gemini in 46 languages. The new series was unpacked in California last month.
Leaders of S. Korean tech giants to attend AI summit in Paris
2025/02/06 20:00
Leaders of South Korean tech giants Samsung Electronics, LG and Naver, among others, will participate in the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit next week. This year's summit will be hosted in Paris on February 10th and 11th. Among those expected to attend are U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The summit, now in its third time after London and Seoul, is gaining attention amid rising concerns over China's DeepSeek, sparking talks of an AI alliance.
S. Korean government ministries and tech firms move to ban DeepSeek
2025/02/06 20:00
Access to Chinese AI service DeepSeek is being restricted by government organizations and major companies here in Korea over data security concerns. Our Moon Hye-ryeon has the details. South Korean government agencies have restricted access to DeepSeek – a Chinese AI service accused of excessive data collection. On Thursday, the Ministry of Environment revealed that it blocked DeepSeek on all online computers as of 9 AM, while the Ministry of Economy and Finance stated its plans to restrict access on computers connected to external networks. These measures come a day after the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that access to DeepSeek on computers connected to external networks had been banned. These ministries handle a significant amount of classified information related to diplomacy, national security, and trade. A Defense Ministry official told reporters that the decision was made due to widespread concerns about the AI platform. This comes after the Ministry of the Interior and Safety issued an advisory to central government ministries and 17 metropolitan and provincial governments, urging officials to be cautious when using generative AI services like DeepSeek and ChatGPT. While the advisory did not explicitly call for a ban, it warned against entering sensitive or personal information into AI platforms, citing potential security risks. South Korea's Personal Information Protection Commission sent an inquiry to DeepSeek's headquarters requesting details on its data collection and storage practices, but the company has yet to respond. The private sector is also taking action, with major Korean tech companies restricting the use of DeepSeek. Kakao, an official partner of OpenAI, recently banned its employees from using the service for work by citing security concerns. LG Uplus also issued a security notice banning employees from using DeepSeek for work on the company network, and advised employees to avoid using DeepSeek on personal devices. Samsung, SK, and LG Electronics have long prohibited unauthorized software on company devices, while Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power recently reinforced its AI security policies, banning DeepSeek on its internal network. DeepSeek has also been banned from government computers in Australia and Japan, while Italy has gone as far as banning the app entirely. In the U.S., the state of Texas, has blocked DeepSeek from government-owned devices. Meanwhile, the European Union and the UK are closely monitoring potential risks associated with Chinese AI platforms. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.
S. Korean government ministries and tech firms move to ban DeepSeek
2025/02/06 17:00
Access to Chinese AI service DeepSeek is being restricted on government devices here in Korea over data security concerns. Our Moon Hye-ryeon has details. South Korean government agencies have restricted access to DeepSeek – a Chinese AI service accused of excessive data collection. On Thursday, the Ministry of Environment revealed that it blocked DeepSeek on all online computers as of 9 AM, while the Ministry of Economy and Finance stated its plans to restrict access on computers connected to external networks. These measures come a day after the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that access to DeepSeek on computers connected to external networks had been banned. These ministries handle a significant amount of classified information related to diplomacy, national security, and trade. A Defense Ministry official told reporters that the decision was made due to widespread concerns about the AI platform. This comes after the Ministry of the Interior and Safety issued an advisory to central government ministries and 17 metropolitan and provincial governments, urging officials to be cautious when using generative AI services like DeepSeek and ChatGPT. While the advisory did not explicitly call for a ban, it warned against entering sensitive or personal information into AI platforms, citing potential security risks. South Korea's Personal Information Protection Commission sent an inquiry to DeepSeek's headquarters requesting details on its data collection and storage practices, but the company has yet to respond. The private sector is also taking action, with major Korean tech companies restricting the use of DeepSeek. Kakao, an official partner of OpenAI, recently banned its employees from using the service for work by citing security concerns. LG Uplus also issued a security notice banning employees from using DeepSeek for work on the company network, and advised employees to avoid using DeepSeek on personal devices. Samsung, SK, and LG Electronics have long prohibited unauthorized software on company devices, while Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power recently reinforced its AI security policies, banning DeepSeek on its internal network. DeepSeek has also been banned from government computers in Australia and Japan, while Italy has gone as far as banning the app entirely. In the U.S., the state of Texas, has blocked DeepSeek from government-owned devices. Meanwhile, the European Union and the UK are closely monitoring potential risks associated with Chinese AI platforms. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.
S. Korean government ministries and tech firms move to ban DeepSeek
2025/02/06 10:00
South Korea is joining the global wave of tightening restrictions on the Chinese AI service, DeepSeek, over data security concerns. Government ministries and firms alike are moving to ban the service. Our Moon Hye-ryeon reports. South Korean government agencies have restricted access to DeepSeek – a Chinese AI service accused of excessive data collection. Multiple government sources confirmed on Wednesday that the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy have all restricted access to DeepSeek on government computers connected to external networks. These ministries handle a significant amount of classified information related to diplomacy, national security, and trade. A Defense Ministry official told reporters that the decision was made due to widespread concerns about the AI platform. The move comes just a day after the Ministry of the Interior and Safety issued an advisory to central government ministries and 17 metropolitan and provincial governments, urging officials to be cautious when using generative AI services like DeepSeek and ChatGPT. While the advisory did not explicitly call for a ban, it warned against entering sensitive or personal information into AI platforms, citing potential security risks. South Korea's Personal Information Protection Commission sent an inquiry to DeepSeek's headquarters requesting details on its data collection and storage practices, but the company has yet to respond. The private sector is also taking action, with major Korean tech companies restricting the use of DeepSeek. Kakao, an official partner of OpenAI, recently banned its employees from using the service for work by citing security concerns. LG Uplus also issued a security notice banning employees from using DeepSeek for work on the company network, and advised employees to avoid using DeepSeek on personal devices. Samsung, SK, and LG Electronics have long prohibited unauthorized software on company devices, while Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power recently reinforced its AI security policies, banning DeepSeek on its internal network. DeepSeek has also been banned from government computers in Australia and Japan, while Italy has gone as far as banning the app entirely. In the U.S., the state of Texas, has blocked DeepSeek from government-owned devices. Meanwhile, the European Union and the UK are closely monitoring potential risks associated with Chinese AI platforms. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.
OpenAI's Sam Altman meets with conglomerate heads to expand market presence in S. Korea
2025/02/04 20:00
Open AI founder Sam Altman is here in Seoul for a number of events and meetings aimed at advancing AI collaboration. Our correspondent Lee Soo-jin covers his agenda here. ChatGPT developer OpenAI is looking to expand its presence in the South Korean market, as Chinese start-up DeepSeek poses a challenge to its position in the tech industry. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman during a closed-door workshop held in Seoul on Tuesday said that with its robust semiconductor and energy industries, Korea is a country that is actively adopting artificial intelligence. This marks Altman's third visit to South Korea and the first time an official OpenAI event took place in the country. As part of its efforts to stay competitive, OpenAI announced that it has entered into a joint strategic partnership with South Korea's leading messaging app operator Kakao. "I think we have a shared vision for what AI can do. We are particularly interested in AI in messaging. I think there is a really rich thing to explore there that can improve the experience a lot for users." Kakao CEO Chung Shin-a said on Tuesday, that upcoming key Kakao services such as Kanana, an AI-integrated messenger app, will utilize Open AI's latest AI technology APIs,.. application programming interfaces that allow developers to integrate OpenAI's language models such as ChatGPT into their own apps. But Kakao isn't the only Korean company OpenAI is planning to work more closely with as Altman also met with SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won immediately after the workshop on Tuesday. Chey and Altman reportedly discussed potential areas of collaboration between OpenAI and SK Group, such as the supply of high-bandwidth memory from SK hynix and the construction of an AI data center by SK Telecom. And in the afternoon, Altman met with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, who flew in from Japan in the morning to attend the meeting,.. which lasted for two hours. This comes after SoftBank and OpenAI on Monday agreed to set up a joint venture in Japan, with SoftBank also committing to investing 3 billion U.S. dollars annually to utilize OpenAI's technology. The three discussed ways to expand AI collaboration, namely Samsung Electronics' potential participation in the Stargate Project, a 500 billion dollar AI infrastructure initiative supported by U.S. President Donald Trump. Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News.
Samsung's latest Galaxy S25 smartphone breaks domestic pre-sales record
2025/02/04 17:00
Pre-sales of Samsung's Galaxy S25 series here in Korea have soared past an earlier record. According to Samsung officials today 1-point-3 million units of their latest smartphone series were sold in less than two weeks. Now the previous record was set last year with over 1-point-2 million units of the Galaxy S24 series. The newest S25 lineup has been applauded for its advanced AI features offered at the same price range as its S24 counterpart.
OpenAI's Sam Altman meets with conglomerate heads to expand market presence in S. Korea
2025/02/04 17:00
In other news. Open AI founder Sam Altman is here in Seoul for a number of events and meetings aimed at advancing AI collaboration. Our correspondent Lee Soo-jin covers his agenda here. ChatGPT developer OpenAI is looking to expand its presence in the South Korean market, as Chinese start-up DeepSeek poses a challenge to its position in the tech industry. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman during a closed-door workshop held in Seoul on Tuesday said that with its robust semiconductor and energy industries, Korea is a country that is actively adopting artificial intelligence. This marks Altman's third visit to South Korea and the first time an official OpenAI event took place in the country. As part of its efforts to stay competitive, OpenAI announced that it has entered into a joint strategic partnership with South Korea's leading messaging app operator Kakao. Kakao CEO Chung Shin-a said on Tuesday, that upcoming key Kakao services such as Kanana, an AI-integrated messenger app, will utilize Open AI's latest AI technology APIs,.. application programming interfaces that allow developers to integrate OpenAI's language models such as ChatGPT into their own apps. But Kakao isn't the only Korean company OpenAI is planning to work more closely with as Altman also met with SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won immediately after the workshop on Tuesday. Chey and Altman reportedly discussed potential areas of collaboration between OpenAI and SK Group, such as the supply of high-bandwidth memory from SK hynix and the construction of an AI data center by SK Telecom. And in the afternoon, Altman met with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, who flew in from Japan in the morning to attend the meeting. This comes after SoftBank and OpenAI on Monday agreed to set up a joint venture in Japan, with SoftBank also committing to investing 3 billion U.S. dollars annually to utilize OpenAI's technology. The three are expected to discuss ways to expand AI collaboration, namely Samsung Electronics' potential participation in the Stargate Project, a 500 billion dollar AI infrastructure initiative supported by U.S. President Donald Trump. Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News.
OpenAI founder Altman in S. Korea for AI event, collaboration with Kakao
2025/02/04 10:00
Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of U.S. AI company OpenAI, is in South Korea where he's expected to announce a collaboration with South Korea's dominant mobile platform Kakao. Altman is scheduled to attend a closed-door "Builder Lab" workshop on Tuesday, where local companies and startups put their heads together on the intensifying global AI race. His trip also includes signing a collaboration with Kakao and expanding joint business ventures, especially in the Asian market. Kakao introduced its conversational AI service, Kanana last year. Watchers predict the company could integrate OpenAI's model into its AI platform.
OpenAI founder Altman to visit Korea for AI event, collaboration with Kakao
2025/02/03 20:00
Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of U.S. artificial intelligence company OpenAI, will visit South Korea this week to attend an event with local developers. The "Builder Lab" event brings local companies and startups together amid the intensifying global AI race. Altman is expected to announce a collaboration with South Korea's dominant mobile platform Kakao and to expand joint business ventures, especially in the Asian market. Kakao introduced its conversational AI service, Kanana last year. Watchers predict the company could integrate OpenAI's model into its AI platform.
Global reaction to how Chinese start-up 'DeepSeek' is shaping the AI market landscape
2025/01/31 20:00
A Chinese AI startup, DeepSeek, is challenging industry giants with its cost-effective AI model, sending shockwaves through the tech industry. Moon Hye-ryeon explains. "I don't feel threatened by DeepSeek or any other AI model. In fact, competition and innovation in AI development push all models (including me) to improve and offer better responses." This is the response that OpenAI's ChatGPT gives when asked about its new up-and-coming Chinese "competition" – DeepSeek. And while ChatGPT may not feel threatened, the Chinese startup is attracting a wealth of attention in the AI market for users and investors alike as it claimed its new V3 model could be trained at a fraction of the cost required for the computing power from Nvidia's chips. With its assertion that the model is not only cheap but rivals OpenAI and Meta's most advanced counterparts, the need to invest billions of dollars in AI technology from the United States is being put under question. Its newest AI assistant has overtaken ChatGPT as the most downloaded free application in Apple's App Store in the U.S. Global firms, leaders and investors are showing mixed reactions. "The release of DeepSeek A. from a Chinese company should be a wake-up call for our industries that we need to be laser-focused on competing to win." U.S. President Donald Trump's comments came as traders dumped big tech stocks – including a record one-day loss for Nvidia – resulting in American tech companies losing roughly a trillion dollars in market value. His nominee to lead the Commerce Department, however, accused DeepSeek of leveraging "stolen" U.S. technology. DeepSeek used parts of Meta's technology that was given away by the U.S. firm to be freely available online, but OpenAI said in a statement that they are currently reviewing indications that DeepSeek may have used the American tech giant's models to train its own. Outside of the U.S., European countries showed concern over data security. Italy's data protection authority has banned DeepSeek in a move to protect Italian user data, stating that the firm gave "insufficient" information on personal data usage, while France's privacy regulator is analyzing the tool to assess privacy risks. As for South Korea, the focus is on how its semiconductor firms could be affected by potential changes in the AI landscape. SK hynix is currently supplying memory chips to Nvidia, and now, Samsung Electronics has been reportedly approved to do so too – meaning that Nvidia's standing in the AI market will affect domestic chip firms in turn. Samsung Electronics issued a statement on Friday saying that they are currently monitoring the market, but it is too early to judge with the limited information currently available. There are also mounting concerns that tensions between Washington and Beijing will intensify with this competition in advanced technology, prompting Trump to strengthen regulations on China in the high-tech industry. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.
Global reaction to how Chinese start-up 'DeepSeek' is shaping the AI market landscape
2025/01/31 17:00
A Chinese AI startup, DeepSeek, is challenging industry giants with its cost-effective AI model, sending shockwaves through the tech industry and raising questions about AI development. Our Moon Hye-ryeon has the details. "I don't feel threatened by DeepSeek or any other AI model. In fact, competition and innovation in AI development push all models (including me) to improve and offer better responses." This is the response that OpenAI's ChatGPT gives when asked about its new up-and-coming Chinese "competition" – DeepSeek. And while ChatGPT may not feel threatened, the Chinese startup is attracting a wealth of attention in the AI market for users and investors alike as it claimed its new V3 model could be trained at a fraction of the cost required for the computing power from Nvidia's chips. With its assertion that the model is not only cheap but rivals OpenAI and Meta's most advanced counterparts, the need to invest billions of dollars in AI technology from the United States is being put under question. Its newest AI assistant has overtaken ChatGPT as the most downloaded free application in Apple's App Store in the U.S. Global firms, leaders and investors are showing mixed reactions. "The release of DeepSeek A. from a Chinese company should be a wake-up call for our industries that we need to be laser-focused on competing to win." U.S. President Donald Trump's comments came as traders dumped big tech stocks – including a record one-day loss for Nvidia – resulting in American tech companies losing roughly a trillion dollars in market value. His nominee to lead the Commerce Department, however, accused DeepSeek of leveraging "stolen" U.S. technology. DeepSeek used parts of Meta's technology that was given away by the U.S. firm to be freely available online, but OpenAI said in a statement that they are currently reviewing indications that DeepSeek may have used the American tech giant's models to train its own. Outside of the U.S., European countries showed concern over data security. Italy's data protection authority has banned DeepSeek in a move to protect Italian user data, stating that the firm gave "insufficient" information on personal data usage, while France's privacy regulator is analyzing the tool to assess privacy risks. As for South Korea, the focus is on how its semiconductor firms could be affected by potential changes in the AI landscape. SK hynix is currently supplying memory chips to Nvidia, and now, Samsung Electronics has been reportedly approved to do so too – meaning that Nvidia's standing in the AI market will affect domestic chip firms in turn. Samsung Electronics issued a statement on Friday saying that they are currently monitoring the market, but it is too early to judge with the limited information currently available. There are also mounting concerns that tensions between Washington and Beijing will intensify with this competition in advanced technology, prompting Trump to strengthen regulations on China in the high-tech industry. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.
S. Korean and French authorities to conduct joint investigation into Air Busan aircraft fire
2025/01/31 17:00
South Korean and French authorities will conduct a joint onsite investigation into Tuesday night's Air Busan aircraft fire, at Gimhae International Airport. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on Friday that the investigation will start next Monday. Its Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board will conduct the investigation in collaboration with the French Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety. This follows a joint safety assessment of the aircraft conducted earlier today. France is joining the investigation in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization rules, as the aircraft was manufactured in France.
NASA's returned asteroid samples hold the ingredients to life plus salts from an ancient water world
2025/01/31 10:00
In the U.S., scientists reported on Wednesday that NASA's OSIRIS-Rex spacecraft has returned approximately 122 grams of material from near-Earth asteroid Bennu, providing insights into the early solar system. Preliminary analysis revealed that the sample contains ammonia, suggesting that the material likely formed in a cold region of the solar system beyond Jupiter's orbit. Scientists have also identified 11 minerals that likely existed in a saltwater environment, suggesting the presence of liquid water in its history. The findings provide a better understanding of water in the early solar system and the origins of life on Earth.
Transport Ministry launches investigation to determine cause of Air Busan plane fire
2025/01/29 18:00
Turning to the latest on the investigation into Tuesday night's Air Busan aircraft fire at Gimhae International Airport. South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport confirmed on Wednesday that neither the plane's wings nor its engine were damaged, which indicates that the fire was not caused by a fuselage issue. Passengers who were on board told Yonhap News they saw smoke and flames emerging from an overhead bin at the rear of the aircraft, with some speculating that a battery pack or another electric device may have been the source. Acting President Choi Sang-mok earlier in the day called for a thorough investigation and measures to prevent similar incidents. All 1-hundred-69 passengers and seven crew members on the flight to Hong Kong were safely evacuated using emergency slides, though seven sustained minor injuries.
Preliminary report reveals Jeju Air black box stopped recording 2km from runway
2025/01/27 18:00
The black box of the Jeju Air plane that crashed last month, was found to have stopped recording, approximately two kilometers before the plane reached the runway. This is according to a preliminary report released by the Transportation Ministry on Monday. The report shows that the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, stopped recording after a bird strike, and about four minutes later, the aircraft crashed into an embankment containing localizers at Muan International Airport. The Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board has submitted the report to the International Civil Aviation Organization, and aviation authorities in the U.S., France, and and Thailand.