Posco Future M, Sila partner on next-generation battery materials

Posco Future M said Friday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with US battery materials firm Sila to jointly develop next-generation battery materials aimed at extending battery lifespan. The agreement was signed Wednesday in Seoul, with Hong Young-jun, head of Posco Future M’s R&D center, and Gleb Yushin, founder and chief technology officer of Sila, attending the ceremony. Under the partnership, Posco Future M will combine its expertise in cathode, anode and carbon materials with Sila

March 13, 2026

Autonomous A2Z completes W40.5b funding, gears up for IPO this year

Autonomous A2Z said Thursday it has completed a 40.5 billion won ($27.4 million) pre-IPO funding round, bringing its total funding to 122.5 billion won — the largest amount raised by a self-driving startup in Korea. The funding comes ahead of the company’s planned initial public offering later this year at the nation’s tech-heavy Kosdaq. It will support expansion of autonomous mobility projects at home and abroad, as well as investment in infrastructure and talent to advance end-to-end AI-based

March 12, 2026

GEAN names winners of 2026 e-mobility awards

The Global E-Mobility Alliance Network, or GEAN, based on Jeju Island, said Wednesday it had selected six award recipients for their contributions to advancing the global electric mobility industry. The 2026 GEAN Awards and Special Awards will be presented on March 25, during the opening ceremony of the 13th International e-Mobility Expo, which will take place at Jeju Shinhwa World. Recipients of the 2026 GEAN Awards include South Korean energy solutions provider LS Electric, China’s Nansha Dist

March 12, 2026

Samsung SDI warns patent infringement, tech leakage on prismatic batteries

Samsung SDI has issued a clear warning against patent infringement and technology leakage in its prismatic battery technology, an area where it holds longstanding competitive edge over rivals. During The Battery Conference, a side event of InterBattery 2026 held at Coex in Seoul on Wednesday, Joo Yong-lak, head of the R&D center at Samsung SDI, emphasized that Samsung SDI would not tolerate unauthorized use of its prismatic battery technology. When asked about its competitors’ recent foray into

March 11, 2026

Posco Future M to mass-produce LFP cathodes this year to challenge China

Posco Future M President and CEO Eom Gi-chen said the company plans to begin mass production of cathode materials for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, aiming to challenge Chinese dominance in the low-cost battery segment. “The three major Korean battery companies — LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI and SK On — are all planning to release LFP products within this year,” Eom said during a press briefing at InterBattery 2026 in Seoul, which opened Wednesday. Eom was recently appointed chairman

March 11, 2026

Train service between Beijing, Pyongyang to resume this week for first time in 6 years

Train service linking Pyongyang and Beijing will resume this week for the first time since it was suspended six years ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sources said Tuesday. The Beijing-Pyongyang train route will resume operations Thursday, running four times a week, on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, an official at China State Railway Group told Yonhap News Agency. The train will depart from Beijing at 5:26 p.m. and arrive in Pyongyang at 6 p.m. the following day, stopping once at the

March 10, 2026

Samsung Biologics, Eli Lilly to establish biotech incubator in Incheon

Samsung Biologics, the biotech arm of Samsung Group, said Tuesday it has signed an agreement with US pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Co. to set up a biotech incubator in the western city of Incheon. Under the partnership, the two companies will establish a new site for Eli Lilly's Lilly Gateway Labs in Songdo, an international business district in the port city, according to Samsung Biologics. The US company launched Lilly Gateway Labs in 2019 to support emerging biotech companies by offering

March 10, 2026

Korea Zinc to showcase strategic minerals at InterBattery

Korea Zinc said Tuesday it will highlight its role in strengthening Korea’s resource security by producing strategic minerals essential for advanced industries — including batteries, semiconductors and defense — at InterBattery 2026. Having participated in the exhibition for five consecutive years since 2022, the company plans to showcase its 52 years of technological expertise as one of the world’s leading non-ferrous metals smelters, presenting a broad portfolio spanning battery materials and

March 10, 2026

Hyundai Mobis expands Mercedes-Benz partnership with Hungary facility

Hyundai Mobis said Tuesday its newly operational plant in Hungary will supply chassis modules to Mercedes-Benz, expanding their partnership beyond North America. Located in Kecskemet in central Hungary, the facility is Hyundai Mobis’ first European production base dedicated to global customers outside Hyundai Motor Group. It is the company’s fourth manufacturing site in the region after plants in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Turkey. The Hungary plant will mass-produce chassis modules for ele

March 10, 2026

Samsung SDI to debut batteries for AI humanoid robots, data centers

Samsung SDI said Monday it will showcase next-generation batteries designed for humanoid robots and AI data centers at InterBattery 2026 this week in Seoul. Under the theme “AI Thinks, Battery Enables,” the company will debut a pouch-type all-solid-state battery sample developed for physical AI applications such as humanoid robots. The battery is designed to deliver high energy density, strong power output and enhanced safety in a compact form factor. It addresses the tight installation space ty

March 9, 2026

Samsung SDI to unveil AI solution for ESS battery safety

Samsung SDI will unveil an AI-based battery safety solution for energy storage systems at InterBattery 2026, the company announced Sunday. Samsung Battery Intelligence uses artificial intelligence to diagnose the overall health of batteries, including their condition and potential anomalies, allowing operators to detect and predict safety risks in advance. Drawing on operational data from more than 1,400 ESS deployment sites worldwide, the system learns from large datasets accumulated over time.

March 8, 2026

Renault Filante crossover blends hybrid power with sedan comfort

Renault Korea has launched the Filante crossover — the second model in its Aurora Project lineup — aiming to build this year’s sales momentum much like the Grand Koleos SUV did last year. Developed entirely at Renault Korea’s R&D center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, the new hybrid flagship builds on its smaller sibling Grand Koleos’ dynamic performance while adding sedan-like comfort, offering a fresh interpretation of Renault Group’s crossover DNA. Compared with the Grand Koleos, Filante takes

March 8, 2026

Korean Air extends suspension of Incheon-Dubai route through March 15

Korean Air Co., South Korea's flag carrier, said Friday it has extended its suspension of the Incheon-Dubai route by one week through March 15 due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Korean Air flights 951 and 952, which fly between South Korea's Incheon and the United Arab Emirates' Dubai, were diverted or canceled on Feb. 28 following U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran. The daily flights were initially set to be suspended through Sunday. "Dubai's airport authorities informed us of a fligh

March 6, 2026

‘Buy European’ push highlights reliance on China EV supply chain

The European Union’s newly proposed Industrial Accelerator Act — often described as Europe’s answer to the US Inflation Reduction Act — appears less aggressive toward Chinese electric vehicles than expected. Rather than curbing China’s grip on the EV supply chain, the policy highlights how difficult it may be for Europe to reduce its reliance on Chinese batteries and components — a reality that could create fresh challenges for Korean automakers and battery makers in the world’s second-largest E

March 5, 2026

How humanoid robots are rewriting Hyundai–Toyota rivalry

With the humanoid robotics boom accelerating, Hyundai Motor Group and Toyota — longtime Asian rivals in the global auto industry — are emerging as striking contrasts in how they view robots as the next engine of growth. For years, Hyundai traded at a valuation discount to Toyota, widely seen as the more technologically advanced and globally dominant automaker. Now, that perception is shifting. As robotics moves from concept to commercialization, investors are reassessing Hyundai’s growth traject

March 3, 2026