-
Samsung wins ‘world’s first’ battle in HBM4 race
Samsung Electronics said Thursday it has started shipments of HBM4, its sixth-generation high bandwidth memory, becoming the first chipmaker to move into mass production of the next-generation memory chip that is vital for artificial intelligence. The launch marks a pivotal moment for Samsung, which had lagged rivals in the previous HBM cycle, raising concerns over its competitiveness in AI-driven semiconductors. With HBM4, the company aims to regain momentum and secure an early lead in the next
Feb. 12, 2026 -
Court backs Koo Kwang-mo in LG succession dispute
LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo has prevailed in a high-stakes inheritance lawsuit, securing control of a key stake underpinning the conglomerate’s ownership structure. The Seoul Western District Court on Thursday dismissed a suit filed by the widow and two daughters of former Chairman Koo Bon-moo, rejecting their request to invalidate the 2018 inheritance settlement and redistribute assets under Korea’s statutory formula. The ruling ends the first round of litigation nearly three years after the
Feb. 12, 2026 -
Kakao builds full-stack AI strategy with Google, OpenAI
Kakao CEO Chung Shin-a on Thursday announced that the Korean tech firm has signed a strategic partnership with Google to boost its on-device artificial intelligence capabilities for Android-based devices. "This partnership marks a starting point for us to deepen our collaboration with Android and push the boundaries of on-device AI services," Chung said during the company's earnings call. By working directly with the Android development team, she added, Kakao hopes to further unlock the value of
Feb. 12, 2026 -
Merck to produce next-gen chip wiring material in Korea
Merck will begin producing next-generation semiconductor material molybdenum in South Korea this year, supplying local chipmakers as they transition away from conventional metal wiring in advanced chips. Molybdenum is emerging as an alternative to tungsten and copper in the microscopic interconnects that link transistors in semiconductors. As wiring scales down to 2-nanometer nodes and below, traditional materials face physical limits that constrain performance and energy efficiency. “Customer d
Feb. 11, 2026 -
Samsung targets Roborock with new AI-powered robot vacuum
Samsung Electronics on Wednesday introduced a new AI-powered robot vacuum cleaner, highlighting enhanced security features and after-sales support as the company moves to compete more aggressively in a market largely led by Chinese brands. “The new product will be a turning point that redefines the standards for robot vacuums in Korea,” Lim Sung-taek, head of Korea sales and marketing at Samsung Electronics, said at a press briefing in Seoul. “We will lead the market with Samsung’s trusted full-
Feb. 11, 2026 -
Samsung touts strong HBM4 response as AI memory race sizzles
Samsung Electronics used Semicon Korea 2026 to underscore its push into next-generation artificial intelligence memory, highlighting strong customer response to its sixth-generation high bandwidth memory, or HBM4, and unveiling an expanded road map for advanced packaging. Song Jai-hyuk, chief technology officer of Samsung’s device solutions division, said feedback on HBM4 has been “very satisfactory,” adding that the company is preparing for mass production shipments this month. Samsung and SK h
Feb. 11, 2026 -
Samsung to unveil new Galaxy smartphone at Unpacked event this month
Samsung Electronics Co. said Wednesday it will showcase a new flagship smartphone during the Galaxy Unpacked event in the United States this month, teasing the new device will come with enhanced artificial intelligence (AI) features. The Galaxy Unpacked 2026 will be held in San Francisco on Feb. 25 (U.S. time), the South Korean tech giant said in the invitation titled "The Next AI Phone Makes Your Life Easier." "The new Galaxy S series is coming, built to simplify everyday interactions, inspire
Feb. 11, 2026 -
German states court Korean chipmakers for EU push
German states Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt are stepping up efforts to attract South Korean semiconductor companies, pitching their regions as strategic entry points into Europe as the continent accelerates its push for technological sovereignty. At an investment briefing in Seoul, officials highlighted the region’s central location, logistics infrastructure and highly skilled workforce, urging Korean chipmakers and suppliers to tap into what they described as Europe’s largest semiconductor cluster.
Feb. 10, 2026 -
SK, Nvidia chiefs talk AI chips over ‘chimaek’ in Silicon Valley
SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won met Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in Silicon Valley last week to discuss cooperation in artificial intelligence semiconductors, reinforcing their partnership over “chimaek” -- fried chicken and beer -- industry sources said Tuesday. The two held talks on Feb. 5 at a Korean-style fried chicken restaurant, 99 Chicken, in Santa Clara, California, about five minutes from Nvidia’s headquarters. The venue is known as one of Huang’s regular dining spots. During the meeting, the
Feb. 10, 2026 -
Claude-maker Anthropic eyes Korea with new office
Anthropic, a rapidly growing US artificial intelligence company and developer of the Claude language model, has begun hiring in South Korea as it prepares to open a Seoul office focused on enterprise sales. Founded in 2021 by former OpenAI researchers, Anthropic is best known for Claude, a generative AI assistant positioned as an alternative to ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini. While its global user base is far smaller, Claude has gained a strong following among developers and enterprise clients for
Feb. 10, 2026 -
US tariff hike may pause if bill passes: industry minister
SEJONG — South Korea’s industry minister said Monday that the US may reconsider its proposed tariff hike on Korean goods if parliament passes a bill designed to accelerate Korean investment in the US next month. “Once the strategic investment act for the US passes the National Assembly in March, we believe there is a high possibility that the tariff increase will be put on hold,” Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan said at a press briefing. Kim said US President Donald Trump had
Feb. 9, 2026 -
Yongin unveils semiconductor map for mega chip cluster
Yongin City published an online "semiconductor map" Monday to help residents and investors get a clearer picture of the world's largest semiconductor cluster being developed in the city. The map comes after Mayor Lee Sang-il said during a New Year's meeting last month that residents should be able to intuitively grasp how the semiconductor projects in Yongin are systematically connected and why they are important at the national level. The map is designed as an index-style thematic guide, highli
Feb. 9, 2026 -
Samsung, LG feel heat from Chinese TV makers
Chinese TV makers are pulling away from cheaper options and betting big on high-end, models powered by artificial intelligence, edging into ground long held by Korean TV giants Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, just as global demand begins to slow. According to market tracker Counterpoint Research, China's TCL and Hisense accounted for 12 percent and 11 percent of global TV shipments, respectively, between January and November last year, each gaining one percentage point from a year earlie
Feb. 9, 2026 -
What Samsung means by ‘agentic AI’ in upcoming Galaxy S26
Samsung Electronics celebrated record fourth-quarter earnings last month, largely due to booming memory chip demand, but the picture was less triumphant for its smartphone division. The Mobile Experience, or MX, unit reported its weakest quarterly operating profit in three years under mounting pressure from soaring component costs. Still, one line buried deep in Samsung’s earnings release stood out: “MX will expand sales centered on flagship products with the launch of Galaxy S26, and strengthen
Feb. 9, 2026 -
AI venture develops at-home cardiac arrest diagnostic platform
An at-home diagnostic platform that can verify 21 types of cardiac arrhythmia and predict cardiac arrest risks within 24 hours has been developed based on artificial intelligence, according to HolmesAI, a digital health care AI company. The company announced Friday that it has finalized the development of its wearable-integrated medical AI solution, CLholmes. It aims to predict the likelihood of cardiac arrest within 24 hours using only electrocardiogram data, without the need to rely on hospita
Feb. 8, 2026