Kia to build EV facility plant in Mexico's industrial state of Nuevo Leon

SEOUL -- Kia, an affiliate of South Korea's Hyundai auto group, would build a factory with electric vehicle production facilities in Mexico's northeastern industrial state of Nuevo Leon. Without disclosing specific information, Nuevo Leon governor Samuel García Sepúlveda said about $1 billion would be injected for the establishment of the plant designed to produce two different vehicle models. The deal can help the South Korean carmaker to overcome the U.S. Inflat

May 16, 2023

BTS agency unveils collaboration project with AI voice synthesis tech startup

SEOUL -- BTS agency has released a digital single created by combining the voice of a human artist and artificial intelligence-based voice synthesis technology. The new single titled "Masquerade" is available in six languages -- Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Masquerade, rolled out on May 15, was produced after Lee Hyun, a member of disbanded vocal group 8Eight, sang the song in six languages. Using AI voice synthesis technology by AI startup

May 15, 2023

CJ Cheiljedang to release spicy rice cake Tteokbokki in North America and Europe

SEOUL -- Targeting global consumers in North America, Europe, and Asia, CJ Cheiljedang, a key subsidiary of South Korea's food and entertainment conglomerate CJ Group, will release Tteokbokki, finger-sized rice cakes simmered in fiery-red spicy chili sauce. The street food will be included in the company's Korean cuisine brand "Bibigo." CJ Cheiljedang is the first South Korean company to exceed 10 trillion won in food sales in 2022. The company has tried to gain a

May 15, 2023

​Sales of Hyundai and Kia cars increase in India for more than 12 consecutive months

SEOUL -- Sales of Hyundai Motor and Kia vehicles in India, the world's third-largest automotive market, are steadily increasing. Sales of Hyundai cars have increased for 12 consecutive months while Kia's sales increased for 14 months in a row. According to data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) on May 15, accumulated sales of Hyundai and Kia cars in India in the first four months of 2023 stood at 295,359 units, up 15.5 percent from the same p

May 15, 2023

HD Hyundai's subsidiary to develop ultra-high-efficiency solar cells

SEOUL -- HD Hyundai Energy Solutions, the solar power wing of South Korea's HD Hyundai, will lead a state project to develop an ultra-high-efficiency large-surface solar power generation module. By 2026, the solar energy solution provider aims to develop hetero-junction technology and mass-produce products that can significantly reduce the amount of energy loss when converting sunlight into electrical energy. According to data released by HD Hyundai Energy Solutions, the power

May 15, 2023

​S. Korean battery makers could face supply shortage in copper in 10 yrs: industry

SEOUL -- South Korean battery makers could face a supply shortage in copper, the main material for copper foil and other key components of secondary batteries, while they focus on acquiring a stable supply line of lithium, which is also a key material for lithium-ion batteries used for electric vehicles, industry officials said. According to data released by London Metal Exchange (LME), the price of copper reached $8,263 per ton on May 15. Global investment management firm Goldman

May 15, 2023

​S. Korea's state power company to establish submarine high voltage power 'expressway' to connect cities

SEOUL -- South Korea's state power company has revealed a 15-year project to establish a power "expressway" underwater using submarine high voltage direct current cables to draw excess electricity from southern areas to the capital city of Seoul and its satellite cities. Currently, Seoul and its surrounding cities have the highest population density of 2,195 people per square kilometer, which is about five times larger than that of the southern port city of Busan, w

May 15, 2023

Pulmuone's Asian noodle products gain explosive popularity in US market

SEOUL -- Seoul-based food company Pulmuone has recorded $72.2 million in sales of Asian noodles in 2022, up 65 percent from a year ago. Targeting American consumers, the food company has showcased various refrigerated noodle products including ramen with pork and broth, and Japchae, a Korean stir-fried noodle dish with beef and various vegetables. According to data released by market research firm Research and Markets, the instant noodles market in the U.S. was estimated to be $1 b

May 15, 2023

AI company ESTsoft showcases virtual fitness trainer for Pilates trainees

SEOUL -- South Korean artificial intelligence company ESTsoft has released a virtual fitness trainer for those who want to learn pilates and yoga at home. After analyzing users' movements, the virtual instructor helps trainees to exercise properly and give various advice on Howfit, an AI-based fitness training application. Howfit said in its Instagram post on May 12: "We are showcasing virtual human Kim Yi-so’s pilates class on Howfit!" The virtual trainer crea

May 12, 2023

​Probiotic brand Duolac makes foray into pet market

SEOUL -- Targeting South Korea's growing pet market, the lactic acid bacteria brand of Cell Biotech, a Seoul-based probiotic company, made a foray into the pet nutrition market by releasing a pet lactic acid bacteria product. The chewable supplement product can help animals improve internal microbial conditions as the majority of immune cells live in their intestines. Data released by South Korea's agriculture ministry showed that about one out of four South Koreans raise

May 12, 2023