BARCELONA, Spain -- Chinese tech giant Huawei on Tuesday pledged to increase its investment in businesses’ efforts to build the next generation of the wireless network, amid controversy over security risks involving the company. During a press conference at the Mobile World Congress 2019, Huawei said the company’s technology is mature enough to address concerns that Huawei equipment could be used for hacking and espionage for the Chinese government. “We have definitely more interest to support t

BARCELONA, Spain -- With debate swirling around Chinese tech giant Huawei and security concerns about the use of its equipment in other countries, the matter was also high on the agenda for global telecom companies this week at the world’s largest mobile gathering.Members of the body running the annual MWC events, the GSM Association or GSMA, had engaged in “heated debate” over the extent to which they should get involved in the controversy in the face of growing pressure, according to insiders.

BARCELONA, Spain -- The head of South Korea’s major mobile carrier said Monday that the country’s business sectors will be the first to see the benefits of the fifth-generation network when its commercial service kicks off this March.During his opening speech for Mobile World Congress 2019 in Barcelona, KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu said the long-anticipated 5G technology will be applied to an extensive range of business areas -- from high-tech smart factories to traffic networks for autonomous dr

BARCELONA, Spain -- South Korea’s LG Electronics unveiled Sunday its newly developed 5G-powered smartphone with dual screens -- something similar to Samsung’s recently unveiled foldable phone but with a different user interface. During the Mobile World Congress 2019 in Barcelona, Spain, the country’s tech giant introduced the V50 ThinQ 5G with dual screen functionality. The feature allows users to watch two different screens installed on a single handset. The technology allows users to e

BARCELONA, Spain -- With the commercial rollout of fifth-generation wireless networks just around the corner, companies around the world are set to showcase 5G-related technologies during the world’s largest mobile event this week. Handset and telecom firms have descended on Barcelona in Spain for the Mobile World Congress that kicks off Monday. Under the theme of “Intelligent Connectivity,” the four-day event features companies demonstrating how new technologies will change everyday lives. Ther

　As companies worldwide engage in a fierce battle to lead in the future generation of wirelss network, South Korean telecom giant KT on Wednesday suggested platforms that can leverage it for everyday life. 　During the event attended by Cabinet members and business leaders, the telecom giant showcased how the 5G network can be used for tracking and measuring fine dust, dealing with wide fires, and also serving the best coffee. 　Held at KT’s office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, the event offered

　With South Korea gearing up for the commercial launch of 5G services this March, mobile carriers are facing pressure from consumer activists to minimize prices. 　During a meeting organized at the National Assembly with government officials and consumer activists, participants said while the mobile carriers have invested heavily in building their 5G networks, the cost could be offset by an increase in the total number of subscriptions. Some also recommended a new pricing system for non-data serv

　Following telecom LG Uplus’ decision to acquire South Korea’s largest cable TV operator last week, the country’s biggest mobile carrier, SK Telecom, is planning to take over the country’s second-biggest cable TV operator, amid growing competition in the local pay TV market. 　According to industry sources here Monday, SK Telecom is seeking to have its internet service subsidiary, SK Broadband, merge with cable TV operator Tbroad. The company is owned by local conglomerate Taekwang Group. 　While

With the United States continuing to warn its European allies against deploying equipment from China’s Huawei, debate is taking place over the 5G race among South Korean telco companies and how the government should respond.The Trump administration is seeking to prevent US companies from using Chinese telecom equipment to establish fifth-generation networks and is pressuring its allied countries to do the same, saying Huawei Technologies Co. and ZTE Corp. are under orders from the Chinese govern

Kakao, the operator of South Korea’s top messenger app, announced Thursday its operating profit plunged more than 50 percent last year from a year earlier despite the IT giant’s record-high annual sales.  According to Kakao, its operating income reached 72.9 billion won ($64.8 million) last year, down from 165.4 billion won in 2017. The company’s fourth-quarter operating profit stood at 4.3 billion won, down more than 80 percent from a year earlier.The performance appears to overshadow the compa

South Korea’s third-biggest telecom firm LG Uplus said Thursday the company has approved a plan to acquire the country’s biggest cable TV operator CJ Hellovision amid growing competition in the local pay TV market.LG Uplus’ board gave the greenlight for the company to purchase a stake of 50 percent plus one share in CJ Hellovision from its holding company CJ E&M. The deal is estimated to cost about 800 billion won ($711 million), according to LG Uplus and CJ E&M.“The acquisition will be the firs

　Clocking in for work at Centropolis, a high-rise business building in downtown Seoul, office workers literally have to do nothing other than, well, start working.　 　They have no entrance pass for security or card to swipe through a reader. All they need is their smartphones connected to the fifth-generation network. They enter through a door with face recognition and immediately start working at reserved desks after connecting their phones on a docking pad to a cloud computing system. No deskto

　The standoff between Naver and its unionized workers continues to escalate over the company’s working conditions and labor regulations, as the tech giant’s labor union has threatened to go on strike after its negotiations with the management fell apart despite some 15 attempts.　Naver’s labor union has warned that it could take collective action if the management does not engage in “meaningful” dialogue. The union, launched in April last year, has said that it plans to take the first collective

South Korea’s third-largest conglomerate SK Group is seeking to launch a new mobile payment service by integrating various platforms scattered across its subsidiaries into one, amid growing competition over the country’s e-commerce market. According to industry sources here Monday, SK Group has been planning to combine the conglomerate’s two mobile payment systems -- called “11Pay” and “T pay” -- to create a more advanced payment platform for consumers. SK Group’s telecommunications unit, SK Tel

　With South Korean telecom firm LG Uplus moving to acquire the country’s biggest cable TV operator CJ Hellovision, attention is on whether the deal will pass regulatory muster, as local service providers struggle to compete against global streaming giants’ increasing presence in the local pay TV market.　According to industry and banking sources here, LG Uplus will convene a board meeting this week to approve the purchase of some 54 percent stake in CJ Hellovision from its holding company CJ E&M.

　Mobile subscribers in South Korea have lost nearly 200 billion won ($178 million) worth of mileage points accumulated over six years, a lawmaker said Thursday, as many consumers remain uninformed on how to redeem benefits.　Citing a report from the Ministry of Science and ICT, Rep. Noh Woong-rae of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea noted that mileage points worth 190.5 billion won had gone down the drain since 2013 because subscribers failed to use the benefits in time. 　Provided as a perk to

　Korea’s major telecom and internet provider KT is seeking to expand its overseas network to improve internet connection for subscribers of Netflix, as an increasing number of domestic subscribers are suffering from poor video quality amid the surge in users.  　According to industry sources, KT is planning to ratchet up its network capacity by the month-end. The firm declined to comment on exactly when the project will be completed and increase in capacity. KT　There are mounting complaints by Ne

Without Netflix’s innovative technologies, period drama “Kingdom” might have been tough for foreign viewers to understand, as the series set in 17th century Korea features a wide range of historical and cultural elements as well as forms of language used by different social classes. But visual and voice technologies developed by Netflix have made the drama accessible to global audiences, according to the company. “We are a double helix -- both a technology company and an entertainment company,”

Starting from Friday, South Korea braced itself for one of the biggest annual movements of people nationwide as many head to their hometowns for Lunar New Year celebrations next week. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, some 49 million people are expected to hit the road during the holiday that lasts until Wednesday. Traveling from Busan to Seoul by car, for example, would take more than eight hours when people head home on Tuesday afternoon.  Traffic is congested in

South Korea’s top chat app operator Kakao has confirmed that it is reviewing a bid for gaming company, Nexon, but a rumored rival bid from Chinese gaming giant Tencent could prove stiff competition. 　Kakao said the company was reviewing the possibility of taking part in the bid for NXC Corp., the holding company that controls Nexon. NXC Corp. founder Kim Jung-jo is widely reported to have decided to sell his 98.64 percent stake. 　“There has been much internal discussion on the matter,” Kakao spo