Category: South Korea

South Korea’s Semiconductor Market Share Weakens, Samsung’s Leadership Called Into Question

A recent South Korean study shows the country’s semiconductor market share in China shrunk 5.5 percent compared to 2018, citing the effect of U.S. sanctions on China. According to the Yonhap News Agency, the study was conducted by the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI), an economic association for domestic industries in South Korea. It analyzed…


Malaysia to Lift Outdoor Mask Mandate, Scrap COVID Tests for Vaccinated Travelers

Malaysia will ease most of its COVID-19 restrictions beginning May 1, including lifting its outdoor mask mandate, as the country enters the endemic phase of the coronavirus, the Health Minister said Wednesday. Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said in a statement that wearing masks outdoors will be optional and physical distancing will no longer be necessary….


South Korean Conglomerates Diversify Production Bases and Cut Reliance on China

New Analysis Faced with rising raw material costs and poor logistics, major South Korean firms have accelerated their expansion of production bases worldwide to reduce over-reliance on China. Korean conglomerates such as Samsung, SK Group, Hyundai Motor, Posco, and Lotte have put forward their measures to address the pressures facing the global supply chain. The…


Japan and South Korea Agree to Improve Bilateral Ties

South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida have agreed to revive the countries’ long-strained relations, which have been plagued by disputes over wartime issues. The visiting South Korean delegation met with Kishida for talks on April 26 and handed him a handwritten letter from Yoon expressing his hope for improved relations between…


North, South Korean Leaders Exchange ‘Personal’ Letters Amid Tensions

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has exchanged letters with the outgoing South Korean President and thanked him for his efforts in pursuing peace between the two countries, North Korea’s state media reported Friday. South Korean President Moon Jae-in is due to end his five-year term on May 10, after which he will be succeeded…


Why Does the Chinese Regime Constantly Attack Korean Culture?

Commentary The opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics in February angered viewers around the world. It especially angered South Korean viewers. During the performance, a Chinese woman emerged wearing a hanbok, a dress that is an inextricable part of Korean culture. When asked for comment, the Chinese Embassy in Seoul insisted that the performer…


Samsung Heavy Industries Partners With Denmark’s Seaborg to Develop Floating Nuclear Power Plants

South Korea’s shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries has signed a memorandum of understanding with Seaborg, a Denmark-based nuclear reactor developer, to develop floating nuclear power plants. Samsung Heavy said on April 12 that the floating power plants will be integrated with Seaborg’s compact molten salt reactor (CSMR) technology, a next-generation carbon-free energy source. The agreement also covers…


South Korea to Drop All COVID-19 Rules, but Not Mask Mandate

South Korea will drop all COVID-19 restrictions starting next week as the Omicron-led outbreak begins to recede, but the mask mandate will remain in effect for the time being, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Friday. “The Omicron has shown signs of weakening significantly after peaking in the third week of March,” Kim was quoted saying…


Who Is Winning the Nuclear Arms Race? With Dr. Peter Pry | China Insider With David Zhang

Deterrence is a matter of one-upping another in both defensive capabilities and offensive capabilities. And nuclear deterrence is once again a topic of discussion as the world unexpectedly or expectedly walks into a new cold war. Our conversation with nuclear expert Dr. Peter Pry focuses on the new cold war between the autocratic camp and…


Along With Local Residents, Foreigners Are Struggling to Survive Shanghai Lockdown

Large numbers of foreign citizens have been caught up in Shanghai’s extended COVID-19 lockdown that has been in place for more than two weeks in some parts of the city. Like Chinese residents, foreigners face a difficult situation as they struggle for food and to gain access to medical care. Various parts of the city…