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Samsung Electronics said Tuesday that the number of customers for its foundry business could grow roughly fourfold by 2029 compared to 2017. "The number of customers has increased about threefold from when the foundry business was first established as an independent unit in 2017," Noh Mi-jung, a senior vice president at Samsung's foundry business, said during Korea Premium Week 2026. "We expect the customer number to grow about fourfold by 2029," she said. Samsung's foundry business plans to diversify its portfolio, which is currently focused on mobile products, toward artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC). HPC accounted for just 5 percent of the foundry business in 2017 but has since risen to 28 percent. The company expects the share to reach 66 percent by 2029. "By 2029, we expect HPC customers to account for more than half of our customer base, while HPC will also account for well over half of our sales," the executive said. Samsung aims to begin mass production of its third-generation 2-nanometer process in 2028, followed by mass production of its 1.4-nanome

The government on Tuesday passed a special bill outlining measures to introduce and operate nuclear-powered submarines as part of a national strategic project. The bill was passed during a Cabinet meeting led by President Lee Jae Myung and will be submitted to the National Assembly for deliberations. It is aimed at helping the systematic running of nuclear-powered submarine projects and promoting sustainable economic growth through the establishment of national security based on self-reliant defense, the maintenance of international peace and the development of the defense industry. In particular, it outlines special provisions for the introduction and operation of nuclear subs, as well as regulations concerning the safe management of nuclear power, as the project is the country's first case combining weapons systems with nuclear energy. The government has said it aims to enact the special law before the end of the year to launch the lead ship in the mid-2030s and field the homegrown nuclear-powered submarine in the late 2030s.

President Lee Jae Myung ordered the military on Tuesday to determine the cause of a land mine explosion near the inter-Korean border and take necessary measures, raising questions about how his administration, which has been pursuing dialogue with Pyongyang, might respond if North Korea is found responsible. Possible responses range from resuming propaganda broadcasts along the border to adjusting military operations inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and seeking action through the United Nations Command (UNC). The government has yet to announce any specific measures. “The military must work closely with the UNC to conduct a swift and thorough investigation and establish the facts transparently,” Lee said during a Cabinet meeting. “Necessary measures will then be taken based on the findings.” His remarks followed an interim military investigation that found a very high likelihood that North Korean mines caused the Sept. 21 explosions, which injured three South Korean soldiers. Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul and the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) have pledged corresponding measures

Korea’s national Korean language proficiency exam is preparing for a major digital overhaul, introducing artificial intelligence (AI) to draft test questions and grade essays as global demand to learn the language surges. The Ministry of Education and the National Institute for International Education unveiled a comprehensive strategy Tuesday to modernize the Test of Proficiency in Korean, widely known as TOPIK. The overhaul aims to transition the traditional paper-heavy exam into an AI-driven digital testing platform by 2029, catering to an expanding pool of foreign students, job seekers and workers aiming to establish careers in Korea. Since its launch in 1997 with fewer than 3,000 test-takers across four countries, TOPIK has grown into a crucial gateway for foreign nationals seeking university admission, corporate employment or residency visas in Korea. Annual applicants soared from roughly 329,000 in 2018 to more than 566,000 in 2025, spanning 94 countries. By September, registration had already reached 564,606 — up 10 percent from the same period last year — putting the exam

Cornell University has disputed claims that students named in a sexual assault lawsuit were allowed to mitigate their punishment simply by submitting essays, calling the characterization false and warning it could deter survivors from coming forward. When asked about the disciplinary action against the accused students, the Ivy League university said that any suggestion that the university did not impose consequential punishments for those involved is false. “A continuation of the false narrative that there were minimal consequences in this case is irresponsible, will make survivors feel less safe and supported, and will perpetuate the underreporting of sexual assault,” the university said in a statement on Monday (local time), which it sent to The Korea Times in response to the newspaper's inquiry. The response came after a former Cornell student, identified as Jane Doe, filed a lawsuit in New York this month alleging that seven members of the school's Chi Phi fraternity drugged and sexually assaulted her in October 2024, according to The Cornell Daily Sun. The university said the

CHEONGJU — A college student was jailed Tuesday for pledging allegiance to the extremist militant group ISIS while in high school, officials said. The Cheongju District Court sentenced the 18-year-old male student to an indeterminate prison term of one to 1 1/2 years after finding him guilty of violating the anti-terrorism law. The student, whose identity was withheld, was charged with attempting to join ISIS after watching various propaganda materials at an encrypted online platform operated by an ISIS-affiliated group between November 2024 and February this year, and swearing allegiance to ISIS. He was also suspected of obtaining bomb-making instructions from an ISIS contact, forming a bomb attack scheme against the government forces of Mozambique and requesting an ISIS evaluation for his attack plan, according to court officials.

Korean food manufacturers, despite K-food’s growing presence in global markets, continue to face hurdles from overseas trade barriers that constrain further export growth, according to the head of the country’s major food industry lobby group, Tuesday. Park Jin-sun, chairman of the Korea Food Industry Association (KFIA), said difficulties faced by the group’s member companies ranged from tariff to custom, certificates and food regulations in foreign markets. Global supply chains that prevent Korea’s imports of necessary materials for the industry also posed a threat. Issues related to food safety, production technologies, eligibility for government subsidy programs and sustainable operation practices were also major concerns for the companies. “We have witnessed rising crude oil prices worldwide, tightening naphtha supplies, disrupting packaging operations and a weakening Korean won,” Park said during a press conference in Seoul marking his first year as chairman. “Not just our importers, our exporters seeking to expand their global markets also suffered from various trade

LG Innotek will dispatch a fleet of sensor-packed test vehicles to Korean roads to gather real-world data aimed at sharpening technologies that determine how self-driving cars see the world. The company said Tuesday it has begun operating data collection vehicles in Korea in partnership with Applied Intuition, a U.S. autonomous driving software company. The two companies plan to expand the fleet to 20 vehicles by 2028. Operations will initially focus on Seoul, Incheon and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province, with the fleet including both data collection vehicles and vehicles used to develop autonomous driving software. LG Innotek said direct access to road data will help it refine sensors that serve as the “eyes” of autonomous vehicles and strengthen its sensor-fusion technology. The vehicles combine cameras, radar and lidar to capture information about road conditions, vehicle movements, object locations and changes in weather, with the data to be paired with digital twin environments for sensor improvement and system validation. Sensor fusion combines camera imagery with radar measure

The chief of Korea's financial watchdog on Tuesday called on securities firms to shore up shareholder value and heighten risk management for rising interest rates. In a meeting with heads of 28 securities firms, Lee Chan-jin, governor of the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), said local brokerage firms had racked up record profits amid a stock bull run. "Securities firms that benefited the most from the growth of the capital market should play a greater role in leading market reform, and work to boost shareholder value," Lee said. The FSS chief also called for better management of loans extended to investors as part of efforts to reduce market volatility. Lee, in addition, urged securities firms to better prepare for rising interest rates.

Samsung SDI is unveiling a range of battery solutions designed for artificial intelligence (AI) data centers at Data Centre World Asia (DCWA) 2026, which kicked off Tuesday in Singapore, as the battery maker seeks to expand its presence in the fast-growing data center market. The event, which is one of Asia's largest data center exhibitions, brings together companies across the data center ecosystem, from design and construction to operations and management. This year’s edition is drawing more than 600 companies from around the world. Samsung SDI is participating in the annual event for the first time, showcasing products and technologies in four exhibition zones dedicated to uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, battery backup units (BBUs), Samsung battery box (SBB) and a range of battery cells. At the UPS zone, Samsung SDI is showcasing a UPS solution that it said was the first in the world to meet all criteria in an indoor large-scale fire test conducted by UL Solutions, a global safety testing and certification company. The installation-level test involves intentionally igni

With the flu spreading earlier than usual this year, market interest is growing in products that may help support immune health, including red ginseng. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the number of patients with influenza-like illnesses reached 25.3 per 1,000 outpatients during the first week of September. This is nearly double the epidemic threshold of 12.9 and up sharply from 13.3 in late August. COVID-19 is also spreading alongside the flu. During the same period, 193 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19, more than triple the number four weeks earlier. Last year, the government issued a flu advisory on Oct. 17, but this year it issued the advisory on Sept. 11 and began its vaccination program on Sept. 21. Against this backdrop, consumers are showing growing interest not only in vaccination but also in products that support immune health as part of broader preventive care, with red ginseng among those drawing increased attention. Red ginseng has been officially recognized by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for seven potential health benefits, inclu

President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday the success of the government's "three megaprojects" initiative centered on building up the semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) industries will depend on creating the right living conditions for workers and their families. Lee made the remark at the third public-private meeting discussing progress on the initiative, which focuses on developing hubs for semiconductors, physical AI and AI data centers across the nation. "Today we will focus our discussions on ways to create living conditions, which could be called the key to the project's success," he said at the meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, which brought together relevant ministers and presidential officials, as well as senior executives from Samsung and SK. "The megaprojects' ultimate goal is for young people and talents to flock to regions (outside the capital area) in search of jobs, and for all regions and people to evenly enjoy the benefits of growth," he said. Lee went on to explain that the projects should be pursued under a combined plan for the construction of industrial complexes and