COXEM said Monday it had obtained South Korea's nationally certified New Excellent Technology (NET) designation from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy for its high-performance ion gun technology.

The certified technology is an ion gun designed for a cross-section polisher scanning electron microscope (CP-SEM) system. CP-SEM is an advanced analytical platform that integrates a cross-section polisher (CP), which precisely mills samples at the atomic level, with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) capable of observing nanoscale structures. The system closely links sample preprocessing and inspection processes, enabling cross-sectional processing and surface polishing of specimens through the ion gun before microscopic analysis.

COXEM said it maximized plasma generation efficiency and ion beam current density through a proprietary magnetic flux design. The company also differentiated the system with a chamber door-linked gas pipe connection structure, improving reliability and process stability.

The company plans to reduce dependence on overseas suppliers by localizing high-performance ion gun technology for semiconductor processes, while strengthening the competitiveness and stability of South Korea's semiconductor equipment supply chain. The market for such ion gun systems has largely been dominated by a small number of foreign companies, including Thermo Fisher Scientific.

COXEM also plans to commercialize CP-SEM systems incorporating the certified ion gun technology. The platform is expected to be applicable across advanced industries including high-bandwidth memory (HBM), organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays and next-generation batteries. HBM uses a 3D architecture in which DRAM chips are vertically stacked and connected through thousands of through-silicon vias (TSVs). CP-SEM systems can precisely cut and analyze the internal structures of such devices.

COXEM's CP-SEM adopts a vacuum-sealed platform equipped with an automated transfer system, allowing samples to be analyzed without exposure to the external atmosphere. The design minimizes the risk of sample deformation and data distortion caused by exposure to oxygen and moisture.

The company is targeting the replacement of expensive focused ion beam (FIB) analytical systems. FIB equipment uses a narrow ion beam to process and simultaneously observe samples, mainly for ultra-thin preprocessing of transmission electron microscope (TEM) specimens. COXEM said its CP-SEM systems are expected to offer pricing competitiveness at roughly one-tenth the cost of conventional FIB equipment.

"The NET certification for our high-performance ion gun officially proves COXEM's core technological competitiveness and mass-production applicability," said Lee Jun-hee, chief executive of COXEM. "We aim to move beyond the entry-level electron microscope market and expand sales of high-end analytical equipment while entering the semiconductor supply chain."

COXEM said Monday it had obtained South Korea's nationally certified New Excellent Technology (NET) designation from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy for its high-performance ion gun technology.

The certified technology is an ion gun designed for a cross-section polisher scanning electron microscope (CP-SEM) system. CP-SEM is an advanced analytical platform that integrates a cross-section polisher (CP), which precisely mills samples at the atomic level, with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) capable of observing nanoscale structures. The system closely links sample preprocessing and inspection processes, enabling cross-sectional processing and surface polishing of specimens through the ion gun before microscopic analysis.

COXEM said it maximized plasma generation efficiency and ion beam current density through a proprietary magnetic flux design. The company also differentiated the system with a chamber door-linked gas pipe connection structure, improving reliability and process stability.

The company plans to reduce dependence on overseas suppliers by localizing high-performance ion gun technology for semiconductor processes, while strengthening the competitiveness and stability of South Korea's semiconductor equipment supply chain. The market for such ion gun systems has largely been dominated by a small number of foreign companies, including Thermo Fisher Scientific.

COXEM also plans to commercialize CP-SEM systems incorporating the certified ion gun technology. The platform is expected to be applicable across advanced industries including high-bandwidth memory (HBM), organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays and next-generation batteries. HBM uses a 3D architecture in which DRAM chips are vertically stacked and connected through thousands of through-silicon vias (TSVs). CP-SEM systems can precisely cut and analyze the internal structures of such devices.

COXEM's CP-SEM adopts a vacuum-sealed platform equipped with an automated transfer system, allowing samples to be analyzed without exposure to the external atmosphere. The design minimizes the risk of sample deformation and data distortion caused by exposure to oxygen and moisture.

The company is targeting the replacement of expensive focused ion beam (FIB) analytical systems. FIB equipment uses a narrow ion beam to process and simultaneously observe samples, mainly for ultra-thin preprocessing of transmission electron microscope (TEM) specimens. COXEM said its CP-SEM systems are expected to offer pricing competitiveness at roughly one-tenth the cost of conventional FIB equipment.

"The NET certification for our high-performance ion gun officially proves COXEM's core technological competitiveness and mass-production applicability," said Lee Jun-hee, chief executive of COXEM. "We aim to move beyond the entry-level electron microscope market and expand sales of high-end analytical equipment while entering the semiconductor supply chain."

Samsung Electronics's labor union said it will proceed with a planned general strike on May 21 after reinterpreting a Suwon District Court injunction ruling in a manner favorable to the union.

Lawyers representing the union argued that the court decision effectively accepted the union's position, while the company immediately countered that the interpretation distorted the court ruling.

Law firm Majung, which represents the union, released a statement Sunday saying the court had determined that staffing levels used during "weekends or holidays" could also qualify as ordinary staffing levels for maintaining safety protection facilities and security operations. Majung argued that staffing levels would therefore fall below 7,000 workers, meaning the injunction would "effectively not interfere with strike activities at all." The firm added that the union would respect the court ruling and proceed with industrial action scheduled for May 21.

The controversial interpretation centers on the meaning of "ordinary staffing levels" required under the court order. Samsung had argued during the injunction proceedings that approximately 7,000 workers were necessary on weekdays in the Device Solutions (DS) division, representing 8.97% of DS personnel and 5.43% of Samsung Electronics' total workforce. Under the union-side interpretation, weekend and holiday staffing levels — substantially lower than weekday levels — could serve as the benchmark even during weekday strike periods.

Samsung strongly rejected the interpretation and released its own statement through law firm Jipyong, which represents the company. "The court explicitly stated in the ruling that 'ordinary staffing levels' refers to 'ordinary weekday staffing levels or ordinary weekend and holiday staffing levels,'" Jipyong said. "This clearly means that weekday-level staffing must be maintained during weekdays of the strike period, and weekend or holiday-level staffing during weekends or holidays."

An excerpt of the court order disclosed by Jipyong stated that the union must maintain and operate safety protection facilities "with staffing levels, operating hours, operational scale and duty of care equivalent to ordinary conditions (ordinary weekdays or ordinary weekends and holidays)."

The ruling also explicitly rejected the union's arguments regarding staffing standards for safety protection facilities and security operations. On page 10 of the decision, the court stated that the union's arguments concerning the scope and normal operation of safety facilities "cannot be accepted." A similar expression was used again on page 14 regarding security operations.

Samsung argued that the union's latest interpretation directly contradicts the injunction ruling and warned that following such an interpretation could constitute a violation of the injunction and trigger indirect compulsory enforcement penalties. Under the court order, if violations occur, the Samsung Electronics branch of the Samsung Group cross-enterprise union and the National Samsung Electronics Union could each be required to pay Samsung Electronics 100 million won per day. Union chairman Choi Seung-ho and acting chairman Woo Ha-kyung could each face penalties of 10 million won per day.

The partial injunction ruling did not prohibit the strike itself. The court order directly concerns maintenance work related to safety facilities, prevention of damage to production equipment and prevention of wafer contamination. According to union estimates, around 47,000 workers have expressed intent to participate in the strike. Even after accounting for Samsung's claimed requirement of 7,000 weekday personnel, the union believes a substantial number of members can still join the walkout.

Samsung Electronics and the union entered a second round of post-mediation talks Sunday at the National Labor Relations Commission in Sejong. Commission chairman Park Soo-keun is reportedly leading the mediation process directly. The talks are scheduled to continue through May 19.

Alteogen has successfully defended a core patent technology in the United States, strengthening a series of recent legal outcomes that have favored both Alteogen and Merck & Co. However, with the broader dispute still unresolved, patent battles surrounding the global subcutaneous (SC) platform market are expected to continue.

Alteogen said Monday that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) rejected a request to initiate inter partes review (IPR) proceedings against one of its patents. The IPR petition had been filed in December last year by U.S. biotechnology company Halozyme Therapeutics against Alteogen's U.S. Patent No. 12,221,638, titled "Method for Preparing Recombinant Hyaluronidase."

The USPTO released its decision on May 15 after reviewing the issues raised in the IPR petition. The agency concluded that Halozyme failed to demonstrate a reasonable likelihood of prevailing on any of the challenged patent claims. The USPTO said Halozyme did not sufficiently establish grounds for invalidating Alteogen's technology and therefore denied institution of the IPR proceedings under the authority of the director.

IPR is a U.S. system for reexamining the validity of granted patents. Third parties may challenge a patent's novelty or inventiveness based on prior art references. Full review proceedings are initiated only when the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) determines that the petitioner has demonstrated a reasonable likelihood of success.

Alteogen described the decision as evidence of the technological differentiation of its patent portfolio. The company said it had worked with U.S. legal representatives and outside specialists to review and defend the related patents. Alteogen added that the outcome is expected to strengthen confidence in future collaboration discussions with global partners.

The patent in question covers manufacturing methods for Alteogen's hyaluronidase platform technology, ALT-B4. The platform converts high-volume biologic drugs from intravenous (IV) formulations into SC formulations. ALT-B4 has been applied to Merck's immunotherapy treatment Keytruda Qurex.

Alteogen signed its first licensing agreement with Merck in 2020 and entered into an exclusive licensing agreement for the development of subcutaneous Keytruda in 2023. Under the agreement, Alteogen may receive sales milestone payments totaling $1 billion tied to Keytruda Qurex product sales, followed by royalty payments based on revenue.

"The decision is meaningful in that the prior art and arguments presented by Halozyme failed to meet the threshold required to initiate a full IPR trial against our patent," said Jeon Tae-yeon, chief executive of Alteogen. "It once again confirms that our patent strategy and rights protection system related to ALT-B4 have been solidly established from both technological and legal perspectives."

Patent Disputes Over SC Conversion Platforms Continue

Merck and Halozyme continue to engage in patent disputes. However, recent rulings by the PTAB invalidating parts of Halozyme's patents are strengthening the patent defense position of Merck and Alteogen.

On May 12, the PTAB ruled invalid one of Halozyme's patents related to its MDASE technology. MDASE is an SC formulation conversion platform and one of Halozyme's key patents.

Beginning in November 2024, Merck filed multiple post-grant review (PGR) petitions challenging Halozyme's MDASE patents. PGR allows third parties to contest patent validity within nine months of patent issuance. The PTAB ruling marked the first decision among those cases.

Alteogen said the invalidation of Halozyme's MDASE patent is expected to reduce potential legal risks related to Keytruda Qurex going forward. The company also said it expects similar outcomes in the remaining PGR proceedings currently under review.

Roche is positioning artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital pathology as a future core business area and has formally announced the acquisition of U.S. AI pathology company PathAI. The move is also raising expectations for domestic partner Biodyn.

Roche held its "Diagnostics Day 2026" investor relations event in London on May 12, outlining key strategic directions for its diagnostics business. The company presented expansion of its clinical laboratory market leadership, integrated disease solutions and digital and AI-centered business growth as major priorities going forward.

Roche said its pathology laboratory business generated 1.7 billion Swiss francs in revenue this year, up 14% from a year earlier. The company also presented plans to build an AI-based clinical laboratory operating platform. Through its "navify Analytics AI" platform, Roche integrates and analyzes laboratory operational data with clinical data, supporting automated issue detection, demand forecasting and workload analysis.

The company also plans to strengthen integrated disease solutions. Roche emphasized that it intends to expand its diagnostics business beyond conventional tissue testing into a platform connecting the entire patient journey. The strategy is to integrate early detection, precision diagnosis, treatment selection and disease monitoring into a single ecosystem.

Roche identified oncology, neurological disorders, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, and infectious diseases as its key focus areas. The company said these disease categories account for roughly 60% of all global disease incidence.

In oncology, Roche highlighted liquid biopsy, minimal residual disease (MRD) testing, digital pathology and AI-based pathology solutions as core growth segments. The company also unveiled strategies to expand blood-based early cancer detection and companion diagnostics.

In neurological disorders, Roche emphasized the expanding market for early Alzheimer's diagnosis. The company identified medical devices capable of diagnosing blood-based biomarkers including pTau217, pTau181, ApoE4 and NfL as key products. Roche expects demand for early Alzheimer's diagnosis to rise rapidly with the emergence of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs).

In cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, Roche plans to expand its digital disease management business centered on the Accu-Chek SmartGuide continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) device. The platform combines AI-based glucose prediction with dietary and exercise analysis functions to broaden its diabetes management capabilities.

In infectious diseases, Roche plans to expand multiplex molecular diagnostics and rapid point-of-care testing businesses. The company expects market demand to increase amid the spread of emerging infectious diseases linked to climate change.

Roche Expands Digital and AI Business Through PathAI Acquisition

Roche officially announced the acquisition of PathAI during the event. The deal is valued at up to $1.05 billion. Roche will initially pay $750 million and may provide an additional $300 million depending on milestone achievements. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of this year, subject to regulatory approvals.

PathAI has developed technology that converts pathology slides into digital images and analyzes cancer cell patterns and biomarkers using AI algorithms. The company has expanded its business from hospital diagnostic solutions into pharmaceutical clinical trials, biomarker discovery, companion diagnostics and translational research.

Through the acquisition, Roche plans to secure AI-based image management systems (IMS) and pathology algorithms while strengthening its competitiveness in companion diagnostic services. The company believes digital pathology will become a core pillar of the future diagnostics market.

Roche said during the event that "all pathology slides will undergo AI-assisted interpretation by 2035." The company also projected the digital pathology market to grow from about 820 million Swiss francs in 2024 to 1.61 billion Swiss francs by 2029.

Biodyn Technology Gains Attention as Roche Strengthens AI Strategy

As Roche emphasizes AI-based digital pathology as a future core business, South Korean pathology diagnostics company Biodyn is also drawing attention because Roche included the Ventana SP400 among its key newly launched systems.

Ventana SP400 is a liquid-based cytology (LBC) slide preparation system incorporating Biodyn's patented blowing technology and vial technology. The two companies signed a technology transfer and exclusive agreement in 2019.

Biodyn's blowing technology, which uniformly sprays and disperses patient samples onto slides, improves pathology interpretation accuracy. Since AI pathology relies on digitizing slides for learning and analysis, slide quality itself directly affects data accuracy. Industry observers therefore expect Biodyn's role to expand as Roche further strengthens its AI strategy.

Although the product launch and market expansion were delayed during the early stage of the partnership due partly to the Covid-19 pandemic, market conditions have recently improved. According to Roche's annual report, the global installed base of Ventana SP400 exceeded 400 units as of 2025, with installations increasing 55% from a year earlier.

SurplusGLOBAL has disclosed the results of the first online auction held through SemiMarket, its semiconductor equipment and parts trading platform.

The online auction featured equipment owned by a global outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) provider. More than 40 buyers from major semiconductor markets including South Korea, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and the United States participated in the bidding process. Final sale prices rose 70% from opening bids. Compared with conventional offline sales and transactions based on limited industry networks, both the number of participating companies and sale prices increased significantly.

SurplusGLOBAL said the results demonstrated that an online competitive bidding structure can deliver meaningful outcomes even in the market for legacy semiconductor equipment. The company attributed the successful launch of the online auction to its 26 years of accumulated global network expertise and an artificial intelligence (AI)-based recommendation engine. The recommendation engine identifies buyers worldwide and provides detailed information on used equipment and parts, including images, manufacturers, model specifications and transaction terms.

The company also supports on-site inspections to help buyers participate in auctions with more accurate information, minimizing potential issues during the purchasing process. It added that the platform enables buyers to compete under identical conditions, making global price competition for semiconductor equipment and parts possible.

Based on the initial results, SurplusGLOBAL is targeting $20 million in online auction transactions this year and plans to expand the figure to $50 million next year. The company is currently preparing more than 10 additional online auctions covering front-end semiconductor equipment, back-end equipment and equipment parts.

"We have proven that online transactions can innovate the market for used semiconductor equipment and parts," said Kim Jung-woong, chief executive of SurplusGLOBAL. "Major semiconductor companies worldwide are showing strong interest in the online auction results, and customer acquisition is progressing smoothly."

SemiMarket also provides information on equipment expected to enter the market in the near future, in addition to equipment already available for sale. The platform currently lists semiconductor equipment and parts with a total sales value of about $1 billion, based on carefully screened and reliable market data. More than 2,000 semiconductor tools and over 200,000 parts listings are currently available on the platform. By the end of the year, the company plans to introduce additional services including a request-for-quote (RFQ) marketplace and an Easy Seller Kit for vendors.

JUSTEM said it secured 30 billion won in semiconductor policy financing from Korea Development Bank to support construction of its third manufacturing plant and next-generation semiconductor equipment development.

The funding is part of a government-backed semiconductor industry financing program designed to support facility investments aimed at strengthening domestic semiconductor manufacturing competitiveness. The financing carries ultra-low interest rates with a 10-year repayment term.

JUSTEM said the proceeds will be used for infrastructure investment at its planned third factory in Yongin Second Techno Valley. The company aims to expand production capacity to meet rising global demand for its core humidity-control solutions and continued growth in the semiconductor industry cycle.

The third facility will span approximately 6,000 pyeong and will house integrated office, research and development (R&D), and manufacturing functions within a multipurpose complex. Employee welfare facilities, including a daycare center, are also planned as part of the project.

The company is also investing in advanced humidity-control technologies and next-generation semiconductor process equipment including hybrid bonding systems. By separately securing facility investment financing, JUSTEM said it reduced the burden of funding ongoing R&D programs.

Since June last year, the company has participated in a Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy-led national project focused on developing ultra-high-density hybrid bonding stack equipment for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) semiconductors. Project participants include LG Electronics' Production Engineering Research Institute (PRI), a research team led by Professor Joo Seung-hwan at Inha University, Conception and Gyeongbuk Technopark. The project runs from 2025 through 2029. The government's target specification for HBM hybrid bonders includes bonding precision within ±200 nanometers.

Lee Mi-ae, executive vice president of JUSTEM's management planning division, said the financing validates the company's competitiveness, growth potential and financial stability while strengthening its ability to focus on advanced R&D. "This will become the foundation for JUSTEM's next quantum leap," she said.

JUSTEM also reported first-quarter revenue of 17.69 billion won and operating profit of 4.07 billion won, up 67% and 147% respectively from a year earlier. Operating margin rose to 23% from 15.5% a year earlier, while net profit tripled to 4.07 billion won.

L&F has completed construction of its lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode materials plant in Daegu and plans to begin mass production in the third quarter as the company expands beyond its high-nickel battery materials business.

The company said on May 18 that it completed the L&F Plus manufacturing facility at the National Industrial Complex in Guji-myeon, Dalseong County, Daegu, roughly nine months after construction began in August last year.

L&F plans to start mass production of LFP cathode materials at an annual capacity of 30,000 metric tons by the end of the third quarter and expand to 60,000 tons annually by the first half of 2027.

The company said the core technology at L&F Plus is its third-generation high-density LFP platform, which offers improved energy density compared with conventional LFP materials. L&F said it is currently discussing supply agreements for applications ranging from energy storage systems (ESS) for power grids and AI data centers to mass-market electric vehicles.

The company is also seeking to strengthen raw-material competitiveness by internalizing iron phosphate (FP) precursor technology, an area currently dominated by Chinese suppliers. L&F is simultaneously developing a next-generation precursor-free manufacturing process.

L&F Chief Executive Heo Je-hong said the project marks the beginning of a dual-track cathode materials strategy combining the company's existing high-nickel business with a new LFP growth engine. "We will evolve into a key partner in the global battery materials market," he said.

BASF has introduced a next-generation yellow lighting solution designed for semiconductor lithography processes, targeting higher energy efficiency and lower carbon emissions in photolithography environments. The company said the new system is intended to replace conventional yellow fluorescent lamps and filter-based LED lighting used in semiconductor and electronics manufacturing.

BASF on May 18 unveiled the yellow lighting solution for photolithography applications in industries including printed circuit boards (PCB), displays, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and solar energy manufacturing. The company said the technology improves power efficiency while maintaining precise spectrum-control performance and remains compatible with existing systems to reduce adoption barriers.

Semiconductor lithography environments require yellow lighting conditions that block short wavelengths below 530 nanometers because photoresist materials used to form circuit patterns are highly sensitive to specific light wavelengths. Traditional yellow fluorescent lamps and filter-based LEDs typically generate energy losses while filtering out harmful wavelengths.

BASF said its solution adopts an absorption-conversion approach that converts blocked short-wavelength light into reusable yellow light rather than discarding it. The company said the method maximizes both energy utilization and system efficiency.

According to BASF, the new solution can reduce energy consumption by up to 25%. Conventional fluorescent systems consume approximately 36 watts per tube, while filter-based yellow LEDs generally require around 20 watts. BASF's lighting technology operates at roughly 10 to 15 watts. The lower power consumption also reduces electricity and cooling costs in semiconductor fabrication facilities.

The company said the system's low heat-transfer characteristics improve operational stability and product lifespan. BASF added that the technology demonstrated no measurable performance degradation after more than five years of operation in semiconductor manufacturing environments. The solution also complies with the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive and the European Union's Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation.

BASF said the yellow lighting technology can be applied in cleanroom illumination, lithography and PCB inspection processes where strict short-wavelength control is required. The company plans to provide technical support including sampling, field evaluation and carbon-footprint analysis for partners adopting the system.

Global technology companies including Nvidia and Amazon are advancing a new storage architecture that allows graphics processing units (GPUs) to directly control storage devices such as solid-state drives (SSDs), a shift that industry experts say could pave the way for the era of high-bandwidth flash (HBF) beyond high-bandwidth memory (HBM).

Song Ki-hwan, a professor in the Department of System Semiconductor Engineering at Yonsei University, said at the 2nd Semiconductor Device Frontier Summit on Sunday that Nvidia plans to introduce a GPU-Initiated Direct Storage Access (GIDS) architecture beginning with its Vera Rubin AI computing platform. "Nvidia is adopting a GIDS structure that advances beyond GPU Direct Storage," Song said. "It enables GPUs to retrieve data directly from storage and effectively opens an entirely new market."

Vera Rubin is Nvidia's next-generation AI computing platform combining the Vera central processing unit (CPU), Rubin GPU and NVLink switch technologies.

Under existing GPU Direct Storage (GDS) architecture, CPUs issue data requests to storage devices, which then transfer data directly to GPUs. GIDS goes a step further by allowing GPUs themselves to issue storage access commands without passing through CPUs or DRAM. Both architectures are designed to address data-transfer bottlenecks associated with traditional von Neumann computing structures. Microsoft and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) are also evaluating similar approaches.

In conventional von Neumann systems, CPUs send data requests to storage devices, data is transferred first to main memory such as DRAM, and then copied again to GPUs. "The data-transfer method of the von Neumann architecture is inefficient," Song said. "CPUs are structurally limited in the number of threads they can process and cannot keep up with the communication demands of massive AI models." GPUs, by contrast, can generate tens of thousands of parallel computational threads simultaneously.

The emergence of GIDS could significantly expand the role of storage while reducing pressure on HBM capacity. At the same time, it would require higher-performance NAND flash capable of matching GPU processing throughput. One proposed solution is high-bandwidth flash, or HBF — NAND flash vertically stacked in a structure similar to HBM and interconnected through through-silicon vias (TSVs). Compared with conventional NAND, HBF offers substantially improved bandwidth, operating speed and memory capacity.

NAND flash also delivers roughly 30 times greater bit density per unit area than DRAM. According to Song, combining six HBF units with two HBM units in a GPU package could increase total memory capacity more than sixteenfold compared with an eight-HBM-only configuration. Memory capacity could rise from 192 gigabytes to 3,120 gigabytes, enabling AI systems to run models with parameter sizes roughly 16 times larger than current architectures.

Still, NAND flash has endurance limitations. Unlike DRAM, which can theoretically endure near-unlimited write cycles, NAND flash typically supports only around 100,000 write-and-erase cycles. As a result, HBF is viewed as most suitable for storing AI model parameters rather than frequently rewritten workloads. Parameters form the core framework of AI models and account for the majority of data volume handled by AI systems. Once fixed during training, they remain largely unchanged during inference, making them effectively read-only workloads that minimally affect NAND lifespan.

By contrast, HBF is considered unsuitable for key-value (KV) cache workloads, where tokens are continuously generated, updated and deleted during inference.

As AI model parameter sizes continue expanding, industry experts increasingly believe HBM alone will not be able to support future memory-capacity requirements. Data transfer between physically separated GPUs and HBM currently consumes roughly half of total system power, according to Song. Simply increasing HBM stack counts is unlikely to solve the problem, he said, strengthening the case for HBF architectures that place ultra-fast NAND memory close to GPU packages.

"Although HBF is not yet a mainstream industry technology, it could solve key technical challenges in the era of agentic AI," Song said. "Companies that look beyond device-level thinking and challenge new technologies from a system and market perspective could lead the next paradigm shift."

ENF Technology has unwound its joint venture structure with Japan's Morita Chemical, fully integrating semiconductor wet chemical affiliate Fam Technology as a subsidiary in a move aimed at strengthening internal production capabilities for hydrofluoric acid-based process chemicals.

The company said Sunday that it completed the consolidation of Fam Technology as a subsidiary in February after acquiring the entire 32.44% stake held by Japan's Morita Chemical Industries. The acquisition price totaled 17.529 billion won.

Following the transaction, ENF Technology's ownership in Fam Technology increased to 78.87% from 46.43%, changing the entity's status from a jointly controlled company to a consolidated subsidiary. The company will now be included in ENF Technology's consolidated financial statements beginning this quarter.

The move is part of ENF Technology's strategy to strengthen integration across its semiconductor wet chemical operations. Fam Technology manufactures buffered oxide etchant (BOE) and ammonia water. BOE is one of the representative hydrofluoric acid (HF)-based wet chemicals used to etch oxide layers during semiconductor manufacturing processes and is widely used across both memory and logic semiconductor production. Ammonia water is used in wafer cleaning and metal contamination control processes.

ENF Technology and Morita Chemical established Fam Technology in 2010 as a joint venture at the Inju Industrial Complex in Asan, South Chungcheong Province. As of the end of last year, Fam Technology's shareholders included ENF Technology with 46.43%, Morita Chemical with 32.44%, Korea Alcohol Industrial with 14.13%, and Samsung C&T with 7%.

ENF Technology had previously sourced hydrofluoric acid raw materials from Morita Chemical to manufacture BOE products. Following Japan's export restrictions imposed in 2019, the company invested in semiconductor-grade hydrofluoric acid production facilities at its Cheonan plant in South Korea to establish its own production system.

Fam Technology posted revenue of about 74.1 billion won last year. Sales rose from 53.8 billion won in 2021 to 71.9 billion won in 2022 before slowing to 66.5 billion won in 2023 and 60.1 billion won in 2024.

ENF Technology said the consolidation would help simultaneously strengthen competitiveness and improve operational efficiency across its semiconductor portfolio and process chemical businesses.

A South Korean court partially granted Samsung Electronics' request for an injunction against labor actions by its unions, ruling that key semiconductor production-line maintenance work must continue at normal operating levels even if workers proceed with a planned strike starting May 21.

The Suwon District Court's Civil Division 31 on Sunday partially approved Samsung Electronics' injunction request filed on April 16 against the Samsung Electronics branch of the Samsung Group cross-enterprise union and the National Samsung Electronics Union.

The court ruled that the unions must not suspend, abolish or obstruct the maintenance and operation of safety protection facilities during any industrial action. According to the ruling, safety facilities must be maintained with the same level of staffing, operating hours, operational scale and duty of care as under normal conditions.

The same standard also applies to work aimed at preventing damage to production facilities and preventing wafer deterioration. The court ordered that the unions must not interfere with operations Samsung classified as essential security-related work, including tasks necessary to prevent equipment damage and wafer contamination or degradation, and that such activities must continue at ordinary operational levels during labor action.

The ruling also prohibits facility occupation and obstruction of access. The court barred the union and union leader Choi Seung-ho from occupying all or part of Samsung facilities, installing locks or otherwise blocking employees from entering workplaces.

If the order is violated, the Samsung Electronics branch of the cross-enterprise union and the National Samsung Electronics Union would each be required to pay Samsung Electronics 100 million won per day. Choi Seung-ho and acting union chief Woo Ha-kyung would each face penalties of 10 million won per day.

While the court did not prohibit the strike itself, the ruling effectively limits the intensity and methods of industrial action because semiconductor production lines require continuous maintenance of safety systems, facilities and wafer preservation processes. Semiconductor manufacturing lines require stable monitoring and maintenance of wafers and equipment throughout production. Interruptions or management gaps can lead to wafer degradation, equipment damage and lower yields.

The injunction ruling came three days before the union's planned general strike. Samsung Electronics' unions have announced plans for an 18-day strike involving about 50,000 workers from May 21 through June 7.

The court previously held hearings on April 29 and May 13 to hear arguments from both Samsung Electronics and union representatives. The decision had originally been expected on May 20, but the court issued its partial ruling two days earlier.

Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics management and labor representatives resumed a second round of post-mediation talks Sunday at the National Labor Relations Commission in Sejong City, with commission chairman Park Soo-keun reportedly participating directly in the mediation. The union is demanding the removal of bonus caps and formal adoption of a policy allocating 15% of operating profit to performance bonuses. Management has proposed compensation measures including special rewards if Samsung regains industry leadership, but maintains that institutionalizing the removal of bonus caps is unacceptable.

SKC said its 1.1671 trillion won rights offering attracted subscriptions exceeding the planned issuance amount, as investor expectations for the company's semiconductor glass substrate business and financial restructuring boosted demand.

The company said Sunday that existing shareholders subscribed to 113.01% of the offering. Total subscription volume reached 13.256 million shares, surpassing the planned issuance of 11.73 million shares. Excess subscription demand amounted to 1.889 million shares, with the oversubscription allocation ratio set at 19.24%.

Employee stock ownership subscriptions reached 131.4%, indicating demand from employees also exceeded allocated shares. The strong participation suggests internal confidence in the company's growth prospects and potential recovery in corporate value.

Market expectations surrounding SKC's improving earnings and commercialization plans for its glass substrate business also appeared to support investor appetite. SKC posted an operating profit of 76.2 billion won in the first quarter, returning to profitability for the first time in 10 quarters.

Funds raised through the capital increase will be used for future growth investments and financial structure improvements. The company plans to invest 589.6 billion won into Absolics, its semiconductor glass substrate subsidiary, while 577.5 billion won will be allocated toward debt repayment. SKC expects its debt-to-equity ratio, which stood at about 230% at the end of last year, to decline to around 129% after the fundraising.

An SKC official said the successful rights offering demonstrated market confidence in the company's structural turnaround and the long-term potential of next-generation businesses including glass substrates. "The capital raised will be strategically deployed to secure leadership in the global glass substrate market while strengthening financial stability and enhancing shareholder value," the official said.

Vitzrocell, a South Korean maker of defense and industrial primary batteries, is seeking to enter the artificial intelligence (AI) data center power market with lithium-ion capacitors (LICs), a new business the company expects could generate more than 600 billion won in revenue on its own. That would exceed more than double the company's total sales of 243 billion won last year.

According to industry sources on Sunday, Vitzrocell is discussing lithium-ion capacitor cell supply deals with three electronics manufacturing services (EMS) companies in the U.S. and Taiwan. The company is conducting sample development and validation work with potential partners, with commercialization expected in the second half of next year.

Lithium-ion capacitors combine characteristics of conventional batteries and capacitors. The components can store energy like batteries while also delivering high bursts of power and enabling rapid charging and discharging.

South Korea's three major battery makers — LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI and SK On — are currently focused on lithium-ion batteries for energy storage systems (ESS). No domestic company has independently developed and commercialized lithium-ion capacitors. The market is currently dominated by Japan's Musashi Energy. Global EMS firms such as Flex and Delta Electronics are reportedly struggling to secure sufficient supply volumes, creating an opening Vitzrocell aims to exploit. Like Musashi, the company plans to enter the market with a prismatic-form-factor LIC product.

"Even if Vitzrocell's smart meter, military and oil-and-gas battery businesses continue growing around 20% annually, the LIC business could become even larger," an industry official said. If the company successfully enters the lithium-ion capacitor supply chain, industry estimates suggest it could secure more than 600 billion won in orders by 2029 or 2030.

While lithium-ion batteries are optimized for long-duration energy storage, lithium-ion capacitors are designed for high-output bursts and rapid charge-discharge cycles. The hybrid structure stores electrical charge on one electrode like a capacitor while using lithium-based charge storage on the other. Compared with lithium-ion batteries, LICs offer lower energy density but superior power density, longer lifespan and improved safety because they are less prone to thermal runaway even in the event of short circuits.

Power demand at data center servers can surge 30% to 50% when graphics processing units (GPUs) handling AI workloads ramp up. Existing lithium-ion battery-based battery backup units (BBUs) and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) are not specifically designed to absorb such sudden power spikes. Lithium-ion capacitors are positioned to fill that gap. They can absorb instantaneous power surges and recharge immediately afterward, helping extend the lifespan of critical power components such as power supply units (PSUs).

Electricity demand from AI infrastructure is rising rapidly. A single ChatGPT query consumes roughly 10 times more power than a Google search. Goldman Sachs has projected that AI-driven increases in data center electricity consumption could reach 200 terawatt-hours (TWh) annually between 2023 and 2030. As AI servers become more advanced, volatility in peak power demand is also expected to rise, boosting demand for lithium-ion capacitors.

Founded in 1987, Vitzrocell has built its business around specialty batteries for harsh environments, supplying thermal batteries and ampoule batteries used in military radios, guided missiles and torpedoes, as well as high-temperature batteries for oil and gas drilling equipment and bobbin-type lithium primary batteries for smart meters to customers in more than 40 countries. The company holds the top market share for bobbin-type lithium primary batteries in regions including North America, Italy and India.

Vitzrocell reported first-quarter revenue of 68.3 billion won and operating profit of 20.3 billion won, up 27% and 35% respectively from a year earlier. Canadian high-temperature battery-pack company Innova, acquired for 33.6 billion won in October last year, contributed an additional 7.3 billion won in consolidated revenue during the quarter. Innova specializes in designing and manufacturing battery packs for oil and gas drilling equipment, and Vitzrocell plans to leverage the acquisition to strengthen its presence in the North American oil-and-gas market.

Under its corporate value enhancement plan, Vitzrocell has set a target of reaching 600 billion won in revenue and 160 billion won in operating profit by 2030. The company aims to expand market share in its existing smart grid, oil-and-gas and defense businesses while developing lithium-ion capacitors into a new growth pillar. Still, as the business remains in its early stages, securing customer references and joint development partnerships will be critical first steps toward commercialization.

Vitzrocell shares have risen more than 160% over the past three months and are currently trading around 53,000 won per share.

MOT has secured a 39.95 billion won battery assembly equipment supply contract, adding to growing demand for next-generation battery manufacturing systems.

The company disclosed on May 18 that the contract will run through March 1, 2027. The order value is equivalent to 53% of MOT's 2025 revenue of 75.5 billion won. Combined with an existing order backlog of 42.9 billion won, the company's total order backlog has now exceeded 80 billion won.

MOT said it could not disclose the customer or supply region due to confidentiality requirements requested by the client.

The company specializes in tab welding and battery packaging equipment technologies. Tab welding is a process that attaches tabs to battery cathodes and anodes to enable electrical current flow. Demand for related equipment has been increasing as global battery manufacturers accelerate development of next-generation products including lithium iron phosphate (LFP), 46-millimeter cylindrical and solid-state batteries.

MOT also secured additional orders last month. The company signed a 7.99 billion won battery component manufacturing equipment supply agreement with a domestic automotive precision parts maker and won another approximately 2 billion won order for an electronic recirculation control valve (ERCV) production automation line.

"We will respond stably to global customers' next-generation battery production requirements," Vice President Kim Chung-kyu said.

SFA posted double-digit growth in new orders during the first quarter, driven by expanding robotics logistics and semiconductor businesses.

SFA said on May 18 that it secured 217.9 billion won in new orders during the first quarter, up 18.3% from 184.3 billion won a year earlier. The company set a first-half order target of 530 billion won, representing a 63% increase from 325.2 billion won recorded during the same period last year.

Growth was led primarily by the robotics logistics business. Orders increased in the company's Robotics HM Logistics division, including subsea cable and robotic logistics projects. Orders related to offshore wind power and hydrogen fuel cells also expanded.

The semiconductor business also posted growth. Following its expansion into overhead hoist transport (OHT) systems for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) manufacturing, SFA entered the new semiconductor inspection equipment market. Its subsidiary SFA Semiconductor reported first-quarter revenue of 107.3 billion won, up 42% from a year earlier.

On a standalone basis, SFA posted first-quarter revenue of 189.5 billion won, down 4.8% year-over-year, while operating profit edged up 0.8% to 21.8 billion won. On a consolidated basis, revenue fell 9.3% to 361.1 billion won and operating profit declined 46.8% to 15.4 billion won.

The weaker consolidated performance was attributed to sluggish battery business conditions at subsidiary CIS. "Considering CIS's technological competitiveness in electrode processing, earnings recovery is only a matter of time," a company official said.

CK Solution is expanding its business portfolio beyond battery dry-room systems into defense and data center projects as it seeks new growth drivers amid a slowdown in battery-sector investments.

The company reported first-quarter consolidated revenue of 54.3 billion won and an operating loss of 16.2 billion won. CK Solution attributed the weak earnings to slowing orders as major battery manufacturers delayed facility expansion investments.

Despite the earnings downturn, the company said new orders have continued to increase. Earlier this year, CK Solution secured projects from Amkor Technology Korea as well as global display and home appliance manufacturers.

In the defense sector, the company won projects from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Far East District (FED) and U.S. Forces Korea (CCK). CK Solution aims to raise the defense segment's contribution to total revenue to 10%.

The company's data center division, established last year, has also begun generating results. CK Solution said it has expanded its customer base from telecommunications companies to information and communications technology (ICT) firms, increasing its order backlog.

The company also expects its core battery business to recover as new battery and energy storage system (ESS) projects emerge in North America and Europe.

"Existing loss-making projects are nearing completion, and we expect earnings improvement in the second quarter," a CK Solution official said.

Jusung Engineering said it has shipped the world's first atomic layer growth (ALG) system to a global semiconductor company, marking a step toward next-generation 3D transistor manufacturing technologies.

The South Korean semiconductor, display and solar equipment maker said on May 18 that the newly supplied system is a fully integrated ALG transistor manufacturing tool designed to form next-generation semiconductor transistors using ALG technology. The company did not disclose the customer name or the scale of the supply agreement.

ALG equipment enables highly uniform thin-film growth and deposition in high-aspect-ratio vertical stacking structures. The technology is suited for manufacturing next-generation transistors with densely integrated vertical architectures by delivering superior step coverage and film uniformity. The equipment is considered particularly suitable for recently emerging semiconductor manufacturing approaches that vertically stack transistors in three-dimensional structures.

Unlike conventional deposition methods that focus on layering materials, ALG technology is designed to maintain and form crystalline lattice structures during the growth process. ALG repeatedly applies atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes used in thin-film semiconductor fabrication, enabling three-dimensional film formation while significantly reducing the number of lithography and etching steps required. While conventional ALD equipment deposits films in a manner comparable to snow accumulating upward, ALG is described as being closer to the process of ice forming. Compared with ALD, ALG creates denser and harder films.

The technology can also perform deposition regardless of the substrate material or type, allowing applications across non-memory semiconductors, memory capacitors, memory transistors, solar cells and display manufacturing equipment. Jusung Engineering said the technology can additionally be applied to perovskite materials, III-V and III-VI compound semiconductors, and glass substrates. Examples of III-V compound semiconductors include gallium nitride (GaN), gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium phosphide (InP). While III-V and III-VI compounds can deliver higher performance than conventional silicon-based semiconductors, their manufacturing processes have traditionally been more complex and vulnerable to impurities. The company said ALG technology addresses those limitations.

The semiconductor industry has historically advanced through process miniaturization, shrinking circuit nodes to nanometer scales in order to fit more circuitry onto limited wafer space. However, as transistor dimensions continue to shrink, leakage current increases, resulting in higher power consumption. To overcome those limitations, chipmakers have shifted transistor architectures from planar structures to three-dimensional designs such as FinFET and gate-all-around (GAA), while also pursuing vertically stacked transistor cells.

Jusung Engineering said it aims to move beyond simple equipment manufacturing and help establish new standards for semiconductor production in the artificial intelligence (AI) era. "We are creating new benchmarks and standards for semiconductor manufacturing technology in the AI era," the company said. "Through Jusung Engineering's differentiated innovation technologies, we will present a new paradigm for the global semiconductor, display and solar manufacturing industries." The company added that it is currently collaborating on ALG equipment projects with global companies across North America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, while also applying the technology to display and solar manufacturing equipment.

Jusung Engineering reported first-quarter consolidated revenue of 54.879 billion won and an operating loss of 7 billion won. Revenue declined 54.6% from a year earlier, while the company swung to an operating loss from an operating profit of 33.9 billion won in the same period last year. Net loss totaled 1.19 billion won.

Hanmi Semiconductor posted a sharp earnings decline for the third consecutive quarter, with first-quarter operating profit falling nearly 90% from a year earlier in what investors viewed as an earnings shock.

The company said on May 15 that consolidated first-quarter revenue totaled 50.9 billion won, while operating profit came in at 8.45 billion won. The figures marked declines of 65.5% and 87.9%, respectively, from a year earlier. Net profit also fell 65.2% to 19 billion won from 54.7 billion won in the same period last year.

Shares of Hanmi Semiconductor dropped more than 20% following the earnings release, trading in the 310,000 won range through the morning session on May 18.

The company's earnings momentum has been weakening since peaking in the second quarter of last year, when it posted revenue of 180 billion won and operating profit of 86.3 billion won. Revenue declined to about 166.2 billion won in the third quarter, down 7.7% sequentially, while operating profit fell 21.4% to 67.8 billion won. Fourth-quarter revenue then plunged roughly 50% quarter-on-quarter to 83 billion won, while operating profit dropped 59.3% to 27.6 billion won.

The first-quarter earnings shock was largely attributed to a steep decline in semiconductor equipment sales, the company's main business, coupled with relatively stable fixed costs. Equipment sales totaled about 33.4 billion won during the quarter, accounting for 65.6% of total revenue. The remaining 17.5 billion won came from equipment component sales, including conversion kits. Equipment revenue fell approximately 74.3% from 129.7 billion won a year earlier and declined 43.4% from 59 billion won in the previous quarter.

Industry observers pointed to slowing orders for thermo-compression (TC) bonding equipment used in high-bandwidth memory (HBM) production as the primary reason for the weak results. Hanmi Semiconductor mainly supplies semiconductor equipment to SK Hynix and Micron Technology. Industry sources believe the two companies have largely completed investments in TC bonders for fifth-generation HBM3E production. Although Hanmi Semiconductor secured a 9.6 billion won TC bonder order from SK Hynix in January, no additional equipment contracts have followed.

The company has also faced increased competition as ASMPT began supplying TC bonders to SK Hynix in 2024, while Hanwha Semitech entered the supply chain last year. Hanmi Semiconductor is currently engaged in a patent infringement dispute with Hanwha Semitech related to TC bonder technology.

Despite the sharp revenue decline, the company maintained most of its fixed-cost structure. Total fixed costs in the first quarter stood at about 19.1 billion won, representing 37.5% of revenue. Selling, general and administrative expenses accounted for 14.2 billion won, while research and development (R&D) spending totaled 4.87 billion won. A year earlier, fixed costs totaled 22.6 billion won, equivalent to 15.4% of revenue. Although fixed costs declined by about 3.5 billion won year-on-year, their share of revenue rose by 22 percentage points due to falling sales. Quarterly fixed costs remained relatively stable throughout last year, totaling 20.1 billion won in the second quarter, 18.8 billion won in the third quarter and 18.9 billion won in the fourth quarter, with R&D spending exceeding 4.5 billion won in every quarter.

Hanmi Semiconductor is responding through asset sales and preparations for next-generation equipment launches. The company decided on May 13 to liquidate its low-profitability Vietnamese subsidiary, Hanmi Vietnam, just three years after establishing it in 2023 to target Southeast Asian markets. It also sold its remaining stake in listed company HPSP during the first quarter, generating disposal gains of 870 million won and securing about 11.9 billion won in liquidity.

Hanmi Semiconductor plans to launch a wide TC bonder in the second half of this year designed for production of next-generation high-stack HBM5 and HBM6 products with more than 20 layers. The equipment is intended to address delays in the adoption of hybrid bonders for mass-production HBM manufacturing. The company also plans to release a prototype second-generation hybrid bonder within the year, being jointly developed with TES and expected to be supplied to customers for collaborative development projects. In addition, Hanmi Semiconductor is building a 100 billion won hybrid bonder production facility in Incheon, with completion targeted for November this year.

SemiFive posted record first-quarter revenue and returned to profitability as overseas demand for custom semiconductor development expanded sharply.

The company said on May 17 that consolidated first-quarter revenue reached 47.9 billion won, up 137% from a year earlier, according to a regulatory filing released on May 15. Operating profit returned to positive territory at about 100 million won, while new orders totaled 55.4 billion won. Order backlog stood at 109.2 billion won.

SemiFive said orders for its application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) development business expanded primarily in North America and Japan. Overseas sales accounted for more than 60% of total first-quarter revenue. Revenue from development projects climbed to 28 billion won, growing 2.6 times from a year earlier.

The company's mass-production business also contributed to growth, with products shipped for data center, edge computing and vision applications. Revenue from the segment totaled approximately 3.5 billion won, compared with no mass-production revenue in the first quarter of last year. Purchase order-based mass-production orders accounted for 74% of the company's total annual mass-production orders from last year, with revenue from those contracts to be recognized after product delivery.

SemiFive said several large-scale development projects have successfully entered commercialization stages, while projects currently underway are also transitioning into mass production.

Revenue at subsidiary Analog Bits reached about 16.4 billion won, with semiconductor intellectual property (IP) licensing accounting for most sales, more than doubling from a year earlier. SemiFive said demand for IP related to 2-nanometer and 3-nanometer process technologies increased during the quarter.

Chief Executive Cho Myung-hyun said the transition of accumulated development projects into mass production drove earnings growth. "We will continue growth accompanied by profitability by securing leadership in the commercialization of high-performance innovative technologies," Cho said.

ITM Semiconductor narrowed its operating losses in the first quarter as strong growth in its Samsung Electronics smartphone protection circuit business helped offset the impact of suspended transactions with Apple.

The company reported consolidated first-quarter revenue of 132.2 billion won and an operating loss of 4.9 billion won on May 18. That compared with revenue of 138.2 billion won and an operating loss of 5.7 billion won a year earlier, reflecting a reduction in losses despite lower sales.

Sales of protection circuits for Samsung Electronics smartphones played a key role in supporting earnings. Related revenue rose 68% from a year earlier to 15.9 billion won during the quarter. After supplying protection circuits for Samsung's flagship smartphones in the second half of last year, ITM Semiconductor expanded applications into wearable devices as well.

The company said reduced fixed-cost burdens following impairment charges on tangible assets recognized last year also contributed to the improvement in operating losses.

ITM Semiconductor is also pushing into new business areas. The company is developing motor controllers and battery supervision systems (BSS) for humanoid robots, while expanding into defense battery packs and marine energy storage systems (ESS).

Chief Executive Na Hyuk-hwi said the company aims to return to profitability by improving its earnings structure and securing new growth drivers.

LG Energy Solution is accelerating efforts to secure patents for next-generation battery technologies, including lithium manganese-rich batteries viewed as a key future electric-vehicle chemistry.

The company said on May 18 that it held its 2026 "Inventor King and Patent King Awards" ceremony at its Park One headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, recognizing 12 employees for outstanding research and intellectual property achievements.

The top "Inventor King" award was presented to Park Byung-cheon, head of cathode materials technology, for building a patent portfolio around combinations of lithium manganese-rich (LMR) cathodes and silicon anodes.

LMR batteries are considered a next-generation technology because they increase manganese content to simultaneously improve cost competitiveness and energy density. LG Energy Solution is currently working with General Motors (GM) on a project to mass-produce prismatic LMR batteries for next-generation electric trucks and large sport utility vehicles (SUVs).

The top "Patent King" award went to senior researcher Jang Hyuk-gyun, who filed multiple core patents related to battery-pack cooling and safety design technologies.

LG Energy Solution selects and rewards its top inventors and patent applicants each year ahead of Korea's annual Inventors' Day on May 19. Winners are evaluated by panels consisting of internal and external experts based on patentability, technological value and commercial potential.

Chief Executive Kim Dong-myung said patents are "a powerful weapon" for maintaining a global competitive edge in the battery industry. "We will continue to fully support our R&D environment so that employees' creative challenges can lead to meaningful outcomes," Kim said.

LS Electric has secured a power equipment supply contract worth approximately $70 million for a large-scale data center operated by a U.S. big tech company, as demand for AI infrastructure continues to drive investment in North American power systems.

LS Electric said on May 18 that the agreement, valued at about 105 billion won, covers the supply of key data center power distribution equipment including vacuum circuit breakers.

Vacuum circuit breakers are protective devices designed to immediately disconnect electrical circuits when abnormalities such as overcurrent occur in the power grid, helping prevent equipment damage and fire.

The latest order comes as investments in data centers and power infrastructure continue to accelerate alongside the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) services in the United States. Last month alone, LS Electric won two separate U.S. data center-related contracts. The company secured consecutive deals to supply ultra-high-voltage transformers worth approximately 106.6 billion won and switchgear and distribution transformers valued at about 170.3 billion won for projects commissioned by U.S. technology companies.

An LS Electric official said the company plans to further strengthen its position as a global leader in the North American power infrastructure market.

STMicroelectronics (ST) is strengthening its push into the humanoid robotics market with a turnkey hardware solution spanning robotic joints, sensing, communications and power management.

Allan Lagasca, application director for the robotics segment strategic programs at ST's Smart Industrials division, said during a press briefing in Seoul on May 15 that "we can address more than 90% of humanoid hand functions."

ST divides humanoid robots into seven major systems: joints for arms and legs, core body processing, body sensors, connectivity, hands, head systems and power management. Lagasca said the company can support a substantial portion of key functions beyond robotic hands, including joints and communications. He added that ST's broad portfolio enables procurement of more than 500 robotics-related components.

Humanoid robotic hands require highly sophisticated control capabilities comparable to those of human hands, making them one of the most technically difficult components to develop. ST said its solution incorporates 21 sensors. The company integrates microcontroller units (MCUs), edge artificial intelligence (AI), sensors, motor control, signal conditioning and power management into a chip measuring 6-by-6 centimeters, the form factor used in ST's humanoid hand system-on-chip solution.

Humanoid robots convert data collected by sensors into physical movement. ST uses its STM32N6 microcontroller as an auxiliary processing unit for humanoid systems. Compared with relying solely on application processors, the MCU offers higher power efficiency by handling supporting computational tasks. "Not every module in a humanoid robot requires a high-performance chip like a GPU," Lagasca said. "The STM32N6 will be an optimal alternative for edge computing workloads."

The STM32N6 includes ST's internally developed neural processing unit, called the Neural-ART Accelerator. The NPU operates at 1 gigahertz and supports performance of up to 600 GOPS, or 600 billion operations per second.

Lagasca said the number of humanoid robots deployed in real-world environments rose from roughly 2,000 units in 2024 to more than 50,000 this year. "The commercialization point for humanoids will come when deployment surpasses 100 million units," he said, forecasting adoption would accelerate after 2029.

He added that cost barriers to commercialization are also expected to ease over time. "Prices will decline rapidly over the next five years," Lagasca said. "Costs could fall to around $20,000 to $30,000."

Naver and Nexon are accelerating the strategic partnership they formed in September last year, rolling out broad collaboration initiatives spanning unified account login services, Npay payment integration and expanded esports and user-generated content ecosystems.

The companies said Sunday that Nexon users will be able to convert their existing accounts into "Naver Login Member" accounts. The integration will allow Nexon users to access Naver's login authentication system and Naver Pay payment services, which the companies said offer enhanced convenience and security.

Naver also expects the linked accounts to strengthen personalized content recommendations across its platforms, including game-streaming service Chzzk and short-form content platform Clip, based on users' interests in Nexon intellectual property (IP).

Separately, Naver announced a new collaboration initiative with Nexon called "N-CONNECT," aimed at expanding Nexon IP-based streaming content on Chzzk. The project is designed as a connection platform linking users, creators and games more closely together. Under the initiative, creators and viewers will receive rewards tied to three categories — activity, growth and impact — while streamers producing Nexon-related content will gain access to a dedicated "Content Support Center."

Through N-CONNECT, the companies plan to actively support Chzzk's partner, pro and rookie streamers creating Nexon game content while refining a collaboration structure intended to naturally convert viewers into active game players. The N-CONNECT preseason program will run through Sept. 22, with the official season scheduled to begin in October.

Naver said streaming activity related to Nexon IP has continued growing steadily on Chzzk. Between January 2025 and March 2026, more than 550,000 Nexon-related streaming broadcasts were hosted on the platform. Naver added that active Nexon gaming communities are also operating across its broader ecosystem, including game lounges and online cafes.

The company also said Chzzk's acquisition of broadcasting rights for the 2026 and 2030 FIFA World Cups could create additional synergy opportunities with Nexon's portfolio of popular sports game IP.

Lee Jae-hoo, head of entertainment services at Naver, said the account integration marks the beginning of broader efforts to connect user data across both companies and expand online and offline content ecosystems. "Going forward, we will continue organically connecting Naver's diverse services with Nexon's game IP to provide differentiated content and benefits available only through Naver while further expanding the partnership," Lee said.

A Nexon official said the company plans to continue refining collaboration structures under N-CONNECT to help viewers transition seamlessly from watching broadcasts to directly engaging with gameplay experiences.

Collaboration software provider NHN Dooray said it won the Public Sector Procurement Council Chairman Award in the cloud SaaS category at the sixth Public Sector Software Awards.

The awards are hosted by the Public Sector Procurement Council and the Government Informatization Council, and organized by the Korea Commercial AI Software Association. The program recognizes outstanding software deployment cases that contribute to digital transformation (DX) and artificial intelligence transformation (AX) initiatives in the public sector.

NHN Dooray said it was selected for the award in recognition of supplying its all-in-one AI collaboration platform, Dooray!, to the largest number of public institutions among domestic collaboration tool providers, helping drive DX and AX adoption across the government sector.

Since entering the public market after obtaining CSAP SaaS security certification in 2020, NHN Dooray has secured more than 150 public institutions as customers. The company recorded 108 cumulative contracts and 7.07 billion won in contract value through South Korea's national public procurement system, KONEPS, in the collaboration software category, including catalog-based and negotiated contracts.

NHN Dooray is also expanding its role in public-sector AI transformation initiatives. Since launching Dooray AI in 2024, the company has already deployed the service to more than 20 public institutions to improve workplace productivity.

The company said it plans to gradually introduce Dooray AI Agent, which was launched in the private sector in April, to the public market during the second half of the year as part of efforts to further modernize administrative work environments.

Baek Chang-yeol, chief executive of NHN Dooray, said the award recognized the company's efforts to deliver SaaS-based workplace innovation and AI transformation through multiple channels, including KONEPS. "Following the private sector rollout, we will rapidly expand deployment of Dooray AI Agent in the public sector as well, helping public institutions reduce repetitive tasks and maximize administrative efficiency amid the latest AI trends," Baek said.

LG CNS signed a memorandum of understanding with online grocery and e-commerce company Kurly on May 18 to collaborate on humanoid proof-of-concept projects and logistics automation initiatives aimed at upgrading smart fulfillment centers.

Under the agreement, the two companies will use Kurly's logistics infrastructure to conduct field validation of humanoid robots, develop intelligent logistics solutions and explore new business opportunities. The companies said they plan to jointly identify additional business opportunities based on successful deployment cases of humanoid robots in logistics centers while advancing next-generation robot-based logistics intelligence systems.

The centerpiece of the partnership is a humanoid robot proof-of-concept project at Kurly's logistics centers. The companies plan to identify warehouse tasks where robots can reduce worker burden and improve operational safety.

The project will also validate the field applicability of LG CNS's robot training and operations platform, PhysicalWorks. The companies plan to measure and analyze robot task accuracy, execution speed and efficiency improvements compared with existing workflows.

LG CNS will additionally integrate Kurly's automated warehouse equipment and logistics operating systems to improve efficiency across the entire logistics process, from inbound handling and storage to picking and outbound shipping.

LG CNS previously participated in construction projects for Kurly's Gimpo integrated logistics center and Changwon logistics center, where it developed expertise in operating ambient, refrigerated and frozen environments within a single facility, as well as logistics capabilities supporting Kurly's overnight delivery service.

Hur Tae-young, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Kurly, said the company has accumulated extensive logistics field data and has been improving operational efficiency through data and AI technologies. "We hope to drive innovation across logistics sites by combining LG CNS's advanced physical AI technologies with our field data," Hur said.

Park Sang-gyun, executive vice president and head of LG CNS's communications, distribution and service business division, said Kurly's logistics operation expertise combined with LG CNS's technological capabilities could generate meaningful synergies in logistics automation. "Through this collaboration, we aim to create innovative technologies centered on real operational environments," Park said.

The performance gap among South Korea's major game companies in the first quarter was largely determined by overseas results.

Pearl Abyss, which generated more than 90% of its revenue overseas, returned to profitability both from a year earlier and from the previous quarter. Nexon, which posted first-quarter revenue of 1.42 trillion won, also recorded strong growth in North America and Europe.

An analysis by this publication of first-quarter 2026 earnings from 10 major listed Korean game companies showed that only four firms — Pearl Abyss, Krafton, NCSoft and Nexon — achieved year-over-year growth. A common feature among those companies was their ability to overcome the limitations of the domestic market by localizing existing intellectual property (IP) for overseas audiences.

Pearl Abyss Returns to Profit on Global Success of New Title

Pearl Abyss posted first-quarter revenue of 328.5 billion won and operating profit of 212.1 billion won. Revenue surged 419% from a year earlier, while operating profit jumped 2,585%. Net profit rose to 170 billion won from 500 million won a year earlier, and the company swung back to operating profit after posting an 8.4 billion won operating loss last year.

The key driver behind the strong earnings was the global success of new title "Crimson Desert," released in March. Pearl Abyss generated 94% of its first-quarter revenue overseas, with 81% of that coming from North America and Europe.

Industry observers said the company gained credibility among Western users by delivering more than 17 updates and patches after launch, an unusually aggressive update cycle for a packaged game title.

According to SteamDB data, daily concurrent users, which stood at 240,000 on launch day, fell to around 180,000 by the seventh day before rebounding sharply and surpassing 280,000 by the 10th day. At the time, DS Investment & Securities raised its annual sales forecast for "Crimson Desert" from 6 million copies to 8 million copies based on strong weekend Steam concurrent-user trends.

NCSoft Triples Overseas Revenue Share

NCSoft reported first-quarter revenue of 557.4 billion won and operating profit of 113.3 billion won. Revenue increased 38% from 360.3 billion won a year earlier, while operating profit surged 2,070% from 5.2 billion won. Net profit climbed 306% to 152.4 billion won from 37.5 billion won a year earlier.

The company's overseas revenue reached 130.7 billion won, accounting for 24% of total sales, more than tripling from 8.6% a year earlier. By region, Taiwan contributed the largest share at 51.8 billion won, followed by Singapore at 37.6 billion won, the United States at 34.9 billion won and Japan at 6.3 billion won. Taiwan was the only overseas service region for "Aion 2."

To strengthen its overseas push, NCSoft plans to globally launch massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) "Aion 2" in the third quarter and conduct global testing for new title "Horizon Steel Frontiers."

Nexon's Hyper-Localization Strategy Pays Off

Nexon also delivered notable overseas growth. The company reported first-quarter consolidated revenue of 152.2 billion yen, or about 1.42 trillion won, and operating profit of 58.2 billion yen, or about 542.6 billion won. Those figures represented year-over-year increases of 34% and 40%, respectively. Net profit surged 118% to 57.2 billion yen.

While East Asia, including China, accounted for 61% of Nexon's overseas revenue, growth was particularly strong in North America and Europe. Revenue from North America and Europe, which represented 29% of overseas sales, jumped to 38.4 billion yen from 10.8 billion yen a year earlier.

Nexon attributed the gains to its "hyper-localization" strategy. "Arc Raiders" continued to perform strongly in Western shooter and extraction-style PvPvE markets, while "MapleStory" underwent significant localization changes. To appeal to Western players, who tend to dislike repetitive quest structures, Nexon introduced a region-specific growth balance system for MapleStory and expanded the franchise into idle mobile games and user-generated-content (UGC) platforms. "A multifaceted approach tailored to global player preferences helped overseas MapleStory revenue grow 8% year-over-year," a company official said.

Krafton's Overseas Revenue Tops 1.2 Trillion Won

Krafton generated 1.2827 trillion won in overseas revenue during the first quarter, accounting for 94% of its total sales. The company has expanded studio operations into North America and Europe since 2022 to strengthen its global IP capabilities.

"PUBG: Battlegrounds," now in its ninth year since launch, has continued attracting users through collaborations with major brands and the release of new game modes. Industry observers said the shooter genre's relatively low language and cultural barriers contributed to the company's stable global revenue structure.

Devsisters Remains the Only Company to Swing to Loss

Devsisters stood apart from the four outperformers. Among the companies surveyed, Devsisters was the only one to swing to an operating loss from a year earlier.

The company posted first-quarter revenue of 58.47 billion won, down 34% year-over-year, and recorded an operating loss of 17.37 billion won. Net profit also deteriorated sharply, falling by about 25 billion won from a year earlier to a net loss of 15.08 billion won. The company has now posted operating losses for three consecutive quarters since recording a 729 million won operating loss in the third quarter of last year, with losses widening each quarter. Devsisters attributed the weak performance to sluggish live-service game updates and disappointing new-title results that limited top-line growth.

Overseas revenue accounted for 67% of total sales, or 38.8 billion won, slightly lower than 69% a year earlier. However, the absolute scale of overseas sales dropped sharply. First-quarter overseas revenue fell about 37% to 38.9 billion won from 61.4 billion won a year earlier.

As declining global sales became the key factor behind earnings weakness, Devsisters said it plans to diversify its global portfolio across both online and offline channels during the second half of the year. The company said it would maximize global retention through a Season 2 update centered on the multi-universe storyline of "CookieRun: Kingdom," a high-value IP that generates nearly 80% of its sales overseas. In addition, the company plans to launch casual action title "CookieRun: Crumble" in the third quarter to attract new global users.

Devsisters also plans to expand its offline business footprint through global platform distribution of non-game products such as "CookieRun TCG" while upgrading e-commerce infrastructure to broaden overseas sales channels for character merchandise.

WiseNut said first-quarter revenue rose sharply as sales from its domain-specific AI agent business expanded rapidly.

The company disclosed through a quarterly filing on May 15 that consolidated first-quarter revenue reached 7.22 billion won, up 33.8% from a year earlier. Operating loss narrowed to 2.65 billion won, while net loss totaled 2.56 billion won, both improving from the previous year.

WiseNut said the earnings improvement was driven by expanding AI agent-related revenue combined with more efficient cost management.

Revenue from the AI agent segment surged to 3.13 billion won during the first quarter from just 70 million won a year earlier. The AI agent business also accounted for 43.3% of total revenue, up from 1.3% in the same period last year.

The company said the AI agent business, which had previously remained largely at the review and pilot stage in the market, is now converting into actual revenue generation. WiseNut added that legacy businesses are increasingly being absorbed and transformed into AI agent-based operations, creating a virtuous cycle in its revenue structure.

The company plans to expand its business portfolio into adjacent industries based on more than 70 domain-specific AI agent deployment references across public, financial, manufacturing and retail business-to-business (B2B) sectors.

WiseNut also said it plans to target customers with strict security requirements by offering an on-premise AI appliance that combines its agent-specialized large language model (LLM) and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) technologies with domestic neural processing units (NPUs). The company said the offering is aimed at meeting demand for high-performance closed AI infrastructure capable of operating in physically separated network environments.

Entels said it will acquire a 51% stake in enterprise database company Dawon C&S in a deal valued at 11.4 billion won. The acquisition amount was disclosed through a regulatory filing on May 15.

Following completion of the transaction, Entels plans to secure management control of Dawon C&S and launch a full-scale integrated enterprise solutions business by combining its proprietary TarzanDB technology with Dawon C&S's field-level expertise. TarzanDB includes vector database and geographic information system (GIS) capabilities.

Dawon C&S has carried out large-scale database migration projects for major South Korean corporations and financial institutions including Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, POSCO and Shinhan Financial Group.

Entels described the acquisition as the first execution step in its merger-and-acquisition (M&A)-driven growth strategy and a turning point in its transformation into a PostgreSQL-focused company. The company said it plans to aggressively target rising "de-Oracle" demand across the financial, public and manufacturing sectors.

Kakao said it held the "Kakao Compliance Awards" to recognize employees and organizations that contributed to fair trade practices and shared-growth initiatives.

The awards program was designed to strengthen the company's compliance culture by providing incentives to employees who contributed to the expansion of its Compliance Program (CP), including efforts related to fair trade self-regulation, mutual growth awareness and compliance system enhancement.

At this year's awards ceremony, major recognition was given to employees and teams that played key roles in Kakao receiving a presidential commendation during April's Fair Trade Day event.

Two employees who participated in a public-private consultative body for mobile gift certificates were selected for awards after contributing to practical shared-growth measures such as lowering commission fees and shortening settlement cycles. Organizations involved in "Kakao Class" and "Project Dangol," which provide IT education and digital marketing support for small business owners, were also recognized for helping increase merchants' sales.

Kakao Chief Executive Chung Shin-a said during the event that the company would continue identifying cases in which employees put fair trade, compliance and shared-growth values into practice and expand those examples throughout the organization. "We will continue discovering cases where fair trade and compliance values are practiced in the field and spread them across the organization so that a culture of autonomous compliance can naturally take root," Chung said.

Kakao added that it has continued upgrading its compliance program framework to establish a fair and transparent transaction order. Since formally introducing the CP system in 2024, the company said it has built a company-wide operational structure through an official declaration by the chief executive officer and by revising related regulations and operational guidelines.

Naver is expanding financial incentives for its Naver Cafe community platform, offering rewards not only to cafe operators but also to highly active members as the company intensifies efforts to secure high-quality user-generated content (UGC) for artificial intelligence (AI) services.

According to Naver and industry sources on May 18, the company recently informed cafe managers that it had added a new "member reward" function to the Cafe service.

The feature allows cafe operators to directly grant Naver Pay points to outstanding members who contribute to community activity. Rewards can reach up to 500,000 won per case and as much as 2 million won per month. To support the system, Naver also introduced a "contribution ranking" feature within management tools, displaying the top 100 members who contributed most actively to a cafe over the previous two weeks.

Naver has long used content from its Cafe, blog and Knowledge iN services to drive traffic by exposing user-generated material in search results. Industry observers see the monetary incentive system as part of the company's broader strategy to accelerate community growth through greater engagement on Cafe services.

Earlier this year, the company officially launched "Cafe Biz Center," a platform designed to help cafe managers monetize their communities. The service allows operators to track, manage and withdraw revenue generated from safe transactions and advertising conducted within cafes. The latest initiative broadens support beyond managers to ordinary members, signaling a stronger push to expand the Cafe ecosystem.

Naver Cafe and blog data are also expected to create synergies with offline businesses such as restaurants, cafes and leisure facilities.

Chief Executive Choi Soo-yeon said during the company's first-quarter earnings call on April 30 that Naver plans to extend the competitiveness of its online data and user base into offline services. "We are considering not only strengthening Naver Place services, but also improving purchase conversion rates for the recently launched AI Tab," Choi said.

AI Tab, introduced in beta form on April 27 for Naver Plus membership users, is a conversational AI search service designed to understand users' search intentions and context more comprehensively while naturally expanding exploration through dialogue. Naver said the initiative aims to strengthen connectivity across its core services including integrated search, shopping, Place, blogs and Cafe, while combining domain-specific data and UGC accumulated within the Naver ecosystem to deliver actionable information.

Industry analysts also note that Naver must address issues surrounding viral marketing content and spam alongside efforts to revitalize Cafe communities. Naver Cafe and blogs have long faced criticism over sponsored promotional content and review events that weakened user trust, with spam posts posing another persistent challenge.

Analysts say stronger safeguards against such distortions will be necessary to improve user satisfaction with AI Tab. Some industry observers believe Naver's recent decision to restrict reply functions within Cafe services starting May 27 partly reflects those concerns, as viral marketing firms and spam operators have frequently been accused of exploiting reply features to manipulate discussions and mass-produce misleading content.

A portal industry official said trust in Naver's AI services will depend on resolving longstanding issues affecting the credibility of search results. "If Naver can solve problems that have been repeatedly pointed out for years, the enormous volume of data accumulated on its platform could create significant ripple effects," the official said.

As the U.S. and Europe accelerate the institutionalization of zero-trust security frameworks amid growing global cyber threats, South Korea has faced challenges including vendor lock-in and operational complexity. Industry voices have increasingly called for internationally compatible open-source technologies capable of narrowing the global cybersecurity gap while addressing domestic infrastructure limitations.

SGA Solutions said on May 18 that it secured the "Global Standards-Compliant AI-Based Korean Zero-Trust Open Platform Technology Development" project overseen by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Institute of Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP), marking the company's third consecutive year leading a zero-trust national initiative.

The company will serve as the lead contractor, overseeing core technology design and system integration. It also plans to establish open-source governance based on permissive licenses such as Apache 2.0 with the goal of achieving global interoperability and commercialization.

Under the project, technology standardization and dissemination support will be handled by Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) and Telecommunications Technology Association (TTA). Technology implementation and proof-of-concept work will involve Sands Lab, Huneed Technologies and SoftCamp. Domain policy validation will be conducted by industry-academic cooperation foundations affiliated with Daegu University, Kangnam University and Korea University.

The project aims to build a platform compliant with global standards including the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology's NIST SP 800-207 framework, while creating an interoperable environment based on open APIs. The consortium also plans to integrate AI-based cyber threat intelligence (CTI) analysis to establish a high-level security reference model. The project will run from April 2026 through December 2029.

SGA Solutions said it will begin architecture development and implementation of core components this year, followed by proof-of-concept testing and validation in 2027. Large-scale interoperability and performance verification will take place in 2028, while commercialization and expansion of a cloud-based "ZTaaS" model are planned for 2029.

Choi Young-cheol, chief executive of SGA Solutions, said the project is meaningful because it seeks to develop a platform that complies with global standards while guaranteeing vendor neutrality. "With this initiative, we aim to strengthen national cyber resilience through domestic technological independence and lay the groundwork for entering the global zero-trust market, which is expected to reach $100 billion by 2030," Choi said.

Naver Pay and Kakao Pay began accepting applications on May 18 for the second round of South Korea's fuel price relief subsidy program, with each platform emphasizing different user-convenience features to attract applicants.

The second-round application period runs from May 18 through July 3. Unlike the first round, which was limited to welfare recipients, near-poverty households and single-parent families, eligibility has been expanded to cover the bottom 70% of income earners nationwide.

On Naver's platform, users can search for "fuel price relief subsidy" or "Naver Pay" to access an integrated information page. By clicking the "Apply" button, users are directed to a linked page where they can check eligibility for the subsidy program.

Kakao Pay streamlined the process through KakaoTalk, eliminating the need for users to install additional apps or obtain dedicated payment cards. Users can search for "fuel price relief subsidy" within the Kakao Pay menu under KakaoTalk's "More" tab, or click a dedicated banner on the Kakao Pay app's main screen to complete the application process.

Both companies also enhanced usability features following the application stage. On Naver Place and Naver Map, users can search keywords such as "fuel price relief subsidy" or "fuel price relief subsidy merchants" to view participating businesses where the subsidies can be used. When users select an individual location from the search results, a separate certification mark displayed on the first page of the merchant's profile confirms whether payments using the subsidy are accepted.

Kakao Pay also introduced additional functionality tied to Kakao Pay Money. Subsidy funds received through Kakao Pay Money can be used directly via mobile payments or through the Kakao Pay Travelog check card when physical card payments are required. Subsidy balances will be used first during transactions, after which payments will automatically switch to Kakao Pay Money recharged from linked bank accounts once the subsidy funds are exhausted. Users can also receive real-time KakaoTalk notifications showing transaction details and remaining balances.

Korea Advanced Safety Industry Association (KOHSIA) plans to publish the "2027 Advanced Safety Industry White Paper," a comprehensive report covering industry definitions, government policy directions, market trends and the latest developments in advanced technologies including artificial intelligence-based safety solutions, drones and robotics.

KOHSIA held a kickoff advisory meeting for the white paper editorial committee at its office in Gasan-dong, Seoul, on May 14. Participants from industry, academia, research institutes and government agencies attended the meeting to discuss the publication's direction and operational plans. The upcoming edition will mark the association's second white paper following its first publication in 2022.

Key agenda items discussed at the meeting included the white paper's table of contents and structural framework, definitions and conceptual systems for the advanced safety industry, industry classification standards, promotional sections for member companies and award-winning firms, contribution guidelines by sector and the overall production schedule.

A KOHSIA official said the organization aims to create "an industry strategy-oriented white paper that goes beyond a simple record of activities by comprehensively reflecting policy, industry and technological achievements," adding that the association intends to enhance its value as a resource for industrial policy and market analysis.

Through the publication, KOHSIA plans to establish a clearer definition and scope for the advanced safety industry while presenting future industry directions in a comprehensive manner. The association also plans to newly develop an "Advanced Safety Industry Tech Tree" classification system reflecting the linkage structure between government policy and technology development.

The white paper will analyze policy directions and industrial development strategies from major government ministries and agencies including the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the National Police Agency. KOHSIA also plans to visualize the industry's technology ecosystem and include case studies of successful member-company deployments to improve the publication's usefulness as a policy and market analysis resource.

The editorial committee advisory meeting will be held monthly. KOHSIA plans to begin data collection and manuscript preparation in June, with the final edition scheduled for release at the "Advanced Safety Industry Night" event in December.

Lee Sung-jin, president of KOHSIA, said the white paper would serve as "an industry platform-style report covering everything from industry definitions and current conditions to core technologies and future strategies," adding that the association plans to develop it into a representative industry resource jointly utilized by both government and industry stakeholders through expert and member-company input.

ATON said on May 15 that it posted revenue of 14.8 billion won and operating profit of 400 million won for the first quarter of 2026.

Revenue declined 13% from 17 billion won a year earlier, while operating profit dropped 81% from 2.1 billion won.

ATON said weaker first-quarter earnings reflected increased research and development and marketing expenses tied to new business initiatives launched since last year, including post-quantum cryptography (PQC), artificial intelligence-based security monitoring, digital asset-linked services and voice phishing prevention technologies.

The company added that while upfront costs associated with expanding new businesses continued, revenue recognition from major projects is expected to begin from the second quarter.

Costs related to consolidated subsidiaries also weighed on earnings. As of the end of last year, ATON had seven affiliates, including Aton Mobility, AT Analytics, TrackChain, AT Connect and HBE.

ATON said revenue contributions from additional financial-sector deployments of its PQC authentication security solutions and AI security monitoring services are expected to materialize beginning in the second quarter.

An ATON official said the company's mid- to long-term business portfolio strategy has entered the execution phase and that revenue recognition from major projects and expansion of customers adopting new solutions are expected to accelerate in earnest.

Dunamu reported a sharp decline in first-quarter earnings compared with a year earlier.

The company posted revenue of 234.6 billion won for the first quarter of 2026, down 55% from 516.2 billion won a year earlier. Operating profit fell even more sharply, declining 78% year over year to 88 billion won from 396.3 billion won during the same period.

Dunamu said the decline in revenue and operating profit was caused by reduced cryptocurrency trading volumes amid a slowdown in the global economy.

Industry observers pointed to weaker trading activity on Upbit, Dunamu's cryptocurrency exchange platform, as a key reason behind the earnings decline.

According to cryptocurrency data platform CoinGecko, Upbit's trading volume during the first quarter totaled 21.59 trillion won. That was below levels recorded in all previous quarters last year, including 30.77 trillion won in the second quarter, 43.96 trillion won in the third quarter and 27.63 trillion won in the fourth quarter.

Cryptocurrency exchanges primarily generate revenue from transaction fees charged when investors buy and sell digital assets. As trading volume declines, revenue tends to fall directly alongside it.

Dunamu's business structure reflects that dependence. Last year, transaction fee revenue totaled about 1.53 trillion won, accounting for 98.26% of the company's total sales. In effect, most of Dunamu's earnings are tied directly to Upbit trading commissions.

Analysts say the company's earnings volatility could continue going forward. Although Dunamu has steadily expanded services including Upbit NFT, staking, coin accumulation and crypto lending, those businesses have yet to develop into major alternative revenue sources capable of replacing transaction fee income.

As a result, concerns are growing that the company needs to urgently establish a more diversified profit structure, given that earnings surge during periods of active trading but decline rapidly when market activity weakens.

Hana Bank will acquire a 6.55% stake in Dunamu, operator of the Upbit cryptocurrency exchange, becoming the company's fourth-largest shareholder.

The move is expected to deepen cooperation between the two companies beyond blockchain-based remittances into areas including Korean won stablecoin issuance, distribution and payment infrastructure.

According to a regulatory filing on May 15, Hana Bank will acquire 2.284 million shares in Dunamu held by Kakao Investment for 1.0033 trillion won.

Hana Bank said the investment was intended to strengthen its competitiveness in next-generation financial services through strategic cooperation in areas such as stablecoins and security token offerings (STOs) amid the expansion of the digital asset market. The bank added that it selected Dunamu as a strategic partner because it operates Upbit, the largest digital asset exchange in South Korea by market share.

The two companies also signed a memorandum of understanding on May 15 to develop future innovation models linking financial services and digital assets.

The agreement centers on jointly advancing Dunamu's "GIWA Chain" as a core infrastructure platform for future digital finance as part of efforts to build a broader Korean blockchain ecosystem.

GIWA Chain is an Ethereum Layer-2 blockchain network developed by Dunamu. GIWA stands for "Global Infrastructure for Web3 Access." The company is developing and validating the network as infrastructure connecting real-world assets (RWAs) and blockchain services, including overseas remittances, deposit tokenization and Korean won stablecoins.

The companies have already been jointly developing a blockchain-based overseas remittance service since late last year. In February, they completed technical verification enabling foreign currency remittance services outside the existing SWIFT network to operate through Dunamu's GIWA Chain blockchain.

In April, the companies established a three-way partnership with POSCO International to validate the practical viability of the service.

Hana Financial Group said its strategy is to further enhance blockchain-based foreign exchange remittance services to enable real-time transactions and settlements while strengthening its leadership position in Korea's foreign exchange market.

The companies also outlined plans related to Korean won stablecoins. They said they would cooperate in building stable and scalable infrastructure supporting the issuance, distribution, use and circulation of Korean won stablecoins, while continuing to explore partnership opportunities in response to changes in the digital asset investment market.

Hana Bank said legislation related to stablecoins has not yet been finalized in Korea, but added that the company decided to proactively pursue strategic cooperation while taking into account overseas developments such as the proposed U.S. GENIUS Act.

Dunamu said the transaction was a secondary share sale between Kakao Investment and Hana Bank and that it had no additional comment regarding the deal.

Mgame said on May 15 that it posted consolidated first-quarter revenue of 24.2 billion won and operating profit of 3.2 billion won for 2026.

Revenue and operating profit fell 11% and 51%, respectively, from a year earlier. Net profit also declined about 20% to 4.5 billion won from 5.6 billion won during the same period.

According to the company, the earnings decline was largely due to a high base effect created by the strong performance of "Knight Online" in North America and Europe during the first quarter of last year.

Kwon Yi-hyung, chief executive officer of Mgame, said the company experienced a base-effect impact because first-quarter performance last year had been exceptionally strong, but added that revenue maintained a stable trend with a sequential increase from the previous quarter.

Mgame's first-quarter revenue of 24.2 billion won was up 4% from 23.2 billion won recorded in the fourth quarter of last year.

The company plans to pursue growth in the second half through new game launches and expanded service channels.

In the third quarter, Mgame will begin pre-registration for "Guihon Raising," an idle mobile game based on its flagship intellectual property "Guihon." The company also plans to relaunch a PC massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) based on its legacy IP "Pungrimhwasan" and release an additional mobile game publishing title.

Naver said on May 15 that it has expanded coverage of its "Flying View 3D" feature on Naver Map to encompass all areas of Seoul.

Flying View 3D is a service that recreates real-world spaces such as landmarks, natural scenery and historic sites in three-dimensional form. Naver first launched the feature in October last year for 10 major attractions nationwide, including Gyeongju Cheomseongdae, Seoul COEX, Songdo Central Park in Incheon, Jeonju Hanok Village and Busan BEXCO.

Naver said the service has drawn strong interest from both foreign tourists visiting Korea and domestic travelers because it allows users to experience major Korean attractions as if viewing them from the sky. During last year's APEC summit period, usage of Flying View 3D increased more than 2.2 times compared with the average level since launch.

With the latest update, users can now explore major landmarks and broader areas across Seoul in greater depth and realism through Naver Map. Users can access Flying View 3D by selecting image markers attached to key locations and landmarks such as 63 Square in Yeouido, Jamsil Sports Complex and the National Assembly building within the Naver Map app.

The Seoul-wide Flying View 3D service was built using "S-MAP" data based on digital twin technologies developed by Naver Labs, along with high-resolution aerial imagery captured by drones. Naver Map also upgraded its proprietary 3D map engine to support smoother and more stable spatial navigation.

Naver said it plans to expand Flying View 3D coverage to additional locations including Seongsan Ilchulbong in Jeju, Wolmido in Incheon and Yeosu Expo. The company also plans to broaden service entry points to make the feature more accessible to users.

Going forward, Naver intends to strengthen integration between Street View 3D and Flying View 3D so users can seamlessly explore digitally recreated real-world environments from both aerial and ground-level perspectives.

AhnLab warned on May 15 that phishing emails exploiting geopolitical tensions, including the conflict involving Iran and the U.S., are spreading rapidly and targeting corporate users.

The company said attackers have recently been disguising phishing attempts as supplier business emails amid concerns over Middle East-driven raw material supply disruptions and broader global supply chain instability.

According to AhnLab, attackers are mainly distributing emails with subject lines such as "Price Increase Notice." The messages typically claim that suppliers are being forced to raise prices due to rising raw material costs, encouraging recipients to open attached files.

When users execute attached files such as PDFs, they are shown a fake PDF viewer download page. Clicking the prompt redirects victims to a phishing site disguised as a login page.

If users enter their email account credentials and passwords, the information is immediately transmitted to attacker-controlled servers. AhnLab warned that stolen credentials could later be used for malicious activities including infiltration of corporate systems and secondary phishing attacks.

The company urged users to follow basic cybersecurity practices to prevent damage. Recommended measures include verifying sender email domains, avoiding execution of attachments or URLs from unclear senders, applying the latest security patches to PCs, operating systems, software and internet browsers, and enabling real-time antivirus monitoring features.

Lee Ik-gyu, a manager at AhnLab's analysis team, said phishing campaigns are increasingly exploiting industry-sensitive issues such as Middle East-related raw material instability and surging memory prices to make malicious emails appear legitimate.

"Even when an email appears business-related, users should carefully verify the sender's email address, attachments and URLs, and should never enter personal or account information on suspicious websites," he said.

MegazoneCloud said on May 15 that it has joined the KRFSAI (Korea Full Stack AI) consortium, which was selected as the lead operator for the South Korean government's 2026 AI Semiconductor Overseas Demonstration Project for server systems.

The project is overseen by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA).

The consortium includes MegazoneCloud along with FuriosaAI, NC AI, Upstage and Uracle.

MegazoneCloud said it will lead the overall project as the primary operator responsible for designing, building and operating overseas server demonstration environments based on Korean AI semiconductors.

The pilot deployment target is Aramco Digital, the digital subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil producer.

The consortium plans to deploy FuriosaAI's Korean-made RNGD neural processing unit (NPU) servers within Aramco Digital's infrastructure environment and implement a service that uses AI to parse 2D plant engineering drawings and automatically generate industrial 3D digital twin assets.

The initiative aims to significantly reduce work time and costs by automating existing workflows that currently rely on manual review of 2D drawings, hand-built 3D modeling and subsequent documentation processes.

Through the project, the consortium seeks to demonstrate that Korean NPUs can practically replace GPUs in the highly restrictive closed-network environments commonly used in the energy and plant industries.

The consortium plans to run identical AI models in both GPU and NPU environments and compare inference performance, power efficiency and operational stability. The results will be submitted in the form of certified testing reports.

Key performance goals include improving AI inference performance by more than 15% compared with GPUs, increasing power efficiency by more than 20%, achieving more than 90% object-recognition accuracy for engineering drawings and generating 3D renderings within one minute.

MegazoneCloud will oversee project management and local business development while also handling development of a hybrid cloud integrated management console, data governance policy establishment and construction and management of integrated security and AI compliance guardrails.

FuriosaAI will be responsible for building and optimizing AI infrastructure and inference environments including NPU servers. NC AI will develop AI-based 3D rendering and digital twin services. Upstage will provide industry-specific large language models and AI model optimization. Uracle will supply LLMOps capabilities and implement AI infrastructure operation and monitoring functions.

South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said the government could invoke emergency labor mediation measures if Samsung Electronics' labor dispute escalates into a strike that threatens the national economy, marking the first official mention of such action by the government.

In a public statement delivered Saturday at the Government Complex Seoul regarding the Samsung Electronics labor dispute, Kim said the government would step in if labor and management fail to find common ground.

"Together with the Korean people, I earnestly ask both labor and management to produce results in tomorrow's post-mediation talks, which represent the final opportunity," Kim said. "If a situation emerges in which a strike is expected to inflict enormous damage on the national economy, the government will have no choice but to pursue every possible response measure, including emergency mediation, to protect the economy."

Samsung Electronics and its labor union are scheduled to resume a second round of post-mediation talks at the National Labor Relations Commission in Sejong on May 18.

Regarding the talks, Kim said, "The government sincerely welcomes this. But at the same time, I want to make this absolutely clear: the May 18 negotiations are effectively the last chance to prevent a strike, and neither labor nor management should take the weight of this meeting lightly."

Emergency mediation authority is an exceptional legal procedure that can be invoked by the labor minister when a strike is deemed likely to seriously damage the national economy or disrupt public life. Once activated, strike action is immediately suspended for 30 days, while the National Labor Relations Commission begins compulsory mediation and arbitration. Since the system was introduced in 1963, the South Korean government has exercised emergency mediation authority only four times.

Following Kim's remarks, the presidential office urged Samsung Electronics and the labor union to reach an agreement through dialogue, pledging full support to help resolve the conflict.

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said during a briefing at the Chunchugwan press center that "the presidential office hopes Samsung Electronics labor and management will consider the ripple effects a strike could create and find a solution through dialogue." She added that "the prime minister's remarks represent the government's official position" regarding possible emergency mediation.

Choi Seung-ho, chairman of the Samsung Electronics branch of the Samsung Group cross-enterprise union, said the union had reviewed the prime minister's statement. "We will sincerely participate in the post-mediation process so that labor-management harmony can be achieved," Choi said.

Samsung Electronics and the union previously held post-mediation talks mediated by the National Labor Relations Commission from May 11 through early May 13, but negotiations collapsed after the two sides failed to narrow differences over performance-based compensation standards.

Since then, a series of conciliatory steps have followed, including a public apology issued by 18 Samsung executives on May 15, a visit by DS division executives to the union office in Pyeongtaek on the same day, a meeting between Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon and union representatives on May 15, and a public apology from Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong on May 16.

Samsung Electronics and SK hynix sharply increased research and development spending in the first quarter as competition intensifies in artificial intelligence memory technologies.

According to quarterly reports released by the two companies on May 15, Samsung Electronics spent a total of 11.34 trillion won on R&D during the January-March period, up 25.5% from 9.03 trillion won a year earlier.

Among Samsung's first-quarter R&D achievements was the development of sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory, or HBM4. The company announced mass production shipments of the product in February. The chip is produced using 10-nanometer-class sixth-generation 1c DRAM technology.

The base die, which controls power and signal transmission at the bottom of the HBM stack, is manufactured using Samsung Foundry's 4nm process technology. Samsung is also developing HBM4E and plans to ship its first samples within the second quarter.

Samsung additionally completed development of its PCI Express 6.0-based server solid-state drive PM1763 during the first quarter. The company also launched the Exynos 5410, which integrates three satellite communication technologies into a single chip, as well as the mid-range application processor Exynos 1680.

Samsung's total capital expenditure in the first quarter reached 11.23 trillion won, of which 10.19 trillion won, or about 90.7%, was allocated to the Device Solutions semiconductor division. Investments were used to strengthen competitiveness in next-generation memory technologies, prepare for mid- to long-term demand growth and secure production capacity for advanced system semiconductor nodes.

Samsung plans to spend more than 110 trillion won this year on facilities and R&D investment, aimed at advancing AI semiconductor technologies and expanding into new businesses such as robotics through acquisitions.

Vice Chairman Jun Young-hyun, head of Samsung Electronics, said at the company's annual shareholder meeting in March that the company plans to significantly increase facility investment this year compared with last year and further strengthen advanced R&D spending for next-generation processes and core technologies.

SK hynix's total first-quarter R&D expenditure reached 2.55 trillion won, up about 68.3% from 1.52 trillion won a year earlier. The amount represented 4.9% of the company's first-quarter revenue of 52.58 trillion won.

Personnel expenses accounted for the largest share at 1.36 trillion won, followed by other expenses at 861.2 billion won, outsourced service costs at 160.3 billion won, depreciation costs at 143.4 billion won and raw material expenses at 28.4 billion won.

Of the total R&D spending, 99 billion won was capitalized as intangible assets, while 2.45 trillion won was recognized as expenses during the quarter.

SK hynix's quarterly R&D spending surpassed 2 trillion won for the first time in the fourth quarter of last year. The company has steadily increased spending amid surging demand for AI-focused memory products such as HBM. From 2022 through 2024, SK hynix's average quarterly R&D spending stood at around 1.11 trillion won.

SK hynix is also preparing HBM4E products. The company aims to provide samples in the second half of this year and begin mass production next year. The base die for HBM4E is being developed using process technologies tailored to customer performance requirements, while the core die will adopt the 1c nanometer process. Existing HBM4 products are based on 10-nanometer-class fifth-generation 1b DRAM technology. Commercial mass shipments of HBM4 have not yet begun.

SK hynix's first-quarter capital expenditure totaled 7.35 trillion won based on tangible asset acquisitions, up 21.9% from 6.28 trillion won a year earlier.

Assets under construction, including semiconductor fabrication facilities, accounted for the largest portion at about 6.02 trillion won. The company also acquired machinery worth 943.3 billion won, buildings worth 258.2 billion won, land worth 74.5 billion won and structures worth 40.7 billion won during the quarter.

Major South Korean pharmaceutical and biotech companies sustained strong revenue growth in the first quarter, with Samsung Biologics, Celltrion, SK Biopharmaceuticals and Dongkook Pharmaceutical posting record earnings. Growth was driven by expanding global biosimilar sales and increased production of high-margin products.

However, profitability diverged across the industry as some traditional prescription-focused drugmakers faced higher one-off expenses, unfavorable base effects and rising raw material costs. Despite overall sales growth, earnings momentum remained limited or weakened at several companies.

An analysis of first-quarter 2026 earnings from 15 Korean pharmaceutical and biotech companies showed that seven firms recorded double-digit growth in both revenue and operating profit. The group included Samsung Biologics, Celltrion, Samsung Bioepis, Chong Kun Dang, GC Biopharma, SK Biopharmaceuticals and Dong-A ST. Meanwhile, Bukwang Pharmaceutical, Daewoong Pharmaceutical and Hanmi Pharmaceutical posted declines in operating profit.

Samsung Biologics, South Korea’s largest pharmaceutical and biotech company by sales, reported record quarterly results. First-quarter revenue rose 25.8% year-on-year to 1.2571 trillion won, while operating profit climbed 35% to 580.8 billion won. Operating margin reached 46.2%.

Samsung Biologics said full utilization at Plants 1 through 4 drove earnings growth. The company maintained its annual revenue growth target of 15% to 20%. Contributions from the recently acquired Rockville facility in the U.S. were not included in the outlook, leaving room for additional upside.

Celltrion posted first-quarter revenue of 1.145 trillion won and operating profit of 321.9 billion won. Revenue increased 36% from a year earlier, while operating profit surged 115.4%. Operating margin improved to 28.1%.

Sales growth was led by biosimilar products launched in the second half of last year. Revenue from new product lines rose 67% year-on-year to 581.2 billion won, accounting for 60% of total biopharmaceutical sales. Celltrion said it expects to exceed its previously announced annual targets of 5.3 trillion won in revenue and 1.8 trillion won in operating profit.

Yuhan Corp. recorded revenue growth but limited improvement in profitability. First-quarter revenue rose 8.6% to 509.6 billion won, while operating profit edged up 2.1% to 8.8 billion won. Operating margin stood at 1.7%.

The company cited delays in receiving European milestone payments related to lung cancer drug Lazcluze. Prescription drugs, overseas operations and over-the-counter products all posted balanced growth. Yuhan said its active pharmaceutical ingredient-based overseas business continued to expand at a solid pace and that research and development achievements would support future growth.

Samsung Bioepis maintained steady growth on rising biosimilar sales. First-quarter revenue increased 13.6% to 454.9 billion won, while operating profit climbed 12.6% to 144.1 billion won. Operating margin was 31.7%.

Existing products such as SB4, a biosimilar referencing Enbrel for autoimmune diseases, maintained solid sales in Europe. In the U.S., the launch of SB16, a biosimilar to osteoporosis treatment Prolia, contributed to growth. Samsung Bioepis maintained its annual revenue growth target of more than 10%.

Chong Kun Dang posted improved earnings as sales of obesity treatment Wegovy gained traction under a co-marketing partnership. First-quarter revenue rose 12.2% to 447.7 billion won, while operating profit jumped 36.9% to 17.6 billion won.

Wegovy sales are estimated to have expanded from about 9.2 billion won in the fourth quarter of last year to roughly 50 billion won in the first quarter. Chong Kun Dang signed a domestic co-marketing agreement with Novo Nordisk Korea in September last year.

GC Biopharma posted growth in both revenue and operating profit on strong sales of blood product Alyglo. First-quarter revenue rose 13.5% to 435.5 billion won, while operating profit increased 46.3% to 11.7 billion won.

Alyglo sales quadrupled from a year earlier to 34.9 billion won. Stable operations at U.S. plasma centers and tariff exemptions on plasma fractionation products also supported earnings.

Hanmi Pharmaceutical reported a slight increase in revenue but lower operating profit. First-quarter revenue rose 0.5% to 392.9 billion won, while operating profit fell 9.1% to 53.6 billion won.

The decline reflected a high base from clinical sample supply revenue recorded last year. Hanmi Pharmaceutical is supplying clinical trial materials for novel drug candidate efinopegdutide to global drugmaker Merck & Co.

Outpatient prescription sales totaled 277.6 billion won, allowing the company to maintain the top position in Korea’s outpatient prescription market for eight consecutive years since 2018. Growth at its Chinese subsidiary Beijing Hanmi Pharmaceutical also continued.

Hanmi invested 65.2 billion won in R&D during the first quarter, equivalent to 16.6% of sales, while advancing development of more than 30 drug candidates. Obesity treatment efpeglenatide is targeted for commercialization within the year.

Daewoong Pharmaceutical reported first-quarter revenue of 335.7 billion won, up 6.2% from a year earlier. Operating profit, however, fell 34.7% to 27.4 billion won.

The decline was attributed to one-time costs, including returns and commission settlements, arising from restructuring of its prescription drug distribution system. Its botulinum toxin and digital healthcare businesses continued to grow, rising 14% and 52%, respectively.

HK inno.N posted first-quarter revenue of 258.7 billion won and operating profit of 33.2 billion won, up 4.6% and 30.8% year-on-year, respectively.

Although revenue growth remained in the single digits, lower selling and administrative expenses improved profitability. Prescription drug sales led by reflux treatment K-CAB drove earnings.

Boryung reported first-quarter consolidated revenue of 255.4 billion won and operating profit of 20.2 billion won, up 6.2% and 84.7%, respectively.

Growth was led by the L Family dyslipidemia treatment franchise, whose sales rose 40.9%. Hypertension treatment Kanarb Family also maintained stable prescription growth with an 8.1% increase.

Dongkook Pharmaceutical posted record quarterly earnings with first-quarter revenue of 251 billion won and operating profit of 27.3 billion won. Revenue rose 12.2% and operating profit increased 8% from a year earlier.

Exports of derma-cosmetic brand Centellian24 surged 332%, driving overseas growth. Dongkook Pharmaceutical said it plans to sustain momentum through development of new drugs based on drug delivery system technology.

SK Biopharmaceuticals also posted record earnings on strong U.S. sales growth of epilepsy treatment cenobamate. First-quarter revenue rose 57.8% to 227.9 billion won, while operating profit surged 249.7% to 89.8 billion won. Operating margin reached 39.4%.

U.S. sales of cenobamate increased 48.4% to 197.7 billion won. SK Biopharmaceuticals is pursuing expanded indications for cenobamate and additional new drug programs.

JW Pharmaceutical posted first-quarter revenue of 198.5 billion won and operating profit of 31.7 billion won, up 8.1% and 40.4%, respectively.

Nutritional IV solutions and prescription drugs led earnings improvement. Dyslipidemia treatment Livalo Zet and hemophilia treatment Hemlibra recorded sales growth of 21% and 60%, respectively.

Dong-A ST improved earnings on growth in prescription drugs and digital healthcare operations. First-quarter revenue rose 10.7% to 187.1 billion won, while operating profit climbed 53.7% to 10.8 billion won.

Expanded sales of in-licensed products, including reflux treatment Zackubo, contributed to growth. The company’s digital healthcare business generated more than half of its full-year 2025 revenue during the first quarter alone.

Bukwang Pharmaceutical saw profitability deteriorate due to rising outsourcing production costs. First-quarter revenue was nearly flat at 47.8 billion won, down 0.1% from a year earlier, while operating profit dropped 62.6% to 1.1 billion won.

The company is pursuing automation at its Ansan plant and the acquisition of Korea Union Pharmaceutical to strengthen manufacturing capacity. Bukwang said production cost issues are expected to improve after the acquisition is completed.

STMicroelectronics (ST), a European semiconductor manufacturer, said it is preparing products aligned with Nvidia's next-generation 800 VDC power architecture for AI data centers as global electricity demand from artificial intelligence infrastructure surges.

Hiroshi Noguchi, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Asia Pacific excluding China (APeC) at ST, said during a press briefing held at COEX in Seoul on May 15 that the company is ready to respond when the market adopts 800 VDC infrastructure.

"We are capable of responding at the right time when the market requires 800 VDC-related products," Noguchi said. "We already possess silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN), and digital power design and manufacturing technologies, which are key components of 800 VDC systems."

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global data center electricity demand is projected to more than double by 2030 compared with 2024 levels, reaching 945 terawatt-hours (TWh). That would exceed South Korea's annual electricity consumption of roughly 600 TWh. In the United States, where major global technology companies are concentrated, data centers are expected to account for half of total electricity demand by 2030.

As power demand from data centers rises, efficient power management technologies are emerging as critical solutions, with 800 VDC considered one of the leading approaches.

Conventional data centers supply power through multiple conversion stages. High-voltage alternating current entering a facility is first stepped down at substations before being converted to 54V direct current by power supply units inside server racks. The voltage is then reduced again to 12V before reaching voltage regulator modules that supply GPUs with less than 1V. Each voltage conversion stage creates energy loss and heat generation, reducing overall efficiency.

Nvidia's 800 VDC architecture aims to deliver high-voltage direct current directly to server racks, reducing the number of conversion stages required before power reaches GPUs. The approach lowers conversion losses, reduces heat generation and cuts the size of electrical wiring and rack-mounted power supply units.

SiC and GaN semiconductors play a central role in this structure, particularly in DC-DC converters that lower voltage from 800V to around 6V.

SiC and GaN are compound semiconductors made from multiple elements. Compared with conventional silicon, they provide greater stability under high-voltage and high-temperature conditions and can simplify power conversion processes. While silicon remains dominant in servers because of cost advantages, broader adoption of SiC and GaN is expected as prices decline.

Noguchi said ST has developed SiC technology capable of lowering AC power to 50V while supporting voltages above 1,200V. He added that the company's GaN technology, responsible for high-frequency switching in power conversion, can operate at 800V and 1MHz in prototype form while achieving 98% efficiency and a power density of 2,600W per cubic inch.

Alongside its existing 800V-to-50V solution, ST recently added new 800V-to-12V and 800V-to-6V product families.

SiC is generally more effective in environments above 1,200V, while GaN delivers higher efficiency at lower voltages. In a typical system architecture, SiC first reduces voltage from 800V, after which GaN lowers it further into single-digit voltage ranges. GaN also enables smaller module designs. For example, it can directly reduce 48V input to 1V, eliminating one conversion stage compared with silicon-based solutions and reducing component size.

"GaN-based solutions help reduce footprint size and enable the development of more efficient devices," Noguchi said.

ST also said it possesses digital power design and manufacturing capabilities used to control power conversion systems. Noguchi said the company can provide customized designs at the packaging level, including analog and mixed-signal power technologies. "We implemented a 6V bus directly near GPUs to reduce conversion stages and minimize power loss," he added.

Nvidia expects adoption of 800 VDC architecture to expand beginning in 2027, when shipments of its internally designed Kyber rack-scale systems ramp up. The Kyber system connects 576 Rubin Ultra GPUs and consists of 18 compute blades within a single rack.

Samsung Electronics and its labor union agreed to resume post-mediation negotiations on May 18 at the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) in Sejong City.

Choi Seung-ho, chairman of the Samsung Electronics branch of the Samsung Group cross-enterprise union, said on May 16 that negotiations are expected to restart around 10 a.m. and that Park Soo-keun, chairman of the NLRC, will personally attend the session.

Samsung accepted the union's demand to replace its chief bargaining representative, changing the role from Vice President Kim Hyung-ro to Yeo Myung-gu, head of the DS People Team. The union also agreed to Samsung's request that Kim participate in the mediation process without speaking, to assist with continuity and understanding of previous negotiations.

Choi said the agenda items have not yet been fully prepared and that Yeo would travel down for meetings later in the day.

Choi also commented on the public apology statement issued by Chairman Lee Jae-yong, saying he had reviewed the remarks. "Employees joined the union because trust with the company had broken down, and in the DS division, union membership has effectively reached 85%, meaning nearly all workers are union members," Choi said.

"Restoring trust may take time, but we hope the company will begin making efforts from this round of negotiations so that we can move forward together," he added.

The decision to replace the company's chief bargaining representative came after Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon visited the union office on May 15 for discussions.

According to the union, it had asked the minister to seek a change in Samsung's bargaining representative and a meaningful shift in the company's position as preconditions for restarting talks. In an official notice, the union said the minister "deeply sympathized with the union's position and stated that he would clearly deliver the union's views to management."

Samsung and the union had previously held post-mediation talks under the NLRC from May 11 through early May 13 but failed to narrow differences over performance bonus payment standards.

Since then, a series of reconciliation efforts followed: a public apology issued in the names of 18 Samsung executives on May 15, a visit by DS division executives to the union office in Pyeongtaek on the same day, Labor Minister Kim's meeting with the union on May 15, and Chairman Lee's public apology on May 16.

Lee Jae-yong, Executive Chairman of Samsung Electronics, apologized on May 16 over the escalating labor dispute at the company, as it faces the prospect of a general strike by its labor union.

Lee returned to South Korea earlier than scheduled after adjusting his overseas business trip itinerary. Appearing at the Gimpo Business Aviation Center holding a one-page apology statement, he said, "I sincerely apologize to customers around the world for causing anxiety and concern due to issues within our company."

He added, "I bow my head in apology to the Korean people who have always supported, loved and also criticized Samsung."

Lee also delivered a message to the labor union, which has announced plans for a general strike beginning May 21.

"To our labor union members and Samsung family members, we are one body and one family," Lee said. "Now is the time to wisely combine our strength and move forward in one direction."

He continued, "I will take the harsh wind and rain myself and accept all the blame," adding, "Let us all do our best so we can once again take pride in being part of Samsung."

Lee also thanked government officials involved in efforts to resolve the dispute, saying, "I would like to express my gratitude to the government and related officials who are working hard to solve our problems."

"I once again bow my head in apology to our customers and the Korean people for causing concern," he added.

During the statement, Lee bowed three times — while addressing global customers, the Korean public and again during his closing remarks.

Lee did not answer reporters' questions regarding Samsung's response to the planned strike before leaving in a vehicle. Samsung said the Executive Chairman returned from his overseas trip after adjusting his schedule to address the labor dispute.

Top executives from Samsung Electronics's Device Solutions (DS) division visited the office of the Samsung Electronics labor coalition that has threatened a general strike.

Management said it wanted to continue negotiations with an open attitude, but the union reiterated that talks could proceed only if the company addressed demands related to performance bonus transparency, removal of payout caps and institutional reforms.

According to both management and labor representatives on May 15, DS division Vice Chairman Jun Young-hyun and presidents Kim Yong-kwan, Han Jin-man and Park Yong-in visited the office of the Samsung Electronics Labor Union (SELU) at the company's Pyeongtaek campus in Gyeonggi Province earlier in the day.

The move was unusual given that the visit came just six days before the union's planned strike on May 21. However, union leaders including Chairman Choi Seung-ho reportedly told executives they had "no trust whatsoever" in management and reaffirmed demands for greater transparency and structural reform in the performance bonus system.

SELU said on its website that Samsung executives expressed concerns over the planned strike and conveyed their intention to continue negotiations. It added that Chairman Choi responded that discussions would be possible if management brought concrete proposals addressing the union's core demands.

At roughly the same time, Samsung Electronics' communications office released a statement saying Vice Chairman Jun had expressed willingness to maintain dialogue with the union in an open manner.

The visit came shortly after Samsung's group of 18 presidents issued a public apology earlier in the day.

In the statement, the executives said labor disputes had caused "significant concern and burden" to both the public and the government, adding that the company viewed the union as "one family and a shared destiny" and would engage in dialogue without preconditions.

The union, however, effectively rejected the overture earlier in the morning by saying it would only consider discussions after June 7.

Chairman Choi wrote in an anonymous employee communication channel that the union intended to exercise its constitutionally guaranteed rights and proceed with an 18-day strike from May 21 through June 7.

Referring to a document management sent at 10 a.m. that day, Choi reportedly said it did not appear to be a serious communication directed at the union and that negotiations could take place later in June.

The union also released audio recordings from post-mediation meetings held by the Central Labor Relations Commission.

According to the recordings, Choi criticized Samsung Vice President Kim Hyung-ro, the company's lead bargaining representative, for allegedly mentioning annual operating profit figures of around 200 trillion won, saying Kim "knows nothing about semiconductors" and was "lying about the scale of earnings."

The release of recordings from what are typically confidential government-mediated discussions was viewed as a sign of the union's distrust toward the mediation process.

The labor commission requested another post-mediation session on May 16, but as of Thursday afternoon the union had not clearly stated whether it would participate.

Meanwhile, a shareholder activist group called the Korea Shareholder Action Headquarters announced plans to pursue legal action including damage claims and injunction requests against the union, Samsung's board and management.

The group argued that the union's demand for a uniform performance bonus equivalent to 15% of operating profit violates principles of capital maintenance under commercial law. It said it would begin recruiting plaintiffs through shareholder action platform ACT starting on May 21, the scheduled first day of the strike.

Union members from Samsung's DX division have also questioned the representative legitimacy of the DS-centered labor coalition and are reportedly preparing injunction requests seeking to block strike action and finalize wage negotiations. Fundraising for legal fees is currently underway on internal employee community forums.

Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan wrote on social media on May 14 that emergency labor adjustment measures could become unavoidable if a strike occurs.

Kim warned that disruptions in wafer processing alone could lead to losses of as much as 100 trillion won. Emergency adjustment authority is an exceptional measure that can be invoked by the labor minister when industrial action is deemed likely to significantly harm the national economy. Once activated, unions must immediately suspend strike activities and are barred from resuming them for 30 days from the announcement date.

On May 15, presidential secretary for public communications Lee Gyu-yeon said the government strongly hoped no strike situation would occur because of Samsung Electronics' importance to the national economy.

Lee added that the government was watching the situation with "considerable concern and anxiety," though he said it was not yet at a stage where emergency adjustment measures would be considered.

Separately, the Suwon District Court's civil division said it would decide by May 20 whether to grant the company's request for an injunction banning the strike.

SoulBrain reported higher first-quarter revenue and operating profit, supported by increased NAND flash investment from key customers.

The company said on May 15 that consolidated revenue for the January-March period reached 263.8 billion won, while operating profit came to 44.7 billion won. Revenue rose 25.9% from a year earlier and operating profit increased 24.2%.

Compared with the previous quarter, revenue climbed 8.1% and operating profit rose 3.9%. Operating margin stood at 16.9%.

The semiconductor materials business drove overall performance. Semiconductor-related sales totaled 221.9 billion won in the first quarter, accounting for 84% of total revenue. Display-related sales reached 13.5 billion won, while battery materials sales came to 28.4 billion won.

Expanded NAND investment by customers contributed significantly to earnings growth. SoulBrain supplies hydrofluoric acid (HF), buffer oxide etchant (BOE), chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) slurry and precursors to customers including Samsung Electronics and SK hynix.

As NAND stacking technology advances, the number of etching and cleaning process steps increases, leading to higher consumption of semiconductor materials.

The company also continued facility investment during the quarter. SoulBrain said it invested about 20.4 billion won in the first quarter to expand and upgrade semiconductor and display materials production lines. The company's market share in semiconductor materials stands at around 85%.

SoulBrain is also strengthening its North American supply chain presence. The company established Soulbrain TX LLC and Soulbrain RASA TX LLC in the United States to support local customers including Samsung Electronics' Taylor semiconductor fab. Construction has not yet begun, as the company remains in the site acquisition stage.

Applied Materials said expanding semiconductor demand is expected to sustain strong growth in the chip equipment market for years.

Gary Dickerson, president and chief executive officer of Applied Materials, said during the company's fiscal second-quarter 2026 earnings conference call on May 14 that the environment driving semiconductor demand would remain robust over the coming years.

"Some customers are increasingly concerned about semiconductor supply through 2030 due to rising computing demand," Dickerson said.

The long-term surge in semiconductor demand is tied to the transition into the artificial intelligence era. The industry believes it has entered the age of agentic AI, in which systems autonomously perform tasks without human intervention. The trend has driven excess demand for semiconductors including CPUs, DRAM and NAND memory. The next phase, known as physical AI, is also expected to emerge as AI becomes integrated into the real world through robots, autonomous vehicles and other systems that require significantly larger volumes of semiconductors. Applied Materials expects these changes to create structural growth that continuously drives equipment demand at current elevated levels.

Chipmakers are already constructing numerous new semiconductor fabrication plants to meet future demand. Applied Materials said it is currently engaged with more than 100 new fab projects worldwide, with more than 10 additional projects added during the first quarter alone. Most of the projects are large-scale greenfield fabs being built from the ground up.

These new fabs are highly equipment-intensive, meaning process tools account for a large share of investment costs and operational importance. Applied Materials expects customer equipment orders to rise sharply as the facilities are completed in phases. The company sees major equipment deployments accelerating between next year and 2028. "We continue discussions with customers while looking toward next year and 2028," Dickerson said.

Applied Materials is increasingly signing long-term supply agreements spanning two to three years rather than short-term contracts. The strategy is intended to ensure stable supply for large-scale fab construction projects and other long-term investments by customers. While long-term contracts help maintain stable earnings, they limit the company's ability to rapidly raise equipment prices in response to market conditions. Instead, Applied Materials plans to improve gross margins through gradual product portfolio upgrades by continuously introducing higher-value tools.

Even before formal supply agreements are finalized, the company said it closely collaborates with major customers based on eight quarters of visibility into future demand. Applied Materials said customers transparently share their equipment demand and order plans for the next two years to ensure smooth deliveries.

The company currently faces equipment lead times of roughly eight quarters, driven mainly by supply-chain constraints for components used in semiconductor manufacturing tools. As demand for chipmaking equipment has surged, many component suppliers have reached production capacity limits. Applied Materials works with roughly 2,000 direct component suppliers globally. Brice Hill, chief financial officer of Applied Materials, said suppliers require long lead times to expand production capacity and make additional investments.

Beyond new fab construction, Applied Materials also expects structural changes in DRAM technology — including the transition to 3D DRAM — to further increase demand for semiconductor process equipment. One example is the adoption of advanced epitaxy technology in CMOS logic circuits. Epitaxy is a process that forms high-quality semiconductor layers on wafers by arranging atoms along specific crystal lattice directions. The resulting high-purity single-crystal layers are suited for high-speed, low-power transistors. In DRAM and NAND flash memory, CMOS logic is used in peripheral circuits controlling memory cells.

Applied Materials supplies epitaxy tools including the Centura Xtera Epi platform. During fiscal second-quarter 2026, epitaxy equipment delivered record revenue alongside atomic layer deposition (ALD) and materials engineering systems. Dickerson said transitions in both advanced foundry and DRAM processes were becoming key growth drivers for Applied Materials' DRAM business.

The company also expects long-term memory architecture transitions to become a major tailwind. Applied Materials said today's 6F² DRAM structures are expected to evolve toward 4F² architectures and eventually 3D DRAM, increasing materials intensity over time. "F" refers to the minimum feature size achievable in a given semiconductor manufacturing process. In a 6F² structure, each memory cell forms a rectangle measuring 3F by 2F, while 4F² structures form square-shaped cells measuring 2F by 2F. Transitioning to 4F² theoretically allows 30% to 50% more cells to fit within the same chip die area.

However, shrinking transistor dimensions can trigger short-channel effects, in which excessively short channel lengths cause leakage current because transistor gates fail to properly control current flow. To address the issue, companies including Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are introducing vertical channel and gate structures. Compared with planar structures, vertical architectures require more deposition and etching steps. The same applies to 3D DRAM.

"Applied Materials is the leading company in DRAM process equipment and possesses unmatched deposition and etching technologies," Dickerson said. "We are well positioned for the transition from 6F² to 4F² and eventually to 3D DRAM."