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  100Gbps-class internet test lab found to have saved SMEs' development cost SEOUL -- A 100Gbps-class internet test facility run by South Korea's state watchdog was found to have helped small-and-medium-sized companies save development costs and time. A 100Gbps internet connection will support up to 100 multi-processing connections without lag. The Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) said in a statement on December 28 that some 160 SMEs used the watchdog's internet test facility this year to save about 5.8 billion won ($5.2 2020-12-28
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  KT partners with state railroad authority to improve management system using big data SEOUL -- South Korea's biggest telecom company KT has joined hands with a state railroad construction and management authority to improve management systems and services using big data and information communication technologies. KT said in a statement on December 24 that the company and the Korea National Railway (KR) have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in the upgrade of the state railroad management company's operating processes and servic 2020-12-24
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  State research institute to open test bed for 5G technology to help SMEs cut costs SEOUL -- A state electronics technology research institute will open a test bed facility for 5G communication technologies in January next year. The facility will offer small-and-medium-sized companies with testing environments that are at similar levels to those owned by major communication companies. Currently, if a company wishes to test its newly-developed 5G technology, it has to rent a testing facility or build its own which requires a la 2020-12-23
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  ​S. Korea's first 5G-based smart sewing factory opens in North Jeolla Province SEOUL -- South Korea has opened its first-ever 5G-connected smart sewing factory in North Jeolla Province. The smart factory operates robots for manufacturing. North Jeolla Province said in a statement that the local government opened a smart sewing factory at a fabric research facility complex in Iksan some 177 kilometers (108 miles) south of Seoul. The factory also has a store that will sell products manufactured in the smart factory. South Korea webbed with 4 2020-12-22
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  Samsung, Kakao and SKT join hands to jointly develop AI to tackle COVID-19 pandemic SEOUL -- South Korea's tech giants -- Samsung Electronics, Kakao and SK Telecom -- have joined hands to form a consultative group that would cooperate to develop artificial intelligence designed to solve social problems and improve social safety. One of the main goals of the joint AI development project is to end the COVID-19 pandemic. Samsung said in a statement uploaded onto its news blog on December 22 that the company, SK Telecom (SKT), the c 2020-12-22
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  Shinsegae's megastore to offer personalized dietary supplements service using AI sommelier SEOUL -- Benchmarking artificial intelligence-based product suggestion services adopted by entertainment companies, the megastore wing of South Korea's retail giant Shinsegae will offer a personalized dietary supplements service using an AI sommelier for vitamins and functional food. The service targets health-conscious consumers who take supplements regularly. A survey of 1,000 people aged between 16 and 65, conducted by market research firm Trendmonitor in M 2020-12-21
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  ​S. Korea demonstrates AI-based 5G-connected smart emergency medical service platform SEOUL -- To enhance the survival of critical patients, South Korea has demonstrated an artificial intelligence-based 5G connected smart emergency medical service platform that will help emergency ward physicians get ready to treat patients before they arrive at the hospital. It will be commercialized in 2021. Currently, emergency room workers and ambulances share information about a patient over a radio or a phone. Sometimes, the conditio 2020-12-18
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  KT forges partnership with Shinsegae's hotel franchise to offer autonomous robot butler service SEOUL -- South Korea's biggest telecom company KT has forged a partnership with a top hotel franchise to provide an automated robot butler service. Customers can pick up room service delivered by serving robots at the doorstep of their rooms. KT said in a statement on December 17 that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Shinsegae Chosun Hotel, a hotel franchise of Shinsegae Group, to deploy hotelier robots at two new hotels including one in Gangnam, 2020-12-17
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  ​Samsung partners with IBM to develop corporate digital transformation solution SEOUL -- Samsung Electronics and IBM joined forces to develop solution models for corporate digital transformation combining technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, 5G and edge computing that would help companies save costs and increase work efficiency through automation. Digital transformation (DX) uses the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data and cloud. DX is preferred by many companies to re 2020-12-17
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  Researchers develop AI-based toxic substance-detecting technology using microbial biosensors SEOUL -- A state-funded biotechnology institute has developed an artificial intelligence-based system to detect toxic substances using microbial biosensors. It can effectively detect harmful substances in industrial wastes or crops. Microbial sensors use biologically integrated transducers that generate signals when they come in contact with target substances. Signals can be analyzed to identify extracellular chemicals and the environment. However, proteins that 2020-12-16
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  Kakao to release all-in-one digital ID card wallet service in 2021 SEOUL -- South Korea's favorite smartphone messenger app Kakao Talk will release an all-in-one digital identification card wallet service that will help users verify their identity and carry digitally issued national certificates using smartphones. Kakao said in a statement on December 16 that it would release a verification service for online banking in December and a digital certificate service and a digital driver's license in the first half of next yea 2020-12-16
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  State researchers push for commercialization of electron accelerator for odor control SEOUL -- South Korea's state research institute will develop and commercialize an efficient electron accelerator-based odor control system that can get rid of stench at industrial sites and help hospitals sterilize the air in air conditioning systems to prevent the airborne transmission of microorganisms. Previously, similar odor control systems using electrons have been invented but they largely failed to hit the market due to their large size, huge energy co 2020-12-15
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  Researchers develop efficient, eco-friendly technology to produce ammonia SEOUL -- South Korean researchers achieved a major technological breakthrough in synthesizing ammonia more efficiently than traditional methods at low cost with eco-friendly technology that could be a game-changer as it enables the production of a useful chemical substance with less sophisticated machinery. Ammonia (NH3) is a chemical compound composed of one nitrogen atom and three hydrogen atoms, which has been used to produce fertilizers and other industrial pr 2020-12-15
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  S. Korea establishes free nationwide WiFi network on public buses for first time SEOUL -- South Korea has established a free nationwide wireless internet network on public buses for the first time in the world in a bid to provide citizens with easy access to information and reduce communication costs. WiFi is a popular wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to provide wireless high-speed internet and network connections. Currently, free WiFi services were provided in public places such as subway stations and shopping malls frequently 2020-12-14
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  SK Telecom applies network slicing technology to commercial 5G network SEOUL -- For the first time in the world, SK Telecom, a top mobile carrier in South Korea, has successfully applied network slicing technology, which is essential for separating virtual networks, to a 5G commercial network, allowing corporate customers to develop various services more easily and quickly. SK Telecom (SKT) said that it can provide an optimal network depending on the characteristics of each service, such as security services, game services, and 2020-12-10
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  Researchers develop 5G optical router technology to solve signal gap inside building SEOUL -- Researchers have developed a distributed antenna system technology capable of covering 5G radio shadow areas inside buildings and underground facilities through a government-led joint project. It can be used for 5G networks inside entertainment facilities that require high-speed data delivery such as virtual reality theaters and fun parks. 5G radio access networks are allocated with radiofrequency spectrums that are much higher than frequency bands used fo 2020-12-10
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  National parks adopt AI-based surveillance device to monitor accidents and illegal activities SEOUL -- The operator of South Korean national parks has adopted an artificial intelligence-based device to monitor illegal activities by hikers or the movements of wild animals. The devices can record the number of people, location and time as big data to prevent safety accidents and predict areas frequently affected by illegal activities. Stationary unmanned surveillance devices have been used at national parks, but they could not differentiate bet 2020-12-08
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  State researchers to create digital twin of city for virtual policy testing SEOUL -- A state research institute will create the digital twin of a city that would work as a virtual testing environment for various administrative policies without the risk of harming the city's actual infrastructure. A digital twin is a virtual clone of an object or an infrastructure. Researchers use digital twins as testing grounds for new technologies or other elements to see what kinds of results they might bring without causing an irreversible effect i 2020-12-08
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  Researchers establish unmanned radioactive disaster control system using robots SEOUL -- South Korea's state nuclear research center has established an unmanned disaster control system with robots and drones that can monitor radioactivity in real-time and prevent additional radiation leakage at nuclear power plants. Robots can be operated remotely to seal off disaster sites with special equipment. The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) said in a statement on December 7 that the disaster control system is based on three differe 2020-12-07
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  S. Korean mobile carriers go ahead with 28GHz demonstration services SEOUL -- Many telecom companies are dithering over the early commercialization of extremely high frequency for mobile communication networks due to cost and usefulness, but South Korean mobile carriers will faithfully follow government policy to go ahead with demonstration services in December by installing 28GHz base stations using 5G networks at selected sites. Extremely high frequency is for the band of radio frequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum from 30 t 2020-12-07