DeepSeek seeks ‘total victory’ over closed-source AI with new open-source tool

South China Morning Post - Oct 21, 2026

Chinese artificial intelligence start-up DeepSeek has fully open-sourced an internally developed framework designed to run AI models efficiently, as a senior researcher at the company described the growing divide between open-source and closed-source AI as a battle between “light and darkness”. The company on Tuesday released DeepInfer, an inference framework tailored to support its DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash model on both Nvidia’s SM100 Blackwell graphics processing units (GPUs) and Huawei...

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Can North Jeolla Province become Korea's 3rd financial hub?

Oct 20, 2026

Can North Jeolla Province become Korea's 3rd financial hub?

North Jeolla Province is betting on the National Pension Service (NPS), which manages 1.6 quadrillion won ($1.2 trillion) in assets, to help transform the region into Korea's third financial hub. But while the world's third-largest pension fund has drawn a growing number of asset managers to the region, infrastructure gaps and difficulties in attracting financial talent are raising questions about whether the ambition can become reality, industry officials said Tuesday. Located about 250 kilometers south of Seoul, North Jeolla Province has traditionally been known for its agricultural roots and cultural heritage. That began to change in 2015, when the NPS relocated to Jeonju, the province's largest city. Domestic and foreign asset managers are flocking to Jeonju to deepen ties with the NPS. In June, the NPS began awarding an additional point to asset managers with a presence in Jeonju for selecting investment managers. From global asset managers such as BlackRock, Blackstone, BNY, Franklin Templeton and PIMCO, to domestic players including Mirae Asset, Samsung, Hanwha and KB Asset Manage

Hyundai Motor, Kia to launch Level 4 autonomous truck trials

Oct 20, 2026

Hyundai Motor, Kia to launch Level 4 autonomous truck trials

Hyundai Motor and Kia will test Level 4 autonomous heavy-duty trucks on real-world logistics routes next year, working with domestic self-driving software companies to develop technology for commercial deployment, the carmakers said Tuesday. The automakers will develop two test vehicles — a hydrogen fuel cell-powered Xcient truck and a conventional Xcient truck — and provide them to partners early next year. Both will feature customized control units and vehicle interfaces designed to integrate autonomous-driving systems. The trials will continue through the end of next year along two routes: a roughly 100-kilometer route combining highways and urban roads, and a 400-kilometer route focused primarily on highway driving. Hyundai Motor and Kia signed an agreement Tuesday with Hyundai Mobis, Hyundai Glovis and two autonomous-driving software developers, Mars Auto and RideFlux, to conduct the tests using the Hyundai Motor Group’s existing logistics network. Mars Auto and RideFlux will install their respective autonomous-driving systems in the trucks, while Hyundai Mobis and Hyundai Glo

Foreign nationals make up 0.7% of Korea's research workforce, visa hurdles persist

Oct 20, 2026

Foreign nationals make up 0.7% of Korea's research workforce, visa hurdles persist

Foreign experts accounted for less than 1 percent of research personnel at Korean companies, a report showed Tuesday, with companies identifying visa and related administrative issues as the biggest obstacles to hiring foreign workers in the field. According to the report by the Korea Industrial Technology Association (KOITA), there were 72,224 corporate research and development organizations registered with the association in 2025. Of those, only 1,945, or 2.7 percent, employed foreign researchers. The number of foreign researchers stood at 3,155, accounting for just 0.7 percent of the total research workforce. The number of research and development organizations employing foreign researchers and the number of foreign researchers increased 57.9 percent and 21.4 percent over the past decade, respectively. However, foreign researchers' share of the total research workforce remained virtually unchanged at around 0.7 percent. The report also included a survey of 1,225 companies conducted from Aug. 21 to 28 to assess their experiences with foreign researchers, hiring plans and recruitment c

Korea, Czech Republic review progress in joint nuclear energy project

Oct 20, 2026

Korea, Czech Republic review progress in joint nuclear energy project

Korea and the Czech Republic have reviewed progress in their joint nuclear energy project and discussed ways to bolster bilateral cooperation in the sector, the industry ministry said Tuesday. The virtual meeting between Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan and his Czech counterpart, Karel Havlicek, came after a Korean consortium led by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power formally signed a contract to build the Dukovany nuclear power plant in the Czech Republic last year. During the third meeting of the Dukovany Steering Committee, the two sides confirmed the project is proceeding as planned and discussed deepening cooperation in the global nuclear energy industry. Kim, meanwhile, expressed concerns over the European Union's Industrial Accelerator Act, saying it could hinder participation by non-EU countries in the region's nuclear energy industry. He asked Prague to make diplomatic efforts to ensure the act does not adversely affect bilateral ties. The two sides plan to hold the fourth committee meeting in Korea this year, alongside business events to promote exchanges between nuclear energy compani

Lending services for foreign nationals becomes next battleground for banks

Oct 20, 2026

Lending services for foreign nationals becomes next battleground for banks

Korean banks are expanding lending services to foreign residents as they seek to tap a growing customer base beyond traditional services such as bank accounts and overseas remittances, industry officials said Tuesday. The shift reflects intensifying competition for foreign customers, including migrant workers and international students, as lenders broaden their offerings to include loans. Major commercial banks have rolled out dedicated loan products for foreign borrowers in recent years. Hana Bank launched the Hana Foreigner EZ Loan in August for E-7 and E-9 visa holders, offering loans of up to 10 million won ($7,500) for terms of up to 30 months. Shinhan Bank introduced its SOL Global Loan with a maximum limit of 20 million won, while NH NongHyup Bank rolled out its K-Foreigner Credit Loan, which offers loans of up to 30 million won to foreign borrowers. Regional lenders have established an early foothold in the market. Jeonbuk Bank, based in North Jeolla Province, launched loan services for foreign customers in 2016 and introduced online lending services in 2023. Kwangju Bank, BNK Kyo

Hanwha Life expands youth financial education program to Indonesia

Oct 20, 2026

Hanwha Life expands youth financial education program to Indonesia

Hanwha Life Insurance is expanding its financial education initiatives to Indonesia, aimed at helping teenagers build financial literacy in an increasingly digital landscape, the insurer said Tuesday. Developed with the international nonprofit Save the Children, the program is based in Indonesia’s Bandung, where young people face risks, including illegal lending and online scams and gambling, as digital financial services become more widespread. The project builds on Hanwha Life’s work in Vietnam last year, when it provided education to financially vulnerable groups, including women and young people. The Bandung program is designed to continue beyond its initial run by training local students and teachers to lead financial education. Ten high school students at each participating school are chosen to teach their peers, with support from university mentors at the Bandung Institute of Technology. Teachers are also receiving training to deliver lessons themselves. It has so far reached around 600 teenagers and 100 university students and teachers. In January, Hanwha Life plans to bring 2

Coway offers tailored mattress options for different sleeping habits

Oct 20, 2026

Coway offers tailored mattress options for different sleeping habits

Coway is promoting three mattresses under its BEREX brand to meet diverse sleeping preferences, offering options for people with different sleeping postures and couples who prefer different levels of firmness. The company said its lineup is designed to accommodate differences in body shape and sleeping habits, as Koreans tend to get relatively little sleep, making it increasingly important for consumers to improve their sleep quality. According to a 2024 survey by the Korean Society of Sleep Research, Koreans sleep an average of six hours and 58 minutes a day, placing the country among the lowest-ranked OECD members in terms of sleep duration. With limited hours of sleep, more consumers are seeking better-quality rest, making it increasingly important for mattress makers to address their diverse needs. For people who sleep on their backs or prefer firmer support, Coway recommends the BEREX Modi Mattress, which uses individually pocketed signature springs made with high-strength steel wire from POSCO for durability and stability, along with Contour 7-Zone Foam designed to distribute body

Microsoft-IITP program helps Korean AI talents tap into global research resources

Oct 20, 2026

Microsoft-IITP program helps Korean AI talents tap into global research resources

Budding artificial intelligence (AI) researchers presented the results of their work during an internship program jointly organized by Microsoft Research and the Institute of Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP), showcasing new findings in areas such as visual agentic AI, brain-inspired AI, AI-native systems and spatial intelligence. Microsoft, IITP and the Ministry of Science and ICT jointly held the 2026 Korea Day presentation event at Microsoft Korea Office in central Seoul, Tuesday, with over 100 students, mentors and officials from Microsoft Research Asia (MSRA) and IITP attending. IITP is the policy-planning and management arm of the ministry. “By embracing interdisciplinary and cross-boundary research rooted in Asia Pacific, we aim to define the new paradigm of computing and AI for the better,” Microsoft Research Accelerator Director Lee Mi-ran said. “Our collaboration with Korea is not a series of one-off events. It has been built steadily over more than 20 years … Government provides the framework, universities provide the talent and idea

Mercedes-Benz Korea turns to affordable CLA EV amid falling sales

Oct 20, 2026

Mercedes-Benz Korea turns to affordable CLA EV amid falling sales

Mercedes-Benz Korea is betting that a more affordable all-electric CLA sedan will revive its flagging electric vehicle (EV) business in the country, as Tesla and Chinese rivals gain ground in one of Asia’s most competitive imported-car markets. The German luxury automaker introduced the all-new electric CLA and GLC on Monday, with the entry-level CLA coupe-type sedan priced from 52.9 million won ($40,000). The pricing marks a major shift from Mercedes-Benz’s traditional premium positioning, placing its new electric sedan closer to mass-market alternatives, including Tesla’s Model Y, which starts at 49.99 million won in Korea. The Model Y was the country’s best-selling vehicle last month, largely due to its competitive pricing. The launch of the price-competitive CLA comes as Mercedes-Benz struggles to rev up sluggish EV sales. The company’s electric car lineup, previously a major source of growth, has lost momentum following the August 2024 fire involving a Mercedes-Benz EQE sedan in an underground parking garage in Incheon. Mercedes-Benz’s EV sales in Korea reached a peak of

LIG D&A, Doosan Enerbility team up to develop missile, aircraft engines

Oct 20, 2026

LIG D&A, Doosan Enerbility team up to develop missile, aircraft engines

LIG Defense & Aerospace (LIG D&A) and Doosan Enerbility have agreed to jointly develop engines for guided missiles and aircraft, combining the defense firm’s missile expertise with the power equipment maker’s turbine technology, LIG D&A said Tuesday. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday at Doosan Tower in the Bundang area of Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. The ceremony was attended by the head of LIG D&A’s missile systems business division, the head of Doosan Enerbility’s power service business group and other senior officials. LIG D&A, formerly known as LIG Nex1, is Korea’s leading maker of guided weapons, which are missiles and other munitions that can be steered toward a target after launch. The company changed its name in March to reflect its expansion into aerospace. Doosan Enerbility, best known for building power plant equipment, is developing next-generation aircraft propulsion technology based on expertise built up in gas turbines for electricity generation. Under the agreement, the companies will pair LIG D&A’s capabilities in developing and

HD KSOE wins $1.4 bil. order from HMM for 8 container ships

Oct 20, 2026

HD KSOE wins $1.4 bil. order from HMM for 8 container ships

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) said Tuesday it has secured a 1.91 trillion-won ($1.44 billion) order from South Korean shipping company HMM to build eight liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel container ships. HD KSOE, the shipbuilding subholding company of HD Hyundai, said the vessels will be equipped with engines capable of running on both LNG and conventional marine fuels. The 13,000-twenty-foot-equivalent-unit (TEU)-class ships will measure 337 meters in length, 51 meters in width and 27.9 meters in height. Two vessels will be built at affiliate HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' shipyard in the southeastern city of Ulsan. The remaining six will be constructed at HD Hyundai Samho's shipyard in the southwestern city of Yeongam. All eight vessels are scheduled to be delivered to HMM in stages by 2029. With the latest contract, HD KSOE has secured orders worth $20.19 billion for 182 vessels so far this year, achieving 86.6 percent of its annual order target.

Innocean's overseas units win 7 honors at US, Middle East ad awards

Oct 20, 2026

Innocean's overseas units win 7 honors at US, Middle East ad awards

Innocean, the advertising affiliate of Hyundai Motor Group, said Tuesday its overseas units have won seven honors at advertising awards in the United States and the Middle East. Innocean USA received two silver awards at the 2026 Jay Chiat Awards, hosted by the American Association of Advertising Agencies. The 29-year-old competition judges anonymized case studies on how strategic thinking delivered real business results. Hyundai Motor’s “IONIQ 9 Escape Garage” won silver in the influencer and creator strategy category, while Genesis’ “A New Beginning in Luxury” took silver in automotive strategy. Both were produced with Canvas Worldwide, Innocean’s U.S. media subsidiary. In the IONIQ 9 campaign, three creator families used the electric SUV’s interior space, seating and EV features to complete escape-room missions, drawing 8.6 million views. Innocean USA’s social media team was also named in the agency social media category of marketing publication Adweek’s Team Visionary Awards. Its work included “Hyundai Jingle Road Trip,” which turned a jingle TikTok users made

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