Latest news with #Korea


Auto Car
32 minutes ago
- Automotive
- Auto Car
Kia EV4 Fastback goes on sale at £40,895 to rival Tesla Model 3
The Kia EV4 Fastback, the brand's first electric saloon, will arrive in September priced from £40,895. Sold alongside the Europe-made EV4 hatchback, the Fastback is expected to be more of a niche seller in the UK given it has been designed as more of a global model for the Korean firm – similar to the positioning of the Audi's A6 Saloon compared to A6 Saloon. In the UK, the Fastback, to be built in Korea, draws power exclusively from a 81.4kWh battery (compared to the entry £34,695 hatch's 58.3kWh pack). It is the most aerodynamic model Kia has ever made with a drag coefficient of 0.23Cd (thanks in part to active front air flaps), which helps the car achieve up to 380 miles of range from a single charge. Advertisement What's more, its 400V system allows for a 10-80% charge in 31 minutes. Power comes from a 201bhp front motor that can push the car to 62mph from standing in 7.9secs. With those figures and starting price, this positions the Fastback squarely at Tesla's Model 3. It is sold in two trims, GT-Line and the £45,395 GT-Line S. Inside, it is the same layout as the hatch: a 12.3in segments for infotainment and instrumentation, divided by a 5.3in climate panel. Boot space is rated at 490-litres Order books are now open, with deliveries to begin from September.

Associated Press
4 hours ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Astellas Announces a Partnership with the "Korea Institute of Startup and Entrepreneurship Development", an Umbrella Organization of the "Ministry of SMEs and Startups", a Korean Government Agency, for the Operation of the "Partnership with Global Companies Program"
- Supporting Korean Startups' Drug Discovery Research and Global Expansion - - First Pharmaceutical Company from Japan to Actively Support the Operation of the Program - TOKYO, July 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Naoki Okamura, 'Astellas') today announced that it has agreed on a memorandum of understanding ('MoU') with the Korea Institute of Startup and Entrepreneurship Development (President: Jong-pil Yoo, 'KISED'), an umbrella organization of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, a Korean Government Agency, for the operation of the Partnership with Global Companies Program, which aims to identify Korean drug-discovery startups and support their business growth and global expansion. Under the terms of the MoU, KISED will provide overall management and research funding for the Partnership with Global Companies Program. Astellas will provide Korean drug-discovery startups, which are selected together, with KISED with access to laboratory and office space at SakuLabTM-Tsukuba, located on the premises of the Astellas Tsukuba Research Center. Startups residing in SakuLabTM-Tsukuba will not only receive support through consultations with Astellas experts in various fields, but will also be able to accelerate their drug discovery research by leveraging networks with fellow residents and Astellas researchers. Through this program, two Korean pharmaceutical and biotech startups—TCUBEiT Inc. (a next-generation T-cell-based immunotherapy developer) and AAVATAR Therapeutics (specializing in AAV viral vector engineering technology)—have been selected. They will begin full-scale collaboration by moving into SakuLab™-Tsukuba. Tadaaki Taniguchi, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Research & Development Officer (CRDO) of Astellas 'We are very pleased to agree on a MoU with KISED for the Operation of the Partnership with Global Companies Program. In today's world, where new drug discovery ideas and technologies are emerging one after another, Diverse perspectives, expertise and experiences are essential to turning innovative ideas and technologies into VALUE for patients. Astellas is committed to fostering innovation in collaboration with startups by providing knowledge and expertise we have gained through our research and global network. We expect that the signing of this MoU will further strengthen and accelerate drug discovery research together with Korean startups, ultimately contributing to the creation of innovative medical solutions.' Jong-pil Yoo, President of KISED 'This agreement will serve as a significant opportunity to accelerate the global expansion of promising Korean startups in the bio and pharmaceutical sectors through strategic collaboration with Astellas, a global pharmaceutical company. In particular, as new drug development requires a high level of expertise and infrastructure, this program—enabling startups to leverage Astellas' research assets and global network directly—is expected to provide substantial support for their growth. KISED will continue to strengthen its partnerships with global corporations to ensure that Korean startups can enhance their competitiveness in the global market.' The impact of this partnership on Astellas' financial results for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, is expected to be minor. About Astellas Astellas is a global life sciences company committed to turning innovative science into VALUE for patients. We provide transformative therapies in disease areas that include oncology, ophthalmology, urology, immunology and women's health. Through our research and development programs, we are pioneering new healthcare solutions for diseases with high unmet medical need. Learn more at About Ministry of SMEs and Startups The Ministry of SMEs and Startups is a central government agency in South Korea, dedicated to enhancing the competitiveness and fostering innovation among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and venture businesses. Initially established in 1996 as the Ministry of SMEs, it was rebranded in 2017 as the Ministry of SMEs and Startups to more accurately reflect its expanded focus and objectives. MSS is committed to developing and implementing policies that support startup growth, promote corporate development, and strengthen the competitiveness of small businesses within the national and global markets. Learn more at About KISED KISED carries out strategic initiatives aimed at advancing the startup ecosystem, enabling tailored and successful startups, securing sustainable future growth engines, and realizing creative and innovative smart management. Learn more at Cautionary Notes (Astellas) In this press release, statements made with respect to current plans, estimates, strategies and beliefs and other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements about the future performance of Astellas. These statements are based on management's current assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to it and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: (i) changes in general economic conditions and in laws and regulations, relating to pharmaceutical markets, (ii) currency exchange rate fluctuations, (iii) delays in new product launches, (iv) the inability of Astellas to market existing and new products effectively, (v) the inability of Astellas to continue to effectively research and develop products accepted by customers in highly competitive markets, and (vi) infringements of Astellas' intellectual property rights by third parties. Information about pharmaceutical products (including products currently in development) which is included in this press release is not intended to constitute an advertisement or medical advice. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Astellas Pharma Inc.


Bloomberg
6 hours ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Nvidia Supplier SK Hynix Dips as Goldman Sees Competition Rising
SK Hynix Inc. shares declined Thursday after Goldman Sachs Group Inc. downgraded the Korean chipmaker for the first time in over three years, on expectations it may suffer as competitors make advances. The stock slid as much as 8.8%, the most since April 7, after analysts led by Giuni Lee lowered their rating to neutral from buy. Meanwhile, shares of larger rival Samsung Electronics Co. rose 2.3%.


South China Morning Post
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Who is Cari? South Korea-based YouTuber on content creator success, living abroad, books
By Emily Serby If you have ever fallen down a Seoul vlog rabbit hole, chances are you have come across the YouTuber Cari. Cari is the face behind both the 'cari cakes' and 'cari can read' channels on YouTube. Best known for her travel vlogs, the Seoul-based content creator does not shy away from processing personal ups and downs with her channel's 415,000 subscribers. She weaves themes of solitude and nostalgia through her videos, all delivered with a quiet vulnerability that makes her feel more like a friend than an internet personality. A California native, Cari originally came to Seoul as a student in 2012, fell in love with the city and decided to come back for work. She became one of the earliest big content creators in Korea, where fans eagerly tuned in for Q&A sessions and Korean office tours. 'There wasn't actually a lot of tourism information available at the time,' she recalls of her early days in Seoul. 'There was no TikTok . I had just got Instagram, so I just had to discover everything organically.'


The Verge
10 hours ago
- Business
- The Verge
Subnautica 2's creators sue their publisher for ‘severely' damaging the game's release
The battle between Subnautica 2 publisher Krafton and the three former executives at its developer Unknown Worlds continues. Ted Gill, Charlie Cleveland, and Max McGuire — the three executives who Krafton terminated earlier this year — have filed a lawsuit detailing the alleged attempts by Krafton to torpedo the early access release of Subnautica 2 with the express purpose of avoiding paying a promised earnout bonus of $250 million. 'Krafton's actions have already severely damaged fan anticipation and undermined the potential release of Subnautica 2,' the lawsuit says. That earnout was promised by Krafton to the former executives and roughly 100 developers and was to be paid should Unknown Worlds hit revenue goals by the end of 2025. Subnautica 2, slated for early access release sometime in late 2025, would have all but assured those goals were met. According to the lawsuit filed today in a Delaware chancery court, Krafton also knew Subnautica 2 was on track to meet if not exceed the revenue target to trigger the payout and began to take steps to essentially prevent that. The original Subnautica, an underwater survival adventure game, was a critical and commercial success, and its sequel has become the second most wishlisted game ever on Steam. The lawsuit details a meeting between Krafton's US and Korean employees concerning the marketing strategy for Subnautica 2. After that meeting, Krafton's US employees, who worked closely with the Subnautica 2 team, reported that Kafton's attitude about the game had changed. 'Upon their return, the El Segundo team—Krafton employees—reported to Gill that Krafton's leadership was not focused on a successful launch, but instead on how it could convince Unknown Worlds to delay the game.' The lawsuit additionally states that Krafton's US employees explicitly revealed to the Unknown Worlds founders that 'Krafton's legal team was combing through the agreements looking for any opening to terminate the Founders if they proceeded with the planned release.' The lawsuit provided the details of the deal in which Krafton purchased Unknown Worlds back in 2021. The lawsuit says that part of that deal was an agreement that the founders would maintain control of the company and the release schedule of Subnautica 2, while Krafton could not impede the game's development nor fire Unknown Worlds' founders without cause. According to the lawsuit, Krafton launched a campaign to do both. Krafton allegedly failed to follow through on several of its development responsibilities for Subnautica 2 including pulling marketing and localization support. 'Indeed, one of Krafton's El Segundo publishing employees reported to Gill that Krafton Headquarters told all Krafton teams to stop all creative tasks related to Subnautica 2.' The lawsuit claims that Krafton took these obstructionist actions to delay the game to explicitly avoid the $250 million payout. At a meeting between Krafton CEO Changhan Kim and Charlie Cleveland, Kim allegedly stated that, 'if Unknown Worlds released the game on its planned timeline [...], it could be disastrous financially and hugely embarrassing for Krafton.' Krafton declined to comment. After the initial story broke regarding the alleged reason for Subnautica's delay, Bloomberg reported that Krafton agreed to extend the timeline for the earnout to account for Subnautica 2's later release. Previously, the company denied that it delayed Subnautica 2 for any other reason but to polish the game. Earlier this week, an internal document regarding Subnautica 2's development were leaked on Reddit. The document, consisting of two pictures taken of a computer screen, outlined the content originally planned for the game's early access launch and how some material had to be changed or removed to meet the release acknowledged the veracity of those documents saying, 'Given these circumstances, Krafton has determined that transparent communication is necessary and has chosen to confirm the authenticity of the document,' possibly to bolster its argument that Subnautica 2 was not ready for its early access release.