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Korea Herald
25-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
S. Korean defense SMEs target Southeast Asia at LIMA 2025
By Hwang Joo-young and Joint Press Corps LANGKAWI, Malaysia — A group of small and mid-sized South Korean defense and technology firms participated in Southeast Asia's largest defense exhibition, LIMA 2025 as part of the Korea Pavilion organized by the Korea Defense Industry Association. While not as high-profile as companies specializing in full-scale platforms or missile systems, these firms are making their pitch to expand from a domestic customer base into export markets, offering niche, narrative-driven solutions. Augmented Knowledge, a company specializing in immersive training technology, showcased a mixed-reality simulation for aircraft maintenance. When a visitor put on the headset, a virtual 3D model of a Boeing 737's landing gear appeared, accompanied by on-screen instructions and voice prompts guiding the user through the steps needed to take it apart. Saying 'next page' moved the simulation onto the next step. The system is powered by an artificial intelligence engine trained on hundreds of thousands of pages from aircraft maintenance manuals. 'It can even be used on the actual aircraft during maintenance,' said Jo Geun-sik, CEO of Augmented Knowledge. 'It cuts task time in half.' Jo added that the company was preparing to enter Southeast Asia's aviation training and maintenance, repair and overhaul, or MRO, markets, beginning with Malaysia. Another participant, Fostec, specializes in optical fiber connectors used in missile defense systems that link launchers, radar and command centers. The company aims to position itself as a cost-effective alternative to dominant US and European suppliers. 'Our products cost about 70 percent of what American and European firms charge, and we can deliver in less than a third of the time,' a Fostec official said. The company's connectors are already used aboard South Korea's Ulsan-class frigates and are slated for installation in its next-generation destroyers. At the booth of Bstarcom, Malaysian and Indonesian military officers examined a backpack-style anti-drone weapon called the Hybrid Drone Gun, inquiring about its weight and operational range. The system integrates detection, jamming and spoofing capabilities to not only block a drone's signal but also redirect it using false GPS data. 'Some customers are price-sensitive, while others prioritize performance,' said a company manager. 'But all of them share the same concern: the need to protect critical infrastructure from drone threats.' This year, 12 South Korean defense and technology firms participated in the Malaysia-based exhibition, ranging from smaller firms including Bstarcom, Augmented Knowledge, Fostec and Fine Precision Industry to major players such as Korea Aerospace Industries, LIG Nex1 and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries. Government-affiliated institutions also took part, including the Korea Research Institute for Defense Technology Planning and Advancement, and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. flylikekite@
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
Korea Pavilion: With Hearts
Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai Guide to Japan Global Exchange Travel May 7, 2025 A look at the Korea pavilion at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka. The Korea Pavilion's theme is 'With Hearts' and it seeks to offer an experience of society as it may look in 2040. The wall facing the main venue ring is equipped with a massive display screen, which highlights the nation's cultural appeal through K-Pop live videos and video tours of tourist spots. Inside, the hall uses AI analysis to transform visitors' voices into orchestral music in a demonstration of cutting-edge technology. The Korea pavilion is located in the Connecting Lives zone. ( See the official map for details.) Korea marks its national day on Tuesday, May 13, at the Expo National Day Hall. The Korea Pavilion (© ) The Korea Pavilion (© ) (Originally published in Japanese. Reporting and text by Uchiyama Ken'ichi and . Photographic assistance by Kuroiwa Masakazu of 96-Box. Banner photo © .) Osaka Kansai Expo
Korea Herald
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
At Expo 2025 in Osaka, nations wear their identities up front
At Expo 2025 in Osaka, national pavilions reveal -- or cleverly conceal -- their stories through architecture, offering clues to what each country wants the world to see OSAKA, Japan — 'Don't judge a book by its cover,' the saying goes. But at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, the exteriors of many national pavilions offer a clear preview of what lies within. South Korea's pavilion, sprawling over 3,500 square meters, makes a bold statement with a massive 27-by-10-meter digital media façade created by LG Electronics. It underscores the nation's strong focus on technological innovation. The screen covers the entire front wall and features video of shifting cultural imagery, including scenes from Gyeongbokgung, the main Joseon-era (1392–1910) palace in Seoul. 'We tried incorporating traditional Korean elements,' a pavilion spokesperson told The Korea Herald. 'For example, at the entrance, the ceiling is decorated with Hansan mosi (a fine traditional Korean ramie fabric).' But beyond those subtle nods to heritage, the Korea Pavilion largely looks ahead. Inside, visitors pass through three immersive halls, each one showcasing modern Korea and its technology. In the first hall, titled 'Everyone Is United by Sound and Light,' beams of light move vertically and horizontally through the room. The lights even intersect with the bodies of guests. Voice recordings submitted by participants before entry fill the space, creating a unique and interactive soundscape. The second hall, 'With the Restoration of Life in a Dilapidated City,' features sculptures molded from plastic to resemble concrete. Everyday electronic devices such as televisions, smartphones, fans and vacuum cleaners are embedded in the display, symbolizing the infrastructure of modern civilization, according to the Korea Pavilion. The final hall presents a three-sided video installation depicting a story set in Korea in 2040. While K-pop elements appear, the visuals are rougher and less glossy than the music videos typically produced by Korea's entertainment powerhouses. China's pavilion takes a different approach. It leans heavily into tradition, and that is apparent right from the start. The exterior draws inspiration from bamboo slips, taking the shape of an unfurled calligraphy scroll, with ancient Chinese poetry engraved along its surface. Inside, the exhibition centers on China's vast cultural heritage, though many of the artifacts on display are replicas. Still, some pavilions are less obvious, like Uzbekistan's, which defies expectations. The Uzbekistan Pavilion, themed 'Garden of Knowledge: A Laboratory for a Future Society,' was designed by the German architecture firm Atelier Brückner. At first glance, the pavilion evokes a forest. Wooden columns, a nod to ancient shelters along the Silk Road, stands on top of a lower level wrapped in reclaimed bricks sourced from across Japan. Inside, the atmosphere shifts. Visitors step into a dimly lit chamber, where a circular platform awaits at the center. Slowly, it begins to ascend, carrying them to the second floor. Along the way, they're immersed in ambient soundscapes and surrounded by 360-degree projections. As the platform rises, anticipation builds, until they arrive in a surreal wooden forest above. This platform may appear simple, but according to Atelier Brückner, it is the first of its kind in Japan. Strict legislation on seismic safety required it to be classified as a roller coaster. "When we had this idea, we didn't think that it would be a big deal,' Shirin Frangoul-Brückner, founder of Atelier Brückner said. 'But this really needed to be earthquake proof and it basically has the permission of a roller coaster.' Gayane Umerova, chair of the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation and commissioner of the pavilion, explained that the pavilion's composition aligns with Uzbekistan's ongoing nationwide cultural campaign. 'This is all part of the strategy, to move forward with contemporary art,' said Umerova. 'But of course, we're building on legacy. That's crucial.' Frangoul-Brückner expressed a similar view. 'Uzbekistan is preparing, society is preparing, for the future,' she said. 'There are projects in education, innovation and sustainability. These are on display inside because they're just as important (as tradition).' Expo 2025 officially opened on Sunday and runs through Oct. 13. Located on Yumeshima, a man-made island in Osaka Bay, the fair spans more than 155 hectares and brings together 158 countries and organizations under the theme 'Designing Future Society for Our Lives.' Tying the site together is the Grand Ring, a 12-meter-high elevated wooden walkway conceived by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto. It wraps around the grounds like a ribbon, and offers sweeping views of the entire Expo site.
Korea Herald
13-04-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Shinhan Financial chair visits Central Asia to spur global growth
Shinhan Financial Group said Sunday that its Chair and CEO Jin Ok-dong has completed a three-day visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to tap deeper into the Central Asian markets. Starting Wednesday, the Shinhan chairman held meetings with senior officials from the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market and the Central Bank of Uzbekistan to discuss opportunities for collaboration and financial sector development. With Central Asia emerging as a strategic market, Jin's visit focused on assessing local operations and promoting financial cooperation. Currently, the Korean financial conglomerate runs three entities in the Central Asian region, including two in Kazakhstan -- Shinhan Finance and Shinhan Bank Kazakhstan -- and one in Uzbekistan -- Shinhan Bank Uzbekistan. The group has seen these markets bear fruit, with Shinhan Bank Kazakhstan reporting 103.1 billion won ($72 million) in profit last year and an average of 231 percent growth over two years. The profit generated by the Kazakhstan banking unit accounts for 13.6 percent of its outstanding global profit of 758.9 billion won. He also visited Aster Auto, a joint venture between Shinhan Finance and Kazakhstan's leading used car dealer, to review operations and encourage business growth. 'Shinhan Financial will continue to closely monitor the rapidly growing Central Asian market and expand various forms of exchange to build a foundation for the group's sustainable growth,' Jin said. The chairman also attended the opening of a Korea Pavilion at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, where he presented scholarships to local students, highlighting the group's commitment to cultural and educational exchange.
