Latest news with #Naver
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
What OpenAI's expansion to Korea means for market?
OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has officially established a Korean subsidiary, marking a significant step in its expansion into the Korean market. The move comes after earlier regional entries in Tokyo and Singapore, underlining Asia's growing importance in the company's global strategy. OpenAI's approach goes far beyond simply opening subsidiaries, according to industry sources on Friday. In each country, the firm is implementing a multilayered strategy that includes developing localized artificial intelligence models, forging enterprise partnerships, aligning with public policy and investing in digital infrastructure. Sources say there are compelling reasons for OpenAI's arrival in Korea. The nation continues to rank among the global leaders in key technological and societal metrics related to AI. The 2025 AI index report published by Stanford University's Institute for Human-Centered AI showed that Korea topped the world in AI patent applications per 100,000 people. As of 2023, Korea filed 17.3 AI patents per 100,000 people — surpassing Luxembourg (15.3), China (6.1) and the US (5.2). Korea also ranks high in AI receptiveness. The same report cited global surveys indicating that Koreans, along with people in China, Indonesia and Thailand, exhibit a particularly positive perception of AI. The environment fosters early commercialization, smoother beta testing and rapid user adoption of AI-based services. 'Korea is not merely a technology adopter,' said an industry source who requested anonymity. 'It is a proven test bed where global AI strategies can be executed and scaled. The new Seoul office should be seen not just as a local outpost, but as a strategic pivot point.' OpenAI's anticipated roles in Korea include: enhancing GPT models with Korean language optimization, deploying ChatGPT Enterprise for domestic corporations and public institutions, establishing research hubs in collaboration with academia and industry, recruiting and training local AI talent and engaging in policy and infrastructure partnerships. Of particular interest is the potential for deeper cooperation with the Korean government. Through initiatives like "OpenAI for Countries," the company may explore building AI data centers and testing infrastructure within Korea. OpenAI's Korean entry also raises questions about its possible impact on the local search engine landscape. With last year's debut of ChatGPT Search — a service that blends chatbot capabilities with real-time information retrieval — OpenAI has begun nudging into territory long dominated by domestic platforms. As of Wednesday, according to Internet Trend, Naver held 57.41 percent of Korea's search market, followed by Google at 34.45 percent and Microsoft Bing at 3.98 percent. However, this marks a notable decline from Naver's nearly 80 percent market share in 2015. Despite the shifting landscape, Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon expressed confidence during the company's first quarter earnings call earlier this month, saying that 'there has been no negative traffic impact from generative AI services.' Instead of competing on raw market share, Naver is focusing on increasing user engagement through AI-powered features like 'AI Briefing,' launched in March. The tool summarizes search results and provides source citations in response to user queries. OpenAI, for its part, appears unbothered by the speculation. When asked if it now considers itself a 'search platform,' the firm's official responded with a smile, emphasizing that 'we're not here to target any specific portal's market share — it's simply a global trend unfolding.'
Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
Naver launches joint ventures to power Saudi smart city projects
Naver Cloud, the cloud service subsidiary of Korean tech giant Naver, said Wednesday it has completed an agreement with Saudi Arabia's National Housing Company to establish a strategic joint venture aimed at expanding smart city and digitalization initiatives in the Middle Eastern country. The new entity, Naver Innovation, will be the first business unit under Naver Arabia, the internet giant's base for Middle East operations. The joint venture is backed by investments from Naver Cloud and NHC's subsidiary, NHC Innovation, according to Naver. Naver Innovation will focus on developing and operating a map-based application for public transportation tailored for Saudi citizens and travelers. It also plans to expand into Naver's ongoing digital twin platform projects in the country. Digital twin platforms, which virtually replicate real-world environments, are used to support smart city development. In 2023, Naver secured a deal with the Saudi government to create digital twin platform for Riyadh and four other cities in the country. The upcoming platform, which will feature cutting-edge functions such as flood prediction, traffic flow analysis and population distribution analysis, is set to be deployed soon across Saudi cities. 'This joint venture demonstrates Saudi Arabia's commitment to introduce world-class technologies while localizing solutions to meet the needs of the local community,' said Ryan Alaql, CEO of NHC Innovation. 'Together with Naver Cloud, we will create a smart city that meets the goals of sustainability, innovation and improved quality of life under the Saudi Vision 2030.' 'It is a meaningful opportunity to work with local partners in driving Saudi Arabia's digital transformation,' said Naver Cloud CEO Kim Yoo-won. 'Naver Cloud will actively cooperate as Saudi Arabia leads innovation in the smart city sector.'
Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
Naver completes deal to set up joint venture in Saudi Arabia
South Korean tech giant Naver Corp. said Wednesday it has completed a joint venture agreement with Saudi Arabia's National Housing Company to develop a digital twin platform in the Middle Eastern country. The newly established entity, Naver Innovation, is backed by joint investment from Naver Cloud and NHC's subsidiary, NHC Innovation, according to the company. It will be Naver's first business operation under Naver Arabia, its dedicated base for Middle East operations. Naver Innovation will lead Naver's digital twin platform projects in Saudi Arabia and other smart city initiatives, including the development of a mapping application for public transportation. Digital twin platforms, which provide virtual representations of a real world entity or space, can be used as foundation models in creating smart cities and public digital services, including urban planning, monitoring and predicting natural disasters. In 2023, Naver secured a contract with the Saudi government to develop digital twin platforms for Riyadh and four additional cities. (Yonhap)
The Star
5 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Moving away from traditional gifts
May is known as 'Family Month' in South Korea, as it has several days to celebrate and show love for those held closest to people's hearts. One such commemorative day is Parents' Day on May 8. A time- honoured tradition in South Korea has children giving carnations to their parents to express gratitude for their love and care. However, some Koreans have recently shown a shift in preferences for Parents' Day, as they search for gifts that are more meaningful and worthwhile. Kwon Young-june, a 53-year-old office worker, is one person who a few years ago made the switch from giving carnations. 'I used to give my parents a bouquet of carnations along with some other gifts like nutritional supplements. But I've noticed that flowers have gotten increasingly expensive nowadays and that they wither quite quickly compared to how much I paid for them,' Kwon said. 'Since a few years back, I realised it would be better for me to spend what I would have spent on a bouquet of flowers on something more memorable and cost- effective, such as a fancy dinner outing with some additional gifts and a money envelope.' Spoilt for choice: Screencaps showing Parents' Day gifts such as soap flowers, money bouquets and money cakes being sold on Naver. — The Korea Herald/ANN Kwon added that his parents also seemed to enjoy his change in gifts. This year he treated them to a nice family meal and a short weekend trip to the outskirts of Seoul. Kwon isn't the only one making the change – a decrease in carnation sales suggests fewer Koreans are buying the flowers to celebrate Parents' Day. According to Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation's floral distribution data, carnation sales have seen a steady decrease. While some 80,000 bundles were sold in May 2021, a decrease in sales of about 50% was noted around the same time in 2024, when around 40,000 bundles were sold. Besides replacing carnations with gifts some would consider more valuable, other Koreans have started to prefer giving cash instead of physical gifts on Parents' Day. According to a survey conducted by Lotte Members' research platform Lime in 2024, 62.2% of respondents said they planned to give cash gifts. Nutritional supplements came in a distant second at 10.2%, followed by clothing and fashion accessories at 6.5%. 'In Korean culture, there's a deep-rooted expectation for children to support their parents financially, especially in old age. 'In this sense, giving cash is seen not just as a gift but as a form of ongoing responsibility and respect,' sociology professor Koo Jeong-woo from Sungkyunkwan University said. 'Cash is seen as a safe and thoughtful gift in Korea, as it lets parents choose what they truly need and minimises the risk of buying the wrong gift.' Even when it comes to gifting cash, Koreans have found entertaining ways to present the gift: The money is not handed out in a blank, white envelope but is often given with an element of surprise. Searching 'Parents' Day Gifts' on search engines like Naver shows results such as 'money boxes', 'money bouquets', 'money sitting mats' and even 'money cakes'. These products, often disguised to look nothing like what one would consider a cash gift, reveal large amounts of cash when opened. Jang Yu-jin, a 29-year-old office worker, recalled giving a money box to her grandparents for Parents' Day in 2024. The box, filled with soap flowers, held a commemorative card inside. Pull the card, and along with it comes a seemingly endless roll of cash. 'After I got employed for the first time last year, I wanted to gift something special to my grandparents, who raised me like their own child since I was very little,' Jang said. 'But I wanted to give more than a simple money envelope, so I gave them this money box I found online. I still remember how excited they looked pulling out all that money.' For those who wish to give cash gifts in an envelope, special envelopes that release confetti when opened have also recently gone viral. 'Korean gift culture is evolving. Younger generations are putting a playful twist on traditional forms of filial duty,' Koo added. 'Nowadays, it's not just about handing over large amounts of cash but rather gifts that show thoughtfulness, effort and humour – and in this case, we can say the presentation of such gifts fulfills that role.' Though Koreans have found a way to entertain their parents and loved ones with interesting gifts, many say that they still feel stressed when thinking about this commemorative day – not because they don't know what to get, but because they worry that it will be 'too little compared to others'. Kim Young-seo, 32, said that she gave her mother a mood light filled with preserved flowers for Parents' Day last year, which 'was a huge hit'. But she soon found herself worrying about whether she was doing enough for her parents. 'They did so much for me growing up, and I don't want to make it feel like they're getting any less compared to someone else they know,' said Kim. Though the mood light went over well last year, this year, Kim resolved to giving her mother a modest amount of cash within her budget. After hearing what her coworkers were doing for Parents' Day, she raised the amount accordingly. 'I felt like I was the only one giving that little to my parents,' Kim added. 'You keep hearing about how much others are spending and it makes it difficult for me to cut back even when my budget is tight. 'While I like celebrating this special day with my parents, I find that it's also one of those days in the year that gives me a significant amount of stress.' — The Korea Herald/ANN
Korea Herald
23-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Naver Cloud teams up with Siam AI to develop Thai-language LLM, AI agent
Naver leadership meets with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to discuss building sovereign AI systems, AI data center operations Naver Cloud has partnered with Thailand's leading artificial intelligence firm to develop a Thai-language large language model and tourism-specialized AI agent in a strategic push to bring AI sovereignty to Southeast Asia. According to the Korean IT firm Friday, it forged an agreement with Siam AI Cloud to co-develop a Thai-language LLM and launch AI services customized for Thailand's booming tourism industry. The partnership signals Naver's first major step in exporting its sovereign AI strategy beyond Korea, the company said. Top executives from both companies attended the signing ceremony held on the sidelines of the Nvidia Cloud Partner Summit in Taiwan. Naver Cloud and Siam AI Cloud were sole partners representing their respective countries in the summit. Under the agreement, Naver Cloud will combine its LLM development and operational experience with Siam AI's vast Thai-language data and graphic processing unit infrastructure, aiming to create a Thai-language LLM by the end of 2025. Based on the LLM model, the two companies plan to launch an AI agent tailored to Thailand's high-demand tourism industry. Naver Cloud said it aims to ramp up collaboration to support the development of a diverse model lineup, scalable across sectors including healthcare, public services and education. 'This collaboration goes beyond building an LLM,' Naver Cloud CEO Kim Yoo-won said. 'It's about empowering Thailand with the technical capability and control to independently develop and operate its own AI models, paving the way for other countries seeking to establish their own AI ecosystems.' Kim also underscored how Naver Cloud is positioned to provide tailored sovereign AI solutions with strengths across the entire AI value chain — from AI services and data to supercomputing infrastructure, cloud services and data centers. During the Taiwan trip, Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon, Naver Chair Lee Hae-jin who founded the IT giant, and Kim also met with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to discuss strategies for building sovereign AI systems and expanding large-scale AI data center operations, the company said. The Naver delegation also met with Taiwan's top telecom operator, Chunghwa Telecom, to discuss broader expansion strategies for the Southeast Asian market.
