Halftoys Launches on Kickstarter

Financial authorities said Thursday that they are considering safeguards to address concerns over potential market dominance arising from the merger of Naver Financial and Dunamu. "The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) is currently conducting a thorough review of whether the proposed merger between Naver and Dunamu would restrict competition," the Financial Services Commission said in a written response to Rep. Lee Kang-ill of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. "Similarly, under the proposed Digital Asset Basic Act, we are considering safeguards to ensure that cryptocurrency exchanges, which serve as critical market infrastructure, maintain their public interest role and neutrality without being subject to undue influence from any particular company or shareholder," it added. Last November, Naver Financial announced plans to make Dunamu a wholly owned subsidiary through a comprehensive share swap. With the deal, Naver Financial aims to tap into new growth opportunities in digital assets. Dunamu would gain foundation to expand beyond its existing cryptocurrency exchange and integrate with Na

Samsung SDI said Thursday that it has signed an agreement with the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity (KOFAC) and the Korean Chemical Society (KCS) to sponsor Korea’s team for the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO). The signing ceremony was held at the Korea Science and Technology Center in Seoul and attended by Samsung SDI Vice President and Head of the People Team Kim Hun-kyu, KOFAC President Chung Woo-sung and KCS President Keum Kyo-chang. Beginning in January, Samsung SDI will support the selection and training of Korea’s IChO team, organized by the KCS, as well as the team’s participation in the international competition. The company will also provide scholarships to students who win medals. The sponsorship reflects Samsung SDI’s commitment to nurturing young talent in basic sciences and helping students compete on the global stage, while contributing to Korea’s scientific and technological competitiveness. The IChO is an annual competition in which high school students from around the world test their chemistry knowledge and skills. Korea

Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong visited the Al Dhafra gas-fired power plant construction site in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on Wednesday (local time) to inspect construction progress and encourage employees working in the Middle East. Lee toured key facilities, checking construction schedules and safety measures, before meeting with executives from Samsung C&T and Samsung E&A to discuss regional market trends, growth strategies and new business opportunities. The Al Dhafra power plant is being built by Samsung C&T in a consortium with local construction firm Trojan General Contracting. It is designed to meet rising electricity demand amid the UAE's industrial growth and is expected to support energy-intensive industries, including artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. Samsung C&T previously demonstrated its construction capabilities through the Barakah nuclear power plant project in the UAE, while Samsung E&A uses the country as a key hub for its Middle East and Africa operations, undertaking projects in refining, gas and petrochemicals. Korea and

Lotte World employees put their emergency response skills to the test Wednesday, competing in rapid firefighting and CPR challenges designed to sharpen their readiness when lives are at stake. The amusement park operator held its 2026 Fire Safety Competition in partnership with the Songpa Fire Station. The annual exercise comes as theme parks and high-density public venues face growing scrutiny over crowds and facility safety, prompting major operators to move beyond routine compliance and build real-time tactical readiness among frontline staff. The competition centered on two core scenarios: rapid initial suppression using indoor hydrants and emergency first aid. In the firefighting challenge, employees simulated an active blaze by quickly connecting hydrant systems, deploying hoses and executing the critical steps needed to contain flames before first responders arrive. The medical segment tested teams on sudden cardiac arrest scenarios. Participants were evaluated on their precision and speed while performing CPR on training mannequins and deploying automated external defibrillators

Daewoo Engineering & Construction (E&C) is expanding artificial intelligence (AI) and digital management systems across its construction sites, deploying translation tools and quality-control software to reduce administrative workloads and improve communication with foreign workers. The construction firm rolled out AI translation and tablet-based training systems across its domestic construction sites last month. Its AI-powered translation system supports 16 languages, converting site managers' spoken Korean instructions into text and speech in foreign workers' native languages in real time. The company said the system recorded 94.6 percent accuracy in Korean speech recognition during preliminary testing. It is designed to reduce communication errors on construction sites, where clear instructions are essential for workplace safety, particularly as the number of foreign workers continues to increase. Daewoo E&C has also introduced a tablet-based system for safety training and related paperwork, such as worker registration, health screenings and training reports. The company is also develop

Combined vehicle sales by Korea's leading automaker Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia fell 1.7 percent in Europe last month from a year earlier, amid a lack of new models, industry data showed Thursday. Hyundai and Kia sold a combined 96,258 vehicles in the common market in September, down from 97,907 in the same one-month period in 2025, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA). "The lack of new models, particularly electric vehicles, in Hyundai Motor's lineup affected its sales performance for the month," a company spokesperson said by phone. Hyundai Motor's sales fell 17.5 percent to 39,821 units from 48,253 a year earlier, while Kia's sales rose 13.7 percent to 56,437 units from 49,654. As emissions regulations in Europe become increasingly stringent, the two automakers are focusing on expanding sales of environmentally friendly vehicles, including the gasoline hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of Hyundai's Tucson, its all-electric Kona, and Kia's pure electric EV3 and Niro plug-in hybrid. Last month, Hyundai and Kia together accounted for 7.

JB Financial Group is expanding into Central Asia through the planned purchase of two Kyrgyz financial firms, broadening an overseas business portfolio built largely around Southeast Asia, the company said Thursday. JB Woori Capital, its consumer finance subsidiary, has agreed to buy Korky Credit and Korky Leasing from their parent, Epoche. The deal covers all shares in both companies and is expected to close before year-end, subject to regulatory approval and registration in Kyrgyzstan. The acquisitions would give JB Financial a presence in a fifth overseas market. Its existing businesses include commercial banking in Cambodia, microfinance in Myanmar and securities services in Vietnam. The group also secured Indonesian regulatory clearance in September to purchase an 85 percent stake in KB Bukopin Finance, a local financing company. JB Financial’s interest in Kyrgyzstan is driven primarily by the country’s young population and rapid economic growth. About 70 percent of its population is reportedly under 40. Its economy expanded 11.1 percent last year, according to the Internationa

The Korean government has issued a nationwide security alert to businesses and website operators over critical vulnerabilities in PHP, a programming language widely used to build websites and web services, as the flaws spark widespread alarm across the globe amid concerns that they could rank among the most severe software vulnerabilities in history. Experts warned that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and individual business owners operating websites without dedicated cybersecurity personnel could be particularly vulnerable. They strongly recommended prompt security updates, noting that a vulnerability in one company's website could also affect other businesses whose websites are hosted on the same server. In a statement released Thursday, the Ministry of Science and ICT urged domestic companies and institutions operating PHP-based websites to immediately apply security updates. “The latest PHP vulnerabilities could affect a vast number of websites in Korea. An extremely urgent response is required as exploit code is already publicly available," Deputy Prime Minister and Min

I am a PHP developer myself. For years, I have heard the familiar joke that “PHP is dead.” Yet the language continues to power websites, online stores, and business applications that people depend on daily. For many Filipino developers, PHP has been a practical entry point into building software. Its accessibility and widespread hosting support

Unitree Robotics is developing a “self-evolving” feedback loop designed to allow humanoid robots to write code, run simulations and improve their real-world performance independently, founder Wang Xingxing said, in a move that mirrors a broader push towards “self-improving” artificial intelligence. Speaking on Thursday at a physical AI conference hosted by Unitree in Hangzhou, Wang unveiled the project, dubbed “Unitree Rehearsal”, which he called the company’s most important initiative of the...

The collaboration adds a new card colour, a ready-to-play deck and rare signed cards from four cast members.

MANILA, Philippines – BioWare, the studio behind Baldur’s Gate, Dragon Age and Mass Effect, said on October 21 that it is closing after more than 30 years.  Early development on the next Mass Effect game is ending. The announcement came as parent company Electronic Arts (EA) cuts about 400 jobs.  The studio began as a