CONNECT WITH US
Sunday 31 August 2025
South Korea targets wildfire control and airport safety with new drone initiatives
The drone industry is growing beyond its earlier focus on military applications into other industrial sectors and public safety. As an example, the South Korean government is accelerating the development of next-generation drone technologies as vital tools for addressing public safety and disaster response
Friday 29 August 2025
South Korean media points to TSMC as main cause of Samsung's AP procurement cost surge
Samsung Electronics' smartphone division is reportedly struggling with escalating cost pressures, largely attributed to the rapid rise in prices for mobile application processors (AP). While increasing the use of its own Exynos chips could potentially reduce procurement expenses, Samsung still finds it challenging to fully replace Qualcomm's products due to performance and market competitiveness considerations
Friday 29 August 2025
Impact of 'Yellow Envelope' bill spreads to IT industry as Naver, foreign businesses face labor disputes
On August 27, 2025, the labor unions of six sub-subsidiaries under South Korean internet giant Naver Corporation held a rally at Naver's headquarters, demanding negotiations with management. Following the passage of the "Yellow Envelope" bill, South Korean businesses now expect joint actions among IT company subsidiaries to intensify
Friday 29 August 2025
Naura's 1H25 profit rises 15% amid cash strain, Kingsemi takeover

Naura Technology posted strong first-half 2025 results on August 28, with revenue climbing 29.5% year-over-year to CNY16.142 billion (approx. US$2.26 billion). Net profit attributable to shareholders rose 15% to CNY3.208 billion, while adjusted net profit advanced 20.2% to CNY3.18 billion. Earnings per share increased 14.2% to CNY4.45

Friday 29 August 2025
TSMC to tighten supplier audits, targeting firms with deep China ties ahead of 2nm rollout
Reports of TSMC halting Chinese equipment use and auditing Taiwanese suppliers have raised concern. The company said it does not comment on rumors, stressing its focus on risk management and local partnerships
Friday 29 August 2025
VeriSilicon to buy RISC-V pioneer Nuclei, shares halted in Shanghai
VeriSilicon Microelectronics (Shanghai), China's top semiconductor IP and custom chip design service provider, said on August 28 that it will acquire Nuclei System Technology, a Shanghai-based RISC-V CPU IP specialist. The acquisition will be carried out through a mix of share issuance and cash, with an additional fundraising round. VeriSilicon's shares will be suspended from August 29 for up to 10 trading days
Friday 29 August 2025
China-based etching powerhouse AMEC posts 44% revenue gain, expands into epitaxy systems
Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment (AMEC) reported sharp first-half 2025 revenue growth, driven by robust demand for advanced etching systems used in cutting-edge logic and memory manufacturing
Friday 29 August 2025
Horizon Robotics cements lead in China's auto driving chips, eyes full autonomy within a decade
China's fast-growing autonomous driving market has cemented Horizon Robotics as the country's leading automotive chip supplier. The company posted first-half 2025 revenue of CNY1.567 billion (approx. US$219 million), a 67.6% increase from a year earlier. Founder and CEO Yu Kai said adoption is shifting from advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) to robotaxi platforms, predicting full-scale autonomous driving within five to ten years. He added that Horizon will begin collaborations with robotaxi operators in the second half of 2025
Friday 29 August 2025
Trump warns of tariffs after US-Korea summit, puts Seoul digital rules in spotlight
The US-Korea leaders' summit ended without touching on the issue of so-called "digital barriers," a long-standing grievance for US tech firms. Yet hours later, President Donald Trump reignited the dispute, warning in an interview that Washington would impose tariffs on countries whose regulations "harm US IT companies.
Friday 29 August 2025
BYD breaks through tariff restrictions, shipping over 900 EVs from Thailand plant to Europe
China's new energy vehicle leader BYD Auto has made headlines for aggressively expanding its overseas market. Its earlier plans to export electric vehicles (EVs) to Taiwan via its Thailand factory drew attention and prompted countermeasures from Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA). BYD's Thai subsidiary has recently announced that more than 900 Dolphin EVs have been shipped, primarily destined for the European market, including Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands
Friday 29 August 2025
SMIC revenue surges 23% in 1H25, underscoring China’s chip ambitions
Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) reported strong results for the first half of 2025, with revenue rising 23.4% year-on-year to CNY31.99 billion (US$4.47 billion). Foundry revenue reached CNY30.35 billion, up 25.9% from a year earlier, keeping SMIC in the No. 2 spot globally among pure-play foundries
Friday 29 August 2025
Commentary: Cambricon soars on Nvidia’s China absence, but bubble risks loom
Nvidia projected third-quarter fiscal 2026 revenue of about US$54 billion, beating market consensus but trailing the most optimistic forecasts of US$60 billion. Crucially, the outlook excludes sales of its H20 chips to China, underscoring how US export curbs continue to weigh on one of its biggest potential markets
Friday 29 August 2025
China reportedly plans to triple AI chip output by 2026, with 3 fabs for Huawei
China is preparing to triple its domestic AI chip production by 2026, according to people cited by the Financial Times. Three new wafer fabs are reportedly planned for Huawei, with one slated to start production by year-end and two more in 2026, a build-out that would outstrip SMIC's current capacity for comparable chips
Friday 29 August 2025
AI demand and state backing lift China's semiconductor rally

Shares of Chinese semiconductor firms rallied after a wave of strong half-year earnings, highlighting how Beijing's AI push is reshaping the domestic chip landscape. On August 27, several STAR Market–listed chipmakers reported robust growth, with Cambricon Technologies briefly topping CNY1,460 (approx. US$204.1) a share — surpassing Kweichow Moutai, long viewed as China's benchmark for luxury and market value — to claim the crown as the most expensive A-share by unit price

Friday 29 August 2025
Samsung reportedly explores BOE's WOLED panels for its gaming monitors

BOE Technology is reportedly in talks with Samsung Electronics and other manufacturers to supply white OLED (WOLED) panels for monitors, as Chinese panel makers seek to capture surging demand in the high-end gaming market. Analysts view the effort as BOE's bid to secure a foothold in premium displays