South Korea

Yonhap | English | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | UndeterminedEconomic Growth

S&P Global Ratings projected that South Korea's economy will grow by 2.3 percent in 2026, indicating that the most challenging period for the country is likely over. The credit agency noted that overall credit conditions will remain difficult but expects modest improvement compared to 2025, based on more favorable global economic conditions and eased tariff pressures following a trade deal between South Korea and the United States in October 2025.

The agency highlighted that performance across key industries will vary, with the semiconductor sector expected to show strong results, while chemical companies may struggle due to oversupply and slower-than-anticipated restructuring efforts. S&P also indicated that changes in U.S. policies could impact South Korean firms, and ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions might create new business opportunities for South Korean companies.

[취재수첩] 메모리 품귀의 역설…AI PC에 기회 될까

Digital Daily | Local Language | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | UndeterminedTech Development/Adoption

The electronics industry is experiencing a memory semiconductor shortage due to manufacturers prioritizing the production of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for AI infrastructure, leading to deficits in general-purpose memory. This shortage is impacting PC production, with Samsung Electronics unable to meet delivery deadlines for its PCs in B2B transactions, forcing an affiliate to substitute with Lenovo products. This situation signals challenges for Samsung in maintaining its domestic market dominance amid competitors who preemptively stockpiled memory.

As a result of the memory shortage, PC prices are rising, affecting price-sensitive custom-built PC markets and pushing finished PC prices upward. However, this price increase may reduce consumers' psychological barriers to purchasing AI PCs, which have struggled to gain popularity due to their high cost. If the price gap between general PCs and AI PCs narrows, consumers might prefer AI PCs when upgrading, potentially accelerating market adoption.

Industry forecasts, including those from IDC, predict AI PCs will represent 60% of the total PC market by 2027. The current memory shortage could therefore act as a catalyst for this generational market shift, turning a supply crisis into an opportunity to boost demand for higher value-added AI PCs. Whether this will trigger widespread AI PC adoption remains uncertain.

“면봉으로 뇌 쑤시는 줄”…코로나검사 쉽고 빨라지는 기술 나왔다

Maekyung | Local Language | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | Epidemics and Pandemics

The Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) led by Dr. Kang Tae-joon has developed a next-generation COVID-19 diagnostic technology that detects viral RNA without the need for gene amplification, a process typically required in conventional PCR tests. This innovation uses the CRISPR enzyme Cas12a2, which, when combined with four specific crRNAs, enhances detection accuracy and sensitivity by amplifying signals without copying viral genes.

This new method can detect viral quantities as low as 1 femtomolar, approximately 1,000 times lower than previous capabilities, and has demonstrated 100% sensitivity and specificity in tests involving 245 patient samples and 40 blind samples. It can accurately identify 26 COVID-19 variants, including Alpha, Delta, and Omicron, and distinguishes these from other respiratory viruses, reducing false positives.

Usability improvements include eliminating the need for complex RNA extraction, allowing samples to be tested immediately with simple heat application. This makes the technology suitable for rapid field deployment in settings like airports, schools, and military bases. The researchers plan to expand this diagnostic approach to other infectious diseases, including influenza and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

The findings were published on November 24 in the international journal Nucleic Acids Research.