Samsung takes responsibility for numerous cases of leukemia.

Very happy for the families who’ve been fighting Samsung for justice for the last 7 years and finally won. There are 26 cases of blood cancers, including leukemia, that are most likely linked to working in Samsung factories in Korea. There are likely many more who were affected with miscarriages, liver problems, hair loss, and kidney problems who will receive no justice. While the company still hasn’t admitted wrongdoing, the 26 linked families will receive an undisclosed compensation settlement.

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Samsung mobile chief removed from position.

Following a disappointing launch and scathing reviews for it’s recent S5 phone, Samsung’s head mobile designer has been removed from his position. Chang Dong-hoon, who many believe took more than inspiration from the iPhone series, was forced to resign and will move onto other Samsung projects. Samsung’s latest S5 phone was given the moniker “looks cheap and feels cheap” by the International Business Times for it’s feel and construction.

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Samsung to pay $119mil. for patent infringement.

The US federal jury’s verdict came in – $119 million USD in patent infringement damages to be paid by Samsung. Samsung was determined to have infringed on two Apple patents in the recent court battles.

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Samsung profits slow for second straight quarter.

Korean conglomerate Samsung reported a second straight quarter of falling operating profits. Operating profits fell 3.3% from this time last year. This was primarily due to sluggish high-end phone sales and increasing competition from Chinese handset makers. Financial experts also look to Samsung’s over-reliance on handset sales and are saying that the company should look for a different growth model.

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Obama returns 9 royal seals to Korea (dojang).

Yesterday, Obama returned 9 Korean royal seals during his visit with President Park Geun-Hye. He then became the first US President to tour Gyeongbok Palace, the famed royal residence of the Joseon Dynasty. The Korean government has been making extra efforts to locate and recover missing cultural treasures in recent years.

Three of the seals were state seals and the other six were ceremonial seals. The three state seals were used directly by former kings of the Korean Empire and Joseon Dynasty. The Hwangjejibo seal, dating back to 1897, was used by King Gojong after establishing the first post-Joseon kingdom. It is known as the Seal of the Emperor.

452-Personal Seal453-Corporate Seal

Copyright shared with the The Korea Times. Visit their Culture section to see a complete list of ETLK articles.

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Korea has highest rate of accidents among developed countries.

According to the New York Times, 31,000 Koreans die each year of causes related to accidents (fires, car accidents,…). that’s the highest rate among OECD countries. Many things are done hastily and with an overly minimized-cost. From the tourists eyes, Seoul is a wonderful place to live. And it is. But there are many everyday safety concerns that the government needs to enforce – speeding public buses that run red lights to maintain schedules, delivery bikes that disobey traffic lights, drive on the sidewalk, and often on the wrong side of the road. The Sewol ferry boat accident is a heart breaking tragedy of what happens when safety is overlooked and unchecked by the government on a large scale. Continue reading

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