korea

Researchers from Korea claim to have produced the world's first purely white LED (light-emitting diode).

Soo-Young Park, a professor of organic materials for photonics at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Seoul National University in Korea, led the group, which includes researchers from the University of Valencia in Spain.

LEDs are much more energy-efficient than incandescent or compact fluorescent lightng (CFL), but the quality of light they can give a room is up for debate.

Because LEDs do not naturally produce white light, getting them to look like they do adds to their production cost, making them … Read more

Iriver may not have the same brand recognition as iPod or Zune, but the Korea-based company has consistently cranked out portable media players with slick modern designs and impressive graphic interfaces.

The U.S. has been treated to a handful of Iriver products, including the Clix, Spinn, and P7, but some of the company's creations never make it to our shores. The Iriver B30 is one such product--a portable media player with a 2.8-inch screen, micro SD memory expansion, accelerometer control, and a suite of features that includes music, video, photo, games, and a text reader. Unfortunately, the … Read more

A Google Earth interactive Web site called North Korea Economy Watch not only sheds light on that country's economic, military, and cultural infrastructure, but also maps some of its darkest secrets.

The site is intended as a resource for business, policy makers, academics, journalists and others interested in the North Korean economy, according to founding editor Curtis Melvin. Academic in nature, it shies away from editorializing on hot potatoes issues like the manufacturing of nuclear weapons, and starving peasants.

But it's all there for viewers to form their own conclusions. Palatial mansions and vast compounds for Kim Jong … Read more

Google's advice on sidestepping a South Korean law against anonymous YouTube video postings and comments doesn't seem to be sitting well with some of the country's authorities.

Google, citing free-speech concerns, on Monday said it will comply with the Korean law--but by prohibiting uploads and comments rather than by requiring people to verify their identities. And it told people they could work around the constraint by visiting another country's version of the video-sharing site.

Now the backlash is beginning to set in, according to one Korean media report.

"Korea Communications Commission network policy official Hwang … Read more

Citing free-speech concerns about an anonymity-blocking law in South Korea, Google has disabled the ability to upload YouTube videos or comment on them in the country.

"We believe that it is important for free expression that people have the right to remain anonymous, if they choose," the company said in a blog post that also tells people that they can get around the restriction by using a different country's version of the site.

A Korean law requires "real-name verification" for Internet services with more than 100,000 different daily users, Google said. Under the law, … Read more

They may not be the most functional kitchen accessories, but these Korean-themed magnets are a good reminder that sometimes it's nice to splurge on useless trinkets.

The magnet sets were designed for the MoMA's Destination: Seoul collection by Hui Eun Chang, intended as a celebration of South Korean traditions and lifestyle. The Korean Meal set features bean-paste pot stew, fried fish, rice, fried egg, and kimchi. If one plate of Kimchi isn't enough, you can opt for the Kimchi set, which includes stuffed cucumber kimchi, radish kimchi, DongChiMi (a variety consisting of daikon radish, Chinese cabbage, spring … Read more

North Korea has been restricting the use of cell phones to prevent its residents from sharing news about a worsening food crisis, according to a report on the The Times of London Web site.

The Times story cites a report to the United Nations General Assembly from a human rights investigator that claims the government has been intimidating its citizens with public executions and has been limiting the use of cell phones to discourage people from sharing information about what is happening in the country.

Vitit Muntarbhorn, the UN investigator from Thailand, claims the clampdown on cell phone and long-distance … Read more

Even as the One Upstairs created man, it looks like man wants to play Creator in more ways than one. Researchers from Chonnam National University in Korea have managed to develop a robotic plant that functions like its biological counterpart. In short, it can produce oxygen, give out scents, emit moisture into the air, and even, yes, imitate photosynthesis. Just like the real thang.

According to write-ups, the roboplant will lean toward anyone approaching within 16 inches, complete with flowers blooming. Talking to the plant also causes it to bloom and shake to greet you. Like its cheap, retail counterparts, … Read more