Naver Archives

AppWizard

March 25, 2025

Samsung wants third-party apps to be compatible with Now Bar

Samsung is planning to enhance its One UI 7 experience by integrating several third-party applications into the Now Bar feature. Speculated apps include Kakao T, Naver Sports, YouTube, and YouTube Music. The inclusion of Naver Sports may allow users to stay updated on their favorite teams and events, similar to Google Sports. Additionally, Samsung intends to implement "forced" support for all third-party applications, broadening the Now Bar's capabilities. There are also rumors of a dedicated Good Lock module for customizing the Now Bar's appearance. Samsung has already improved access to sports scores and team updates with a recent Google Sports update.

AppWizard

December 10, 2024

Telegram becomes top messaging app in South Korea amid censorship worries

New installations of Telegram in South Korea surged to 40,576 on the day President Yoon Suk Yeol announced martial law, significantly up from 9,016 the previous day. From Tuesday to Friday of last week, Telegram became the most downloaded mobile messenger in the country, rising from its previous position as the fourth most downloaded app. This increase is attributed to concerns about potential media censorship and the shutdown of domestic apps like KakaoTalk. Following the brief martial law, former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun was questioned as part of a treason investigation and later resigned, presenting himself to prosecutors, who then took him into custody under emergency arrest provisions.

AppWizard

October 22, 2024

Kakao’s new AI messaging app will speak in the voices of K-pop idols

Kakao has introduced an AI-integrated messenger app named Kanana at its annual developer conference in Yongin, Gyeonggi. Kanana enhances user experience by summarizing messages, managing schedules, and recommending entertainment based on chat history. The app features two AI characters: Nana for personal use, who can manage appointments and summarize texts, and Kana for group interactions, creating quizzes and summarizing past conversations. Users can set the AI's voice to that of K-pop artists. Kanana is currently in internal testing, with a beta release planned for Kakao employees later this year. Kakao aims to expand its AI product offerings under the Kanana brand, amidst challenges including regulatory issues and competition from Naver. A new AI division named Kanana has been formed, integrating AI R&D personnel from the former Kakao Brain.

Winsage

October 16, 2024

North Korean ScarCruft Exploits Windows Zero-Day to Spread RokRAT Malware

ScarCruft, a North Korean cyber group, exploited a zero-day vulnerability in Windows, identified as CVE-2024-38178, which has a CVSS score of 7.5 and is a memory corruption issue in the Scripting Engine. This vulnerability allows for remote code execution when users interact with the Edge browser in Internet Explorer Mode. Attackers entice users to click on a malicious URL to execute code. Microsoft patched this flaw in August 2024. The attack, dubbed "Operation Code on Toast," involved compromising a domestic advertising agency's server to inject exploit code into toast advertisement programs, which are pop-up notifications in South Korea. The exploitation led to a type confusion error in the JavaScript Engine of Internet Explorer, allowing the attackers to infect PCs with the vulnerable toast program. The malware associated with this attack, RokRAT, has advanced capabilities and uses legitimate cloud services for command-and-control operations. ScarCruft has a history of exploiting vulnerabilities in legacy browsers and has previously targeted other vulnerabilities in the Scripting Engine. Users are advised to keep their systems updated to mitigate risks.

AppWizard

July 11, 2024

Why Japan wants to acquire LINE messenger app

- Line, a popular technology platform in Japan, is currently in a struggle for ownership between SoftBank of Japan and Naver of South Korea. - The Japanese government is pressuring Line to "review" its relationship with Naver, leading to tensions between Japan and South Korea. - The situation is similar to the TikTok drama in the US, where foreign ownership of popular apps raises concerns about national security.

AppWizard

May 18, 2024

Drawing the Line: Japan’s Crackdown on Messenger App Signals Need for International Digital Rules – Korea Economic Institute of America

- Line, a popular messenger and social media platform in Japan, is under scrutiny due to a data breach in late 2023. - The Japanese government has issued two rounds of administrative guidance to Line Yahoo, signaling its stance on data security and national interest. - There are tensions between Japan and South Korea due to Line being a joint venture between Japan's SoftBank and South Korea's Naver. - Japan is pushing for Naver to reduce its ownership in Line Yahoo to strengthen cybersecurity, which is seen as an attempt to curb foreign influence in the Japanese market. - The Line issue highlights the need for internationally recognized digital governance standards and a framework to resolve digital trade conflicts.

AppWizard

May 15, 2024

Naver is on the verge of losing its messenger app

Naver, a South Korean tech powerhouse, is facing pressure from its Japanese partner SoftBank to divest a portion of its stake in Line, a popular messaging app in Japan. The Japanese government's scrutiny following an information breach incident has led to a directive for Naver to review its capital relations with SoftBank and improve cybersecurity measures. This could potentially impact Naver's control over Line, which holds about 70% market share in Japan and is crucial for Naver's international sales strategy, with Japan accounting for about half of its overseas revenue. Negotiations over Line's governance structure between Naver and SoftBank are expected to conclude soon.

AppWizard

May 15, 2024

Naver will not sell stake in operator of messaging app Line, for now

Naver is currently facing pressure from the Japanese government to divest from LY Corp., operator of Line app, but has indicated no immediate plans for a share sale and intends to maintain its stake at least until July.

AppWizard

May 12, 2024

S. Korean ministry voices regret over Japan’s ‘pressure’ over Line messenger | Yonhap News Agency

South Korea's science ministry expressed disappointment with the Japanese government's pressure on Line messenger, developed by Naver.

AppWizard

May 12, 2024

Politicians urge gov’t to fight Japan’s push to take away Naver’s control of Line messenger

Seoul is facing criticism for its perceived passivity in response to Tokyo pressuring Naver to divest its stake in LY Corp, the company behind the Line messaging app. Korean politicians are urging the government to take a more proactive approach to protect Korean companies in foreign markets and prevent potential diplomatic repercussions with Japan. The Japanese government's actions are seen as coercive, prompting calls for robust protests and a shift towards a more proactive stance from the Korean government. Foreign and ICT ministries are signaling a commitment to closely communicate with Naver and respect its managerial decisions.