Daum Kakao buys Indonesia-based mobile platforms

By Kim Seung-yeon

SEOUL, May 29 (Yonhap) -- Daum Kakao Corp., the operator of South Korea's most popular messaging app KakaoTalk, said Friday it has acquired two Indonesia-based mobile platforms as part of its push for a global expansion.

It signed an agreement with Path, a U.S. Internet service provider that runs its namesake social network service (SNS) and messenger app Path Talk, to take over the two mobile tools, Daum Kakao said in a statement.

Maryland wants more biz ties with S. Korean firms: governor

By Kim You Jin

SEOUL, May 29 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. state of Maryland is seeking to expand business ties with South Korean companies, its governor said Friday, calling Asia's fourth-largest economy one of the state's "most important trading partners."

   Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan arrived in Seoul on Wednesday for a six-day trip to meet senior politicians and businesspeople as part of his efforts to expand bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

"Maryland is open for business and our most important economic development mission is to try to do more business with Korea," Hogan said during an interview with Yonhap News Agency.

"There are real different opportunities across lots of sectors ... we've met here with large companies, but also with medium and small sized businesses as well," Hogan said.

One of his main missions here is to convince major South Korean air carriers -- Korean Air Lines Co. and Asiana Airlines Inc. -- to launch direct routes to Maryland's Baltimore Washington International Airport.