Over Half of Leading Korean Conglomerates Are Venturing Into Web3 and Blockchain

AI sports challenge app Lillius has been selected as the first South Korean project in the Web3, sports and lifestyle categories to participate in the Cronos Accelerator Program, according to an official announcement on Wednesday (KST).Photo by Kelly Sikkema on UnsplashBridging exercise and Web3Lillius is a mobile app that allows users to participate in different sports and exercise challenges that use AI motion detection technology to analyze their form while performing the movements. After they complete a challenge, users can receive rewards based on their score. Notably, some of the challenges feature exclusive lessons from Korean Olympic medalists like taekwondo athlete Lee Dae-hoon, fencer Nam Hyun-hee and wrestler Jung Ji-hyun. Fostering innovationThe Cronos Accelerator Program, operated by global blockchain firm Cronos Labs, is an initiative aimed at nurturing and propelling startups in the Defi, Web3 and blockchain sphere, providing support in areas like technology, tokenomics, marketing, fundraising and more. In particular, participants in the program can receive mentoring and secure investment opportunities from industry experts. All participants are also eligible to receive an immediate stipend of $30,000 and the chance to win a $100,000 follow-up investment from Cronos Labs and its other partners. By participating in the Accelerator Program, Lillius plans to leverage its market potential, product appeal, cutting-edge AI technology and networks across the Cronos chain to become an innovative Web3 sports platform used worldwide.

SEC seeks summary judgment against Terraform LabsThe U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is making a strong push for a summary judgment in its ongoing legal battle against Singapore’s Terraform Labs and its co-founder Do Kwon. Such an outcome would spare the need for a protracted trial.According to a motion filed by the SEC on Thursday, the record shows that there is “no genuine dispute as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.”Photo by Caleb Fisher on UnsplashRelying on the Howey TestThe SEC’s filing underscores its central argument that Kwon and Terraform Labs were involved in the sale of securities. The document categorically states:“There is no dispute that purchasers made an investment of money, either through fiat currency or crypto assets, for each crypto asset — LUNA, wLUNA, MIR, and UST, thereby satisfying the first prong of Howey.” The Howey Test refers back to a U.S. Supreme Court case — SEC v. Howey — which took place in 1946. The case set a precedent and has subsequently become the cornerstone of determining what is or is not a security in the United States.This argument hinges on the idea that funds were pooled in a common enterprise with the expectation of profits primarily derived from the efforts of the promoters.Citing fraud as well as unregistered securitiesThe SEC’s assertion is two-fold, contending that not only did Terraform and Kwon engage in selling securities, but they also engaged in fraudulent activities and disseminated misleading information. The SEC reiterates these claims in its filing, emphasizing that the defendants committed fraud by duping investors about the stability of UST.They allegedly falsely attributed the algorithm for price stabilization while orchestrating clandestine third-party interventions. This purported deception made their claims regarding the algorithm’s effectiveness deceptive and involved the omission of crucial information. The fallout from Terra’s collapse in May of the previous year resulted in the destruction of substantial investor wealth, totaling billions of dollars.Similar defense team filingThe SEC’s move to seek summary judgment comes in the wake of a similar filing by Kwon’s defense team last Friday. Kwon is currently serving a sentence for document forgery in Montenegro, a situation stemming from his arrest at an airport with forged passports.Notably, Terraform’s co-founder, Daniel Shin, who is currently on trial in South Korea, has attributed the collapse of Terraform Labs to Kwon’s mismanagement. Shin has claimed his separation from the company and its activities occurred two years before its eventual collapse.In this legal battle that holds significant implications for the cryptocurrency and blockchain space, the SEC continues to emphasize its position, asserting that Kwon and Terraform Labs engaged in the sale of securities through deceptive means. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching consequences, setting precedents for future regulatory actions in the industry.

Planetarium Labs opens pre-registration for Nine Chronicles MWeb3 gaming company Planetarium Labs is set to release Nine Chronicles M, the mobile version of its popular game Nine Chronicles, on Nov. 22 at 2 a.m. UTC, accompanied by a global pre-registration event that will run from now until Nov. 21.Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on UnsplashNine Chronicle M is a fully on-chain open-source massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) — the first of its kind — set against the backdrop of Norse mythology. The PC version of the game has been in development since 2020 and has consistently topped the ranks of dapp store DappRadar’s blockchain game listings with more than 200,000 users worldwide.Bringing Web3 to gamers worldwide“Through this mobile release, users will be able to enjoy Nine Chronicles anywhere at any time,” said Kim Jae-seok, CEO of Planetarium Labs. “We expect to introduce the Web3 experience with an approach that is familiar even to ordinary gamers who are not familiar with blockchain technology by supporting in-app purchases on Google Play and Apple’s App Store.”The pre-registration event will be open to participants all over the world in regions like East Asia, Southeast Asia and Europe. Participants will be eligible to receive various rewards, including up to 10,000 units of the in-game currency Nine Chronicles Gold (NCG), which can be used to purchase in-game items or staked to earn additional rewards. The event will also offer diverse benefits to attract a larger user base through activities such as the Gacha Workshop, which when unlocked presents free rewards like NCG and rare costumes.To overcome the currency exchange-related roadblocks that tend to stand in the way when releasing Web3 games in Korea, Nine Chronicle M’s Korean release will exclude the bridge function that moves NCG to the Ethereum network.High hopes“Nine Chronicles M can play a crucial role in promoting widespread Web3 adoption and is expected to grow as one of the representative games in the idle RPG genre,” said Alan Lau, Chief Business Officer of Animoca Brands, a blockchain firm that invested $32 million in Planetarium Labs during their Series A funding round.