If you’ve come across the search term “Krx 035420 : search portal in South Korea MORAI plans”, you’re likely trying to connect the dots between South Korea’s largest internet search portal, a stock ticker symbol, and an autonomous driving technology company.
Let me explain exactly what this means and why it matters.
The code 035420 is the KRX stock ticker for NAVER Corporation — South Korea’s dominant search portal and internet giant (often called “the Google of Korea”). And MORAI is an autonomous driving simulation startup that NAVER has heavily backed.
This article breaks down the connection, MORAI’s technology, its growth plans, and why this partnership is significant for the future of self-driving cars.
What Is KRX 035420? The NAVER Connection
First, let me clarify the ticker.
| Code | Company | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 035420 | NAVER Corporation | South Korea’s leading internet search portal and tech conglomerate |
| KRX | Korea Exchange | The South Korean stock market |
NAVER is not just a search engine. It operates:
- NAVER Search (Korea’s #1 portal)
- LINE messenger (popular in Japan, Taiwan, Thailand)
- NAVER Cloud
- NAVER D2SF (corporate venture capital arm)
- And various other tech and content businesses
When you see “Krx 035420 : search portal in South Korea MORAI plans”, it refers to NAVER’s investment and strategic partnership with MORAI .
Who Is MORAI? The Autonomous Driving Simulation Specialist
MORAI (모라이) is a South Korean autonomous driving simulation technology company founded in 2018. Its co-founders, CEO Jung Ji-won and CTO Hong Jun, met while working in a lab at KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) .
What Does MORAI Do?
MORAI does not manufacture autonomous vehicles. Instead, it builds simulation software that allows autonomous vehicle companies to test their systems in a virtual environment before ever hitting a real road .
Why is this important? According to data from the RAND Corporation, autonomous vehicles would need to drive 14 billion kilometers to statistically demonstrate their reliability. That would take about 400 years with 100 vehicles running continuously — impossible to achieve through real-world testing alone .
MORAI’s solution, called MORAI SIM Drive, creates a digital twin of real-world environments where developers can test thousands of scenarios safely, repeatedly, and cost-effectively .
Key Features of MORAI’s Technology
Real-World Application: KATECH Digital Twin
One impressive example of MORAI’s work is the external digital twin built for the Korea Automobile Testing & Research Institute (KATECH) Proving Ground in Cheonan. The project covered approximately 13.2 kilometers of survey length and 105,930 square meters of area, including main roads, building areas, and rough-road sections .
Using drone-collected images and LAS point cloud data, MORAI recreated the proving ground with high fidelity, enabling realistic testing of vehicle dynamics and suspension behavior .
The NAVER-MORAI Partnership: How 035420 Fits In
NAVER has been a key financial and strategic backer of MORAI since the early days.
Investment Timeline
Beyond Just Money: Strategic Collaboration
NAVER’s involvement goes far deeper than writing checks.
Technology Integration: MORAI uses mapping data from NAVER’s ARC (AI-Robot-Cloud) system. NAVER Labs and NAVER Cloud collaborate with MORAI on government-backed research projects .
Cloud Partnership: MORAI SIM Cloud runs on cloud infrastructure, and NAVER Cloud is one of the providers used. This allows clients to use existing cloud resources rather than building their own expensive computing infrastructure .
Shared Clients: NAVER is both an investor and a client — NAVER uses MORAI’s simulator to develop its own autonomous driving technology .
International Expansion: The partnership has extended to Japan, where both companies collaborate on joint projects .
MORAI’s Growth Plans and Future Direction
The search term “MORAI plans” suggests you want to know where this company is headed. Here is what the company has publicly stated.
Expanding Beyond Cars
MORAI is not limiting itself to autonomous vehicles. The company’s simulation platform already supports:
- MORAI SIM Drive – Autonomous vehicles
- MORAI SIM Air – Urban air mobility (UAM) and drones
- MORAI SIM Robotics – Robotics applications
The company is actively working on defense applications as well, developing a war simulation platform that integrates autonomous cars, UAMs, and robotics for “manned-unmanned teaming” — where manually controlled defense systems and autonomous weapons conduct missions together .
Global Expansion
MORAI established a U.S. entity in San Francisco in 2020, focusing primarily on UAM projects. The company also plans to secure a foothold in Germany to better serve the European market .
Technology Roadmap
The company’s key technological goal is automation — making the creation of diverse environments and scenarios even more automatic. This would allow users to generate test scenarios without manual configuration, dramatically increasing testing efficiency .
Client Base
MORAI works with over 60 corporate and government organizations, including:
- Samsung SDS
- NAVER Labs
- Hyundai Motor
- Korea Automobile Testing and Research Institute
- Global partners like AWS, Nvidia, SoftBank, and Ansys
Why This Matters for Autonomous Driving
You might be wondering: Why should I care about a simulation company and its NAVER connection?
Here is the reality. Autonomous driving is one of the hardest engineering challenges of our time. Real-world testing alone cannot ensure safety. There are too many variables — weather, pedestrians, other drivers, road conditions, edge cases.
Simulation is the only scalable solution. And MORAI has positioned itself at the center of this ecosystem, with backing from one of Asia’s largest tech companies (NAVER) and one of the world’s largest automakers (Hyundai).
The company’s automatic digital twin technology is a key differentiator. While competitors often require manual map updates when real roads change, MORAI’s system can automatically incorporate changes using linked real-world data .
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is KRX 035420?
A: It is the stock ticker symbol for NAVER Corporation on the Korea Exchange. NAVER is South Korea’s largest internet search portal and a major investor in MORAI.
Q: What does MORAI do?
A: MORAI develops autonomous driving simulation software that allows self-driving car companies to test their systems in realistic virtual environments before real-road testing.
Q: How is NAVER connected to MORAI?
A: NAVER’s venture capital arm (NAVER D2SF) led MORAI’s Series A funding round and continues to collaborate on technology and cloud infrastructure.
Q: Is MORAI publicly traded?
A: No. MORAI is a private startup. The ticker 035420 refers to NAVER, not MORAI itself.
Q: What makes MORAI different from competitors?
A: MORAI’s automatic digital twin mapping technology can create virtual environments from real HD map data without manual drawing, saving significant time and reducing human error.
Q: What are MORAI’s future plans?
A: MORAI plans to expand into defense applications, strengthen its presence in the U.S. and Europe, and further automate its scenario creation technology.
Final Thoughts
The search “Krx 035420 : search portal in South Korea MORAI plans” connects three important dots: South Korea’s leading internet portal (NAVER), its stock ticker (035420), and an innovative autonomous driving simulation startup (MORAI) that NAVER believes in.
MORAI’s technology addresses a fundamental challenge in autonomous driving: How do you safely test millions of driving scenarios without endangering lives or spending decades on the road? Their answer is high-fidelity simulation, digital twins, and cloud-based testing.
With NAVER’s financial backing, Hyundai’s automotive expertise, and a growing list of global clients, MORAI is well-positioned to play a significant role in the future of autonomous mobility. Whether you are an investor tracking KRX:035420, a tech enthusiast following autonomous driving, or a professional in the simulation industry, MORAI is a company worth watching.