SK Telecom Unveils 688B AI Model 'A.X K2' to Support Industrial AI Transition SK Telecom (SKT) has unveiled its proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) foundation model, A.X K2, aimed at supporting the transition to AI in various industries.On July 29, SKT announced the release of A.X K2, which features 688 billion parameters, on the open-source community platform Hugging Face. This new model enhances mathematical and scientific reasoning capabilities, as well as knowledge and long-text reasoning in Korean, compared to its predecessor, the 519 billion parameter A.X K1.Ac July 29, 2026

Walking, Running, and Yoga: 'Leisurely Morning' Course at Gwangjin Bridge The 'Leisurely Morning' program, which allows participants to walk and run at their own pace without competition or rankings, is expanding to Gwangjin Bridge.On July 29, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will operate the 'Leisurely Morning' Gwangjin Bridge course on August 2 and 9 at Gwangnaru Hangang Park and the surrounding area. This time, the program will diversify its offerings by incorporating yoga, cultural experiences, and relaxation into the existing exercise activitie July 29, 2026

Hanwha Galleria W Surges After Hitting Lower Limit the Previous Day Hanwha Galleria W rebounded sharply to hit the upper limit after recording a lower limit the previous trading day. However, experts caution about the stock's inherent volatility, as significant price movements can occur with limited trading volume. On July 29, at 9:25 a.m., Hanwha Galleria W traded at 3,565 won, up 820 won (29.87%) from the previous day, reaching the upper limit. The day before, the stock had plummeted by 1,175 won (29.97%) to hit the lower limit, but it surged back to the maxim July 29, 2026

Gyeonggi Province Launches Free AI Training Program for Job Seekers The Gyeonggi Job Foundation is launching a tiered vocational training program aimed at helping young people and job seekers in northern Gyeonggi Province move beyond using generative artificial intelligence as a simple information retrieval tool. The program will enable participants to analyze public data and produce solutions to social issues, which can be included in their employment portfolios and relevant qualifications.According to the foundation, the "2026 Northern Gyeonggi Vocational Trai July 29, 2026

Young Mongolians Embrace K-Food as Distribution Networks Expand Mongolia is emerging as a new overseas strategic market for K-Food. Once limited to instant noodles and snacks, Korean food has now penetrated daily consumption among locals, including bakeries, burgers, chicken, dairy products, and beverages. The expansion of food and dining companies is accelerating, leveraging established local distribution networks and the spread of Korean pop culture.According to industry sources, major South Korean food and dining companies are rapidly expanding their pres July 29, 2026

SK Hynix Expects Investment to Reach Nearly 40 Trillion Won This Year SK Hynix announced during its second-quarter earnings conference call on July 29 that it expects its investment this year to reach nearly 40 trillion won. The company stated, "In the medium to long term, we plan to proactively build infrastructure to secure future supply capabilities based on discussions with customers and market demand forecasts."The company added, "We are accelerating the mass production schedule for M15X and are also investing to quickly expand production capacity following t July 29, 2026

Hong Myung-bo Defends Corporate Card Use Amid Controversy Hong Myung-bo, the head coach of the national soccer team, responded to media reports alleging improper use of a corporate card, stating, "I used it for work purposes in accordance with regulations."According to Yonhap News on July 29, Hong issued a statement refuting a report by JTBC, which claimed he used approximately 14 million won on a corporate card at restaurants in Bundang, where his home is located, during his tenure as head coach.On July 28, JTBC reported that Hong had charged 14.08 mi July 29, 2026

Gyeonggi Province Implements Generative AI in Welfare Administration Gyeonggi Province is launching a pilot program to apply generative AI across the entire welfare administration process, from interactive counseling tailored to residents' situations to crisis assessment, benefit application guidance, and documentation of social workers' home visits.On July 29, the province announced that it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Social Security Information Service at the Korea Press Center in Seoul. The AI welf July 29, 2026

Residents Rescued Amid Heavy Rain in South Chungcheong Province During the early morning downpour, officials carried residents with limited mobility on their backs and persuaded others reluctant to leave their homes to evacuate.Throughout July, during the monsoon season, safety partners proactively evacuated residents from hazardous areas in South Chungcheong Province, contributing to the prevention of casualties. The province announced on July 29 that the 'Chungnam Safe Zone,' a village-based evacuation and protection system, played a crucial role in sharin July 29, 2026

Seong-kyu Seo: Criminal Procedure Law Amendment to be Processed on July 30 Seo Young-kyu, chairman of the Judiciary Committee and a member of the Democratic Party, stated that the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Law, which aims to abolish supplementary investigative powers, will be processed in the full committee meeting today and is expected to be addressed in the plenary session on July 30. He warned the People Power Party, which has announced plans for a filibuster, not to obstruct the process.During an appearance on SBS Radio's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show,' July 29, 2026