Construction Industry’s AI Adoption Stalls Amid Data Gaps and Unclear Rules South Korea’s construction industry is not adopting artificial intelligence as quickly as expected, largely because jobsite data are scattered in nonstandard formats and rules remain unclear, industry officials said. Analysts also point to a lack of supporting infrastructure as another obstacle to AI-driven change. Industry sources said on the 22nd that many domestic construction sites still lack the data foundation AI systems need to learn and make decisions. Design documents, photos, in April 22, 2026

Special counsel again seeks 15 years for Lee Sang-min in martial law insurrection appeal Special counsel prosecutors on Tuesday again asked an appeals court to sentence Lee Sang-min, former minister of the Interior and Safety, to 15 years in prison for allegedly taking part in insurrection-related acts during the Dec. 3 martial law declaration. At the closing hearing in Lee’s appeal at the Seoul High Court’s Criminal Division 1, the special counsel team led by Cho Eun-seok urged the court to impose the same 15-year term it sought at trial on charges including performing key April 22, 2026

Hanwha General Insurance Tops 1,000 Claims for Childbirth Benefit Rider Hanwha General Insurance said Tuesday that claims for the childbirth benefit coverage in its “Hanwha Signature Women’s Health Insurance” have surpassed 1,000. The benefit pays a set amount upon childbirth, and claims began in November last year. The company said it designed the coverage to ease out-of-pocket costs at a time when spending typically rises for postpartum care and preparations for raising a child. The rider has drawn strong interest among women in their 20s and 30s. As of las April 22, 2026

Survey: Over 90% of Singapore Firms Face Higher Costs From Middle East Tensions More than 90% of Singapore companies are facing higher costs as Middle East tensions push up energy prices, according to a survey by the Singapore National Employers Federation, or SNEF. Many companies cited rising utility bills and fuel costs. Among firms that have taken steps to cope, hiring freezes or delays in expansion plans were common. SNEF surveyed companies across a wide range of industries and received responses from 210 firms. Information and communications, finance, in April 22, 2026

JWorld Industry’s Alzip Mat Begins China CCC Certification Factory Audit JWorld Industry, a maker of playroom mats and blocks, has begun the process to obtain China’s compulsory certification, known as CCC, for its premium infant mat brand Alzip Mat. The company said the Alzip Mat production plant in Hwaseong, south of Seoul, underwent a two-day on-site audit from April 20 to 21 as part of the CCC process. The review covered raw-material controls, production processes, finished-product inspections and the overall quality management system. CCC is a mandatory C April 22, 2026

Noryangjin Redevelopment Premiums Jump as New-Home Prices Hit $25 Million Won Level "With Noryangjin Zone 6 (Ra Clarte Zide Fine) posting a 2.5 billion won presale price for a standard-sized unit, expectations are rising for Zone 1 as well. Most Zone 1 listings were gone by last week, and inquiries keep coming in from buyers trying to secure the few units that can still be transferred," said the head of a real estate office in Noryangjin-dong. Banners hung across Seoul’s Noryangjin New Town redevelopment area on April 22 after Noryangjin Zone 1 received app April 22, 2026

Korea Fire Agency Warns of Extinguisher Sales Scams Using Fake Fine Threats The National Fire Agency warned that scams are spreading in which criminals impersonate firefighters or fire agencies to pressure businesses into buying fire extinguishers or to induce proxy purchases of equipment. The agency said Tuesday that 1,309 attempted fire-agency impersonation scams were identified nationwide over the past year. Of those, 161 businesses suffered financial losses totaling about 2.95 billion won, nearing 3 billion won. The tactics have grown more sophis April 22, 2026

Five Deer Escape From Farm in Gwangmyeong, South Korea At about 12:32 p.m. on the 22nd, five deer escaped from a deer farm in Okgil-dong, Gwangmyeong, south of Seoul, authorities said. Fire officials responded after the farm owner reported that 10 deer had gotten out, but nearby closed-circuit television footage showed the actual number was five, they said. Of the five, three were adults and two were fawns, officials said. Gwangmyeong city sent an emergency text alert at 2:33 p.m., urging residents to use caution and to report any sightings April 22, 2026

Jipyeong Holds Seminar on Legal, Data Risks in Public-Sector AI Transition Law firm Jipyeong said it held a seminar on April 21 in Seoul on strategies for the public sector’s AI transition, focusing on legal frameworks and practical cases. The event, held at the Grand Central complex in Jung-gu, was designed to broadly review policy direction, legal issues, data governance and responses to infringement incidents tied to public-sector AI transition, also referred to as AX. Moderated by Heo Jong, a Jipyeong partner attorney and head of the firm’s IP and IT group April 22, 2026

Fujifilm Malaysia Partners With Telekom Malaysia Unit on Cloud Medical Imaging Fujifilm Malaysia said on April 20 it signed a partnership with Credence, a cloud and digital services company and a subsidiary of Malaysian telecommunications firm Telekom Malaysia (TM), to roll out a cloud-based medical imaging information system in the country. Under the memorandum of understanding, the companies plan to combine TM’s cloud infrastructure, nationwide telecommunications network and cybersecurity capabilities with Fujifilm’s medical imaging and diagnostic technology. The April 22, 2026