Gangnam and Seocho See Declines as Seongbuk Rises 1.83%: Seoul Housing Prices Driven by Outer Areas The upward trend in Seoul's housing prices continues, but significant regional disparities are emerging. While Gangnam and Seocho districts have seen declines, Seongbuk and Nowon districts recorded nearly 2% increases, indicating that the rise in Seoul's housing prices is being led by northern and outer areas.According to the Korea Real Estate Agency's 'August National Housing Price Trend Survey' released on the 15th, the comprehensive housing price in Seoul rose by 0.97% last month, significant September 15, 2026

Majority of Seoul's Building Sellers in Their 50s Among sellers applying to sell buildings in Seoul, those in their 50s represent the largest group.On September 15, an analysis by Jipum based on data from the Supreme Court's registration information center revealed that there were a total of 16,126 applications to sell buildings in Seoul's 25 districts in August. This marks an increase of 448 (2.9%) from July's 15,678 applications, but a decrease of 1,812 (10.1%) compared to 17,938 applications in August of the previous year.The data on sellers September 15, 2026

Mokpo Secures Ferry Route for Island Residents Through Collaborative Efforts Mokpo's ferry route for island residents, which faced potential disruptions due to the lack of an operator, will continue normal operations thanks to the collaboration between Mokpo's administrative department, the city council, and a private shipping company.In particular, Jo Yong-seon, head of Mokpo's Marine Development Division, has been recognized for his proactive efforts to secure operating compensation by negotiating with the city council and directly persuading the shipping company, high September 15, 2026

Korea Trade Insurance Corporation Expands Financial Support for Resources and Asian Infrastructure The Korea Trade Insurance Corporation (K-SURE) is expanding its advance financial support to include resource acquisition projects and the Asian infrastructure market. This initiative aims to assist overseas projects facing funding challenges as investments concentrate on large-scale ventures such as artificial intelligence (AI), thereby broadening the bidding base for domestic companies.K-SURE announced on September 15 that it held the 37th Gwanghwamun Forum in Jung-gu, Seoul, on September 14, September 15, 2026

AI Development Concerns Impact Semiconductor Stocks Concerns from global AI leaders about slowing the pace of artificial intelligence (AI) development have shaken semiconductor stocks. However, a closer look at the discussions reveals that they are not advocating for a complete halt to AI development.Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, argued in a public statement on September 12 titled 'We Must Pace the Frontier' that the speed of performance improvements in cutting-edge AI should be regulated to a level that safety technologies can keep up with.As September 15, 2026

Youth Workers Share Employment Challenges with Labor Minister and Unions Young job seekers, workers in manufacturing and service sectors, and freelancers conveyed their employment challenges directly to the government and labor unions. Issues discussed included the high barriers to employment due to a focus on experienced hires, disparities in treatment based on employment type, and job insecurity stemming from the transition to artificial intelligence (AI).On September 15, the Ministry of Employment and Labor held a 'Youth Labor Town Hall Meeting' at the Ferum Tower September 15, 2026

National Data Agency Discusses 'AI-Friendly Data Standards' with OECD and ADB The National Data Agency is collaborating with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to discuss innovative global data standards in response to the era of artificial intelligence (AI). The focus is on connecting statistical data, which is managed differently by various countries and institutions, to international standards, enabling AI to accurately understand and utilize this data.On September 15, the agency announced the opening September 15, 2026

New Evidence Emerges in Ose-hoon Trial Over Alleged Poll Payment Scheme A phone recording between businessman Kim Han-jung and Myung Tae-kyun has been submitted as evidence in the appeal trial of Seoul Mayor Ose-hoon, who is facing allegations related to the payment of opinion polls. The recording reportedly indicates that Mayor Ose-hoon did not commission the polls from Myung.According to legal sources on September 15, Kim's side, identified as a party involved in the alleged payment scheme, recently submitted the recording to the Seoul High Court's Criminal Divisi September 15, 2026

Ansan City Corporation Cleans Up 63 Block Area, Collects 3 Tons of Waste The Ansan City Corporation initiated an environmental cleanup on September 14 in the 63 Block area of Singil-dong, which has not seen development for an extended period. According to the corporation, over 30 employees participated in the cleanup activities at 63 Block, located near 1379 Singil-dong in Danwon District. This initiative aimed to reduce inconveniences for residents caused by household waste and illegal dumping from the long-abandoned site, while also improving the surrounding enviro September 15, 2026

Audit Office: Temporary Use Approval Possible for Yongin Semiconductor Plant The Audit Office has stated that temporary use approval for a semiconductor plant in the Yongin semiconductor cluster is possible, even before receiving quality certification for the fireproof filling structure, provided that safety is objectively confirmed. This measure aims to prevent delays in cleanroom operations due to related procedures and enhance the competitiveness of the semiconductor industry while ensuring facility safety. On September 15, the Audit Office released a pre-consultati September 15, 2026