Jin Jong-o vows to resist disciplinary action from People Power Party Jin Jong-o, a member of the People Power Party, stated on July 28 that the party's Central Ethics Committee has initiated disciplinary proceedings against him for supporting independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon in the June 3 by-election. He emphasized that what the People Power Party needs is not coercive disciplinary politics aimed at factionalism, but rather the restoration of public sentiment.In a post on his Facebook page, Jin said, "If walking toward the public sentiment for conservative reco July 28, 2026

Amorepacific Integrates 70 Years of Research Data Using AI Amorepacific has established a data system that integrates over 70 years of research and development materials, including raw materials, formulations, and patents, for use by generative artificial intelligence (AI). On July 28, Amorepacific announced the development of its research-focused generative AI service, 'AI Assistant LEMON,' through a collaborative 'Data Highway' project with KT. Since establishing the first cosmetics research lab in South Korea in 1954, Amorepacific has accumulated mil July 28, 2026

Kakao Releases Four Open-Source Lightweight Language Models Optimized for Devices Kakao has released four open-source lightweight language models (SLM) developed under its artificial intelligence (AI) brand, Kanana. This initiative aims to enhance AI technology competitiveness and contribute to the domestic ecosystem.On July 28, Kakao announced the open-source release of four lightweight language models that can operate on devices such as smartphones. The models are part of the Kanana-2 series and include: △Kanana-2-1.3B-base △Kanana-2-1.3B-instruct △Kanana-2-3B-base △Kanana- July 28, 2026

Four Korean Teams Advance to DEF CON CTF 34 Finals, Showcasing K-Cybersecurity Four teams from South Korea are among the 12 finalists in the DEF CON CTF 34, an international hacking competition. As cyber threats evolve with the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI), the skills of South Korean white-hat hackers are gaining recognition on the global stage.According to the security industry, the finals will take place from August 7 to 9 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, featuring the top 12 teams that advanced from the preliminary rounds. Among these, four teams i July 28, 2026

Exchange Rate Rises to 1470 Won Amid Risk Aversion The won-dollar exchange rate is trading in the 1470 won range.On July 28, in the Seoul foreign exchange market, the exchange rate for the won against the U.S. dollar is 1470.5 won. The rate at 6 a.m. was 1465.2 won, down 3.3 won from the previous trading day.This increase is interpreted as a reflection of heightened risk aversion. The dollar index, which measures the value of the dollar against six major currencies, rose by 0.037% to 101.51.Overnight, the New York stock market showed mixed resul July 28, 2026

Jung Jeom-sik Calls for Leniency in Disciplinary Action Against Kwon Young-jin Jung Jeom-sik, the floor leader of the People Power Party, expressed on July 28 his hope for leniency regarding disciplinary action against Kwon Young-jin, who grabbed Jung's collar during a dispute over the allocation criteria for the National Assembly's standing committees. Jung stated, "It is difficult to evaluate after the Ethics Committee has initiated disciplinary procedures," while appearing on SBS Radio's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show.'Jung noted that Kwon had officially apologized, whi July 28, 2026

Decline of Bars in Seoul: 1,095 Establishments Closed in a Year A post on the community forum for small business owners in South Korea, titled "How much should I earn before deciding to close my business?" received over 140 comments. The author, who has been running a pub for two years, expressed concerns about renewing their lease. Responses included, "I decided to close after my earnings dropped to 3 million won in the off-season and 5 million won in peak season," and "Many small business owners are holding on by working side jobs, so stay strong." The po July 28, 2026

Changing Drinking Culture Hits Alcohol Industry Amid Declining Sales A 15-year veteran employee, referred to as A, has recently felt a sense of generational change during department gatherings. Once frequent, these events have dwindled to about once a month, with younger employees often opting out, citing commitments like exercise or language classes. A noted, "Whereas past gatherings were all about drinking heavily, now it’s common to wrap up after a meal with just a light drink."The domestic alcohol market is facing a significant blow due to changing drinking c July 28, 2026

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix Shares Plunge 6-8% Amid Market Concerns Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix both saw their shares drop by 6-8% in early trading. This decline follows a weak performance of U.S. semiconductor stocks and concerns over China's semiconductor equipment development and ongoing investment controversies surrounding Nvidia, which have dampened investor sentiment.As of 9:08 a.m. on the Korea Exchange, Samsung Electronics was trading at 237,000 won, down 6.69% from the previous trading day, while SK Hynix fell 8.92% to 1,654,000 won.Despite a favor July 28, 2026

Israel Sets Demands for Trump Meeting, Including Iran's Uranium Removal Israel has reportedly outlined key demands for its upcoming meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, focusing on the complete removal of enriched uranium from Iran and ensuring freedom for military operations in the region.According to Israel's N12 broadcast on July 27, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and security officials recently convened to discuss the requirements they plan to present during the summit with Trump.The primary condition Israel is emphasizing is the total export of Iran's e July 28, 2026