AI Data Centers Emerge as Key Issue in U.S. Midterm Elections Artificial intelligence (AI) data centers are becoming a new focal point in the U.S. midterm elections. On June 13, Politico analyzed data from the data analytics firm Data Center Map, revealing that 58% of the 69 competitive congressional districts are either currently constructing or planning data centers. Across the United States, approximately 1,500 data centers are in various stages of planning or construction in 232 congressional districts, nearly evenly distributed between Democr June 14, 2026

U.S. Imposes Export Controls on AI Models, Igniting Sovereign AI Competition The U.S. government has issued export controls on Anthropic's latest artificial intelligence (AI) models, marking the first time access to large language models (LLMs) has been restricted. This move signals that AI has officially been classified as a national strategic asset, alongside semiconductors and satellites. The importance of sovereign AI has been underscored in South Korea as a result of this development. According to the IT industry on June 14, the U.S. government has activate June 14, 2026

Hanwha Aerospace Launches Safety Culture Innovation Committee Following Daejeon Incident Hanwha Aerospace is set to reassess the safety management standards at its facilities from the ground up.On June 14, Hanwha Aerospace announced the establishment of an independent body called the Safety Culture Innovation Committee, which includes 11 external experts. This move follows a recent explosion at the company's Daejeon facility on June 1, which resulted in seven casualties.The committee will consist of 13 members, including two employees recommended by the labor union. The chair will b June 14, 2026

Seoul's Population Could Plummet to 8.1 Million by 2050, Warning for South Korea The Seoul Institute's projection that the city's population could decrease to 8.1 million by 2050 is not just a statistic; it serves as a warning about South Korea's future. Currently, Seoul's population stands at approximately 9.34 million, indicating a potential loss of over 1.2 million people in just 25 years. The issue at hand is not merely the decline in numbers, but who is disappearing.According to the Seoul Institute, the working-age population is expected to plummet from 7.79 million in June 14, 2026

Starbucks Considers Selling Its Profitable Japanese Operations Starbucks is reportedly considering the sale of its Japanese operations, which have been a stable source of revenue. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported on June 14 that the U.S.-based Starbucks has begun reviewing the potential sale of its Japanese subsidiary, Starbucks Coffee Japan. The Japanese subsidiary generates annual sales exceeding 340 billion yen (approximately $3.24 billion) and operating profits of over 22 billion yen (about $210 million), placing it among the top perform June 14, 2026

Why Seoul Chose Oh Se-hoon Again: A Focus on Individuals Over Parties "I voted for the Democratic Party for the district chief, but for mayor, I chose Oh Se-hoon." This statement from a man in his 40s, encountered near Sillim Station in Gwanak District, encapsulates the essence of the recent Seoul mayoral election. He expressed skepticism about politics, saying, "I honestly don’t trust it much, but I feel that Seoul has become a bit more comfortable during my commute." This indicates that he judged the mayoral candidate by different criteria than his poli June 14, 2026

Lotte Biologics Completes Production Facility in Songdo, Boosting Capacity to 160,000 Liters Lotte Biologics has completed its biopharmaceutical production facility in Songdo International City, Incheon. On June 14, the city of Incheon announced that Lotte Biologics has finished construction on its first factory at the Songdo Bio Campus and has applied for operational approval from the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority. The company began construction in July 2024 on a site in Block Ki20 of Songdo's 11th district, creating a facility with a production capacity of 120,000 li June 14, 2026

Dongwon F&B Launches Second Plant in Jincheon as Global Protein Production Hub Dongwon F&B announced on June 14 that it has officially commenced operations at its newly completed Jincheon Second Plant in Gwanghye-won, Jincheon County, North Chungcheong Province. The facility, which cost 140 billion won to build, spans approximately 8,000 pyeong (26,446 square meters) with a construction area of 4,400 pyeong (14,545 square meters) and features two floors of advanced production capabilities. With this new plant, Dongwon F&B has established the 'Protein Nexus' producti June 14, 2026

HD Hyundai Launches Development of Eco-Friendly Offshore Wind Support Vessels HD Hyundai is moving beyond the development of next-generation eco-friendly vessels to focus on the domestic production of eco-friendly offshore wind support vessels (SOVs). According to industry sources, HD Korean Shipbuilding, the intermediate holding company of HD Hyundai's shipbuilding division, recently signed a mutual cooperation agreement with MARCON LC, a company specializing in marine engineering and offshore consulting, to jointly develop Korean-style offshore wind support vessel June 14, 2026

Olive Young Opens Second Store in California to Boost K-Beauty Presence CJ Olive Young is accelerating its entry into the U.S. K-Beauty market with the opening of its second store in California.On June 13, Olive Young announced the launch of its Century City store in Los Angeles. The store spans 250 square meters (approximately 2,700 square feet) and is located in the Westfield Century City, a prominent shopping mall in LA. It is situated just a 5 to 10-minute drive from the affluent Beverly Hills and the luxury shopping district of Rodeo Drive. Within a 10-kilomete June 14, 2026