Journalist
Lee Hugh
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OpenAI Unveils ChatGPT Image 2.0 With Sharper Text and More Precise Layouts OpenAI on 22 announced a next-generation image model it said significantly improves output quality, widening the practical use of AI-generated images for workplace tasks. The company introduced the new image-generation model, called ‘ChatGPT Image 2.0.’ OpenAI said the model more precisely follows detailed user instructions, arranging objects and their relationships more naturally while improving accuracy in areas that have challenged earlier systems, including small text, icons, user interface elements and complex layouts. A key upgrade is text rendering. OpenAI said the model can produce readable lettering suited to real production needs such as posters, infographics and UI mockups, moving beyond simple image creation toward work-ready results. The model supports multiple aspect ratios, from up to 3:1 to 1:3, and can more precisely reproduce styles including photos, illustrations, comics and film looks. OpenAI said this enables outputs that can be used directly for proposals, marketing materials, educational resources and social content. OpenAI also said it strengthened multilingual performance, improving text rendering in languages including Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Hindi and Bengali for global content production. Users can generate up to 10 images at once to compare and review different options more quickly. OpenAI said the model is its first image generator to combine a ‘ChatGPT-based thinking’ function, allowing users to supplement information through web search or generate multiple images from a single prompt and check the results in a broader production workflow. ‘ChatGPT Image 2.0’ is available in ChatGPT and Codex. Advanced image-generation features are offered to subscribers on ChatGPT Plus Pro and business plans.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 09:31:53 -
Korea Runs Unified Pavilion at Malaysia’s DSA 2026 Defense Show to Target Southeast Asia Korean defense companies are taking part in the DSA 2026 defense exhibition in Malaysia as they seek to expand in Southeast Asia. South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the Korea Institute for Defense Technology Planning and Advancement and the Korea Defense Industry Association are jointly operating a unified Korea pavilion at DSA 2026, being held from April 20 (local time) to April 23 at MITEC in Kuala Lumpur. Hosted by Malaysia’s Ministry of Defence, DSA 2026 is an international defense cooperation event drawing about 1,400 companies worldwide and government and military officials from more than 60 countries, the organizers said. A total of 23 Korean companies are participating, including major prime contractors such as LIG Defense & Aerospace (LIG D&A) and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, along with smaller firms and region-based companies. Eight promising small and midsize Korean defense firms are exhibiting at the unified pavilion, organized through cooperation among DAPA, the institute and the association. The pavilion is intended to strengthen coordination between prime contractors and parts and component suppliers. Exhibits include battlefield awareness and detection equipment, intelligent command-and-control systems, tactical mobility and operational equipment, and sustainment and maintenance gear. Products aimed at the operational and maintenance needs of key Southeast Asian countries pursuing military modernization were also on display. Jeong Gi-yeong, head of DAPA’s Future Force Program Bureau, said Southeast Asian countries are pushing to modernize weapon systems and that interest in South Korea is high because it can offer both fast delivery and cost-effectiveness. Kim Tae-gon, a cooperation official at DAPA, said participation in DSA 2026 could be a major turning point for Korean defense companies to expand market share in Southeast Asia and build a sustainable basis for cooperation. He said the unified Korea pavilion will continue at major global exhibitions, including those in France and Poland, to broaden the reach of South Korea’s defense industry. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 09:30:57 -
UK, France Convene Military Talks With 30-Plus Nations on Reopening Strait of Hormuz Britain and France have begun drafting a multinational military plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, moving from last week’s diplomatic understanding to operational planning with military officials from multiple countries. The British government said it will host military representatives from more than 30 countries for two days of talks starting April 22 to discuss plans to reopen the strait. The meeting is being held at the U.K. Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood, north of London. Britain’s Foreign Office said it would advance military planning to reopen the strait “as soon as conditions allow” after a “sustainable ceasefire” is agreed. The talks are intended to turn the earlier diplomatic consensus into a concrete multinational response framework. Britain and France said they aim to draw in as many countries as possible to pool military capabilities and expertise. Discussions are expected to focus on operational details, including force deployments and command-and-control arrangements. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron last week convened a leaders’ meeting in Paris with participation from 51 countries, calling for the immediate, unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The two countries also reaffirmed plans to create a “strictly defensive” multinational mission to protect commercial shipping, ensure maritime safety and conduct mine-clearing operations. U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey said the task over the two days is to translate the diplomatic agreement into a joint plan to protect freedom of navigation and support a sustainable ceasefire. “I am confident we will make real progress over the two days,” he said. Before the war, the Strait of Hormuz was a key maritime route through which about one-fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas passed. Since the outbreak of war on Feb. 28, most commercial traffic has been halted. Iran said last week it would reopen the strait but reversed course within hours as the United States continued blocking Iranian vessels. Tensions at sea have remained high after the United States seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship. Meanwhile, Iran’s parliament committee on national security and foreign policy passed a bill that would allow Iran to levy transit fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Press TV reported April 22. The bill is expected to face a vote in the full parliament. 2026-04-22 09:30:14 -
Missing Woman Found Dead in Car at Public Parking Lot in Incheon’s Songdo A woman in her 60s was found dead in skeletal condition inside a vehicle at a public parking lot in Incheon’s Songdo International City, police said. According to the Incheon Yeonsu Police Station on the 21st, the body of the woman, identified only as A, was discovered at about 3:47 p.m. in a car parked at a public lot under the Convensia Bridge in Songdo-dong, Incheon. Police said the discovery followed a report from her younger sibling to the 112 emergency line, saying, in effect, “I think my older sister is in the car.” The vehicle had been left in the lot for an extended period, and authorities had contacted the sibling, a co-registered owner of the car, asking that it be moved, police said. A had previously been reported missing. A police official said no signs of criminal activity had been found and that officers were investigating the circumstances.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 09:28:00 -
DPK’s Cho Seung-rae says party leans against nominating Kim Yong for by-election Cho Seung-rae, secretary-general of the Democratic Party of Korea, said the party is still weighing whether to nominate Kim Yong, a former deputy head of the party-affiliated Democratic Research Institute, for an upcoming by-election, but noted that internal sentiment is leaning negative. Speaking on CBS Radio’s “Park Seong-tae’s News Show” on Tuesday, Cho said the party is preparing strategic nominations for the by-elections based on three principles: recruiting strong outside candidates, selecting promising party talent, and bringing in heavyweight figures who are currently outside the National Assembly. “The key is that we are at a stage of broadly reviewing how each candidate could affect the election and their chances of winning,” he said. Cho said views inside the party are split over Kim, who has said he wants to run in the Gyeonggi area. Cho said some argue Kim deserves political consideration as a victim of what they describe as a fabricated indictment by “political prosecutors,” while others say his nomination would not meet public expectations. “We are looking at it comprehensively,” Cho said. “At this point, negative views are stronger than positive ones.” Cho also addressed speculation that Ha Jung-woo, the presidential office’s senior secretary for artificial intelligence, could run in Busan’s Buk-gu Gap district. Cho said Ha’s stance has become more flexible compared with his initially rigid response. “We are making last-minute efforts to bring him in,” Cho said. “Only his decision remains, and we are expecting it.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 09:27:16 -
Kakao Showcases Kanana Agentic AI Services at World IT Show 2026 A Kanana agentic AI service experience zone on display at the 2026 World IT Show. Kakao is taking part in the 2026 World IT Show, highlighting agentic AI services built around its integrated AI brand, Kanana. Kakao said Tuesday it will join World IT Show 2026 under the theme, “A Day with Kanana, Agentic AI woven into the daily lives of 50 million.” Hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT, the event runs from Tuesday through Thursday at COEX in Seoul under the slogan, “Beyond thought to action: AI moves reality.” Kakao said its exhibit is designed as an experience space where visitors can try agentic AI services tailored to everyday routines. The company said it presents, in a story-based format, how AI operates across a full day from morning to evening. The booth is divided into hands-on and video demonstration areas. In the “Kanana in KakaoTalk Experience Zone,” visitors can try features such as schedule briefings and personalized recommendations for places and gifts. The “Kanana Summarize Video Zone” introduces functions that automatically organize chat messages and call content. In the “Kanana in KakaoTalk Video Zone,” Kakao demonstrates on-device AI that understands conversation context in real time and acts after recognizing situations without a user request. The “Kakao Tools Video Zone” shows how requests are carried out through connections between Kakao services and external partner services. An “AI National Secretary Experience Zone” highlights AI use cases expanded into public services. In the final area, Kakao is also running an event using its in-house image generation model, “Kanana Collage,” to analyze visitors’ photos, generate the Kakao Friends character “Jjorudi,” and print the result on the spot. A Kakao official said the company aimed to show how AI can blend naturally into daily life through an integrated AI ecosystem linking services, platforms and technology. The official said the exhibit will offer a direct look at the direction of Kakao AI as it evolves toward agentic AI.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 09:25:40 -
BTS’ ‘SWIM’ Tops Billboard Global Charts for Fourth Straight Week 방탄소년단(BTS)이 미국 빌보드 글로벌 차트에서 4주 연속 정상을 지켰다. 정규 5집 '아리랑(ARIRANG)' 타이틀곡 '스윔(SWIM)'이 장기 흥행 흐름을 이어가고 있다. 지난 21일 발표된 빌보드 최신 차트(4월 25일 자)에 따르면 '스윔'은 '글로벌 200'과 '글로벌(미국 제외)'에서 각각 4주 연속 1위를 기록했다. 발매 4주차에도 두 차트 정상을 동시에 지켰다. 메인 차트에서도 성과가 이어졌다. '아리랑'은 메인 앨범 차트 '빌보드 200' 3위로 4주 연속 톱3에 올랐고, '스윔'은 메인 송 차트 '핫 100' 10위로 4주 연속 톱10에 들었다. 수록곡 '바디 투 바디(Body to Body)', '2.0', '훌리건(Hooligan)'도 '핫 100' 순위권에 포함됐다. '디지털 송 세일즈' 1위도 4주째 이어졌다. '아리랑' 수록곡들은 글로벌 차트 상위권에 고르게 포진하며 앨범 흥행을 뒷받침했다. 흥행은 공연으로도 이어지고 있다. BTS는 지난 9일 경기 고양종합운동장 주경기장에서 월드투어 'BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG''의 막을 올렸다. 이번 투어는 전 세계 34개 도시에서 총 85회로 진행되며, 한국 가수 단일 투어 기준 최다 회차다. 고양과 도쿄 공연을 포함해 한국, 일본, 북미, 유럽 등 총 46회 공연이 이미 매진됐다. 도시형 프로젝트 'BTS THE CITY ARIRANG'도 서울을 넘어 확장된다. '더 시티 아리랑'은 5월 미국 라스베이거스, 6월 부산에서 이어지며, 공연과 연계한 프로그램이 도시 전역에서 진행될 예정이다. BTS는 오는 25~26일과 28일 미국 탬파 레이먼드 제임스 스타디움 무대에 오르며 북미 투어를 본격화한다. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 09:24:54 -
SK Eternix Starts Commercial Operations at 40MW SOFC Plant in Chungju SK Eternix said Tuesday it has begun commercial operations at its Daesowon Eco Park fuel cell power plant in the Chungju Megapolis general industrial complex in North Chungcheong Province. Daesowon Eco Park is a 40-megawatt, high-efficiency solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) plant built on a 16,423-square-meter site. It uses 120 Bloom Energy fuel cells rated at 330 kilowatts each and can generate about 330 gigawatt-hours of electricity a year — enough to power about 94,000 households for one year. The commercial launch was carried out in connection with the nearby Chungju Eco Park (40MW), which began operating in December. With the two plants, SK Eternix has established an approximately 80MW distributed power cluster in the Chungju area. The company said it is the world’s largest high-efficiency SOFC fuel cell power complex in a single region and is expected to help improve local energy self-sufficiency and secure a stable power supply base. SK Eternix said the project brings its cumulative fuel cell operating capacity to 169MW. With Paju Eco Green Energy (31MW) now under construction and a 28MW project awarded in South Korea’s general hydrogen power generation market to be completed in stages, the total is expected to expand to 228MW. The company also said it strengthened project stability through strategic cooperation with co-investor Chambit Group. Chambit participates as a major shareholder in the Chungju Eco Park and Daesowon Eco Park projects and supplies city gas, helping secure stability across the process from fuel supply to plant operations. "The start of commercial operations at Daesowon Eco Park is an achievement that proves our capabilities in distributed power and our competitiveness in project execution," CEO Kim Hae-jung said. He said the company will continue expanding distributed power to support national energy transition policy and refine a sustainable energy business model based on coexistence with local communities. SK Eternix operates an eco-friendly energy business based on a portfolio that includes fuel cells, solar, wind and energy storage systems. It has recently been expanding into areas such as power brokerage and U.S. ESS projects to boost corporate value.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 09:24:17 -
Korea to Launch Welcome Week at Airports and Ports, Spotlighting K-Food to Draw 30 Million Visitors From April 24 to May 9, major gateways across South Korea — including Incheon and Jeju international airports and the ports of Busan and Seogwipo — will be turned into welcome hubs for inbound travelers. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Visit Year Committee said they will run the 2026 first-half Welcome Week, themed around K-food, during the peak spring travel season. The plan combines public-private discounts with promotions tied to local small businesses to boost visitor spending. ◆ Welcome hubs at airports and cruise ports The ministry and the committee will hold the event from April 24 to May 9 to coincide with East Asia’s busy travel period, including Japan’s Golden Week and China’s Labor Day holiday. Organizers said the program is aimed at building a positive first impression from the moment visitors arrive, as part of a national goal of attracting 30 million foreign tourists. Welcome booths will be set up at Incheon International Airport, Jeju International Airport, the Busan Port Cruise Terminal and the Seogwipo Gangjeong Cruise Port. Incheon’s booth will run April 24 to May 9, while Jeju’s will operate April 25 to May 9. Cruise-port events will be staged in line with ship arrival schedules. ◆ K-food theme, linked to the SME ministry’s “Companion Festival” This year’s central theme is K-food. Visitors to the booths will be offered multilingual guides to regional dining, along with hands-on programs such as traditional tea tastings and roulette-style events. Organizers said the effort goes beyond information, with discounts tied to private-sector partners across food and beverage, shopping and exhibitions. Tourists will receive a “welcome card” with a QR code, a Korea travel map and a welcome kit featuring K-food and beauty items. The program will also be linked to the Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ “Republic of Korea Companion Festival,” aiming to promote products from small merchants and encourage purchases that support local economies. ◆ Additional booth at Busan Station tied to BTS “ARIRANG” concerts Organizers also plan to align the campaign with major K-pop events. A separate welcome booth will be added at Busan Station to match the Busan dates of BTS’ world tour “ARIRANG,” scheduled for June 1-15, targeting fans traveling to Korea for the shows. Cooperation with local governments will be expanded as well. Working with the city of Yeosu in South Jeolla Province, organizers plan a hospitality campaign involving workers in food and beverage, lodging and transportation, as well as residents, to encourage repeat visits. A committee official said the Welcome Week is intended to give foreign tourists “a special experience that leaves a positive first impression of traveling in Korea,” adding that close coordination with private partners and local governments will be used to build a cycle in which visitor satisfaction leads to return trips. 2026-04-22 09:22:24 -
Trump Says He’ll ‘Remember’ Companies That Don’t Seek Tariff Refunds U.S. President Donald Trump said he would “remember” companies that do not apply for refunds of tariffs he imposed, comments that appeared to reward firms that forgo repayment while pressuring those that pursue it. Trump made the remarks in an interview with CNBC, Reuters reported Monday. He said of companies that do not seek refunds, “I’ll remember them.” He cited Apple, Amazon, Target and Walmart, saying he viewed it positively that they had not yet applied. He also used hostile language toward companies moving ahead with refund claims. The comments followed a February ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that found the Trump administration’s tariff measures illegal. After the decision, U.S. Customs and Border Protection activated an electronic refund system to allow companies to reclaim tariffs already paid. The total amount potentially eligible for refunds is estimated at up to $166 billion. Even with the system running, payments are expected to take time. Reuters reported refunds could take about 60 to 90 days, and legal review is continuing over claims involving firms that provided tariff bonds. Trump also signaled he does not intend to abandon his tariff policy even as the earlier tariffs were invalidated. He indicated he could impose tariffs again using Section 301 of the Trade Act, though that route is expected to involve more complex procedures and take longer. Markets have speculated that large companies are likely to file for refunds eventually, given the size of the potential repayments and pressure from shareholders and earnings expectations.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 09:21:37