Journalist

Lee Hugh
  • Hanwha Aerospace Raises KAI Stake Above 5%, Shifts to Active Management Role
    Hanwha Aerospace Raises KAI Stake Above 5%, Shifts to Active Management Role Hanwha Aerospace said in a regulatory filing on the 4th that it bought additional shares of Korea Aerospace Industries, or KAI, and changed its stated purpose for holding the stake from a “simple investment” to “participation in management.” According to the filing, Hanwha Aerospace acquired an additional 100,000 KAI shares, or 0.1%, raising its combined stake including affiliates to 5.09%. With its ownership now above 5%, the company revised its holding purpose to management participation. It said specific plans are under review. Hanwha Aerospace said it plans to invest a total of 500 billion won by the end of this year to buy more KAI shares. Based on KAI’s April 30 closing price of 169,000 won, the purchases would lift Hanwha Aerospace’s stake in KAI to 6.4%. Hanwha Aerospace said the stake increase is aimed at strengthening cooperation in defense and aerospace and improving global export competitiveness. A company official said the firm is expanding its stake after weighing both business synergies and investment value, adding that if a government-led privatization of KAI becomes a public issue, it will review whether to pursue an acquisition, integration or other steps in line with government policy. The two companies have worked together on KF-21 export cooperation, air-to-air missile development and performance upgrades for special operations helicopters. In February, they signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on domestic production of advanced aircraft engines, joint development of unmanned aircraft and a joint push into the global commercial space market. Hanwha Aerospace said the companies aim to expand orders under a “one-team” strategy and grow into a leading national defense firm. It also said the partnership could support the creation of an aerospace and defense cluster centered on Changwon and Sacheon in South Gyeongsang Province and help create jobs.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-04 19:09:17
  • KB, Shinhan and Woori Tell SEC Inclusive Finance Push Could Strain Asset Quality
    KB, Shinhan and Woori Tell SEC Inclusive Finance Push Could Strain Asset Quality South Korea’s major financial holding companies have warned that the government’s expanding “shared growth” and inclusive finance policies could weigh on asset quality. According to the financial sector on the 4th, KB Financial Group and Shinhan and Woori Financial Group recently filed earnings-related reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Korean financial holding companies regularly submit reports to the SEC as they diversify funding channels. The filings shared a common concern about soundness. KB said that aligning with the government’s “productive finance” policy could lead to losses, adding that increased exposure to small and midsize enterprises this year could push delinquency rates higher. Shinhan also said delinquency rates are likely to rise as it advances programs such as the Sae Do-yak Fund. Woori said measures such as adjusting interest rates for middle- and low-income borrowers could add pressure to its net interest margin, and it may need to take steps to reduce SME exposure. Delinquency indicators have already worsened as banks expand lending to SMEs under the productive finance drive. The average corporate delinquency rate at the five major banks — KB, Shinhan, Hana, Woori and NH NongHyup — rose to 0.46% in the first quarter from 0.37% the previous quarter. The SME delinquency rate increased to 0.57% from 0.49%. Delinquencies in real estate-related industries have hit the highest level in 13 years as the Middle East war has delayed a recovery in the property market. The burden from estimated losses and other asset-quality pressures is likely to grow, as high inflation and an economic slowdown further weaken conditions for SMEs. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups said the Small Business Health Index (SBHI) for May fell 3.2 points from the previous month to 77.6. A reading below 100 means more firms expect conditions to worsen than to improve.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-04 18:42:18
  • Seoul converts downtown into massive garden for international exhibition
    Seoul converts downtown into massive garden for international exhibition SEOUL, May 04 (AJP) - Seoul transformed into a massive public garden as the 2026 Seoul International Garden Show opened Friday in the Seoul Forest and Seongsu, the western district of hipsters and foreign tourists. The exhibition is scheduled to run through October 27. The event spans approximately 90,000 square meters and features 167 distinct gardens, making it the largest horticultural show in the history of the capital. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the project serves as a centerpiece for the "Garden City Seoul" initiative. The show includes "Garden Under the Flowing Forest" by French landscape architect Henri Bava, located on the eastern side of the Seoul Forest lawn. South Korean designer Lee Nam-jin contributed "Garden of Waiting," which was installed in the Seongsu Handmade Shoe Park. Major South Korean construction firms and public agencies participated in the development of the site. Gardens sponsored by Daewoo Engineering and Construction, GS Engineering and Construction, HDC, Hoban Construction, Kyeryong Construction, and SH Corporation are featured throughout the Seoul Forest lawn area. The exhibition also includes a collaborative installation by Pokémon Korea titled "Pokémon Secret Forest." This experience-based exhibition will operate until June 21 with no admission fee. Opening day drew over 40,000 visitors to Seoul Forest and the Seongsu station area, forcing officials to temporarily suspend operations in certain sections to manage the flow of people. By 3:00 p.m. on Friday, the population in the Seongsu-dong area reached approximately 50,000 people, reaching the "crowded" alert level. 2026-05-04 18:31:04
  • Seoul mayoral candidate Jeong Won-oh visits Korea Exchange, urges support for market shift
    Seoul mayoral candidate Jeong Won-oh visits Korea Exchange, urges support for market shift Jeong Won-oh, the Democratic Party’s candidate for Seoul mayor, visited the Korea Exchange on May 4, as the benchmark KOSPI index topped 6,900, and said Seoul must raise its growth rate to sustain the “money move” into stocks and the market rally. Speaking at an event titled “Jeong Won-oh’s On-the-Ground Visit: Finance Edition” at the exchange in Seoul’s Yeouido district, Jeong said that as of 2024 the national economic growth rate was 2.0% while Seoul’s was 1.0%. He said Seoul should help ensure the KOSPI’s upward momentum continues. According to the Korea Exchange, the KOSPI closed at 6,936.99, a record high. Jeong said the Lee Jae-myung government and the Democratic Party were turning what critics said was impossible into reality, and urged the Seoul city government to keep supporting the market mood through measures such as regulatory reform and improved administrative services. Rep. Oh Ki-hyoung, who attended the meeting, also called for shifting the focus from real estate to capital markets. “Economic growth centered on real estate is no longer feasible,” Oh said, adding that resources should move toward innovative companies and capital markets. Rep. Kim Nam-geun said he joined the event to discuss investment opportunities across Seoul so money tied up in real estate can move into more productive sectors. Participants also raised concerns about a lack of startup space. Kim said the city would use idle spaces across Seoul to create places where venture and startup firms can operate without the burden of rent. Oh said that despite existing startup support spaces in Seoul, many companies start up elsewhere due to rent costs or to receive support from other local governments. He said there is a mismatch between demand and available space.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-04 17:52:41
  • Samsung Biologics Labor Talks Resume With No Deal as Strike Enters Fourth Day
    Samsung Biologics Labor Talks Resume With No Deal as Strike Enters Fourth Day Samsung Biologics and its union resumed talks as the full-scale strike entered its fourth day, but failed to narrow differences. The two sides plan additional meetings on May 6 and May 8 to continue negotiations. The Samsung Biologics Sangsaeng branch of the Samsung Group Inter-Company Labor Union said the sides again found no common ground in a meeting mediated by the Jungbu Regional Office of Employment and Labor on May 4. A first session ran for about two hours from 10:15 a.m. and ended without progress. Talks continued from 1:30 p.m. to 4:10 p.m., with labor and management meeting separately with the Labor Ministry. The union said, "There was no meaningful agenda or direction presented, and only the next meeting was set." The sides will hold a one-on-one meeting between chief negotiators on May 6, and a tripartite meeting involving the Labor Ministry on May 8, the union said. Union branch chief Park Jae-seong attended the May 4 meeting. He did not attend a labor-management-government meeting on April 30 due to an overseas schedule. The company was represented by working-level officials at the executive director level and department heads, according to the union. The dispute centers on wages, bonuses and personnel systems. The union is seeking an average 14% wage increase, a 30 million won incentive per employee, and distribution of 20% of operating profit as performance pay. The company has proposed a 6.2% wage increase and a one-time payment of 6 million won. Negotiations have also been complicated by provisions requiring the union's prior consent on major management issues such as new hiring, performance evaluations and mergers and acquisitions. Ahead of the meeting, the union said the situation cannot be resolved unless the company presents a substantive revised proposal and a responsible official with decision-making authority. The sides held 13 rounds of talks from December last year through March but failed to reach an agreement. Strikes in some processes from April 28 to 30 reportedly disrupted production of anticancer drugs and HIV treatments. The company estimates losses of about 150 billion won during that period. The current strike has been carried out through use of weekday leave and refusal to work on holidays, with about 2,800 of the union's 4,000 members participating. The union plans to continue the full-scale strike through May 5, then shift on May 6 to a work-to-rule campaign by refusing overtime and holiday work.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-04 17:51:18
  • Kim Yong-beom says long-term capital gains tax break will stay; tax deferral helped cool Gangnam prices
    Kim Yong-beom says long-term capital gains tax break will stay; tax deferral helped cool Gangnam prices Kim Yong-beom, head of policy at the presidential office, said Monday the long-term holding special deduction for home-sale capital gains taxes will “of course” be maintained. Speaking at a news briefing at Cheong Wa Dae, Kim addressed a bill by Progressive Party lawmaker Yoon Jong-oh that would abolish the deduction entirely. Kim said the government is only considering adjustments and that claims it would reduce owner-occupancy are “not true at all.” Kim added, however, that officials need to consider whether applying the same 40% deduction rate to both residence and holding periods fits the goal of reshaping the housing market around owner-occupiers. “If the system is reorganized around actual residence, there may be cases worth considering for non-residence, but we need to gather more opinions,” he said, stressing that the government will do its best to ensure there are no problems protecting owner-occupiers with a single home. The long-term holding special deduction reduces taxes on gains from selling real estate held for at least three years, with the deduction rising with the holding period. For example, selling a single home held and lived in for at least 10 years can qualify for a 40% holding-period deduction and a 40% residence-period deduction, making 80% of the capital gain tax-exempt. Last month, President Lee wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that “normalizing the abnormal practice of cutting taxes for people who speculated for a long time on homes they don’t live in” is not a “tax bomb.” He said that to properly protect single-home owners, it would be right to reduce tax breaks tied to non-resident holding periods and increase breaks tied to resident holding periods. Kim said Lee had signaled plans to rationalize the tax system by differentiating among categories such as multiple-home owners, non-residents and ultra-high-priced homes, and that ministries and related organizations are studying options. Kim also said the presidential office believes the deferral of heavier capital gains taxes on multiple-home owners — set to expire May 9 — helped bring more homes to market and contributed to price declines in premium apartment areas such as Seoul’s Gangnam district. He said listings increased after the government announced it would end the deferral, and prices fell particularly in high-priced apartment areas including Gangnam’s three districts and Yongsan. Kim said that since Jan. 23, sale listings in the three Gangnam districts and Yongsan have risen about 46%, and price gains have turned into declines. He called it a meaningful change that high-end apartment areas fell first, an unusual pattern that also matters in terms of easing asset inequality. He said sales of Seoul apartments held by multiple-home owners in March rose 32% from a year earlier, and 73% of buyers were people without homes. He said it was also positive that transactions were centered on end-users such as young people. Looking ahead, Kim said some decline in listings is inevitable after the deferral ends, but he argued the same pattern seen in 2021 is unlikely to repeat because strong measures such as lending rules and the land transaction permit system are already in place. On the government’s pledged plan to supply 60,000 housing units, Kim said it will begin as announced. 2026-05-04 17:37:25
  • Samsung Elec changes TV chief as Chinese rivals ascend
    Samsung Elec changes TV chief as Chinese rivals ascend SEOUL, May 04 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics has replaced the head of its television business as South Korean TV brands' long-held dominance over global premium market is being threatened by Chinese rivals whose price appeal has been reinforced with open-source artificial intelligence features. Once-household TV names Samsung and LG Electronics are increasingly being squeezed on global shelves by Chinese competitors repowered with AI specs. According to 2025 data from Counterpoint Research, Chinese manufacturers TCL and Hisense captured a combined 25 percent share of the global TV market by shipment volume, overtaking the combined 24 percent held by Samsung and LG. Samsung accounted for 15 percent and LG 9 percent. The competitive shift became more visible in December 2025, when TCL briefly surpassed Samsung in monthly TV shipments to claim the global top spot. The rise of Chinese manufacturers has coincided with their rapid adoption of low-cost, high-efficiency AI models such as DeepSeek across consumer electronics. Companies including TCL and Haier are integrating open-source large language models into televisions and home appliances to provide advanced voice interaction and smart-home functions once viewed as strengths of Korean premium brands. Against that backdrop, Samsung Electronics on Monday announced a surprise leadership change in its visual display business, appointing President Lee Won-jin, head of the company’s Global Marketing Office and a former Google executive, to replace President Yong Seok-woo as division chief. The reshuffle is widely viewed as a strategic shift toward strengthening Samsung’s AI ecosystem and software capabilities rather than relying solely on hardware competitiveness. “With the integration of on-device AI in home appliances, data security and the ecosystem connecting these devices have become paramount,” said Chae Sang-mi, a professor of business administration at Ewha Womans University. “The appointment of a former Google executive suggests Samsung may be pivoting toward a premium, AI-centric ecosystem that leverages data and device networks to differentiate itself.” Industry observers say Samsung is increasingly attempting to counter Chinese manufacturers not only through premium hardware, but also through platform-based services such as its ad-supported streaming platform Samsung TV Plus and broader connected-device ecosystems. Samsung’s visual display and digital appliance businesses reportedly posted a combined annual operating loss of around 200 billion won ($145 million) last year, reflecting mounting pressure in the mass-market segment. Japanese daily Nikkei reported late last month that Samsung is considering withdrawing its TV and home appliance sales operations from China by the end of this year, although manufacturing operations would remain in place. Asked about the possibility during a public event in Seoul last month, former visual display head Yong acknowledged that the Chinese market remains “challenging” and said the company was “reviewing the business in various ways.” Samsung said Monday that it has “no official position yet” regarding the reported withdrawal. Chae said such a move would reflect broader structural changes in the global electronics market. “As Chinese brands upgrade from budget to premium strategies with AI capabilities, Samsung’s market share in standard segments has inevitably dropped,” she said. “From a business perspective, exiting low-margin areas to focus on high-value premium products is a necessary strategic move.” Despite losing ground in overall shipment volume, Samsung and LG continue to dominate the ultra-premium segment. According to market research firm Omdia, the two South Korean companies accounted for nearly 80 percent of global revenue in televisions priced above $2,500, with Samsung holding 49.6 percent and LG 30.2 percent. TCL and Hisense each accounted for roughly 1 percent in the premium category. Still, analysts say the broader competitive landscape is shifting quickly as AI lowers software barriers and accelerates the rise of Chinese consumer electronics brands beyond low-cost manufacturing. For Samsung, the challenge is no longer simply maintaining leadership in televisions, but defending its ecosystem advantage in an AI-driven consumer market increasingly shaped by Chinese competitors. 2026-05-04 17:36:39
  • Samsung, Meta Set for AI Smart Glasses Showdown in Second Half of 2026
    Samsung, Meta Set for AI Smart Glasses Showdown in Second Half of 2026 The market for artificial intelligence-powered smart glasses, widely seen as a next-generation device after smartphones, is expected to heat up in the second half of the year as Samsung Electronics and Meta prepare competing launches. As AI moves into eyewear, companies are betting on real-time translation, hands-free controls and faster processing of visual information to push “wearable AI” into the mainstream. Industry sources and foreign media reported Sunday that Samsung, working with Google and Qualcomm, is expected to reveal its next AI smart glasses as early as July. Attention is focused on Samsung’s second-half “Galaxy Unpacked” event, scheduled to be held in London, where the company could show the device publicly for the first time. The product is being developed as a three-way effort: Samsung’s hardware, Google’s Android-based wearable operating system and a dedicated Qualcomm chipset. Samsung previously said at an Unpacked event early last year that it would work with Google and Qualcomm to build an extended reality, or XR, ecosystem. Samsung’s glasses are expected to emphasize a lighter, everyday eyewear form rather than a headset-style XR device. Cameras and sensors in the frame are expected to track a user’s gaze, while Google’s generative AI, Gemini, would analyze objects in view or provide real-time interpretation and translation services. The device is also expected to be “screenless,” with no separate display, to keep weight down and focus on an AI assistant and audio functions. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon AR1 chip is expected to serve as the device’s processor, handling complex AI algorithms quickly. The glasses are expected to support immediate interaction without a smartphone connection. The price is expected to range from $379 to $499. Meta, meanwhile, is stepping up its push into South Korea with its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. The company recently set July as the launch date for its AI glasses in the country, after strong global demand. It is expected to lead with the second-generation Ray-Ban Meta glasses and also introduce two Oakley Meta series models in a goggle-like design. Unlike Samsung’s expected approach, Meta’s product is described as keeping the look of regular glasses while inserting display lenses and maximizing voice-based “Meta AI” assistant features. Users can listen to music, make calls and capture point-of-view photos. The South Korea models are expected to include Korean-language features and services tailored to local users, as part of a strategy to improve convenience for customers in the country. Both companies are investing heavily in AI smart glasses as they compete for leadership in what they see as a “post-smartphone” market. Smartphones have clear physical limits, while glasses are directly tied to a user’s field of view, making them a strong platform for AI to understand context, the report said. Counterpoint Research said the global AR smart glasses market grew 98% in 2025 from a year earlier. Growth in the second half of last year rose 148% from the same period a year earlier. “AI smart glasses will be a contest over who delivers the most convenient AI user experience,” an industry official was quoted as saying. With Samsung’s ecosystem strength facing Meta’s early technology lead, the official said, the smart glasses market appears to be approaching a turning point.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-04 17:36:19
  • KOSPI hits record high, approaching the 7,000 mark
    KOSPI hits record high, approaching the 7,000 mark SEOUL, May 04 (AJP) - Korea’s benchmark KOSPI led gains across Asia on Monday, surging more than five percent to a fresh high as markets in China and Japan remained closed for holidays, while Hong Kong posted comparatively modest gains. The KOSPI closed 5.12 percent higher at a record 6,936.99, after moving between an intraday low of 6,741.63 and a high of 6,937.00. The rally was driven by strong foreign and institutional buying, with foreign investors purchasing 3.00 trillion won ($2.04 billion) worth of shares and institutions adding 1.94 trillion won, while retail investors sold 4.79 trillion won, indicating a market led by offshore and institutional flows. Large-cap technology and semiconductor stocks led the advance, supported by continued optimism over artificial intelligence investment and improving global tech sentiment. SK hynix jumped 12.5 percent to close at 1,447,000 won, after touching an intraday high of 1,450,000 won, while SK Square surged 17.8 percent to 991,000 won. Samsung Electronics rose 5.4 percent to 232,500 won, extending gains across the broader chip sector. Gains also spread to other sectors. LG Energy Solution climbed 2.5 percent to 472,000 won, while Hyundai Motor added 1.5 percent to 539,000 won. In the industrial and defense sector, Hanwha Aerospace rose 3.4 percent to 1,465,000 won and Doosan Enerbility edged up 0.1 percent to 127,200 won, while HD Hyundai Heavy Industries slipped 0.7 percent to 680,000 won. Biotech heavyweight Samsung Biologics rose 1.02 percent to 1,485,000 won. By sector, conglomerates led the gains, rising 11.6 percent, followed by electrical equipment and securities, which both climbed 8.6 percent. Theme-wise, cable-related stocks surged 17 percent, while power equipment and optical communication sectors advanced 11.4 percent and 10.5 percent, respectively. On the junior KOSDAQ, the index rose 1.8 percent to close at 1,213.74, moving between 1,211.39 and 1,222.65 during the session. Foreign investors bought 555.3 billion won worth of shares, while retail investors sold 448.9 billion won, and institutions offloaded 73.6 billion won. Among major stocks, battery and materials names led the gains. EcoPro rose 1.9 percent to close at 155,800 won, while EcoPro BM jumped 4.6 percent to 215,500 won. Biotech stocks were mixed. Alteogen gained 1.2 percent to 373,000 won, while HLB edged up 0.2 percent to 60,900 won and Peptron climbed 2.7 percent to 267,500 won. Samchundang Pharm, however, fell 1.4 percent to 409,500 won. In the robotics and equipment sector, Rainbow Robotics rose 3.2 percent to 685,000 won, while LEENO Industrial added 1.3 percent to 120,800 won. The Korean won strengthened 0.5 percent to 1,467.7 per dollar. Elsewhere in Asia, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 1.3 percent to 26,120.0, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 and China’s Shanghai Composite remained closed for holidays. Market sentiment was also supported by developments in the Middle East, as the United States announced a new initiative, dubbed “Project Freedom,” aimed at facilitating the movement of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. Under the plan, U.S. Central Command said it would deploy guided missile destroyers, more than 100 aircraft and unmanned platforms, and around 15,000 personnel to support maritime operations. However, officials indicated that direct naval escort of commercial ships would not be part of the operation, suggesting a coordination-based approach involving governments, insurers, and shipping firms. The initiative comes amid mounting pressure in global energy markets, with more than 2,000 vessels and approximately 20,000 crew members stranded in and around the Strait of Hormuz, according to the International Maritime Organization. Oil prices remained volatile. Brent crude traded at $108.8 per barrel, up 0.6 percent, while West Texas Intermediate rose 0.5 percent to $102.5. 2026-05-04 17:27:28
  • In South Korea, even sleep becomes a public competition
    In South Korea, even sleep becomes a public competition SEOUL, May 04 (AJP) - In South Korea, where overwork and sleep deprivation have become almost a national condition, even rest now comes with rules, timers and a scoreboard. At the Han River on Saturday afternoon, 170 contestants arrived armed with plush toys, mosquito-proof determination and creative signs — including one reading, “Don’t wake me up unless you’re a prince” matched in modern-day Sleeping Beauty gown for Seoul’s annual Han River Napping Championship. Since overwork and chronic sleep deprivation come with the journalist’s job, I joined them. The rule was paradoxically simple: fall asleep in public — deeply — while everyone watches. Going to sleep required rituals and performance. A pre-nap yoga session intended to relax participants did the opposite for someone unaccustomed to stretching both muscles and stress. Some contestants clung to oversized stuffed animals like emotional-support teammates. One wore a sleep mask labeled “Offline.” Another built a miniature “sleep zone” complete with neck pillows and warning tape. The challenge was not merely to nap. It was to nap competitively. Lying among 170 strangers in an open public space, the experience of trying to rest became something communal — and for many, strangely unfamiliar. Participants were fitted with heart-rate monitors checked every 30 minutes, while organizers wandered through the crowd armed with feathers and mosquito sound effects to sabotage sleepers. Winners were chosen based on how steadily and deeply their heart rates dropped over time, turning the ancient human act of collapsing from exhaustion into quantified performance art. Then every 30 minutes, the host’s microphone shattered the silence again. From afar, the riverside scene looked peaceful, almost whimsical. Up close, it resembled a wellness survival game show: rest under observation, relaxation under evaluation. Yet for many participants, the event felt less absurd than oddly familiar. “I usually sleep about three to four hours a day,” said Nam Ji-soo, a 30-year-old office worker. “Work doesn’t really stop, and even on weekends, it’s hard to feel fully rested.” University student Park Jun-seok blamed the modern holy trinity of insomnia — social media, short videos and endless notifications. “You lie down to rest, but something always distracts you,” he said. “Social media and YouTube end up being the biggest cause of my lack of sleep.” Their exhaustion reflects a broader national pattern. South Korea ranked near the bottom globally in the IKEA Sleep Report 2025, placing 50th out of 57 surveyed markets with one of the world’s lowest sleep satisfaction levels. Koreans averaged just 6 hours and 27 minutes of sleep per night, among the shortest durations recorded. And even that may be optimistic. A separate 2025 study by the Korean Society of Sleep Research estimated actual average sleep time at only 5 hours and 25 minutes. Another report found Koreans sleep roughly 90 minutes less than the OECD average. Perhaps most revealing is what happens before bed: nearly 70 percent of adults use smartphones until the moment they fall asleep, while more than 60 percent keep their phones beside them overnight. The sleep deficit is coupled with overwork and stress, and experts say the daydreaming or sleeping contests reflects something deeper about modern Korean life. “Sleeping is something we usually do alone, in a private space. But here, it happens in public,” said Kim Jae-hwi, a psychology professor at Chung-Ang University. “Koreans are turning the most private time into a public show.” And perhaps that is what made the scene feel strangely fitting. In a country where productivity rarely powers down and smartphones follow people into bed, even doing nothing now requires an organized event, a heart-rate tracker and an official excuse to rest. For one afternoon at the Han River, sleep stopped being invisible. It became performance, competition — and somehow, entertainment. For me, it was the rarest luxury of all: sanctioned rest disguised as work. 2026-05-04 17:23:28