Journalist

박세진
박세진
  • State institute KAIST partners with Naver to develop app for autistic children
    State institute KAIST partners with Naver to develop app for autistic children SEOUL, May 18 (AJP) - South Korea's leading science and technology institute, KAIST, has joined hands with Naver Cloud AI Lab to develop a smartphone application designed to help children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) communicate more effectively with their parents. KAIST announced on Sunday that the newly developed app, called “AAcess Talk,” was created through a collaboration between its research team and the artificial intelligence lab under Naver, the country’s largest web portal operator. ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. Some individuals with ASD experience difficulty in verbal communication, and a small number show signs of minimally verbal autism (MVA), making it difficult for them to express their thoughts through speech. Children with ASD often rely on illustrated word cards to communicate with their parents. However, these cards often fall short of conveying the child’s emotions or real-time interests, limiting the depth of interaction. To address this issue, the KAIST team developed an AI-based system that operates on tablet PCs and suggests appropriate communication cards in real time. The app allows children to initiate and end conversations and even ask their parents for opinions, offering a more dynamic and personalized form of interaction. “Creating an environment where children can express their own voices is the most important thing,” said Professor Hong Hwa-jung, who led the KAIST research team. “We will continue to develop UX-based technologies and practical tools to support social minorities.” The research was recently honored with a Best Paper Award at the ACM CHI 2025, a leading conference on human-computer interaction held in Yokohama, Japan. 2025-05-18 15:29:33
  • Lee Jae-myung builds commanding lead as Kim Moon-soo trails, Lee Jun-seok stays in single digits
    Lee Jae-myung builds commanding lead as Kim Moon-soo trails, Lee Jun-seok stays in single digits SEOUL, May 18 (AJP) - One week into South Korea’s snap presidential election, Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung is beginning to break away from the pack, a survey showed Saturday. Lee’s campaign, steady and cautious, is gaining traction even in regions once considered hostile ground. People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo remains stalled in second place, while Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok stays in the single digits, aiming to position himself as a third option. A poll released by Gallup Korea on May 17 shows Lee Jae-myung with 51 percent support nationwide, marking the first time he’s crossed the halfway mark. He holds strong numbers in the capital region, 50 percent in Seoul and 55 percent in Gyeonggi and Incheon, and is making surprising inroads in conservative strongholds, polling at 34 percent in Daegu City and North Gyeongsang Province and 41 percent in Busan City, Ulsan City, and South Gyeongsang Province. He also holds a solid majority among centrists, with 52 percent support. Lee reportedly told aides to “keep their heads down” and stay humble, trying to keep his posture low even as his numbers climb. Within his camp, there’s growing awareness of a potential backlash or late conservative surge, particularly among so-called “shy” conservative voters. Kim Moon-soo, who emerged as the PPP’s nominee after a drawn-out internal battle, is struggling to build momentum. He sits at 29 percent support, with 48 percent in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province and 39 percent in South Geyongsang Province including Busan and Ulsan, numbers far below what the party had expected. His backing among conservatives (58 percent) also trails the 84 percent support Lee enjoys among progressives. Kim’s early campaign has been marred by a string of challenges, including the delayed departure of former President Yoon Suk Yeol from the party and unease over the presence of hardline figures in his camp. While some in the PPP believe Yoon’s exit will help consolidate their fractured base, others argue it came too late to change the dynamic. Meanwhile, Lee Jun-seok, polling at 8 percent, is pressing his case as the only real alternative to both Lee and Kim. He’s hoping to attract conservatives disenchanted with the PPP and moderates wary of Lee Jae-myung’s return to power. But with the election drawing closer, many voters are expected to return to the familiar camps of the two main parties. Calls for a conservative unification have largely lost steam. Kim’s early plan to build a broad right-wing coalition collapsed when talks with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo broke down. Now, with Lee Jae-myung pulling ahead, there appears to be little incentive left to pursue an alliance with Lee Jun-seok. Lee is expected to sharpen his attacks on Kim, framing him as a "far-right insurrection candidate" for refusing to cut ties with Yoon Suk Yeol. Lee Jun-seok also criticized Kim, saying, "Any candidate with shared responsibility must step down with Yoon." With just over two weeks to go, the race is entering a critical phase. Lee Jae-myung is focused on protecting his lead without overreaching. Kim Moon-soo is under pressure to find momentum. And Lee Jun-seok, despite low numbers, is holding his position in hopes of a late break. The Korea Gallup poll cited in this article was conducted from May 13 to 15 among 1,004 respondents aged 18 or older. The survey has a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level and a response rate of 16.4 percent. For full details, refer to the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission. 2025-05-18 13:45:19
  • Firefighters bring major blaze at Gwangju Kumho Tire plant under control
    Firefighters bring major blaze at Gwangju Kumho Tire plant under control SEOUL, May 18 (AJP) - A large fire at Kumho Tire’s Gwangju plant is nearing containment, prompting fire authorities to consider scaling back the emergency response level as of Sunday. The National Fire Agency said that as of the morning of May 18, the blaze was about 80 percent contained. A total of 462 firefighters and 168 pieces of equipment have been deployed in an ongoing effort to fully extinguish the flames. The fire broke out around 7:11 a.m. Saturday in the mixing area of Plant 2, located in the western section of the facility. The Gwangju plant is divided into two sections: Plant 1 to the south and Plant 2 to the west. The mixing process, where raw rubber is combined with chemical agents at the start of tire production, is believed to have been the ignition point. Investigators suspect sparks from an industrial oven used to preheat the rubber set off the fire. Due to the scale of the incident and the release of toxic smoke, the fire agency had initially issued a national firefighting mobilization order. However, with containment efforts progressing, officials are now weighing whether to lower the response level. Kumho Tire has halted all production at the plant while damage assessment and recovery are underway. Nearby residents were affected by the smoke and dust, prompting evacuations. A total of 183 people from 98 households across four adjacent apartment complexes have taken shelter at a temporary evacuation center set up at Gwangju Women’s University gymnasium. Firefighters bring major blaze at Gwangju Kumho Tire plant under control A large fire at Kumho Tire’s Gwangju plant is nearing containment, prompting fire authorities to consider scaling back the emergency response level as of Sunday. The National Fire Agency said that as of the morning of May 18, the blaze was about 80 percent contained. A total of 462 firefighters and 168 pieces of equipment have been deployed in an ongoing effort to fully extinguish the flames. The fire broke out around 7:11 a.m. Saturday in the mixing area of Plant 2, located in the western section of the facility. The Gwangju plant is divided into two sections: Plant 1 to the south and Plant 2 to the west. The mixing process, where raw rubber is combined with chemical agents at the start of tire production, is believed to have been the ignition point. Investigators suspect sparks from an industrial oven used to preheat the rubber set off the fire. Due to the scale of the incident and the release of toxic smoke, the fire agency had initially issued a national firefighting mobilization order. However, with containment efforts progressing, officials are now weighing whether to lower the response level. Kumho Tire has halted all production at the plant while damage assessment and recovery are underway. Nearby residents were affected by the smoke and dust, prompting evacuations. A total of 183 people from 98 households across four adjacent apartment complexes have taken shelter at a temporary evacuation center set up at Gwangju Women’s University gymnasium. Firefighters bring major blaze at Gwangju Kumho Tire plant under control A large fire at Kumho Tire’s Gwangju plant is nearing containment, prompting fire authorities to consider scaling back the emergency response level as of Sunday. The National Fire Agency said that as of the morning of May 18, the blaze was about 80 percent contained. A total of 462 firefighters and 168 pieces of equipment have been deployed in an ongoing effort to fully extinguish the flames. The fire broke out around 7:11 a.m. Saturday in the mixing area of Plant 2, located in the western section of the facility. The Gwangju plant is divided into two sections: Plant 1 to the south and Plant 2 to the west. The mixing process, where raw rubber is combined with chemical agents at the start of tire production, is believed to have been the ignition point. Investigators suspect sparks from an industrial oven used to preheat the rubber set off the fire. Due to the scale of the incident and the release of toxic smoke, the fire agency had initially issued a national firefighting mobilization order. However, with containment efforts progressing, officials are now weighing whether to lower the response level. Kumho Tire has halted all production at the plant while damage assessment and recovery are underway. Nearby residents were affected by the smoke and dust, prompting evacuations. A total of 183 people from 98 households across four adjacent apartment complexes have taken shelter at a temporary evacuation center set up at Gwangju Women’s University gymnasium. Firefighters bring major blaze at Gwangju Kumho Tire plant under control A large fire at Kumho Tire’s Gwangju plant is nearing containment, prompting fire authorities to consider scaling back the emergency response level as of Sunday. The National Fire Agency said that as of the morning of May 18, the blaze was about 80 percent contained. A total of 462 firefighters and 168 pieces of equipment have been deployed in an ongoing effort to fully extinguish the flames. The fire broke out around 7:11 a.m. Saturday in the mixing area of Plant 2, located in the western section of the facility. The Gwangju plant is divided into two sections: Plant 1 to the south and Plant 2 to the west. The mixing process, where raw rubber is combined with chemical agents at the start of tire production, is believed to have been the ignition point. Investigators suspect sparks from an industrial oven used to preheat the rubber set off the fire. Due to the scale of the incident and the release of toxic smoke, the fire agency had initially issued a national firefighting mobilization order. However, with containment efforts progressing, officials are now weighing whether to lower the response level. Kumho Tire has halted all production at the plant while damage assessment and recovery are underway. Nearby residents were affected by the smoke and dust, prompting evacuations. A total of 183 people from 98 households across four adjacent apartment complexes have taken shelter at a temporary evacuation center set up at Gwangju Women’s University gymnasium. 2025-05-18 10:27:57