Seoul aims to correct "misunderstanding" in public policy with live government briefings SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - South Korean bureaucrats are often “misunderstood” as lazy or corrupt, but if such perceptions reflected reality, the country could never have advanced to the level admired by much of the world, President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday as he addressed government officials at the Sejong Government Complex for the first time since taking office in June. Again for the first time, each ministry and public office’s briefing to the president was broadcast live. “There is no need to be nervous. This will be fun,” Lee said, speaking casually to stone-faced senior officials appearing before the president and cameras. Koo Yun-cheol, deputy prime minister for the economy, reported that the government aims to lift Korea’s potential growth rate above 1.8 percent next year, emphasizing policies designed to spur corporate investment. Lee also ordered faster progress from a task force dedicated to “rationalizing punishment for economic wrongdoings,” arguing that Korean criminal law too often penalizes working-level employees rather than primary beneficiaries of misconduct. “Somewhere called ‘pang’ has broken regulations this time,” he said, referring obliquely to Coupang, which is under investigation after a massive data breach affecting more than 30 million users. Lee said such irregularities persist because penalties remain weak. Ahead of the session, ministries received internal guidelines stating that briefings would be “principally live-streamed, with Deputy Minister and Director General-level officials in attendance, and exceptions for non-disclosure made only when necessary—for example, on diplomatic or security grounds.” The televised format is part of the presidential office’s broader push toward what it describes as “discussion-based and participatory governance.” The shift has changed work rhythms in both Seoul and Sejong. Weekend work has become routine, officials say, as ministries prepare for live policy briefings. Senior officials at the Director-General level and above, who may be questioned directly by the president, are memorizing data and rehearsing answers to anticipated questions. Many are making extra efforts to avoid misstatements or hesitation in front of both the president and the public. This year’s briefing also breaks bureaucratic precedent. Such sessions are traditionally held at the start of the year, but the administration opted to convene the meeting at year’s end as part of its transparency initiative. The live-briefing series spans 19 ministries, five departments, 18 agencies, seven commissions, and 228 public institutions, along with six related organizations, including the Financial Supervisory Service. Sessions will rotate between Seoul, Sejong, and Busan in the coming weeks. 2025-12-11 16:50:46

After game-curfew flop, Seoul unlikely to adopt Australia's drastic social media ban SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - In every advanced society — from the United States to East Asia to Australia — one common reality defines modern childhood: kids and teenagers are glued to their screens. Whether scrolling through social media, watching YouTube, or toggling between both, their digital immersion is constant. Governments are responding with varying degrees of intervention, but only a few have taken dramatic steps. Australia is now the boldest example, and one that Seoul is highly unlikely to follow. According to Britain's Ofcom, 99 percent of children now spend time online, and nine in ten own a mobile phone by age 11. The regulator warns of "a blurred boundary between the lives children lead online and the 'real world,'" describing how deeply digital habits shape childhood. Ofcom also found that three-quarters of children aged 8 to 17 who use social media have at least one account, even though most platforms set a minimum age of 13. Among 8- to 12-year-olds, six in ten maintain their own profiles. The United States shows a similar pattern. A Pew Research Center report released Tuesday found that most American teenagers use YouTube and TikTok daily, and about one in five are on one of the two platforms "almost constantly." Experts warn of risks ranging from diminished attention spans to delayed cognitive development, but few governments have enacted hard rules. Australia stands out for enforcing a complete ban on social media accounts for anyone under 16, prohibiting minors from creating or maintaining profiles on designated platforms. The measure has sparked intense debate. The Australian Human Rights Commission has warned that VPNs and fake age declarations could undermine the law and argues that an account ban "does not address the root causes of online risks or make platforms safer for everyone." For Seoul, such a prohibition would be politically and socially untenable. Korea's last attempt at sweeping digital regulation — the so-called shutdown law, which barred anyone under 16 from online gaming between midnight and 6 a.m. — was repealed in 2021 after a decade of resistance and ridicule. It had little impact on gaming habits, even as Korean gamers became world-class e-sports competitors. "I don't think parents would tolerate it," said Song Ki-chang, professor of education at Sookmyung Women's University. "Parents and children communicate through these apps these days. They check things or send messages whenever needed. I'm not sure a ban on SNS accounts is even feasible." The Ministry of Science and ICT's 2024 smartphone dependency survey shows why the concern persists but heavy-handed controls are unlikely. More than four in ten Korean adolescents fall into the "risk group" for smartphone overuse — including both high-risk and potential-risk users. Dependency risk in 2024 reached 42.6 percent among adolescents aged 10 to 19 and 25.9 percent among children aged 3 to 9, compared with 22.4 percent among adults aged 20 to 59 and 11.9 percent among seniors. The OECD notes that governments have a critical role in shaping safer digital environments, yet reliable global data on youth digital behavior remains limited, hampering evidence-based policymaking. For educators, the answer lies less in prohibition and more in resilience-building. "It's not going after the companies that can really do something, which are Apple, Google, and Microsoft," said Douglas Weir, 33, a principal at an international school in Seoul. Larger schools face greater challenges in monitoring usage, he said, but the underlying problem is universal. "When we were kids, we had to learn how to use search engines and computers for the first time. The same conversations were happening then about whether it was appropriate or dangerous. I don't think we're going to solve this overnight — but the approach needs to be about educating kids, not banning." 2025-12-11 16:43:38

Workers trapped after collapse at construction site in Gwangju SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - A steel structure collapsed at a construction site in the southwestern city of Gwangju on Thursday, leaving several workers trapped. According to emergency rescue officials, the incident occurred at around 1:58 p.m. at a construction site for a library, with four workers trapped under the debris. One person was rescued shortly after the collapse but is presumed dead. Search and rescue operations are underway for the remaining three workers. Police and government authorities plan to investigate the exact cause of the accident after completing the rescue operations. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-11 16:26:16

Punjab chief minister courts S. Korean investors during Seoul visit SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann wrapped up a two-day visit to Seoul on December 9 with a series of meetings aimed at attracting South Korean investment across infrastructure, energy, food processing, and advanced manufacturing. The trip also included a large investment roadshow, where Mann promoted Punjab as a stable and future-ready business destination. During talks with Daewoo E&C Chairman Jung Won-joo, Mann pushed for cooperation on renewable energy projects, including offshore wind farms, solar plants, and hydrogen production, while also highlighting opportunities in LNG terminals, petrochemical complexes, fertilizer plants, smart-city development, and transport infrastructure. He also stressed the potential for modular and prefabricated construction technologies to support faster, more cost-efficient building in the state. At a separate meeting with GS Engineering & Construction Vice President Ryu Young-ha, the chief minister encouraged collaboration in solar, wind, and hydrogen energy, as well as large-scale civil works, industrial complexes, and EPC services. Mann said Punjab would provide full support for Korean participation in green hydrogen and clean-energy initiatives. Food and agribusiness were also on the agenda. In talks with Nongshim Holdings, Mann advocated joint development of new instant noodle products tailored to Indian consumers and urged greater expansion into Indian retail and e-commerce channels. He proposed cooperation on marketing aimed at health-conscious and youth demographics, along with partnerships on sustainable packaging and research into longevity foods and plant-based products. Industrial technology featured prominently in his meeting with Korea Display Industry Association Vice Chairman Lee Sung-kyu. Mann called for exploring investment in display manufacturing and technology transfer, as well as collaboration in cybersecurity, robotics, unmanned systems, and workforce training programs related to display engineering. The chief minister also met Seoul Business Agency Startup Division Director Kim Jong-woo, where discussions focused on startup incubation, acceleration programs, and SBA's export support initiatives. Mann stressed that strengthening knowledge exchange on innovation ecosystems could help Punjab-based startups expand globally. A roundtable on improving the business environment brought together major Korean legal firms, financial institutions, trade bodies, and think tanks. Mann presented recent regulatory reforms and invited feedback on streamlining procedures to support investment. He promoted Punjab as one of India's preferred destinations for global companies and pointed to developments underway ahead of the Progressive Punjab Investors' Summit 2026. Mann also visited Pangyo Techno Valley, often described as South Korea's Silicon Valley, to study its deep-tech startup ecosystem. Officials from the Gyeonggi Province Business & Science Accelerator briefed the delegation on Pangyo's accelerator programs, testing platforms, and performance-driven evaluation system. Mann said Punjab could adapt similar approaches in Mohali to strengthen research, innovation, and high-skilled employment. The visit culminated in the Punjab Investment Roadshow in Seoul, which drew participation from Korean corporations, financial institutions, R&D organizations, trade associations, legal advisors, and members of the Indian and Punjabi communities. Mann highlighted Punjab's industrial base, cost-competitive power supply, reliable labor relations, and connectivity to major markets, positioning the state as a predictable and supportive investment environment. Indian Ambassador to South Korea Gourangalal Das welcomed the delegation and said the Embassy would continue working to expand industrial ties between India and South Korea. Participants also heard a video message from the managing director of Sunjin, who praised the investment climate in Mohali and Chandigarh and spoke positively of Punjab's skilled workforce. 2025-12-11 16:13:12

KT Cloud unveils liquid-cooling systems for AI data centers SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - KT Cloud has launched South Korea’s first commercial liquid-cooling system using direct-to-chip (D2C) technology, stepping up efforts to capture a growing share of the AI data center market. The company on Thursday opened a center which replicates a full AI data center environment to showcase high-efficiency, high-reliability operations. D2C cooling works by attaching a cold plate directly to a server’s GPU chip and circulating coolant to remove heat. KT Cloud said the method delivers significantly better heat management than traditional air-cooling systems, cutting power consumption by 20 to 30 percent. The company has built server and rack load systems that meet global AI server specifications, testing variables such as coolant flow, pressure and temperature. The technology is already in commercial operation at KT Cloud’s Gasan AI data center, with upcoming facilities in Bucheon, Gaebong and Ansan designed to support liquid-cooling. KT Cloud also demonstrated an immersion-cooling setup — submerging servers in a dielectric liquid — which achieved up to 60 percent power savings during load tests. With AI infrastructure demand accelerating, KT Cloud said it will concentrate on developing next-generation cooling technologies. “There is growing demand for liquid-cooling technology among industries requiring high-performance computing and among cloud providers,” said Heo Young-man, head of the company’s data center division. “Although domestic experience is still limited, we aim to emerge as a leading AI data center player when services begin in April.” * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-11 16:12:25

Japanese cities top travel destinations for Korean Air passengers SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Tokyo was the most popular destination among overseas travelers aboard Korean Air this year, with Japanese cities dominating the top spots for short-haul travel. According to a year-end report released Thursday by the country's flagship carrier, based on the number of passengers on international flights from January through Nov. 10, Tokyo topped the list, followed by Osaka, Fukuoka, and Bangkok. Flights to Chinese cities rebounded sharply, with passenger numbers to Shanghai increasing by 128,000 compared to the previous year, followed by Beijing, up 71,000, and Qingdao, up 63,000. Of the 16.49 million passengers Korean Air carried, the most frequent flyer took 216 flights. The figure also included some 5,192 minors on international routes traveling without parents or guardians and 31,818 pets. Passengers in their 30s and 40s accounted for 40 percent of the total, followed by those in their 50s and 60s (30 percent) and those in their teens and 20s (21 percent). Foreign passengers accounted for 35 percent of the total, with Americans and Chinese each making up 24 percent. Korean Air, in the process of merging with Asiana Airlines, recently rolled out newly designed aircraft and improved airport lounges and facilities. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-11 16:04:31

Korea scales back corporate contenders for CES 2026, but books 60% of awards SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - South Korea's presence at the world's biggest consumer technology show will be notably slimmer next year, even as Korean innovators again dominate the event's coveted awards. CES 2026, slated for Jan. 6 to 9 in Las Vegas, is expected to host between 700 and 800 Korean companies, down sharply from about 1,031 firms in 2025, according to industry data. The retreat is driven largely by startups and sole proprietors pulling back, but major conglomerates are also rethinking their strategies. SK Group — which mounted large-scale, multi-company pavilions from 2019 to 2025 — will send only SK hynix. HD Hyundai, known for showcasing next-generation autonomous vessel technologies in recent years, will skip the show entirely. Hyundai Motor Group is scaling down its exhibition, dropping software and self-driving displays where U.S. rivals currently lead. Samsung Electronics, meanwhile, plans to host its showcase at a private hotel rather than its usual anchor space at the Las Vegas Convention Center's Central Hall, now increasingly dominated by Chinese giants such as TCL and Hisense. Fragmented 'Team Korea' weakens coordination The pullback underscores a long-running issue: Korea's lack of a unified national strategy at CES. "There is no central control tower," said Lee Han-bum, president of the Korea Information & Communication Technology Industry Association (KICTA). "KOTRA, the Seoul city government and dozens of local governments all come separately. There is confusion, and even now many participants have not received final approval." KOTRA will lead a unified Korea Pavilion next year that brings together multiple agencies including the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The pavilion will host 469 companies, up from 445 in 2025. But a large share of exhibitors will still go it alone. At CES 2025, 586 Korean companies participated outside the pavilion. If total Korean attendance falls to around 700, the pavilion's share would rise from 43 percent to roughly 67 percent, but it would still not function as an overarching command structure. KOTRA also directly manages only about 140 companies through its own selection process. Much of its role remains focused on booth design, branding and coordination — not comprehensive oversight. High costs, low returns The financial case for attending CES is becoming tougher. Korea is estimated to have spent around $500 million on CES 2025 but saw less than $20 million in tangible returns, Lee said. Samsung Electronics alone invested 20 billion won ($13.5 million) in last year's exhibition — a cost only the largest corporations can afford, leaving smaller companies heavily dependent on government subsidies. Korea sent the third-largest national delegation in early 2025, behind the United States (1,509 firms) and China (1,339). Yet the Startup Alliance noted that many CES Innovation Award winners from Korea struggled to secure investment or overseas partnerships, raising questions about whether the heavy spending is translating into actual commercial outcomes. Korean startups at Eureka Park, the exhibition's dedicated startup venue, accounted for nearly half of all exhibitors last year at 641 companies out of 1,400 total — a dominance that raised questions about sustainability. A single booth can cost at least 100 million won once accommodation, logistics, patent filings and rental fees are included. A sharply weaker won, higher operational costs and tougher U.S. visa conditions under the Trump administration are adding further pressure. Still, Korea dominates the awards Despite scaling back, Korea remains a standout in innovation accolades. KOTRA said Korean companies have secured 168 awards at CES 2026, accounting for 60 percent of all awards and marking the country's third consecutive year as the event's top winner. Korean firms swept all three Best of Innovation awards in the AI category, with honors going to Doosan Robotics, DeepFusion AI, and CityFive. The Seoul Business Agency will support 70 startups at next year's unified pavilion — down from 104 — but is expanding assistance programs, including investor matchmaking, global IR pitch competitions, and media outreach. "Korea needs to compete on technology, not headcount," Lee said. "That means fewer companies, but better-prepared ones." 2025-12-11 15:57:20

Veteran German engineer to lead Hyundai Motor Group's R&D SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor Group is preparing to name Manfred Harrer, its vice president for vehicle development, as the new head of research and development, industry sources said on Thursday. Harrer is expected to be promoted to president and take charge of the R&D division as part of the automaker’s annual executive reshuffle, according to officials at Hyundai’s Namyang R&D Center. The group’s current R&D chief, Yang Hee-won, is scheduled to hold a retirement ceremony on Dec. 15 at the Namyang facility. A veteran engineer with 25 years of experience at Audi, BMW and Porsche, Harrer also worked on Apple’s long-running electric vehicle initiative before joining Hyundai last year. Since then, he has overseen development of high-performance models, including the Genesis GV60 Magma. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-11 15:31:26

Naver launches digital warranty service to combat counterfeits in e-commerce SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Naver rolled out its digital warranty service "Naver Collection", aiming to bolster consumer confidence and curb counterfeit risks across its sprawling e-commerce platform. The service, launched Wednesday, replaces traditional paper warranties with tamper-proof digital certificates stored in the Naver app, featuring hologram badges to prevent forgery. More than 600 brands, including Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and global luxury names such as Coach, Vivienne Westwood and Marni, have adopted the system. The launch follows Naver's October expansion of its "High-End" service into home appliances and living categories, with over 30 premium brands now utilizing the digital warranty feature. "Naver Collection is a digital warranty that satisfies both sellers who value brand identity and buyers seeking authenticity," said a company spokesperson. "We will continue to innovate in the digital warranty market by diversifying templates for different product categories." The paperless approach also contributes to environmental sustainability by reducing carbon emissions associated with physical documentation, the company said. To mark the launch, Naver is running a promotional campaign worth about 20 million won until Jan. 20. 2025-12-11 15:26:58

South Korea prepares rule changes to channel financial capital into AI, chip sectors SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - South Korea plans to relax rules that restrict financial capital from investing in high-tech industries, including artificial intelligence and semiconductors, while maintaining the core principle of separating industrial and financial capital, the government said on Thursday. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol briefed President Lee Jae Myung on the proposed regulatory changes during a policy briefing session in Sejong. President Lee said the administration was preparing “practical measures within the separation principle,” adding that the work was nearing completion. Lee also asked whether the government was creating special provisions to secure funding for early-stage, capital-intensive technologies. Koo said the proposed adjustments would not alter the underlying separation rule, which prevents financial firms from exerting control over industrial companies. “We have preserved the principle, but we are proposing regulatory easing to support sectors that require massive investment,” he said. South Korea introduced its financial–industrial separation policy in 1982 to stop conglomerates from using financial affiliates as private funding channels. The framework was tightened after the 1997 Asian financial crisis, when chaebol-led cross-support and aggressive expansion were criticized for exacerbating systemic risks. Debate over easing the restrictions resurfaced in the 2010s as major technology platforms such as Kakao and Naver expanded into financial services. Although the cap on industrial capital’s stake in banks was raised from 4 percent to 34 percent, voting rights and other limitations remained in place. Growing demand for regulatory relaxation has continued alongside the rapid rise of digital finance, but concerns over market concentration and conflicts of interest have slowed progress. The Lee administration, however, has stressed that high-tech strategic sectors — including semiconductors and AI — require more flexible capital rules. The Ministry of Economy and Finance said it plans to move forward with measures to ease the investment constraints. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-11 15:16:27