China's Shenzhou 21 Mission: A 210-Day Space Stay Raises Key Questions Chinese astronauts aboard the Shenzhou 21 spacecraft have returned to Earth after completing a 210-day mission. This achievement is significant beyond a mere successful space flight. It set a record for the longest single team stay by Chinese astronauts and included successful spacewalks, scientific experiments, and maintenance tasks for the space station. Most importantly, this mission demonstrates that China's ambitions for a 'space rise' are no longer just declarations but a reality. Space is a domain that reflects a nation's overall capabilities. Without a combination of economic strength, scientific and technological prowess, manufacturing competitiveness, educational standards, and long-term national strategy, space development is unattainable. Launching a single rocket involves thousands of companies and tens of thousands of researchers. Building a space station and sustaining a presence in space for hundreds of days is a testament to the strength of an entire national system. China has consistently demonstrated this over the past two decades. In 2003, Yang Liwei's Shenzhou 5 mission made China the third country to achieve human spaceflight, following the United States and Russia. Since then, it has progressively achieved goals such as the Chang'e lunar exploration program, the Tianwen Mars mission, and the construction of its own space station, Tiangong. Notably, consistency is more important than speed. China's space strategy has remained stable despite changes in government. It has pursued national projects with a long-term vision, looking 20 to 30 years ahead rather than focusing on short-term results. The record of 210 days in space is not an overnight achievement but the result of decades of accumulated technology, personnel, and capital. In contrast, South Korea remains in a position of catching up in the space sector, despite having world-class technology in semiconductors, shipbuilding, and batteries. The successful launch of the Nuri rocket is a significant achievement, but the country still lacks an independent space station and experience in human spaceflight. Lunar exploration is also in its early stages. Space is not a distant future concern. Today, it is a critical battleground for security, economy, and industrial competitiveness. Just as nations that dominated the seas led the world in the past, those that secure a foothold in space are likely to shape the new order of the future. The Shenzhou 21 mission is not merely a scientific achievement; it is a pivotal event in the ongoing US-China power competition. Similar to the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, the US and China are now engaged in a new competition for space dominance. The United States is advancing its Artemis program to establish a lunar base and explore Mars, while China is investing heavily to achieve a crewed lunar landing around 2030. Interestingly, the areas of competition extend beyond simple space exploration. Satellite communications, space internet, reconnaissance satellites, space resource development, and space-based AI systems are all interconnected with future industries. Modern warfare has reached a point where it cannot be conducted without space. GPS, satellite communications, and reconnaissance satellite information have become central to military power. In the Russia-Ukraine conflict, civilian satellite networks have altered the course of events. Space has transitioned from a scientist's laboratory to a critical infrastructure for national security. The Korean Peninsula is no exception. North Korea is already making significant efforts to secure military reconnaissance satellites. China, the United States, and Japan are all expanding their space capabilities. The security environment in Northeast Asia is now directly linked to the competition in space technology. Economically, the global space industry is projected to grow into a multi-trillion dollar market within the next few decades. Reusable launch vehicles, satellite communications, space tourism, and space resource development are likely to become new growth drivers. If South Korea falls behind in the space race, it will not only face a technological gap but also find itself at a disadvantage in future industrial leadership and security capabilities. The competition in space ultimately reflects a competition in national strength. However, there is no need to fear China's rise. Instead, we should learn from it. China's strengths lie not just in technology but in its long-term strategy and talent development. It consistently cultivates a large number of STEM graduates and pursues national goals with unwavering commitment, positioning the space industry as a core component of its future growth strategy. South Korea has clear tasks ahead. First, a sustained national space strategy is needed, regardless of changes in government. Second, an ecosystem for the space industry must be established, allowing large corporations, startups, research institutions, and universities to grow together. Third, there must be bold investment in talent development, as the space industry ultimately relies on human resources. Fourth, a future industrial strategy that combines space and AI should be developed, as space data and artificial intelligence will become new sources of national competitiveness. The 210 days spent in space is not just a number; it represents the total time China has prepared for the future. Space cannot be conquered overnight. The same applies to technology, industry, and national competitiveness. China is already heading toward the moon, while the United States is preparing for Mars. In this context, what future will South Korea choose? The true meaning of the space rise is not just about rockets but about a nation's vision. What we need now is neither envy nor fear, but a long-term strategy and unwavering execution toward the future. The most significant message left by the Chinese astronauts after their 210-day mission is surprisingly simple: the future belongs not to those who wait, but to those who prepare.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-30 09:42:00

President Lee Jae-myung Encourages Voter Participation Ahead of Local Elections President Lee Jae-myung urged citizens to participate in voting on the second day of early voting for the 9th nationwide local elections on May 30. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) titled "Let’s Make Sure to Vote," President Lee stated, "Voting is the lifeline of democracy," adding that "abstaining from voting is akin to giving up the future of oneself and one’s family." He further emphasized, "Not voting is not neutrality; it is siding with those who harm my life and community." Earlier, on the first day of early voting, President Lee and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung visited a polling station in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul to cast their votes.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-30 09:42:00

Final Day of Early Voting: Campaigns Intensify Ahead of Local Elections On the final day of early voting, political leaders from both major parties are intensifying their campaign efforts across the country to secure voter support. Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, is visiting Jeollanam-do today. He will start in Wando and then travel to Jindo, Jangheung, and Suncheon to support the campaigns of mayoral and county candidates. He will later visit the Hwagae Market in Hadong, Gyeongsangnam-do. Han Byeong-do, the Democratic Party's floor leader, is focusing on supporting candidates in the Chungcheong and Jeolla regions. He will visit Seosan and Taean in Chungcheongnam-do to discuss local issues with mayoral and county candidates. He will also hold a meeting with Kim Young-bin, the candidate for the National Assembly in Gongju, Buyeo, and Cheongyang, and will campaign for Park Ji-won, the candidate for Gunsan, Gimje, and Buan in Gimje. Since the official campaign period began on May 21, Han has been actively visiting Jeollabuk-do, where his constituency is located. Meanwhile, Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, is targeting voters in Gangwon-do. He will support Kim Jin-tae, the candidate for governor of Gangwon, and plans to inspect the construction site of the Dongseo High-Speed Railway and the status of the construction project between Chuncheon and Sokcho, one of the region's major issues. Song Eon-seok, the floor leader of the People Power Party, is focusing on Gyeongsangbuk-do and Daegu. He will campaign at Hwanggeum Market in Gimcheon alongside Lee Cheol-woo, the candidate for governor of Gyeongsangbuk-do. Afterward, he will participate in early voting at the Peace Namsan-dong polling station. In the afternoon, he will move to Daegu to campaign with Choo Kyung-ho, the candidate for mayor of Daegu, at various locations including Dalseo-gu's Seonam Market and Duryu Park.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-30 09:33:00

South Korea's reckoning with the AI century There is a phrase South Koreans invoke with quiet pride: bbaly bbaly — "quickly, quickly." It describes a national temperament forged in crisis, the same urgency that rebuilt a war-ravaged nation into an industrial titan within a single generation. But urgency alone, as Kwon Seok-jun, a semiconductor scholar at Sungkyunkwan University, recently warned, will not be enough for what comes next. The artificial intelligence age demands not just speed, but vision. South Korea stands at an inflection point that will look, in retrospect, as decisive as the 1960s industrialization drives that gave the world Hyundai and Samsung. The country holds world-class memory chip manufacturing — its two giants, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, dominate the high-bandwidth memory market that powers today's AI data centers. And yet, as Professor Kwon put it, Korea remains a semiconductor power, not yet an AI power. The distinction is not semantic. It is existential. Generative AI has redrawn the map of strategic resources. Where iron ore and oil once defined national advantage, memory — the capacity of machines to store, recall, and contextualize vast knowledge — now does. GPT-class models require exponentially more memory with each generation. The country that controls that memory infrastructure wields, in effect, an indispensable key to the intelligence economy. South Korea possesses that key. The question is whether it knows what door to unlock with it. To understand the moment, consider the four powers now jostling for position in what may become the defining geopolitical contest of this century. America commands the full AI stack — frontier models from OpenAI and Google, hardware from Nvidia, capital from Silicon Valley. China presses forward with state-backed determination and the data exhaust of 1.4 billion citizens, despite the chokehold of American export controls. Taiwan's TSMC manufactures the world's most advanced chips, making it simultaneously indispensable and alarmingly vulnerable — a single strait separating civilization's nervous system from catastrophe. And Japan, once sovereign over the global semiconductor industry, now bets on its unmatched mastery of materials and precision equipment. South Korea sits in the interstices of all four. It is America's ally and China's largest trading partner. It manufactures what Taiwan designs and supplies materials Japan refines. It is, in the language of supply chains, a critical node — which is both a strategic asset and a dangerous dependency. "Korea has mastered the survival mind. The AI era demands something rarer: the great mind — the ambition not merely to endure, but to define what comes next." said according to Kwon. The architecture of computing itself is shifting beneath Korea's feet. For eighty years, the von Neumann paradigm — separating calculation from storage — governed hardware design. Today, as processors outrun memory bandwidth, a bottleneck known to engineers as the "memory wall" has become the central constraint of AI performance. High-bandwidth memory, or HBM, is the current answer. Korean companies built it. But the real prize is a comprehensive memory ecosystem spanning DRAM, NAND flash, and next-generation architectures — a prize Korea is uniquely positioned to claim. And yet hardware is not destiny. The uncomfortable truth confronting Korean policymakers is that the country has historically been stronger at manufacturing than at origination, better at refining foreign blueprints than at drawing its own. The software platforms that capture the value generated by AI — the operating systems, the foundation models, the application ecosystems — remain overwhelmingly American. Korea builds the picks and shovels of the AI gold rush. It has not yet staked a claim of its own. What could change that calculus? The answer, increasingly, lies in what technologists call physical AI: the fusion of machine intelligence with the material world. Robots, autonomous vehicles, smart factories, AI-enabled logistics — the digital made tangible. This is terrain where Korea's industrial structure offers a rare advantage. No other nation of comparable size combines deep capabilities in shipbuilding, automotive manufacturing, battery technology, telecommunications, and advanced semiconductors. Korea does not merely participate in these industries; in several, it sets the global standard. The physical AI wave, if Korea positions itself correctly, could be the country's defining contribution to the next industrial order — not merely adopting AI within its factories, but exporting the model of AI-enabled manufacturing to the world. That optimistic scenario requires confronting obstacles that are as much political as technological. Korean universities produce talented engineers, but the country's rigid corporate hierarchies and risk-averse culture have historically struggled to retain the kind of ambitious, iconoclastic talent that builds transformative platforms. Chaebol dominance, for all the efficiency it provided in the catch-up era, may now be a brake on the creative destruction that frontier AI demands. And then there is politics: Korea's democratic system, vibrant and combative, has produced policy gridlock at precisely the moment when the country needs a coherent, long-horizon national AI strategy. The window is not indefinite. The United States and China are moving fast; Korea's structural advantages will erode if they are not converted into ecosystem leadership within this decade. History is not indifferent to preparation. The industrial revolution rewarded the nations that had done the institutional groundwork — the property rights, the capital markets, the engineering education — before steam power arrived. The information revolution rewarded those that had built the network infrastructure and the legal frameworks for venture capital. The AI revolution will be no different. South Korea has pulled off three modern miracles: industrialization, democratization, and the information economy, each transforming the country within a generation. The fourth — becoming not just a supplier to the AI age but an architect of it — is harder precisely because it cannot be achieved through the survival mind alone. It requires a different kind of ambition: the willingness to define standards rather than meet them, to export ideas rather than components, to compete not at the bottom of the value chain but at its very top. Korea's time has not run out. But the clock, for perhaps the first time in its modern history, is running faster than the country's famous urgency can match. 2026-05-30 09:28:42

Sunday Weather: Highs of 33 Degrees Expected Across South Korea On Sunday, May 31, South Korea will experience mostly clear skies with daytime highs reaching 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 degrees Fahrenheit). According to the Korea Meteorological Administration on May 30, morning lows on the 31st are expected to range from 13 to 22 degrees Celsius (55.4 to 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit), with daytime highs forecasted between 27 and 33 degrees Celsius (80.6 to 91.4 degrees Fahrenheit). Major cities will see temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius, including Seoul at 30 degrees, Gangneung at 33 degrees, Daejeon at 31 degrees, Daegu at 32 degrees, and Changwon at 31 degrees. On June 1, rain is expected to begin in Jeju Island from the morning, with anticipated precipitation ranging from 10 to 60 millimeters (0.4 to 2.4 inches), and mountainous areas could receive over 80 millimeters (3.1 inches) of rain. Strong winds, with gusts reaching around 55 kilometers per hour (34 miles per hour), are forecasted for the mountainous regions of Gangwon and the east coast. Winds may intensify to around 70 kilometers per hour (43.5 miles per hour) in the mountains, prompting caution regarding facility management and safety incidents. Fine dust levels are expected to be at 'good' to 'moderate' levels nationwide.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-30 09:27:00

Pyeongtaek's 5-Way Race: Kim Yong-nam, Cho Kuk, and Yoo Yi-dong Compete The Pyeongtaek constituency is considered the most competitive district in the upcoming by-election, which coincides with the June 3 local elections. The race features Kim Yong-nam of the Democratic Party, Cho Kuk of the Justice Party, and Yoo Yi-dong of the People Power Party, along with candidates Kim Jae-yeon from the Progressive Party and Hwang Kyo-ahn from the Liberty and Innovation Party. Although there were discussions about potential unification among candidates from the progressive and conservative camps, these efforts have effectively collapsed, leading to a multi-candidate race. The significance of the Pyeongtaek election extends beyond a local contest, reflecting a power struggle within the progressive camp. The Democratic Party and the Justice Party are in direct conflict over who represents the progressive movement, while the People Power Party aims to capitalize on the divisions. Kim Yong-nam's strengths include the advantages of being the ruling party candidate and the organizational support of his party. The Democratic Party views Pyeongtaek as a strategic stronghold in the metropolitan area and is providing extensive support. Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae has even taken on the role of Kim's campaign chair, demonstrating strong party commitment. Kim is focusing on appealing to voters by emphasizing his connections with the central government and the stability of the current administration. His support base is also bolstered by the presence of Samsung Electronics' Pyeongtaek campus and the new city development in Godeok, which align with the party's metropolitan expansion strategy. However, Kim faces significant challenges. The conflict over unification with the Justice Party has intensified internal divisions within the progressive camp, and allegations regarding a shadow loan business and past political issues have sparked controversy throughout the campaign. Negative exchanges with Cho's camp are also contributing to voter fatigue among Democratic supporters. As a result, recent trends show a rise in support for Cho and a decline for Kim. Nonetheless, as the election approaches, there remains an opportunity for voter sentiment to coalesce around the idea of supporting the ruling party candidate. At the same time, Cho's ability to attract reform-minded supporters and some moderate voters poses a potential threat to Kim's base. Cho's strengths lie in his symbolic leadership of the Justice Party, national recognition, and ability to rally strong reformist support. By presenting a reform image distinct from the Democratic Party, he is appealing to progressive voters disillusioned with the current party. If Cho can attract voters dissatisfied with both major parties, he could not only secure a local victory but also demonstrate the Justice Party's potential for national expansion. Conversely, if strategic voting trends toward supporting the candidate perceived as most likely to win gain traction, Cho's third-party status could become a liability. Additionally, Cho's inability to establish a commanding lead despite his national recognition remains a concern. In this multi-candidate landscape, there is an opportunity for Cho to emerge as a central figure in the reorganization of the progressive camp by attracting voters disillusioned with the existing two-party system. Yoo Yi-dong, who has served three terms in Pyeongtaek, emphasizes his local roots and organizational strength. He also stands to benefit from the fragmentation within the progressive camp. Recent assessments suggest that while the Democratic Party and the Justice Party engage in fierce competition, Yoo has maintained a relatively stable campaign trajectory. In the older urban areas of Anjung-eup, Poseung-eup, and Cheongbuk-eup, there are expectations that he is the right candidate to address issues such as the development of Pyeongtaek Port, transportation network expansion, and industrial complex challenges. Some political analysts predict that the longer the progressive candidates inflict damage on each other, the more favorable the situation will become for Yoo. However, the failure to unify with conservative candidate Hwang poses a challenge. Recently, Yoo and Hwang have publicly clashed, effectively sidelining any discussions of unification. In the Pyeongtaek election, the distribution of votes and turnout rates across different regions will be crucial factors. The sentiment in the eastern region, centered around Samsung Electronics' Pyeongtaek campus and the Godeok new city, may differ significantly from that in the western areas of Anjung and Poseung. Additionally, the nature of the by-election may lead to lower overall turnout, prompting all campaigns to focus on encouraging early voting and consolidating their support bases. 2026-05-30 09:03:00

Early vote surge clouds DP landslide hopes as Korea heads into June 3 local elections SEOUL, May 30 (AJP) - South Korea’s June 3 local elections are no longer looking like the ruling Democratic Party’s walkover, as record early voting and tightening battleground races raise the odds of a more contested outcome than President Lee Jae Myung’s party had expected. Early voting reached 12.11 percent as of 7 a.m. Saturday, with 5.41 million of 44.65 million eligible voters casting ballots, according to the National Election Commission. The figure was 1.45 percentage points higher than the same point in the 2022 local elections, underscoring heightened voter interest in the first nationwide test of the Lee administration since it took office last June after former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s ouster over his failed martial law bid. The DP had once floated hopes of a near-sweep, possibly taking 15 of 16 metropolitan mayoral and gubernatorial posts, excluding only North Gyeongsang Province. But a JoongAng Sunday analysis of 382 opinion polls registered between March 1 and May 29 now projects the DP winning 9 to 14 regions, the People Power Party 2 to 7 and an independent up to one. The forecast suggests the election has shifted from a referendum punishing the conservative bloc over the martial law crisis into a more complex test of whether Lee can convert high approval ratings into local power. Seoul remains the symbolic prize. DP candidate Chong Won-o is narrowly ahead of incumbent PPP Mayor Oh Se-hoon, with JoongAng Sunday estimating a 3.4 percentage-point gap and a 62 percent winning probability for Chong. A DP win in Seoul would give Lee a powerful mandate in the capital; an Oh comeback would give conservatives their clearest platform for recovery. Daegu is another key test. PPP candidate Choo Kyung-ho is leading DP heavyweight Kim Boo-kyum by 4.3 percentage points, suggesting the conservative heartland may still resist the DP’s post-martial-law offensive. Busan is also being closely watched, with DP candidate Chun Jae-soo challenging incumbent PPP Mayor Park Heong-joon. In the Busan Buk-A parliamentary by-election, independent Han Dong-hoon, former PPP leader, is running neck and neck with DP candidate Ha Jung-woo, while former PPP lawmaker Park Min-shik trails. The Pyeongtaek-B by-election has become another high-profile fight, with Cho Kuk of the Rebuilding Korea Party, DP candidate Kim Yong-nam and PPP candidate Yu Eui-dong locked in a three-way race. High early turnout does not automatically mean higher final turnout, as early voting increasingly replaces election-day voting. But the regional pattern is politically telling. Turnout was highest in South Jeolla and North Jeolla, including areas where the DP faces internal or independent challenges, while Daegu posted the lowest figure. For the DP, the question is whether early voting reflects organized liberal turnout strong enough to preserve a double-digit regional sweep. For the PPP, the goal is narrower but urgent: defend conservative strongholds, hold Seoul if possible and use by-election gains to show the party can rebuild after the Yoon crisis. A DP victory in 12 or more regions would still be read as a governing-party win. But anything closer to single digits would mark a sharp retreat from the landslide narrative and give the opposition room to claim that the Lee administration’s honeymoon is fading faster than expected. 2026-05-30 08:53:05

South Korea's Path to Becoming a Global AI Leader: A Critical Juncture 21st-century humanity stands at the threshold of a monumental civilizational shift. The steam engine sparked the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century, electricity and oil ushered in the mass production era in the 20th century, and the internet led to the information revolution. Now, artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as the starting point of a new civilizational revolution that surpasses all previous changes. Today, AI is more than just a technology; it is a universal technology that transforms economies, industries, defense, diplomacy, education, healthcare, culture, and even concepts of human thought and labor. In the past, steel production determined national power, and the ability to secure oil shaped a nation's fate. Today, semiconductors and AI are the key determinants of national competitiveness. Recently, semiconductor expert Kwon Seok-jun, a professor at Sungkyunkwan University, raised a significant point in an interview. He emphasized that while South Korea's strength has been its 'Survival Mind' in overcoming crises, the AI era requires a 'Great Mind' to lead the world. Many experts share this perspective. South Korea has successfully achieved industrialization, democratization, and informatization, but it must now evolve from a follower to a nation that designs a new civilization. Experts analyze that the recent rise in the South Korean stock market is closely related to this trend. The semiconductor supercycle led by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix reflects not just a recovery in the industry but also the anticipated future value in the AI era. The stock market does not merely evaluate the present; it anticipates the future. The current value of semiconductor companies is being reassessed as not just manufacturers of memory chips but as key infrastructure providers for the upcoming AI era. The advancement of generative AI is dramatically increasing the importance of memory semiconductors. As AI evolves from GPT-3.5 to GPT-4 and GPT-5, it must remember more documents, maintain longer conversations, and understand more complex contexts. Experts believe that the future competition in AI will hinge not on mere computational speed but on storage and memory capabilities. As AI begins to think more like humans, the significance of memory will only grow. For the past 80 years, the computer industry has developed based on the von Neumann architecture, which separates computational and storage units. However, as the performance of CPUs and GPUs has improved, memory has struggled to keep pace, leading to bottlenecks. High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) has emerged as a solution to this issue. Today, the competitiveness of AI data centers can be said to hinge on HBM. However, experts argue that true competitiveness in the AI era will come from comprehensive memory solutions that include DRAM, NAND flash, SRAM, and VRAM. In this field, South Korea possesses world-class competitiveness. The AI revolution does not only boost semiconductors. As data centers proliferate, power demand surges, leading to growth in the power transmission and distribution equipment, transformers, and wiring industries. Developments in autonomous vehicles, robotics, smart factories, and smart logistics are also expected. Ultimately, the AI revolution is not just an industrial revolution; it is a civilizational transformation that changes entire industries. In the midst of this vast change, the world is being restructured around four main axes: the United States, China, Taiwan, and Japan. The United States: The Center of the AI Empire Currently, the leading nation in the AI competition is undoubtedly the United States. The U.S. possesses all the elements of the AI ecosystem. Companies like OpenAI, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, NVIDIA, Apple, and Tesla dominate the global AI industry across all sectors. NVIDIA, in particular, is often referred to as the new oil company of the AI era. Just as oil was the lifeblood of industrial society, computational power is the lifeblood of the AI era. NVIDIA is a key supplier of that computational power. America's true strength lies not only in technology but also in its ecosystem of top universities, research institutions, and venture capital systems. Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon, Harvard, and Princeton produce some of the world's best AI talent each year. Silicon Valley fosters a unique culture that encourages innovation while accepting failure. The U.S. is the only country that possesses technology, capital, talent, and platforms. It is likely to remain the strongest candidate for AI supremacy over the next 20 years. However, the U.S. also has weaknesses. While it excels in design, it relies heavily on Taiwan and South Korea for production. This is why the U.S. has recently invested hundreds of trillions of won in revitalizing its semiconductor manufacturing sector. China: The AI Journey of 1.4 Billion People China is the only competitor that can challenge the United States. China's greatest assets are its population and market. The vast data generated by its 1.4 billion people is a significant resource in the AI era. Additionally, the Chinese government has the capability to push long-term strategies over 10 or 20 years. China is pursuing semiconductor and AI advancements as national strategies. Companies like Huawei, SMIC, Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, and DeepMind are central to China's AI ecosystem. In the fields of manufacturing AI, robotics, and smart cities, China has already reached a considerable level of development. Its pace of factory automation is among the fastest in the world. In the electric vehicle, drone, and industrial robotics sectors, China shows competitiveness that even makes the U.S. uneasy. China's weakness lies in advanced semiconductors. U.S. export restrictions pose a significant burden for China. However, paradoxically, this has strengthened China's resolve for technological self-sufficiency. The next 20 years are likely to see a new Cold War between the U.S. and China over AI supremacy. Taiwan: The Heart of the Global Economy Taiwan may be a small island nation, but its significance in the global economy is substantial. This is largely due to TSMC, the absolute leader in the world's advanced foundry market. Major global companies like Apple, NVIDIA, AMD, and Qualcomm all rely on TSMC's production capabilities. Today, the AI industry cannot function without TSMC. However, Taiwan's greatest variable is geopolitical risk. Any conflict in the Taiwan Strait could disrupt the entire global supply chain. This is why the U.S., Japan, and Europe are pursuing supply chain diversification. This is where South Korea's strategic value increases. The world can no longer depend solely on specific regions. Japan: Dreaming of Semiconductor Revival In the 1980s, Japan was the undisputed leader in the global semiconductor industry. Companies like Toshiba, NEC, Hitachi, and Fujitsu dominated the market. However, Japan lost its lead due to its inability to adapt to the digital revolution. Recently, Japan has been pursuing a national strategy for semiconductor revival. It still maintains world-class competitiveness in materials and equipment. Many of the essential materials and precision equipment needed for semiconductor manufacturing come from Japanese companies. The challenges it faces include a declining population and aging workforce. Additionally, its relatively conservative corporate culture is seen as a factor limiting innovation speed. Nonetheless, Japan remains a formidable competitor, particularly in the materials and equipment sectors, where it is still among the best in the world. Opportunities for South Korea So, where does South Korea stand? South Korea possesses the world's leading competitiveness in memory semiconductors. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix effectively dominate the HBM market, a key component in the AI era. As AI advances, the demand for memory is expected to skyrocket. AI is fundamentally a remembering machine. However, it must be said that South Korea is still a semiconductor powerhouse, not yet an AI powerhouse. While strong in hardware, it is weak in platforms. It excels in manufacturing but lacks in software. South Korea is strong in technology but needs to face more challenges in the global ecosystem. Thus, the path forward is clear: South Korea must evolve from a semiconductor powerhouse to an AI powerhouse. The Era of Physical AI: South Korea's New Leap The key term for the next 20 years will be Physical AI. The era of AI existing only on screens is coming to an end. AI is becoming robots, vehicles, factories, and logistics centers. It is evolving into drones, smart agricultural machinery, and will replace human hands and feet. South Korea has a comprehensive industrial structure that includes automotive, shipbuilding, machinery, batteries, semiconductors, and telecommunications. This is a rare industrial structure on a global scale. Therefore, in the era of Physical AI, South Korea has ample potential to emerge as a leading nation. In particular, the AI transformation (AX) of manufacturing is a key task that will determine South Korea's future. AI must be integrated into shipbuilding, automotive, steel, and petrochemical industries. Automation in factories, dark factories, and robot-based production systems must be established and exported to global markets. A Declaration of a Second Founding South Korea now needs a new national vision. The industrialization of the 1960s was the first miracle. The democratization of the 1980s was the second miracle. The informatization of the 1990s was the third miracle. Now, South Korea must challenge the fourth miracle: a national transformation into an AI powerhouse. The government must nurture AI as a top national strategic industry. Companies should expand their research and development investments. Universities must cultivate world-class AI talent. Research institutions should focus on developing foundational technologies. Political factions must cease their conflicts and cooperate on national strategies. Businesses must create new social compacts for future competitiveness. South Korea already has experience in successfully achieving industrialization, democratization, and informatization. The question is not whether it can be done; the question is whether it will be done. The next decade will be a golden time that determines South Korea's fate. AI is not just an industry; it is a national survival strategy. The AI supremacy competition between the U.S. and China will shape the global order for the next century. South Korea can either be a spectator in this competition or actively participate as one of the three global AI powers. Now, South Korea must move beyond a survival mindset to a great mindset. It must become a leader, not a follower. It should be a nation that creates technology standards rather than one that imports technology. South Korea must become a new civilizational state that connects AI, semiconductors, robotics, space industries, biotechnology, and energy. History has always favored prepared nations. The Industrial Revolution was one such instance, as was the Information Revolution. The AI revolution will not be an exception. South Korea's time is not over yet. Perhaps the true time for South Korea is just beginning.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-30 08:51:00

Gyeongui Line Train Services Resume After Four Days of Disruption Train services on the Gyeongui Line resumed on May 30, four days after disruptions caused by the collapse of the Seosomun Overpass in Seoul. The KTX-Eum service on the Gangneung and Jungang lines also returned to normal operations, with a full restoration expected by May 31. According to Yonhap News, Korail reported that KTX train No. 405 departed from Haengsin Station in Goyang at 6 a.m. on May 30. This marked the first train to operate since the Seosomun Overpass collapse on May 26. The train passed through the affected area around 6:18 a.m. and arrived at Seoul Station shortly after. The first Gyeongui Line commuter train, which travels from Munsan through Paju, Ilsan, and Haengsin to Seoul Station, also departed on time at 5:37 a.m. Korail added that the entire metropolitan area rail service is operating normally. Previously, railway authorities completed the demolition of the Seosomun Overpass and proceeded with the removal and installation of overhead lines, cables, and signal equipment. They also conducted overnight repairs and safety inspections to check for track damage and the condition of the rail lines. Korail anticipates that all train services will gradually return to normal by May 31. KTX trains, which had been making temporary stops at all stations, will resume their regular schedules starting May 30. However, Korail urged passengers to check train schedules and conditions through the Korail Talk app, website, or customer service center before traveling. There will be no penalties for refunds on adjusted tickets, and tickets purchased with credit cards will be automatically refunded.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-30 08:39:00

Masayoshi Son's Strategic Vision: The AI War Began a Decade Ago In the summer of 2016, Masayoshi Son, chairman of SoftBank, acquired the British semiconductor design company ARM for 3.3 trillion yen. At the time, both Japanese media and global financial markets were puzzled. "Why is a telecom company president buying a semiconductor firm?""Isn't that too expensive?""What is the synergy?" Questions poured in. Son's response was unexpected. "In terms of Go, it's like placing a stone 50 moves ahead." Few understood the significance of his statement back then. Now, a decade later, the meaning of those 50 moves is gradually becoming clear. Today, three companies sit at the center of the global AI industry: OpenAI, NVIDIA, and ARM. Son had already secured one of them a decade ago. He is now investing tens of trillions of yen into OpenAI. In Japan, Son's approach to mergers and acquisitions is referred to as 'Go-style M&A.' In South Korea, mergers and acquisitions are often viewed through the lens of market share expansion or economies of scale.However, Son's method is different. He is not merely a man of the present; he is more like a visionary who sketches the future and moves the present accordingly. A look at SoftBank's history reveals consistency. In the 1990s, he invested in Yahoo. In the 2000s, he nurtured Alibaba. During the mobile era, he dominated telecommunications networks. Now, with the advent of the AI era, he has chosen ARM and OpenAI.On the surface, it may seem that his investment targets are constantly changing. Yet the essence remains unchanged. He has always aimed to capture both platforms and infrastructure. In the internet era, it was Yahoo and telecommunications; in the AI era, it encompasses OpenAI and semiconductors. Son sees not just technology but the world that technology will transform. This perspective often leads Japanese business circles to regard him more as a futurist than an entrepreneur. Interestingly, Japanese society traditionally does not favor this type of leader. The core of Japanese corporate culture is stability and accumulation. Toyota has integrated subsidiaries over decades through relationship-building, and Japanese companies have generally preferred gradual evolution over rapid change. Choosing a proven path over high-risk ventures is characteristic of Japanese management. In this context, Son has always been an outlier. As a third-generation Korean resident in Japan, he grew up outside the norms of mainstream Japanese society. From a young age, he traveled between Japan and the United States to conceptualize business ideas, free from the hierarchical and organizational constraints typical of Japanese corporations. He is one of the few Japanese business leaders who openly discusses "10 years later" or "30 years later."In fact, Son has spoken of the concept of a 300-year company since his early days. He has expressed the desire for SoftBank to remain a company that contributes to human civilization even after his death. This renewed attention from Japanese media towards Son stems from this vision. While he was once seen as a reckless gambler, the arrival of the AI era is gradually validating his long-term strategies. Of course, his path has not always been successful. The failed investment in WeWork is a notable example, resulting in significant losses for SoftBank. In Japan, some have declared that "the Masayoshi Son myth has ended." However, Son did not retreat. Instead, he intensified his focus on AI. Recent developments at SoftBank indicate a clear intention to transform from a mere investment company into an AI enterprise. They are developing semiconductors, constructing one of the world's largest data centers, acquiring robotics companies, and collaborating with OpenAI to build a new AI ecosystem. This signifies a commitment not just to invest but to take the lead in the AI industry. The Japanese economy has long grappled with the narrative of the 'lost 30 years.' During this time, while Japanese companies succeeded in stable management, they struggled to position themselves at the forefront of new industrial revolutions. There was a time when Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba, and Sharp led the global electronics industry. However, in the smartphone and platform revolutions, American and Chinese companies seized the initiative. In this sense, Masayoshi Son symbolizes the lost spirit of challenge in the Japanese economy. The outcome remains uncertain. It is unclear whether OpenAI will maintain its current position, or if Chinese companies will dominate the AI robotics market. The effectiveness of ARM's strategy is also uncertain. However, one thing is clear: amid the global competition for AI supremacy, the person with the biggest dreams in Japan is Masayoshi Son. And that dream did not begin yesterday; it started a decade ago with the acquisition of ARM. In Go, the move made now often determines the outcome. However, true masters see not just the current move but the 50 moves yet to come. The reason Masayoshi Son continues to astonish the world may lie in this very difference. The battle of the AI era is not just about technology; it is a contest of time and imagination. Son aims to arrive at the future ahead of everyone else and bring that future into the present.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-30 08:03:00