Weather Forecast: Rain in Southern Regions, Heat Continues in the North On Tuesday, June 2, rain is expected primarily in the southern regions, bringing a respite from the heat. In contrast, the central regions will continue to experience temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius. In Jeju and the southern coasts of Jeollanam-do and Gyeongsangnam-do, rain that began the previous day will taper off by the afternoon. Other areas in Jeollanam-do and Gyeongsangnam-do will see rain starting early in the morning, which will expand to Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do by mid-morning. The forecast predicts rainfall amounts of 30 to 80 millimeters in Jeju, with some areas receiving over 120 millimeters and mountainous regions expecting more than 150 millimeters. The southern coasts of Jeollanam-do and Gyeongsangnam-do, as well as Busan and Ulsan, are expected to receive 20 to 60 millimeters, with some areas exceeding 80 millimeters. In the inland areas of Gwangju and Jeollanam-do, as well as Gyeongsangnam-do, rainfall of 5 to 30 millimeters is anticipated, while southern Jeollabuk-do and southeastern Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do may see 5 to 10 millimeters. Temperatures in the southern regions will drop significantly compared to the previous day, with highs expected to reach 29 degrees in Gwangju, 28 degrees in Daegu, and 24 degrees in both Changwon and Busan. Conversely, the central regions will continue to experience heat, with highs around 33 degrees in Seoul, 32 degrees in Incheon and Suwon, and 32 degrees in Chuncheon. Nationwide, morning lows are forecasted to be between 16 and 20 degrees, while daytime highs will range from 24 to 33 degrees. Wave heights in the seas will be between 0.5 and 2.0 meters in the East and South Seas, and between 0.5 and 1.0 meters in the West Sea. Offshore wave heights are expected to reach 0.5 to 3.5 meters in the East Sea, 0.5 to 2.5 meters in the West Sea, and 1.0 to 4.0 meters in the South Sea. Morning low temperatures in major regions are expected to be: Seoul 19 degrees, Incheon 17 degrees, Suwon 18 degrees, Chuncheon 16 degrees, Gangneung 19 degrees, Cheongju 20 degrees, Daejeon 19 degrees, Sejong 18 degrees, Jeonju 20 degrees, Gwangju 20 degrees, Daegu 20 degrees, Busan 20 degrees, Ulsan 19 degrees, Changwon 20 degrees, and Jeju 20 degrees. Daytime high temperatures are forecasted to be: Seoul 33 degrees, Incheon 32 degrees, Suwon 32 degrees, Chuncheon 32 degrees, Gangneung 29 degrees, Cheongju 31 degrees, Daejeon 31 degrees, Sejong 30 degrees, Jeonju 30 degrees, Gwangju 29 degrees, Daegu 28 degrees, Busan 24 degrees, Ulsan 25 degrees, Changwon 24 degrees, and Jeju 24 degrees.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-01 18:06:00

BTS-Backed Food and Beverage Brand 'ARIH' Launches in South Korea The food and beverage brand 'ARIH,' co-developed by BTS and Paldo&hy, is officially entering the South Korean market. Following its successful launch in the U.S., the brand aims to appeal to both the fandom and health-conscious consumers in South Korea. According to industry sources, Paldo and hy began selling 'ARIH' products on June 1. ARIH is characterized as a 'modern balance food' brand that seeks to harmonize taste, health, and lifestyle, with BTS involved in the product concept, design, and brand direction from the planning stage. The brand made its debut at Walmart in the U.S. on May 24, quickly gaining traction. Within three days, it earned a 'Best Seller' badge on Walmart's online store, and some physical locations experienced stock shortages. Each product has received over 500 reviews, with some achieving a perfect five-star rating. Industry analysts attribute this success to the combined effect of BTS's fanbase and the products' inherent competitiveness. In South Korea, ARIH will launch a total of 28 products, including 'Modern Noodles,' 'Postbiotic Energy Drink,' and 'Dual Biotic Soda.' Initially available through hy's online store 'Predit' and Naver Smart Store, the brand plans to expand distribution to convenience stores and large supermarkets. The flagship product, Modern Noodles, combines the best features of ramen and pasta. It features fettuccine-style noodles that are about 5mm wider than regular ramen, allowing for better sauce absorption, and includes menu items reflecting global culinary trends, such as clam, spicy seaweed stir-fried noodles, and gochujang butter. The beverage line emphasizes health and functionality. The Postbiotic Energy Drink is designed to be zero sugar and zero calories, containing natural caffeine, taurine, and B vitamins. The Dual Biotic Soda offers a low-sugar, low-calorie concept enhanced with dietary fiber and a proprietary postbiotic developed by hy. Alongside the product launch, Paldo and hy are expanding consumer engagement. Limited edition sets and merchandise giveaways are being offered on hy Predit and Naver Smart Store. Notably, during BTS's concert 'BTS World Tour Arirang in Busan' starting June 12, experiential booths, food trucks, and dedicated vending machines will be available. A representative from Paldo and hy stated, "ARIH is more than just K-food; it is a new food and beverage brand that encompasses taste, health, and lifestyle. After establishing a foothold in the domestic market, we plan to expand sales to Japan, Mexico, and Canada, developing it into a global brand."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-01 18:06:00

Incheon's Hanagae Beach opens for summer season SEOUL, June 1 (AJP) - At the far end of Muuido Island, a beach appears framed by rock formations. Where the tide has pulled back, vast tidal flats stretch out and barefoot visitors walk slowly across them. The official opening is June 20 — but Hanagae Beach has already ushered in summer. This summer's heat arrived earlier than usual. Incheon plans to open three beaches — Eurwangni, Wangsan, and Hanagae — simultaneously on June 20. Yet on June 1, Hanagae was already full, with families, couples, and solo travelers wading in. Some stood ankle-deep; others soaked their clothes to beat the heat. West Sea beaches are nothing like the East Coast. Here, the tidal flats come before the waves. The cool, yielding sensation underfoot is entirely different from the sandy shores of Gangwon. Children hunt for crabs; adults simply walk. The West Sea flats rank among the five greatest tidal systems in the world, and at Hanagae, that scale is felt through the feet. Visitors walk along boardwalk at Hanagae Beach in Incheon on June 1, 2026. AJP Han Jun-gu Running alongside the beach is a 550-meter marine boardwalk. On one side, rock formations including the Lion Rock; on the other, the open Yellow Sea. At high tide, waves crash against the cliffs; at low tide, rocks emerge from the mudflat. The landscape composes itself. Hanagae officially opens June 20. From Seoul Station: ninety minutes by car, two hours by transit. It will fill up fast. A little planning goes a long way. The sea is already here. It is only the opening date that is waiting. 2026-06-01 18:05:08

AI Ecosystem Shift: TSMC's Supply Chain Limitations Exposed as South Korea Emerges Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, along with other South Korean companies strong in autonomous driving and physical AI, are increasingly joining NVIDIA's AI supply chain. This raises concerns about potential cracks in the existing TSMC-centered AI supply chain.On June 1, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang began a series of meetings with major South Korean companies during his keynote speech at the 'GTC Taipei 2026' event. The inaugural 'Korea Partner Night' featured representatives from Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, Hyundai Motor Group, LG Electronics, Doosan, and Naver.NVIDIA's expansion of collaboration with South Korean firms is driven by their advanced manufacturing capabilities. The core competitiveness of AI accelerators is shifting from single GPU performance to include memory bandwidth, power efficiency, advanced packaging, data center operations, and physical AI implementation. To ensure a stable supply of next-generation AI accelerators, NVIDIA needs partners not only for memory supply but also in robotics and mobility sectors. Relying solely on a foundry-based value chain like TSMC's is no longer feasible.The surge in AI chip production has exacerbated supply bottlenecks related to TSMC's proprietary packaging technology, CoWoS (Chip on Wafer on Substrate). While TSMC's foundry capabilities remain dominant, it has become increasingly difficult to manage the entire supply chain independently in the AI era. Analysts predict a multipolar system where NVIDIA handles GPU design, Taiwan focuses on advanced manufacturing, and South Korea takes charge of memory, packaging, and post-processing.Samsung and SK Hynix, which have secured leadership in HBM supply, are expected to gain further prominence. Samsung recently began shipping samples of its seventh-generation HBM4E, accelerating its response to NVIDIA's next-generation roadmap. HBM4E is set to be integrated into NVIDIA's upcoming AI accelerator, Rubin Ultra, scheduled for release in 2027.SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and CEO Jensen Huang have met three times over the past seven months in South Korea and the U.S., and they met again during the GTC event in Taiwan. There is growing interest in the potential for collaboration on next-generation HBM supply and AI memory roadmaps.NVIDIA is also strengthening its collaboration with Hyundai Motor Group on autonomous driving. At the GTC conference held in the U.S. in March, NVIDIA announced plans to work with Hyundai on developing Level 4 autonomous driving. Hyundai is building an integrated system that can expand from Level 2 to Level 4 autonomy using NVIDIA's Drive platform, Hyperion.With LG Group, NVIDIA is accelerating its collaboration in physical AI across various sectors. Collaborations are anticipated with LG AI Research, which is developing a large language model (LLM) called Exaone, LG Innotek, which specializes in robotic sensing technology, and LG Uplus, which has cloud infrastructure including data centers. Earlier this year, LG Electronics unveiled the intelligent home robot 'LG Cloid,' based on NVIDIA's high-performance chipset, Jetson Thor.An industry insider noted, "The AI semiconductor supply chain is evolving from being centered around NVIDIA and TSMC to a 'physical AI manufacturing ecosystem' that includes memory, packaging, and robotics. South Korean companies are emerging as key players in the AI ecosystem due to their core capabilities in physical AI."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-01 18:03:00

NVIDIA's Jensen Huang Announces Production of Vera Rubin with Samsung and SK Hynix Memory "Vera Rubin has finally entered production. It is equipped with HBM4 from Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix." Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, made this announcement during his keynote speech at the GTC Taipei 2026 technology exhibition on June 1, further solidifying the company's memory alliance with South Korea. In a speech lasting nearly two hours, Huang officially confirmed the mass production of the next-generation AI accelerator, Vera Rubin. He specifically named Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix as key suppliers of the essential sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4). Huang also praised Taiwan's semiconductor ecosystem, referring to it as the "epicenter of the AI revolution," stating that "core manufacturing, including NVIDIA chip production and packaging, all takes place here." NVIDIA recently broke ground on a new headquarters in Taiwan, aiming for operations to begin by 2030, with plans to expand local investments to $150 billion annually. However, Huang emphasized that "NVIDIA's AI systems require not only Taiwan's advanced processes but also the high-speed, high-capacity memory technologies from Samsung and SK Hynix." This highlights his intention to strengthen cooperation with Korean memory companies while maintaining a supply chain centered around TSMC. Huang is also focusing on the manufacturing capabilities in the physical AI sector in South Korea. After concluding his schedule in Taiwan, he is expected to visit Korea on June 5 to discuss various collaboration opportunities with major domestic manufacturers. He is likely to hold an official meeting with Koo Kwang-mo, chairman of LG Group, to accelerate the integration of NVIDIA's AI chips with LG's manufacturing platforms across future advanced industries, including home appliances, automotive, and robotics. Earlier, Huang's daughter, Madison Huang, NVIDIA's Senior Director of Omniverse and Robotics Marketing, visited Korea in April and met with Ryu Jae-cheol, president of LG Electronics. During that meeting, they discussed collaboration in physical AI, infrastructure, and robotics, laying the groundwork for their alliance. Huang is also scheduled to meet with other business leaders, including Chung Eui-sun, chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, and Park Jung-won, chairman of Doosan Group. Notably, discussions with Doosan are expected to focus on integrating NVIDIA's physical AI technology into Doosan Robotics and utilizing specialized data to secure customized foundation models.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-01 18:03:00

Hyundai Begins Electric Vehicle Production at Thailand CKD Plant, Accelerating Emerging Market Strategy 현대자동차그룹이 반조립제품(CKD) 생산 거점을 확대하고 있다. 완성차 수출 대신 현지 조립 생산을 통한 신흥시장 공략에 속도를 내는 모습이다. On June 1, industry sources reported that Hyundai Motor's Thailand subsidiary (HMTH) completed the establishment of its CKD facility in Samut Prakan Province last month and has officially begun mass production. The plant will primarily produce electric models, including the Ioniq series, with an annual production capacity of 5,000 units and a sales target of 3,000 units for this year. Thailand, a major automotive production hub in Southeast Asia, has an annual vehicle production volume of approximately 1.4 to 1.5 million units. The local government is promoting the transition to electric vehicles through subsidies and tax incentives, intensifying competition among global automakers to establish production bases in the region. Hyundai established its CKD production system two years after receiving approval from the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) for an investment of about 1 billion baht (approximately $40 million) in 2024. CKD, or Completely Knocked Down, involves sending key components to local facilities for assembly instead of exporting finished vehicles. This approach reduces initial investment burdens and fosters positive relations with local governments, serving as a 'foothold' for entering emerging markets. Previously, Hyundai entered the Vietnamese market in 2011 through a partnership with the Thanh Cong Group using the CKD method, later establishing Hyundai Thanh Cong Manufacturing Vietnam (HTMV) in 2017 to increase its local market share. By the end of the year, a CKD facility will also be completed in Saudi Arabia, the largest market in the Middle East. Additionally, Hyundai operates CKD plants in over 15 countries, including Kazakhstan, Egypt, Pakistan, and Malaysia, enhancing its influence in Asia and the Middle East. A Hyundai official stated, "The Southeast Asian market is heavily influenced by Japanese brands, and recently, Chinese companies have intensified their presence, increasing the need for local joint CKD operations." Other domestic automakers are also focusing on expanding their CKD operations. Kia held a ceremony last year to inaugurate a CKD joint plant in Kostanay, Kazakhstan, and began production of the Sorento. KG Mobility plans to establish new CKD plants in Vietnam and Saudi Arabia this year. The expansion of CKD production is also contributing to growth in logistics. Hyundai Glovis reported a 10.3% increase in its distribution revenue for the first quarter of this year, totaling 3.87 trillion won compared to the same period last year. Industry analysts believe that the increased demand for parts transportation due to the expansion of CKD production by domestic automakers has contributed to this improvement. Moon Hak-hoon, a professor at Osan University’s Department of Future Automotive Engineering, noted, "CKD allows companies to avoid tariff burdens while expanding their market through local production, indicating a growing demand for CKD plants in emerging automotive markets."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-01 18:03:00

Taiwan Dominates AI Chip Ecosystem as South Korea Seeks Collaboration The competition between South Korea and Taiwan for dominance in the global artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem is intensifying. Taiwan boasts a strong value chain in foundry, packaging, and fabless sectors, bolstered by its early partnership with NVIDIA. Meanwhile, South Korea aims to leverage its leading memory capabilities and top-tier physical AI expertise to emerge as a key player in the ecosystem. During the keynote address at the GTC 2026 event in Taipei on June 1, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang unveiled strategies for next-generation AI semiconductors and AI chips for PCs. Following this event, Computex 2026 will further establish Taiwan as a central hub for global AI business. Taiwan's competitive edge lies in its dense supply chain. NVIDIA's core AI accelerators are produced through TSMC's advanced processes and packaging. Companies like Foxconn provide AI servers and power infrastructure, while fabless firms such as MediaTek and Alchip handle custom semiconductor designs for major tech companies. NVIDIA's plans to build a large new headquarters and research center in Taiwan are aimed at maintaining this supply chain density in the long term. While Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix dominate the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and next-generation DRAM markets, they appear more as key component suppliers compared to Taiwan's integrated value chain that encompasses chip design, manufacturing, packaging, server assembly, and power and cooling components. However, there are opportunities for South Korea. The next wave of AI competition is shifting towards the integration of semiconductors, robotics, automotive technology, factory automation, and data center infrastructure. Notably, the physical AI sector, emphasized by NVIDIA, is seeing renewed interest in the capabilities of South Korean manufacturing giants. If sectors like automotive, robotics, shipbuilding, batteries, and smart factories can integrate with NVIDIA's platform, South Korea could establish a distinct AI ecosystem compared to Taiwan. The challenge will be to expand collaboration beyond individual companies to a national strategy that integrates semiconductors, manufacturing, software, and infrastructure. After his visit to Taiwan, Jensen Huang is scheduled to travel to South Korea, where he will meet with prominent business leaders, including Naver founder Lee Hae-jin, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun, and Doosan Group Chairman Park Jung-won, starting June 5. There are also discussions about a potential visit to Naver's 1784 headquarters on June 8. There are calls for Huang's visit to go beyond ceremonial meetings. It is essential for South Korean conglomerates to find various opportunities to integrate into the global AI ecosystem led by NVIDIA. Kim Yong-seok, a distinguished professor at Gachon University’s Semiconductor College, stated, "Jensen Huang's visit aims to connect NVIDIA's chips and software solutions with South Korea's manufacturing sites and products. The key challenge will be to closely integrate South Korea's strengths in memory with NVIDIA's physical AI solutions."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-01 18:03:00

Taipei Emerges as Global AI Industry Hub with Major Players Gathering Taipei has emerged as a gathering place for key players in the global artificial intelligence (AI) industry. Events such as 'GTC Taipei 2026' and 'Computex 2026' are drawing major figures from global AI companies, including NVIDIA, AMD, TSMC, Foxconn, Qualcomm, and Arm, to the city. On June 1, Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, delivered a keynote speech at GTC 2026. This event serves as a precursor to Computex, which opens on June 2 and reveals NVIDIA's technology strategy. Once primarily a PC and component exhibition, Computex has evolved into one of Asia's largest showcases for AI industry trends, coinciding with GTC Taipei, where NVIDIA's next-generation business vision will be unveiled. The significance of this event stems from the strong cohesion within Taiwan's semiconductor ecosystem. TSMC is a key production partner for NVIDIA's AI accelerators, while Foxconn is increasingly important in AI server manufacturing. Companies like MediaTek and Delta Electronics are also expanding their connections with NVIDIA's ecosystem in areas such as AI PCs, servers, power management, and custom semiconductors. Jensen Huang, who has Taiwanese roots, along with Lisa Su, CEO of AMD and a distant relative, are among the notable attendees expected during Computex. Other industry leaders, including Cristiano Amon, CEO of Qualcomm, Pat Gelsinger, CEO of Intel, Matt Murphy, CEO of Marvell, and Rene Haas, CEO of Arm, are also set to visit Taipei, marking a significant convergence of AI semiconductor, server, communication, and design asset companies. Locally, executives from TSMC and Foxconn are anticipated to meet with CEO Jensen Huang. While NVIDIA holds a strong position in AI chip design and software ecosystems, Taiwan possesses a critical foundation for production, packaging, and server manufacturing, aligning the interests of both parties. Korean companies are also making their presence felt at the event. Choi Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, is scheduled to hold a press conference on June 2, while Song Jae-hyuk, Chief Technology Officer and President of Samsung Electronics, Park Min-woo, President of Hyundai Motor Group, and Kim Yoo-won, CEO of Naver Cloud, are expected to showcase their companies' technological competitiveness.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-01 18:03:00

Uzbekistan formalizes Termez Dialogue to anchor South Asian trade integration SEOUL, June 01 (AJP) - Uzbekistan is establishing the Termez Dialogue as a permanent interregional forum to anchor its expanding economic integration with South Asian consumer markets. The institutionalization marks a structural shift in Eurasian supply chains, transforming neighboring Afghanistan from a source of geopolitical instability into a primary commercial transit bridge. The policy evolution moves the region away from isolated cross-border trade toward a comprehensive model of economic interdependence. This integration is backed by a rapid surge in bilateral commerce, infrastructure development, and targeted regulatory easing along the southern border. Overall trade turnover between Uzbekistan and South Asian nations expanded 3.2 times over a nine-year period from 2016 to 2025, reaching 3.5 billion dollars. According to data from Ziyoda Rizaeva at the Center for Economic Research and Reforms, Uzbek exports to the region tripled to two billion dollars, while imports grew 4.1 times to 1.5 billion dollars. Food products formed the largest component of Uzbek exports to the region, totaling 976.4 million dollars or 48.1 percent of the total. Mineral oils followed at 368 million dollars, transport services accounted for 277.8 million dollars, industrial goods reached 140.5 million dollars, and chemical products stood at 134.9 million dollars. Chemical products led the import categories from South Asian countries at 477.6 million dollars, representing 32.2 percent of inbound trade. The remaining imports consisted of 391.4 million dollars in food products, 309.1 million dollars in machinery and equipment, 99 million dollars in miscellaneous products, and 67 million dollars in finished goods. Afghanistan secured the largest share of this regional trade in 2025, with total turnover reaching 1.7 billion dollars, or 47.7 percent of the total. Uzbekistan maintained a highly favorable trade balance with Kabul, sending 712.7 million dollars in food exports, which accounted for 75.5 percent of all Uzbek food shipments to South Asia. India ranked as the second-largest trading partner with bilateral trade reaching 1.3 billion dollars in 2025, representing 37.5 percent of the regional market. Pakistan occupied the third position at 445.9 million dollars, with Uzbekistan exporting 260.2 million dollars in food products and importing 45.3 million dollars in chemical goods from Islamabad. Capital flows between the blocks have risen alongside physical trade, yielding 1.3 billion dollars in foreign direct investment and loans from South Asia over the nine-year period. Nearly 40 percent of that total arrived in 2025 alone, with India contributing 586.7 million dollars and Afghanistan providing 519.2 million dollars. The southern border city of Termez serves as the physical and logistical anchor for this entire integration strategy. The Termez Cargo Center international logistics hub has operated since 2016 at the intersection of Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, acting as a major corridor for United Nations humanitarian assistance. Commercial capacity scaled up significantly with the launch of the Airitom International Trade Center in 2024 near the Afghan border. The 36-hectare complex features a dedicated free trade zone with simplified business conditions, a visa-free entry regime, and permission for unrestricted transactions in foreign currencies. The Airitom facility currently hosts more than 3,000 individual retail outlets and provides approximately 5,500 local jobs. Since its opening, the trading center has attracted more than 440,000 visitors while generating 1.2 billion dollars in annual export volume. 2026-06-01 18:00:07

Tourism Elevated to National Strategic Industry Under Lee Jae-myung Administration One year into the Lee Jae-myung administration, South Korea's tourism industry is undergoing a significant policy transformation. Once viewed as a sub-sector of the cultural industry or a leisure activity, tourism has been elevated to a key "national strategic industry" that can simultaneously drive domestic economic revitalization and regional balanced development. The government is intensifying its efforts to achieve the national goal of attracting 30 million foreign tourists by 2030, focusing on the "5 mega tourism zones and 3 special self-governing provinces" and the "Saemaul Movement for Tourism" as its two main pillars. Current indicators for foreign tourists visiting South Korea show a clear upward trend. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the number of visitors in the second half of 2025 increased by 17% compared to the second half of 2024, and in the first half of this year, there was a 22% increase compared to the same period last year, setting a record for the highest number of visitors. In fact, the number of foreign visitors in the first quarter of this year surpassed 5 million, marking a 23% increase from the previous year. Additionally, the number of arrivals at regional airports surged by 50%, demonstrating the revitalization of regional tourism. Minister Choi Hwi-young reaffirmed the commitment to achieving the goal of 30 million foreign tourists at a press conference on May 28, marking the first anniversary of the people's sovereignty government. He identified "regional tourism" as a key challenge, noting that over 80% of foreign tourists still concentrate in the capital region, leading to high costs and inconveniences for travelers due to overwhelming demand. Choi emphasized, "While there is accommodation capacity in the regions, there is insufficient product development and connectivity in transportation and content. Accelerating regional tourism and effectively linking content, transportation, and lodging is the foundation for stable growth." To address this, the Ministry is promoting the "5 mega tourism zones and 3 special self-governing provinces" project, which aims to restructure the tourism landscape from a capital-centric model to five super-regional areas and three special self-governing provinces. This large-scale regional tourism redesign project focuses on breaking down boundaries based on actual tourist journeys, moving away from the past focus on infrastructure development by local government leaders and standardized administrative units. The initiative aims to package regional airports, lodging facilities, and transportation networks, connecting them closely while discovering unique regional characteristics to promote extended stays. Notably, President Lee has directed the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to open international airline routes, moving away from the logic of protecting national carriers, which is expected to further boost the activation of regional airports, the starting point of the mega tourism zones. A major reform effort is also underway to implement these mega tourism zones and improve the chronic issues in domestic tourism. On May 20, the Ministry held a meeting with the Korea Tourism Organization and 13 regional tourism promotion organizations to discuss revitalizing regional tourism. This initiative is part of the "Saemaul Movement for Tourism," which President Lee emphasized during the 16th Cabinet meeting on April 14, calling for maximizing the impact of the tourism industry on regional economic revitalization, similar to Japan's regional revitalization system. During that meeting, President Lee urged collaboration between self-employed individuals and administrative agencies to improve the quality of life issues that hinder domestic tourism, such as overpricing, disrespect towards foreigners, and unfriendliness. In response, the Ministry and national DMOs are launching a campaign to create a joint slogan and expanding their collaborative structure from local governments to administrative units down to town and village levels. Additionally, they plan to establish a community-driven public-private partnership system through tourism cooperatives and village enterprises, aiming to institutionalize this as a regular regional innovation movement. Experts suggest that for the government's policy drive to yield tangible results, tourism must be viewed as a solid regional industrial ecosystem. Yoon Hye-jin, a professor of tourism development management at Kyonggi University, stated in a phone interview, "Future regional tourism should go beyond just attracting visitors for photos; it must create a flow of capital into the region, establishing a positive economic cycle. When local residents earn income from the tourism industry, quality jobs will emerge, leading to an increase in the commuting population to the area. This is the most desirable positive cycle." She added, "To ensure tourism becomes a definitive growth engine for the region, we need to cultivate skilled professionals with planning capabilities in the tourism industry. Moreover, a clear career roadmap must be established to help these talents settle in the region. If we continue to rely solely on short-term project budgets or focus on seasonal businesses, we cannot break the vicious cycle of talent outflow to the capital region." To sustain large-scale, field-centered policies like the mega tourism zones and the Saemaul Movement for Tourism, overcoming structural limitations is essential. This requires a macro-level administrative command center and a legal safety net to support these initiatives. In April, the government elevated the "National Tourism Strategy Meeting," led by the President, to ensure strong momentum for tourism policies that had previously been scattered across various departments. With the establishment of this presidential control tower, discussions on legislative reforms and regulatory innovations, which had been stalled due to inter-departmental disagreements, have gained momentum. The government and the National Assembly have begun discussions to comprehensively revise tourism-related laws, such as the Tourism Basic Act and the Tourism Promotion Act, which have not seen significant changes since their enactment in the 1970s. This aims to align with rapidly changing global trends and digital environments while creating an innovative ecosystem where domestic small and medium-sized tourism ventures can compete with legal protections. Key policy tasks include introducing bold regulatory exceptions for small-scale and decentralized development and a fast track for new service regulations. Alongside macro-level improvements, addressing persistent issues on the ground is also a pressing task. Limitations in accommodation infrastructure and the exploitative practices of some operators during large-scale mega events have been cited as major factors undermining the credibility of the national strategic industry. In response to the accommodation issues that arose during the BTS concert in Busan, Minister Choi acknowledged the fundamental problem of insufficient accommodation infrastructure to accommodate external tourists. He proposed a two-track strategy that includes long-term infrastructure expansion while utilizing temple stays and corporate and public training facilities as "buffer infrastructure" to manage short-term demand. Furthermore, practices such as arbitrary cancellations of reservations followed by price hikes will be classified as "consumer-disregarding actions," and the Ministry, local governments, and tourism and accommodation associations will work closely to enforce a zero-tolerance policy against such practices.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-01 18:00:00