Freewillin Launches Uganda Education Support Project With Schoolflat Math Workbooks AI-based education solutions company Freewillin has launched a global education support project by providing math textbooks to primary schools in northern Uganda. Freewillin, led by CEO Kwon Gi-seong, said it delivered 497 Schoolflat math textbooks it produced to two schools in the Gulu area: Awach Central Primary School and Omoti Hill Primary School. The project will serve 477 fourth- and fifth-grade students. The materials include Schoolflat student workbooks and teachers’ guides. Freewillin said it developed separate student and teacher materials for grades 4 and 5, reflecting grade-level learning needs and local classroom conditions. The company said the effort is designed as a cooperative support model tailored to local realities, rather than a one-time donation. While Freewillin handled content development at its headquarters, printing and binding were done in Uganda. The company said the approach supports schools while also creating a production structure in partnership with local print shops. Uganda has expanded access to primary education under its universal primary education policy, but challenges remain in education quality, including shortages of textbooks and learning materials and limited systems to support teachers, the company said. Freewillin said its local assessment found teachers hand-making class materials because textbooks and worksheets were scarce, leaving students with too few opportunities to practice problem-solving. Given those conditions, Freewillin said it chose an offline approach centered on paper materials and teacher guides, rather than directly transferring its digital solution. The goal, it said, is to make learning resources usable even where electricity and internet access are not stable. The project is being run with HOIE (Hope is Education), an NGO specializing in education development cooperation. HOIE has supported teacher capacity-building and improvements in primary education quality in public primary schools in northern Uganda since 2015 by operating school learning communities. HOIE plans to visit the pilot schools every two to three weeks for class observations, teacher coaching and advice on how to use the materials. Freewillin said it will use that feedback to review teaching and learning methods that can work in local classrooms and to further refine the textbooks. Local education officials, including the superintendent and supervisors from the Gulu area education office, attended the textbook handover ceremony. Freewillin said it prepared the project starting in the second half of 2025 and funded it with its own resources, without outside support. “Starting with Uganda, we plan to expand educational opportunities to more regions,” Kwon said. “As the company grows, we will continue to increase investment in education support.” Schoolflat is Freewillin’s school-tailored AI math courseware service. In South Korea, it has been used to reduce teachers’ lesson-preparation burden and support math learning matched to each student’s level. The Uganda project is the company’s first global education support case, rebuilding its existing AI content and math learning know-how to fit local infrastructure.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 10:40:38

Ju Haknyeon Seen at The Boyz Concert After Leaving Group Amid Private-Life Controversy Ju Haknyeon, who left the group The Boyz after controversy over a meeting with an adult video actress, has been spotted at a The Boyz concert venue. On the 26th, Ju posted photos on his social media account without comment. The images appeared to be taken from the audience and showed the stage from The Boyz concert “Interjection,” held over three days from the 24th to the 26th at KSPO Dome in Seoul’s Songpa district. Posts on social media and online communities also described sightings of Ju attending the concert with his face covered by a hat and other items. Ju was removed from the team after it became known that he had been drinking with adult video actress Asuka Kirara in May last year. At the time, Japan’s weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun published photos showing him hugging and otherwise engaging in physical contact with Asuka Kirara. The outlet sought confirmation from The Boyz’s agency, One Hundred, which said it was checking the facts. After discussions with the group’s members, the agency finalized Ju’s departure from the team and the termination of his exclusive contract. Ju, however, has flatly denied allegations raised by some that he solicited prostitution involving Asuka Kirara. 2026-04-27 10:33:15

Kensington Hotels & Resorts Launches 'Gangwon Flex' Multi-Property Stay Package E-Land Park’s Kensington Hotels & Resorts is rolling out an integrated package that links three of its major hotel and resort properties in Gangwon Province, aiming to capture growing demand for longer, stay-focused travel by sharing benefits across mountain and coastal locations. ◆ Targeting longer stays beyond single-property limits Kensington Hotels & Resorts said Sunday it is selling an upgraded “Gangwon Flex” package, connecting three Gangwon-area properties — Kensington Hotel Seorak and Kensington Resort Seorak Valley and Seorak Beach — through June 30. The package is designed around the geographic advantage of Seoraksan and the East Sea coast, with the properties located within about a 20-minute drive. The company said the goal is to link local hubs to move beyond the limits of staying at a single resort and to build a virtuous cycle for longer-term stays. Gangwon Flex, first introduced last year, ranked No. 1 in sales among the company’s packages. This year, Kensington said it expanded the range of shared benefits between properties and strengthened special room-rate discounts to match the long-stay trend. ◆ Bigger savings for longer stays; cross-property access highlighted To ease travelers’ 부담 amid high prices, the company applies tiered room rates so benefits increase for longer stays, such as two nights or three nights and more. Kensington said the package’s key feature is a cross-property access system. Regardless of where guests stay, they can use a dedicated coupon provided at check-in to use major facilities at all three properties. Benefits include breakfast buffet for two, two welcome drinks, a 10% discount at on-site outlets, two packs for an Animal Farm feeding experience (Seorak Valley), an ocean sauna for two (Seorak Beach), and a free parking pass at Kensington Hotel Seorak when visiting Gwongeumseong at Seoraksan. A Kensington Hotels & Resorts official said Gangwon Flex “goes beyond a simple lodging product” by organically connecting local infrastructure to maximize the value of guests’ stays, adding that the company will continue to closely analyze travel patterns and offer more refined, customized content.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 10:30:18

South Korea revises rules for top procurement products to curb supply concentration The Public Procurement Service will refine technical review categories for its Excellent Procurement Products program and introduce a new “concentration management system” to prevent excessive deliveries being dominated by a single company.  PPS said it revised the “Excellent Procurement Products Designation and Management Rules” and the “Additional Special Conditions for Goods Purchase and Manufacturing Contracts,” with the changes taking effect from the 27th. The agency said the revisions reflect feedback from companies, strengthen review expertise, improve extension requirements and ease some rules to reduce burdens while supporting the growth of technology-focused firms. To improve the professionalism of technical evaluations, PPS subdivided review fields from eight to nine. The construction and environment field was split into civil and environmental works and building materials, and the electrical and electronics field was divided into electrical lighting and electronic devices. PPS also adjusted extension requirements, including export performance and the share of investment in technology development, to better match industry conditions. PPS said it will also broaden how delivery performance can be used to extend a designation. A delivery-performance item previously recognized only for new companies will be accepted for existing designated companies as grounds for extension if they meet certain requirements, such as the number of deliveries and customer satisfaction scores, to support continued growth of strong technology firms. To curb excessive concentration in deliveries to a specific company, PPS will apply the concentration management system to items with high market share and monopoly-like characteristics. After monitoring for one year, if concentration does not ease, PPS said it will introduce competitive procedures through supplier evaluations. To strengthen the effectiveness of satisfaction evaluations by purchasing agencies, PPS will raise the minimum grade threshold from 75 points to 85 points and disclose evaluation results so agencies can use more reasonable purchasing information. PPS said companies involved in serious industrial accidents will receive minus 5 points in credibility during designation reviews, and such companies will be added as a reason for exclusion from designation extensions, underscoring corporate responsibility for safety management. To prevent improper contract performance and promote fair procurement, PPS will require completion of Excellent Product training when reviewing extension applications. However, citing limited training capacity relative to demand, PPS said the requirement will apply to companies applying for extensions from 2028 after expanding the number of sessions and training institutions. PPS also announced measures to streamline field-centered regulations. Patent application confirmation documents had been issued only by the Korea Patent Technology Promotion Agency, but PPS added the Korea Invention Promotion Association as an issuing body to shorten processing times and reduce industry burdens. PPS said that when an Excellent Product designation is granted based on an Innovative Product status, and the Innovative Product designation period expires before the Excellent Product designation start date, the Excellent Product designation date may be shortened or changed to help ensure continuity in market access. In addition, PPS specified settlement methods for industrial safety and health management costs. For collaborative entities, PPS said it established a basis to recognize a participating company’s certification when the lead company cannot obtain certification due to legal restrictions. The Excellent Procurement Products program designates and publicly announces goods with outstanding performance, technology or quality to help small and venture businesses market technology-developed products. Designated items can be registered on the Nara Marketplace integrated shopping mall after signing unit-price contracts through private contracts. PPS Commissioner Baek Seung-bo said, “This system improvement is intended to create an environment where capable small businesses can continue to grow using public procurement as a springboard and to establish fairness in the market.” He added, “We will continue improving on-site regulations that hold companies back and create a business-friendly environment to support the growth of strong technology development companies.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 10:26:07

Korean Bar Association to Discuss Carbon Neutrality Law Revisions Reflecting U.N. Rights Advice The Korean Bar Association will hold a forum to discuss building a greenhouse gas reduction framework that aligns with U.N. human rights standards. The association said Sunday it will host a discussion at 2 p.m. Monday in Meeting Room 10 at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building titled, “Setting a Long-Term Emissions Reduction Pathway and Directions for Revising the Framework Act on Carbon Neutrality in Line With U.N. Human Rights Council Recommendations (UPR).” The event is being organized with Democratic Party lawmakers Lee So-young and Park Ji-hye, Rebuilding Korea Party lawmaker Seo Wang-jin, and the National Human Rights Commission of Korea. It follows the government’s acceptance, through the 2023 Universal Periodic Review, of a recommendation to align emissions reduction targets with the “1.5 degrees” standard. The need to reflect a long-term reduction pathway for 2031 to 2049 in law has also grown after the Constitutional Court last year issued a ruling of constitutional nonconformity in a climate lawsuit case. The National Assembly is proceeding with legislation and public discussion on the issue. The forum will review advisory opinions from the International Court of Justice and broader international climate policy trends, and discuss how to set a reduction pathway consistent with human rights obligations and the 1.5-degree goal. Two presentations are scheduled. Kyung Hee University law professor Baek Beom-seok will propose ways to codify a long-term reduction pathway in legislation based on the UPR recommendations and the Constitutional Court ruling. Attorney Choi Chang-min will present proposed revisions to the Framework Act on Carbon Neutrality, including resetting the pathway to meet human rights standards and establishing an implementation monitoring system. A panel discussion will include participants from climate science, human rights, youth groups, academia and government to consider improvements from multiple perspectives. A bar association official said, “We hope this forum will serve as an opportunity to reexamine the long-term reduction pathway from the perspective of responding to the climate crisis and protecting human rights, and to develop directions for effective revisions to the Framework Act on Carbon Neutrality.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 10:25:20

Democratic Party Says Kim Yong Nomination Has Mixed Views, Defers to Committee The Democratic Party said Monday that opinions inside the party are divided as more members call for nominating Kim Yong, a former deputy head of the party-affiliated Democracy Research Institute, and urged the public to trust the party’s Strategic Nominations Committee. Senior spokesperson Kang Jun-hyeon told reporters at the National Assembly that “it is true there are various opinions within the party,” but said the committee should be allowed to make its decision. Kang also addressed comments by Secretary-General Jo Seung-rae, who had said there were many negative views within the party about nominating Kim. Kang said Jo’s remark “was not the party’s official stance,” calling it a reference to internal sentiment. “Please understand it only as meaning there are various opinions within the party,” he said. Kang said the party has continued efforts to recruit Ha Jung-woo, the presidential office’s senior secretary for artificial intelligence, who is widely seen as a likely candidate in Busan’s Buk-gu Gap district. Kang said it was not confirmed whether Jo and the committee had direct contact with Ha, but added that “there was a process in which the party earnestly requested” that Ha run. “With not much time left until the by-election, the most important thing is Ha’s firm determination,” Kang said. Kang said the Strategic Nominations Committee would meet as needed to handle strategic nominations for the by-elections. He noted that the deadline for public officials seeking to run to resign is May 4, adding that the party’s plan is to wrap up strategic nominations by early May. The committee, he said, is moving “urgently and swiftly.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 10:23:14

Unfounded Claims Spread Online After White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting, Media Say Online claims that the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner attended by President Donald Trump was staged spread rapidly after the incident, according to reports. Posts on X, Bluesky and Instagram asserted without evidence that the gunfire was orchestrated. Foreign media reported that no proof has been verified to support those allegations. U.S. technology outlet Wired reported on April 26 (local time) that social media users quickly circulated “staged” claims after the shooting. Wired said accounts across the political spectrum — including influencers and anonymous users — amplified the narrative without presenting evidence. Wired said the conspiracy theories grew alongside Trump’s remarks about the White House ballroom. Some online users argued that because Trump mentioned the need to build a ballroom after the incident, the shooting must have been staged to create justification for the project, Wired reported. Fact-checking outlets said scenes cited as “proof” online did not match the facts. PolitiFact said a clip of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying before the event, “There will be gunshots in this room tonight,” was not a warning about an actual shooting. It was a figurative line referring to Trump’s speech and jokes, PolitiFact said. PolitiFact also said footage of a man holding up cards next to Trump was not a signal for gunfire. The moment was part of a scheduled performance by mentalist Oz Pearlman, it reported. Information released by investigators also did not align with the staging claims. Reuters reported that acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the suspect appeared to have targeted Trump administration officials, and authorities were investigating whether the president may have been among the intended targets. Reuters also cited a U.S. official as saying Trump may have been the target. The Associated Press reported the suspect was identified as 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen of Torrance, California. Authorities were investigating a motive, and the suspect was arrested at the scene shortly after the shooting, AP said. PolitiFact said the claims spread quickly in the immediate aftermath, when confirmed information was limited. It said some social media posts shared cropped clips that fueled suspicion while the suspect’s identity and the sequence of events were still unclear. In one case, a journalist initially reported incorrectly that the suspect had died and then promptly corrected the report. Wired said the episode mirrored online reactions that often follow political violence in the United States. As with the 2024 attempt to assassinate Trump, it said, users with differing political views again portrayed the incident as staged — for different reasons.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 10:22:34

Han Byung-do Seen as Front-Runner for Second Term as DP Floor Leader After Rivals Bow Out As the Democratic Party prepares to elect a new floor leader on May 6, a string of decisions by potential contenders not to run has boosted the chances of Han Byung-do winning a second term. Han, who previously served as floor leader, formally entered the race on April 23 at the National Assembly, saying, "I am confident I can do well going forward." If elected, he would become the party's first floor leader to serve consecutive terms. Rep. Baek Hye-ryeon wrote on Facebook on April 27 that she would not run, saying the top task is "the success of the Lee Jae-myung government and victory in local elections through party unity." She added that she would "do my best" in the role assigned to her. Rep. Park Jeong also announced a day earlier that he had decided not to run. In a post titled "I have decided not to run for floor leader this time," Park said winning the Democratic Party's June 3 local elections and parliamentary by-elections must come first, adding that the party should deliver a "complete defeat" to "far-right forces." Baek and Park had been seen as possible candidates after both lost to Han in a floor leader by-election held in January following the resignation of Kim Byung-ki. Rep. Seo Young-kyo, who also competed against Kim in that earlier contest, said a day earlier that she had considered running but would sit out this time to focus on her duties as chair of a special committee for a state investigation and as chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Some in the party have voiced concerns about Han serving another term. Rep. Kim Yong-min said on April 24 that the ruling party should move more dynamically to support the administration's success when the president's approval rating is high, arguing that a second term for the floor leader runs counter to the energy and momentum the party needs. He said he hoped "a new figure" would emerge in the party. Kim also argued a day earlier that the share of party member votes reflected in the floor leader election, currently 20%, should be increased to 50% so members' views carry more weight. The floor leader elected this time will have authority over matters including the allocation of standing committee posts for the second half of the year.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 10:21:52

HD Hyundai Heavy Signs Deal to Build Sweden’s Icebreaking Vessel, a First for a Korean Yard HD Hyundai Heavy Industries said Sunday it has held a contract-signing ceremony for an overseas icebreaking vessel order, marking the first such deal won by a South Korean shipyard and moving the project into full implementation. The company said it signed the shipbuilding contract with the Swedish Maritime Administration on Friday local time at the National Maritime Museum in Stockholm. CEO Joo Won-ho and Swedish Maritime Administration Director General Erik Eklund attended the event and discussed the significance of the agreement and ways to cooperate going forward, the company said. HD Hyundai Heavy previously disclosed it had secured an order for one icebreaking vessel worth $348.9 million (about 514.8 billion won). The ship is expected to be delivered in 2029 and will have icebreaking capability rated at Polar Class 4. The company said the contract is seen as a step into the global icebreaker market and a foundation for expanding into Arctic-route vessels such as LNG carriers and bulk carriers equipped with icebreaking functions.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 10:21:19

HJ Shipbuilding Wins Order for Two 10,100-TEU Container Ships HJ Shipbuilding said Sunday it has won orders worth a combined 357.2 billion won for two 10,100-TEU container ships. The ships are based on the company’s in-house 7,700- to 9,000-TEU eco-friendly container ship design and were engineered to the largest specifications that can be built in the dock at its Yeongdo shipyard in Busan. The company said the high-efficiency design expands cargo space on deck and in the holds, while applying an optimized layout aimed at improving process efficiency and safety. HJ Shipbuilding previously won its first order for a container ship of 10,000 TEU or more at the Yeongdo shipyard in February. With the latest deal, it has secured four ships of the same design. The company said building identical ships in sequence is expected to boost efficiency across design, procurement and production, improving productivity and profitability. It added that shipowners can also benefit from more efficient operations and maintenance. To meet International Maritime Organization environmental rules, the ships will be built with exhaust gas cleaning systems, known as scrubbers, and an alternative maritime power system for shore power supply. HJ Shipbuilding said it has also completed development of an LNG dual-fuel propulsion model based on the same design to meet future demand for cleaner fuels. Chief Executive Yoo Sang-cheol said the company has laid the groundwork to build four large container ships of 10,000 TEU or more in succession at the Yeongdo shipyard. He said it will strengthen competitiveness through selective, profitability-focused orders and high-quality, on-time delivery.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 10:15:05