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Coway Launches 'S Induction' Electric Range with Automatic Heating Technology Coway announced the launch of its 'S Induction' electric range on August 19, which automatically switches heating methods based on the type of cookware used.The S Induction features South Korea's first 'smart hybrid burner,' capable of recognizing both induction-specific cookware and regular heat-resistant glass, allowing for versatile use without restrictions on specific cookware.It offers a powerful output of up to 3,400 watts and includes a 'Plus Zone' that connects the left burner for larger cookware.The range has improved usability with individual controls for each burner and a touch slide interface, along with a feature that measures cookware compatibility on a scale of 0 to 10. The surface is made from eco-friendly ceramic material from Germany's Schott Ceran, enhancing durability.Safety features have been significantly increased, incorporating 21 types of multi-safety systems, including a dual lock mode for children and pets, a pause button, overheating control, and spill detection.Installation options include built-in and freestanding configurations, and rental customers using the 'Special Change' plan will receive a one-time free replacement of the surface during the contract period.Coway stated, "With the powerful heating, spacious cooking area, and thorough safety features of this new product, we hope users will enjoy a free and convenient kitchen experience."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-19 09:24:00 -
South Korea Launches YouTube Broadcast for National Unity 청와대가 서로 다른 생각과 입장을 가진 국민들이 각자의 경험을 나누며 상대방을 이해할 수 있도록 대화의 장을 마련한다. 청와대는 19일 국민의 다양한 목소리를 직접 듣기 위한 유튜브 방송 ‘국민통합, 대화가 필요해!’를 시작한다고 밝혔다. 이번 방송은 계층과 세대, 지역, 분야가 서로 다른 국민을 초대해 현장의 목소리를 듣고 국민통합의 분위기를 조성하기 위해 기획됐다. 방송은 청와대 오픈스튜디오에서 진행되며 KTV 유튜브 채널을 통해 격주로 공개된다. 첫 방송은 이날 오후 2시 생방송으로 진행된다. 허은아 국민통합비서관이 진행을 맡고 자영업자를 대표해 방송인 홍석천, 청년 아르바이트생 박현우군이 출연한다. 두 사람은 자영업자와 아르바이트생이 일터에서 겪는 서로 다른 어려움과 갈등을 놓고 이야기를 나눌 예정이다. 특히 ‘갑질하는 사장’과 ‘태도 불량 아르바이트생’, ‘최저임금 부담과 쪼개기 아르바이트’ 등 양측의 입장이 첨예하게 엇갈리는 문제를 다룬다. 각자의 경험과 생각을 솔직하게 밝히는 한편, 서로 존중하며 일할 수 있는 환경을 어떻게 조성할지도 함께 논의한다. 청와대는 이를 단순히 자영업자와 아르바이트생 사이의 ‘을과 을의 갈등’으로 규정하지 않고, 양측의 어려움을 함께 살피며 해법을 모색하는 방식으로 방송을 진행할 방침이다. 향후 방송에서는 80대 원로와 20대 청년이 만나 서로 다른 세대가 살아온 경험과 가치관을 공유한다. 워킹맘과 워킹대디가 일과 육아를 병행하며 겪는 현실적인 고민을 이야기하는 자리도 마련한다. 청와대는 “통합은 서로 좋아하게 만드는 일이 아니라 억울한 일이 없는 사회를 만드는 일”이라며 “서로의 생각과 경험을 나누는 자리가 ‘나와 다른 생각을 할 수도 있구나’라고 서로를 존중하고 대화가 복원되는 첫 단추가 되기를 바란다”고 말했다.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-19 09:24:00
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Han River District's Living Lab Design Project Wins Presidential Award at Public Design Awards The 2026 Korea Public Design Awards' Presidential Award was presented to the "Living Lab Yonyong Lab" project by the Yongsan District Office in Seoul for its Han River District Safety Design initiative, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Craft and Design Culture Promotion Agency announced on August 19.The award-winning project addressed issues in the Han River District, where residential and commercial areas overlap, leading to noise, illegal dumping, and parking difficulties. Residents, the district office, and police collaborated through the Living Lab approach, where community members identify problems and design solutions. The project included illuminated signs with QR codes for crime reporting to combat unauthorized entries and introduced public order lighting to mitigate noise from commercial areas, effectively translating community concerns into public design solutions. It received high praise for establishing a model of public design that encourages active and autonomous participation from stakeholders, going beyond mere complaint resolution and facility improvement.In the project category, three awards were given by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, six by the Director of the Korea Craft and Design Culture Promotion Agency, and four by the President of the Korean Public Design Association. The Minister's awards included the "Children's Room of Tomorrow" project at the Dujeong Library in Cheonan and the "Branding and Attraction Project for the Abandoned Mureunggol Village" in Jeongseon.In the research category, the Minister's award went to a study on "Strategies for Urban Public Art to Enhance Urban Competitiveness" by Park Jae-eun. This research proposed treating over 4,500 public art pieces and sculptures in Seoul not merely as decorations but as assets in urban planning, offering direction for public policy.The awards ceremony will take place on October 23 during the opening event of the "Public Design Festival 2026" at Artio (RTO) in Cultural Station Seoul 284. The project award winners will be showcased in a planned exhibition titled "Design of Care" opening on September 16 at Cultural Station Seoul 284. The research award winner will present their findings at the "Joint Academic Conference of Related Societies" on October 24 at Artio (RTO) in Cultural Station Seoul 284.Minister Choi Hwi-young stated, "This year's selected projects demonstrate that the subjects of public design are not limited to government or experts, but that everyone can be a designer of public design. We will support these initiatives to ensure that the value of public design is felt by citizens in their daily lives, rather than just identifying excellent cases."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-19 09:24:00
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Most Students Uncertain About College Application Choices Ahead of Deadline As the deadline for early college applications approaches in about three weeks, a survey reveals that nine out of ten students have not finalized all six application choices.On August 19, the college admissions information platform JinHakSa released the results of an online survey conducted with 743 students planning to apply for the 2027 academic year. The survey was conducted from August 6 to 17.According to JinHakSa, only 9.0% of respondents reported that they had finalized all six applications. The remaining 91.0% have yet to complete their choices.Breaking down the decision status, 40.2% of students indicated they had decided on two to three applications, while 37.6% had settled on four to five. Additionally, 10.1% had not made any decisions, and 3.1% had finalized just one application.Notably, when combining the responses of those who decided on two to three applications, one application, or none at all, it shows that 53.4% of the surveyed students have finalized three or fewer of their six applications.When asked about the reasons for not finalizing their application choices, 38.5% of the 676 students who had not completed their selections cited uncertainty about how to structure their applications across ambitious, appropriate, and safe options.This was followed by 25.7% who found it difficult to assess which universities they could apply to based on their grades, and 25.6% who planned to make decisions after taking the September mock exam.Other reasons included wanting to finalize decisions after consulting with schools or academies (7.4%), difficulty in making judgments due to incomplete student records (2.1%), and other reasons (0.7%).Yoo Won-cheol, head of JinHakSa's admissions strategy research center, noted, "The more options students have, the harder it can be to finalize the last six applications. It is now essential to categorize potential universities into ambitious, appropriate, and safe options and prioritize them accordingly."He added, "When considering safe options, students should not only look at acceptance probabilities but also evaluate whether they genuinely intend to enroll if accepted. Additionally, it is important to check if there are backup options available in case desired outcomes are not achieved in ambitious applications, which can help clarify the role of each application choice."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-19 09:20:00
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Toss Reduces Brokerage Fees for Savings Banks' Special Sunshine Loans by 16% Toss is lowering brokerage fees for its loan comparison service to support the expansion of savings banks' Special Sunshine Loans. This move aims to alleviate the burden on savings banks, which are a key source of funding for low- and mid-credit borrowers.Viva Republica, the operator of Toss, announced on August 19 that it will reduce the brokerage fees charged to savings banks offering Special Sunshine Loan products by approximately 16%.The Special Sunshine Loan is a policy financial product aimed at low-credit individuals with an annual income of less than 35 million won and a credit score in the bottom 20%.Currently, there are eight savings banks participating in Toss's loan comparison service that offer the Special Sunshine Loan. The reduced brokerage fees will be in effect until the end of the year, and Toss plans to continue providing related support thereafter.Toss expects that the fee reduction will lessen the cost burden on savings banks, thereby increasing their capacity to supply policy financial products to low-credit borrowers.A Toss representative stated, "Savings banks are important partners in providing essential funds to low- and mid-credit borrowers. We will continue to collaborate with savings banks to contribute to inclusive finance."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-19 09:16:10
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LoandCompany Advances in AI Foundation Model Project Amid Legal Tech Growth Legal tech company LoandCompany has confirmed its advancement to the third phase of the government's Independent AI Foundation Model project as a participant in the Upstage Consortium. The company plans to accelerate the enhancement of legal performance and the expansion of the legal AI ecosystem.On August 19, LoandCompany announced that it successfully passed the second phase of the Independent AI Foundation Model project, overseen by the Ministry of Science and ICT, as part of the Upstage Consortium.LoandCompany plays a key role in promoting model dissemination to establish a global standard AI ecosystem within the Upstage Consortium. The company contributed to performance improvements by enhancing legal data evaluation during the second phase. In the first phase, it focused on building specialized legal training and evaluation datasets based on its accumulated experience in model development in the legal field.The third phase consortium includes Upstage, SK Telecom, and LG AI Research. The Solar Open 2 model developed by the Upstage Consortium is capable of processing and remembering text equivalent to hundreds of pages, with a maximum capacity of 1 million tokens, achieving information processing capabilities on par with top global AI models.Model dissemination is also underway. LoandCompany has applied the Solar Open model to its on-premises version of the Super Lawyer legal AI service. In July, it demonstrated the on-premises version of Super Lawyer based on Solar Open 2 at a public event.Lee Sang-hoo, head of the AI Innovation Center at LoandCompany, stated, "Finding the right balance between model performance and GPU infrastructure costs in an on-premises environment is crucial. The Solar Open 2 model offers high performance while being scalable for on-premises deployment, making it highly applicable across various industries."Meanwhile, LoandCompany operates the Super Lawyer legal AI service. In June, it achieved a 100% accuracy rate in the optional section of the bar exam, marking a first for domestic legal AI services.The company is also expanding its business to connect legal AI technology with actual legal services. In June, it signed a memorandum of understanding with Kakao and Hana Financial TI to expand electronic document services in the legal field. It is participating as a lead organization in the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Internet & Security Agency's '2026 National Mobile Electronic Certification Expansion Project,' aiming to build services that connect the creation, sending, and storage of digital legal documents.Kim Bon-hwan, CEO of LoandCompany, remarked, "It is meaningful to continue this journey that can contribute to strengthening the national AI industry competitiveness. We will do our best to enhance model performance and accelerate the expansion of the legal AI ecosystem through practical service applications, thereby contributing to the country's AI competitiveness."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-19 09:16:00
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Hyundai Card Launches 'Olive Young Hyundai Card Plus' with 20% Rewards Hyundai Card has partnered with CJ Olive Young to introduce a credit card that offers up to 20% of purchase amounts as rewards points.On August 19, Hyundai Card announced the launch of the 'Olive Young Hyundai Card Plus,' which includes benefits for earning 'Olive Points' that can be used like cash at Olive Young stores. Olive Points were introduced by Olive Young in May and can be redeemed both online and in physical stores.The Olive Young Hyundai Card Plus is the first credit card to feature the Olive Point rewards program. Cardholders will also continue to earn CJ ONE points based on their existing membership levels.When using the card at Olive Young, customers can earn 20% of their purchase amount in Olive Points, with a monthly cap of 10,000 points. During a promotional period running until July of next year, the earning limit will increase to 20,000 points per month.Additionally, cardholders can earn 5% in Olive Points on purchases made in three lifestyle categories: online shopping, coffee shops, and delivery apps, with a maximum of 2,000 points per category, totaling 6,000 points.The annual fee for the card is 15,000 won, and customers must spend at least 300,000 won in the previous month to qualify for the rewards.To celebrate the card's launch, Hyundai Card is offering a coupon pack for 70,000 won off at Olive Young to new members who sign up by the end of next month.A Hyundai Card representative stated, "The Olive Young Hyundai Card Plus is the first product reflecting Olive Young's new rewards system, and we believe the high earning rate of 20% and various promotions will enhance customer satisfaction."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-19 09:16:00
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Travel Demand Surges in Late Summer as Vacation Patterns Shift The traditional peak vacation period in late July and early August is being disrupted as more travelers opt to delay their holidays to avoid the summer heat. Demand for travel is now extending into late August and early September. In the foreign tourism market, products less affected by seasonal changes, such as K-beauty and medical services, are supporting summer travel demand.According to the travel industry on August 19, an analysis of search data for Korean travelers conducted by HotelsCombined and Kayak from August 18 to September 13 revealed a 75% increase in hotel searches compared to the same period last year.This shift indicates a growing trend of travelers seeking to avoid the peak season, which previously concentrated vacations in late July and early August. HotelsCombined noted that the ongoing heatwave has led to a rise in so-called 'late summer vacations' after the peak summer period.Travel preferences are also changing. While Japan and China remain popular destinations, there is a noticeable demand for cooler regions.New Zealand saw the highest increase in hotel search volume, with a sixfold rise compared to last year. As it is winter in New Zealand during August, the tourist city of Queenstown experienced a more than sevenfold increase in hotel searches. Hungary and Canada ranked second and third in search volume growth, respectively.Conversely, the share of searches for typical summer vacation spots in Southeast Asia has decreased. Vietnam maintained its position as the second most searched destination for flights and hotels, following Japan, but its overall search share dropped by about 4 percentage points for flights and 5 percentage points for hotels compared to last year. The search shares for flights to Thailand and the Philippines also fell by approximately 2 and 3 percentage points, respectively.Japan continues to show strength, with its share of flight searches increasing by about 16 percentage points and hotel searches by about 5 percentage points compared to last year. China ranked third in both flight and hotel searches, with hotel searches increasing by 57% year-on-year.Busan's Summer Surge Driven by K-beauty and Medical TourismA similar trend is evident in domestic travel among foreigners. According to the inbound travel platform CreateTrip, transactions in Busan in July surged to about 15 times the amount from the same month last year, reaching a record high. Last year, transactions peaked in April and declined through the summer, but this year has seen consistent monthly growth since April.The growth has been fueled by K-beauty and medical tourism. New dermatology products introduced in Busan through CreateTrip accounted for more than half of the total transactions in the region from January to July. Transactions for medical products, excluding dermatology, such as health check-ups, also increased by about 37 times compared to last year.Beauty product transactions, including hair, makeup, and nails, rose by approximately 57%, while specialized hair services like scalp care and hair spas saw an increase of about 97%. Busan's tourism, which was previously associated only with summer vacations, is now expanding to include beauty and medical services.By nationality, Taiwanese tourists made up the largest share, accounting for about 57% of all reservations in Busan through CreateTrip from January to July. Japanese and Hong Kong tourists followed, with the United States also ranking among the top five countries for reservations.CreateTrip has also expanded its partnerships in Busan, increasing the number of affiliates by about 73% compared to last year. The range of products has broadened to include beauty and medical services, yacht tours, spas, and restaurants. They are collaborating with the Busan Tourism Organization on the '2026 Busan Wellness Medical Tourism Promotion.'Late August Promotions Targeting Travel DemandTravel platforms are now focusing on capturing demand for late August. MyRealTrip is launching a 'Last Summer Special' promotion from August 19 to 25.The promotion will feature tours and tickets for Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Southeast Asia, and China, along with domestic and international accommodation options. Local products such as tours of the Vatican Museums in Rome, Universal Studios in Los Angeles, the Blue Mountains in Sydney, and tours in Osaka and Kyoto will be available, as well as accommodations in Tokyo, Nha Trang, Shanghai, New York, Paris, and London.Products for destinations like Shanghai, Bohol, Boracay, Jeju, and Matsuyama will be offered at live special prices. Daily early bird discount coupons will also be available during the event.The continuation of large-scale promotions by travel platforms into late August, typically seen as the end of summer vacation, aligns with the growing demand for late summer travel.Industry experts believe that as vacation times become more dispersed and the number of travel products less affected by seasonal changes increases, the traditional distinctions between peak and off-peak seasons will gradually evolve. A travel industry representative noted, 'In regions where K-beauty and medical products have become established, the boundaries between peak and off-peak seasons are likely to blur further in the future.'* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-19 09:12:00
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Two Jangseong County Officials Charged with Accepting Bribes in Public Works Project Two officials from Jangseong County in Gwangju, South Korea, have been charged with accepting bribes from a contractor involved in a public works project.According to the Gwangju Police Agency's Special Investigation Unit, the two team leaders allegedly received hundreds of thousands to millions of won in cash from a contractor while overseeing the modernization of the county's water supply system from late 2022 to last year.Police are also investigating one supervisor from the project who is facing similar charges.The misconduct of these officials was uncovered during an audit by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety last year.Authorities are currently verifying the facts, and Jangseong County has decided to impose disciplinary measures based on the audit results.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-19 09:12:00
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Household Debt Reaches Record High of 1,993 Trillion Won Amid Increased Borrowing Household debt in South Korea has reached a new record high in the first quarter of this year. Despite the government's stringent lending regulations, non-bank mortgage loans have increased significantly, and investment borrowing has surged due to a booming stock market.According to the Bank of Korea's preliminary statistics on household credit released on August 19, the total household credit balance at the end of the first quarter stood at 1,993.1 trillion won. This marks an increase of 14 trillion won compared to the end of the previous quarter, setting a record since the related statistics were first published in the fourth quarter of 2002.Household credit had decreased by 32 trillion won in the first quarter of 2024 amid monetary tightening, but it has shown an upward trend for eight consecutive quarters since then. However, the quarterly increase has slowed compared to the previous quarter's rise of 14.3 trillion won.Household credit refers to the total debt incurred by households from banks, insurance companies, lending institutions, and public financial institutions, including credit card spending before payment.Excluding credit card spending, the household loan balance at the end of the first quarter was 1,865.8 trillion won, an increase of 12.9 trillion won from the previous quarter.By loan type, the mortgage loan balance was 1,178.6 trillion won, reflecting an increase of 8.1 trillion won in the first quarter, marking two consecutive quarters of growth. The increase was attributed to a reduced decline in other financial institutions, including public financial institutions and other financial intermediaries.Other loans, including credit loans and securities firms' credit extensions, totaled 687.2 trillion won, up 4.8 trillion won from the previous quarter. The increase was primarily driven by a rise in credit extensions from securities firms.Lee Hye-young, head of the Bank of Korea's Financial Statistics Team, noted, "Securities firms' credit extensions increased by 7.3 trillion won in the first quarter, a significant rise compared to the previous quarter's increase of 3.3 trillion won. This is the third-largest increase on record."By lending source, the balance of household loans from deposit banks was 1,009.6 trillion won, a decrease of 2 billion won. While mortgage loans increased by 3 billion won, other loans decreased by 6 billion won. The increase in mortgage loans was significantly lower than the previous quarter's rise of 48 billion won.Household loans from non-bank deposit-taking institutions, including mutual finance, savings banks, and credit cooperatives, amounted to 325 trillion won, reflecting an increase of 8.2 trillion won, largely due to a surge of 10.6 trillion won in mortgage loans. Other loans decreased by 2.5 trillion won.Lee added, "The increase in deposit banks has slowed significantly, while the rise in non-bank institutions reflects the demand for loans that existed before the financial authorities intensified their management policies."Regarding the ratio of household debt to gross domestic product (GDP), Lee stated, "Household credit increased by 3.5% year-on-year, while the preliminary real GDP growth rate was 3.6% compared to the same period last year. Based on this, the household debt ratio in the first quarter is expected to decrease further." She continued, "Household credit is showing a gradual stabilization trend, and if the growth rate remains high, it is expected to decrease further."Looking ahead, she remarked, "Household credit tends to increase as the economy grows. While it does not seem likely to increase significantly in the future, we need to monitor the recent uptick in housing transactions closely."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-19 09:12:00