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  • Hyundai Motor Group Launches Mobile Healthcare Service in Indonesia Using PV5
    Hyundai Motor Group Launches Mobile Healthcare Service in Indonesia Using PV5 Hyundai Motor Group is set to demonstrate a mobile healthcare service in Indonesia using the Kia Purpose Built Vehicle (PBV) PV5.The company announced on August 14 that it unveiled a healthcare model modified from the Kia PV5 Cargo Long at the GIIAS (Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show) held from July 30 to August 9.The PV5 healthcare model is designed to facilitate patient consultations and health check-ups inside the vehicle. It is equipped with a foldable bed for patients, medical chairs, and an electrocardiogram (ECG) device. Additionally, it features a Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) power supply function to provide medical services even in areas without external power sources.Starting at the end of this year, Hyundai Motor Group will collaborate with Indonesian urban development company Sinar Mas Land and Eka Hospital to implement the mobile healthcare service in BSD City, near Jakarta.Hyundai will oversee the provision of the PV5 and the overall operation of the service. Sinar Mas Land will support the infrastructure development within residential areas and community facilities in BSD City, while Eka Hospital will manage medical personnel, equipment operations, and consultation services.This initiative aims to enhance medical accessibility in urban areas, particularly for residents without private vehicles who face challenges in accessing healthcare facilities. The PV5 will provide on-site medical consultations and health check-ups at locations frequented by residents, such as residential complexes, shopping malls, and sports centers.Hyundai Motor Group plans to improve local residents' access to healthcare while validating the practical application of mobility-based medical services. The company is also looking to establish a smart city service model that integrates residential, transportation, and medical infrastructure, with plans to expand operations to other ASEAN countries in the future.Jung Ho-geun, Vice President of Hyundai Motor Group's Future Strategy Division, stated, "Indonesia holds a strategically significant position in the ASEAN market. We will actively pursue smart city projects in the ASEAN market through collaboration with local partners."Meanwhile, Kia set a global sales target of 54,000 units for the PV5 during its 2026 CEO Investor Day in April. The PV5, which was launched in South Korea last year, is expected to sell approximately 8,500 units by the end of this year. Kia plans to expand its PBV lineup with the introduction of the PV7 in 2027 and the PV9 in 2029, aiming for annual sales of 232,000 units by 2030.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-14 09:04:00
  • Pyongyang warns of new level of deterrent against US.-South Korea drills
    Pyongyang warns of 'new level of deterrent' against US.-South Korea drills SEOUL, August 14 (AJP) - North Korea on Friday denounced an upcoming joint military exercise between South Korea and the U.S., warning that it would respond to the drills with a "new level of deterrent." "It is our consistent principle of ensuring security to respond to a new level of a threat with a new level of a deterrent," a spokesperson for North Korea's Foreign Ministry said in a statement carried by the state-run will not tolerate the grave confrontational situation which is being created by the enemy states but more clearly express its stance on the enemies to cope with any threats and challenges through the responsible and decisive exercise of the right to legitimate self-defense," it said. North Korea, which has strongly denounced the exercise as a "rehearsal for an invasion" and conducted weapons tests and missile launches in protest, again fired ballistic missiles toward the East Sea last week and earlier this week, just days before the exercise is set to begin its 10-day drills next Monday. AJP Takeaways: - North Korea on Aug. 14, 2026, warned that it would respond to the upcoming Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise with a "new level of deterrent." - South Korea and the United States are scheduled to begin the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise on Aug. 17, 2026, for 10 days of joint military drills. - North Korea's Foreign Ministry said the exercise reflects the United States' intention to prepare for a "substantial military confrontation” with North Korea and cited U.S. remarks that this year's drills are aimed at improving the allies' ability to conduct modern warfare. - North Korea has denounced Ulchi Freedom Shield as a "rehearsal for an invasion" and warned that it will respond with "the most powerful and overwhelming force" against what it calls hostile acts by the United States and South Korea. - North Korea has conducted weapons tests and fired ballistic missiles toward the East Sea in recent days, including launches in the week leading up to the start of the Aug. 17, 2026, Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise. 2026-08-14 09:03:36
  • Samsung Electronics Boosts Semiconductor Competitiveness with AI Experts
    Samsung Electronics Boosts Semiconductor Competitiveness with AI Experts Samsung Electronics is enhancing its semiconductor competitiveness by hiring external experts in artificial intelligence (AI). The company plans to expand AI applications across all core semiconductor operations, from design to manufacturing, to improve research and development (R&D) efficiency and productivity.On August 14, Samsung announced the recruitment of Han Bo-hyung, a fellow in deep learning and vision AI, and Han Tae-rin, an expert in data engineering.Han Bo-hyung will lead the development of AI models specialized for semiconductor R&D. Vision AI technology enables computers to learn from large-scale image and video data, recognizing objects and patterns within them and analyzing their meanings.Han earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in computer engineering from Seoul National University and received his Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Maryland. He served as an assistant professor in the computer engineering department at Pohang University of Science and Technology before becoming a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Seoul National University in 2018.Han Tae-rin will be responsible for building 'AI Ready Data,' which involves processing and managing data for immediate AI application. This role is crucial for establishing the data infrastructure necessary to apply AI models to actual semiconductor operations.Han graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering and obtained a master's degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He worked as a senior engineering manager at Meta from 2016 and served as a senior developer at Persona in the United States last year.With these new hires, Samsung plans to accelerate the AI transformation (AX) across its core semiconductor design, process, and manufacturing operations.A Samsung official stated, "We will continue to secure key talents in the AI and data fields and spread their expertise throughout the organization to enhance our overall AI capabilities."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-14 09:00:20
  • Kim Min-hee Makes First Public Appearance After Giving Birth, Faces Mixed Reactions
    Kim Min-hee Makes First Public Appearance After Giving Birth, Faces Mixed Reactions Actress Kim Min-hee made her first official appearance since giving birth to a son with director Hong Sang-soo, drawing varied reactions from netizens.On August 14, images of Kim Min-hee attending the 79th Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland circulated across various online communities and social media.Kim Min-hee appeared in a blue vest at the official Q&A session for Hong Sang-soo's new film, Nowhere to Lay My Eyes, marking her return after nearly two years.Online, reactions to Kim Min-hee's changed appearance post-childbirth varied widely. Some netizens commented, "Now she looks like she fits with Hong Sang-soo," and "She seems to be resembling him more and more," while others remarked, "The once glamorous Kim Min-hee looks so shabby now," and "She doesn't seem like the same Kim Min-hee anymore."Conversely, some defended her, stating, "If this is how she looks after having a baby, that's commendable," and "Criticizing her appearance while condemning the affair is contradictory." This highlights the distinction between personal life and appearance critiques.During the Q&A, Kim Min-hee revealed that this film is her first project since giving birth. "I shot this film after having my baby," she said. "After taking a break for about two years, my state is different from before."She also shared that she took care of her child during filming, stating, "Since my baby was with me on set, I had to breastfeed and prepare baby food while juggling filming and parenting."Childbirth has also changed her approach to film and acting. "As I prepared, the intense focus I used to have on films has faded away," she noted. "After naturally preparing for my baby, I felt healthier while giving my best to the film in this new environment."Meanwhile, the relationship between Kim Min-hee and director Hong Sang-soo has garnered public interest as they have collaborated on various projects over the years. Kim Min-hee publicly acknowledged their romantic relationship following the film It Was Right Then, But It's Wrong Now.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-14 09:00:00
  • Doosan Enerbility Wins Contract for Key Equipment in TerraPowers SMR Project
    Doosan Enerbility Wins Contract for Key Equipment in TerraPower's SMR Project Doosan Enerbility announced that it has secured a contract to manufacture key equipment for TerraPower's sodium reactor on August 14. The company will produce the reactor pressure vessel, reactor support structures, and internal structures for the sodium reactor.TerraPower's first nuclear power plant is being constructed in Kemmerer, Wyoming, and will feature a 345 MW advanced reactor. This project is one of the first next-generation nuclear projects in the U.S. to enter commercial-scale construction. It is supported by the U.S. government's initiative to expand advanced nuclear power and received construction approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), with groundbreaking expected in spring 2026.Kim Jong-du, head of Doosan Enerbility's Nuclear Business Group, stated, "This manufacturing contract was established based on years of close cooperation and trust with TerraPower. We will execute this project without any issues while continuously enhancing our SMR manufacturing capabilities and expanding our role as a global supplier."Additionally, Doosan Enerbility had previously signed a contract in December 2024 for the manufacturing review of key equipment for TerraPower's initial reactor. The company continues to secure contracts in North America, solidifying its market presence in the region.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-14 08:56:00
  • KOSPI Eyes Fifth Consecutive Day of Gains Amid Strong Semiconductor Stocks
    KOSPI Eyes Fifth Consecutive Day of Gains Amid Strong Semiconductor Stocks The KOSPI is poised to continue its upward trend for a fifth consecutive trading day on August 14, buoyed by easing inflation pressures in the U.S. and strong performance in semiconductor stocks. Concerns over additional interest rate hikes by the U.S. Federal Reserve have subsided, with both Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix showing gains in pre-market trading.According to NextTrade, as of 8:30 a.m., SK Hynix shares were trading at 1,682,000 won, up 89,000 won (5.59%) from the previous trading day. Samsung Electronics also saw an increase of 7,500 won (2.80%), reaching 275,500 won. The positive sentiment surrounding domestic semiconductor stocks is attributed to the strong performance of semiconductor and tech stocks in the U.S. markets overnight.U.S. stock markets closed higher, driven by lower-than-expected producer price index (PPI) data. On August 13 (local time), the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 69.72 points (0.13%) to close at 53,839.99. The S&P 500 index gained 50.49 points (0.65%), reaching a record closing high of 7,798.99. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite also increased by 214.54 points (0.81%), finishing at 26,803.03.The stability in both consumer and producer prices has alleviated fears of further interest rate hikes by the Fed, boosting investor sentiment. The U.S. PPI for July showed no change from the previous month, falling short of the market expectation of a 0.2% increase. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note dropped by about 4.7 basis points to 4.645%.With the easing of interest rate pressures, buying interest in semiconductor stocks has surged. SanDisk saw a significant jump of 13.67%, while SK Hynix's American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) rose by 7.29%, and Micron increased by 4.23%. Nvidia also gained 0.54%. However, the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index, which had risen by as much as 2.46% during the day, saw its gains reduced to 0.46% due to profit-taking.Attention is now focused on whether the KOSPI can maintain its upward momentum, particularly with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix leading the charge. Han Ji-young, a researcher at Kiwoom Securities, noted, "This week’s confirmation of strong demand for AI infrastructure, along with reduced concerns over a September rate hike by the Fed and a shift to net buying by foreign investors, has driven the KOSPI's strength," adding that the performance gap with the KOSDAQ, which lagged last week, has narrowed.He cautioned that there may be some adjustments due to profit-taking pressures but expressed optimism, stating, "Considering the improved market resilience and quality of supply and demand compared to the past, the market is likely to continue on a recovery path, consistently raising its lows."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-14 08:52:20
  • Shinhan Securities: Samsung Lifes Capital Utilization Plan Will Influence Stock Price, Target Set at 850,000 Won
    Shinhan Securities: Samsung Life's Capital Utilization Plan Will Influence Stock Price, Target Set at 850,000 Won Shinhan Investment Corp. analyzed on August 14 that clarifying the plan for utilizing excess capital is key to alleviating concerns over capital efficiency due to large-scale capital inflows for Samsung Life. Reflecting the increased value of its stake in Samsung Electronics, the firm raised its target stock price from 750,000 won to 850,000 won while maintaining a 'buy' rating.Researcher Lim Hee-yeon stated, "The large influx of capital is paradoxically spreading concerns about decreased capital efficiency. If the company communicates its plans for shareholder returns and reinvestment of excess capital, we can expect a significant stock rally."He further explained, "Samsung Life's second-quarter net income attributable to shareholders was 737.7 billion won, a 15.7% increase compared to the same period last year, exceeding our estimate of 672 billion won and the market consensus of 654.6 billion won by 9.8% and 12.7%, respectively."Regarding capital expansion, Lim noted, "Due to the increased value of its stake in Samsung Electronics, capital has risen to 36 trillion won, a 70.1% increase from the end of last year, and the K-ICS ratio has also expanded by 20 percentage points to 283%. We are in the stage of establishing plans for utilizing excess capital for shareholder returns and reinvestment, which has created market expectations for efficient capital reallocation."He added, "The concretization of the capital utilization strategy will be a trigger for re-evaluation," and stated that he has adjusted the 2027 profit estimate upward by 18.5% based on the assumption of increased special dividends from Samsung Electronics.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-14 08:52:00
  • Upstage Unveils Solar Pro 4 with Developer Platform Listings
    Upstage Unveils 'Solar Pro 4' with Developer Platform Listings Upstage announced the release of its self-developed large language model (LLM) 'Solar Pro 4' on August 14.Solar Pro 4 is a next-generation commercial artificial intelligence (AI) model that enhances reasoning capabilities and agent performance compared to its predecessor, 'Solar Pro 3.' It is optimized for stable execution of workflows required in real work environments, such as document understanding, information extraction, long-context reasoning, and continuous decision-making, rather than focusing solely on single-answer benchmarks.According to Upstage, immediately after its release, Solar Pro 4 was listed alongside the AI agent 'Hermes Agent' developed by NUS Research and the API routing platform 'OpenRouter' on global developer platforms. Upstage is the first Korean company to be officially listed as a provider among major U.S. tech firms like OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and NVIDIA, as well as leading Chinese companies like DeepMind, Moonshot, and Minimax.Upstage stated, "This is the first time a Korean model has been recognized, establishing a foundation for expanding the reach of Korea's sovereign AI on a global scale."Within just three days of being listed on OpenRouter, Solar Pro 4 surpassed 80 billion tokens in cumulative token consumption. Additionally, it became the first Korean model to enter the 'Agent Arena' leaderboard, which compares agent performance among major global models. The company noted that it ranked alongside NVIDIA's 'NemoTron 3 Ultra' in terms of performance, breaking into a ranking traditionally dominated by U.S. and Chinese models.The improvements focus on critical areas that determine the success of agent tasks. In the 'Terminal-Bench v2.1,' which evaluates the ability to complete multi-step tasks in a terminal, Solar Pro 4 scored 57 points, an increase of 4.8 times compared to its predecessor. In the 'Tau3-Banking' benchmark, which assesses tool usage during conversations, it achieved a score of 23, a 2.6-fold improvement.The model's ability to handle long and complex documents without failure has also emerged as a key strength. Solar Pro 4 scored 71 points in the long document understanding benchmark (AA-LCR), demonstrating over 2.3 times better performance than its predecessor. The reduction in failures to maintain context within documents has improved both accuracy and token consumption, leading to lower operational costs.Furthermore, the Korean language performance and document processing capabilities tailored for domestic businesses and public institutions have significantly improved. Solar Pro 4 is integrated into Upstage's agent document processing solution, 'Upstage Studio,' enabling it to extract information from various document formats, including Korean documents, and perform tasks such as summarization, analysis, and translation simultaneously.Overall performance is rated at 42 points by the global AI evaluation agency 'Artificial Analysis,' placing it in the same category as general-purpose frontier models. This score represents an improvement of more than three times compared to its predecessor. It surpassed big tech models like NVIDIA's 'NemoTron 3 Ultra' (38 points) and Google's 'Gemini 3.5 Flash-Light' (37 points), as well as competing sovereign models like Mistral's 'Medium 3.5' (30 points) and Cohere's 'Command A+' (23 points).Kim Seong-hoon, CEO of Upstage, stated, "What AI needs in practice is not just the ability to perform well on tests, but reliability in completing assigned tasks. The fact that Solar Pro 4 is the first Korean model to be listed on global developer platforms is evidence that our AI technology is effective in real-world applications. We will continue to develop more practical AI based on proven technology in the field."Since the release of 'Solar Pro 3' in March of this year, Upstage has been continuously enhancing the reasoning and agent performance of its commercial LLM. Subsequently, it applied its own reinforcement learning technology to improve the tool usage, coding, and terminal operations of Solar Pro 3. In April, it launched the agent document processing solution 'Upstage Studio,' expanding the application range of its AI model in corporate tasks.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-14 08:48:00
  • Actress Jung Ryeo-won Remembers Late Director Ahn Pan-seok
    Actress Jung Ryeo-won Remembers Late Director Ahn Pan-seok Actress Jung Ryeo-won paid tribute to the late director Ahn Pan-seok. On August 14, Jung expressed her feelings on social media, stating, "Director, I still can't believe it. I had prepared my heart, but I still don't know how to feel." She continued, "Thank you for igniting a spark in the hearts of many actors. You have no idea how hard we worked to earn that 'first place' stamp you gave us. I was happy to be able to work with that mindset throughout the filming." Jung also expressed gratitude for Ahn's guidance, saying, "Thank you for teaching me to live closely with words. Because you focused more on less rather than more, I began to see the essence of things." She added, "I think I now understand why you emphasized being over doing. I appreciate that you never compromised on certain things on set." In closing, she shared, "I was really holding it together, but I ended up crying a lot when I heard a Beatles song at the funeral home. Director, may you rest in peace." According to reports from the broadcasting industry, Director Ahn passed away on August 12 after suffering a brain hemorrhage and receiving treatment. He was 65 years old. Ahn joined MBC in 1987 and created numerous hit productions over his nearly 40-year career, including 'The Couple', 'White Tower', 'The Wife's Qualification', 'Secret Affair', 'Heard It Through the Grapevine', 'Something in the Rain', 'Spring Night', 'Graduation', and 'Negotiation Skills'.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-14 08:36:00
  • Jang Gi-jong Donates Organic Shiitake Mushrooms to Vulnerable Groups in Jeju
    Jang Gi-jong Donates Organic Shiitake Mushrooms to Vulnerable Groups in Jeju The Jeju Value Creation Center, part of the Comprehensive Support Center for Disabled Enterprises, announced on August 14 that it purchased 1 million won worth of organic shiitake mushrooms produced by a family business of individuals with developmental disabilities and donated them to vulnerable groups in the region.The donation was made during the 'Love Shiitake Delivery Ceremony' held the previous day at the Jeju Ara-dong Senior Welfare Housing, where the donated items were handed over to relevant organizations. The shiitake mushrooms were cultivated, harvested, and processed at an intelligent farm supported by the Korea Racing Authority, operated by resident companies of the Jeju Value Creation Center, including Farm Eubada, Mushin Jeju, and Jeju Shiitake.Kim Jin-seok, the representative of Farm Eubada and an athlete with a disability, expressed, "I felt a great sense of fulfillment knowing that the mushrooms I personally grew are helping someone. I want to continue to grow my business and contribute to society."The shiitake mushrooms will be distributed to elderly single-person households, basic livelihood recipients, and low-income households with disabilities in Jeju through the Ara Comprehensive Social Welfare Center, Ara-dong Community Center, and the Ara-dong Community Security Council.Hyun Soo-jin, the director of the Jeju Value Creation Center, stated, "This donation is significant as it shows that individuals with developmental disabilities, who were previously seen only as care recipients, have contributed to society as producers through entrepreneurship." She added, "We will continue to raise awareness about the economic independence of individuals with disabilities and expand social value in collaboration with the community."The Jeju Value Creation Center supports the economic independence of individuals with developmental disabilities by fostering entrepreneurship among their families. It currently operates in seven regions, including Jeju, Andong in North Gyeongsang Province, Gwangsan District in Gwangju, South Chungcheong Province, Jinju in South Gyeongsang Province, Asan in South Chungcheong Province, and Iksan in North Jeolla Province. 2026-08-14 08:24:00