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  • Seongnam Youth Foundation Concludes Youth Participation Budget Program
    Seongnam Youth Foundation Concludes Youth Participation Budget Program The Seongnam Youth Foundation's Seohyun Youth Center successfully concluded the '2026 Youth Participation Budget Program' on August 8, which involved local youth and young adults. According to the foundation on August 11, a total of 11 teams participated in the program, proposing various project ideas needed in the community. After presentations and a public voting process involving local youth and residents, five winning teams were selected. The grand prize went to the Metaguardians team for their 'Zero School Violence Project: VR Court.' This experiential project, which combines virtual reality experiences with mock trials, received high praise for allowing participants to directly experience and develop responses to school violence situations. The Excellence Award was given to the Sion team for their 'Gaon-gil' project, while the U-PEERS team's empathy experience center 'Four Perspectives' received the Outstanding Award. The Popularity Award was shared by the Youth Planning Volunteer Group's Shade Light team for their AI school violence prevention experience kiosk 'SAFE SIGNAL' and the Money Up team's financial education program 'MONEY is Money!' Notably, this year, additional points were awarded for proposals focused on school violence prevention, encouraging youth to come up with innovative solutions to this pressing issue. The program also allowed for autonomous topics, drawing out diverse interests and fresh policy ideas from participants. This initiative is seen as significant because it enables youth and young adults to actively think about and propose policies that address community needs, rather than merely participating in programs. Furthermore, the public voting process incorporated the opinions of local youth and residents, establishing a participatory structure that connects idea proposal, presentation, evaluation, community resonance, and project realization. The community is increasingly supportive of youth and young adults identifying and proposing solutions to issues closely related to their lives, raising expectations for the continued expansion of the participation budget program. Most importantly, topics such as school violence prevention, empathy and communication, and financial education have been presented as project ideas that youth can genuinely relate to, enhancing the potential for the participation budget program to evolve into a practical avenue for addressing local issues. The Seohyun Youth Center plans to pilot the outstanding proposals selected through this participation budget program and will evaluate the results and feedback to determine if they can be developed into new programs in the future. Meanwhile, Park Jeong-bae, director of the Seohyun Youth Center, expressed gratitude to the youth for their innovative ideas, stating, "We will actively support the proposed ideas to ensure they lead to positive changes in the community."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-11 14:52:10
  • KT Launches New Choice Plans Featuring Google AI Plus
    KT Launches New Choice Plans Featuring Google AI Plus KT has introduced a new lineup of Choice Plans that incorporate generative AI benefits in collaboration with Google. The plans, unveiled on August 11, aim to seamlessly integrate AI into everyday life alongside telecommunications services.According to the IT industry on August 11, KT's new lineup includes Google AI Plus (400GB) as a standard offering, allowing customers to choose higher-tier AI products based on their needs.The new plans consist of four options: Choice 90 Google AI Plus, Choice 110 Google AI Plus, Choice 130 Google AI Plus, and Choice Double YouTube Premium + Google AI Plus.The Choice Plans range from 90,000 to 130,000 won per month, providing unlimited data. Each plan supports shared data from 60GB to a maximum of 100GB, usable across various devices including smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches.Customers can utilize generative AI features for document creation, information searches, translations, and learning, along with 400GB of cloud storage. The family sharing feature allows up to five family members to share the storage space. The new lineup includes a basic benefit of Google AI Plus (400GB) valued at 7,500 won per month, enabling access to generative AI services without a separate subscription. KT explained that by offering Google AI benefits starting at 90,000 won, it aims to create an environment where more customers can naturally incorporate generative AI into their daily lives.Instead of the standard Google AI Plus (400GB), customers can opt for Google AI Plus (2TB) for an additional 4,400 won per month, or Google AI Pro (5TB) for an extra 21,500 won per month. This allows customers with higher AI usage to select plans that offer ample storage and advanced AI features.A new plan, Choice Double YouTube Premium + Google AI Plus, has also been launched for customers who want to use video streaming and AI services together. This plan offers unlimited data and 90GB of shared data for 120,000 won per month, including benefits from YouTube Premium Lite and Google AI Plus (400GB).Kim Young-gul, head of KT's Customer Division, stated, "As generative AI quickly becomes integrated into customers' daily lives and work, we have introduced this product to ensure everyone can easily and conveniently experience AI. We will continue to expand new customer experiences that combine telecommunications and AI services."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-11 14:52:10
  • Special Prosecutor Claims Oh Se-hoon Violated His Own Election Law
    Special Prosecutor Claims Oh Se-hoon Violated His Own Election Law The Special Prosecutor's team, led by Min Jung-ki, has submitted an appeal statement to the Seoul High Court, asserting that Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon violated the so-called "Oh Se-hoon Law," which he championed to enhance transparency in election practices.According to legal sources on August 11, the Special Prosecutor referenced Oh's role in passing the Political Reform Act, which includes the Public Election Act, Political Fund Law, and Party Act, in their recent appeal to the court.The Special Prosecutor pointed out that Oh was fully aware of the illegality of his actions regarding the solicitation of public opinion surveys and the payment of related costs.They stated, "The individual who led the enactment of the 'Oh Se-hoon Law' committed acts that circumvented the provisions of the Public Election Act, indicating a serious moral failing."Oh declared he would not run in the 2004 17th National Assembly elections and subsequently served as the secretary of the National Assembly's Special Committee on Political Reform, where he played a key role in passing the Political Reform Act, which prohibits corporate political donations. This legislation is commonly referred to as the "Oh Se-hoon Law."At that time, Oh, a first-term lawmaker, was recognized for his efforts to establish a clean election culture and transparent political systems, which helped him build a foundation for his later five-term tenure as Seoul Mayor.He was indicted last December for allegedly receiving public opinion survey results from political broker Myung Tae-kyun on ten occasions and having his long-time supporter, businessman Kim Han-jeong, cover the survey costs of 33 million won ahead of the April 7, 2021, Seoul mayoral by-election.The first trial court sentenced Oh to a fine of 10 million won and ordered the seizure of 21 million won on July 22.Under the Political Fund Law, if a person is convicted of receiving political funds and is fined more than 1 million won, they are barred from holding public office for five years. If already in office, they must resign.This provision, which restricts individuals convicted of political fund crimes from holding public office, was established under the Oh Se-hoon Law and remains in effect today.In the first trial, former Deputy Mayor Kang was fined 3 million won, while Kim was fined 5 million won.The court found that Oh had solicited five of the ten public opinion surveys listed in the indictment (three undisclosed and two disclosed) and that Kim had covered the costs of 21 million won. However, the court could not definitively conclude that Oh had solicited the remaining five surveys or that Kim had paid for them.The Special Prosecutor's appeal statement reportedly rebuts the aspects of the first trial that were ruled not guilty.The first hearing for Oh's appeal is scheduled for August 21.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-11 14:52:10
  • BH Rises Over 14% on Expectations of Samsungs Robotics Business Involvement
    BH Rises Over 14% on Expectations of Samsung's Robotics Business Involvement BH has surged over 14% during trading on expectations that it will participate in Samsung Electronics' robotics and humanoid business.As of 2:40 PM on August 11, BH shares were trading at 17,730 won, up 2,220 won (14.31%) from the previous trading day, according to the Korea Exchange.Park Kang-ho, a researcher at Daishin Securities, stated in a report that "BH is diversifying its business into the robotics and humanoid sectors, with revenue growth expected in 2027." He added that there is a high possibility of supplying parts to Samsung Electronics and global humanoid companies in collaboration with its affiliate DKT.BH supplies wireless charging modules and flexible and rigid printed circuit boards, while DKT is working on building an integrated supply chain for component assembly. Park noted, "From the perspective of end customers, the advantages of process management, supplier simplification, and cost management are positive factors."Additionally, the strategic relationship with Samsung Display during the expansion of Samsung Electronics' robotics and humanoid business is seen as a factor that enhances BH's potential for entering new markets.Improvements in performance through the foldable phone business are also anticipated. Park projected that operating profit would improve significantly in the third quarter, estimating it at 37.1 billion won for Q3 and 39.3 billion won for Q4.He further added, "Demand for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is expected to exceed forecasts, and with Apple's first foldable phone launch on the horizon, the expansion of related component supply is likely to contribute to performance improvements."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-11 14:52:00
  • Seouls Redevelopment Projects to Add 87,000 Housing Units Despite Demolitions
    Seoul's Redevelopment Projects to Add 87,000 Housing Units Despite Demolitions The redevelopment projects in the Seogye and Cheongpa-dong areas of Seoul are expected to increase the number of housing units by 1,695, despite the demolition of existing homes. The Seoul city government emphasized that these projects will not only replace old housing but also significantly expand the overall housing supply, while managing relocation demand to prevent rental market disruptions.On the morning of August 11, Mayor Oh Se-hoon visited the redevelopment sites in Yongsan-gu to assess the progress of the projects. He also held a community meeting to gather feedback from residents, including representatives from local associations. Currently, seven private redevelopment projects, including the Rapid Integrated Planning and the Moya Town initiatives, are underway in the area.Excluding the Cheongpa 3 district, where the number of housing units has yet to be finalized, the six redevelopment projects are projected to increase the total housing units from 6,393 to 8,088, resulting in a net gain of 1,695 units. Even considering the complete demolition of existing homes, this represents a 26.5% increase.The city presented this as a case demonstrating the tangible benefits of redevelopment in expanding housing supply. Once the planned number of units for the Cheongpa 3 district is confirmed, the overall supply is expected to exceed 8,088 units.Seogye and Cheongpa-dong, despite their proximity to Seoul Station, have been known for their long-delayed redevelopment due to their status as aging low-rise residential areas. Formed during the industrialization and urbanization of the 1960s, the region has faced calls for improvement due to steep hills, narrow alleys, and deteriorating housing conditions.After the 'New Town Exit Strategy' in 2012, redevelopment efforts stalled and shifted to urban regeneration projects, leading to prolonged stagnation. Mayor Oh described the New Town Exit Strategy as a 'hostile policy toward redevelopment and reconstruction.'Support is also being provided to improve project viability and shorten timelines. In the Seogye integrated area, the current floor area ratio is being applied to secure about 50 additional units compared to previous plans, while in the Cheongpa 2 district, direct establishment of associations is being supported to bypass the committee stage.The Moya Town in Seogye-dong is pursuing a plan to increase the number of units from 172 to 499 by changing its zoning from a general residential area to a semi-residential area, adding 327 units. However, this plan will undergo further review before final approval.During his visit, Mayor Oh inspected the narrow alleys and steep slopes that hinder fire truck access, as well as the aging homes. He later held a meeting at the Cheongpa 2 redevelopment association office with about 30 attendees, including the association chair and residents, to discuss project viability, permits, and easing regulations on relocation loans.In the meeting, Mayor Oh emphasized that the number of housing units will increase upon completion of the redevelopment projects. According to the Seoul city government, 59 redevelopment projects completed in the past three years have resulted in a 36.4% increase in housing units, adding approximately 20,000 units. Redevelopment contributed about 7,000 units (27.4%), while reconstruction added around 13,000 units (44.2%).Seoul plans to start construction on a total of 310,000 housing units across 253 redevelopment projects by 2031. Even accounting for the loss of existing homes, the city estimates a net gain of about 87,000 units, which represents 39.2% of the total planned supply. Among these, 48,000 units are expected to be rental housing. The city aims to expand both general sales and rental housing supply to ensure housing stability for young people, newlyweds, and citizens without homes. 2026-08-11 14:48:00
  • NHN Reports Record Quarterly Earnings Driven by Gaming, Payments, and AI GPU Growth
    NHN Reports Record Quarterly Earnings Driven by Gaming, Payments, and AI GPU Growth NHN achieved its highest quarterly performance to date, driven by stable growth in its gaming and payment sectors, along with the expansion of its artificial intelligence (AI) graphics processing unit (GPU) business. The company has transitioned to a structure where all core businesses—gaming, payments, and technology—contribute evenly to profits, reducing reliance on specific sectors or temporary factors.On August 11, NHN reported consolidated revenue of 757.9 billion won and an operating profit of 57.9 billion won for the second quarter of 2026. These figures represent increases of 25.3% and 164.1%, respectively, compared to the same period last year, marking the highest quarterly results in the company's history.To enhance profitability, NHN has been focusing on business restructuring and cost control. The growth of its existing gaming and payment businesses, combined with the success of its AI GPU sector, has significantly improved profitability. NHN CEO Jung Woo-jin stated, “This second-quarter performance is the first quarter where the results of management efficiency and cost control, along with the performance of key businesses, have been confirmed as profits. We aim to use this as a starting point for growth in the second half of the year.”In the second quarter, revenue from the gaming sector rose by 21.5% year-on-year to 139.6 billion won. Revenue from web board games increased by 15% due to changes in regulatory environments and the growth of offline tournaments for 'Hangame Royal Hold'em.' Overall revenue from mobile games in Japan also grew by 47.2% compared to the previous year.The payment sector reported revenue of 394 billion won, a 27.3% increase from the same period last year. NHN KCP saw a 34% rise in transaction volume and a 27.5% increase in revenue due to the influx of new large merchants.The AI GPU business has emerged as a new growth driver for NHN. Revenue from the technology sector reached 159.8 billion won, marking a 52.9% increase year-on-year, the highest growth rate among all business segments. With the launch of NVIDIA B200-based GPU services in the Yangpyeong region, NHN Cloud's revenue surged by 85.3%. The company is currently discussing new long-term contracts for remaining GPU capacity to further expand revenue.In response to increasing GPU demand, NHN plans to secure at least 30MW of additional AI data center capacity by the second half of 2027, which is comparable to the combined capacity of its current data centers in Yangpyeong, Pangyo, and Gwangju.Management efficiency has also supported profitability improvements. Operating expenses for the second quarter increased by 20.1% year-on-year to 700 billion won, which is lower than the 25.3% revenue growth rate. Advertising expenses decreased by 25.5% from the previous quarter to 17.5 billion won due to reduced marketing costs for web board games and some new titles.NHN plans to expand its global business, focusing on its gaming and AI GPU sectors. In gaming, the company will continue to introduce new titles, particularly in the Japanese market, where it aims to maintain growth. In September, NHN will showcase new titles, including 'Puchipoyong of the Fantasy World,' at the Tokyo Game Show.In the technology sector, NHN is preparing GPU services for global customers by securing a data center in Japan. Currently, AI GPU revenue is primarily generated from the Yangpyeong region, but the company plans to expand its GPU services to global clients by establishing additional data centers in Japan.Kim Dong-hoon, CEO of NHN Cloud, noted, “Recently, there has been an increase in GPU demand from overseas companies, and we plan to finalize contracts with some clients soon.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-11 14:48:00
  • National Policy Banks Unite Against Second Phase of Regional Relocation
    National Policy Banks Unite Against Second Phase of Regional Relocation As the government prepares to announce its roadmap for the second phase of public institution regional relocation, opposition from the financial sector is intensifying. Unions from the Industrial Bank, Korea Development Bank, and Export-Import Bank are jointly mobilizing for the first time to resist the relocation of financial public institutions.On August 11, the unions held a rally titled 'Determined Struggle Against the Relocation of National Policy Banks' near the Industrial Bank headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul. Approximately 2,000 employees from the three national policy banks are expected to voice their opposition to the relocation. About 150 officials from the NH Nonghyup union also joined the rally.The unions argue that relocating national policy banks would not only involve moving headquarters but could also undermine their ability to perform policy financing and diminish the competitiveness of the financial industry. They emphasize the importance of physical and operational accessibility to financial hubs due to the nature of their work, which requires close collaboration with financial authorities, private financial institutions, and businesses.The Deposit Insurance Corporation union also held a policy discussion on the relocation earlier that day, asserting the need to maintain its headquarters in Seoul.Ko Dong-won, head of the Financial Legislation Research Center at Law Firm Lin, stated, "The decision on the location of the Deposit Insurance Corporation should prioritize the efficiency of the financial safety net over mere relocation costs or regional balanced development logic. Ensuring access to financial hubs is essential for the corporation to fulfill its core functions." Participants in the discussion echoed that having the Deposit Insurance Corporation located in Seoul, where major financial institutions and markets are concentrated, would facilitate its financial stability functions.The government is expected to unveil the second phase of its public institution regional relocation roadmap in September. Under the policy of minimizing the presence in the capital region, the Deposit Insurance Corporation and other major financial public institutions are being considered for relocation.However, the criteria for selecting institutions for relocation have yet to be specified. On July 28, unions from the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions met informally with officials from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, demanding clarity on the selection criteria and principles for relocation. Reports indicate that the ministry has not provided a concrete response.As the government's roadmap announcement approaches, the financial sector anticipates that opposition from unions and financial public institutions regarding regional relocation will intensify. 2026-08-11 14:48:00
  • Unitree heads to market as China dominates humanoid robotics first act
    Unitree heads to market as China dominates humanoid robotics' first act SEOUL, August 11 (AJP) - In humanoid robotics’ first commercial act, there is one dominant player: China, whose manufacturers accounted for more than 97 percent of global shipments in the first half of 2026. South Korea, despite betting heavily on physical AI, remains largely a robotics powerhouse inside its own factory gates. Korea has 1,220 industrial robots per 10,000 manufacturing workers, the highest density in the world, according to the International Federation of Robotics. But that strength remains concentrated in conventional factory automation, while the country does not target mass production of humanoids until 2029. China is already putting its humanoid champions into the capital market. Unitree Robotics opened subscriptions Monday for a $904 million Shanghai IPO that would make it China’s first mainland-listed humanoid robot maker and the next marquee Chinese technology listing after memory-chip maker CXMT’s $8.6 billion STAR Market IPO last month. Retail demand for Unitree was more than 8,000 times the shares available, underscoring the investor frenzy surrounding China’s physical-AI push. Unitree is selling 40.45 million new shares, or 10 percent of its enlarged capital, at 150.8 yuan each to raise about 6.1 billion yuan ($904 million). The price implies a market value of about 61 billion yuan, or roughly $9 billion, and a valuation of about 219 times 2025 earnings. “Entering the capital market is a new starting point for Unitree,” founder and Chief Executive Wang Xingxing said during the IPO roadshow, pledging to deepen work on core technologies for general-purpose embodied intelligence. The listing comes as China converts an early hardware advantage into shipment scale. Global humanoid shipments reached about 19,100 units in the first half, up 272 percent from 5,100 a year earlier, according to research firm Smart Analytics Global. Shanghai-based AgiBot led with about 8,400 units, or 44 percent of the market, while Unitree shipped about 5,900, taking 31 percent. Chinese companies together supplied more than 97 percent of the global total. More significantly, over 70 percent of shipments went to industrial and commercial applications, up from about half a year earlier — evidence that at least part of the market is beginning to move beyond demonstrations and research laboratories. Capital is following the machines. Financing in China’s embodied-intelligence sector reached 93.5 billion yuan across 322 deals in the first half, according to IT Juzi data, while Beijing has elevated humanoid robots and embodied intelligence in its 2026 to 2030 technology strategy. DeepSeek added another link between China’s AI and robotics ecosystems by investing 140.8 million yuan in Unitree’s IPO for a 2.31 percent stake through the strategic placement. The two companies also agreed to cooperate on AI models for humanoid robots. South Korea’s diagnosis of its own position is blunt. The Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials said in an April policy report that 2026 marks a commercial tipping point for humanoids and identified two major Korean weaknesses: a shortage of homegrown AI foundation models and a fragile supply chain for humanoid-specific components such as actuators and reducers. Neither gap is closing overnight. Korea’s government-backed sovereign AI competition is now down to LG AI Research, SK Telecom, Upstage and Motif Technologies, with one of the four due to be eliminated in the current second-stage evaluation. Naver Cloud was disqualified earlier for failing the project’s originality requirement, while NC AI failed to advance on its evaluation score. What Korea has built at greater scale is the infrastructure to run AI. Private groups have outlined about 550 trillion won of investment to build 8.4 gigawatts of AI data-center capacity by 2029. The National AI Computing Center broke ground in Haenam, South Jeolla Province, on Aug. 3 with a project cost of about 2.5 trillion won and plans for computing capacity equivalent to roughly 15,000 advanced GPUs by 2028. President Lee Jae Myung has also put AI at the center of industrial policy, with 10.1 trillion won allocated to AI-related spending in the 2026 budget. But Korea’s humanoid timetable stretches further out. The government’s manufacturing-AI strategy calls for an industrial humanoid foundation model by 2028 and annual production of at least 1,000 humanoid robots beginning in 2029. The broader K-Humanoid Alliance is bringing government, robot makers, component suppliers and AI companies together around that goal. The United States has formidable names but, so far, little comparable shipment volume. Tesla has been preparing its Fremont factory for Optimus production, but mass output has yet to materialize. Figure AI’s Figure 03 has begun work at BMW’s Spartanburg plant on logistics tasks after an earlier Figure 02 deployment, putting the robots into real factory operations but still far short of Chinese shipment volumes. Boston Dynamics, owned by Hyundai Motor Group, unveiled the production version of its electric Atlas at CES 2026. Hyundai plans to deploy Atlas at its Georgia manufacturing operations from 2028 and aims to build manufacturing capacity for 30,000 robots a year by then — potentially giving Korea its most substantial route into humanoid scale, albeit through a U.S.-based subsidiary. Washington, meanwhile, has erected a new regulatory barrier around the U.S. market on national-security grounds. The Federal Communications Commission on July 28 added foreign-produced “advanced robotic devices,” including humanoids and quadrupeds, to its Covered List after an interagency national-security determination. New covered models generally cannot receive the FCC equipment authorization required for import, marketing or sale in the United States unless they receive conditional approval from the Department of War. Previously authorized models are exempt. That rule offers Seoul no automatic shelter. The FCC measure turns on where a robot is produced, not whether it is Chinese. New humanoids produced in South Korea, Japan or any other foreign country therefore face the same authorization barrier unless granted conditional approval. Unitree, meanwhile, has told investors that its existing humanoid and quadruped models already hold U.S. approvals, leaving the current lineup saleable while future models face uncertainty. U.S. sales accounted for 13.3 percent of Unitree’s revenue last year. For now, Korea has a timetable and formidable manufacturing infrastructure. China has something more immediate: a market, shipment scale and now a pipeline of robot makers heading into public markets. Unitree’s IPO makes the gap unusually visible. China is already financing the companies producing the first wave of humanoids at scale, while Korea is still building the models, components and production system it hopes will be ready for the next one. AJP Takeaways • Unitree’s $904 million IPO is poised to create China’s first mainland-listed humanoid robot maker, with its retail offering more than 8,000 times oversubscribed. • Chinese manufacturers supplied more than 97 percent of the roughly 19,100 humanoids shipped globally in the first half of 2026, led by AgiBot at 44 percent and Unitree at 31 percent. • South Korea has the world’s highest industrial-robot density but remains years from humanoid scale, targeting a robot AI foundation model in 2028 and production of at least 1,000 humanoids annually from 2029. 2026-08-11 14:44:25
  • Shinsegae Reports Record Half-Year Operating Profit Driven by Luxury Goods and Foreign Customers
    Shinsegae Reports Record Half-Year Operating Profit Driven by Luxury Goods and Foreign Customers Shinsegae has reported its highest-ever operating profit for the first half of the year, bolstered by strong performance in its department store business. Sales of luxury goods and fashion, along with a significant increase in revenue from foreign customers, contributed to this improvement.On August 11, Shinsegae announced that its consolidated total revenue for the second quarter reached 3.1414 trillion won, an 8.5% increase compared to the same period last year. Operating profit for the quarter was 167.1 billion won, marking a 121.9% rise.For the first half of the year, cumulative operating profit stood at 365 billion won, a 75.7% increase from the same period last year. This figure surpasses the previous record of 351 billion won set in 2022.The improvement in performance was primarily driven by the department store sector. In the second quarter, total revenue from department stores rose to 2.017 trillion won, a 15.5% increase, while operating profit grew by 53.5% to 108.8 billion won.By product category, luxury goods sales surged by 35%, while living goods increased by 16.6%, food by 13.7%, and fashion by 10.1%, indicating broad-based growth across key sectors. Shinsegae attributed this success to strategic investments made at its flagship and Gangnam stores, which have led to increased sales and improved profitability.The influx of new customers was also notable. In the first half of the year, new customers accounted for 27.7% of Shinsegae Department Store's clientele, with those under 30 making up 45% of that group.Revenue from foreign customers also saw a sharp increase. In the first half, foreign sales at Shinsegae Department Store reached 580 billion won, a 120% rise compared to the same period last year. Analysts suggest that the enhanced store content strategies, including the 'House of Shinsegae Cheongdam' launched last year and the new women's fashion specialty store in Daegu, as well as the South City sports specialty store, have contributed to attracting more customers.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-11 14:40:00
  • Gimhae Enters Drought Alert as Crop Damage Reaches 394 Hectares
    Gimhae Enters Drought Alert as Crop Damage Reaches 394 Hectares Due to extreme heat and prolonged drought, crop damage in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, is increasing, prompting the city to focus on securing emergency agricultural water and responding to the situation on-site.According to city reports, drought damage has been confirmed on 394.82 hectares of crops as of now.As of August 10, the weather drought in Gimhae has reached the 'alert' stage (severe drought). Water levels in rivers and reservoirs in areas such as Jinrye, Jinyeong, Hanlim, Saengnim, and Sangdong have dropped, leading to a vulnerable water supply situation. The number of affected farms is still being tallied.Local Specialty 'Danja' Fruit Faces 35% Damage Due to DroughtThe combination of drought and extreme heat has severely impacted local farmers growing Danja, a representative agricultural product of the region. According to the city, the damage from sunburn to Danja has affected 319 farms over 311 hectares, with a damage rate estimated at around 35%.Danja affected by sunburn shows browning of the skin and softening of the flesh, leading to a decrease in overall yield and marketability. Symptoms such as tree dieback and leaf wilting are also occurring, particularly among trees that were already weak.Mayor Jeong Young-do visited Danja farms on August 10 to assess the growth conditions and the status of agricultural water supply, listening to the farmers' concerns.Maximizing Available Water Resources Through Reuse and Temporary MeasuresIn response, the city is working to secure alternative water resources beyond existing sources. The Jinrye Public Sewage Treatment Plant discharges 5,000 tons of water daily, of which 1,800 to 3,600 tons are flexibly supplied as agricultural water depending on the drought situation.The quality of the discharged water meets the agricultural water quality standards set by the 'Act on the Promotion and Support of Water Reuse,' benefiting an area of 45.3 hectares.Earlier, the city completed the installation of a temporary dam downstream of the Hapocheon River on August 3 and increased the discharge from the Myeongdong Water Treatment Plant from 1,000 tons to 1,900 tons on August 4.During his inspections of the Jinrye Public Sewage Treatment Plant and the Hapocheon River, Mayor Jeong instructed, "Actively explore available water resources within the limits that do not disrupt the supply of drinking water to citizens."Support for farmers in preparation for prolonged drought will also be expanded. The city is currently operating eight water supply trucks and plans to coordinate with local fire departments for additional water supply support. Additional pumps will be purchased and deployed to each town and village.Drilling work is underway for water development projects focused on areas in need, while assessments of aging and damaged wells are being conducted for repairs. The city plans to continue additional water development and well repairs as needed through future drought preparedness budgets.Additionally, Mayor Jeong visited the Nakdong River intake site to strengthen on-site responses to algal blooms. He ordered continuous monitoring of water quality and algal bloom conditions, enhancing on-site checks around the intake and rivers, while maintaining a cooperative system with relevant agencies to respond swiftly to changes in water quality.Mayor Jeong stated, "The extreme heat and drought directly impact citizens' daily lives, agriculture, and the local economy, so we will carefully monitor the situation and proactively implement measures that citizens truly need to minimize damage."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-11 14:36:00