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KIST Develops Chip to Simultaneously Measure Brain Cell Activity and Type A new technology has been developed to enhance the precision of brain-computer interfaces (BCI), which can move robotic arms through thought or stimulate deep brain areas to treat conditions like dementia and Parkinson's disease. This semiconductor chip can simultaneously identify not only when neural cells are active but also the type of cells generating the signals.The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) announced that a research team led by Lee Chang-hyuk, a principal researcher at the Institute of Brain Science, has developed the world's first next-generation BCI chip capable of detecting both electrical and optical signals on a single semiconductor chip.To accurately diagnose and treat brain diseases such as Parkinson's, dementia, and epilepsy, it is essential to understand both the timing of neural activity and the types of cells involved. While electrical signals can indicate when activity occurs, optical signals can differentiate cell types. However, existing technologies have struggled to read both signals simultaneously on one chip.The research team integrated electrodes that detect electrical signals with optical sensors that read light signals on a single semiconductor chip. They arranged 416 electrodes and 832 light-detecting pixels on 13 silicon needles, each the thickness of a human hair, allowing for simultaneous tracking of which neural cells respond and when.Unlike the Neuralink approach, which involves inserting only electrodes into the brain while keeping the signal processing chip outside, this new chip is implanted in the brain using a minimally invasive method. It can read the information processing occurring within neural cells through three-dimensional placement of cell-sized sensors inside the brain.The production costs have also been significantly reduced. The research team combined a universal complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process, commonly used in smartphones, with 3D printing-based post-processing technology, maintaining performance while lowering production costs to one-hundredth of previous levels. This development also establishes a foundation for producing and enhancing chips using domestic semiconductor foundry and fabless infrastructure, enabling smaller research institutions to create tailored neural probes at relatively low costs.The research team anticipates that this technology will be utilized for precise diagnoses of Parkinson's disease, dementia, and depression, as well as for developing customized electronic drugs that selectively stimulate specific cells and advanced brain-AI interfaces.Lee stated, "To achieve precise BCI and treat brain diseases, it is crucial to distinguish which types of cells are active. This new technology presents a novel field of optical semiconductor BCI and lays the groundwork for connecting the strengths of the Korean semiconductor industry to the BCI sector."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-05 12:04:20 -
Senior Population Surpasses 17 Million, 69% Plan to Continue Working The senior population aged 55 to 79 has exceeded 17 million, accounting for 37% of the total population aged 15 and older. Seven out of ten seniors expressed a desire to continue working, with the average desired working age reported at 73.6 years.The National Data Agency released these findings on August 5 as part of its 'May 2026 Economic Activity Population Survey: Senior Supplementary Survey Results.'As of May this year, the senior population (ages 55 to 79) stands at 17,017,000, an increase of 570,000 from the previous year. This group represents 37.0% of the total population aged 15 and older, which is 45,984,000.The economically active senior population (employed plus unemployed) is 10,362,000, up by 352,000 from last year. The non-economically active population is 6,655,000, an increase of 218,000.Among seniors, the number of employed individuals is 10,125,000, an increase of 344,000, while the number of unemployed is 238,000, up by 7,000. The labor force participation rate is 60.9%, the employment rate is 59.5%, and the unemployment rate is 2.3%, all remaining stable compared to the previous year.By age group, the employment rate for those aged 55 to 64 is 71.5%, a 0.4 percentage point increase from the same month last year, while for those aged 65 to 79, it is 47.8%, up by 0.6 percentage points.Seniors are primarily employed in the health and social welfare services sector (14.8%) and manufacturing (12.0%). The most common occupations are simple laborers (22.3%) and service workers (15.3%), while managers (2.1%) and sales workers (8.7%) are less represented.However, only 30.5% of seniors continue to work in their main job, a slight increase of 0.4 percentage points from the previous year, indicating that seven out of ten have left their longest-held positions. The average tenure in their longest-held job is 17 years and 7.1 months, an increase of 0.5 months from last year.The average age of those still working in their longest-held job is 62.6 years. For those who have left, the average age at retirement is 53.0 years, which is 0.1 years higher than the previous year.The most common reasons for leaving a primary job include business downturns, shutdowns, or closures (24.9%), health deterioration (22.1%), and family caregiving (15.2%).In the past year, 8,969,000 seniors received pensions, representing 52.7% of the senior population, a 1.0 percentage point increase from the previous year. The average monthly pension amount is 880,000 won, a 2.1% increase. Men receive an average of 1,130,000 won, while women receive 610,000 won, reflecting increases of 1.1% and 4.3%, respectively.Among seniors who wish to continue working, 11,782,000 expressed this desire, an increase of 361,000 from the previous year. However, the proportion of those wishing to work is 69.2%, a decrease of 0.2 percentage points from the previous year.The average desired working age for these seniors is 73.6 years. When choosing a job, the most important factors are workload and working hours (30.8%), wage level (20.3%), and the possibility of continued employment (16.3%).The most common desired monthly wage is over 3 million won (23.3%), followed by those wanting between 2 million and 2.5 million won (18.0%). Notably, the proportion of those wishing for a salary over 3 million won has increased by 1.8 percentage points from the previous year.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-05 12:04:10
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Pizza Franchise 'Cheongnyeon Pizza' Fined for Enforcing $0 Delivery Tip Policy The franchise headquarters of 'Cheongnyeon Pizza' has been found to have enforced a '0 won' delivery tip policy on its franchisees while imposing excessive penalties. The Fair Trade Commission announced on August 5 that it has decided to impose a fine of 197 million won on BSB Food for violating franchise business laws, along with an order to remove the contract clause. BSB Food operates the restaurant franchises Cheongnyeon Pizza and Chicken Humanity, among others. Since March 2021, BSB Food included a clause in its franchise agreements mandating that all delivery orders have a delivery tip of '0 won.' The company maintained this policy until January of last year, altering the terms to include a base distance of 0 won and additional charges per distance. During this period, BSB Food monitored compliance among franchise owners and sent notifications indicating that violations could lead to contract termination or renewal refusal, effectively enforcing the clause. The Fair Trade Commission determined that such a clause does not reflect normal business practices, which typically involve charging consumers a reasonable delivery fee. It also concluded that the policy does not contribute to increasing franchisee profits, labeling it an unjust price-fixing practice without legitimate justification. Additionally, BSB Food was found to have imposed excessive penalties on franchisees. Since 2018, the company has continuously raised the penalty amounts for franchisees who purchase designated essential items through alternative channels or terminate contracts early, with fines ranging from 10 million to 50 million won. From July 2021 to November 2024, BSB Food imposed a total of 1.11 billion won in penalties on franchisees for 26 instances of purchasing essential items through alternative channels. Franchisees faced pressure through supply interruptions or civil lawsuits for unpaid fines. The Fair Trade Commission noted that while the amounts involved in these violations were relatively small, the penalties imposed were excessive. Furthermore, BSB Food was found to have violated procedural obligations by failing to provide a disclosure statement to prospective franchisees after the legal grace period of 14 days and omitting required handwritten details in the confirmation of disclosure statement provision. In response, the Fair Trade Commission has issued orders for prevention of recurrence, notification, and modification or removal of contract clauses, along with the imposed fines. A Fair Trade Commission official stated, "This action is expected to contribute to the effective protection of franchisee rights and ensure that franchisees can engage in fair business transactions with the headquarters on an equal footing. We plan to continuously monitor and actively rectify unfair practices."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-05 12:04:10
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Inha University Professor Lee Jong-han Receives August Science and Technology Award The Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea announced that Professor Lee Jong-han of Inha University’s Department of Civil Infrastructure Engineering has been selected as the recipient of the August 'Korea Science and Technology Award.' This award recognizes outstanding researchers who have contributed to the advancement of science and technology, with one recipient chosen each month to receive the Vice Minister of Science and ICT Award and a cash prize of 10 million won. Starting this year, the award has been rebranded from 'Science and Technology Person of the Month' to 'Korea Science and Technology Award.'Professor Lee was honored for his development of digital twin technology that quantitatively predicts the aging and damage of social infrastructure, contributing to the safety of national infrastructure.As climate change and the deterioration of facilities accelerate, the costs of maintaining social infrastructure and the risks of safety incidents have significantly increased. However, existing systems have been limited to single deterioration analysis and post-inspection responses, making it difficult to predict actual environmental impacts and future performance degradation. Professor Lee explained, "Existing safety inspections relied on manual visual inspections or fragmented sensors, which not only consumed a lot of time and resources but also made it challenging to identify complex damages due to variations in inspectors' personal capabilities."To overcome these limitations, Professor Lee developed 'LIVE Digital Twin Technology.' This technology integrates the analysis of material degradation, physical and functional damage to components, and the physical responses of structures.The research team quantitatively identified the nonlinear degradation behavior of concrete under complex deterioration conditions and introduced various variable correlation analysis techniques, such as the loads imposed on structures by heavy vehicles. This groundwork allows for precise predictions of damage locations and diffusion paths.Additionally, they established a BIM-to-FEM automation framework to create a bidirectional linkage system that feeds analysis results back into a virtual environment. This technology presents a new approach to managing infrastructure from the past through the present and into the future.Professor Lee stated, "LIVE Digital Twin Technology is significant in that it transforms traditional maintenance, which relied on post-inspections, into a predictive and proactive system. I will strive to expand this technology to various infrastructures such as tunnels and ports to ensure safe infrastructure development."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-05 12:04:10
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Ministry of SMEs and Startups to Support Open Innovation Achievements The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on August 5 that it is recruiting startups to participate in follow-up support for companies that have achieved results in its newly established open innovation program this year.Eligible candidates include startups that received excellent or outstanding evaluations in various open innovation projects, such as the Big Star Problem Solver Platform, public-private partnership open innovation, and global corporate collaboration programs. The application period runs from August 6 to August 26.The ministry plans to select around 80 companies for tailored support. Startups with outstanding results will receive assistance in matching with demand companies and collaboration. Startups that hold letters of intent for collaboration with demand companies will be eligible for funding of up to 200 million won for market validation and other commercialization needs.Jo Kyung-won, Director of Startup Policy at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, stated, "For the achievements of open innovation to transition from technology validation to actual market validation and commercialization, follow-up support is crucial. We will closely support verified startups and demand companies in their collaboration to ensure that innovative technologies are successfully established in the market."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-05 12:04:10
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National Tax Service Informs 21,822 Individuals About Stock Transfer Tax Filing The National Tax Service announced on August 5 that it will inform 21,822 individuals about their eligibility and methods for filing preliminary reports for capital gains tax on stock transfers for the first half of the year. This number represents an increase of 6,171 individuals, or 39.4%, from the 15,651 notified in February.Those required to file include major shareholders who transferred listed stocks from January to June, small shareholders who traded listed stocks over-the-counter, and shareholders who transferred unlisted stocks. However, small shareholders trading stocks of small and medium-sized enterprises on the Korea Over-the-Counter Market (K-OTC) are exempt.Major shareholders are defined as those who meet the ownership percentage or market capitalization criteria as of the end of the previous business year. This includes those who acquired stocks after that date and meet the ownership requirements.The ownership thresholds are set at 1% for KOSPI, 2% for KOSDAQ, and 4% for KONEX. Regardless of market classification, if the market capitalization of the stocks held exceeds 5 billion won, the individual is considered a major shareholder.The major shareholder group is determined by aggregating the shareholdings of the shareholder, their relatives, and any corporations under their control. If not part of this group, only the individual's holdings are considered.Filers must submit their reports electronically via Hometax or Smart Tax by the end of the month or file a paper report at their local tax office. If the tax amount exceeds 10 million won, it can be paid in installments over two months.Foreign stocks are not subject to preliminary reporting and must be reported and paid during the final reporting period in May of the following year. If losses occur from foreign stock transactions while there are capital gains from domestic stocks during the same period, these must be consolidated in the final report.Starting August 5, the National Tax Service will sequentially send mobile notifications through KakaoTalk, Naver app, KB Star Banking, Shinhan SOL Pay, and text messages. Those who have opted out of mobile notifications and taxpayers over 60 will receive a postal notification by August 11.This year, the Hometax reporting interface will include a new section for guidance on carryover taxation for capital gains tax. If stocks received as a gift from a spouse or parents/children are sold within one year of acquisition, the acquisition price of the stocks must be reported as the price paid by the donor.A pre-filling service will also be available, automatically entering details such as stock type, transfer date, number of shares transferred, and transfer price per share.After the filing period, the National Tax Service plans to verify reports, focusing on omissions in major shareholder criteria, underreporting of tax rates, and low-priced transfers of unlisted stocks among related parties.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-05 12:04:00
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How to Reduce Mold and Odor in Air Conditioners with a Simple Button As the heat wave continues, air conditioner usage has increased, drawing attention to a simple method to significantly reduce mold and odors by using the 'fan mode' before turning off the unit.The primary cause of musty odors from air conditioners is moisture left inside after cooling. When the air conditioner operates, droplets form on the internal heat exchanger, and turning off the unit in this state creates a humid environment conducive to mold and bacteria growth.The easiest way to prevent this is to open a window and run the cooling function briefly before turning off the unit, then use the fan or internal drying (clean drying) function at the end. The fan mode does not produce cold air but simply circulates air to dry the interior.The Korea Consumer Agency recommends using the fan or drying function for at least 10 minutes after using the air conditioner to dry the interior. However, on-site air conditioner installation and repair technicians advise that running the fan for about 60 minutes is more effective for removing internal moisture.There is little need to worry about electricity costs. In fan mode, the outdoor unit responsible for cooling does not operate, significantly reducing power consumption. Both LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics recommend using the fan or automatic drying function to dry the air conditioner’s interior, with power consumption reported to be similar to that of a single fan.If musty odors persist even after using the fan and drying functions, it may indicate that mold or contaminants have already accumulated, and professional disassembly cleaning is advisable.One internet user shared, "While articles recommend an hour, on particularly humid days, it may not dry well, so they suggest running it for up to two hours. It’s similar to drying laundry." They added, "I have an automatic drying model, but the time is short, so I set the off timer every time. Usually, before going to bed at night, I lower the indoor temperature sufficiently, close all doors, and open the window in the air-conditioned room to run the fan for 1-2 hours. After the fan stops, closing the window surprisingly keeps the hot air out, and reopening all doors allows the cool air to mix properly. It still feels cool."However, they cautioned, "If you run the fan with the window closed, the air conditioner smell circulates back into the room, so it’s essential to open at least a small window."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-05 12:04:00
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Samsung and SK hynix CEOs face criminal complains over bonus SEOUL, August 05 (AJP) -The chief executives of South Korea's two dominant memory chipmakers are facing criminal complaints after a shareholder activist group accused them of breaching their fiduciary duties by agreeing to AI-era performance bonus schemes that could pay chip-related workers hundreds of millions of won. The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency has assigned the complaints against Samsung Electronics co-CEOs Jun Young-hyun and Roh Tae-moon, and SK hynix Chief Executive Kwak Noh-jung, to its Investigation Units 1 and 2, respectively, the Korea Shareholders Movement Headquarters said Wednesday. The complaints, filed with the National Office of Investigation on July 22, allege breach of trust under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes. The shareholder group argues the executives failed to adequately review the legality of labor agreements that linked employee compensation to company performance, allowing corporate assets to be committed through collective bargaining rather than shareholder approval. At the center of the dispute is a new generation of profit-sharing schemes adopted as South Korea's memory makers post record earnings from the global artificial intelligence boom. The activists contend that pre-allocating a fixed share of operating profit to employee bonuses amounts to an unlawful transfer of corporate assets that should require a shareholder vote, not a negotiation between management and labor unions. The group said it filed a separate complaint the same day with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials against Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon, accusing him of abuse of authority and coercion for mediating the tentative Samsung labor agreement in May. The labor ministry has not publicly responded to either set of allegations. The complaints mark the latest escalation in an increasingly bitter fight over who should benefit from South Korea's AI-driven semiconductor windfall — shareholders or employees. The dispute traces back to May, when Samsung Electronics narrowly avoided its first large-scale semiconductor strike, reaching a tentative wage agreement with its labor union roughly 30 minutes before a planned walkout. The deal introduced a profit-linked bonus system — a special semiconductor performance bonus equivalent to 10.5 percent of business performance earnings — echoing a similar structure already in place at SK hynix, which allocates 10 percent of its semiconductor division's operating profit to an employee bonus pool. Under the agreements, semiconductor employees could receive bonuses worth hundreds of millions of won if the memory divisions continue posting record profits driven by soaring demand for high-bandwidth memory chips used in AI servers. Shareholder groups condemned the deals immediately, arguing management had effectively committed future profits without investor consent and permanently raised labor costs at shareholders' expense. The controversy has unfolded against a backdrop of unprecedented profitability. Samsung's Device Solutions semiconductor division posted an operating margin of about 70 percent in the second quarter, while SK hynix recorded an operating margin of roughly 76 percent as AI memory demand continued to surge. Neither Samsung Electronics nor SK hynix has publicly commented on the latest criminal complaints. The filing of a criminal complaint does not imply wrongdoing and does not automatically lead to prosecution. But the assignment of the cases to dedicated police investigators marks the first formal criminal investigation into South Korea's increasingly contentious debate over how the gains from the AI semiconductor boom should be divided between labor and capital. AJP Takeaway What: Police opened formal probes into complaints accusing Samsung Electronics co-CEOs Jun Young-hyun and Roh Tae-moon, and SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung, of breach of trust over profit-linked employee bonuses; Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon faces a separate abuse-of-authority complaint. When: Filed July 22, 2026; assigned to Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency units as of Aug. 5. Core dispute: Whether tying bonuses to a fixed share of operating profit (10.5% at Samsung, 10% at SK hynix) required shareholder approval rather than union negotiation. Context: Comes as Samsung's DS division and SK hynix post Q2 operating margins of roughly 70% and 76%, respectively, amid the AI memory boom. 2026-08-05 11:53:32 -
IBK Bank Expands Digital Financial Services for Small Businesses IBK Bank is expanding its digital financial services to support small businesses in managing transactions and client relationships. On August 5, the bank announced enhancements to its 'IBK Transaction One-Stop' service and the launch of a new 'Cretap Corporate Information Briefing' service. The IBK Transaction One-Stop service allows businesses to handle various transaction tasks, including preparing estimates, signing contracts, collecting payments, and managing purchases and sales, all on a single platform. The recent updates include features for free issuance of tax invoices and payment collection using virtual accounts. Users can also create estimates and electronic contracts, as well as manage card, note, and receivable issuance, along with automatic management of receivables and payables. The Cretap Corporate Information Briefing service enables users to check the credit status of their clients. Through corporate internet banking and smart banking, businesses can access credit ratings and financial information of their clients up to twice a month for free. Additionally, the service offers an AI-based risk detection feature that allows businesses to monitor changes in client creditworthiness and assess potential risks such as payment delays or defaults. An IBK Bank official stated, "We have strengthened digital services necessary for business operations, from transaction tasks to client information inquiries, and we will expand financial support to facilitate the digital transformation and reduce cost burdens for small businesses."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-05 11:40:00
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Stray Kids to return with new EP 'THIS & THAT' SEOUL, August 05 (AJP) - K-pop boy group Stray Kids will release their new EP "THIS & THAT" on Aug. 7, an album meant to showcase the group's range, and the confidence that comes with it, JYP Entertainment said Wednesday. The eight-track EP, led by the title track "This & That," will be released at 1 p.m. KST, or midnight Eastern time in the United States. The release follows Stray Kids' SKZ IT TAPE "DO IT," which made the group the first act worldwide to debut eight consecutive releases at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, according to JYP. On Monday, JYP posted an intro video on the group's official social media channels in which all eight members discuss the new album. True to its title, "THIS & THAT" is meant to capture the group's ability to move between different sounds and styles, mixing lighter summer tracks with higher-energy songs. The title track "This & That" took the longest to complete among the album's eight songs, according to the members, who described it as combining a catchy, accessible sound with witty lyrics and choreography that still feel distinctly Stray Kids, while marking a departure from some of their previous title tracks. Changbin said the group spent time looking for words that could express the ideas of "this" and "that" in a sharper and more current way. Stray Kids' in-house production team 3RACHA — Bang Chan, Changbin and Han — contributed to all eight tracks. The members also discussed the title track's music video, which includes Korean visual elements, and choreography that went through multiple revisions before the final version was chosen. The track list includes the pre-release single "RUN IT," which the members described as one of the songs that best captures Stray Kids' identity, as well as "FARMING," inspired by the online phrase "aura farming"; the brighter "After You"; the 2000s pop-influenced "I Do"; "Way Out," which features lyrics in multiple languages; "The Day," which Han wrote after drawing inspiration from a television drama; and "This & That (Festival Version)," an upbeat version of the title track. Ahead of the album's release, Stray Kids opened their new world tour, "Stray Kids World Tour ," with five sold-out concerts at KSPO Dome in Seoul on July 25, 26 and 29 and Aug. 1 and 2. 2026-08-05 11:38:19