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SK AX kicks off 'agentic enterprise' era at Seoul conference SEOUL, June 16 (AJP) - SK AX declared an "agentic enterprise" era in which corporate operations are wholly redesigned around artificial intelligence, as the company sought to position itself at the forefront of South Korea's enterprise AI race. At its "IMAGINE AX 2026" conference, held under the theme "Beyond AI: The Agentic Enterprise", the SK Group IT services arm showcased its in-house transformation experience and gathered executives from manufacturing, finance, telecom and retail to swap stories of AI-driven reinvention. "A company's competitiveness lies not in adopting better AI, but in creating new growth value through enterprise-wide optimization powered by AI," Chief Executive Kim Wan-jong said in a keynote address. He warned that the gap between firms that have achieved AI augmentation and those that have not is already showing up in earnings, and will only widen. Kim said companies hoping to stay ahead must move beyond mere adoption to master core capabilities spanning strategy, technology, data, operating systems, talent and change management. Partners echoed the pitch. Firms including OpenAI, SK hynix, and Mercer have each teamed with SK AX on projects ranging from autonomous semiconductor fabs to "one employee, one financial agent" workflows, weaving AI agents into real operations. "The yardstick for technology choices is shifting from adoption itself to the question of how to make AI actually work," said Cha Ji-won, SK AX's chief AI innovation officer, adding that genuine business results demand a precise meshing of internal data, systems, processes and industry-specific domain knowledge. 2026-06-16 11:44:04 -
K2 Launches Cooling Vest to Combat Summer Heat Outdoor brand K2 announced the release of its OSSAK Ice Cooling Fan Vest on June 16, designed to assist with outdoor activities during the summer heat. This new product is an all-in-one cooling vest that combines a dedicated fan, battery, and ice packs. When activated, the fan circulates air inside the vest, quickly dissipating body heat and providing immediate cooling relief. The back of the vest features a three-dimensional pattern and airflow structure that allows air to flow naturally along the body. Mesh pockets for ice packs are located at the top of the back and on both armholes, enhancing the cooling effect when using the three included ice packs. A company representative stated, "The vest is made from lightweight nylon taslan material, making it comfortable to wear. It is suitable for hiking, camping, and everyday use, and includes four multi-purpose pockets for added storage convenience." The product package includes the vest, two dedicated fans, a battery, ice packs, and cables, allowing for immediate use without the need for additional purchases. Joo Doo-yeon, head of K2's clothing planning team, remarked, "The OSSAK Ice Cooling Fan Vest is a summer-specific product that combines our expertise in cooling design with air circulation and ice cooling effects. It can be used comfortably in various summer environments, from light hiking to camping, travel, and daily life." Additionally, K2 has launched a cooling material 'Cool Sucker Short-Sleeve Shirt Setup.' The men's flagship product, the 'Cool Sucker Ice Waffle Polo Shirt,' has sold over 18,000 units as of this month.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-16 11:40:00 -
Court Acquits Key Figures in 2020 West Sea Civil Servant Shooting Case Key figures from the Moon Jae-in administration's national security team were acquitted in the appeal of the 2020 West Sea civil servant shooting case. On June 16, the Seoul High Court's Criminal Division 3, led by Judge Lee Seung-han, upheld the not guilty verdict for Suh Hoon, former head of the National Security Office, and Kim Hong-hee, former head of the Coast Guard, who faced charges of forgery of public documents and defamation of the deceased. The court acknowledged that the Coast Guard's investigation results may have included somewhat hasty or exaggerated expressions, but it ruled that these did not constitute false statements or the creation of false public documents intended to undermine public trust. The central issue in the trial was whether the Coast Guard's three announcements in 2020 regarding the presumed defection of Lee Dae-jun, a civil servant who was shot, amounted to false public documents. The prosecution alleged that Suh and others directed the Coast Guard to prepare and distribute false reports to conceal the shooting and fabricate a defection narrative. However, the court dismissed the prosecution's claims based on the legal principles surrounding the forgery of public documents. It stated, "When considering the overall intent of the public document, if important parts align with objective facts and only minor details differ or are somewhat exaggerated, it cannot be deemed a false public document that jeopardizes public trust." The court further concluded that the prosecution failed to prove the essential condition of the 'falsity of the announcement.' It noted, "In the situation where it is unclear what transpired after the deceased left the Mugunghwa 10 until he was found in North Korean waters, there is no evidence to definitively ascertain that his intention was not to defect." The court pointed out that the prosecution also could not definitively assert that he did not defect. The court specifically referenced the Coast Guard's key evidence for the presumed defection, including the wearing of a life jacket and expressing an intention to defect to North Korean soldiers, stating these were relatively well-established facts based on military and police intelligence at the time. It affirmed, "Given these facts, the defendants' inference of the deceased's potential defection is reasonable and substantial." Additionally, the court characterized the Coast Guard's announcements as more of an 'opinion presentation and evaluation' based on the available data rather than a mere 'statement of facts.' It concluded, "While one could argue that such evaluations were somewhat hasty or used definitive language to exaggerate the situation in the absence of direct evidence, it is difficult to view them as containing false information that would harm public trust." The court emphasized that even if the announcements came from a national agency, which typically commands strong public trust, the essence of presenting opinions or evaluations does not transform into a mere statement of facts. The court also dismissed allegations against Kim regarding a false notification related to a request for information disclosure from the family, stating, "The evidence submitted by the prosecution is insufficient to establish that Kim directed or was involved in such instructions to the responsible department head." Ultimately, the court ruled, "The evidence presented by the prosecution does not support the claim that the Coast Guard's announcements contained false information that would jeopardize public trust or defame the deceased and his family," affirming the lower court's not guilty verdict without any factual errors or legal misunderstandings. Earlier, former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won and former Defense Minister Seo Wook, who were also acquitted in the first trial, had their not guilty verdicts confirmed as the prosecution did not appeal. The appeal trial proceeded only for some charges against Suh and Kim. After the trial, Suh spoke to reporters, stating, "Both the first and second trial courts recognized the reasonableness and validity of our judgments at the time. The first court affirmed that the government's decisions were not incorrect from an average common-sense perspective," expressing gratitude to the court. Suh criticized the Yoon Suk-yeol administration for investigating and prosecuting them, calling it a "nationally unfortunate incident." He added, "Dragging security policy into court and having many involved in security agencies investigated by the Board of Audit and Inspection and the prosecution ultimately leaves many aftereffects. I hope such incidents do not occur in the future. I sincerely mourn for the deceased who suffered unjustly and extend my condolences to the bereaved family." However, the family expressed intentions to appeal. After the trial, Lee Dae-jun's brother, Lee Rae-jin, stated they would appeal and also plan to file complaints with the International Criminal Court and the International Maritime Organization. He indicated they would seek a constitutional review, claiming the court distorted the law. Additionally, they asserted that President Lee Jae-myung's previous comments regarding the case infringed upon judicial authority and included him in their list of individuals to be reported.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-16 11:40:00 -
Police withdraw after forced entry to Jamsil vote venue fail SEOUL, June 16 (AJP) -Police withdrew Tuenday after an unsuccessful attempt to help employees of sports organizations re-enter Seoul's Olympic Handball Gymnasium, where protesters have blocked access to workplaces for 12 straight days since demonstrations over ballot shortages during the June 3 local elections began. Employees affiliated with the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee arrived at the venue in Seoul's Songpa district shortly after 9 a.m. and tried to negotiate entry through Gate 2-1 with demonstrators occupying the facility. A compromise proposal, under which equal numbers of protesters, police officers and employees would monitor activities inside the building, briefly gained support among some demonstrators but collapsed after others strongly objected. The employees were again denied access, and police later withdrew from the scene. Songpa Police issued two warnings during the morning, saying that preventing employees from entering their workplace could constitute obstruction of business under criminal law. Police also asked demonstrators to cooperate so staff members could return to their offices, but the occupation continued. The Olympic Handball Gymnasium has been occupied since June 5 by protesters seeking to block the removal of ballot boxes used during vote counting, following widespread public anger over ballot paper shortages during the June 3 local elections. The facility houses offices used by multiple sports organizations under the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, leaving dozens of employees unable to access their workplaces. Last week, employees publicly appealed for a return to normal operations. "We respect your right to protest. But we ask that you also respect our workplace. We want to return to our jobs," a group representing the workers said in a statement. The employees described themselves as "ordinary office workers who have diligently carried out their duties every day and supported Korean sports." Some said colleagues trapped inside during the early stages of the occupation had to climb out through windows to leave the building, while others attempting to enter were subjected to identification checks, bag inspections and verbal abuse. Workers also said they had been prevented from retrieving essential administrative items such as one-time password devices used for banking transactions, corporate credit cards and official seals, even when they offered to collect them under protesters' supervision. Sports organizations warned that disruptions are beginning to affect national certification examinations, preparations for international competitions and training support for athletes ahead of the 2026 Asian Games. The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee said it respects citizens' right to peaceful assembly but stressed that minimum access to workplaces and administrative functions must be guaranteed to prevent further disruption to national sports programs. The prolonged occupation is also presenting authorities with a growing dilemma: how to balance freedom of expression with the rights of unrelated workers and organizations caught in the middle of a political protest. For the employees still waiting outside their offices, however, the issue has become more immediate. "Why do we have to be the ones paying the price?" one worker said during last week's appeal. 2026-06-16 11:35:29 -
Labor Ministry Launches Safety Oversight at Auhome Following Worker Injury The Ministry of Employment and Labor has initiated a comprehensive safety oversight of Auhome, following a recent incident involving a subcontracted worker. Starting June 16, the ministry will conduct integrated safety and labor oversight at eight manufacturing facilities, including Auhome's Yongin Plant 2, where the accident occurred. This oversight comes in response to a worker injury incident on June 8 at the Yongin Plant 2, located in the Namyang-eup area of Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. At approximately 2:50 PM, a worker identified as Hwang became trapped in a conveyor belt and was found in cardiac arrest before being transported to a hospital. This facility had previously experienced a fatal accident last year, where a worker in their 30s died after becoming entangled in machinery. Labor authorities plan to focus on identifying the causes of repeated incidents. The ministry will assess whether the safety measures implemented after last year's fatality have been effectively enforced and will closely examine compliance with health and safety regulations. If violations of the Industrial Safety and Health Act are found, immediate administrative and legal actions will be taken. Should the oversight reveal structural issues in the workplace's safety management system, additional measures, including safety assessments and improvement plans, will be considered. The oversight will not be limited to safety issues alone. Given that the injured worker was employed by a subcontractor, the ministry will also investigate potential illegal dispatch practices, wage arrears, and compliance with labor laws regarding rest days and breaks. Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon stated, "The recurrence of a similar accident one year after a worker's death indicates that existing improvement measures may have been insufficient or not properly implemented on-site. We will thoroughly examine the risk factors across Auhome's manufacturing facilities to ensure that similar incidents do not happen again."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-16 11:32:00 -
Kwak Dong-sin Completes $8 Million Stock Buyback at Hanmi Semiconductor Kwak Dong-sin, Chairman of Hanmi Semiconductor, has completed a stock buyback worth 8 billion won (approximately $6 million). This move is seen as a demonstration of responsible management and confidence in the company's growth potential in the HBM equipment market and advanced packaging sector. On June 16, the company announced that Kwak had acquired 80 billion won worth of its own shares at a purchase price of 338,917 won per share, following a buyback plan disclosed on May 19. Since 2023, Kwak has purchased a total of 645 billion won worth of Hanmi Semiconductor shares, totaling 716,055 shares. His ownership stake in the company has now increased to 33.59%. Market analysts interpret the repeated buybacks by the largest shareholder as a sign of long-term confidence in the demand for HBM equipment and the expansion of next-generation packaging investments, rather than a short-term boost to stock prices. Hanmi Semiconductor focuses on TC bonder equipment necessary for HBM production. The company continues to lead the market with its supply of TC Bonder 4 and TC Bonder 4.5 for HBM4 mass production and is preparing to launch a prototype of its second-generation hybrid bonder equipment by the end of this year. It aims to release a next-generation wide TC bonder in the first half of next year. The company is also expanding its business into artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors and aerospace. On June 12, Hanmi Semiconductor announced a strategic investment of 50 billion won in SpaceX, aimed at supporting Elon Musk's massive semiconductor manufacturing facility, the Terafab project, and addressing the growing demand for AI semiconductors. Hanmi Semiconductor is preparing to enter the U.S. market as well. By the end of 2026, it plans to establish Hanmi USA in San Jose, California, to enhance technical support for local semiconductor clients. A company representative stated, "Chairman Kwak's additional stock buyback reflects our commitment to responsible management and confidence in the company's growth aligned with our Terafab supply goals. We aim to strengthen our global leadership in the AI semiconductor and advanced packaging markets."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-16 11:28:00 -
BNK Financial Group Launches AI-Driven Retirement Pension Service BNK Financial Group is making significant moves to expand its retirement pension business. Following the launch of the first mobile-based retirement pension enrollment service in the financial sector, the group is now introducing an AI robo-advisor discretionary management service, accelerating its competition in the digital pension platform market. On June 16, BNK Financial announced that its subsidiaries, BNK Busan Bank and BNK Gyeongnam Bank, will launch an "AI Discretionary Management Service for Individual Retirement Pension (IRP)" aimed at customers who enroll in IRPs. This service allows customers to enter into investment management contracts with investment managers via mobile banking. An AI algorithm will automatically manage asset allocation and rebalancing based on the customer's investment preferences and goals. Partner investment management firms include December & Company and Quant. Notably, this service introduces the first automated investment feature in the financial sector, allowing customers to set up automatic transfers for their investments. By configuring the transfer amount and frequency on a dedicated page for investment managers, customers can have a specified amount automatically deposited into their investment accounts each month, benefiting from AI-driven asset allocation and management services. Previously, customers had to manually deposit contributions or follow separate investment procedures. With this new service, customers can easily engage in systematic retirement investment simply by setting up automatic transfers, enhancing convenience. This approach is expected to facilitate long-term diversified investments, contributing to the formation of stable retirement assets. The launch of this service is a proactive response to the growing demand for asset management in the retirement pension market. It aims to support customers with limited investment experience in experiencing systematic pension asset management through AI. The annual limit for discretionary investment is set at 9 million won, with any unused limit eligible for rollover to the following year. Choi Jae-young, head of the WM and Pension Group at Busan Bank and Gyeongnam Bank, stated, "The retirement pension market is rapidly shifting from a simple accumulation focus to active asset management. This AI discretionary management service is an innovative pension offering that helps customers reduce the burden of complex investment decisions and prepare for retirement more efficiently."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-16 11:28:00 -
Orion Begins Production of Domestic New Potatoes for Poca Chips and Swing Chips Orion announced on June 16 that it has begun production of its Poca Chips and Swing Chips using this year's harvest of domestic new potatoes. The new potato Poca Chips and Swing Chips are designed to showcase the natural flavor of freshly harvested potatoes and are offered as a limited summer product each year. From June to October, Orion will use potatoes harvested from major growing regions, including Boseong in South Jeolla Province, Dangjin and Yesan in South Chungcheong Province, and Yanggu in Gangwon Province. This year, the company has signed contracts with over 300 potato farms across 24 regions, planning to utilize approximately 15,000 tons of potatoes for the production of Poca Chips and Swing Chips. The harvested potatoes will be transported directly to the Cheongju factory and potato storage facilities for immediate use in production. This process aims to capture the freshness and flavor of seasonal potatoes in the final products. Due to the nature of fresh potato chips, where potatoes are sliced directly, the quality of the raw materials significantly affects the taste. Since establishing Korea's first potato research center in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, in 1988, Orion has managed the entire process from seed development to cultivation and harvesting, enhancing its quality competitiveness. Poca Chips, Orion's flagship product, generates annual sales of around 100 billion won in South Korea. To meet rising demand, Orion plans to add a new production line for Poca Chips at its Cheongju factory in the second half of this year, increasing production capacity by up to 50%. Poca Chips and Swing Chips are sold not only in South Korea but also in international markets, including China and Vietnam. Last year, the combined global sales of the two products reached approximately 400 billion won, solidifying their status as representative brands of K-snacks. An Orion representative stated, "The new potato Poca Chips and Swing Chips are special seasonal snacks that can only be enjoyed every summer. We will ensure that the fresh taste of newly harvested potatoes is delivered through thorough quality management from raw materials to production." Consumers can verify whether they are purchasing new potato products by checking the mark printed on the lower right corner of the packaging. Limited edition products produced during this period will be labeled with the term 'new potatoes,' while products sold during the regular season will be labeled as 'fresh potatoes.'* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-16 11:24:00 -
Shinhan Life Care Partners with Daewoo Engineering for Senior Housing Expansion Shinhan Life Care has announced a partnership with Daewoo Engineering to expand their senior housing business. On June 15, Shinhan Life Care signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Daewoo Engineering at the latter's headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul, to collaborate on senior housing initiatives. This partnership is seen as a response to the rapidly increasing demand for senior housing as South Korea approaches a super-aged society. The two companies plan to establish a cooperative framework for developing senior housing business models and to enhance the exchange of related technologies and information. They will also explore joint investments and development opportunities in public projects related to senior housing, broadening the scope of their collaboration. Shinhan Life Care is strengthening its capabilities in senior services focused on facility care and operations, while Daewoo Engineering brings expertise in housing development and construction. Together, they aim to create business models that address the diverse housing needs of senior clients. A representative from Shinhan Life Care stated, "The senior housing sector requires a combination of residential, service, and operational capabilities, and interest is rapidly growing as we enter a super-aged society. We hope this agreement will connect our expertise and open new possibilities." Meanwhile, Shinhan Life Care plans to develop a silver town that encompasses daily services across finance, healthcare, culture, arts, and leisure sports through collaboration among its group companies.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-16 11:24:00 -
Kolon FnC Expands Beyond Fashion with New IP Division Kolon FnC, a division of Kolon Industries, is set to expand its business by focusing on intellectual property (IP). On June 16, Kolon FnC announced the reorganization of its V Division into an independent corporate entity dedicated to new IP ventures. This restructuring separates the existing operations of Kolon Mall, allowing the V Division to concentrate on its new business initiatives. The V Division will be led by Chief Intellectual Property Officer (CIPO) Hwang Bo-sang. Hwang previously served as the head of the story business division at HYBE and founded Studio LICO, a subsidiary of Naver Webtoon known for producing content such as the webtoon "Volcano Return." Kolon FnC aims to differentiate its cultural expansion business from its traditional fashion operations through this reorganization. A company representative stated, "The new business will start from Kolon FnC's core fashion operations but will focus on expanding into lifestyle and cultural content overall." The new initiatives will revolve around both original and external IP. Original IP will involve launching brands and collaborations based on intellectual property and trademarks developed by Kolon FnC. External IP will leverage existing intellectual properties, including celebrities and characters, to create new brands. Hwang emphasized, "A business based on fandom can expand beyond fashion into any field," adding that the V Division will focus on building a core fan base. In related financial news, Kolon FnC reported a revenue of 1.1647 trillion won last year, a 3.9% decrease from the previous year. During the same period, operating profit fell from 16.3 billion won to 3 billion won, a decline of 81.7%. 2026-06-16 11:24:00