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INTERVIEW: Stronger South Korea-Japan cooperation needed to navigate U.S.-China rivalry and foster future industries SEOUL, September 29 (AJP) - "Japan is a 'nation of accumulation,' known for its craftsmanship built over time. In contrast, South Korea is a 'nation of flow,' quickly adapting and integrating changes. By combining these strengths, South Korea and Japan can create a new balance against the U.S. and China," said Professor Guk Joong-ho of Yokohama City University. In an interview with Aju Business Daily earlier this month, Guk highlighted the need for South Korea and Japan to strengthen cooperation amid the intensifying U.S.-China rivalry, as the WTO's free trade system is no longer effective. He emphasized the importance of securing leadership in future industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and energy through bilateral collaboration. Guk, who holds a Ph.D. in economics from Hitotsubashi University, has been teaching at Yokohama City University since 1999 and is a visiting professor at Keio University. He has over 30 years of experience studying South Korea-Japan relations. He suggested that South Korean exporters could fill gaps in Japanese industries, such as traditional liquor, where Japan excels in quality but lacks marketing and digital skills. By leveraging South Korea's digital expertise, both countries could benefit. Looking ahead to the years following U.S. President Donald Trump's presidency, which ends in 2029, Guk advised South Korea to prepare for a multipolar world by engaging with international groups such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), BRICS, and the Global South. He also stressed the importance of fostering talent exchange to strengthen advanced industries. "In Japan, there is a culture in which talented individuals who studied at universities do not hesitate to return to their hometowns after graduation to contribute to local communities," he said, proposing the establishment of a talent exchange program that "matches individuals interested in the culture and economy of both countries and provides adaptation training, which could be an effective approach." Guk added generational differences in perceptions of South Korea, with younger Japanese showing more favorable attitudes toward Korean culture. But he warned of the growing influence of right-wing politics in Japan, which could impact bilateral relations. Guk concluded that patience and understanding of Japan's cautious approach are crucial for successful cooperation. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-29 09:32:21 -
Most postal services resume after fire at gov't data center SEOUL, September 29 (AJP) - The Korea Post has resumed part of its financial services after a two-day disruption caused by a fire at a state-run data center in Daejeon. However, mail delivery and some administrative systems are still being restored, and full recovery is expected to take more time. The Ministry of Science and ICT said that all financial services including check card payments, internet banking, and ATM transactions, were back to normal as of Sunday night, while mail services, including parcel delivery, are expected to resume by Monday morning. The Korea Post conducted thorough checks to ensure service safety before resuming operations. A swift recovery is crucial to prevent logistical chaos ahead of Chuseok, the country's biggest holiday, which begins later this week. Minister Bae Kyung-hoon expressed regret over the inconvenience caused by the fire at the National Computing and Information Agency, which hosts servers for most government agencies and facilities nationwide including the Korea Post's postal servers. "We will endeavor to fully restore postal services and will continue to update and monitor systems while thoroughly assessing the damage," he said. * This article, published by Economic Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-29 08:59:21 -
OPINION: Technical roadmap for Korean AI models South Korea's global ambition in the AI transformation — a goal of both national significance and export potential — hinges on mastering challenges that continue to plague tech giants in the U.S. and China. The key to success won't be model size alone, but a technical focus on building trust, combating deception, and ensuring truthful, ethically aligned AI behavior. The most immediate technical hurdle is the phenomenon of hallucination — the AI's confident generation of false information. This is not just a nuisance; it's a severe threat to the reliability of foundation models, especially in critical applications. For South Korean models to succeed, they must be trained to admit uncertainty and refuse to answer rather than fabricating responses. This requires a fundamental shift in the reward mechanism. A study in May suggested a practical fix: rewarding the AI for refusal or silence when the answer is uncertain, directly incentivizing truth over fabrication. Furthermore, models primarily trained on English or Chinese data exhibit more hallucinations in Korean due to data scarcity. Therefore, developing Korean-focused models built on rich, high-quality domestic data is essential to achieve linguistic reliability and reduce error rates. Beyond truthfulness, alignment — the AI's adherence to democratic values and ethics — is non-negotiable for global acceptance. AI can deceive and flatter more effectively than humans, potentially leading to social isolation and poor decision-making. Models with undesirable hidden biases, like those favoring destructive ideologies, must be identified and retrained. The "Alignment Camouflage" paper warned that AI can be trained to hide its biases, making detection difficult. Techniques like switching the AI’s conversational role from an assistant to a "user," as noted in a March study, can reveal these latent tendencies. To police this behavior, an automated system of AI multi-agents is necessary for continuous monitoring to prevent manipulation and report misconduct. For South Korea to truly lead the export market, its technical agenda must prioritize techniques that implement "I don't know" as a core, rewarded output; invest heavily in high-quality, representative Korean-language training data to close the linguistic reliability gap; and develop sophisticated AI multi-agent monitoring systems for real-time detection and mitigation of hidden biases and deceptive behavior. By focusing on these core issues of Truth, Trust, and Alignment, South Korea can distinguish its foundation models as reliable and ethical global leaders, ensuring its AI transformation supports both a vibrant capital market and a cohesive community. * This contribution article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-29 08:54:35 -
CJ Logistics expands US cold chain network with new Kansas hub SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - South Korea's CJ Logistics said Sunday it has opened a new cold chain logistics center in New Century, Kansas. The facility is specifically designed to manage the storage and transport of refrigerated and frozen goods, utilizing specialized temperature control systems to maintain product freshness and quality. The new center's proximity to major highways allows for fast, same-day transport to key Midwestern cities, the company said. The facility boasts a direct connection to the BNSF railway, which links the western and central United States. Furthermore, the nearby CPKC railway provides access for continental transport across North America, connecting Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. This multimodal capability allows the center to reach an estimated 85 percent of the U.S. within two days. The Kansas center opening follows the launch of a 24,904-square-meter cold chain center in Gainesville, Georgia, a key frozen poultry production area, which opened last year. Kevin Coleman, CEO of CJ Logistics America, emphasized the importance of the expansion. "High-value cold chain logistics require stringent temperature control and quality maintenance, demanding expertise and trust," he stated. "We aim to strengthen our North American cold chain supply network with advanced technology." CJ Logistics America currently operates over 70 logistics centers across 17 states, including Illinois, California, and Georgia, offering comprehensive logistics services such as warehouse management, transport management, and consulting. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-28 15:11:12 -
Emart24 becomes first Korean convenience store in Laos SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - South Korean convenience store chain Emart24 announced its entry into the Laotian market, Sunday, becoming the first Korean convenience store brand to establish a presence in the country. The entry follows a strategic franchise agreement with Laos-based conglomerate, Kolao Group. The partnership will see Emart24 convert 50 existing KOK KOK MINI convenience stores, currently operated by Kolao Group, into Emart24 outlets, alongside the opening of new locations. Kolao Group, founded by Oh Se-young in 1997, is a diversified conglomerate with interests spanning from car assembly and sales to finance, platforms, construction, and leisure. Since 2023, the group has also operated hypermarkets and convenience stores under its proprietary KOK KOK brand. Emart24 currently operates seven stores in Cambodia, 102 in Malaysia, and one in India. Emart24 is positioning its new Laotian stores to capitalize on the country's youth demographic, who are demonstrating a growing affinity for Korean culture, including K-food, K-content, and K-beauty. Emart24 CEO Choi Jin-il, said, "We anticipate this expansion will not only boost exports of our private label products but also open new markets for South Korean small and medium-sized businesses." * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-28 15:02:04 -
Son Heung-min scores twice in LA win, extends goal streak to 4 games SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - Los Angeles FC (LAFC) forward Son Heung-min scored two goals on Sunday, propelling his team to a 3-0 victory over St. Louis City SC at Energizer Park and extending his personal scoring streak to four consecutive Major League Soccer (MLS) matches. Son registered his seventh and eighth goals of the season during the match. His first came in first-half stoppage time with a precise right-footed shot. He added his second in the 60th minute, calmly placing the ball into the bottom left corner from inside the penalty box. The South Korean international's hot streak began on Sept. 14 against the San Jose Earthquakes, followed by a hat trick against Real Salt Lake on Sept. 18, and another goal against the same team on Sept. 22. This four-game run is his longest goal-scoring streak in regular league play since December 2021, when he played for Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League. Son now has eight goals and two assists in just eight MLS appearances and has been key in LAFC securing four consecutive victories. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-28 14:30:34 -
South Korea, US to hold first working group talks on visa issues this week SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - The first meeting of a working group between South Korea and the United States to address visa issues, which came to prominence after the large-scale detention of South Korean workers by US immigration authorities, is scheduled to take place on Sept. 30 (local time) in Washington D.C., South Korean diplomatic sources said Sunday. The meeting comes 26 days after 317 South Korean nationals were detained while working at the construction site of the Hyundai Motor-LG Energy Solution joint battery plant in Georgia. The working group will be jointly led by the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the U.S. Department of State. The US delegation is also expected to include officials from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Commerce. The group is tasked with resolving visa problems for Koreans connected to major U.S. investments, with discussions expected to focus initially on clarifying the permitted scope of work under the B1 business visa, a non-immigrant visa for short-term business activities. In addition, the two sides plan to review the establishment of a separate visa desk at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul dedicated to processing applications for Korean businesspeople involved in U.S. investment. The South Korean government is expected to push for the creation of a separate visa category for Korean companies through the working group. Beyond merely clarifying B1 visa guidelines, discussions will reportedly explore creating a new, appropriate visa for Korean personnel who need to stay in the U.S. for several months to manage factory installation, personnel training, and other essential duties. There will also be discussions on pursuing legislation — potentially with the U.S. Congress — to establish a separate visa quota specifically for highly skilled Korean professionals, the sources said. 2025-09-28 14:21:00 -
Fire at data center traced to aged battery, potential human error SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - The massive administrative network disruption in South Korea, caused by a fire at the National Information Resources Service headquarters in Daejeon, Friday night, is being linked to a lithium-ion battery for an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) that was in use for over a year past its recommended 10-year lifespan. As officials have launched a full-scale investigation into the incident, the focus is falling on the potential role of both the aging hardware and possible workplace mistakes during a planned equipment transfer. The UPS lithium-ion battery that ignited the blaze in the NIRS server room on Sept. 26 was originally supplied and installed in August 2014. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety confirmed that the battery, reportedly built with cells from LG Energy Solution, had exceeded its 10-year functional life. "Using such batteries past their recommended lifespan can lead to quality defects and increase the risk of accidents," said an industry source. Neither the ministry nor NIRS has offered a clear explanation as to why the aging battery was still in operation. Authorities initially explained that the fire broke out in one disconnected battery while 13 workers were moving the UPS units from the 5th-floor server room to the basement. The incident occurred during the third of four planned relocation attempts, with the first two having been completed without issue. However, a conflicting account from an industry source suggests that the fire may have been caused by "human error" during the relocation. This theory posits that an electrical short circuit occurred when cables were disconnected before the battery's power was properly shut off — a critical safety step in the relocation process. 2025-09-28 10:43:05 -
Data center fire causes public services meltdown in South Korea SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - A fire at a state-run data center in central South Korea triggered a massive network outage that left government services crippled and disrupted daily life for millions over the weekend, officials said. The blaze broke out Friday evening when a lithium-ion battery exploded inside the National Information Resources Service in Daejeon, about 100 miles south of Seoul, according to police and fire officials. The government preemptively shut down 647 online systems, including the country’s mobile identification app, as servers overheated and humidity controls failed, Vice Interior Minister Kim Min-jae told reporters. Of those systems, 436 serve the public directly while 211 are used internally by government officials — nearly a third of the government’s online infrastructure. The fire, which burned for 22 hours before being extinguished Saturday, left behind a tangle of disabled servers and frayed public trust. The shutdown rippled through daily life in a country that prides itself on its digital efficiency. Citizens reported being unable to pay with debit cards issued by Korea Post or transfer funds through postal accounts. Others were unable to retrieve essential certificates, such as family records or residency documents, needed for everything from schooling to real estate transactions. Even emergency services were affected. The 119 rescue system’s location-tracking function, which pinpoints distressed callers, was knocked offline. Commuters who normally rely on digital ID for discounted fares on buses, trains, or planes were told to carry physical identification instead. “We apologize for causing great inconvenience to the public by delaying civil applications and the issuance of certificates,” Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung said. The government has promised swift repairs, with officials racing to restore critical functions such as postal and financial services. Tax filing deadlines and document submissions will be postponed until systems are operational again, and citizens have been advised to visit offices in person where possible. Authorities said the risk of permanent data loss was minimal because the facility operates a four-stage backup system. Still, police and fire investigators are working to determine the precise cause of the blaze and assess the full extent of the damage. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok issued a public apology on Saturday, while President Lee Jae Myung convened an emergency meeting on Sunday. “President Lee called for the urgency of restoring critical government services that have been disrupted by the incident,” presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo Jung said. “Lee told officials to concentrate all capabilities on the swift restoration and operation of government systems." 2025-09-28 10:22:58 -
Seoul to enshrine 'right to be forgotten' as AI deepfake crimes persist SEOUL, September 26 (AJP) - South Korea is moving to include the "right to be forgotten" as a core privacy protection for youths targeted by deepfake pornography as AI-generated sexual crimes proliferate. The Personal Information Protection Commission this week announced new measures to safeguard personal data in the AI era. These include giving minors the right to demand deletion of online posts made during adolescence and barring individuals with criminal records from sensitive roles such as CCTV monitoring. The initiative reflects widening gaps in victim protection as generative AI tools become increasingly accessible on platforms including Google's Gemini. A presidential committee is working to establish a legal basis for victims to demand removal of AI-synthesized content. Deepfakes—digitally altered images or videos that make a person appear to be someone else—are being weaponized in non-consensual sexual material and disinformation. Despite government crackdowns, takedown orders for deepfake sex crime videos continue to climb, according to data from the Korea Communications Standards Commission cited by ruling People Power Party lawmaker Park Chung-kwon. Public alarm spiked last year after explicit AI-generated images of women and girls flooded platforms such as Telegram, triggering rare police investigations. Yet enforcement remains weak: of 964 deepfake-related sex crime cases reported between January and October 2024, Seoul police made only 23 arrests. Lawmakers are advancing parallel bills. On Sept. 11, Democratic Party legislator Huh Young introduced an amendment to sexual assault laws, warning that "the rapid advancement of AI technology has made it possible for anyone to create human images indistinguishable from reality, but this technology is being misused to produce fake sexual content that causes shame and disgust, emerging as a serious social problem." His proposal would criminalize AI-generated sexual content regardless of whether it depicts a real individual, closing a major loophole. But AI developers warn the draft is overly broad and risks stifling legitimate innovation. Experts say cheap, user-friendly AI services are fueling abuse. "As AI services get cheaper through market competition, more users are piling in—and among them, malicious users are growing," said Park Un-il, professor of AI utilization and data science at Sungkyunkwan University. "Deepfake pornography is becoming disturbingly common nowadays." Recent incidents highlight that ease of access. Incheon police on Thursday reported investigating a high school student accused of using AI to superimpose sexual images onto photos of four classmates and sharing them online. Advocates say such cases underscore the need for enforceable "forgetting rights," since traditional policing cannot keep pace with the speed and scale of AI content. "It's not the technology that should be blamed—it's the people misusing it," Park added. "AI is still in its infancy, and most content lacks copyright protection because responsibility is hard to assign. Korea needs expert teams to craft precise regulations for generative AI." 2025-09-26 17:05:39