AJU PRESS ASIA FIRST NEWS AGENCY

Journalist

&
""
Latest by
  • U.S. Launches Investigation into Chinas Moonshot AI for Potential Chip Violations
    U.S. Launches Investigation into China's Moonshot AI for Potential Chip Violations The U.S. government is reportedly investigating the Chinese startup Moonshot AI, which recently unveiled a high-performance artificial intelligence (AI) model, to determine whether it has used advanced AI semiconductors to evade U.S. regulations. Allegations have also emerged that the company may have unlawfully utilized models from American AI firms, raising the possibility of sanctions.According to a report by the technology news outlet The Information on July 22, the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is examining whether Chinese AI companies, including Moonshot AI, have employed advanced AI semiconductors that the U.S. has restricted from being sold to China.U.S. authorities are investigating whether these companies have circumvented export controls through overseas subsidiaries or third-party data centers. If violations are confirmed, the companies could be added to the BIS's Entity List, which would restrict their access to U.S. products and technologies.Moonshot AI is under scrutiny for allegedly using NVIDIA's latest AI semiconductors during the development of its recently released AI model, 'Kimi K3.'Michael Kratsios, the White House Chief Technology Officer, stated on social media that Moonshot AI has secured servers equipped with NVIDIA's GB300 and has reportedly used the GB300 in Thailand. This raises concerns about its potential use in training AI models.The GB300 is NVIDIA's latest AI system based on the Blackwell architecture, which is restricted from being sold to Chinese companies.There are also allegations that Moonshot AI has unlawfully utilized models from American AI firms. Kratsios claimed that Moonshot AI has built an internal system capable of extracting large amounts of responses from the Anthropic AI model to train its own model.This method, known as 'distillation,' involves using responses from high-performing AI models as training data to enhance the performance of other models. While distillation is a common AI development technique, using data from another company's model without permission could lead to violations of terms of service or intellectual property infringement.Anthropic has previously claimed that Moonshot AI, along with DeepSeek and MiniMax, has unlawfully collected responses from its AI model 'Claude' for model development.U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Vilsack warned that if it is confirmed that foreign AI companies have infringed on the intellectual property rights of U.S. firms, sanctions could be imposed.However, allegations of export control violations or unauthorized distillation against Moonshot AI have not yet been confirmed, and the U.S. Department of Commerce has not made any official announcements regarding the investigation or potential sanctions.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-23 10:48:00
  • Xi Jinping May Visit Canada During September Trip to the U.S.
    Xi Jinping May Visit Canada During September Trip to the U.S. Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit Canada, marking the first time a Chinese head of state has done so in approximately 16 years. Speculation arises that he may include Canada in his trip to the United States in September.On July 23, Hong Kong's Ming Pao reported that Xi is considering a visit to Canada alongside his U.S. trip.The possibility of Xi's visit was highlighted during a meeting between Wang Yi, a member of the Central Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and Foreign Minister, and Anita Anand, Canada's Foreign Minister, on July 21 in Manila, where the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting was held.According to state-run Xinhua News Agency, Wang stated, "China will work with Canada to prepare for the next phase of high-level exchanges and strengthen political mutual trust." Anand also emphasized that "the relationship with China is one of the important bilateral relations for Canada," expressing hope for enhanced high-level exchanges with China and reaffirming Canada's support for the 'One China' policy.Ming Pao noted that Wang's remarks about preparing for the 'next phase of high-level exchanges' suggest preparations for Xi's visit to Canada. The report also indicated that visiting Canada could help Xi avoid the impression of prioritizing the U.S. by making a solo visit.If Xi visits Canada, it would be his first since becoming General Secretary of the Communist Party in late 2012. It would also be the first visit by a Chinese head of state to Canada since former President Hu Jintao in June 2010.Relations between China and Canada have deteriorated over trade and security issues in recent years. The relationship notably soured after Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, the former chief financial officer of Huawei, in 2018 at the request of the U.S. for extradition.In 2024, Canada imposed tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, steel, and aluminum, prompting China to retaliate with tariffs on Canadian canola, pork, and seafood, escalating tensions further.However, Prime Minister Carney, who took office in March 2025, has been working to improve relations with China amid uncertainties in trade policies from the Trump administration. The two leaders began to mend ties during a meeting at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju last October.Earlier this year, Carney visited China, the first Canadian prime minister to do so in nine years, strengthening dialogue and communication channels between the two nations. A joint statement issued at that time included an invitation for Chinese leaders to visit Canada at their convenience, which was welcomed by China. In May, Wang also visited Canada, marking the first visit by a Chinese foreign minister in a decade.This year, China has reopened its market to Canadian canola and beef imports, while Canada has reduced tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, indicating a shift in trade relations. Wang noted during his meeting with Anand that trade between the two countries increased by 16% in the first half of the year compared to the same period last year, with Canadian exports to China rising by 23.3%, reflecting a positive trend in bilateral relations. 2026-07-23 10:48:00
  • Court Rejects Webzens Injunction Against Hound13, Steam Release of Dragon Sword Proceeding as Planned
    Court Rejects Webzen's Injunction Against Hound13, Steam Release of 'Dragon Sword' Proceeding as Planned A South Korean court has dismissed Webzen's request for an injunction to prevent Hound13 from publishing 'Dragon Sword.' Hound13 plans to release the Steam version, 'Dragon Sword: Awakening,' as scheduled.According to industry sources on the 23rd, the Seoul Central District Court's Civil Division 60 rejected Webzen's injunction request against Hound13 on the 22nd.'Dragon Sword,' developed by Hound13 and published by Webzen, was released on January 21. However, it failed to meet initial expectations, leading to conflicts between Webzen and Hound13 over the game's poor performance.Hound13 announced the termination of its publishing contract with Webzen, claiming that Webzen failed to pay 60% of the advance sales settlement due after the game's release and demanded a lower corporate valuation for its subsidiary. Hound13 believes the publishing contract with Webzen has ended and has been developing 'Dragon Sword: Awakening' as a separate package game.In contrast, Webzen contended that Hound13 unilaterally disclosed the termination of the contract without following proper procedures. Following this, Webzen paid the remaining balance to Hound13 and continued the existing 'Dragon Sword' service.In a statement, Hound13 asserted, "The publishing contract with Webzen was lawfully terminated on February 13, and the preparations for the Steam service were conducted under our rightful authority as the copyright holder."With the court's dismissal of Webzen's injunction, Hound13 is set to launch 'Dragon Sword: Awakening' on Steam for the global market on the same day. Hound13 claims that it has secured independent service rights as the developer and copyright holder, disputing Webzen's assertion that it is proceeding without publishing rights.However, the release of 'Dragon Sword: Awakening,' originally scheduled for 7 a.m. in South Korea, has been delayed due to incomplete Steam approval.Webzen plans to appeal the court's decision. A Webzen representative stated, "We intend to appeal to seek a reevaluation of the court's judgment on various facts and issues."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-23 10:44:00
  • Hana Bank Supports 3,500 Small Businesses with Store Improvements and AI Training
    Hana Bank Supports 3,500 Small Businesses with Store Improvements and AI Training 하나은행이 전국 소상공인 사업장 3500곳을 대상으로 매장 환경 개선과 인공지능(AI) 활용을 지원한다. 하나은행은 오는 8월 11일까지 '소상공인 경쟁력 강화 지원 사업' 2차 참여자를 모집한다고 밝혔다. 지원 분야는 사업장 환경 개선과 AI 역량 강화 교육·컨설팅으로, 총 3500개 사업장을 선정할 예정이다. 사업장 환경 개선 분야에서는 소상공인 사업장 2000곳을 선정해 1곳당 최대 200만원을 지원한다. 지원 대상은 노후 간판 디자인·설치와 매장 실내 보수, 집기·비품 구입 등이다. 신청자는 간판 개선과 실내 환경 개선 가운데 한 가지를 선택할 수 있다. AI 역량 강화 교육 및 AI 컨설팅 지원 사업은 총 1500개소를 선정해 판매 활성화를 위한 AI 마케팅 솔루션을 제공한다. 하나은행은 외부 전문가가 포함된 선정평가위원회의 심사를 거쳐 신청 사업장의 사업성, 지속가능성, 지원 타당성 등을 종합적으로 판단해 대상자를 선정할 방침이다. 신청은 하나은행 모바일 앱 '하나원큐'와 개인사업자 전용 채널 '하나더소호', 하나은행 홈페이지, '하나파워온' 플랫폼에서 할 수 있다. 하나은행 관계자는 "소상공인에게 실질적인 도움이 되고, 영업 현장에서 필요한 AI 활용 역량을 갖추는 계기가 되기를 기대한다"며 "맞춤형 지원 프로그램을 통해 포용금융 실천에 앞장서겠다"고 말했다. 한편 하나은행은 하나금융그룹의 '포용금융 로드맵' 기조에 맞춰 최근 1조3000억원 규모의 포용금융 신상품 2종을 출시하는 등 소상공인·자영엽자 지원을 강화하고 있다. 하나금융은 올해 3조원 규모의 특화 금융상품을 공급할 계획이다.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-23 10:40:00
  • Naver Exports Smart Building Technology to Japans Major Complex
    Naver Exports Smart Building Technology to Japan's Major Complex Naver has exported its smart building technology, validated at its headquarters '1784', to a major complex in Japan for the first time.On July 23, Naver announced that it will apply its smart building technology at 'Tokyo Midtown Yaesu', located in a key commercial area of Tokyo. Team Naver is collaborating with Mitsui Fudosan and NTT East to supply smart building operational technologies, including autonomous delivery robots, a cloud-based robot control system, and digital twin technology.This project is significant as it marks the first commercialization of technology operated at 1784 for external clients. While smart building technology has been tested at Naver's headquarters, this is the first application in a large overseas complex.At Tokyo Midtown Yaesu, a cloud-based autonomous delivery robot service will be launched initially. Naver will provide the indoor autonomous delivery robot 'Rookie', a control platform 'ArcBrain' that manages multiple robots simultaneously, digital twin technology, and vision-based location recognition technology 'ArcEye'.Notably, ArcBrain is a key platform that controls multiple robots to move and perform tasks without collisions by coordinating with building facilities such as elevators and access gates. This allows for the implementation of robot services in existing large buildings without the need for new smart facilities, according to the company.The three companies plan to expand robot delivery services in the future, as well as collaborate in various physical AI fields, including indoor augmented reality (AR) navigation and digital twin-based building management.Naver aims to leverage this project to expand its smart building operational experience gained at 1784 into international markets and to fully launch its smart building solution business. 2026-07-23 10:40:00
  • S. Korea courts Turkmenistan with water technology
    S. Korea courts Turkmenistan with water technology SEOUL, July 23 (AJP) - South Korea spent three days this week showing Turkmenistan how it manages water, hosting a government delegation from one of the world's driest countries as Seoul works to turn its water industry into an export business across Central Asia. The visit, which ran Tuesday through Thursday in Seoul, brought officials from Turkmenistan's State Committee for Water Resources, the body overseeing the country's water policy and projects, along with its foreign ministry and the state institute handling water design and engineering. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment jointly hosted the program. The two sides make an unlikely but logical pair. Turkmenistan is roughly four-fifths desert, covered by the Karakum, one of the largest sand deserts on earth, and depends for most of its water on a single river, the Amu Darya, shared with its neighbors. The Soviet-era Karakum Canal, among the longest irrigation canals in the world, carries that water more than 1,300 kilometers across the country, and much of it is lost to seepage and evaporation along the way. Climate change is tightening the squeeze. For a government in that position, technology that tracks canals, cuts losses and treats water is not an abstraction. South Korea, for its part, has spent two decades building exactly that toolkit. K-water, the state water corporation, runs the national water system through a centralized digital operations center, and the country has pushed into AI-assisted purification, smart metering and remote monitoring. The delegation saw the showcase items: K-water's integrated operations center, the AI water purification plant in Hwaseong, south of Seoul, and the Gyeongin Ara Waterway connecting the Han River to the sea. The visitors also toured Korean companies specializing in canal monitoring and water treatment to examine how the technologies work in the field and discuss possible cooperation. The trip follows the first Korea-Turkmenistan water industry mission, a public-private delegation the government sent last year, its first of the kind. That visit confirmed there was room to work together, the ministries said, and this week's program was designed to make the cooperation concrete. Seoul is thinking beyond one country. The Turkmen visit ran alongside a smart water management training program for officials from all five Central Asian states, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, a region where water is both scarce and a chronic source of tension between upstream and downstream neighbors. The week included a multilateral meeting of the five governments on water industry cooperation, a seminar where each country shared its water policies and discussed sustainable management and climate response, and a business roundtable pairing Korean water companies with Central Asian government agencies. The commercial intent is explicit. Kim Ho-eun, director general for water use policy at the climate ministry, said cooperation built up with Central Asian countries is now producing visible results, including supplies of Korean equipment and construction of facilities. "We will continue to lead the way in supporting our water companies' expansion overseas," Kim said. The diplomatic runway extends to September, when South Korea plans to hold a summit with the five Central Asian states. Opening the multilateral meeting, Kyun Jong-ho, the foreign ministry's ambassador for climate change, said cooperation on sharing water policy and management experience matters more than ever, and expressed hope the discussions would carry into deeper cooperation at the summit. The two ministries said they expect the week's program to deepen water cooperation with Turkmenistan and widen policy networks across Central Asia, and that they will keep supporting Korean water companies abroad while developing practical joint projects. 2026-07-23 10:38:01
  • South Korea Expands Water Industry Cooperation with Turkmenistan
    South Korea Expands Water Industry Cooperation with Turkmenistan South Korea and Turkmenistan are set to enhance their cooperation in the water industry. The two countries plan to expand exchanges in digital water management technology and policies while accelerating the entry of domestic water companies into the Central Asian market.The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on July 23 that they hosted a delegation from the Turkmenistan government for three days starting July 21 as part of the 'Korea-Turkmenistan Water Industry Cooperation Delegation' event.This invitation follows a public-private partnership initiative launched by the South Korean government last year to explore collaboration in the water sector. After confirming the potential for cooperation, the two countries focused this year on practical collaboration through site visits and business exchanges.During their visit, the delegation toured the Korea Water Resources Corporation's Integrated Operation Center, the Hwaseong AI Water Purification Plant, and the Gyeongin Ara Waterway to observe South Korea's digital water management systems and operational frameworks. They also visited domestic companies with water management technologies, such as canal monitoring and water quality treatment, to review technology applications and discuss future collaboration possibilities.This event was linked to the 'Korea-Central Asia Smart Water Management Invitation Training.' On the final day, a multilateral meeting and water industry cooperation seminar were held in Seoul, attended by government officials from five Central Asian countries, focusing on water management policies and climate change response strategies.Officials from Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan participated in the meeting to share their respective water management policies and challenges while discussing sustainable water resource management cooperation.A business roundtable was also organized, facilitating one-on-one consultations between domestic water companies and Central Asian government agencies. Participating companies assessed the local business environment and collaboration opportunities, seeking specific business prospects such as equipment supply and facility construction.The government expects this event to advance water sector cooperation between South Korea and Turkmenistan while expanding policy coordination and communication with Central Asian countries. Additionally, it aims to support the overseas expansion of domestic water companies based on government collaboration and to continuously pursue new cooperation projects.Kim Ho-eun, Director of Water Use Policy at the Ministry of Climate, stated, "Cooperation with Central Asian countries is leading to tangible export results for domestic water companies in terms of equipment supply and facility construction. We will continue to provide government support to ensure companies can operate reliably overseas."In his opening remarks, Climate Change Ambassador Gyeon Jong-ho emphasized the importance of sharing water management experiences and resource policies among nations, expressing hope that the discussions would lead to meaningful cooperation outcomes at the upcoming Korea-Central Asia summit scheduled for September.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-23 10:32:00
  • Everlands Baby Panda Celebrates 50 Days of Life, Weighs 2.3 kg
    Everland's Baby Panda Celebrates 50 Days of Life, Weighs 2.3 kg "The baby is starting to hold its head up and crawl..."Everland, operated by Samsung C&T's resort division, has shared an update on its baby panda, born through natural breeding, as it reaches 50 days old on July 23.The baby panda was born on June 3 at Panda World to mother Aibao and father Lubao. It is the fourth female giant panda born in South Korea, following Fu Bao in 2020 and twins Ruibao and Huibao in 2023.◆ Eyes Open and Crawling; Weight Increased 13 Times Since BirthAccording to Everland, the baby panda now weighs 2.3 kg, a remarkable increase from its birth weight of 171 grams, marking a growth of about 13 times in just 50 days.The panda's development is progressing well. It has recently opened both eyes and is beginning to hold its head up. As its fur sheds and its black markings become more distinct, the panda is starting to crawl on the ground.Currently, mother Aibao is in good health. Everland's zookeepers, Kang Cheol-won and Song Young-gwan, along with veterinary staff and experts from the China Panda Protection Research Center, are providing close care for the baby. ◆ Name Contest Received Over 10,000 Entries; Final Selection Process Under ReviewThe response to the online name contest has been enthusiastic. From July 13 to 19, Everland conducted a nationwide name contest via YouTube, Instagram, and Naver Cafe, receiving over 10,000 entries. The park is currently reviewing the selection process and announcement timing based on the collected suggestions.Zookeeper Kang Cheol-won stated, "Thanks to mother Aibao's devoted care and the zookeepers' attention, the baby is growing healthily. We hope for continued interest and support for the little one’s growth."Meanwhile, the baby panda's growth process will be continuously shared through Everland's platforms, including Pupa TV on YouTube, blogs, and the Naver Cafe 'Zootopia.'* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-23 10:32:00
  • KB Financial Group Creates 1.66 Trillion Won in Social Value in First Half of 2026
    KB Financial Group Creates 1.66 Trillion Won in Social Value in First Half of 2026 KB Financial Group announced that it generated a total of 1.66 trillion won in social value in the first half of 2026.In the second quarter alone, the group achieved 834 billion won. KB Financial measures social value based on the tangible changes made in society rather than just the costs incurred. The results for the first half reflect achievements in supporting financially vulnerable groups, youth independence, small business growth, and regional balanced development.In the area of inclusive finance, KB Financial has worked to reduce financial blind spots through debt restructuring, credit counseling, and easing interest burdens. The group also provided financial counseling and psychological recovery programs for victims of rental fraud and voice phishing, collaborating with the National Police Agency to create and distribute preventive content. For youth support, initiatives included asset formation through the KB Youth Future Savings Account, job connections via the KB Good Job Job Fair, and training and startup support for core AI talent.To assist small businesses and micro-enterprises, KB Financial supported the renovation and consulting of aging food trucks through the KB Good Food Truck project, and operated a performance-based social contribution model to nurture companies with safety technologies for application in small business settings. In local communities, KB Financial expanded educational and care infrastructure through KB Small Libraries, On-Dong Neighborhood Education, and Care Centers, while continuing community-focused social contributions such as creating energy self-sufficient villages in rural areas.A KB Financial representative stated, "Measuring social value is a process of confirming what changes have been made in society, rather than how much cost has been invested," and emphasized the commitment to continue expanding support for youth, small businesses, local communities, and financially vulnerable groups.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-23 10:28:00
  • Korbit Welcomes Mirae Asset Group as New Majority Shareholder
    Korbit Welcomes Mirae Asset Group as New Majority Shareholder Domestic virtual asset exchange Korbit has welcomed Mirae Asset Consulting, a subsidiary of Mirae Asset Group, as its new majority shareholder. Korbit announced that there will be no changes to its corporate structure or service operations following the change in majority ownership, emphasizing its commitment to enhancing user protection and service competitiveness.On July 23, Korbit stated on its website, "Mirae Asset Consulting has become the majority shareholder after acquiring shares in Korbit through the necessary regulatory reporting procedures."Mirae Asset Consulting confirmed on July 21 that it plans to acquire an additional 1,589,859 shares of Korbit for approximately 7.88 billion won. Once the share acquisition is completed on July 24, Mirae Asset Consulting's ownership stake will increase from 92.06% to 97.15%.Despite the change in majority ownership, the corporation operating the exchange, Korbit Co., Ltd., will remain unchanged. All services, including login, trading, and deposits, will continue to operate as usual. User deposits and virtual assets will be stored and managed separately from the company's assets in accordance with relevant laws, and there will be no changes to the handling of personal information, requiring no additional consent or action from users.Korbit stated, "We will leverage the financial expertise and capabilities that Mirae Asset Group has built over the years to expand various possibilities connecting traditional finance and digital assets."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-23 10:28:00