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  • Argentina Fails to Defend Title, Engages in Post-Match Violence Against Spain
    Argentina Fails to Defend Title, Engages in Post-Match Violence Against Spain Argentina lost to Spain in the final of the 2026 FIFA North America World Cup, failing to secure back-to-back titles. The team, which struggled throughout the match, displayed violent behavior on the field after the defeat, drawing criticism from soccer fans worldwide.On July 20, Argentina faced Spain at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where they lost 1-0 after extra time.Argentina aimed to become the third team in history to win consecutive World Cups, following Italy (1934, 1938) and Brazil (1958, 1962), but ended up as runners-up.Throughout the match, Argentina, the defending champions, struggled significantly, failing to record a single shot on goal during the 90 minutes as they focused on defending against Spain's relentless attacks.As the match progressed, the players' composure deteriorated. In stoppage time, midfielder Enzo Fernández received a second yellow card for a reckless tackle on Spain's Pau Cubarsi, leading to his ejection. Fernández reacted angrily by kicking a broadcast microphone as he left the field.With a numerical disadvantage, Argentina conceded a heartbreaking goal to Spain's Ferran Torres in the final minute of extra time.After the final whistle, tensions escalated. Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes, unable to accept the loss, charged toward the celebrating Spanish team, instigating a brawl. He grabbed Eric Garcia by the neck and threw punches at Pablo Gavi, knocking him to the ground.The field quickly descended into chaos as players and coaching staff from both teams clashed. The referee issued a direct red card to Paredes for his violent actions, despite the match having concluded.Alan Shearer, a commentator for BBC, criticized Paredes' behavior, stating, "Paredes threw two or three strong punches at someone's face. Such actions are unacceptable in any situation. I understand how painful the loss is, but there are standards to uphold. Argentina's reaction after the final whistle was appalling."Meanwhile, Argentina's coach Lionel Scaloni acknowledged Spain's superiority after the match, saying, "We must be gracious in both victory and defeat. We showed how to accept a loss. We lost the match, and we acknowledge that. However, that does not mean we will forget everything we have accomplished so far."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-20 10:12:00
  • Spain Wins FIFA World Cup, Highlighting Need for Reform in Korean Football
    Spain Wins FIFA World Cup, Highlighting Need for Reform in Korean Football The 2026 North and Central America World Cup concluded with Spain's victory. Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in the final, reclaiming the title for the first time since the 2010 South Africa tournament. Following their success in Euro 2024, Spain has reestablished itself at the center of world football.Spanish football has evolved beyond its traditional 'tiki-taka' style. While maintaining precise passing, the team has incorporated high pressing, quick transitions, and speed on the flanks. Although tactics have adapted to the times, the foundation for player development remains strong. The operation of age-specific national teams and the continuity of a common football language between youth coaches and the senior national team have been crucial for generational transitions. The Spanish Football Association emphasizes the combination of continuity in existing structures and the introduction of new coaches in its youth team leadership.However, this success should not be generalized to the superiority of European football as a whole. Countries in Europe also face conflicts regarding association management and governance structures. Notably, UEFA has applied common standards for coaching education among its member nations since 1998, financially supporting and monitoring youth development programs across its 55 member associations. This framework has provided a minimal safeguard to ensure that coaching education and player development remain stable, even with changes in management or association leadership.South Korea also has a golden age of football, age-specific national teams, and a coaching education system. The issue lies not in the existence of these systems but in their actual implementation. An official audit by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism confirmed that regulations and procedures were not followed during the selection process for the national team coach. Despite emphasizing a long-term technical philosophy, the association's credibility has been severely shaken due to ongoing procedural controversies surrounding key decisions like the appointment of the national team coach.The recent second meeting of the K-Football Innovation Committee aimed to amend the Korean Sports Council's regulations, which require a successor to be appointed within 60 days of a president's vacancy. The intention is to secure time to reform the election system and association governance rather than rush to elect a new president. However, the composition of the electoral body and the specific selection process have yet to be finalized.Simply extending the election deadline will not change Korean football. There is a need for transparency in the coach selection process and clear accountability, as well as mechanisms to ensure that youth development and coaching education continue regardless of changes in leadership. The strength demonstrated by Spain lies in its consistent nurturing of the next generation rather than relying solely on the talents of a single generation. For Korean football to regain its footing, it must establish a system that cannot be easily disrupted alongside personnel changes. 2026-07-20 10:04:00
  • HD Hyundai Partners with Naver to Build AI Ecosystem for Shipbuilding
    HD Hyundai Partners with Naver to Build AI Ecosystem for Shipbuilding HD Hyundai is teaming up with Naver Cloud to establish an artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem for the shipbuilding industry.On July 20, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, a mid-holding company of HD Hyundai's shipbuilding division, announced that it has signed a 'Physical AI-based Shipbuilding Innovation Agreement' with Naver Cloud.The signing ceremony took place at Naver's data center, 'Gak Sejong,' in Sejong City, attended by HD Korea Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering CEO Kim Hyung-kwan and Naver Cloud CEO Kim Yoo-won, along with executives and officials from both companies.Under the agreement, the two companies plan to collaborate in various areas, including the establishment of AI and cloud infrastructure tailored for the shipbuilding industry, the development of integrated power infrastructure for data centers, cooperation on software-defined vessels (SDV) and shipbuilding AX technology, the utilization of physical AI and robotics technology, and digital education.Initially, they will promote digital transformation across all areas of shipbuilding, from design to production and research and development, by building a cloud and AI factory customized for the industry. They will also form a joint professional organization to explore AI application models, validate technologies, and facilitate personnel exchanges for training.Collaboration will also extend to the power infrastructure needed for data centers. The focus will be on establishing a power supply network for data centers using HD Hyundai's eco-friendly engine technology, energy storage systems (ESS), and hydrogen fuel cells.Additionally, they aim to implement smart shipyards based on physical AI technology. The two companies will jointly develop and validate AI models that integrate ship data platforms with AI software and robotics technology, and they plan to expand their cooperation into the SDV sector, which involves controlling and operating ships based on software even after construction.Kim Yoo-won, CEO of Naver Cloud, stated, "As we face a significant shift towards global AI transformation, it is crucial to establish an AI foundation optimized for the shipbuilding industry. Together with HD Hyundai, we will create a cloud environment specialized for shipbuilding and develop an AI innovation model that can be applied to other industries as well."Kim Hyung-kwan, CEO of HD Korea Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, remarked, "By combining Naver's AI technology with our database of over 200 million records in the shipbuilding and marine sectors, we will build an AI ecosystem tailored for the industry. We aim to successfully complete the establishment of an intelligent smart shipyard based on AI and lead the future ship market."Meanwhile, domestic shipbuilders are accelerating their transition to smart shipyards, leveraging AI, robotics, and digital twins. This strategy aims to enhance productivity and cost competitiveness before a potential downturn in orders.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-20 10:00:00
  • Istanbul purrs with beloved cats
    Istanbul purrs with beloved cats SEOUL, July 20 (AJP) - They sleep on the warm hoods of parked taxis and in the display windows of carpet shops. They wait outside fish restaurants with the patience of regulars. They stroll into mosques, curl up on prayer rugs, and no one moves them. In Istanbul, a city of some 16 million people, the cats behave less like strays and more like citizens who happen to have four legs, and the city, for the most part, treats them accordingly. Nobody knows exactly how many there are. Estimates run from more than a hundred thousand to well beyond, and any count would be out of date by morning. What is certain is that they are everywhere, and that they have been for a very long time. The story begins, as so many Istanbul stories do, at the water. For more than two thousand years, first as Byzantium, then Constantinople, then Istanbul, the city sat at the meeting point of the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, Europe, and Asia, one of the busiest crossroads of trade in the world. Ships arrived loaded with grain, and grain drew rats, and rats made a ship's cat as essential a crew member as a navigator. When the ships docked, some of the cats went ashore to explore the quays and never reported back for duty. The city, full of granaries, markets, and wooden houses that sheltered rodents by the thousand, gave them every reason to stay. They were not pets. They were workers, and Istanbul had endless work. Faith gave the arrangement its warmth. In Islamic tradition, cats are regarded as clean animals, permitted to wander freely where dogs are often kept at a distance, and stories of kindness toward them run deep. One of the most prolific narrators of the Prophet Muhammad's sayings is known to history as Abu Hurairah, literally "father of the kitten," a nickname earned from the small cat he carried with him. A beloved tale holds that the Prophet once cut off his sleeve rather than wake the cat sleeping on it. The story's origins are hazy, and scholars debate its authenticity, but its power was never really about the paperwork. It taught generations of Muslims that disturbing a sleeping cat was something even a prophet would not do. Ottoman Istanbul turned that sentiment into institutions. Residents endowed charitable foundations to feed street animals. Vendors known as mancaci walked the streets selling scraps of offal and liver so that passersby could buy a portion and feed the neighborhood cats in the name of God, an early form of subscription-based animal welfare. Sultan Abdulhamid II, who ruled from 1876 to 1909, kept well over a thousand cats at Yildiz Palace. European travelers wrote home, sometimes charmed and sometimes baffled, about a city that fed its animals as a matter of routine piety. That habit never died. It modernized. Today, the care of Istanbul's street cats is a shared enterprise between the government and roughly everyone else. District municipalities run veterinary clinics and mobile units that sterilize, vaccinate, tag, and release street animals, a policy anchored in Türkiye's 2004 animal protection law, which required that strays be returned to where they were found after treatment. Feeding stations and small wooden cat houses, some municipal, some built by residents on their own initiative, appear on sidewalks and in parks, often freshly stocked. Solar-powered vending machines developed by a Turkish company dispense kibble and water when someone deposits a plastic bottle for recycling, a contraption that pays for the food with the value of the recovered plastic. The animals learned where the machines stood and began waiting beside them. But the infrastructure is only half the system. The other half is habit, distributed across millions of people. The fishmonger who sets aside trimmings. The office worker who keeps a bag of dry food in a desk drawer. The shopkeeper who lets a tabby claim the cash counter as her personal territory because the customers like her and, frankly, so does he. Water bowls appear outside apartment buildings each summer without anyone organizing them. Feeding the cats is not charity in Istanbul so much as etiquette. The result is a species that lives in the seam between wild and owned. Istanbul's cats belong to no one and to everyone. They have names, usually several, one per street they patrol. They have favorite ferries and preferred pews. For years, a cross-eyed cat named Gli lived inside Hagia Sophia itself, dozing beside the imperial door through the building's years as a museum and into its reconversion to a mosque, photographed by presidents and tourists alike until she died in 2020. When a portly street cat named Tombili died in 2016, her neighborhood in Kadikoy erected a bronze statue of her in her signature pose, reclining against a step like a retiree watching traffic. Tens of thousands had signed the petition. It is tempting to leave the story there, sun-warmed and purring. But the compact between Türkiye and its street animals has been under real strain, and the cats came closer to the edge of it than most visitors realize. In July 2024, Türkiye's parliament passed a law requiring municipalities to remove stray dogs from the streets and hold them in shelters, with euthanasia permitted for animals that are terminally ill, in pain, or judged a danger to people. The government, citing an estimated four million stray dogs nationwide and a series of attacks, some involving children, framed the measure as overdue public safety. Opponents called it the "massacre law." Animal welfare groups pointed out that the country's shelters had capacity for only a fraction of the dogs the law ordered off the streets, and warned that cash-strapped municipalities might find euthanasia cheaper than care. Tens of thousands protested in Istanbul and other cities. In late 2025, the Constitutional Court rejected the main opposition party's bid to annul the law, ruling that animals are not subjects of rights under the constitution. Several judges dissented, arguing the law contradicted values of compassion toward animals rooted in the same Islamic legal tradition that had sheltered Istanbul's strays for centuries. The cats were spared, but narrowly. An early draft of the bill included them. The article was removed after public outcry, before the law reached its final vote. So the cats of Istanbul remain where they have always been, on the steps and the windowsills and the warm stones of the mosque courtyards, protected by fifteen centuries of habit and, for now, by a single deleted clause. A 55-year-old juice stall owner near Hagia Sophia, who declined to give his name, said the animals were woven into the life of the city itself. "We consider cats as our family and neighbors. Their elegance and companionship bring us joy and happiness. Istanbul will never be the same without them," he said. 2026-07-20 09:58:34
  • Cash Usage Surges in Russia Amid Prolonged War and Economic Strain
    Cash Usage Surges in Russia Amid Prolonged War and Economic Strain The prolonged war in Ukraine, coupled with economic slowdown and repeated mobile internet disruptions, has led to a rapid increase in cash demand in Russia.On July 19, the BBC analyzed data from the Central Bank of Russia, revealing that an additional 1.56 trillion rubles (approximately $29.7 billion) has been injected into circulation this year. This marks the largest increase for the same period since the COVID-19 pandemic.The surge in cash demand is attributed to the Russian government's mobile internet restrictions. Following ongoing drone attacks from Ukraine, the government has repeatedly limited mobile internet access across the country, citing the need to disrupt drone operations.As internet outages prevent the use of card and mobile payments, citizens are reportedly stockpiling cash in preparation for emergencies, according to the BBC.Additionally, the government's tax increases have contributed to the rise in cash transactions. In January, Russia raised the value-added tax rate from 20% to 22% to cover war expenses and lowered the revenue threshold for small and medium-sized enterprises subject to VAT.As tax burdens increase, many businesses, including restaurants, pharmacies, hair salons, and local shops, are increasingly requesting cash payments from customers to underreport their sales. Reports indicate a rise in the practice of paying employees in cash to avoid payroll taxes, known as 'envelope wages.'A survey conducted in May by Opora Russia, the country's largest small business association, found that about 6% of business owners are utilizing 'gray market' methods, such as not issuing cash receipts, to reduce their tax liabilities.Despite the Central Bank of Russia maintaining high interest rates to curb inflation triggered by the war, bank deposits are seeing a withdrawal trend. According to the Central Bank, 550 billion rubles (approximately $10.5 billion) were withdrawn from bank accounts in May alone, with 200 billion rubles (about $3.8 billion) coming from time deposits.As economic and social instability due to the war grows, there is a resurgence of the mentality to keep cash at home, reminiscent of the Soviet era. Cash withdrawals surged during the partial mobilization announcement in September 2022 and the armed rebellion by the Wagner Group in June 2023.The increase in cash transactions is exacerbating the Russian government's struggles with budget deficits. As cash payments rise, it becomes easier for businesses to underreport sales and wages, complicating tax collection.In May, the Russian Ministry of Economic Development lowered its economic growth forecast for the year to 0.4%. If this projection holds, it would mark the lowest growth rate since the war began in 2022.While the oil and gas sector, which accounts for about a quarter of government revenue, benefits from rising international oil prices due to the war, the overall economic growth is slowing due to the financial burdens of prolonged conflict, high interest rates, and increased taxes.Taras Skvortsov, Chief Financial Officer of Sberbank, Russia's largest bank, expressed concern, stating, "Cash is not returning to the banking system through cash transport or ATMs; it is remaining in people's hands. This is a very worrying situation."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-20 09:56:00
  • Anticipation Builds for Christopher Nolans The Odyssey Ahead of August Release
    Anticipation Builds for Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' Ahead of August Release Christopher Nolan's new film, 'The Odyssey,' is set to be released in South Korea on August 5, generating excitement as positive reviews from North American audiences circulate online.On July 19, a user on an online community shared their experience after watching the film in the U.S. The user, identified as A, stated, "I live in America and booked an IMAX showing for Saturday night at 10 PM. I got home after 1 AM and felt compelled to write this right away."A continued, "I have no regrets. See it twice. Definitely watch it in IMAX." They added, "Having read 'The Iliad' and 'The Odyssey' during my high school years in the U.S., I knew the original story well, but I lost track of time while watching. The film is just incredible."A also responded to questions from other users, saying, "The original Greek mythology is such an interesting story that it would be enjoyable even if you don't know the content," and, "I don't think there are any actors in the cast who can't act."Prior to its release, 'The Odyssey' faced significant controversy, particularly regarding its casting. The decision to cast Lupita Nyong'o as Helen, described in the original work as 'the most beautiful woman in the world,' sparked debate among some fans.Comments in domestic online communities included, "PC (political correctness) has been overly reflected," and, "It differs too much from the original image." Notably, the final trailer released this year received a high dislike ratio on YouTube due to its dialogue, tone, casting, and overall atmosphere, leading to mixed reactions among international fans.As Na Hong-jin's new film 'Hope' receives sharply divided reviews in South Korea, attention is focused on how Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' will be received by domestic audiences amid both controversy and anticipation.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-20 09:56:00
  • Naver Cloud and HD Korea Shipbuilding to Build AI Cloud for Shipbuilding Industry
    Naver Cloud and HD Korea Shipbuilding to Build AI Cloud for Shipbuilding Industry Naver Cloud is partnering with HD Korea Shipbuilding to establish an artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud infrastructure tailored for the shipbuilding industry. This initiative aims to support the protection of national core technologies, manage large-scale design data, and facilitate an AI-driven production system, marking a significant step in the industry's AI transformation (AX).Naver Cloud announced on July 20 that it will create an optimized AI and cloud environment for the shipbuilding sector and promote AX across the industry.The shipbuilding industry must securely protect national core technologies while managing extensive design data and implementing production innovations through AI. Consequently, the importance of building an AI and cloud infrastructure suited to the industry's characteristics is increasing.Through this collaboration, the two companies plan to start with the establishment of an industry-specific cloud and expand AI utilization to next-generation ship platforms and shipyard operations. They aim to jointly discover and validate AI application models tailored for the shipbuilding industry and develop them into AI innovation cases that can be applied across the manufacturing sector.Initially, they will optimize the graphics processing unit (GPU) infrastructure for AI factory implementation and establish a private cloud operating environment. Based on this, they will jointly develop next-generation ship platforms and promote AI transformation and collaboration on Physical AI technologies in shipyards.Additionally, they will co-design a platform based on ship data and a real-time data processing and control system, utilizing AI vision technology and robotic operating platforms to discover and validate AI application models suitable for the shipbuilding industry.Kim Yoo-won, CEO of Naver Cloud, stated, "As the shipbuilding industry is undergoing a significant shift towards global AI transformation, establishing an AI foundation optimized for the industry is crucial. Together with HD Korea Shipbuilding, we will create a cloud environment specialized for the shipbuilding sector and develop AI innovation models that can be expanded to other manufacturing industries."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-20 09:52:00
  • Trade Between North Korea and China Surges Amid Xi Jinpings Visit
    Trade Between North Korea and China Surges Amid Xi Jinping's Visit Trade between North Korea and China has surged as cooperation between the two countries accelerates. According to a report from the General Administration of Customs of China, the total trade volume between North Korea and China in the first half of this year reached $1.5069 billion, marking an approximate 20% increase compared to the previous year. This figure surpasses the levels seen before the pandemic in 2019. Last year, trade between the two nations amounted to $2.73 billion, nearly recovering to the 2019 level of $2.79 billion. Approximately 92% of North Korea's trade is with China. In 2022, China's exports to North Korea were valued at $2.2 billion, while imports from North Korea totaled $500 million. Notably, 82% of the total trade volume last year consisted of China's exports to North Korea. North Korea imports refined oil, fuel, petrochemical products, machinery, electrical equipment, automobiles, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, food, and consumer goods from China. This indicates that North Korea relies on China for essential intermediate goods needed for industrial production and daily necessities for its citizens. Additionally, North Korea exports wigs, shoes, seafood, and minerals to China. The increase in trade is attributed to high-level exchanges between the two countries. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited China in September last year for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Subsequently, President Xi visited Pyongyang for a two-day trip on June 8 and 9. During that visit, Xi emphasized that China would strengthen its development strategy ties with North Korea and expand cooperation in trade, agriculture, construction, science and technology, and healthcare. He also highlighted plans to enhance human exchanges through the full normalization of border areas and the resumption of international passenger train services. There are also expectations that Chinese tourists will increasingly visit North Korea. On July 16, Wang Huning, a senior Chinese official and chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, visited the Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Area. Leading a Chinese delegation, Wang toured the area on July 17, accompanied by Jo Yong-won, a close aide to Kim Jong Un. The Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Area is a key focus for North Korea's tourism development. Given Wang's visit, a significant influx of Chinese tourists to North Korea is anticipated. 2026-07-20 09:52:00
  • People Power Party Criticizes Kim Yong-beom, Calls for His Dismissal
    People Power Party Criticizes Kim Yong-beom, Calls for His Dismissal The People Power Party launched a barrage of criticism on July 20 against the economic policies of the Lee Jae-myung administration, calling for the dismissal of Kim Yong-beom, the head of the Presidential Policy Office.During a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly, party leader Jang Dong-hyuk urged a shift in economic policy, stating, "With the base interest rate raised, the burden on citizens has increased by 5.1 trillion won, yet the government has declared an era of an 800 trillion won budget."He pointed out the contradiction of raising interest rates while expanding the budget, saying, "While telling citizens to tighten their belts, the government is recklessly spending money."Jang criticized Kim for appearing on a broadcast the previous day, stating, "As citizens' wallets are being emptied by single-stock leveraged ETFs, he insisted there would be no delisting without even a word of apology," adding, "Ultimately, the goal of the Lee Jae-myung regime is a 'rich government and poor citizens.'"Jeong Jeom-sik, the floor leader, also called for Kim's dismissal, highlighting the turmoil in the stock market since the launch of single-stock leveraged ETFs in May, which has seen 18 circuit breakers and five trading halts as of July 16.He emphasized, "All of this is the government's fault. They mistook the rise in the KOSPI as their achievement and recklessly pushed for the introduction of leverage. The policy chief cannot simply cover up this mess with a few band-aid solutions as if nothing happened."Jeong urged, "If there is any intention to normalize the stock market, it should be shown first through personnel changes. The president must dismiss Kim."Additionally, Jang expressed concerns regarding the government's plan to consolidate military academies, stating, "Even Venezuela's dictator Chavez consolidated military academies in 2010 to politicize the military and use it as a tool for his regime. National security is neither an ideological issue nor a political one," and called for the halt of the consolidation.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-20 09:48:00
  • Hanul Semiconductor Develops AI-Based MLCC Inspection System
    Hanul Semiconductor Develops AI-Based MLCC Inspection System Hanul Semiconductor is experiencing a surge in stock prices following the announcement of its development of an AI-based inspection system for multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs).According to the Korea Exchange, as of 9:38 a.m. on July 20, Hanul Semiconductor's shares rose by 3,920 won (29.97%) to 17,000 won compared to the previous trading day. The stock opened higher and gained momentum throughout the morning, reaching the daily limit.The company announced that it has developed a comprehensive inspection system for MLCCs that combines AI vision technology with predictive capabilities for production line anomalies. It is currently in discussions with global clients for mass production supply.MLCCs are essential components that regulate the stable flow of current in electronic product circuits, utilized in smartphones, home appliances, AI servers, electric vehicles, and autonomous cars. As the related industries advance, the importance of inspection technologies to ensure product stability and reliability is increasing.Unlike traditional sampling inspection methods, this new system focuses on inspecting the entire production output. The company stated that it has enhanced inspection accuracy and productivity by integrating high-speed ultrasonic inspection technology with AI-based defect analysis, along with a feature to predict anomalies in the production line.A representative from Hanul Semiconductor remarked, "With the recent expansion of AI servers, autonomous vehicles, and electric cars, quality standards have tightened. The shift from sampling inspections of a portion of the production to comprehensive inspections of all products is becoming the new standard. This system combines high-speed ultrasonic inspection technology with AI-based defect analysis to achieve both comprehensive inspection and productivity."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-20 09:48:00