AJU PRESS ASIA FIRST NEWS AGENCY

Journalist

&
""
Latest by
  • Kakao Completes AI Training Program for Nonprofit Organizations
    Kakao Completes AI Training Program for Nonprofit Organizations Kakao announced the successful completion of the 'KakaoTech NGO AI Class' on September 9, aimed at enhancing the AI capabilities of nonprofit organization (NGO) activists in South Korea.The 'KakaoTech NGO AI Class' was designed to help nonprofit activists utilize generative AI in their work and improve their organizations' overall AI proficiency. This program expanded its focus from last year's 'KakaoTech AI School for Small Business Owners' to include nonprofit organization activists.During the application period, 206 individuals from 106 organizations applied, with 106 participants from 53 organizations ultimately selected. Kakao noted a high level of interest in AI training, as all selected organizations participated in the program.The participating organizations represented ten fields, including consumer and economic justice, environment and climate, international cooperation and development, children, women and family, human rights and peace, intermediary support, social welfare and housing, civic engagement and political reform, and youth education.The training consisted of a two-day program. The introductory course, held on September 2 at the Kakao AI Campus in Yongin, focused on practical applications of generative AI, including work automation, PPT creation, and Excel invoice preparation.The advanced course took place on September 8 and 9 at Kakao's Pangyo office, where participants chose one of the two days to attend. This segment emphasized how NGO activists could streamline their work using AI, covering topics such as customized AI environment setup, issue monitoring, newsletter creation, and data management automation.Kakao designed the training to encourage participation from both organizational leaders (team leaders and above) and practitioners in pairs, aiming to enhance individual AI skills while promoting organizational-level AI application.All participants received a one-month subscription to a paid AI service, and an open chat room with instructors will be available for a month after the training to support practical application in their work.Lee Seong-beom, the representative of the nonprofit organization Wonders International, stated, "I had been using AI in my work, but I participated to explore how to apply it at an organizational level with my staff. The training and practical exercises provided valuable insights on how to implement these methods in our work and how to disseminate them throughout the organization."Shin Jeong-hwa, director of Doctors Without Borders Korea, remarked, "Having both leaders and practitioners participate in pairs allowed us to discuss how to apply what we learned to our organization during the training. We also developed follow-up plans to share the knowledge with our team members and implement it in our work."Hong Shin, leader of Kakao's ESG Cooperation Performance, noted, "This training highlighted the significant demand for AI education in the nonprofit sector and the potential for organizational-level application. We will continue to provide practical training tailored to various needs and expand our support to multiple fields."Kakao has been consistently operating programs to enhance AI capabilities among diverse social groups and nurture AI talent. Initiatives include the 'Kakao AI Rookie Camp' for youth, the 'KakaoTech Campus' practical training program for local university students, and the 'KakaoTech Bootcamp' for aspiring developers. Recently, Kakao launched 'Kakao AI Sail' in collaboration with the four major science and technology institutes (KAIST, GIST, DGIST, UNIST) to foster local AI talent and businesses, further contributing to the expansion of the AI ecosystem.Kakao has also broadened its AI education offerings to the general public. In April, it conducted the 'AI TOP 100' program for high school and university students in partnership with Kakao Impact and Brian Impact, and previously operated the 'Visiting Senior Digital School' to enhance digital accessibility for seniors.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-14 10:36:00
  • Air Premia to launch new flights to Sapporo this winter
    Air Premia to launch new flights to Sapporo this winter SEOUL, September 14 (AJP) - Air Premia will offer a new route to Sapporo, Japan starting this winter, the low-cost carrier said on Sunday. The route to the island country's popular winter destination will begin on Dec. 2, with flights four times a week on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, using a Boeing 787-9. They will depart Incheon at 9:40 a.m. and arrive at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido at 12:20 p.m. Return flights will leave Sapporo at 1:45 p.m. and arrive back in Incheon at 5:15 p.m. The upcoming service will be Air Premia's second route to Japan, following its existing route to Narita International Airport, a gateway to Tokyo, as part of its efforts to expand its services to Japan. Tickets for the new route will go on sale at 10 a.m. next Monday, with promotional discounts to follow a week later. "We expect our new route will broaden options for customers planning winter travel," an Air Premia spokesman said. AJP Takeaways - South Korean low-cost carrier Air Premia will launch a new Incheon-Sapporo route on Dec. 2, 2026, operating four times weekly (Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays) using a Boeing 787-9 aircraft. - The Incheon-Sapporo service will be Air Premia's second route to Japan, joining its existing Incheon-Narita International Airport route, as the carrier expands beyond the Tokyo area into Hokkaido, a popular winter destination. - Air Premia will begin selling tickets for the Incheon-Sapporo route at 10 a.m., with a promotional discount period to follow one week after sales open. 2026-09-14 10:33:17
  • SK Biopharm Achieves MSCI ESG AAA Rating for Three Consecutive Years
    SK Biopharm Achieves MSCI ESG 'AAA' Rating for Three Consecutive Years SK Biopharm announced on September 14 that it has received the highest rating of 'AAA' from the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) ESG assessment for three consecutive years. It is the first domestic pharmaceutical company to achieve this rating for three years in a row, and currently, SK Biopharm is the only company to hold an AAA rating. The MSCI ESG assessment is a leading evaluation system that compares and assesses companies' capabilities in managing key environmental, social, and governance risks and opportunities against their global peers. The company stated, "Despite recent changes in evaluation methodology that have made the criteria for transparency and evidence in ESG activities stricter, SK Biopharm has maintained the highest rating." In this assessment, MSCI highlighted SK Biopharm's strengths in areas such as Corporate Behavior, Human Capital Development, and Product Safety & Quality, all rated at a global top level. In the Corporate Behavior category, the company's compliance system and transparency in accounting and taxation were noted, while in Human Capital Development, its member capability development programs and initiatives to foster a 'great place to work' culture received high marks. In the Product Safety and Quality sector, the company was recognized for effectively managing risks based on a systematic quality management system and global certification standards. SK Biopharm supports a virtuous cycle where new drug development and business growth lead to the creation of social value through its ESG management. The innovative drug cenobamate has expanded treatment options for epilepsy patients worldwide, with over 300,000 cumulative prescriptions globally. Last year, SK Biopharm generated social value amounting to 498.7 billion won, with 452.4 billion won attributed to improvements in quality of life through its products and services. Lee Dong-hoon, CEO of SK Biopharm, stated, "Our efforts in maintaining transparent governance centered on the board, responsible management, enhancing talent competitiveness, fostering a great workplace culture, and ensuring quality and safety management have been recognized." Meanwhile, SK Biopharm's epilepsy drug candidate, opacalim (BHV-7000), recently received a partial clinical hold from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company expects to submit additional non-clinical data to the FDA by the end of this month and anticipates that the hold will be lifted between October and November. Opacalim is SK Biopharm's second global drug candidate following cenobamate. The company has entered into a global exclusive licensing agreement with Biohaven worth up to $795 million (approximately 1.1 trillion won).* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-14 10:32:00
  • North Korea and Russia Discuss Troop Deployment Ahead of Military Alliance Treaty
    North Korea and Russia Discuss Troop Deployment Ahead of Military Alliance Treaty North Korea and Russia began discussions about deploying North Korean troops to the Russia-Ukraine war nearly a year before effectively signing a military alliance treaty. While the treaty was cited as the basis for the deployment, negotiations and requests from Russia started before the treaty was finalized. A memorial in Pyongyang records 2,288 North Korean soldiers as casualties.On September 12, Sankei Shimbun reported, citing North Korean sources, that a Russian military delegation visiting North Korea in July 2023 requested troop deployment during a meeting with Kim Jong Un, the North Korean leader. According to these sources, the details of the negotiations were confirmed through exhibition materials and photographs at the 'Overseas Military Operations Combat Merit Memorial Hall,' completed in April of this year.Subsequently, North Korea and Russia signed a treaty in June 2024 outlining mutual military support obligations in case of emergencies. This effectively restored a military alliance that had been severed for 28 years following the termination of the North-Soviet Friendship and Mutual Assistance Treaty in 1996. As part of this agreement, North Korea began sending 10,000 troops to Russia's western Kursk region for combat starting in October 2024. According to Sankei, the negotiations for troop deployment began approximately 11 months before the treaty was signed and about 15 months before the actual troop deployment.According to the Korean Central News Agency, in July 2023, a delegation led by then-Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Pyongyang to observe a military parade. In September of the same year, Kim Jong Un reportedly visited Russia and reached an agreement with President Vladimir Putin on 'significant issues' in the security sector.Russia's invasion of Ukraine has transformed North Korea-Russia relations. The two countries had maintained a friendly relationship since the Soviet era, but their ties cooled after the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and the Soviet Union in 1990, culminating in the termination of the mutual assistance treaty in 1996. Although a new friendship and cooperation treaty was signed in 2000, it did not restore automatic military intervention clauses, and relations remained strained due to North Korea's nuclear development and increasing reliance on China. However, the situation changed with Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, leading North Korea to support Russia by supplying missiles and artillery shells. Sankei analyzed that North Korea has leveraged Russia's troop shortages to restore and elevate their previously cooled relations to a military alliance.The newspaper reported that the memorial hall's exhibition materials indicate that 2,288 North Korean soldiers have died in the Russia-Ukraine war. The National Intelligence Service estimated the number of North Korean military casualties at around 2,000 last September. Next to the memorial hall, there are gravestones for 300 soldiers who have been honored as 'heroes' among the recorded casualties, while the remains of the other soldiers are kept on the second and third floors of the memorial hall. The gravestones and urns contain the names, birth dates, and causes of death of the fallen soldiers, with those in their late teens to early twenties making up the majority, according to Sankei.The memorial hall also displays a document in which soldiers vowed not to become prisoners of war to Ukrainian forces. A North Korean source stated that 'more than half of the casualties appear to have died by suicide' and that 'many soldiers were also victims of drone attacks,' according to Sankei.Sankei also reported that there is information suggesting that additional North Korean missile units were sent to western Russia in August, raising the possibility that the number of casualties recorded at the memorial hall has increased. Furthermore, the rapid tightening of North Korea-Russia relations is quickly deteriorating the security environment around Japan.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-14 10:28:00
  • Anyang Sam Hospital Partners with SBC to Support Local Business Health and Welfare
    Anyang Sam Hospital Partners with SBC to Support Local Business Health and Welfare Anyang Sam Hospital, part of the Hyosan Medical Foundation, has partnered with the Smart Business Education Center (SBC) and its alumni association to enhance the health and welfare of local business leaders. According to the hospital, a memorandum of understanding was signed on September 10 with SBC and the alumni association to promote mutual development. The agreement aims to connect SBC's educational activities for local entrepreneurs and professional managers with the hospital's medical and health management capabilities, supporting the health improvement of its members and establishing a foundation for community development. The signing ceremony was attended by Lee Dae-hee, chairman of Sam Hospital, along with Kim Yong-bok, medical director, Kim Sang-han, mission director, and Kim Dae-yeol, director of external cooperation. SBC was represented by Kim Moon-seop, director of the education center, and Lee Jae-hwa, president of the alumni association (also chairman of Daesung Marip). Under the agreement, Sam Hospital will provide various healthcare benefits to SBC members and collaborate on various events and activities organized by SBC. SBC and the alumni association also expressed their commitment to support the development of Sam Hospital while creating programs focused on health and welfare within their educational curriculum, leveraging both parties' expertise. In particular, Lee Dae-hee, chairman of Sam Hospital, plans to give lectures on health management and lifestyle medicine to SBC trainees in the future. The initiative aims to provide practical information to business leaders managing their health amid their busy schedules. Lee Dae-hee stated, "It is significant to be able to inform leaders in the community about professional medical services and lifestyle medicine. We will support the healthy lives of SBC members and contribute to the health improvement of the community." Kim Moon-seop, director of SBC, remarked, "Through our collaboration with Sam Hospital, we can now address not only the management capabilities of our alumni but also their health. We will continuously seek ways to be a strong partner for the community." The agreement has been positively received in the community, as it signifies a deepening exchange between businesses and medical institutions, going beyond mere institutional cooperation to broaden interactions through health and education. As interest in health management and community welfare among business leaders grows, the combination of medical expertise and local business networks raises expectations for various future programs. Meanwhile, SBC, established in November 2018, is a management education institution that offers business management courses for entrepreneurs, professional managers, and small business owners in the Anyang, Gunpo, Uiwang, and Gwacheon areas.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-14 10:24:20
  • Korea Technology Guarantee Fund Implements Special Measures for SMEs Affected by Heavy Rain
    Korea Technology Guarantee Fund Implements Special Measures for SMEs Affected by Heavy Rain The Korea Technology Guarantee Fund announced on September 14 that it will implement special measures for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) affected by heavy rain in designated disaster areas.This initiative aims to prevent SMEs that have suffered from recent heavy rainfall from being classified as insolvent due to temporary management difficulties and to support their swift recovery and stable resumption of business operations.The measures apply to SMEs located in areas designated as special disaster zones by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, including Andong (Iljik-myeon, Namsan-myeon, Imha-myeon) and Uiseong in Gyeongbuk, as well as Geoje and Tongyeong in Gyeongnam, provided they have verified their damages through a 'disaster SME confirmation certificate.'For eligible companies, the processing of guarantee accidents will be postponed for a certain period, even if issues arise such as overdue principal and interest, property seizures, registration of default with the Korea Credit Information Service, or deterioration of the representative's credit.Additionally, debt preservation measures, including property seizures and provisional dispositions executed by the Fund, will also be postponed, allowing affected companies to focus on normalizing their operations.However, companies will be excluded from these special measures if their guarantee accident notification has been received by the creditor bank or if auction or public sale procedures for their business premises are underway, indicating that normalization is objectively difficult.Kwon Hyung-taek, chairman of the Fund, stated, “I hope this measure will assist SMEs struggling due to the heavy rain in quickly recovering from their losses and normalizing their operations. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and spare no effort in supporting affected companies to restore their operational foundations as soon as possible.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-14 10:24:00
  • S2W Shares Rise Following Government AI Foundation Model Participation
    S2W Shares Rise Following Government AI Foundation Model Participation Cybersecurity firm S2W is experiencing a strong performance in early trading following news of its participation in a government-led project to develop a specialized artificial intelligence (AI) foundation model.As of 10:14 a.m. on September 14, S2W's shares had risen by 5.32% (790 won) to 15,640 won, with early trading seeing an increase of over 14% due to heightened buying interest.The surge in stock price is attributed to the announcement that S2W will join the 'Specialized AI Foundation Model Development' project, overseen by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA). This initiative aims to create AI foundation models tailored to specific industries and sectors.S2W plans to leverage its expertise in threat intelligence (TI) and security-focused AI technologies for this project. The company intends to analyze data related to cyber threats and integrate it into AI models to develop solutions specifically designed for the domestic security landscape.S2W possesses threat intelligence capabilities that involve collecting and analyzing cyber threat data from sources such as the dark web and Telegram. The company provides cyber threat detection and analysis services to businesses and public institutions based on this technology.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-14 10:20:10
  • U.S. and South Korea to Hold KIDD Meeting in Busan from September 16-18
    U.S. and South Korea to Hold KIDD Meeting in Busan from September 16-18 The South Korean Defense Ministry and the U.S. Department of Defense will hold the 29th Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD) from September 16 to 18 in Busan, where they will discuss key alliance issues, including the transfer of wartime operational control, joint defense posture, and shipbuilding cooperation. On September 14, the Defense Ministry announced that Kim Hong-cheol, Director of Defense Policy, and George Lee Moore, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia, will serve as the chief representatives for their respective sides. This meeting comes approximately four months after the 28th meeting held in Washington, D.C. in May. The issue of potential deployment to the Strait of Hormuz may also be discussed. The government recently sent a local investigation team to the United Arab Emirates to assess operational environments and maintenance and supply conditions. Military authorities are reportedly reviewing possible forces to be deployed, including maritime patrol aircraft and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams. However, the government maintains that no decisions have been made regarding deployment. The transfer of wartime operational control will also be an official agenda item. The Defense Ministry plans to reach an agreement on the target year for the transfer during the upcoming Korea-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) in November, and discussions related to this will take place at the KIDD meeting. This is the first time KIDD will be held outside of Seoul and Washington, D.C. The Defense Ministry explained that Busan was chosen to emphasize the commitment to shipbuilding cooperation and the capabilities of the South Korean shipbuilding industry. U.S. participants are also expected to visit domestic shipyards during their stay.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-14 10:20:10
  • Hancom Unveils Nomadian AI Workforce Platform Targeting U.S. Solo Entrepreneur Market
    Hancom Unveils 'Nomadian' AI Workforce Platform Targeting U.S. Solo Entrepreneur Market Hancom is targeting the U.S. solo entrepreneur market with its AI workforce platform, 'Nomadian,' which is based on its proprietary Agentic OS and features a 3D workspace.On September 14, Hancom announced that it is currently working on the 'Nomadian Project' and has formed a dedicated task force.Nomadian will be offered as a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform that can be accessed directly via the web, with a beta version set to launch in the U.S. in December, followed by a full subscription service in 2027.The platform is designed around three key features: AI teams organized by job roles, a 3D office that visualizes work processes, and user approval for final decisions.Users can hire AI agents as employees for various roles, such as data analysts and content marketers, and these agents will be connected to the necessary work tools. Users can create agents and assign them tasks, which Nomadian will distribute among the AI team members.The work of AI employees will be displayed in a 3D virtual office 'room,' allowing users to see who is using which tools and the progress of tasks at a glance. The room retains brand guidelines and work rules, eliminating the need for users to reissue commands for every task. A Hancom representative emphasized, 'This differentiates us from typical chat-based AIs that only deliver results.'To ensure security, Nomadian gives users final approval rights for critical tasks. Before irreversible actions, such as sending emails or electronic signatures, AI employees will pause to seek user consent.Nomadian is being developed based on Hancom's Agentic OS. The company has commercialized AI agents built on 36 years of document software expertise, evolving into an Agentic OS that coordinates and controls multiple agents. This technical foundation allows for rapid product commercialization following the launch of the Nomadian project. Hancom claims that Nomadian is the first AI workforce platform to integrate agents that create various outputs, such as documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, in a 3D space.Agentic OS is a platform for creating, executing, and controlling multiple AI agents in one place. It manages orchestration, where a higher-level agent assigns roles and directs lower-level agents, approval control before irreversible actions, and permission management to prevent unauthorized tool access.Hancom designed Nomadian with the U.S. market in mind, where many solo entrepreneurs and small businesses operate. There are approximately 3.04 million non-employer businesses in the U.S., and the proportion of solo startups has increased from 23.7% in 2019 to 36.3% in the first half of 2025.The use of AI is also rapidly increasing. A Goldman Sachs survey found that 76% of small business owners in the U.S. use AI, but only 14% fully utilize it for core tasks. Hancom sees demand for agents that can connect various AIs and work tools to complete actual tasks.Currently, Hancom is discussing market entry and commercialization strategies for Nomadian with local U.S. companies. During the beta period, the company will validate user feedback, refine pricing models, and incorporate local regulatory requirements. After launching in the U.S., Hancom plans to expand its business to South Korea and Europe.Kim Yeon-soo, CEO of Hancom, stated, 'In the U.S., there are over 30 million businesses operating without employees. Nomadian offers them not just a simple work tool but AI employees and teams to collaborate with.' He added, 'Nomadian is a product we can create because we possess both 36 years of foundational document technology and our own Agentic OS. We aim to open a market where individuals become businesses and set the standard for the global AI workforce market.'In the first quarter of this year, Hancom increased its AI revenue share to 11.21%. In July, the company changed its name from 'Hangul and Computer' to 'Hancom' and began its transition to an Agentic OS company. Following its focus on connecting AI agents and work systems for businesses and public institutions, Hancom is now expanding into the SaaS market targeting U.S. solo entrepreneurs through Nomadian. 2026-09-14 10:20:00
  • KDRT Team Leader Meets with South East Power and Doosan to Discuss Search Efforts
    KDRT Team Leader Meets with South East Power and Doosan to Discuss Search Efforts Yoon Joo-seok, the leader of the second team of the Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT), met with officials from Korea South East Power and Doosan over two days starting September 12 to discuss corporate-level search and rescue operations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it is working to continue search and rescue efforts within the scope of cooperation with the Nepalese government.On September 14, the ministry announced, "Team Leader Yoon arrived in Kathmandu on the morning of September 12 and is scheduled to be active until the 17th." It added, "During the two days of meetings with Korea South East Power and Doosan, Yoon listened to their plans for corporate-level search and rescue activities."The ministry emphasized that the second KDRT team is striving to continue search and rescue operations as permitted by the Nepalese government and with the cooperation of the Nepalese military. Currently, nine South Koreans are reported missing, all affiliated with Korea South East Power and Doosan Enerbility.The first KDRT team, which returned earlier, focused its efforts on locating the missing persons but was only able to rescue one Chinese survivor. There were disagreements between the Nepalese government and the KDRT regarding the areas of interest for foot searches. Ultimately, the foot search in the areas of interest was conducted for just one day before concluding the schedule.In response, families of the missing persons held a press conference to publicly express their dissatisfaction with the search activities of the first KDRT team. Although the second KDRT team has announced its intention to conduct search and rescue operations, challenges are anticipated. The size of the second team has been significantly reduced to eight members from the 44 in the first team, and advanced equipment was brought back to Korea when the first team returned due to regulations. Additionally, the Nepalese government has shifted from the search and rescue phase to the reconstruction and recovery phase. The second KDRT team has also been organized as a reconstruction and recovery team.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-14 10:20:00