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  • Ruling Party Calls for Resignation of Economic Policy Chief Over Failures
    Ruling Party Calls for Resignation of Economic Policy Chief Over Failures The People Power Party criticized the government's economic policies on July 11, calling for the immediate resignation of Kim Yong-beom, the Blue House Policy Chief. Choi Eun-seok, the party's chief spokesperson, stated in a commentary, "If the policies he designed and pushed forward have failed, it is the minimum duty of a public official with a conscience to resign as soon as possible." Choi pointed out, "Who was at the forefront of designing and pushing the real estate and financial market policies?" He noted that during a briefing, Kim mentioned that President Lee Jae-myung would personally preside over a real estate policy forum, stating, 'The government does not believe it knows all the answers.' Choi then questioned, "Where has the confidence that once lectured the public about the 'cost of success' gone?" He highlighted the current economic situation, saying, "The average price of apartments in Seoul is nearing 1.6 billion won, and the number of rent refugees is increasing. The exchange rate is stuck in the 1,500 won range, and prices are soaring," adding, "This is the dismal report card of Kim Yong-beom's economic policies." Spokesperson Jo Yong-sul also expressed concerns about the government's real estate forum in a separate statement. He urged that the forum should not be a venue for tax increase tricks but rather a place to reflect on policy failures. Jo emphasized, "It should be a starting point for humbly listening to the voices of the people and re-evaluating the overall real estate policies from scratch."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-11 13:12:00
  • China imposes immediate ban on helium exports amid supply concerns
    China imposes immediate ban on helium exports amid supply concerns SEOUL, July 11 (AJP) - China has temporarily banned helium exports with immediate effect, tightening control over a key material used in semiconductor, display and other advanced manufacturing industries. The Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs announced the measure on Friday, saying it was imposed under provisions of China’s Foreign Trade Law. The two agencies did not disclose the reason for the ban or how long it would remain in place. They said any subsequent adjustments would be announced separately. The measure took effect immediately upon its announcement. Helium is widely used as a coolant in semiconductor production and other high-tech processes because it remains stable at extremely low temperatures. It is also essential for medical equipment, including magnetic resonance imaging machines. The decision comes as the conflict involving Iran has disrupted global helium supplies and driven concerns over shortages and rising prices. China relies heavily on imported helium and appears to be seeking to secure supplies for its domestic chip industry. While South Korea’s direct reliance on Chinese helium is limited, the export ban could still tighten global supply. Qatar supplied about 65 percent of South Korea’s helium imports in 2025, while China accounted for less than 2 percent, according to the Korea International Trade Association. 2026-07-11 11:24:35
  • Ruling Party Calls for Full Reinvestigation in Jang Yoon-ki Case
    Ruling Party Calls for Full Reinvestigation in Jang Yoon-ki Case The Democratic Party of Korea criticized the alleged collusion between Jang Yoon-ki's father, a current police officer, and the investigation team on July 11, stating, "If the hands of law enforcement, which should be pursuing the criminal, act as a shield for the perpetrator, this is not a case of inadequate investigation but rather an act of complicity disguised as an investigation."Spokesperson Park Kyung-mi made the remarks in a written briefing, demanding a comprehensive reinvestigation utilizing all investigative resources. "Only a reinvestigation without sacred cows can provide answers," she emphasized.Park urged that all individuals involved in evidence destruction and omission should be brought back into the investigation, stating, "We must uncover the substantive truth hidden behind a massive veil of concealment without any doubt."She also criticized the recent organizational reform plan announced by the police, saying, "In response to public outrage, the police have proposed a reform task force and the establishment of an internal corruption investigation unit. However, what the public demands is not superficial measures for self-preservation but fundamental reform that requires painful sacrifices."Park added, "The Democratic Party will closely monitor the reinvestigation process to ensure it proceeds without any discrepancies from the public's expectations, and we will stand with the people until those who attempted to cover up the truth face consequences."Meanwhile, the People Power Party pointed out that the Jang Yoon-ki case has highlighted the dangers of police monopolizing investigative powers, urging the Democratic Party to immediately halt its proposed legislation to abolish the prosecution's supplementary investigative powers.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-11 11:24:00
  • President Yoon Returns Home After State Visit to Mongolia
    President Yoon Returns Home After State Visit to Mongolia 이재명 대통령이 11일(현지시간) 3박 5일간의 나토(NATO·북대서양조약기구) 정상회의 참석과 몽골 국빈 방문 등의 정상외교 일정을 마치고 귀국한다. 이 대통령은 이날 몽골 국빈 방문 3일차 일정을 끝내고 귀국길에 오른다. 이 대통령은 2011년 이명박 전 대통령 이후 15년 만에 몽골을 국빈 방문했다. 이 대통령과 부인 김혜경 여사는 이날 오전 오흐나 후렐수흐 몽골 대통령과 함께 몽골 최대 국가행사인 나담축제에 공식 주빈으로 참석한다. 개막식 참석 직후 이 대통령 부부는 활쏘기 경기장 등을 방문해 몽골의 전통문화를 체험할 예정이다. 이어 이 대통령 부부는 몽골 측이 개최하는 별도의 환송 오찬에 참석해 2박 3일간 이어진 국빈 방문을 기념할 예정이다. 지난 9일 몽골 울란바타르에 도착한 이 대통령은 후렐수흐 대통령과 정상회담을 하고 양국 관계의 미래 비전을 담은 ‘한·몽 관계의 황금시대’ 공동선언을 채택했다. 10일에는 이태준 열사 기념관을 찾았으며 산닥 뱜바척트 국회의장, 냠오소르 오츠랄 총리와 각각 접견했으며 동포 오찬 간담회와 국빈 만찬에 참여했다. 2026-07-11 11:20:00
  • Apple Sues OpenAI, Accusing It of Trade Secret Theft
    Apple Sues OpenAI, Accusing It of Trade Secret Theft Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, alleging that a former employee stole trade secrets related to its hardware.On July 10, Apple initiated a trade secret infringement lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against OpenAI and two former Apple employees.Included in the lawsuit are Tang Yutan, OpenAI's Chief Hardware Officer, and Chang Liu. Tang Yutan worked at Apple for 24 years, serving as a vice president responsible for the design of the iPhone and Apple Watch, while Chang Liu was a senior systems electrical engineer at Apple for eight years. Apple claims that both individuals took confidential information from the company before moving to OpenAI.Apple alleges that Chang Liu, who joined OpenAI in January, accessed internal storage using a vulnerability on a company-issued laptop that he did not return. During this process, he reportedly downloaded dozens of confidential files, including undisclosed product information and materials related to circuit board manufacturing. There are also allegations that Tang Yutan sent documents summarizing supply chain and industry trends to a personal email before leaving the company.Additionally, Apple claims that its intellectual property, which it invested in to develop engineering specifications and manufacturing processes for products like the iPhone, Apple Watch, and MacBook, was unlawfully transferred to OpenAI.Apple further alleges that OpenAI acted as if it had approval from Apple partners to access the company and obtained technologies such as metal finishing.The lawsuit also names the hardware company io, which was acquired by OpenAI last year. io was founded by Jony Ive, the former Chief Design Officer at Apple, who oversaw the design of major products like the iPhone, MacBook, and iMac.Apple is requesting the court to order an immediate halt to the use of the stolen trade secrets and to mandate the destruction of related materials, as well as compensation for damages incurred. OpenAI has not publicly commented on the lawsuit.The relationship between Apple and OpenAI has shifted from collaboration in the AI sector to competition in the hardware market. Until 2024, the two companies maintained a partnership, agreeing to integrate ChatGPT into Apple's AI service, Apple Intelligence. However, the dynamics changed when Apple chose Google's Gemini as the AI model for its voice assistant Siri, while OpenAI pursued entry into the hardware market through its acquisition of io.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-11 11:12:00
  • Krafton Achieves Record with 10 Papers Accepted at ICML 2026
    Krafton Achieves Record with 10 Papers Accepted at ICML 2026 Krafton has had 10 papers accepted at one of the world's leading artificial intelligence (AI) conferences, highlighting the recognition of its research in multimodal large language models (LLMs) and optimization techniques.On July 11, Krafton announced that it presented a total of 20 papers, including 10 in the main track and 10 in the workshop track, at the International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML) 2026, held at COEX in Seoul from July 6. ICML is considered one of the top three AI conferences globally, and Krafton has achieved its highest performance at these three major AI events.The accepted papers cover key research findings related to Krafton's foundation model, including world models, multimodal LLMs, preference learning, reasoning, and optimization.Krafton AI has been actively presenting its deep learning research papers at global AI conferences. In total, 85 papers from Krafton AI have been accepted at the three major conferences: NeurIPS, ICML, and ICLR.In December 2023, Krafton presented five main track papers at NeurIPS 2023, the highest number among domestic gaming companies and the third highest overall among international gaming firms.In 2024, Krafton presented a total of eight main track papers at ICLR, ICML, and NeurIPS. In 2025, the company presented 15 main track papers, and this year, it has published a total of 17 papers.Additionally, during ICML, Krafton hosted an AI networking event called 'AI for Games' to promote collaboration within the ecosystem at the intersection of gaming and AI.A Krafton representative stated, “We plan to take the lead in securing technological competitiveness that can contribute to actual games and serve as a catalyst for the expansion of the domestic gaming industry and AI ecosystem.”Meanwhile, Krafton is nurturing AI as a core growth driver for the next generation. The company has established a research and development system that spans from basic deep learning research to application in game services. It is pursuing a strategy to utilize AI research outcomes in game production, AI characters, and multimodal technologies.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-11 10:28:00
  • Kim Geon-hees Supreme Court Ruling on Deutsche Motors and Unification Church Bribery Set for July 16
    Kim Geon-hee's Supreme Court Ruling on Deutsche Motors and Unification Church Bribery Set for July 16 The Supreme Court is set to deliver its final ruling on Kim Geon-hee, who was sentenced to four years in prison in the second trial for charges including stock manipulation related to Deutsche Motors and bribery involving the Unification Church, on July 16. The key issue is whether the Supreme Court will uphold the second trial's decision, which expanded the scope of guilt regarding some stock manipulation charges and the bribery allegations.According to legal sources on July 11, the Supreme Court's second division, led by Justice Park Young-jae, will announce its ruling on Kim's appeal regarding violations of the Capital Markets Act, intermediary bribery under the Special Act, and violations of the Political Funds Act at 10:15 a.m. on July 16 in the Supreme Court's courtroom No. 1 in Seocho-gu, Seoul.This ruling will mark the first Supreme Court decision in Kim's case, coming 79 days after the second trial's verdict on April 28.The expedited handling of the case is in accordance with the Special Prosecutor's Act, which prioritizes cases filed by special prosecutors. The law mandates that the first trial be concluded within six months of the indictment, and the second trial and appeals must be decided within three months of the previous ruling.Kim is accused of participating in stock manipulation from October 2010 to December 2012 in collusion with former Deutsche Motors Chairman Kwon Oh-soo, using methods such as high-priced purchases, false transactions, and collusive trading. The special prosecutor's office estimates that Kim gained approximately 811.44 million won through these illegal activities.She is also accused of receiving expensive gifts in exchange for resolving issues for the Unification Church. From April to July 2022, Kim allegedly received gifts worth about 80 million won, including a Graff diamond necklace and a Chanel bag, through Jeon Seong-bae, known as 'Geon-jin Beopsa.'Additionally, she is charged with receiving approximately 27 million won worth of free political polling results from political broker Myung-tae Kyun in collusion with former President Yoon Suk-yeol.In the first trial, only some of the intermediary bribery charges related to the Unification Church were found guilty, resulting in a sentence of one year and eight months for Kim. The charges of stock manipulation related to Deutsche Motors and the violation of the Political Funds Act concerning the free polling were ruled not guilty.The second trial, however, overturned some of the first trial's not guilty verdicts regarding Deutsche Motors' stock manipulation. It also broadened the scope of guilt concerning the gifts received from the Unification Church.As a result, Kim's sentence was increased to four years in prison and a fine of 50 million won. The court also ordered the confiscation of the Graff necklace and the recovery of 20.94 million won.However, the charge of receiving free polling results from Myung-tae Kyun was upheld as not guilty in both the first and second trials.In the appeal, a key issue will be whether the second trial misinterpreted the law regarding Kim's collusion and involvement in the stock manipulation process. The court will also review whether there was a recognized connection and compensation between the gifts from the Unification Church and the requests made to Kim.If the Supreme Court finds no legal misinterpretation or procedural violations in the lower court's ruling, it will dismiss the appeals from Kim and the special prosecutor's office, confirming the four-year sentence. Conversely, if it identifies issues with the application of the law in the lower court's ruling, it may send the case back to the Seoul High Court for retrial.On the same day, the Supreme Court's second division, led by Justice Eom Sang-pil, will also hear the appeal of Kwon Seong-dong, a member of the People Power Party, who was sentenced to two years in prison in the first and second trials for receiving illegal political funds of 100 million won.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-11 10:12:00
  • Corruption Uncovered at Gangneung Yeongdong University and Shingu University
    Corruption Uncovered at Gangneung Yeongdong University and Shingu University The Ministry of Education's comprehensive financial audit revealed serious ethical breaches at some higher education institutions. At Gangneung Yeongdong University, the son of the effective controller engaged in what is termed 'self-promotion' and was found to have misappropriated educational assets. Similarly, Shingu University was found to have misused school funds to operate a vehicle designated for the president and engaged in improper contracting practices, resulting in multiple sanctions.Gangneung Yeongdong University: Cancellations of Executive Appointments and Criminal ReferralAccording to the Ministry of Education's report on the 'Comprehensive Audit of Hyun Song Educational Foundation and Gangneung Yeongdong University' released on July 10, 31 violations were identified, leading to disciplinary actions against 49 individuals, including four who faced severe penalties. A financial recovery of 193.02 million won was also ordered. The privatization of the foundation was particularly alarming. Q, a 9th-grade employee and son of the foundation's effective controller C, approved his own appointment to the position of planning director, equivalent to a 5th-grade rank, and C subsequently approved this, granting him a salary increase of 44 million won. Additionally, C unlawfully transferred a riding school acquired in the name of the foundation to a company he controls without board approval or permission from the relevant authorities. He then arranged for the university to pay 149.9 million won in rent and usage fees to that company from school funds. It was also revealed that 29.55 billion won of compensation received from the integration of educational assets into public projects was held in the foundation's account for 23 months without being deposited into the school fund. Other ethical breaches by unqualified staff were also uncovered. After receiving a development fund, employee D manipulated donor signatures to create a performance bonus regulation, resulting in an improper payment of 9 million won. Furthermore, an employee who was recommended for dismissal due to student harassment was quietly rehired after being let go without any disciplinary action. The university's academic and administrative management was found to be severely lacking. In a special admissions process for international students, 376 applicants were admitted without submitting required documents such as proof of Korean language proficiency or academic records. Two assistant professors were promoted to associate professors without proper evaluations. Contracts were also awarded to ineligible companies during government-funded projects like HiVE and LINC3.0, with excessive payments made for construction costs.Shingu University: School Funds Misused for President's Vehicle and Favoritism in ContractsThe same day, the 'Financial Audit Results of Shingu Educational Foundation and Shingu University' revealed nine instances of misconduct, resulting in warnings and cautions for 13 individuals. A financial recovery of 6.32 million won was also mandated. Shingu University was found to have used two vehicles purchased with school funds as the president's personal cars, with maintenance costs, including fuel and insurance totaling 10.63 million won, also drawn from the school budget. The management and accounting of the foundation's profit-making enterprises were also scrutinized. The university awarded contracts worth a total of 290 million won to a profit-making entity under the foundation without following bidding procedures, despite the items exceeding 20 million won. This entity, which operates a campus café, also paid 28 million won in wages to its employees without clear payment standards. Additionally, wasteful budget execution was identified. During five overseas trips for benchmarking a botanical garden, local vehicle rentals were paid in full without any deductions for daily allowances, totaling 2.39 million won. Furthermore, when hiring new staff, specific employees were given salary adjustments based on past contract work without objective criteria, undermining fairness in personnel and accounting operations.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-11 10:12:00
  • MIKTA Youth Leaders Camp Focuses on Climate Change Solutions
    MIKTA Youth Leaders Camp Focuses on Climate Change Solutions MIKTA, a regional consultative group formed in September 2013 during the 68th UN General Assembly, includes South Korea, Mexico, Indonesia, Turkey, and Australia, aiming to enhance global governance. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted the '2026 MIKTA Young Leaders' Camp' from July 8 to 10, inviting 30 university and graduate students from MIKTA member countries. This year's camp focused on 'climate action,' a key agenda for Australia, the current chair of MIKTA. Participants successfully completed a three-day program that included expert lectures, a mock MIKTA Foreign Ministers' meeting, a communication event with the MIKTA diplomatic corps in South Korea, and field studies. In his opening remarks on July 8, Jang Wook-jin, Director-General for Global Multilateral Diplomacy, emphasized the necessity of fresh and creative perspectives from youth in addressing global issues. Former UN Ambassador Oh Joon and Professor Kang Sun-joo from the National Diplomatic Academy delivered lectures on 'The Role of Youth in Multilateralism' and 'MIKTA in a Geopolitical Era,' respectively. On July 9, participants explored climate change responses during the mock MIKTA Foreign Ministers' meeting and issued a joint declaration. Additionally, the communication event with the MIKTA diplomatic corps allowed participants to reaffirm the significance and values of MIKTA while freely asking questions about the life of diplomats. On July 10, Choi Won-seok, Director of International Organizations and the Atomic Energy Agency, awarded the Minister of Foreign Affairs Prize to the best team during the closing ceremony, expressing hope that participants learned the spirit of cooperation and coexistence through the camp. After the ceremony, participants visited the DMZ to experience the value of peace amid the history of the Korean Peninsula's division. A participant remarked, 'This camp provided a valuable opportunity to discuss climate change responses, a common challenge facing the international community, through the framework of MIKTA, and to strengthen bonds as the next generation of leaders for MIKTA.' The MIKTA Young Leaders' Camp, held annually since 2016, facilitates academic, cultural, and personal exchanges among MIKTA youth aspiring to be future leaders, significantly contributing to sharing MIKTA's values with future generations and promoting private sector cooperation within MIKTA. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-11 10:12:00
  • Jang Dong-hyuk Takes to the Streets: A Political Breakthrough?
    Jang Dong-hyuk Takes to the Streets: A Political Breakthrough? Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, is intensifying his outdoor activities. Following his participation in a rally at Olympic Park, he plans to tour the country, including Busan, Gwangju, and Daegu, to campaign for public support ahead of by-elections. This move comes as he faces pressure to resign due to accountability for the June 3 local elections, raising questions about whether this strategy could serve as a political breakthrough.According to political sources, Jang will visit Busan on July 12 to hold a meeting with young people regarding the voting rights deprivation incident and attend a related rally that will be held in writing.Jang's first outdoor activity outside of Seoul's Songpa Olympic Park took place in Incheon. On July 8, he visited Incheon to discuss the shortage of ballots with young voters and participated in a protest rally at Guro Rodeo Square in Namdong-gu.He stated, "The local election voting has ended, but the local election is not over yet. The root of this issue ultimately lies with President Lee Jae-myung, who is at the top of the accountability chain, and the accomplice is the Democratic Party of Korea."He added, "I thought a new beginning was necessary for the voices from Olympic Park to spread nationwide. I plan to visit Busan, Gwangju, and then Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province." Accordingly, Jang intends to engage in a nationwide campaign.However, Jang's outdoor activities have drawn criticism from within his party. Lawmaker Han Gi-ho pointed out on KBS Radio that "the party leader acting independently could lead to political isolation," while lawmaker Kim Jae-seop remarked on Channel A's YouTube program Political Signal that "the very act of being outside shows that Jang's political standing is quite narrow and that his range of activities is extremely skewed."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-11 10:12:00