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'AI for All' starts work at SK Telecom SEOUL, September 10 (AJP) - SK Telecom set out to build an artificial intelligence assistant that books the hospital slot, files the government form and pays the bill in one conversation, one of three such services South Korea has commissioned. Partners across eight fields joined the launch at the carrier's T Tower headquarters in central Seoul on Thursday. Areas spanned from education, finance, to public administration and welfare checks on older people living alone. The announcement comes two weeks after the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National IT Industry Promotion Agency selected the SK Telecom, Kakao and KT consortiums on Aug. 28 to run the AI for All project. "With companies representing so many fields gathered here, we will properly build a nationwide AI ecosystem that exists nowhere else in the world," said Yoo Kyung-sang, head of SK Telecom's AI CIC. SK Telecom will serve as orchestrator, matching each request to the model and partner service best suited to it rather than building every function itself. The project funded by the government aims to give the public free access to domestically built AI ahead of a full launch before year-end. It also aligns with Seoul pressing for sovereign AI. Korea launched a separate foundation-model competition that has narrowed to SK Telecom, LG AI Research and Upstage, arguing the country cannot lean on foreign models alone if it is to rank among the world's top three AI powers. AJP Takeaways - SK Telecom opened its AI for All consortium on Sept. 10, 2026, at its Seoul headquarters, bringing together partners in eight fields to build an AI agent that completes administrative filings, payments and hospital bookings. - SK Telecom will act as orchestrator on its A.X K2 foundation model, with a beta service due in October 2026 and a full launch before the end of the year. - The Ministry of Science and ICT and the National IT Industry Promotion Agency chose the SK Telecom, Kakao and KT consortiums on Aug. 28, 2026, to run the project, an extension of South Korea's sovereign AI push. 2026-09-10 10:37:13 -
Hanwha Ocean to Hire New Employees for 35 Positions in Second Half of 2026 Hanwha Ocean is launching a recruitment drive for new employees to lead its production and future technology capabilities.According to industry sources, Hanwha Ocean will recruit new employees for production and general positions in the second half of 2026. The hiring scope will expand to include specialized personnel for shipbuilding, design, artificial intelligence transformation (AX), and research and development.For production positions, the company is looking to fill 13 roles, including welding, automatic welding, crane operation, and equipment maintenance. All new hires from this recruitment will work at Hanwha Ocean's Geoje facility.The selection process for production positions will include document screening, aptitude tests, first and second interviews, and health examinations. Applications will be accepted until 4:59 PM on September 15 through the Hanwha Ocean production recruitment website.Applications for general positions will be open from September 14 to 30, with 22 roles available in design, AX, and research and development.Interest in Hanwha Ocean's recruitment has been evident, as shown by the competition ratio of 82 to 1 for production positions in the first half of this year, resulting in 43 successful hires.Since its establishment, Hanwha Ocean has seen improvements in performance and employee treatment, leading to a steady increase in recruitment. The number of employees has grown from about 8,600 at its launch in 2023 to over 11,000 as of September 2026, an increase of more than 2,400 in just over three years.Looking ahead, Hanwha Ocean plans to continue securing skilled personnel for production as well as experts in design, research and development, and digital fields to accelerate its growth as a global shipbuilding, marine, and defense company.An industry insider noted, "As the shipbuilding industry continues to thrive, the trend of large-scale hiring is expected to persist. Both production and general positions are expanding, indicating that employment in the shipbuilding sector will continue to rise."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-10 10:36:10 -
SK Hynix and Labor Union Reach Agreement on Cash Compensation SK Hynix and its labor union have reached a tentative agreement on modifications to this year's wage and collective bargaining agreement. The key change is an increase in the cash payment ratio, enhancing the choice for members. On September 9, SK Hynix and the union agreed to adjust the basic payment ratio for performance bonuses from the previous '40% cash and 60% stock' to '50% cash and 50% stock.' Members can now choose their stock allocation from a minimum of 50% to a maximum of 100%, in 10% increments, broadening their options. The agreement also aims to reduce confusion regarding the payment method for performance bonuses. Payments that were deferred from last year's performance-based bonuses to next year and the year after will be advanced to minimize uncertainty during the transition. Additionally, the welfare system has been improved. Support for housing loans will now extend from 'married households' to include 'single-parent families,' strengthening support for work-life balance among members. The SK Hynix union plans to conduct a vote on the agreement from September 15 to 16, following a temporary delegate meeting on September 10. Previously, the two sides had reached a tentative agreement last month for a 6.3% wage increase, with 40% of the excess profit distribution (PS) to be paid in cash and 60% in company stock. However, this agreement was rejected by a narrow margin of just 25 votes in a member vote on August 25.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-10 10:36:10
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BS Group and KB Financial Group Collaborate on AI Data Centers and Energy Infrastructure Financing BS Group and KB Financial Group are establishing a collaborative framework to connect business development and financial support in future growth sectors, including real estate development, energy infrastructure, and AI data centers. On September 9, BS Group announced that it signed a memorandum of understanding with KB Financial Group at the BS Hanyang Tower in Munjeong-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul. The agreement involves three companies from BS Group—BS Boseong, BS Hanyang, and BS Industry—and five entities from KB Financial Group, including KB Financial Holdings, KB Kookmin Bank, KB Securities, KB Asset Management, and KB Capital. Through this agreement, the two sides will collaborate on various projects, including renewable energy and eco-friendly power plants, energy infrastructure such as energy hub terminals, ports, and utilities, real estate supply for residential and industrial complexes, AI and energy new towns, AI data centers (AIDC), financial services related to mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and initial public offerings (IPO), and ESG management. BS Group will focus on business discovery, development, and operation, while KB Financial Group will provide financial capabilities, including funding and corporate finance advisory services. This collaboration is expected to align with BS Group's large-scale urban development and energy projects. BS Group is currently advancing the 'Solar City' project, the largest public-private partnership urban development initiative in South Korea, located in Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do. The Solar City project gained momentum with the recent groundbreaking of the national AI computing center in August and Samsung's announcement of a 17 trillion won investment plan for an AI data center. The area is set to host large-scale data centers and a 5.4 GW renewable energy complex. BS Group plans to leverage this foundation to promote future industries that combine renewable energy and AI data centers. Additionally, BS Group is involved in various energy-related projects, including a 98 MW solar power project in Solar City, floating and land-based solar power projects in Goheung and Haecheongman, a Northeast Asia LNG hub terminal, and combined heat and power generation. Meanwhile, KB Financial Group is expanding its financial support for advanced strategic industries and key infrastructure sectors. It has secured financing for the Sinan Uihyeong offshore wind power project and is broadening its business scope in infrastructure finance with the financing rights for the Yongin semiconductor cluster's district energy project. A BS Group official stated, "Collaboration with financial partners is crucial for the smooth advancement of large-scale projects in housing, urban development, energy infrastructure, and AI data centers. We expect that our partnership with KB Financial Group will accelerate project implementation and create synergies throughout the process of discovering and executing new growth drivers." The two sides plan to operate working-level councils in various fields to continuously identify specific collaborative projects. This initiative aims to enhance the competitiveness of projects in future industries such as renewable energy and AI while strengthening cooperation between finance and industry.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-10 10:32:20
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Local Sports Organizations Mismanage Subsidies and Revenue The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission announced on September 10 that it has identified 12 local governments among the 226 basic local governments nationwide that are at risk of poor management and accounting of subsidies. These include Wonju, Tongyeong, Jeonju, Sunchang, Jincheon, Hwaseong, Jindo, Mokpo, Gumi, Pohang, Yangsan, and Cheonan. The commission conducted a survey of the entire process of subsidy allocation, disbursement, execution, accounting, and follow-up management for sports-related subsidy projects undertaken by these local governments over the past three years (2022-2024).The investigation revealed that local governments have been poorly managing subsidy projects aimed at increasing community participation in sports and promoting local sports by selecting local sports councils and specific sports organizations as subsidy recipients. During the last three years, 226 local governments initiated 31,578 sports-related subsidy projects, with a total of approximately 1.53 trillion won in subsidies disbursed.Subsidies for hosting sports events are provided to help local sports councils and other subsidy recipients cover necessary costs. According to subsidy regulations, applicants must reflect any expected revenue from the project in their business plans when applying for subsidies.The commission's investigation found that from 2022 to 2024, local sports organizations hosting various competitions failed to report revenue from participant fees and other sources from the application stage through to the final accounting stage, indicating poor management. The amount of subsidies involved in projects where revenue management was inadequate is confirmed to be at least 20 billion won. This revenue includes participant fees, admission fees, sponsorships, and donations.During the survey, most sports councils did not submit income and expenditure details or supporting documents related to revenue from subsidy projects, leading the investigation to rely on only the limited revenue expenditure records submitted. It is estimated that the scale of unreported accounting is even larger than what was revealed in this investigation.In response, the Anti-Corruption Commission has recommended that the relevant local governments take corrective actions, including recovering funds, and will refer cases requiring criminal prosecution for embezzlement or breach of trust to law enforcement. Additionally, the commission plans to notify relevant departments to develop institutional improvements to address confusion and misconduct arising from insufficient regulations on revenue management for subsidy projects.Jung Il-yeon, chair of the Anti-Corruption Commission, stated, "To ensure that taxpayers' money is not wasted and is used correctly to expand and promote local sports, the scale of revenue from local sports subsidy projects must be transparently calculated, and appropriate subsidies must be allocated and meticulously managed." He emphasized that the commission will continue to monitor the proper use of various subsidies in projects funded by public finances.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-10 10:32:10
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K Bank Launches 'Safe Account 4' for Small Business Support with Increased Limit K Bank has introduced the 'Safe Account 4' to support small businesses.On September 10, K Bank announced that it is accepting applications for the 'Safe Account 4,' a dedicated overdraft account for small businesses in Seoul, in collaboration with the Seoul Credit Guarantee Foundation.The 'Safe Account' program, initiated by the city of Seoul, allows small businesses and individual entrepreneurs to manage their finances flexibly according to their cash flow. The total amount available for the new Safe Account 4 is set at 300 billion won.The loan limit for Safe Account 4 has been increased to a maximum of 20 million won per individual, up from previous limits. The limit will vary based on factors such as existing balances in previous Safe Accounts, business duration, credit scores, and reported sales. Borrowers can freely deposit and withdraw within the limit, with an annual interest rate of approximately 5.12%.Eligible applicants include small and medium-sized enterprises and small business owners based in Seoul who meet the following criteria: at least one year in operation, total sales of 2 million won or more in the last three months, or reported sales of 10 million won or more in the past year, and a personal credit score of 600 or higher (based on NICE standards).Applications can be submitted through the Seoul Credit Guarantee Foundation's mobile app. After obtaining a guarantee approval, applicants can proceed with a non-face-to-face loan application via the K Bank app.A K Bank representative stated, "We will take the lead in implementing inclusive finance for small businesses through close cooperation with the city of Seoul and the Seoul Credit Guarantee Foundation."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-10 10:32:00
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Professor's Affair with Student Exposed by Daughters, Allegations of Misuse of Research Funds A controversy has erupted after two sisters exposed their father's affair with a student. On September 9, the South China Morning Post reported that the 20-year-old and 15-year-old sisters revealed their father, Fu Lei, a 47-year-old professor at Wuhan University’s School of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, has been involved with his doctoral student, Zheng Mengqi, 35, since 2016. Fu Lei currently serves as the vice president and a standing committee member of Anhui University.The sisters claimed in their statement that Zheng, who had a boyfriend at the time, approached Fu Lei, who is married. They discovered their father's relationship in 2018 when they noticed that both he and Zheng were using characters from the Japanese anime 'Detective Conan' as their online profile pictures. They also reported witnessing Zheng contacting Fu Lei on holidays and sending aggressive messages to their mother.Zheng continued to meet with Fu Lei even after marrying a university colleague in 2023. The sisters revealed that two years ago, Fu Lei left the family, and their mother has since raised them alone while managing a mortgage, during which she lost 15 kilograms.The elder sister sought to confront Fu Lei, who had long refused to pay child support, by attending a seminar at Wuhan University. She managed to get him to sign an agreement to pay 5,000 yuan (approximately $700) monthly in child support.Fu Lei's annual salary is reported to exceed 1 million yuan (about $140,000).The sisters also alleged that Fu Lei and Zheng misappropriated university research funds. They claimed Fu Lei acted as a ghostwriter for major academic journal articles, while the key experiments for papers published in journals like Nature Materials and the Journal of the American Chemical Society were conducted by students, yet Fu Lei was listed as the first author.Additionally, they alleged that he required students to return research funds to designated accounts and reimbursed personal expenses such as taxi fares, meals, and living costs under the guise of 'material testing fees' and 'conference participation fees.'Zheng obtained her doctorate in 2018, became an associate professor in 2020, and was promoted to full professor the following year. She has also been selected for a national youth talent support program.As the controversy grew, Wuhan University announced on September 3 that it had received related reports on August 19 and would conduct an investigation. Anhui University, where Fu Lei is currently employed, has also initiated an inquiry. Both universities plan to release their findings once the investigation is complete.So far, Fu Lei and Zheng have not publicly addressed the allegations and continue to hold their positions.Local netizens expressed sympathy for the sisters' suffering but also speculated that their mother might be the actual author of the exposé due to the wording used in the statement.The claims made in the exposé have not yet been verified. The South China Morning Post noted that if the allegations are found to be exaggerated, the whistleblowers could face defamation charges.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-10 10:32:00
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Yong Hye-in to Prepare for Confirmation Hearing from Home Yong Hye-in, the nominee for Minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, will not report to the confirmation hearing preparation office on September 10, instead continuing her preparations from home.The confirmation hearing preparation team announced that "the nominee is not expected to come to the office located at the Korea Youth Activity Promotion Agency in Seodaemun-gu."According to the team, Yong will review the materials related to the confirmation hearing requested by the National Assembly from her residence.They clarified that there is no specific reason for her absence from the office.Since expressing her feelings about her nomination on her first day at work on September 2, Yong has not provided detailed explanations regarding the controversies surrounding her, including the issue of holding multiple positions.On the previous day, she faced questions from reporters about the dual position issue, allegations of overlooking gender discrimination guidelines from an unofficial organization, suspicions regarding her family party, and claims of false registration of local party offices. However, she maintained that she would address these matters in detail during the confirmation hearing.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-10 10:28:00
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PM orders preemptive measures to secure crude oil supplies SEOUL, September 10 (AJP) - Prime Minister Han Seong-sook on Thursday ordered officials to secure crude oil supplies in advance amid renewed tensions in the Middle East, citing concerns over possible supply disruptions. Speaking at an emergency meeting at the government complex in central Seoul, Han said South Korea has secured enough crude oil to cover more than 90 percent of last year's volume through October, leaving no immediate concerns about domestic supply. But she called for additional efforts to secure supplies for November and beyond in case tensions in the Middle East persist. Han also instructed officials to closely monitor major shipping routes including the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, as well as global supply and demand for crude oil and other key raw materials. Stressing the need to minimize the impact of higher international oil prices on the economy and households, Han also called for measures to stabilize consumer prices ahead of Chuseok, one of the country's biggest holidays, and asked authorities to take firm action against any activities that could drive up prices. Han said South Korea's economy grew 3.8 percent in the first half of the year, driven by strong exports, but urged officials not to let their guard down, asking them to closely monitor financial and foreign exchange markets and take swift action to contain excessive market volatility. Separately, Han said the whereabouts of nine South Korean nationals still remain unknown following catastrophic floods and landslides in Nepal late last month. She offered condolences to their families and pledged that the government would work closely with Nepalese authorities in ongoing search and rescue efforts. AJP Takeaways - Prime Minister Han Seong-sook on Sept. 10, 2026, ordered officials to take preemptive measures to secure crude oil supplies amid rising tensions in the Middle East. - South Korea has secured enough crude oil to cover more than 90 percent of last year’s volume through October, but Han called for additional supplies to be secured for November and beyond if tensions persist. - Han also ordered close monitoring of the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, global raw-material supplies, and financial markets while urging measures to limit the impact of higher oil prices on households and consumer prices. 2026-09-10 10:25:13 -
Video of Suspect in Paju Cafe Freezer Murder Case Goes Viral A 60-year-old woman was found dead in a freezer at a large cafe in Paju, South Korea, and a video of the suspect's past television appearance is circulating online.On September 10, various online communities and social media platforms shared an interview clip of the cafe owner, identified as the suspect in the murder case. The footage, aired on KBS1 News, features the cafe owner discussing safety measures, stating, "If an accident occurs, it could be bad for everyone, so we manage things to be careful with each other."Additionally, posts containing the suspect's name, birth year, and other personal information have spread online, suggesting that the suspect may have planned the crime in advance. The account operator highlighted that the suspect instructed employees not to come to work the day before the incident and announced the cafe would be closed on the day of the murder, raising suspicions of a premeditated crime.The case came to light after a missing person report was filed for the woman on September 4. Police tracked her cell phone location and discovered her body in a freezer next to the cafe in Munsan-eup that afternoon. They identified the cafe owner, a man in his 30s, as a suspect after analyzing CCTV footage, which showed him entering the cafe with the victim but leaving alone. He was apprehended shortly before the body was found in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul, and was arrested on September 6 on charges of murder.Investigations revealed that the victim and the suspect first met on September 3 during a transaction involving department store gift certificates. The victim was reportedly asked to verify the authenticity of the gift certificates and visited the cafe for this purpose.CCTV footage reportedly shows the two entering the freezer together, with only the suspect emerging afterward. Inside the freezer, police discovered approximately 500 billion won worth of "promotional" gift certificates. Authorities believe the suspect directly commissioned a printing company to produce these certificates, leading to additional charges of forgery. The certificates were found in ten boxes, each containing 500,000 won, and police are investigating the production and distribution process to determine if they are indeed counterfeit.The suspect has reportedly changed his account of the motive and circumstances of the crime multiple times. Initially, he mentioned issues related to penalties from the gift certificate transaction but later claimed that the victim discovered the certificates were fake, prompting the crime. Police are comparing his statements with evidence obtained from cell phone forensics to clarify the circumstances surrounding the crime.Furthermore, it has been determined that the suspect installed the freezer near the cafe at the end of last month. On the day of the crime, he instructed employees not to come to work and closed the cafe, which police are investigating for potential links to the crime's preparation.Meanwhile, the National Forensic Service's autopsy results indicated that the victim showed no clear signs of external trauma. Due to the body being frozen, determining the exact time of death is challenging, and police are considering the possibility that the victim died from hypothermia and lack of oxygen after being confined in the freezer.Authorities are also investigating the potential for additional crimes by the suspect and any accomplices, as well as the processes involved in the production and transaction of the gift certificates. Police have urged the public to refrain from speculation regarding any unidentified accomplices during the investigation.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-10 10:24:00