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Gwangmyeong City Council Reviews Last Year's Budget and 2026 Supplementary Budget The Gwangmyeong City Council opened its 302nd regular session on September 3, beginning a 16-day schedule to review last year's budget execution and this year's supplementary budget proposal. According to the council, this regular session will address ordinances, general proposals, the 2025 fiscal year settlement, the 2026 second supplementary budget proposal, and changes to the fund management plan. Each standing committee will review ordinances and general proposals on September 4, followed by the examination of the 2025 fiscal year settlement from September 7 to 14. During the settlement review, the council will assess whether last year's budget was executed according to its original purpose and whether the funds were used appropriately and efficiently throughout the project implementation process. Additionally, the standing committees will also handle the approval of the 2026 administrative audit plan and requests for related materials. On September 16, the council will review the 2026 second supplementary budget proposal and changes to the fund management plan, followed by a review by the Budget Settlement Special Committee on September 17, with final decisions on related matters to be made at the second plenary session on September 18. The settlement and supplementary budget being discussed in this regular session are expected to draw community interest as they relate to the execution of projects directly connected to citizens' lives, including transportation, welfare, safety, and culture. Local residents believe that the council's budget review should focus on projects that genuinely benefit their daily lives. One resident stated, "I hope the budget is carefully checked to ensure it is used where it is truly needed by citizens," adding, "I also hope the supplementary budget prioritizes areas that citizens can feel the impact of." Another resident expressed, "When the council reviews the budget, I hope they consider not just the scale of the projects but also their necessity from the perspective of the citizens who will use them." Lee Hyung-deok, the council chair, remarked, "This regular session is an opportunity to confirm the appropriateness of last year's budget execution and to review the direction of key ongoing projects," stating, "We will thoroughly examine various matters, including the settlement and supplementary budget." Meanwhile, the council plans to conclude this regular session with the second plenary session on September 18.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-03 14:28:00 -
Export Plus Support Team Provides Tailored Assistance to Medical Device Companies in Gangwon The Export Plus Support Team has initiated tailored support for medical device companies in Wonju, Gangwon Province, to alleviate challenges related to overseas certification and logistics costs.On September 3, the Export Plus Support Team visited the Gangwon Medical Device Industry Promotion Center to hold a public-private joint export plus meeting. The meeting aimed to listen to the concerns of medical device export companies and explore solutions. Attendees included representatives from the support team, the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Office, Wonju City Hall, and export support organizations.During the meeting, participating companies raised various issues, including the need for expanded support for overseas medical device certification and market entry, relief from export logistics costs, increased support for participation in international exhibitions, and assistance with overseas certification and product registration fees. Additionally, there were calls for enhanced government support in training and hiring specialized personnel in the medical device sector.In response, the support team, local government, and export support organizations provided information on utilizing overseas certification services, export vouchers, and low-interest policy financing for certification costs. They also explained that new export companies could access expert consulting services throughout the entire export process.Deputy Director Bae Jeong-hoon stated, "The Wonju medical device industry is not only a key technology-intensive sector for the local economy but also recognized for its competitiveness in the global market. We will spare no effort in supporting companies to overcome challenges in the export process and grow in overseas markets."Furthermore, the Export Plus Support Team plans to hold a regional export promotion cooperation meeting with the Gangwon Provincial Office on September 16 to listen to the concerns of local export companies. Based on the issues raised during the meeting, they will seek collaborative solutions to expand exports.Following the meeting, a briefing session on export financing programs in the Gangwon region will be conducted. Various policy financial institutions, including the Export-Import Bank of Korea, Korea Trade Insurance Corporation, and Industrial Bank of Korea, are expected to participate. These institutions will introduce various programs, including loans and guarantees for export companies, and provide tailored support for companies seeking consultations.Deputy Director Bae emphasized, "Despite the government and related agencies operating various export support systems, smaller companies located outside the capital region often face difficulties in accessing these resources. We will focus on resolving these gaps through regional meetings, export financing, and certification system briefings."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-03 14:28:00
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2026 Jeonnam Gwangju GT to Take Place in Yeongam on September 12-13 The domestic motorsports event 'Jeonnam GT (Grand Touring)' will meet spectators under its new name 'Jeonnam Gwangju GT' as it celebrates its 10th anniversary. The Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special City announced that the '2026 Jeonnam Gwangju GT' will be held at the Yeongam International Circuit from September 12 to 13. This year's event will be themed 'September, Let's Race Together!' It aims to reflect on the achievements of the past decade of Jeonnam GT and signify a new leap forward following the integration of Jeonnam and Gwangju. Jeonnam GT was initiated to enhance the utilization of the Yeongam International Circuit after the cessation of F1 events and to expand the foundation of domestic motorsports. It began as a comprehensive event showcasing various car and motorcycle competitions and was officially launched as a certified event in 2017, establishing itself as a key domestic motorsports competition. This year, over 150 vehicles and motorcycles will participate in seven categories, including the flagship event 'Jeonnam Endurance,' 'Toyota Gazoo Racing 6000,' 'Prototype & TC2000,' 'Prius PHEV,' 'Alpine,' 'Sportbike 400,' and 'Gymkhana.' The Jeonnam Endurance race will see teams compete to cover the greatest distance in 120 minutes. Success will depend not only on speed but also on race strategy, including pit stops and driver-tire changes. The 'Toyota Gazoo Racing 6000' will be the sixth round of the eight-round One Super Race Championship, featuring 6200cc stock cars in the top domestic class. In 'Prototype & TC2000,' purpose-built prototype vehicles and modified production cars will race simultaneously on the circuit. Additionally, the event will feature 'Sportbike 400' for motorcycles under 400cc, the only plug-in hybrid category 'Prius PHEV,' a one-make race using French sports cars called 'Alpine,' and 'Gymkhana,' where participants will compete in driving skills over a set course. In addition to the races, there will be programs for spectators to participate in, including virtual racing, karting experiences, mini car races, and a bubble show, aimed at families attending the event. On the first day, September 12, qualifying rounds and pit work will take place. The following day, the opening ceremony will kick off the event, followed by a grid walk where spectators can meet the race cars and drivers up close, a congratulatory performance by the girl group Apink, and the finals for each category. Jang Young-cheol, the head of the corporate city department, stated, “The 2026 Jeonnam Gwangju GT embodies a new beginning towards a unified future for Jeonnam and Gwangju while reflecting on the achievements of the past decade of Jeonnam GT.” He added, “We aim to develop it into a representative sports content of Jeonnam Gwangju that symbolizes the unity of domestic motorsports and regional integration.” Meanwhile, the 2026 Jeonnam Gwangju GT will be free to attend without an admission fee. For motorsports fans unable to attend in person, live broadcasts will be available through online channels such as YouTube, Chijijik, and SOOP.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-03 14:24:00
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Labor Minister Kim Yong-hoon Urges Major Corporations to Expand Youth Hiring Kim Yong-hoon, the Minister of Employment and Labor, urged South Korea's top ten conglomerates, including Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor, and LG, to increase new hiring and job experience opportunities for young people on September 3. During a meeting in Seoul with chief human resources officers (CHROs) from these major groups, Minister Kim discussed collaborative measures to expand youth employment. The meeting was convened to explore ways to implement the government's recently announced 'Youth Job Recovery Plan' and to seek cooperation from the business sector in providing more job opportunities for young people. Kim stated, "In a situation where young people continue to face employment difficulties, we must create a foundation for them to build their first careers and grow," calling for the cooperation of the business community. He emphasized, "The Youth Job Recovery Plan announced by the government can yield results when we work together with companies," urging businesses to make concerted efforts to expand job opportunities for young people. The minister also requested corporate participation in the 'K-New Deal Academy,' which is set to expand next year, and the newly introduced 'Youth Playground.' The Youth Playground is a program that offers mentoring, projects, entrepreneurship, competitions, and AI job support services through online and offline spaces. During the meeting, the CHROs shared strategies to broaden job experience opportunities for young people, including expanding new hires, internships, and training programs. They also discussed key labor issues to create conditions that encourage companies to actively recruit young talent. The government plans to increase its financial investment in youth job support. The Ministry of Employment and Labor aims to raise the youth job budget from 2.6 trillion won this year to approximately 3.3 trillion won next year, an increase of about 700 billion won. Kim concluded, "Youth employment is the most valuable investment that will determine the future of South Korea," affirming the commitment to collaborate with the business sector to create more job opportunities for young people.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-03 14:20:20
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Yoon Sung-ho of MakinaRax: 'AI Accuracy of 80% Is Not Enough for the Field' Yoon Sung-ho, CEO of MakinaRax, unveiled a roadmap for achieving fully autonomous factories within three years, targeting the 'long tail' problem in industrial settings that frontier AI models struggle to address. He emphasized that the key to competitiveness in the era of physical AI lies not in the number of AI systems adopted, but in a company's ability to own and control its data, models, and execution processes, which he termed 'corporate AI sovereignty.'Speaking at the 'Attention 2026' industrial AI conference held on September 3 in Seoul, Yoon stated, "An accuracy of 80% is not sufficient for application in the field. We should ask whether AI is genuinely creating competitive advantages for companies, rather than how many AI systems have been implemented."Yoon opened his keynote by questioning why productivity has not improved despite the explosive advancement of AI technology. He noted that while the duration of tasks completed autonomously by AI has decreased from years to mere seconds or hours, a survey by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) revealed that about 90% of corporate executives believe AI has not had a measurable impact on productivity over the past three years. He cited McDonald's withdrawal from AI-driven drive-thrus as an example, stating that the complexities of noise and intricate orders in fast-food settings were too challenging for AI.He identified the long tail problem as a significant issue in business operations. The long tail refers to the challenge where AI can effectively handle a small number of frequently occurring situations but struggles with the countless rare exceptions. Yoon explained that while frontier models can process general requests like drawing trend lines based on sensor values, they fail to address specific on-site demands, such as what to do if a particular equipment's thermistor value exceeds 40 or if operations should be halted to call a technician.This limitation arises because the expertise accumulated by on-site professionals over decades has never been made available online. Yoon pointed out that frontier models remain stuck at an accuracy level of 80%, unable to solve the 20% of problems that constitute the long tail, asserting, "An accuracy of 80% is not sufficient for application in the field."Yoon proposed a solution based on the three pillars of corporate AI sovereignty: ownership, independence, and control. Ownership ensures that proprietary data and the judgment criteria of on-site experts are retained as internal assets without external leakage. Independence means not being reliant on specific foundation models or GPU/cloud services. Control involves documenting the entire process of how AI makes decisions and executes actions, including the associated costs.He explained, "Through these three pillars, we aim to create a structure where all knowledge and experience within a company are accumulated in controllable AI." As a foundation for this, he introduced 'Runway,' an AI operating system that integrates data centers, factory servers, and edge devices to develop, deploy, and operate AI models and agents within a closed network.Yoon also shared some on-site achievements: annual savings of over 1,000 hours in design document reviews, AI applied to over 1,400 robots across six automotive production plants, and participation in the first joint training exercise (UFS) with the U.S. military, where AI was piloted in battlefield networks. MakinaRax reported that its field deployment engineers (FDE) have invested 70,000 hours supporting over 80 customer sites across 32 cities in five countries, with more than 6,000 AI models currently operational in industrial settings.During the keynote, Professor Jang Young-jae of KAIST and CEO of Dime Research proposed that a 'dark factory' based on embodied intelligence that understands space and time could reduce equipment investment and labor costs by 50%. Kim Young-ok, Chief AI Officer of HD Hyundai, discussed plans for an intelligent autonomous shipyard, while Kim Sung-jin, Chief Digital Officer of Korea & Company, presented a case study on tire pattern generation AI developed in collaboration with MakinaRax.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-03 14:20:10
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Lee Seok-yeon Resigns as Chair of National Integration Commission 이석연 대통령 직속 국민통합위원장이 오는 9일 위원장직에서 물러난다. 지난해 9월 이재명 정부 초대 국민통합위원장으로 임명된 지 1년 만이다. 이 위원장은 3일 자신의 페이스북에 올린 ‘국민 여러분께 드리는 말씀’을 통해 “저는 2026년 9월 9일자로 대통령 직속 국민통합위원장직에서 물러난다”고 밝혔다. 이 위원장은 이명박 정부에서 법제처장을 지낸 보수 성향 법조인이지만 지난 대선에서 이재명 후보 선거대책위원회 국민대통합위원장 겸 공동선대위원장을 맡았다. 이 대통령 당선 이후에는 독일 특사단장을 거쳐 지난해 9월 국민통합위원장에 임명됐다. 이 위원장은 사퇴 결심 배경으로 국민통합을 둘러싼 이재명 정부와의 철학적 차이를 제시했다. 그는 “지난 1년간 비록 짧은 기간이었지만 국민 각자가 지닌 다름과 차이를 인정하고 헌법적 가치를 바로 세우는 바탕에서 국민통합을 이루려고 나름 뛰었다”고 말했다. 이어 “그렇게 하는 것이 대한민국이 나아갈 길이자 이재명 정부 성공의 길이라고 믿었기 때문”이라면서도 “그러나 국민통합에 관한 이 정부의 생각과 철학이 저와는 많이 다르다는 것을 알았다”고 밝혔다. 특히 “제가 다시 공직에 나선 것은 헌법에 충성하기 위해서지 정권에 충성하기 위한 것이 아니었다”며 “이런 상황에서 이제 대통령의 뜻에 따라 물러나고자 한다”고 말했다. 그러면서 이 대통령에게 자신이 내놓았던 직언을 국정 운영에 일부라도 반영해달라고 요청했다. 이 위원장은 “제가 그간 때로는 결례를 무릅쓰면서까지 말씀드렸던 직언을 국정 운영 과정에서 그 편린이나마 반영해 주셨으면 한다”고 강조했다. 아울러 “그간 저에게 기대와 관심을 기울여 주신 국민 여러분께 감사드린다”며 “제 뜻을 제대로 펼치지 못하고 물러나 송구스러운 마음을 금할 수 없다”고 덧붙였다. 이 위원장은 재임 기간 검찰개혁과 대통령의 당적 문제 등 주요 현안에서 정부·여당과 다른 목소리를 공개적으로 내왔다. 지난 7월에는 더불어민주당이 추진한 검사의 보완수사권 완전 폐지에 대해 “헌법에 위배될 소지가 있다”며 어떤 형태로든 검사의 보완수사권을 인정해야 한다고 주장했다. 지난달에는 이 대통령을 향해 민주당을 탈당하고 ‘모두의 대통령’이 돼야 한다고 공개적으로 건의했다. 이 위원장은 국정 난맥과 국론 분열에 대통령이 무거운 책임을 느껴야 한다며 특정 정당의 틀을 넘어 초당적인 국정 운영에 나설 것을 요구한 바 있다.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-03 14:20:00
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Conflict Escalates Over Golf Driving Range in Hwacheon County Residents in the 8th district of Sanchang, Hwacheon County, are increasingly opposing the construction of a golf driving range that has progressed to the construction phase under the 8th elected administration. While residents are not against the establishment of a golf driving range itself, they are demanding a relocation from the current site. However, Hwacheon County plans to continue the project, considering the already completed procedures and seeking to persuade residents. Recently, residents have displayed banners opposing the construction of the golf driving range around the village. Their concerns include the impact on views, noise, and parking issues. Oh Jong-soo, the head of Sanchang 8th district, stated, "It is not that we are against building a golf driving range; we are asking for it to be moved to a location that minimizes harm to residents." Residents argue that the construction of a tall facility would obstruct the views of nearby homes and businesses, and increase noise from golf balls being struck, as well as exacerbate parking difficulties due to increased traffic. There are also concerns regarding whether sufficient resident feedback was gathered during the project planning process. Oh claimed, "The county says they held a resident briefing in the past, but neither I, as the former head, nor the residents were properly informed about the golf driving range plans." He has requested information from Hwacheon County to verify the date and location of the briefing. Former Hwacheon County Council Chair Ryu Hee-sang also expressed that communication with residents was insufficient during the initial stages of the project. Ryu stated, "There should have been adequate explanations or public hearings targeting local residents during the site selection and planning process. The conflict has intensified as residents learned about the project too late." This golf driving range project was not initiated by the current 9th elected administration. It was decided during the 8th elected administration led by former County Mayor Choi Moon-soon, with budget allocation and site acquisition already underway. As the project moved into the construction phase, resident opposition intensified, becoming a contentious issue during local elections. During his campaign, County Mayor Kim Se-hoon expressed a negative stance on building the driving range at the current site. However, after taking office and reviewing the project's status, it became clear that funds had already been allocated and contracts signed, making it difficult to completely halt or relocate the project. The 9th elected administration has inherited a project initiated by the 8th, leaving the challenge of addressing residents' relocation requests alongside the already established administrative procedures. Hwacheon County is adjusting the project to minimize resident impact by reducing the scale, height, and practice distance of the facility compared to the original plan. In August, a resident briefing was held at the Sanchang Township Office, attended by officials from the Cultural and Sports Department, to explain the project's progress and adjustments. However, residents argue that merely reducing the facility's size will not adequately resolve issues related to views and noise, and they continue to demand a relocation. Lee Sun-hee, vice chair of the Hwacheon County Council, stated that both resident concerns and the project's progress need to be considered. Lee acknowledged, "It is entirely understandable that residents are worried about their views and other impacts," but added, "Given that the project is already significantly underway, canceling it could lead to various issues, so we need to consider minimizing harm by reducing the facility's scale while proceeding with the project." Hwacheon County has stated it will not halt the project but will seek to persuade residents. Nam Jae-seon, head of the Cultural and Sports Department, said, "We plan to visit opposing residents directly to explain the project and seek their understanding," adding, "We will listen to residents' opinions and strive to gain their understanding while moving forward with the project." Regarding the possibility of halting the project, he stated, "We will not stop the project." As the golf driving range project initiated under the 8th elected administration transitions to the 9th, attention is focused on how to reconcile residents' demands for relocation with Hwacheon County's commitment to proceed with the project.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-03 14:12:00
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Foot-and-Mouth Disease Detected at Two Cattle Farms in Yecheon, South Korea Foot-and-mouth disease has been detected at two cattle farms in Yecheon County, North Gyeongsang Province. The government has issued a 24-hour movement ban for livestock-related personnel and vehicles in Yecheon and six neighboring counties, implementing emergency vaccinations and disinfection measures.The Central Disaster Management Headquarters reported on September 3 that 32 cattle tested positive for the foot-and-mouth disease virus during inspections at the two farms, which had previously been under movement restrictions due to the detection of antibodies. The infected animals were found during testing to confirm the circulation of the virus.The temporary movement ban is in effect from 10 a.m. on September 3 until 10 a.m. on September 4, covering Yecheon, Andong, Uiseong, Sangju, Mungyeong, Yeongju, and Danyang in North Chungcheong Province.This ban applies to personnel and vehicles at farms raising cattle, pigs, and goats, as well as slaughterhouses and feed factories. The government will conduct thorough disinfection and cleaning of these facilities and vehicles, deploying central inspection teams from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency to ensure compliance with biosecurity measures.The foot-and-mouth disease alert level has been raised from 'concern' to 'serious' in Yecheon County, while the rest of the country has been elevated from 'concern' to 'caution.'The affected farms plan to cull the 32 infected cattle. Following detailed examinations and clinical tests, it was determined that the antibody positivity rate is high and there are no clinical symptoms, leading to the decision to selectively cull the positive animals.Emergency vaccinations and clinical tests will be conducted for 117,253 livestock across 1,515 farms in Yecheon County and 318,489 livestock in 6,330 farms in neighboring counties. Nationwide monitoring will also be intensified through telephone surveys targeting all livestock farms.In the six neighboring counties, 69 available resources, including large-scale disinfection vehicles, will be mobilized. The plan includes intensive disinfection and cleaning of farms, livestock facilities, and surrounding roads.This year, there have been a total of 11 reported cases of foot-and-mouth disease, including the two recent cases. Three cases were confirmed in January and February in Ganghwa and Goyang, and six cases were reported in Yecheon in July.Park Jeong-hoon, head of the Food Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, emphasized the seriousness of the situation with the outbreak occurring in Yecheon ahead of the Chuseok holiday. He urged relevant agencies and local governments to focus on swift culling of livestock, detailed inspections, and intensive disinfection measures. He also stressed the importance of thorough biosecurity management to prevent any omissions during the vaccination process.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-03 14:08:10
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South Korea to Split LH Corporation into Two Entities After 17 Years The South Korean government is moving to separate the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) into two distinct entities. The plan aims to enhance the speed of housing supply by dividing responsibilities between land development and housing construction, and housing welfare and asset management.According to the 'Public Institution Function Reform Plan' announced by the government on September 3, LH will be split into the 'Housing and Urban Development Corporation,' which will handle land development and housing construction, and the 'Housing and Urban Asset Corporation,' responsible for housing welfare and asset management. These names are provisional.The government plans to design an operational structure that allows development profits to be utilized for housing welfare funding. The Housing and Urban Development Corporation will set aside a portion of the profits earned during land development and housing construction in a separate account within the Housing and Urban Fund, which will then be contributed to the Housing and Urban Asset Corporation.This restructuring comes in response to inefficiencies that arose from LH managing both development and housing welfare functions, which led to slower housing supply and increased burdens in operating rental housing. The government aims to enhance execution capabilities for supply and secure momentum for policy implementation through this functional separation.LH's financial burdens are also cited as a reason for the organizational split. As of the end of last year, LH's debt stood at 173.7 trillion won, an increase of 13.6 trillion won from the previous year. The debt ratio rose from 217.7% to 230.8%.The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport launched the LH Reform Committee in August of last year to discuss reform plans with industry experts. The committee has reportedly considered the option of dualizing development and housing welfare functions.If the organizational split is realized, it will mark the first time in 17 years that LH has been divided since the merger of the Korea Land Corporation and the Korea Housing Corporation in 2009.The Ministry of Land plans to announce specific organizational restructuring proposals through a separate 'LH Reform Plan' in the future. This plan is expected to include methods for distributing LH's debt, the structure for transferring resources between the two entities, workforce reallocation, and operational systems.However, even with the separation of development and welfare functions, how to divide debt and assets, and the stability of transferring development profits to housing welfare funding are expected to be key issues in the upcoming reform plan.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-03 14:08:00
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Woori Financial Launches AI Startup Incubator Program Woori Financial Group is launching a program to connect the demand for artificial intelligence (AI) in the financial sector with startup technologies, aiming to expand productive finance in the AI field.On September 3, Woori Financial announced the opening of the 'DINNOlab Tech 1st Class' at its tech center in Gwanak-gu, Seoul. DINNOlab is a startup incubation program designed to discover promising startups and provide them with business collaboration opportunities with Woori Financial's subsidiaries, as well as investment connections. To date, Woori Financial has identified 231 companies and facilitated a total investment of 503.9 billion won.The first class of DINNOlab Tech has selected four AI startups: Mentat, Waker Holdings, Axcelerator, and Peekaboo Labs. These companies will integrate AI technologies into various services, including asset management, research, market analysis, and business automation, in collaboration with Woori Bank, Woori Investment & Securities, Dongyang Life, and Woori FIS.Mentat will develop an 'AI Asset Care Solution' to provide tax-saving information tailored to individual customers in partnership with Woori Bank. Waker Holdings will create an AI assistant to support investment information analysis for Woori Investment & Securities. Axcelerator will establish an 'AI Market Sensing System' with Dongyang Life, while Peekaboo Labs plans to develop document automation AI technology with Woori FIS.Woori Financial will support the selected companies with up to 30 million won for technology validation (PoC) costs per project. Additionally, it will provide office space and collaborate with Naver Cloud and Amazon Web Services (AWS) to offer cloud infrastructure worth 10 million won.Ok Il-jin, head of the Digital Innovation Division at Woori Financial Group, stated, "We will support the growth of AI startups and further expand productive finance."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-03 14:08:00