Latest by
-
People Power Party to Gradually Implement Direct Elections for Local Committee Chairs 국민의힘은 31일 장동혁 대표가 추진한 '당협위원장 당원 직선제'를 단계적으로 도입하기로 했다. 당내 반발이 거세자 당협위원장이 공석인 사고 당협에 한해 우선 적용하기로 한 것이다. 이에 따라 사고 당협 34곳과 최근 징계로 당협위원장이 당원권 정지를 받은 곳 등이 대상이 될 전망이다. 정희용 사무총장은 이날 오전 국회에서 열린 최고위원회의 직후 기자들과 만나 "당협위원장 선출 방식과 관련해 '당원 직선제 전면 도입'을 검토했지만, 최근 의원총회 등 당내 의견을 반영해 점진적, 단계적으로 도입하기로 결정했다"고 밝혔다. 이에 따라 국민의힘은 전국 254개 당협위원장 가운데 사고 당협 34곳에 대해 조직위원장 공모를 실시하고, 조직강화특별위원회 자격 심사를 통과한 신청자가 2인 이상일 경우 당원 투표로 뽑을 예정이다. 윤리위원회 징계로 당원권이 정지된 조경태·권영진·서범수·진종오 의원의 지역구도 당헌·당규상 사고 당협으로 분류된다. 아울러 당은 정기 당무감사에서 전국 당협위원장을 평가할 때 '당원 평가 50%'를 의무적으로 반영하도록 했다. 정 사무총장은 "당무 감사 결과에 따라 하위 평가를 받은 당협은 당협위원장 교체 대상으로 선정하고, 교체 대상 하위 당협은 조강특위에서 다시 심사해 유자격 신청자가 2인 이상일 경우 당원들의 선출로 선정할 예정"이라고 했다. 이어 "사고 당협 조직위원장 선출과 정기 당무감사에서 '해당 행위' 등은 감점을 적용할 예정"이라고 덧붙였다. 이날 최고위원회의에서는 이같은 방안에 대해 이견이 없던 것으로 전해졌다. 박성훈 수석대변인은 "(비공개 최고위 회의에서) 전원 일치로 이 방안이 통과됐다"며 "최고위원 누구도 이견을 제출하지 않았다"고 말했다.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-31 14:44:00 -
South Korea tops travel destination for Japanese SEOUL, August 31 (AJP) - More than one in four Japanese traveling abroad this year chose South Korea, drawn by its proximity and the relative affordability of won-priced travel as rising costs and a weak yen weigh on longer-haul trips. Korea welcomed 12.8 million foreign visitors from January to July, up 21.3 percent from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Japanese visitors accounted for 2.28 million, up 18.8 percent from 1.92 million over the same period last year. The increase outpaced Japan's broader outbound recovery. A total of 8.14 million Japanese people traveled overseas in the first seven months, up just 4.1 percent from a year earlier. Korea's share in Japan's outbound travelers reached 28 percent, the highest on record, ahead of other major destinations such as the United States, Taiwan, Thailand and Viet Nam. The trend is also showing up outside Seoul. Gimhae International Airport, the main gateway to Busan and southeastern Korea, recorded 269,752 Japanese arrivals from January to July, up 52 percent from a year earlier. Jeju International Airport saw 22,048 Japanese arrivals, up 60 percent, while Cheongju International Airport recorded 20,548, up 93 percent. Japanese travel agencies have also pointed to Korea's popularity. JTB Corp., one of Japan's largest travel agencies, ranked Korea first in overseas travel bookings by country during Japan's Golden Week holiday. HIS Co., another major Japanese travel agency, ranked Seoul first among overseas cities, with Jeju and Busan placing fifth and sixth. Weekly seats on Korea-Japan routes reached 349,000 in July, up 2.4 percent from the end of last year. The ministry said Korean pop culture, expanded air links and currency conditions have helped sustain demand from Japan. The government is working with the Korea Tourism Organization to develop regional tourism packages tied to local airports, along with airfare discounts and charter flight incentives. Foreign tourist spending in Korea has also grown faster than visitor arrivals. Foreign card spending reached 12.09 trillion won ($8.7 billion) from January to July, up 48.3 percent from 8.15 trillion won a year earlier. That was more than double the 21.3 percent increase in foreign arrivals over the same period. Kang Jung-won, the ministry's tourism policy director, said the government would respond to market conditions to keep the recovery going. AJP Takeaways · Japanese visitors to Korea rose 18.8 percent to 2.28 million from January to July. · Korea accounted for 28 percent of Japan's outbound travel market, a record high. · Gimhae Airport, the main gateway to Busan, saw Japanese arrivals rise 52 percent. 2026-08-31 14:42:03 -
Audit Finds Supreme Court Illegally Paid Justices Cash Bonuses The Supreme Court has been found to have illegally paid cash bonuses totaling 1.3 billion won to justices and the head of the court's administrative office over four years, according to an audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection.On August 31, the Board announced the results of its 'regular audit of the Supreme Court,' identifying 12 instances of illegal and improper actions, prompting notifications and requests for caution.According to the audit, the court's administrative office regularly paid cash bonuses without legal grounds, in violation of regulations. From April 2022 to 2024, an average of 2 million won per month was paid to each of the 12 justices, in addition to a separate monthly allowance of 5.12 million won. The head of the administrative office also received 3 million won in cash each month during the same period.The Board noted, "From May 2024 to September 2025, the payment dates and amounts varied for each justice, making it appear as if they were not receiving a fixed monthly amount. However, in 2024, the annual payment amounts were similar for each justice," it added.The total amount of bonuses paid reached 1.299 billion won. The Board stated, "While the administrative office handled the payments, they were effectively made by the Chief Justice."In response, the administrative office explained to the Board that the bonuses were intended to recognize the efforts of justices and research judges involved in cases before the Supreme Court's divisions or full court sessions.Additionally, the Chief Justice's security and protocol team received monthly payments ranging from 1.5 million to 2.8 million won, while the Chief Justice himself did not receive any bonuses.The administrative office also entered into a maintenance contract for computer equipment, requiring an operating system upgrade, but later claimed that the verbal agreement differed from the contract, resulting in an additional payment of 650 million won for the upgrade.Furthermore, when purchasing computer equipment, the office failed to accurately assess the required quantities, leading to an increase in purchase amounts to exhaust the budget after contract prices were lowered.As a result, by the end of last year, only one-third of the authorized PCs, totaling 6,131 units, were in use, along with 2,983 printers and 559 scanners kept as spares.During the audit of operational expenses from 2022 to 2025, it was found that the administrative office purchased over 100 million won worth of wine without clearly specifying its intended use.Instances of excessive payments to officials for travel expenses during auction case processing and cases where contracts were signed after receiving goods without prior agreements were also identified.Additionally, the Board recommended that measures be taken to make the court's practical guidelines accessible to the public to enhance the convenience of citizens involved in 'pro se' litigation.This audit was finalized on August 20, following on-site inspections conducted in November and December of last year and subsequent exchanges of opinions regarding the identified issues.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-31 14:40:00
-
KFTC Approves Hanwha's Acquisition of 15.89% Stake in KAI, Citing No Dominance The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) has approved Hanwha Group's acquisition of a stake in Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). The KFTC determined that Hanwha's current ownership level does not provide sufficient influence over KAI's management to raise concerns about limiting market competition.On August 31, the KFTC announced its decision regarding the acquisition of KAI shares by three Hanwha affiliates, including Hanwha Aerospace.Hanwha has secured a total of 15.89% of KAI's shares, with ownership distributed as follows: Hanwha Aerospace holds 9.90%, Hanwha Systems 4.98%, and Hanwha Aerospace USA 1.01%. Hanwha reported the acquisition of over 15% of KAI's shares to the KFTC as part of a corporate merger notification.Under the Fair Trade Act, a general review of corporate mergers applies when independent companies consolidate under a single controlling entity. If acquiring shares does not establish a controlling relationship, it is presumed to not restrict competition and is excluded from the general review.The KFTC concluded that Hanwha's share acquisition alone does not grant it control over KAI. Currently, the largest shareholder of KAI is the Export-Import Bank of Korea, which holds 26.41% of the shares. The National Pension Service also owns 8.75%, bringing the total government ownership to 35.16%.As a result, even if Hanwha becomes the second-largest shareholder of KAI, the existing share structure makes it difficult for Hanwha to exert substantial influence over KAI's overall management, according to the KFTC.However, the KFTC warned that if Hanwha acquires additional shares to become the largest shareholder or if it appoints one-third of KAI's executives or the CEO, it will trigger a new corporate merger notification obligation under the Fair Trade Act. In such a case, a merger review will be conducted again.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-31 14:40:00
-
Mayor Han Dae-hee: Citizen Feedback and Ideas are the Starting Point for a Better Gunpo Mayor Han Dae-hee emphasized on the 31st that "citizen reports of daily inconveniences and policy ideas are the starting point for a better Gunpo." On this day, Mayor Han announced that to enhance communication with citizens and accelerate citizen-centered administration, a 'Mayor SNS' will be launched on the city’s website starting September 1. The establishment of the 'Mayor SNS' aims to expand online communication channels, allowing citizens to conveniently report daily inconveniences and provide feedback on city policies and suggestions. Mayor Han has consistently highlighted the importance of citizen-centered communication, focusing on listening to everything from minor inconveniences to policy ideas, making the new Mayor SNS a promising avenue for bridging the gap between citizens and administration. Opinions shared through the Mayor SNS will be immediately shared with relevant departments and processed swiftly, including on-site verification as needed. Moreover, the city plans to strengthen collaboration among departments and feedback on the outcomes to ensure that citizen suggestions lead to actual administrative changes, rather than merely collecting opinions. However, the reception channels will vary depending on the nature of the inquiries. For citizens who find it difficult to use online devices or need simple inquiries, such as information on city policies or events, the Gunpo City Call Center is available. The call center operates from 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM on weekdays. Legal inquiries or those involving personal information should still be submitted through the existing National Complaint Center. Mayor Han plans to use the new Mayor SNS to hear citizens' voices more closely and connect them to on-site administration and policy improvements. To ensure that citizen suggestions lead to real changes in governance, the city will continuously enhance the communication system that links citizen feedback to departmental actions, on-site verification, processing, and feedback. Citizens have generally responded positively to the launch of the Mayor SNS. A resident from Sanbon-dong stated, "I think it’s meaningful that there will be a channel for citizens to directly convey their inconveniences or areas needing improvement to the mayor. It will be important how quickly citizens' opinions are reflected in actual policies and administration." Another citizen remarked, "Previously, I often didn’t know where to submit complaints or policy suggestions, but if I can easily convey my opinions through the Mayor SNS, I believe citizen participation will increase significantly." Meanwhile, Mayor Han Dae-hee expressed hope that citizens will freely propose various opinions through the newly established Mayor SNS, stating, "We will implement an open administration where citizens' voices lead to changes in policies and on-site practices."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-31 14:36:00
-
NHN Shares Rise Over 6% on AI GPU Business Expansion Expectations NHN is experiencing a surge of over 6% in its stock price, driven by expectations surrounding the expansion of its artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud businesses. This increase follows the announcement that its subsidiary, NHN Cloud, will long-term lease a 20-megawatt (MW) power capacity at its Pohang data center to enhance its AI graphics processing unit (GPU) infrastructure.As of 2:20 PM on the Korea Exchange, NHN shares were trading at 74,000 won, up 4,300 won (6.17%) from the previous trading day.On August 28, NHN announced that NHN Cloud had signed a lease agreement with AI Factory Pohang PFV to expand its AI GPU business. The lease covers a space and ancillary facilities equivalent to 20 MW within the data center, with a lease term of 60 months starting from the commencement date.Through this contract, NHN Cloud aims to secure data center infrastructure early and respond to the growing demand for GPU as a service (GPUaaS) and cloud services.In particular, NHN Cloud plans to further enhance its AI and cloud infrastructure competitiveness by securing an additional 30 MW of data center infrastructure by the end of 2027. The acquisition of the Pohang data center is part of this strategy. However, the specifics regarding the scale, method, and timing of additional acquisitions beyond the Pohang data center have yet to be determined.Market analysts believe that the key to improving performance will not just be the acquisition of additional infrastructure but how quickly the company can convert future commercial GPU demand into revenue.Kim So-hye, a researcher at Hanwha Investment & Securities, stated, "While the short-term stock price increase is somewhat steep, the value of the cloud business, which has not been fully reflected in the stock price, is being reassessed, leading to a reduction in the discount. If profitability is confirmed through quarterly results in the second half of the year, the rationale for separately evaluating the technology division will become even clearer."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-31 14:36:00
-
LH to Offer 663 Public Housing Units in Incheon Gyeyang A6 Block The Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) will supply 663 public housing units in the Incheon Gyeyang A6 Block.On August 31, LH announced the recruitment notice for residents of the 663 units in the Incheon Gyeyang A6 Block.The Incheon Gyeyang A6 Block is a complex that conducted preliminary applications in September 2023. It consists of five different sizes: 529 units of 59 square meters, 5 units of 69 square meters, 69 units of 74 square meters, 18 units of 77 square meters, and 42 units of 84 square meters, totaling 13 types.The average sale price is approximately 530 million won for the 59 square meter units and about 710 million won for the 84 square meter units. There is a three-year resale restriction, but there is no obligation for actual residence.The complex is conveniently located near the First Circular Highway and the Incheon International Airport Highway, with ongoing expansion projects on Gyeongmyeong Road and Beolmal Road expected to improve access to Seoul. The Incheon Subway Line 1's Bakchon Station is also nearby.Application submissions will be prioritized for those who won the preliminary lottery from September 17 to 18. New applicants can apply from September 30 to October 2. The announcement of winners will be on October 21, and contracts will be signed from December 15 to 18. Residents are expected to move in by June 2029.As the third new town's main applications gain momentum, the sale price, transportation network, and actual residence obligations are expected to be key factors for public housing demand.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-31 14:32:00
-
Jeju Air reaches 5 million cumulative passengers on China routes SEOUL, August 31 (AJP) - Jeju Air has carried more than 5 million passengers on its flights to China, the low-cost carrier said on Monday. According to the carrier, its cumulative number of passengers to destinations in China stood at 5.18 million as of the end of July this year, since it began offering flights to one of the world’s most populous countries in 2012. Of the 15.38 million passengers carried by all South Korean low-cost carriers on China routes from April 2010, when they first began operating flights there, through July this year, Jeju Air accounted for about 34 percent. As demand for travel to China has picked up this year, Jeju Air carried about 427,800 passengers on its Chinese routes from January to July, exceeding the 423,100 passengers it carried during the same period in 2019, when traffic on the routes was at its peak. After launching its flight to Qingdao departing from Incheon in June 2012, it expanded to flights to more Chinese cities including Weihai and Jiamusi. To meet growing demand, it also plans to launch flights from South Korea’s southern port city of Busan to Guilin, as well as routes from Daegu and Jeju to Chengdu, Chongqing and Shanghai. Weihai was Jeju Air's most popular Chinese route, attracting about 1.46 million cumulative passengers over the past 13 years, followed by Qingdao with about 1.31 million passengers. Beijing had about 335,000 passengers, while the Yanji route had about 303,900 passengers. AJP Takeaways • Jeju Air carried 5.18 million cumulative passengers on flights to China through July 2026, since launching its first China route between Incheon and Qingdao in June 2012. • Jeju Air accounted for about 34 percent of the 15.38 million passengers carried by South Korean low-cost carriers on China routes from April 2010 through July 2026, making it a leading South Korean LCC in the China market. • Jeju Air carried 427,800 passengers on China routes from January through July 2026, surpassing the 423,100 passengers recorded during the same period in 2019, while Weihai remained its most popular China destination with 1.46 million cumulative passengers. 2026-08-31 14:29:42 -
Enex Shares Plunge 27% Amid Concerns Over Management Designation Enex's stock price has sharply declined as concerns about its potential designation as a management issue have surfaced.According to the Korea Exchange, as of 1:44 PM, Enex shares were trading at 1,561 won, down 579 won (27.06%) from the previous trading day. The stock opened at 2,035 won but has since widened its losses.This drop is attributed to renewed fears regarding the company's potential designation as a management issue. Enex was listed as a concern on August 24 after failing to maintain a market capitalization of 30 billion won for 25 consecutive trading days. If the market cap does not recover to 30 billion won by the end of the day, it could be officially designated as a management issue.Additionally, uncertainties surrounding the financing of the Enex Future Growth Fund, which is pursuing a management buyout, are also dampening investor sentiment.The Enex Future Growth Fund planned to acquire 28.48% of the existing largest shareholder's stake for 11.483 billion won and participate in a 5 billion won third-party allocation capital increase to secure management control. However, the payment deadline has been postponed from September 4 to December 30, and the payment source has changed from Queen Burmezzanine No. 1 Investment Fund to the Enex Future Growth Fund.Nevertheless, the Enex Future Growth Fund stated that if Enex is designated as a management issue due to its market cap shortfall, it will consult with the company and legal representatives to file for a suspension of the designation's effectiveness with the exchange.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-31 14:28:00
-
Daewoo Engineering & Construction Introduces AI and Robot-Enhanced Community Services Daewoo Engineering & Construction is set to launch community services that integrate AI robot technology and scent content.On August 31, Daewoo announced that it has signed business agreements with XyG, a company specializing in AI robot services, and DeepScent, a provider of spatial scent solutions, to introduce advanced technology and emotional content into its Prugio community facilities.On August 21, Daewoo entered into a business agreement with XyG to implement AI smart café services. The two companies will collaborate on the planning and operation of an AI-based robot café service and develop a service model optimized for apartment community environments.XyG's AI barista robot solution, 'Barista Brew,' utilizes robotic automation technology to prepare and serve beverages. Daewoo plans to first apply this technology at the community facilities of the Yongin Prugio One Cluster Phase 1.On August 24, Daewoo signed a business agreement with DeepScent. DeepScent is a digital scent company that provides optimized fragrances for spaces based on AI and IoT technology. Daewoo intends to implement customized scent content tailored to the characteristics and purposes of each Prugio community space.As competition among apartment communities expands beyond facility size to include operational services and sensory experiences, construction companies are increasingly refining their differentiation strategies.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-31 14:28:00