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Lotte Group Donates 1 Billion Won for Flood Recovery in Gyeongsang Region Lotte Group has initiated efforts to support the rapid recovery and assistance for victims in the Gyeongsang region affected by heavy rainfall.On August 28, Lotte Group announced a donation of 1 billion won to aid areas impacted by the flooding, including Geoje and Tongyeong in South Gyeongsang Province, as well as Andong and Uiseong in North Gyeongsang Province.The donation will be delivered to the National Disaster Relief Association through the Community Chest of Korea. It will be used for recovery efforts in the affected areas and to provide relief supplies for the victims.Lotte Group's subsidiaries also contributed to the support efforts. Lotte Mart delivered over 1,500 emergency relief items, including instant noodles, beverages, and energy bars, to the affected areas through its Geoje store on August 18.The Gyeongsang region has recently experienced record rainfall, leading to significant damage. From August 15 to 18, cumulative rainfall reached 956.1 mm in Geoje and 766.9 mm in Tongyeong.Additionally, Lotte Group had previously donated 1 billion won last year to support victims of wildfires in the Yeongnam region and also contributed 1 billion won for recovery efforts following nationwide heavy rainfall.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 18:00:00 -
Comedian Lee Sun-min's Views on Marriage Spark Controversy Comedian Lee Sun-min's comments about his ideal wife and views on marriage have sparked controversy in some online communities.On August 28, a women-dominated online community revisited Lee's remarks made during his appearance on the YouTube content 'Yeouido Working Mom Club.'During the show, Lee discussed his ideal woman, referencing his sisters. He stated, "Seeing my sisters who juggle parenting, factory work, and part-time jobs, I thought it would be great to have a woman like that. If parenting is required, I would dedicate myself to it. I actually think it's a good thing."In response, fellow comedian Kwak Beom expressed concern, saying, "A woman who is family-oriented, manages her own work, earns money outside, and handles everything at home..." to which Sam Hammington reacted, "Oh, that's too greedy."Lee then elaborated on his sisters, saying, "My third and second sisters raised two children while also working part-time and in factories to contribute financially..." This prompted Kwak Beom to joke, "Now I understand why you broke up."Later, Lee remarked, "It doesn't matter if she doesn't earn money, but I find it attractive when someone is trying hard to live," to which Song Ha-bin asked, "Is willpower important?" Lee confirmed, saying, "Willpower." Kwak Beom reiterated his earlier point about Lee's sisters, saying, "What shocked me the most was that whether they work or not, my sisters are raising two kids while working in factories..."Lee gestured to the production team, seemingly asking them to edit that part out. He then commented, "I guess that's what happens when you become a mother. There's a saying about the strength of a head of the family," to which Kwak Beom countered, "Not all mothers are like that," and Lee agreed, saying, "That's true. Not all mothers are like that."However, Lee added, "But they must invest all that affection in their children," prompting Song Ha-bin to respond, "Wow, are you imposing maternal love?"Sleepy also chimed in, saying, "If I call my aunt, it would be a disaster. If my mother-in-law comes to take care of the baby, it would be a big deal."The conversation then shifted to ancestral rites and holidays. Lee explained, "Ancestral rites are a Korean tradition..." and noted, "Chuseok has actually been gone for a few years, but we still perform rites during Seollal." He then questioned, "But is that wrong of me?"As the video circulated, criticism of Lee's comments intensified in women's online communities.Netizens reacted, saying, "Typically, when people see their family struggling, they don't wish for their wives to live the same way; they think, 'I don't want my wife to suffer,'" and "It feels strange to look for a family member willing to sacrifice for the family. I wonder if he does the same amount of work." Others commented, "My mother did it, and my sister did it, so I guess that's all he learned."Negative reactions also flooded the YouTube comments section.Users wrote, "Hasn't he ever felt sorry for his hardworking sisters?" and "Just hearing that his sisters raise two kids while working in factories is heartbreaking; I can't understand how he thinks his wife should be like that." Some remarked, "Isn't that asking for someone to sacrifice themselves?" and "It's like he's planning his own wedding funeral."Some pointed out that Lee's comments reflect traditional gender roles that demand women to simultaneously manage work, parenting, and household chores.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 18:00:00
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Heavy Rain Expected Across Most of the Country Tomorrow On Saturday, August 29, heavy rain is expected across most regions of the country.In the Seoul metropolitan area, the five western islands, and northern inland and mountainous regions of Gangwon, rainfall is forecasted to be between 20 to 60 mm. Central and southern inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon, as well as the eastern coast of Gangwon, are expected to receive 5 to 40 mm. The Chungcheong region, including Daejeon, Sejong, South Chungcheong, and North Chungcheong, is also predicted to see 20 to 60 mm of rain.In other areas, the expected rainfall includes 30 to 80 mm in North Jeolla, 20 to 60 mm in Gwangju and South Jeolla, 20 to 60 mm in Daegu and North Gyeongsang, 5 to 40 mm in Busan, Ulsan, and South Gyeongsang, and 5 to 40 mm in Jeju.Some regions may experience a lull in rainfall by late afternoon.This nationwide downpour is expected to be accompanied by strong winds and thunderstorms, so safety precautions are advised.The morning low temperatures are forecasted to range from 21 to 26 degrees Celsius, while daytime highs are expected to be between 25 and 33 degrees Celsius.Specific low temperatures for major areas include: Seoul 24°C, Incheon 25°C, Suwon 24°C, Chuncheon 22°C, Gangneung 22°C, Cheongju 24°C, Daejeon 24°C, Jeonju 25°C, Gwangju 25°C, Daegu 24°C, Busan 26°C, Ulsan 24°C, and Jeju 27°C.High temperatures are forecasted as follows: Seoul 30°C, Incheon 30°C, Suwon 30°C, Chuncheon 29°C, Gangneung 27°C, Cheongju 30°C, Daejeon 29°C, Jeonju 31°C, Gwangju 32°C, Daegu 31°C, Busan 31°C, Ulsan 31°C, and Jeju 32°C.Wave heights are expected to be 0.5 to 2.0 meters in the East Sea, 0.5 to 1.0 meters in the West Sea, and 0.5 to 1.5 meters in the South Sea.In the offshore waters, wave heights are predicted to be 0.5 to 2.5 meters in the East Sea and 0.5 to 2.0 meters in the West and South Seas.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 17:56:10
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Supreme Court Reviews Presidential Request for New Chief Justice Nominee The Supreme Court has begun reviewing the presidential request for a new nominee for chief justice. A key issue is whether to reconstitute the Supreme Court Nomination Committee to restart the nomination process.According to legal sources on August 28, the Court Administration Office is examining responses to the request from the Blue House to nominate a different candidate instead of Son Bong-ki, a senior judge at the Daegu District Court.The Supreme Court is expected to consider whether it can reactivate the committee formed in January or if it must establish a new committee to start the process from scratch. Article 41-2, Section 8 of the Court Organization Act states that the committee is considered dissolved once it recommends a nominee for chief justice.This raises questions about whether one of the three candidates previously recommended by the committee can be immediately resubmitted. The Supreme Court has not yet made an official statement regarding the acceptance of the request or the specific follow-up procedures.On the same day, the Blue House decided not to submit the confirmation vote for Son Bong-ki, who was nominated to succeed former Chief Justice Noh Tae-ack. The reason cited was that Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae did not complete the procedural integrity by submitting Son's nomination without substantial consultation with the Blue House.However, the nomination for Kim Seong-su, a senior judge at the Seoul High Court, who was also nominated to succeed Justice Lee Heung-gu, will proceed as planned with the submission of the confirmation vote to the National Assembly.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 17:52:10
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Two in three South Koreans back nuclear armament, poll shows SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - Nearly two-thirds of South Koreans support the country possessing its own nuclear weapons, while a majority oppose the government's push to merge the Army, Navy and Air Force academies, a Gallup Korea poll showed Friday. The survey of 1,001 adults conducted from Tuesday to Thursday found that 65 percent supported South Korea possessing nuclear weapons, compared with 30 percent who opposed the idea. Support reached 78 percent among supporters of the main opposition People Power Party, 60 percent among supporters of the ruling Democratic Party and 64 percent among politically unaffiliated respondents. The result suggests support for an independent nuclear capability has become a persistent feature of South Korean public opinion. Gallup Korea surveys conducted after North Korea's fifth nuclear test in 2016 and sixth test in 2017 found support at 58 percent and 60 percent, respectively. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimated in June that North Korea had assembled around 60 nuclear warheads and possessed enough fissile material for at least 30 more. Despite strong public support for nuclear armament, Seoul remains a non-nuclear weapons state and relies on U.S. extended deterrence, including Washington's nuclear umbrella. The poll also showed that support for nuclear weapons is not driven solely by fears of imminent conflict. Only 39 percent said they believed North Korea could actually start a war, while 55 percent said it could not. Even among those who saw no real risk of war, 58 percent still supported South Korea possessing nuclear weapons. Gallup Korea said the findings suggest many respondents may view nuclear weapons primarily as a deterrent rather than as weapons intended for actual use. Academy integration faces resistance On the government's plan to integrate the three service academies, 58 percent said they should remain separate, while 30 percent supported integration. The issue showed a sharp partisan divide. Among Democratic Party supporters, 54 percent backed integration, while 85 percent of People Power Party supporters and 70 percent of unaffiliated respondents opposed it. The government and ruling party agreed in July to establish a four-year integrated National Military Academy at Jaundae in Daejeon, replacing the existing service-specific academy structure. Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back has argued that the reform would reduce institutional silos and better prepare officers for joint and all-domain warfare. Alumni groups and other critics, however, say integration could weaken the distinct expertise and traditions of each service. Public split over OPCON timeline South Koreans were more evenly divided over the transfer of wartime operational control, or OPCON, from the United States. Forty-six percent said the transfer should be completed during President Lee Jae Myung's term, which ends in 2030, while 41 percent favored delaying it. Among self-described progressives, 74 percent supported completing the transfer during Lee's term, compared with 27 percent among conservatives. Among moderates, 48 percent supported the move and 43 percent opposed it. Seoul and Washington have agreed that OPCON transfer should be conditions-based rather than tied solely to a fixed date. The allies are currently in the second stage of a three-phase verification process, known as full operational capability. The Lee government has made completing the transition during his term a major defense objective. 70 percent see South Korean military as stronger Seventy percent of respondents said South Korea's military was stronger than North Korea's, while 21 percent viewed the North as superior. The latest South Korean defense white paper, published in 2023 using 2022 data, put North Korea's active-duty force at about 1.28 million troops, compared with about 500,000 in the South at the time. But the Defense Ministry has cautioned that numerical comparisons alone do not capture differences in equipment quality, training, operational concepts and allied capabilities. South Korea's active-duty force has since fallen to about 450,000 amid demographic decline, while Seoul has sought to compensate through advanced weapons, unmanned systems and its alliance with the United States. North Korea, meanwhile, retains major asymmetric capabilities, including nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles and long-range artillery. Younger Koreans see greater risk of war Perceptions of the likelihood of conflict varied sharply by age. While 39 percent overall said North Korea could actually start a war, the figure rose to 54 percent among those aged 18 to 29 and 53 percent among people in their 30s. Only 29 percent of respondents in their 40s saw such a possibility, the lowest among all age groups. The overall result was similar to a Gallup Korea survey conducted after North Korea's sixth nuclear test in 2017, when 37 percent said there was a possibility of war on the Korean Peninsula. The latest poll was conducted through telephone interviews using randomly selected mobile phone numbers. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level, with a contact rate of 44.5 percent and a response rate of 9.5 percent. AJP Takeaways · 65% of South Koreans support possessing nuclear weapons. · 58% oppose merging the Army, Navy and Air Force academies. · 70% believe South Korea’s military is stronger than North Korea’s. 2026-08-28 17:49:12 -
Kazakhstan feels familiar. Family duty runs in reverse SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - Kazakhstan can feel unexpectedly familiar to a Korean visitor. Across Astana, there are faces that at first glance would not look out of place in Seoul. Dark hair, familiar facial contours and gestures of deference toward older people can create fleeting moments of recognition in a country separated from the Korean Peninsula by thousands of kilometers of mountains, desert and steppe. The sense of familiarity runs deeper around the family table. Younger people wait for elders to eat. Ancestry matters. Family identity stretches backward through generations. Parents retain a powerful place in the lives of their adult children. Yet one of the strongest parallels contains an almost perfect reversal. In the traditional Korean family, responsibility for carrying the household forward fell disproportionately on the eldest son. Among Kazakhs, it was traditionally the youngest son. "We have a tradition where the youngest son takes care of the parents," said Aruzan Alim, a 22-year-old office worker in Astana. Alim has an older sister and a younger brother. Her parents, she said, are noticeably more generous toward their youngest child, an indulgence she connects to the obligation that traditionally awaits him. Thousands of kilometers to the east, Korean families arrived at a strikingly similar arrangement from the opposite end of the birth order. For centuries, the eldest son increasingly became the keeper of the ancestral line, the principal performer of family rites and, in many households, the child expected to remain most responsible for aging parents. Different sons inherited the burden. The underlying idea was much the same: one child remained more firmly attached than the others to the house from which the family spread. Familiarity and the danger of easy history Physical and cultural resemblance between Koreans and Central Asians has long encouraged broader theories about common origins. Some Korean scholars and writers have looked toward the Eurasian steppe for traces of ancient Korea. Among the most intriguing is the word Tengri, the ancient Turkic term associated with the sky and the supreme sky deity of Central Asian nomadic peoples. Khan Tengri, the great peak on the Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan-China frontier, preserves the name today. The historical existence and meaning of Tengri are well established in studies of ancient Turkic culture. Korean intellectual Choi Nam-sun was among those who proposed a connection between Tengri and Dangun, the legendary founder of Korea's first kingdom. The theory remains an interpretation rather than an established linguistic genealogy. The resemblance between Astana and Asadal, the legendary capital associated with Dangun, has inspired similar speculation. But Astana means "capital" in Kazakh, while the etymology and location of ancient Asadal remain uncertain. A similarity in sound is not evidence that the two places share an origin. The attraction of such theories is understandable. A Korean traveling through Kazakhstan can encounter enough visual and cultural familiarity to make distant historical connections seem almost intuitive. Family life offers firmer ground for comparison. The youngest son keeps the house In traditional Kazakh society, the parental home carried a special status embodied in the idea of qara shanyraq, the ancestral household. Older sons traditionally received their share of family property and established households of their own. The youngest son, or kenzhe, generally remained with his parents longest. He eventually became custodian of the parental home and assumed a particular responsibility for caring for his mother and father as they aged. The house did not simply become his. It remained the family's house — a place to which older siblings and relatives could return and which retained symbolic importance across the extended family. Kazakh accounts of the tradition continue to describe caring for elderly parents as a particular duty of the youngest son, without absolving other children of responsibility. "As the sons grew up and got married, they would gradually move out," Alim said. "The youngest son stayed in the parental home the longest and eventually inherited it, along with the responsibility of caring for the parents." The custom remains recognizable well beyond historical memory. A 2023 study by the Kazakhstan Institute of Public Development involving 2,400 respondents found strong support among ethnic Kazakhs for the idea that one son, usually the youngest, should live with his parents. Among 1,721 ethnic Kazakh respondents asked the tradition-related questions, 77.3 percent expressed support. Generational differences were visible but hardly overwhelming. Among ethnic Kazakhs aged 18 to 28, 73.6 percent viewed the practice positively or somewhat positively, compared with 84.4 percent among respondents aged 61 and older. Support in Astana stood at 68.8 percent. Korea constructed its family hierarchy differently. Korea chose the eldest The Korean eldest son's position can appear ancient and immutable. It was neither. Earlier in the Joseon Dynasty, inheritance could be distributed relatively evenly among sons and daughters, and responsibility for ancestral rites could rotate among children. The increasingly rigid patrilineal order familiar to modern Koreans developed over centuries as Neo-Confucian family principles became more deeply embedded. By later Joseon, the eldest son occupied a privileged position in the paternal line. He was increasingly entrusted with ancestral rites and often favored in inheritance, particularly property associated with the ancestral household. Historical research shows that primogeniture strengthened gradually rather than appearing fully formed at the beginning of the dynasty. For Kang Myung-jo, a 35-year-old office worker in western Seoul, traces of the old arrangement remain. "In Korea, traditionally it is the eldest son who takes care of the parents," Kang said. The expectation can still create "an unspoken pressure," he said, although he no longer interprets caring for his parents primarily as a duty assigned by birth. "They are my parents and they raised me well," he said. "When I think of it as giving something back to them, I feel taking care of them is the right thing to do." Kang gives his parents a regular allowance, lives nearby and tries to visit often. The contrast with Kazakhstan is revealing. The Korean eldest son inherited greater authority precisely because he remained at the head of the senior family line. The Kazakh youngest son inherited the parental household partly because his older brothers had already left to create households of their own. One system privileged seniority. The other made the last son at home the keeper of the original house. Both placed continuity above individual choice. The table knows your age The similarities become more visible at meals. When Kang's family eats with his grandfather, he said, nobody needs to announce the order. "We basically wait until my grandfather picks up his spoon," he said. "Then the rest of us start eating." The practice remains familiar to Koreans even in households where many other Confucian rituals have disappeared. Alim immediately recognized it. "When we eat traditional food, we follow the rule," she said. "We won't eat it unless the elder eats first." Kazakh dining customs are different in form but equally capable of making hierarchy visible. At ceremonial meals, a boiled sheep's head may traditionally be presented to the eldest or most honored guest. Particular cuts of meat can be assigned according to age, kinship and status. In Korea, hierarchy historically determined who began eating. At a Kazakh feast, it could determine who received which part of the animal. Seven generations behind you Kazakh family identity also reaches unusually far backward. Alim can recite her zheti ata — seven generations of paternal ancestors. "I do. I can memorize them all," she said. The knowledge can have consequences far beyond remembering family names. Kazakh tradition prohibited marriage among relatives within seven generations of the paternal line. The system helped organize kinship across nomadic communities while also creating a clear boundary around permissible marriage. Scholars describe zheti ata as an important mechanism of both genealogy and exogamy in traditional Kazakh society. Alim said the rule would still matter to her. If she discovered that a romantic partner fell within the traditionally prohibited ancestral boundary, she said, the relationship would end. "We would part ways and live on with our lives." Korea once imposed its own powerful connection between paternal ancestry and marriage. Under the former dongseong dongbon system, a man and woman sharing both a surname and the same ancestral origin, or bon-gwan, could not legally marry. Korea's Constitutional Court ruled the blanket restriction unconstitutional in 1997, and it disappeared from the Civil Act in 2005. Current Korean restrictions instead apply according to legally defined degrees of kinship. When obligation becomes choice The more consequential parallel today may be how both systems are loosening. "When we are taking part in a traditional event, we tend to follow it," Alim said. "But during more casual outings or get-togethers, we are more liberal." Kang described much the same negotiation in Korea. "The culture of taking care of one's parents is still there, but things are changing," he said. "There are many families that no longer hold ancestral rites, and I think people are placing more importance on living their own lives." In Korea, the statistical change has been dramatic. The share of people saying the family should bear responsibility for supporting elderly parents fell to 18.2 percent in Statistics Korea's 2024 Social Survey from 70.7 percent in 2002. The eldest son's special burden had eroded even faster. The share identifying the eldest son as responsible for parental support dropped to just 1.3 percent in 2018 from 15.1 percent in 2002. Households themselves are giving the old system less room to operate. One-person households made up 36.1 percent of Korean households in 2024 and 39.9 percent in Seoul. Kazakhstan is urbanizing from a different family structure. Its 2021 census counted about 1.56 million extended households, representing 27.8 percent of all households and containing more than 7 million people. The share had declined from 29.9 percent in 2009, while nuclear families edged higher. Astana remained unusually family-dense for a rapidly expanding capital, with extended families accounting for 32.6 percent of its households. A national study of 2,000 people aged 14 to 34 found 80.1 percent regarded family as their most important value, a result researchers said had remained broadly stable for several years. Family remains important in both societies. What is weakening is the old certainty over who owes what to whom. Kazakhstan traditionally looked toward the youngest son and the qara shanyraq. Korea looked toward the eldest son and the ancestral line. For younger Kazakhs and Koreans, those obligations have not vanished. They are increasingly being renegotiated — transformed from rules inherited at birth into choices made within the family. AJP Takeaways • Korean and Kazakh family traditions show striking parallels despite reversing birth order: Korea historically placed greater filial and ritual responsibility on the eldest son, while Kazakh tradition centers the youngest son as keeper of the parental household. • Kazakhstan's qara shanyraq and Korea's ancestral household both tied property to responsibility, preserving a family center even after other children established households of their own. • Respect for elders and paternal ancestry remain visible in both cultures, from dining hierarchy to traditions governing ancestral knowledge and marriage. • Urbanization and smaller households are weakening fixed family roles in both countries, although surveys show family itself remains a powerful value, particularly among young Kazakhs. 2026-08-28 17:47:14 -
Credit Union to Provide $8.5 Billion in Inclusive Finance Annually The Credit Union Central Association will provide $8.5 billion annually in inclusive finance targeted at low and middle-credit borrowers and low-income individuals. To alleviate the burden on local credit unions, a separate support fund of $38 million will also be established. On August 28, the Credit Union Central Association announced its plans to expand inclusive finance during a vision declaration ceremony and policy discussion held at the National Assembly Library. The association aims to launch specialized inclusive finance products under the vision of 'Finance Together, Inclusive Credit Unions.' The annual supply targets include $1.5 billion for low and middle-credit borrowers, $2.3 billion for low-income individuals, $750 million for online microloans, and $1.5 billion for online Sunshine Loans. Additionally, $1.5 billion will be allocated for social finance aimed at social solidarity economy enterprises and Sunshine Income Villages. A $38 million 'Credit Union Inclusive Finance Support Fund' will also be established. This fund will be used to support principal and interest subsidies, thereby reducing the burden on individual credit unions and managing their financial health. During the event, participants discussed measures to improve the system supporting the expansion of inclusive finance. They agreed on the need for a framework that encourages the provision of inclusive finance resources, rationalizes regulations related to policy finance, and promotes evaluations and incentives that expand regional and low-income finance. Go Young-cheol, chairman of the Credit Union Central Association, stated, "We will proceed with concrete actions such as launching specialized products and establishing the inclusive finance support fund. We will work with the National Assembly and financial authorities to create a regulatory framework that harmonizes inclusive finance with soundness and sustainability." With this vision declaration, the Credit Union Central Association plans to actively expand its inclusive finance initiatives and specify related system improvement tasks while continuing discussions with the National Assembly and financial authorities.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 17:44:00
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Election Commission Special Prosecutor Recommends 10 Candidates for Deputy Prosecutor Lee Tae-han, the special prosecutor investigating allegations of a shortage of ballots during the June 3 local elections, requested on August 28 that President Lee Jae-myung appoint 10 candidates for deputy prosecutor positions. The special prosecutor announced through a media release that it has selected 10 candidates and requested the president to appoint them as deputy prosecutors. Deputy prosecutors are responsible for investigating cases, maintaining prosecutions, supervising special investigators and dispatched officials, and handling media communications, receiving treatment equivalent to that of a chief prosecutor. According to the special prosecutor law, the president must appoint five deputy prosecutors within five days of the request. If the president fails to make the appointments within the specified time, the oldest recommended candidate will be considered appointed. The special prosecutor has been reviewing the qualifications of the candidates after receiving recommendations for six deputy prosecutor candidates from the Korean Bar Association on August 25. Previously, the special prosecutor indicated that it would prioritize forensic and investigative skills as the main criteria for selecting deputy prosecutors, while also considering political neutrality, objectivity, and personal integrity. Once the five deputy prosecutors are appointed, preparations for the special prosecutor's office will begin in earnest. The special prosecutor has sent a request to the Ministry of Justice and the National Police Agency to complete the deployment of 60 investigators, including 20 prosecutors, by September 4. As of today, an additional dispatched prosecutor has reported to the temporary office, bringing the total to 14 personnel, including three dispatched prosecutors, five special investigators, and six dispatched police officers. The special prosecutor also requested the joint investigation team of the police and prosecutors to transfer all records and seized evidence related to the ongoing investigation to the special prosecutor's office. On August 31, the special prosecutor plans to receive and review digitized case records and establish an investigation plan to commence full-scale investigations on September 7.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 17:40:00
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PARU extends rally after share consolidation SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - South Korean renewable energy company PARU surged for a second straight session Friday after trading resumed following a two-for-one share consolidation. Shares of PARU closed 10.82 percent higher at 1,475 won ($1.08) on the KOSDAQ on Friday, after rising as high as 1,630 won in early trading. The gains followed a 29.98 percent surge Thursday, when the stock hit its daily upper limit on the first session after trading resumed. According to a regulatory filing on DART, trading resumed Thursday after the company completed the listing procedures related to the consolidation. PARU consolidated every two common shares into one, raising the face value of each share to 1,000 won from 500 won and reducing the number of issued shares to 20.90 million from 41.80 million. The company said the move was aimed at stabilizing its share price and enhancing shareholder value. Trading had been suspended since Aug. 4 while the consolidation process was completed. PARU, founded in 1993, develops renewable energy equipment and printed electronics technologies. Its solar business includes tracking systems that adjust the position of solar panels to follow the sun and improve power generation efficiency. The company has spent more than three decades developing technologies in renewable energy and related fields. It has expanded its business both at home and overseas, drawing on experience in clean energy projects and advanced manufacturing technologies. PARU said it aims to strengthen its renewable energy business while pursuing new technologies focused on cleaner energy and improved efficiency. The company has also emphasized responsible management and environmental, social and governance practices as part of its long-term growth strategy. AJP Takeaways • PARU closed 10.82 percent higher Friday, extending its rally to a second session after trading resumed following a share consolidation. • The company combined every two common shares into one, halving the number of issued shares to 20.90 million while raising the face value per share to 1,000 won. • Founded in 1993, PARU develops renewable energy and printed electronics technologies, including solar tracking systems designed to improve power generation efficiency. 2026-08-28 17:37:51 -
Marado drone flop exposes Korea's unmanned warfare gap SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - Unmanned ground vehicles rolled down Kyiv's main boulevard, drone boats moved along the Dnipro River and bomber and interceptor drones filled the sky as Ukraine marked 35 years of independence from the Soviet Union this week, putting on public display its power behind sustaining its resistance against Russia into a fourth year. The unconventional military parade underscored how drones — rather than foot soldiers, spectacular warships or tanks — have come to define modern warfare. For South Korea, the contrast was uncomfortable. Two domestically developed suicide drones plunged into the sea within seconds of takeoff from the amphibious assault ship ROKS Marado during a publicly watched maritime combat test earlier this week, turning what was meant to showcase a new capability into an embarrassing flop. The failure also stirred concern in a country facing nuclear-armed North Korea, which has been expanding its own drone arsenal and has gained exposure to Iranian-made drones and battlefield tactics through closer military cooperation with Russia. A simple defect in the launcher, rather than a problem with the drones themselves, caused the two South Korean aircraft to crash during their first maritime combat test, the country's state-run defense research agency said Friday. The Agency for Defense Development (ADD) said an initial investigation found that a misaligned door on one of the launch tubes created an imbalance as the drones were fired from the Marado on Tuesday. "The unmanned aircraft and the overall system were confirmed to be operating normally," an ADD official told reporters Friday. "As developers, we are more disappointed than anyone that such a simple defect led to the worst possible outcome," the official said. The launcher consisted of two levels of launch tubes. According to ADD, a door on the left side of a lower tube had been installed slightly out of alignment. When a drone was fired from the upper tube, the force generated during launch briefly pushed the misaligned lower door inward. The resulting uneven reaction force pushed the departing aircraft to the right and destabilized it immediately after takeoff. The drone turned sharply to the right, became unable to maintain flight and fell into the sea. The deformation lasted only an instant before the door returned to its original position, making the problem difficult to detect during an inspection after the first crash, ADD said. A second drone launched from the same system shortly afterward also crashed. ADD said it had conducted dozens of previous launches without encountering the same problem. "We believe the misalignment may have occurred while moving the launcher, loading cargo or during the assembly process," the official said, adding that investigators were still trying to determine exactly when the launcher became distorted. The finding shifts attention away from initial questions over whether maritime conditions, ship movement or problems with the drones' flight-control systems had caused the accident. Still, shipboard operations pose challenges that do not arise during launches from land. "Launching drones from a ship is fundamentally different from doing so on land, given factors such as weather conditions and the limited space aboard a vessel," said Chae Woo-seok, chairman of the Korea Defense Industry Association. Both aircraft crashed within seconds of launch, before they could begin the main part of the demonstration, which was intended to test their ability to identify and strike a high-speed unmanned surface target about two kilometers away. ADD said it does not plan another maritime launch before the research project ends next month. The agency said the project's core technologies have already been demonstrated through dozens of successful ground launches, while the shipboard test was an additional experiment aimed at assessing the possibility of maritime operation. More than a flying bomb The accident has also drawn attention to what South Korea is trying to build as suicide drones increasingly shape wars from Ukraine to the Middle East. Broadly, suicide drones are unmanned aircraft carrying explosives that are destroyed along with their targets. They are also commonly described as one-way attack drones or, in systems capable of searching an area before striking, loitering munitions. The category covers weapons with dramatically different costs and capabilities. Iran's Shahed-136 represents one end of that spectrum. The roughly 200-kilogram aircraft is designed primarily as a relatively inexpensive, long-range one-way attack weapon. The system has an estimated range of between 1,000 and 2,500 kilometers and carries roughly 20 to 50 kilograms of payload, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Its main advantage is affordability and scale rather than technological sophistication. Analysts estimate a Shahed costs roughly $20,000 to $50,000, allowing large numbers to be launched simultaneously to exhaust or overwhelm much more expensive air defenses. Russia has demonstrated the concept extensively in Ukraine, using thousands of Shahed-type drones in repeated waves against infrastructure and other targets. The Center for Strategic and International Studies described their operational logic as one of attrition, in which even a relatively low individual success rate can be offset by low cost and mass deployment. Russia launched more than 14,700 one-way attack drones against Ukraine between September 2022 and the end of 2024, according to a CSIS analysis. Although roughly 90 percent of Shahed-type drones in the dataset were intercepted or otherwise failed to reach their targets, CSIS estimated that their relatively low unit cost of about $35,000 still made them Russia's most cost-effective long-range strike weapon. Russia was deploying more than 5,000 drones per month on average by early 2026, according to CSIS, allowing Moscow to sustain repeated attack waves despite heavy losses. The medium-sized drone tested aboard the Marado is intended to fill a different role. Defense officials have characterized the Korean system as a more "high-end" suicide drone. The ADD research program, launched in 2024, is aimed at securing technologies including integrated communications with low-Earth-orbit satellites and automatic target recognition. Those capabilities are intended to allow the drone to operate as part of a more sophisticated network, identify targets and alter its mission rather than simply fly toward a predetermined coordinate. Tuesday's planned experiment illustrated that distinction. Instead of attacking a fixed target whose location was already known, the drones were supposed to launch from a moving ship, identify a fast-moving unmanned vessel at sea and strike it. The project's stated goals include automatic target recognition and data exchange through low-Earth-orbit satellites. A direct comparison with the Shahed is therefore difficult. The Iranian drone is optimized largely around low cost, range and mass, while the Korean medium-sized system emphasizes sensors, communications, target recognition and precision. The added sophistication also raises the cost of a suicide drone designed to be destroyed after a single mission. The experience of the war in Ukraine suggests cost can directly affect combat power by determining how many drones a military can afford to expend and replace. The U.S. Defense Department has emphasized what it calls "attritable" autonomous systems, platforms built affordably enough that commanders can accept a greater risk of losing them, while pursuing deployment in large numbers. That does not necessarily mean every suicide drone should be built as cheaply as possible. A Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) official said the drone tested aboard the Marado falls toward the more sophisticated end of that spectrum. "The drone was developed with the goal of directly identifying targets using electro-optical and infrared cameras and changing its flight path in real time while in flight before striking," the official said. "That requires a number of different components to operate together, and integrating them into a single system inevitably adds considerable cost." The official stressed that South Korea is developing unmanned systems across a range of prices and capabilities rather than pursuing only high-end weapons. "We are not developing just a single type, but dozens of different types," the official said. "Just as there are low-cost cars and high-end, expensive cars on the market, it would be helpful to understand our drone development in the same way." AJP Takeaways • Two South Korean suicide drones crashed into the sea during a shipboard combat test after a misaligned launch-tube door destabilized them seconds after takeoff, according to ADD. • The failure came as Ukraine publicly showcased aerial, ground and maritime drones during its Independence Day military display, underscoring the growing role of unmanned weapons in modern warfare. • South Korea's medium-sized attack drone is designed with satellite communications, automatic target recognition and real-time course adjustment, placing it at the more sophisticated end of the one-way attack drone spectrum. • Seoul is developing unmanned weapons across a range of prices and capabilities as cheaper mass-produced drones and more advanced networked systems take on growing roles in modern conflicts. 2026-08-28 17:28:22