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  • Is Allergic Rhinitis Already Here? Sneezing and Runny Nose Amid 95°F Heat
    Is Allergic Rhinitis Already Here? Sneezing and Runny Nose Amid 95°F Heat Although summer heat persists, those suffering from allergic rhinitis are already expressing that “autumn has arrived.”On August 26, various online communities saw an influx of posts from allergy sufferers sharing their experiences.In the posts, individuals reported, “Suddenly, I have a runny nose and am sneezing a lot, and my eyes are itchy.” They described symptoms such as, “I have been dripping with a runny nose since morning,” “I can’t stop sneezing,” and “My eyes are so itchy that I keep rubbing them,” leading them to conclude, “Isn’t this a sign that autumn is coming?”One user noted, “Recently, I suddenly started having a runny nose and sneezing a lot from the morning,” adding, “My eyes are so itchy due to allergies.”Other users commented on the simultaneous onset of allergy symptoms, saying, “It still looks like summer outside, but those with allergies can sense the seasonal change first,” and “Allergy sufferers are starting to show common reactions; autumn is finally coming.”Indeed, autumn is a time when allergic rhinitis symptoms are likely to flare up. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, pollen from weeds primarily occurs between August and October, with common allergens including ragweed and mugwort.Past analyses by the Ministry of Environment and the Environmental Health Center at Inha University have shown that the number of allergic rhinitis patients tends to increase from late August. The analysis indicated that pollen levels in September are among the highest of the year, coinciding with the peak number of allergic rhinitis cases.Typical symptoms of allergic rhinitis include repeated sneezing, clear nasal discharge, and nasal congestion. Itching and redness around the eyes and nose may also occur. While symptoms can resemble those of a cold, they often do not include fever, and if symptoms recur in specific seasons or environments, allergies may be suspected.However, it cannot be definitively concluded that the season has changed based solely on rhinitis symptoms. Various allergy-inducing factors, such as temperature changes, pollen, dust mites, and fine dust, can also influence symptoms.Nevertheless, for those who experience rhinitis symptoms around the same time each year, sudden sneezing and a runny nose are perceived as a kind of ‘signal’ indicating a change in the season. 2026-08-26 16:12:10
  • Chinese Stocks Rise on Progress in U.S.-Iran Negotiations; Superconductor Stocks Surge
    Chinese Stocks Rise on Progress in U.S.-Iran Negotiations; Superconductor Stocks Surge Chinese stocks continued their upward trend on August 26, following gains from the previous day. News of progress in negotiations between the U.S. and Iran provided a boost. The Shanghai Composite Index closed up 0.59% at 3,912.52, the Shenzhen Component Index rose 0.69% to 13,841.33, and the ChiNext Index increased by 0.51% to 3,414.88.Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported on August 25, citing sources, that the U.S. and Iran have agreed to a ceasefire proposal that includes free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The sources indicated that an announcement regarding the ceasefire agreement could be made within days. However, the report did not provide further details. The visit of CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Moscow on August 25 has fueled speculation about progress in the negotiations. It remains unclear whom Ratcliffe met or what discussions took place, but there are expectations that topics such as the Ukraine war and the conflict with Iran were addressed.Additionally, optimism surrounding Nvidia's earnings report has contributed to a rally in Chinese technology stocks. There was notable buying activity in sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and robotics.The People's Bank of China also announced on the same day that it injected 239.5 billion yuan into the market through a seven-day reverse repurchase agreement, which was seen as a positive factor for market liquidity.Notably, stocks related to nuclear fusion surged, with companies like Rongfa Nuclear Power and Baidi Electric hitting their daily limits. At the '2026 Nuclear Fusion Energy Conference' held in Shanghai on August 25, a consortium led by the state-owned China Nuclear Fusion Energy and eight other companies was formed. The consortium aims to develop and test a 25T-class high-temperature superconducting magnet by 2028 and produce prototypes by 2030.Financial stocks also performed well, with Chu Tian Long and Xiangcai Securities reaching their daily limits. As listed securities firms continue to report their earnings, it has been confirmed that many are achieving strong results. Zhongtai Securities reported a 146.8% increase in net profit for the first half of the year compared to the previous year, while Caida Securities and Huahuan Securities also saw their net profits more than double.Meanwhile, the People's Bank of China set the yuan's central parity rate against the dollar at 6.7829 yuan, a decrease of 0.0023 yuan from the previous day, reflecting a 0.03% increase in the value of the yuan.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-26 16:12:10
  • AI Conductor Initiative to Address Social Isolation and Other Challenges
    AI Conductor Initiative to Address Social Isolation and Other Challenges The advent of artificial intelligence (AI), deepening social isolation, and the climate crisis have prompted a national initiative to support large-scale research in the humanities and social sciences. Starting in September, 94 innovative interdisciplinary research projects will begin addressing pressing societal challenges, ranging from developing new liberal education models that integrate human and AI collaboration to ecological care models for an aging society. Among the most notable projects is a study by Yonsei University's Center for Liberal Education, which aims to redefine liberal education in the AI era. This research will propose a new type of talent known as the 'AI Conductor,' who can creatively collaborate with AI while preserving human agency, drawing on the expertise of researchers from the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and software fields. Additionally, several significant studies focusing on social solutions have been selected. The KU Mental Health Research Institute at Korea University will investigate the causes, maintenance, and recovery pathways of social isolation from a life-cycle perspective to establish a foundation for response policies. Meanwhile, the Sogang University Institute of Social Sciences will analyze the impact of AI proliferation on the labor market, caregiving, and communities to develop a policy framework for a fair transition to AI. Furthermore, the Design Research Institute at Inje University will study AI-based ecological care models tailored to local communities amid the challenges of an aging society and the ongoing threat of infectious diseases. The Middle East Institute at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies will integrate fragmented domestic research on Middle Eastern studies to propose a new paradigm and expand the scope of Korean humanities. A total of 195 billion won (approximately $164 million) will be allocated to the 94 newly selected projects, which will officially commence on September 1. This marks an increase of 10 projects (11.9%) from 2025, reflecting the government's commitment to enhancing the specialization of university-affiliated research institutes and supporting high-quality academic research outcomes. The selected group research projects will be divided into four key areas. The 'Humanities Korea 3.0 Support' initiative will focus on nurturing university-affiliated research institutes to a world-class level, with eight research hubs and two consortiums selected. The 'Support for Humanities and Social Research' initiative will allocate a total of 44 projects, including five new education-linked projects aimed at enhancing primary and secondary education and four projects focused on arts and sports. Additionally, the 'Global Humanities and Social Convergence Research Support' initiative, which encourages interdisciplinary collaboration with researchers from the natural sciences, has selected 33 projects. Notably, this year, the consortium-type research on long-term international issues will be transitioned to an open call format to enhance innovation. Finally, the 'Social Science Research Support' initiative, which addresses designated agendas reflecting national and social needs, has selected four domestic and three international projects based on themes such as the digitalization of governance and coexistence in the climate crisis era. Minister of Education Cho Kyoo-jin stated, "I hope that convergence research based on the humanities and social sciences will provide long-term alternatives and practical solutions to the complex issues facing the world, such as the AI transformation, social isolation, and the climate crisis. We will establish a stable support system to ensure that collective intelligence from universities and academia leads to world-leading research outcomes and contributes to solving social problems."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-26 16:12:00
  • Gwangju Semiconductor Industrial Complex Project Receives Preliminary Feasibility Exemption
    Gwangju Semiconductor Industrial Complex Project Receives Preliminary Feasibility Exemption The development of the Gwangju Semiconductor Industrial Complex, which requires power and water supply, as well as financial support, will be expedited. This follows the exemption from the preliminary feasibility study. According to the government and Gwangju Metropolitan City on August 26, during the 37th Cabinet meeting held on August 25 at the Cheong Wa Dae Sejong Room, President Lee Jae-myung presided over the meeting where the exemption from the preliminary feasibility study for four infrastructure and financial support projects related to the southwestern semiconductor industrial complex was unanimously approved. The preliminary feasibility study is a system that verifies the economic viability and policy justification of large-scale national financial projects in advance. Exemption from this study can significantly accelerate the start of the projects. During the meeting, President Lee emphasized, "To structurally reorganize the capital region's dominance and create new growth engines in each region, bold and macro-level approaches are necessary. The central and local governments must work as a solid team to pave the way for a better future for South Korea." The key decision made at the Cabinet meeting was to establish a legal basis for quickly building the power and water supply networks necessary for the operation of the semiconductor complex without legal procedures. The government plans to apply both the exemption from the preliminary feasibility study and the omission of the feasibility study to the 'Three Mega Project Infrastructure Construction Projects' to accelerate the implementation of the infrastructure needed for the operation of Fab 4. Power will be supplied through a connection of approximately 20 to 25 kilometers from the Shinjang and Shinkwangju 345kV transmission networks to the complex, with the first phase of about 4GW of power capacity to be established by 2029. Subsequently, additional direct transmission lines to the complex will be added to meet the total demand of 6.3GW required by Fab 4 and its partner companies, utilizing nuclear and renewable energy as the primary power sources, while also considering liquefied natural gas combined heat and power generation and energy storage systems as supplementary options. Water supply is estimated to require 650,000 tons daily for the operation of the complex. This will be sourced from the Juam Dam (450,000 tons) and the Jangheung and Naju Dams (100,000 tons each). An additional 300,000 tons from Gwangju's wastewater treatment reuse and 270,000 tons from regional water management reserves will be secured, establishing a system to provide 1.33 million tons daily. The integrated financial support project for the creation of the southwestern semiconductor cluster has also received confirmation of its feasibility exemption. This project, which will run from 2027 to 2030, is expected to amount to 6 trillion won and will encompass infrastructure expansion, the establishment of upstream and downstream industrial ecosystems, and workforce development. The focus is on timely linking investments in new fabs by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix with public infrastructure to achieve initial mass production by June 2030. However, the exemption was processed conditionally, based on the revision of the 'Special Act on the Establishment of the Integrated Special City of Jeonnam and Gwangju,' which serves as the legal basis for the project.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-26 16:12:00
  • Resolution to Expel Lee Jin-sook Passes Amid Controversy Over May 18 Remarks
    Resolution to Expel Lee Jin-sook Passes Amid Controversy Over May 18 Remarks A resolution calling for the expulsion of Lee Jin-sook, a member of the People Power Party, amid controversy over her remarks regarding the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, passed in the National Assembly on August 26. A total of 36 bills, including non-controversial livelihood legislation, were also approved.During the plenary session, the resolution was passed with 157 votes in favor, 1 against, and 1 invalid vote out of 159 registered members. This move is expected to escalate the Democratic Party's offensive against Lee.Most members of the People Power Party, except for a few such as Han Ji-a, Woo Jae-jun, Jo Kyung-tae, Kim Ye-ji, and Kim Hyung-dong, abstained from the vote and left the assembly hall. In response, Democratic Party members condemned their absence, demanding, "Vote and leave!" and calling for Lee's resignation.Chun Jun-ho, the Democratic Party's floor leader, stated after the resolution was introduced, "Despite concerns from her party, Lee held a forum where outrageous comments were made about the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, labeling it as a contamination of the 87 system and a riot." He added that such discussions could only be viewed as historical distortion and called for Lee's expulsion for violating her constitutional duties and the dignity of her role as a representative of the people.Additionally, the assembly agreed to conduct a national audit during the regular session of the National Assembly in 2026. A bill to amend the National Assembly Act to include the head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency in the personnel hearing process also passed, with 214 votes in favor out of 228 registered members, while the amendment to the Personnel Hearing Act received 210 votes in favor, with 5 against and 13 abstentions.A bill prohibiting the use of terms like "warehouse" and "factory" in pharmacy names also passed with 205 votes in favor out of 212 registered members.Meanwhile, the special law for Yongsan Park, intended to support government real estate supply, was postponed due to a lack of agreement between the ruling and opposition parties. After a meeting with the leadership of both parties, Chun stated, "We will respond flexibly based on the discussions between Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Yoon-deok and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon," indicating that the bill was deprioritized for the plenary session.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-26 16:12:00
  • Kakao Games Subsidiary Ocean Drive Showcases God Save Birmingham at Gamescom
    Kakao Games Subsidiary Ocean Drive Showcases 'God Save Birmingham' at Gamescom Kakao Games' subsidiary Ocean Drive Studio is set to showcase its upcoming global title, 'God Save Birmingham,' at Gamescom 2026 in Cologne, Germany. Kakao Games announced on the 26th that Ocean Drive Studio will participate in Gamescom 2026, taking place from the 26th to the 30th, to demonstrate 'God Save Birmingham.' Gamescom is the world's largest gaming exhibition, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors and industry professionals each year. Ocean Drive Studio will present 'God Save Birmingham' in the second exhibition hall, continuing its participation from 2024 and 2025, and will showcase the game to global users and industry representatives. Earlier, on the 21st, Ocean Drive Studio released a new trailer featuring the co-op mode of 'God Save Birmingham.' Kakao Games plans to conduct core group testing focused on the co-op mode for users who participated in the pre-alpha and alpha phases. Following this, additional participants for the co-op mode will be recruited through the Steam page, expanding to beta testing. After Gamescom, Ocean Drive Studio will also participate in PAX West, a gaming exhibition in Seattle, USA, from September 4 to 7, where 'God Save Birmingham' will be showcased. This aims to further engage North American users and industry representatives following Gamescom. 'God Save Birmingham' is a medieval zombie survival game that was first unveiled at Gamescom 2024. It has garnered attention for its realistic graphics and physics effects powered by Unreal Engine 5, along with a creative combat system that utilizes surrounding objects.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-26 16:08:20
  • Korean Financial Supervisory Service May Not Be Designated as Public Institution in Exchange for Relocation
    Korean Financial Supervisory Service May Not Be Designated as Public Institution in Exchange for Relocation The possibility of the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) not being designated as a public institution in exchange for its relocation has been discussed among government and financial authorities. This so-called 'trade-off' would allow the FSS to accept relocation while avoiding organizational and budgetary controls associated with public institution status. However, the designation of the FSS as a public institution is a long-term commitment that the government may find difficult to guarantee, and the FSS labor union has expressed strong opposition, stating that the two issues cannot be traded off against each other.According to the financial sector on August 26, discussions among the government and related agencies regarding a second round of public institution relocations have included the option of linking the FSS's relocation to its non-designation as a public institution. Given the government's strong commitment to regional relocation, it is argued that providing the FSS with at least some autonomy in organizational operations and budget would help mitigate backlash against the move.Currently, the FSS is not designated as a public institution, but the possibility of such designation arises every year. After being subjected to conditions for postponement in 2018, the FSS implemented requirements such as organizational and senior position reductions and met all existing conditions by 2024. Although it was not included in the designation agenda for 2025, the issue was revisited in January of this year and postponed again under new conditions.The main limitation of the trade-off proposal lies in the fact that while the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport oversees the relocation, the designation of public institutions is decided annually by the Public Institution Operating Committee. Even if the current government promises not to designate the FSS, discussions could resume in the following year or under a future administration. While relocation is difficult to reverse, the promise of non-designation is an asymmetric exchange that could change at any time.The FSS union has made it clear that it cannot accept the proposal linking relocation to non-designation. Kim Sang-woo, the union chairman, stated, "The designation of a public institution is a matter concerning the independence of financial supervision, while relocation is about the ability to closely monitor and supervise the financial industry. Both independence and on-site accessibility are necessary, so it is difficult to approach this by sacrificing one for the other."The FSS is concerned that relocating to a regional area could reduce the efficiency of inspections and supervision, as financial companies and market infrastructure are concentrated in Seoul. Conversely, the government views the regional placement of financial institutions as an opportunity to foster local financial industries and promote balanced development. The trade-off proposal, which asks both sides to choose between organizational autonomy and on-site accessibility, is likely to spark new debates rather than bridge the gap between the two parties.The government plans to review the potential for relocating approximately 350 institutions and will finalize the relocation targets and placement plans after gathering opinions from local governments and labor unions through a public consultation process in October and November.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-26 16:04:20
  • Koreas Financial Supervisory Service May Not Be Designated as a Public Institution
    Korea's Financial Supervisory Service May Not Be Designated as a Public Institution The possibility of the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) not being designated as a public institution in exchange for its relocation has been discussed among government and financial authorities. This so-called 'trade-off' would allow the FSS to accept relocation while avoiding organizational and budgetary controls associated with public institution status. However, the designation of public institutions is a long-term commitment that the government may find difficult to guarantee, and the FSS labor union opposes the idea, stating that the two issues cannot be exchanged.According to the financial sector on August 26, discussions among the government and related agencies regarding a second round of public institution relocations have included the option of linking the FSS's relocation to its non-designation as a public institution. Given the government's strong commitment to relocation, the argument is that providing the FSS with some autonomy in its operations could mitigate backlash against the move.Currently, the FSS is not designated as a public institution, but the possibility of such designation arises every year. After being placed under conditions for public institution designation in 2018, the FSS implemented requirements such as organizational and senior position reductions, fulfilling all conditions by 2024. Although it was not included in the designation agenda for 2025, the issue was revisited in January of this year and again postponed under new conditions.The main limitation of the trade-off proposal lies in this context. While the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport oversees the relocation, the designation of public institutions is determined annually by the Public Institution Operation Committee. Even if the current government promises not to designate the FSS, discussions could resume in the following year or under the next administration. While relocation is difficult to reverse, the promise of non-designation is an asymmetric exchange that can change at any time.The FSS union has expressed a firm stance against linking relocation to non-designation. Kim Sang-woo, the union chairman, stated, “Public institution designation is a matter of independence in financial supervision, while relocation concerns the ability to closely monitor and supervise the financial industry. Both independence and on-site accessibility are necessary, so it is difficult to approach this by sacrificing one for the other.”The FSS is concerned that relocating to a regional area could reduce the efficiency of inspections and supervision, as financial companies and market infrastructure are concentrated in Seoul. Conversely, the government views the relocation of financial institutions as an opportunity to foster regional financial industries and promote balanced development. The trade-off proposal, which asks both sides to choose between organizational autonomy and on-site accessibility, is likely to spark new debates rather than bridge the gap between the two parties.The government plans to review the potential for relocating approximately 350 institutions and will finalize the relocation targets and placement plans after gathering opinions from local governments and labor unions through a public consultation process in October and November.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-26 16:04:10
  • Big Three Life Insurers Fall Below 50% Market Share Amid Profit Focus
    Big Three Life Insurers Fall Below 50% Market Share Amid Profit Focus The combined market share of South Korea's Big Three life insurers—Samsung Life, Hanwha Life, and Kyobo Life—has fallen below 50% based on premium income. While Samsung Life's market share increased compared to the same period last year, declines in Hanwha Life and Kyobo Life pulled the overall share down. Following the introduction of the new international accounting standard (IFRS 17), the focus of insurance companies has shifted from expanding size to long-term profitability and capital efficiency, leading to changes in the competitive landscape for premium income.According to the insurance industry on August 26, the cumulative market share of Samsung Life, Hanwha Life, and Kyobo Life for the first five months of this year stands at 48.7%, a decrease of 2.9 percentage points compared to the same period last year. This figure also represents a drop of 0.4 percentage points from the cumulative data reported in February.Premium income refers to the total amount of premiums received by insurers from policyholders, serving as a key indicator of an insurer's size. The combined annual market share of the Big Three had remained above 50% from 2022 until last year, but it has now fallen below that threshold, raising uncertainty about their ability to maintain a 50% annual share this year.The performance of each company has varied. Samsung Life's market share for January to May is 20.8%, an increase of 0.5 percentage points from the same period last year. In contrast, Hanwha Life's share decreased by 1.5 percentage points to 14.5%, while Kyobo Life's share fell by 2.0 percentage points to 13.4%. The declines in Hanwha Life and Kyobo Life outweighed the gains made by Samsung Life, resulting in the overall market share of the Big Three dropping below 50%.Industry experts believe that the changes in product sales strategies following the implementation of IFRS 17 have impacted the market share of premium income. In the past, selling high-premium savings or pension insurance and high-value whole life insurance could quickly increase premium income and market share. However, under the IFRS 17 framework, the importance of the contract service margin (CSM) and capital efficiency has grown.As a result, life insurers are now placing greater emphasis on selling protection products, such as health insurance, rather than savings insurance. While savings insurance is advantageous for expanding size due to its larger premium payments, it has a stronger savings and accumulation nature, resulting in relatively lower profitability and capital efficiency. Protection insurance, on the other hand, has smaller premiums per policy, limiting the immediate impact on premium income growth but potentially securing higher CSM in the long run.With competition intensifying in product offerings and sales channels, operational costs have also risen. Samsung Life's operational costs for the first half of this year reached 2.8612 trillion won, a 13.9% increase from the same period last year. Hanwha Life reported operational costs of 2.4386 trillion won, up 9.0%, while Kyobo Life's costs rose by 1.7% to 1.2738 trillion won. Samsung Life's sales promotion expenses increased by 27.1% during the same period.An industry insider stated, "In the past, insurers could grow their size by selling large premium savings or high-value whole life insurance. However, since the introduction of IFRS 17, companies are now considering long-term profitability and capital efficiency when selling products rather than simply focusing on receiving high premiums." 2026-08-26 16:04:10
  • Renewable Energy to Expand to 220 GW by 2040, with Solar Power at 155 GW and Offshore Wind at 45 GW
    Renewable Energy to Expand to 220 GW by 2040, with Solar Power at 155 GW and Offshore Wind at 45 GW The government has unveiled a plan to expand operational renewable energy capacity to 220 GW by 2040, nearly six times the 37 GW capacity recorded last year. This initiative aims to meet the surging electricity demand from artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and semiconductor mega-clusters while phasing out coal power by 2040.The Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment and the 12th Basic Plan for Power Supply and Demand held the 6th public forum on August 26 at the Korea Electric Power Corporation's Southern Seoul headquarters, where they presented the renewable energy supply outlook. This outlook will be incorporated into the 12th Basic Plan after considering feedback from the forum and further review.Operational renewable energy capacity is projected to increase from 37 GW in 2025 to 100 GW by 2030, 163 GW by 2035, and 220 GW by 2040. Compared to the 121.9 GW forecast in the 11th Basic Plan for 2038, this represents an increase of 98.1 GW. Additionally, self-installed solar power is expected to grow from 4.6 GW in 2024 to 8.1 GW by 2030, 11.9 GW by 2035, and 16.3 GW by 2040.To achieve the 100 GW target by 2030, an additional 63 GW must be installed over the next five years, averaging 12.6 GW per year.By 2040, solar power is expected to account for approximately 70% of the operational capacity at 155.3 GW. Onshore wind is projected at 15.5 GW, offshore wind at 45 GW, and other sources such as hydro and bioenergy at 4 GW.The solar power forecast incorporates the easing of distance regulations and improvements in module efficiency. The ministry utilized geographic information systems to estimate the solar market potential at 271 GW by 2040. A diffusion model based on past installation performance suggested a capacity of 132 GW, but with the policy effects of easing distance regulations for rooftop installations and community participation projects, the forecast was raised to 155.3 GW, ahead of schedule by 3.6 years.Offshore wind capacity is expected to expand from the current 0.4 GW to 3.1 GW by 2030, 25 GW by 2035, and 45 GW by 2040, representing a more than 100-fold increase. This projection assumes that 24.6 GW of existing project permits will be realized and that 20 GW of government-led planned sites will be completed. The government plans to begin bidding for planned sites in 2029 and will enhance infrastructure such as ports and dedicated installation vessels to supply 4 GW annually starting in 2036.Onshore wind capacity is calculated based on the current installed capacity of 2.1 GW, existing permitted projects of 8.1 GW, an anticipated 5 GW of new permits, and 0.3 GW from repowering old facilities. The self-installed solar power figure was determined based on the cumulative installation trend of 4.6 GW as of 2024.The expansion of renewable energy is a response to the rapidly increasing electricity demand. The power supply planning committee previously revised the maximum power demand forecast for 2040 to 165 GW. Additional demand of 20.6 GW is expected from advanced industries such as semiconductors and 7.9 GW from data centers, making it urgent for export companies to secure carbon-free power to comply with RE100 commitments.The ministry plans to reflect the proposed legislative changes to ease the road distance limit for solar power from 100 meters to 0 meters in the 13th Basic Plan, as recalibrating this will require significant time. Feedback from this forum will also be reviewed for additional incorporation into the 12th Basic Plan.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-26 16:04:00