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  • Defense Acquisition Agency Establishes NATO Standards Guidance, Aims for Export Diversification
    Defense Acquisition Agency Establishes NATO Standards Guidance, Aims for Export Diversification The Defense Acquisition Agency announced on August 24 that it has established the 'NATO Standards Provision and Management Guidelines,' which outline the procedures and security management criteria for domestic companies, research institutions, and government agencies to request and receive NATO standards for the first time. NATO standards are essential for domestic companies to ensure interoperability with weapon systems of NATO member countries and to conduct necessary certifications and tests. These standards play a crucial role in exports to NATO member countries and participation in international joint research and development projects. Following the recent Korea-NATO summit, there has been an increase in requests from domestic companies for NATO standards as defense exports and research and development cooperation with NATO member countries expand. However, there has not been a clear official process for applications and provision, leading to difficulties in securing standards and support from the Defense Acquisition Agency. In response, the Defense Acquisition Agency has established the 'NATO Standards Provision and Management Guidelines' based on NATO security policies, the Korea-NATO Security Administrative Agreement, and domestic security regulations. The agency noted, "This is significant as it lays the groundwork for domestic companies to receive NATO standards more quickly and systematically for the first time." The guidelines categorize NATO standards based on their disclosure scope and classification levels, specifying the application requirements and procedures for securing and providing each type. For non-classified standards, the Defense Acquisition Agency will quickly secure and provide them through NATO's online database, while classified standards will be obtained and provided after receiving NATO's public approval. Additionally, the guidelines establish post-management criteria, including return and destruction procedures, facility security, and reporting systems in case of security incidents for institutions receiving the standards. A Defense Acquisition Agency official expressed hope that knowing and approaching the standards desired by NATO when localizing follow-up logistics support or components could lead to expanded exports of components. Another official mentioned, "Countries in South America, such as Brazil, are increasingly including requests for NATO standards in their proposals, and as the reliability of Korean weapons increases, diversification is occurring in export countries and weapon systems." Prior to establishing these guidelines, the Defense Acquisition Agency held briefing sessions for domestic defense companies to gather opinions and listen to on-site suggestions. The agency plans to continue supporting companies in implementing the guidelines through further briefing sessions. Lee Yong-cheol, head of the Defense Acquisition Agency, stated, "This will practically contribute to expanding our companies' participation in defense exports to NATO member countries and international joint research and development projects."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-24 15:44:00
  • NCT 127 unveils seventh album BLINGY
    NCT 127 unveils seventh album BLINGY Members of NCT 127 pose for photos during a press conference marking the release of their seventh full-length album, "BLINGY," at Seoul Sky 31 Convention A in Songpa District, Seoul, on Aug. 24, 2026. 2026-08-24 15:43:24
  • Government Revises Real Estate Tax Plan After Three Weeks
    Government Revises Real Estate Tax Plan After Three Weeks The government has begun discussions to revise parts of its real estate tax plan just three weeks after its announcement. Concerns have been raised that the tax burden on non-resident homeowners could increase excessively, prompting the possibility of policy adjustments. While the intention is to alleviate unreasonable burdens on actual residents, there are warnings that frequent changes to the real estate tax system could undermine its predictability.According to sources from relevant ministries and political circles on August 24, the government plans to maintain the overall framework of strengthening taxes on high-value properties while easing the simultaneous increase in the comprehensive real estate tax and capital gains tax for non-resident homeowners.This issue was a key agenda item at the 10th high-level government-party meeting held the previous day. Kim Min-seok, the leader of the Democratic Party, expressed general agreement with the government's direction on expanding real estate supply and tax reform but emphasized the need for further review regarding the tax burden on non-resident homeowners.Under the initial government proposal, non-resident homeowners would see simultaneous reductions in tax benefits for both the comprehensive real estate tax and capital gains tax. The basic deduction for the comprehensive real estate tax applicable to one-household, one-homeowners would be lowered from 1.2 billion won to 900 million won, while the capital gains tax would be restructured to gradually eliminate deductions based on the holding period, focusing benefits on actual residency.As a result, concerns have been raised that homeowners who cannot reside in their properties due to work, children's education, or family care may face a sharp increase in their tax burden. Kim also noted that even if the current system is maintained, the tax burden on non-residents could naturally increase due to rising publicly assessed property values.Kim Jeong-sik, an emeritus professor of economics at Yonsei University, stated, "Even if someone is classified as a non-resident, there are unavoidable circumstances, such as work or family issues, that prevent them from residing in their homes. It is not easy to determine which cases should be classified as non-resident and penalized. If the tax burden on non-resident homeowners increases, it could lead to a reduction in rental housing supply, driving up rental prices."Some are concerned that the government's decision to enter into revision discussions just three weeks after announcing the tax reform plan could diminish the predictability of its policies. The real estate tax system directly impacts household asset management decisions, including when to buy or sell homes, as well as the duration of ownership and rental status. Frequent changes could distort the decision-making of market participants.In particular, homeowners may delay selling their properties, leading to a slowdown in the market. If the perception solidifies that the government repeatedly postpones or modifies tax policies based on market conditions or public opinion, even if future tax measures are strengthened, the market may not accept them as a consistent policy, weakening the signal of the policy.This presents a dilemma for the government. While it is necessary to address unexpected excessive tax burdens during the legislative process, retreating from the overall framework of the policy immediately after its announcement could undermine the credibility of the tax policy. Ultimately, the challenge will be to reduce unreasonable burdens on taxpayers while maintaining the originally proposed long-term tax principles to a certain extent.Professor Kim added, "Even if the basic deduction for non-residents is lowered, if existing tax credits for long-term holders and seniors are maintained, the actual increase in tax burden may be limited. We need to consider whether it is necessary to impose disadvantages on non-residents if the administrative costs and market backlash outweigh the policy effects."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-24 15:40:00
  • OPINION: A stronger won can buy BOK more time
    OPINION: A stronger won can buy BOK more time South Korean policymakers spent much of the first half wrestling with a stubbornly weak won anchored around levels associated with previous periods of financial stress, even as the stock market roared to records and the economy posted its strongest growth in nearly five years on a semiconductor bonanza. The Bank of Korea enters this week's rate-setting meeting with an almost opposite financial-market picture. The won is at its strongest since September 2025. Bond yields have surged. The once-steamy KOSPI has become considerably more volatile. For the BOK, the change should matter. The won strengthened beyond 1,380 per dollar on Monday, reaching 1,376.5 intraday. The advance extended a rally that had already taken the currency to 1,386.5 on Friday from 1,424 at the end of July and 1,439 at the end of last year. A stronger won does not mean Korea's financial problems have disappeared. It does, however, buy the central bank something increasingly valuable: time. The BOK on Thursday will decide whether to follow July's 25-basis-point increase with another hike or hold its benchmark rate at 2.75 percent while maintaining its tightening bias. Strong growth makes another increase defensible. It does not make one urgent. For much of the year, persistent won weakness was itself an argument for monetary restraint. A currency trading above 1,500 per dollar amplified the cost of imported oil and commodities and threatened to keep inflation elevated even as semiconductor exports propelled the economy forward. The currency is now moving in the BOK's favor. Exporters' dollar selling, strong semiconductor shipments and a large current-account surplus have helped support the won. Broader dollar weakness has contributed as well, but the Korean currency has recently outperformed several major Asian counterparts. More important for monetary policy, the appreciation is arriving when Korea needs it. Brent crude was more than 54 percent higher on Friday than at the end of last year, WTI was up nearly 53 percent and the broader CRB commodity index had risen 35 percent. The won, meanwhile, had appreciated 3.7 percent against the dollar. For an economy that imports most of its energy, exchange rates matter almost as much as headline commodity prices. A rising won cannot erase a 50-percent increase in dollar-denominated oil prices. It can cushion the increase before it feeds through to import costs, producer prices and household bills. The currency that aggravated Korea's inflation problem earlier this year is increasingly acting as a buffer against it. Consumer inflation slowed to 2.8 percent in July from 3.2 percent in June. Core inflation remained elevated at 2.6 percent, giving the BOK little reason to declare the inflation battle won. Geopolitical tension in the Middle East also leaves energy prices vulnerable to another shock. Even so, monetary policy is about changes at the margin. The exchange-rate environment confronting policymakers in August is materially different from the one they confronted when the won was trading above 1,500. There is an equally important message coming from the bond market. South Korea's 10-year government bond yield reached 4.376 percent on Friday, up 99.1 basis points from the end of last year. The comparable U.S. Treasury yield has increased just 53.7 basis points over the same period, while Japan's 10-year yield has risen 81.9 basis points. Corporate borrowing costs have moved even more sharply. The yield on three-year AA-minus Korean corporate bonds has climbed 106.6 basis points since the end of 2025. The BOK therefore enters Thursday's meeting with financial markets already doing a significant portion of its tightening work. Monetary policy does not operate solely through the benchmark rate. Companies borrow at market rates. Households feel monetary restraint through mortgages and credit. Investors value equities against the return available on bonds. Higher government yields ultimately raise financing costs throughout the economy. The effective price of Korean capital has consequently risen much more dramatically than the movement in the policy rate alone suggests. This is where the argument for an immediate second hike becomes less compelling. South Korea's economy is clearly stronger than the BOK expected only a few months ago. GDP expanded 0.6 percent from the previous quarter and 3.7 percent from a year earlier in the second quarter, largely on the strength of semiconductors. The central bank is widely expected on Thursday to raise its 2026 growth projection above 3 percent from the 2.6 percent forecast in May. Strong growth gives the BOK room to raise rates if inflation and financial stability require it. Room, however, is not an obligation. The more useful question is whether another quarter-point increase this week would provide enough additional restraint to justify its cost when the currency is already appreciating and long-term market rates have risen by close to a full percentage point this year. The international rate environment reinforces the case for patience. The Federal Reserve's benchmark range stands at 3.50 to 3.75 percent. If the BOK ultimately raises its rate to 3.00 or 3.25 percent, as several economists expect, the Korea-U.S. policy-rate differential would narrow considerably. A smaller short-term rate gap should generally reinforce support for the won. Capital markets present a different challenge. The U.S. 10-year Treasury was yielding around 4.7 percent on Friday, compared with about 4.38 percent for its Korean counterpart. Dollar assets therefore continue to offer Korean investors competitive nominal returns at the same time as the dollar itself has become cheaper to buy. This should not be exaggerated into an imminent capital-flight story. Exchange-rate expectations, hedging costs, relative asset performance and risk appetite matter far more than a simple comparison between two interest rates. The more consequential development is that Korea increasingly has to compete for Korean capital. A cheaper dollar lowers the entry price for Korean investors buying overseas assets. Attractive U.S. yields increase the appeal of diversification. At home, higher bond yields simultaneously raise the hurdle that Korean equities must clear. The first-half KOSPI boom temporarily obscured that trade-off. By Aug. 21, the KOSPI remained an extraordinary 64 percent above its end-2025 level. Yet the July rout and renewed volatility in August have demonstrated that even spectacular earnings cannot make stock valuations immune to the rising cost of money. Foreign investors were net sellers of KOSPI shares in July and again in August through Aug. 21. Korea's financial landscape is therefore beginning to look like a mirror image of the first half. Earlier in the year, the puzzle was a weak currency alongside booming stocks, strong exports and unexpectedly rapid economic growth. Now the won is outperforming just as bond yields become more punitive and equities lose some of their earlier momentum. A stronger currency should therefore neither be celebrated as proof that all is well nor ignored as irrelevant to monetary policy. Central banking requires policymakers to respond not merely to the latest GDP and inflation readings but also to changes in the financial conditions through which monetary policy eventually reaches the real economy. The BOK still has reasons to maintain its tightening bias. Core inflation remains elevated. Household leverage and housing prices require vigilance. Economic growth has surprised significantly to the upside. Another rate increase later this year may well prove necessary. None of those considerations requires the central bank to move at every meeting. Thursday offers the BOK an opportunity to distinguish between retaining the option to tighten and rushing to exercise it. The won is already reducing imported inflation pressure. The bond market is making capital more expensive. July's increase has barely had time to work through the economy. A pause would allow policymakers to measure the combined effect before adding another layer of restraint. A stronger won has not ended Korea's inflation problem, nor has it removed the possibility of another rate hike. It however can buy the central bank more time. *The author is the managing editor of AJP. 2026-08-24 15:39:09
  • Samsung and LG Accelerate AI Home Business with Modular Housing
    Samsung and LG Accelerate AI Home Business with Modular Housing Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are accelerating their AI home business by focusing on modular housing. This shift moves beyond selling individual appliances like refrigerators and washing machines to integrating appliances, artificial intelligence (AI), heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), and energy management into living spaces. Analysts suggest that the competitive landscape in the home appliance industry is expanding from products to homes.According to industry sources, Samsung and LG have recently strengthened their AI home initiatives using modular housing. In June, Samsung launched the 'Samsung AI Modular Home' in collaboration with Space Production, a company specializing in wooden modular homes, while LG is expanding its product range and sales channels for its modular home 'LG Smart Cottage'.Modular homes are constructed using an off-site construction (OSC) method, where key structural components like walls, ceilings, and floors are pre-fabricated in a factory and then assembled on-site. This approach allows for simultaneous on-site construction and factory production, reducing the typical construction time from about two years to approximately one and a half years, a 30% decrease.Samsung Focuses on AI Home Distribution Channels; LG Directly Sells HomesThe Samsung AI Modular Home incorporates Samsung's AI appliances and SmartThings-based AI home solutions from the housing production stage. During the pre-fabrication process, Space Production installs appliances and smart devices, including air conditioners, heat pumps, refrigerators, and TVs, in over 80% of the home.Rather than selling homes directly, Samsung aims to use modular housing as a new supply source for its AI home solutions. Starting with single-family homes, the company plans to expand its application to reinforced concrete modular homes, multi-family housing, and buildings, with a goal of reaching a cumulative total of 10,000 modular homes equipped with Samsung appliances within three years.In contrast, LG has positioned the living space itself as a product. The Smart Cottage is a modular home that combines AI appliances, HVAC, and energy management solutions, currently available in eight models ranging from 8 to 24 pyeong. LG oversees everything from design and planning to production and quality inspection.LG has also expanded its sales approach to the general consumer market. This month, LG became the first in South Korea to sell modular homes through home shopping via CJ OnStyle. A mobile live broadcast on August 5 attracted over 50,000 simultaneous viewers and generated hundreds of consultation requests.Growing Modular Market with Government Orders for 20,000 UnitsAs Samsung and LG expand their businesses, the foundation for growth in the modular housing market is also strengthening. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport recently announced plans to increase the public housing orders for modular homes from 12,000 to 20,000 units through the 'Rapid Housing Supply Plan' for 2027-2030, with the annual order volume rising from 3,000 to 5,000 units, a 67% increase.The modular market is also showing growth. The Korea Construction Policy Research Institute predicts that the domestic modular construction and housing market will grow from 607.4 billion won last year to between 1 trillion and 4 trillion won by 2030. Rising construction labor costs, a shortage of on-site workers, and demand for shorter construction times are driving the shift toward factory-produced homes.However, price competitiveness remains a challenge. Currently, the construction cost of modular homes is estimated to be about 30% higher than traditional on-site construction methods, with an additional cost of approximately 70 million won per unit. To address this, the government plans to support about 50% of the additional construction costs by 2030 and promote bulk production to lower unit prices through increased public orders.From Appliances to Spaces: Samsung and LG Compete for AI Home LeadershipThe reason the appliance industry is focusing on modular homes is that they can integrate their products and platforms from the very beginning of the home construction process. Previously, consumers purchased refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioners individually after the home was completed. In modular homes, appliances, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, HVAC, and energy management systems can be packaged together from the design stage.This aligns with the AI home strategies envisioned by Samsung and LG. By establishing their platforms as the basic infrastructure of the home from the move-in stage, they can connect various devices and services into a single ecosystem, moving beyond individual appliance sales. Given that both homes and appliances have long replacement cycles, this strategy is expected to secure long-term customers.There is also potential for expansion into the business-to-business (B2B) market. LG previously supplied Smart Cottages to SM Entertainment's training center in Gangwon Province in 2024. As modular construction expands to hotels, resorts, training centers, employee accommodations, and senior living facilities, the supply of AI home solutions could also increase.An industry insider noted, "The rise of modular homes is accelerating the 'productization of homes,' and the competition between Samsung and LG in the appliance sector is also expanding from products to spaces. The competition is now shifting from selling individual appliances to connecting the entire home, where consumers spend the most time, to their AI ecosystem."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-24 15:36:00
  • Despite Promised 4% Returns, Landlords Hesitate to Join Rental Trust Program
    Despite Promised 4% Returns, Landlords Hesitate to Join Rental Trust Program The 'Rental Trust Program' aims to enhance the security of rental deposits and convert monthly rent into jeonse (long-term lease) agreements. However, there are concerns about how effectively it can attract landlord participation, despite the promise of annual returns around 4%. In non-apartment buildings, where the conversion rate from monthly rent to jeonse is high, the program may not be as appealing compared to existing rental income. Additionally, landlords of current jeonse properties may face cash flow issues during the deposit return process.Set to announce its first recruitment notice at the end of next month, the Rental Trust Program involves a tripartite contract between landlords, tenants, and the Housing and Urban Guarantee Corporation (HUG). Under this arrangement, tenants deposit their jeonse money with HUG, which manages the funds and pays returns to landlords while directly returning the deposit to tenants at the end of the contract.According to government examples, if a tenant deposits 200 million won, the landlord could receive approximately 730,000 won monthly at a 4% return. Even in the event of investment losses, HUG guarantees the tenant's deposit and the agreed returns to the landlord.The key issue is whether landlords will have sufficient incentive to abandon their current monthly rent in favor of the trust program. Preliminary surveys by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport indicated that interest in participation remains around 20% when assuming a 4% return. This is particularly concerning in non-apartment buildings, where the operational returns may be lower than existing monthly rental income.Kim Deok-rye, head of the Housing Industry Research Institute, stated, "If entrusting the deposit for a 4% return is not more attractive than converting to monthly rent, it will be difficult to expect voluntary participation from landlords."Another challenge arises when existing jeonse properties transition to the trust program. The new tenant's deposit will be held by HUG, making it unavailable for returning the deposit to the current tenant.Seong Chang-yeop, president of the Korea Housing Rental Association, noted, "Existing jeonse landlords often use the new tenant's deposit to return the deposit to the current tenant. However, with the trust program, they cannot utilize the new deposit. Currently, it seems likely that only existing monthly landlords or rental business operators will participate."He added, "If there is a commitment from new tenants to deposit their funds in the trust, mechanisms should be established to recognize this as a repayment source, such as easing regulations on deposit return loans to prevent cash flow interruptions."The government is also considering measures to increase participation, such as reducing tax burdens on rental income and expanding deductions, as well as exempting registered rental business operators from mandatory deposit return guarantees.However, there are concerns that merely increasing returns or tax benefits may not be sufficient. Industry experts suggest that limited financial support measures for returning existing tenants' deposits should be based on confirmed rental trust contracts for new tenants.Providing a certain level of additional returns for non-apartment buildings with high conversion rates is also seen as a potential solution. However, there are fears that if returns are maintained at market conversion levels or if comprehensive property taxes and acquisition taxes are broadly reduced, tenant protection policies could be distorted into landlord support measures.Market analysts emphasize the need for mechanisms that protect tenant deposits while addressing cash flow gaps that arise during the transition process. Kim stated, "While the intention of the program to protect tenant deposits is significant, we need to assess whether it can function effectively within the structure of Korea's jeonse market."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-24 15:36:00
  • Gwangju City Council to Incorporate Citizen Proposals in Administrative Audit
    Gwangju City Council to Incorporate Citizen Proposals in Administrative Audit The Gwangju City Council is set to incorporate citizen proposals during its upcoming administrative audit, drawing attention from the public.With numerous local issues at stake, including the reorganization of the integrated special city administration, the establishment of a national medical university in Jeonnam, and the relocation of an airport related to semiconductor cluster construction, a variety of citizen suggestions are anticipated.Particularly, dissatisfaction among employees at the Gwangju, Muan, and Eastern government offices regarding the administrative reorganization is expected to surface.The council plans to conduct the administrative audit from November 2 to 15 during its regular session.This new initiative aims to actively reflect direct reports from citizens regarding any illegal or inappropriate matters, instances of budget waste, and unreasonable systems that require improvement in the administration.However, issues that may infringe on personal privacy, relate to ongoing legal proceedings or investigations, involve personal attacks, or raise concerns about falsehoods or defamation, as well as anonymous submissions, will be excluded from consideration.Citizens can submit their proposals by visiting the Gwangju Integrated Special City Council website and following the instructions on the 'Citizen Participation → Administrative Audit Citizen Proposals' bulletin board.Song Hyung-gon, chair of the Gwangju City Council, stated, "As the first Gwangju Integrated Special City Council takes its first steps with the citizens, I hope for your deep interest and responsible participation."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-24 15:32:00
  • Rijuran Cosmetic Expands Southeast Asian Market with Sephora Singapore Launch
    Rijuran Cosmetic Expands Southeast Asian Market with Sephora Singapore Launch Rijuran Cosmetic, a premium derma-cosmetic brand from PharmaResearch, is set to expand its presence in the Southeast Asian market by launching in Sephora Singapore.Starting September 2, Rijuran Cosmetic will be featured as a participating brand in the 'Olive Young K-Beauty Edit,' which selects competitive K-beauty brands for dedicated displays in Sephora stores.The brand is recognized for its product competitiveness and global growth potential, based on PharmaResearch's patented ingredient, 'DOT® c-PDRN.'At Sephora Singapore, Rijuran will showcase a total of 10 products, including its flagship items, the 'Rijuran Dual Effect Ampoule' and 'Rijuran Turnover Ampoule.' The 'Rijuran Skin Protection Mask,' which won the '2025 Olive Young Slow Aging Awards,' along with products from the 'Rijuran Pore Tightening' line, including ampoules, toner pads, gel masks, and cleansing balms, will also be available.With this launch, Rijuran Cosmetic plans to enhance its local marketing efforts through October. The brand will conduct outdoor advertising linked to its Sephora entry and participate in a pop-up store at the Ion Orchard and VivoCity Sephora locations from September 2 to 29.Additionally, from October 8 to 14, Rijuran will host a curation pop-up store at Ion Orchard, featuring product displays and skin diagnosis leaflets, along with a personalized product recommendation program for Sephora membership holders.In June, Rijuran's Dual Effect Ampoule ranked second in the ampoule and serum category on the Southeast Asian e-commerce platform Shopee, confirming its market viability. The company aims to strengthen its position in Singapore's premium derma-cosmetic market by expanding offline sales alongside its online presence through the Sephora launch.A PharmaResearch representative stated, 'The entry into Sephora Singapore will serve as an opportunity to expand our offline consumer touchpoints. We will strengthen collaborations with global distribution partners and expand our overseas business with products and marketing strategies tailored to market demands.'Meanwhile, the company is also working on expanding its pipeline utilizing c-PDRN, recently introducing 'Gyner,' its first product for the gynecology market, following its scalp booster.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-24 15:32:00
  • SK Telecom Aims for Everyones AI Beyond Proprietary Models
    SK Telecom Aims for 'Everyone's AI' Beyond Proprietary Models SK Telecom has advanced to the third phase of the government's proprietary AI foundation model project with its proprietary AI model 'A.X K2,' which boasts 6.88 billion parameters. Yoon Kyung-sang, head of SK Telecom's AI CIC, revealed plans to expand beyond this model to provide AI services that the general public can experience in their daily lives.In a column on SK Telecom's newsroom on August 24, Yoon emphasized that the 'intelligence improvement loop,' which combines model performance, inference economy, service completeness, and trust, will determine future AI competitiveness. He noted that while competition for frontier models remains fierce, the key differentiator will be how efficiently the acquired intelligence is deployed and transformed into real-world problem-solving.Yoon highlighted the significance of A.X K2's entry into the third phase of the proprietary AI project, stating that it has been recognized not only for its technical performance but also for its applicability in industries such as defense, manufacturing, law, and taxation. He pointed out that possessing a good model and operating a service that millions trust and use daily are two separate challenges, stressing the importance of full-stack competitiveness that encompasses 'infrastructure-model-service.'To secure inference economy, Yoon proposed several strategies: activating a portion of parameters for each request using a mixture of experts (MoE) structure, varying inference depth based on question difficulty, employing lightweight and acceleration technologies to maintain quality while enhancing serving efficiency, and distributing tasks so that lightweight models handle simple queries while large models tackle complex tasks. He explained that system and semiconductor-level optimizations, including memory hierarchy management and computational resource allocation, are essential for achieving sustainable economy at a national scale.Yoon defined the core of future AI competition as 'the fastest intelligence improvement loop.' He stated that the speed of the cycle, which involves identifying failure points during actual use, generating evaluation and learning signals, and improving and redistributing models and services, will determine competitiveness.He identified the next stage of AI services as a transition from merely answering questions to executing tasks on behalf of users and delivering results. Yoon noted that in the agent era, it is insufficient to explain service quality solely by the accuracy of individual models, as small errors can accumulate in processes involving planning, searching, tool invocation, and execution. Therefore, he emphasized the importance of 'end-to-end success rate,' which ensures that user intent translates into actual outcomes.'Everyone's AI' is an initiative led by SK Telecom in collaboration with specialized companies across various sectors, including finance, mobility, media, education, healthcare, public services, taxation, and caregiving. Yoon explained that SK Telecom's role is not to create all services directly but to act as an 'orchestrator' that connects user intent with optimal models, technologies, and specialized services.The plan for service expansion includes starting in everyday areas such as finance, mobility, media, education, and health, and then broadening to specialized domains for young entrepreneurs, small business owners, and seniors, including tax administration and caregiving. Regarding reliability, Yoon stated that SK Telecom will ensure response speed through model optimization and serving acceleration technologies, while also establishing a security system that continuously checks risks through objective evaluations of model quality, ongoing AI red teaming, real-time safety monitoring, and guardrails to safely handle personal and sensitive information.Yoon remarked, 'Trust should be defined not as a state free of risk but as the ability to manage risk.' He added that the essence of responsible AI operation lies in the ability to continuously identify risks, limit their impact, quickly recover from issues, and improve to prevent the same errors from recurring.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-24 15:28:00
  • HD Hyundai affiliate wins major order for LPG carriers
    HD Hyundai affiliate wins major order for LPG carriers SEOUL, August 24 (AJP) - HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering has won a contract from an Oceania-based shipping company to build four liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers, it said on Monday. Under the deal, worth 515.4 billion won, equivalent to 2.93 percent of the company's annual revenue, the vessels will be built by its affiliate HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and delivered by the first half of 2030. With the latest order, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering has secured a total of $18.08 billion in orders for 162 ships, reaching 77.6 percent of its annual target of $23.31 billion. By ship type, the orders include 17 liquefied natural gas carriers, 30 container ships, 50 LPG, ammonia and liquefied carbon dioxide carriers, 11 crude oil tankers, 50 petrochemical product carriers, two car carriers and two other vessels. Separately, the company said it posted 8.93 trillion won in sales and 1.65 trillion won in operating profit in the second quarter of this year, up 20.2 percent and 72.5 percent, respectively from a year earlier. AJP Takeaways • HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering won a contract from an Oceania-based shipping company to build four liquefied petroleum gas carriers, with the vessels to be built by its affiliate HD Hyundai Heavy Industries. • The 515.4 billion-won deal is equivalent to 2.93 percent of HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering's annual revenue, with the four vessels scheduled for delivery by the first half of 2030. • HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering has secured $18.08 billion in orders for 162 ships so far this year, achieving 77.6 percent of its annual order target of $23.31 billion. • The company's orders span multiple ship types, including 17 liquefied natural gas carriers, 30 container ships, 50 LPG, ammonia and liquefied carbon dioxide carriers, 11 crude oil tankers, 50 petrochemical product carriers, two car carriers and two other vessels. • HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering reported 8.93 trillion won in second-quarter 2026 sales and 1.65 trillion won in operating profit, up 20.2 percent and 72.5 percent, respectively, from a year earlier. 2026-08-24 15:23:08