President Lee reaffirms plans for constitutional amendment to decentralize power
President Lee Jae-myung has reiterated his proposal for a constitutional amendment aimed at decentralizing presidential powers and introducing a four-year term limit or re-election system. He stated that discussions on the amendment should be led by the National Assembly based on bipartisan agreement, and he is open to shortening his term if necessary to facilitate the amendment's passage.
On August 14, President Lee posted on X (formerly Twitter), "The majority of the public agrees that our constitution, which has been in place for 40 years, is outdated and needs to be amended. If an amendment is to be made, it is preferable for the specific content to be determined through bipartisan agreement in the National Assembly."
He outlined specific directions for the amendment, including enshrining the spirit of the May 18 Democratic Uprising and the Busan-Masan Democratic Movement in the preamble, adjusting the powers of the president and the National Assembly, introducing a four-year term limit or re-election system for the president, and strengthening local autonomy and citizens' basic rights.
Research Institute calls for reflection on An Sang-ho's pro-Japanese actions
The National Issues Research Institute has addressed the controversy surrounding actor Ha Young's great-grandfather, An Sang-ho, stating that his pro-Japanese actions are clear and calling for historical reflection and remorse. The institute clarified that An Sang-ho's exclusion from the "Pro-Japanese Personnel Dictionary" does not negate or absolve his pro-Japanese activities.
On August 14, the institute issued a statement saying, "The fact that he is not listed in the Pro-Japanese Personnel Dictionary does not mean he had no pro-Japanese actions." The National Issues Research Institute is a civic organization that published the dictionary in 2009.
The institute explained that it released the statement in response to requests from citizens and members to clarify the facts amid growing media and online discussions about An Sang-ho's pro-Japanese actions and the behavior of his descendants.
Binance launches perpetual futures for Korean stocks, blocks local accounts
Global cryptocurrency exchange Binance announced on August 14 the launch of perpetual futures that allow investments in companies such as Naver, LG Electronics, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, and Hanmi Semiconductor with leverage of up to 20 times. However, accounts verified under Korean names are currently blocked from accessing these products.
According to the cryptocurrency industry, Binance began trading perpetual futures linked to domestic stocks, including Naver, LG Electronics, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Hanmi Semiconductor, and the KODEX 200 ETF, on this date. These products can be traded 24/7 with up to 20 times leverage.
While these products were previously available to Korean accounts, access has now been restricted. Industry sources believe this decision was made independently by Binance, not at the request of Korean financial authorities.
The newly listed products track the prices of four stocks listed on the Korean stock market and the KODEX 200 ETF, allowing traders to bet on price fluctuations without holding the actual stocks, with settlements made in the stablecoin Tether (USDT).
Democratic Republic of Congo reports Ebola death in new area, raising concerns
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a new area that had not previously reported Ebola cases has now seen a death, raising concerns about the spread of the virus.
On August 14, Jean Kaseya, Secretary-General of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, held a virtual press conference on August 13 (local time) and announced that a man who died in the northeastern province of Ituri tested positive for Ebola.
Ahn Song-yi achieves milestone of 300 tournament cuts in KLPGA
Ahn Song-yi has made history by becoming the first player in the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour to pass the cut in 300 tournaments. She also expressed her ambition to challenge for the record of the oldest winner in the KLPGA Tour.
On August 14, Ahn completed the second round of the KLPGA Tour Mediheal-Korea Daily Championship at the Myungseong Mountain Course (par 72) in Pocheon with a score of 3-under 141, placing her in a tie for 19th. She improved her score by two strokes from the previous day to make the cut.
Broadcasting Commission reverses sanctions against fact-checking organization, issues apology
The Broadcasting and Communications Commission has partially reversed sanctions against the fact-checking organization Party after a re-examination and issued an apology. This decision came after it was determined that there was no evidence of misuse of funds outside of labor costs.
On August 14, the commission visited the social cooperative Party to express its apologies for the difficulties faced during the audit and administrative sanction process.
Previously, the commission had announced in 2024 that an audit found evidence of misuse of funds by Party, which was an indirect beneficiary of the fact-checking project. As a result, it had canceled the 2025 grant decision and imposed a fine.
OpenAI's annual revenue projected to exceed $40 billion, doubling in a year
OpenAI's annual revenue has reportedly surpassed $40 billion.
On August 14, it was reported that OpenAI's annual revenue has exceeded $40 billion, doubling from approximately $20 billion at the end of last year.
The company's revenue has grown rapidly in recent months, partly due to the success of its coding models, as well as growth in subscription sales and its nascent advertising business. The consumer segment, which is its core business, is also said to be continuing to grow.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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