Stories from Seoul · South Korea

IS Dongseo is promoting ESG management, focusing on eco-friendly construction, waste-to-electric vehicle initiatives, and creating a hopeful future for children. The company said the importance of safety shoes for worker well-being and family peace of mind. Woori Construction Consortium is promoting cooling solutions for construction sites. The company offers portable air conditioners designed to provide cooling in hot weather. These units are available for deployment at desired locations.

In a surprising turn of events, the AI program AlphaGo lost one of five games played against a human champion in Seoul. This marks the only time a human has defeated AlphaGo in a competitive match. The match was part of a competition that also recalled the 1997 chess match between Deep Blue and Garry Kasparov.

South Korea's largest webtoon and web novel piracy site, Newtoki, has voluntarily shut down. This action comes two weeks before the implementation of an emergency blocking system for illegal distribution sites that infringe copyright. The operator of Newtoki announced the service termination via a notice. The Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency stated that demolition work for the factory building where 74 casualties occurred will begin on the 28th. A special investigation team has lifted the work suspension order conditionally for the fire investigation, and a company selected by Safety Industry will carry out the demolition. The demolition will proceed after moving vehicles from the third floor and rooftop, and the investigation team will conduct fire analysis and secure personal belongings. The site was reportedly a major platform for sharing webtoons.

The Seoul Central District Court will deliver its verdict on the appeal case for Kim Keon-hee, the First Lady, on Tuesday. Both the prosecution and the defense have filed appeals regarding the case. The Seoul High Court held a second instance trial regarding Kim Keon-hee, the wife of the South Korean president. She faces prosecution regarding allegations of stock price manipulation and the improper receipt of gifts. The court found her partially guilty regarding charges of receiving expensive gifts, including luxury handbags and diamond necklaces. The prosecution is also appealing, citing insufficient sentencing. Both the defense and prosecution have expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling. The defense maintains her innocence and intends to appeal the decision. A court sentenced Kim Geon-hee to four years in prison and imposed a 50 million won fine.

A listener named Nurungji Cafe shared concerns about potential addiction to a radio program called 'Book Cafe'. The listener experiences anxiety and restlessness if they miss even a short segment, feeling compelled to listen daily. They question if this behavior constitutes an addiction.

YTN Radio promoted a spring curry recipe featuring asparagus, suggesting it as a way to enjoy the seasonal flavors. The promotion was for Ottogi Curry.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has allocated 6.62 trillion won of its budget to focus on public welfare, safety, and the future. New ordinances aim to protect citizens' daily lives, with 519 new ordinances enacted. The city council has enacted 5,519 new ordinances to support citizens' daily lives. Child traffic accidents are particularly occurring in the morning as many children head to school. Drivers must adhere to a 30 km/h speed limit in school zones. Parents and teachers should assist children crossing roads, teach them to look before crossing, and prevent sudden crossings. Child safety systems can significantly reduce the risk of death for children traveling in vehicles, by 54% to 80%.

Discussions are underway regarding the integration of artificial intelligence into game development processes. This involves exploring how AI can be used to enhance or automate certain aspects of game creation. The concept of 'insnaring' or 'wrapping' elements is being considered in this context.

The National Tax Service incorrectly processed and sent out evaluations regarding corporate integrity. Thousands of corporations had certain evaluation items omitted due to these errors. The agency had sent the flawed data to various regional offices. This error occurred during the assessment process used as a standard for tax audits. The agency is currently addressing the error and has requested the Media Communications Deliberation Committee to implement deletions and blocks. Authorities plan to continue intensive crackdowns on related issues through October. The source noted that Naver's tax burden was 600 billion won, while Google Korea's was 18.7 billion won. This disparity is described as an uneven playing field for local services. The discussion suggests that regulatory action may be needed to address this tax gap.

Police analysis indicates that teenagers and people in their 20s account for nearly 90% of victims in recent digital crimes. Specifically, 132 teenagers, representing 58.7% of total victims, were identified. 69 individuals in their 20s were also recorded. Authorities attribute the high prevalence among these age groups to their familiarity with digital environments. Law enforcement is also targeting cases where both the perpetrator and the victim are minors.