Korea

South Korea launched an AI textbook program for schools. It has lasted four months

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The South Korean government bet heavily on artificial intelligence in classrooms with a million-dollar investment in digital textbooks. They promised more personalized learning, a reduction in teaching load and, generally speaking, fewer school dropouts. The reality It has been very different: after a single semester they stopped being mandatory and became complementary material, allowing each school to decide whether to use them or not. Few have continued using them. A experiment that does not has worked. In March of this year a special program started educational promoted by then-president Yoon Suk Yeol: textbooks with artificial intelligence for mathematics, English and computer science. The government invested more than 1.2 trillion won (726 million euros at the exchange rate) in equipment and teacher training, while the publishers allocated another 800,000 million won (484 million euros) to the development of the material. Barely four months later, in August, parliament stopped considering them official texts after an avalanche of criticism. They are now optional supplementary material. Problems that came from day one. Ko Ho-dam, a high school student on Jeju Island, explains it to Rest of World: “All of our classes were delayed due to technical problems. I didn’t know how to use them well either. Working only with my laptop, I had a hard time staying focused. The books didn’t offer lessons adapted to my level.” Complaints spread throughout the country. Students, teachers and families reported errors in the content, risks to data privacy, increased screen time and, paradoxically, a greater workload for both teachers and students, especially if at the beginning it was necessary to add time to adapt to the new system. In a hurry. Representative Kang Kyung-sook, an opponent of the program, he questioned deadlines in parliament: “Traditional textbooks take 18 months to develop, nine to revise and six to prepare. But AI books took only 12, three and three months respectively. Why the rush?” Lee Bohm, researcher at the University of Cambridge, points out “AI should be tested first in homework or practice before being carefully introduced in class. The focus should be on how to integrate it into the school curriculum.” Digitized classrooms and addiction. South Korea has been dealing with another technological problem for years: digital addiction among young people. According to psychiatrist Lee Hae-kook, professor at the Catholic University of Korea, “almost one in two young people is at risk of smartphone addiction,” a figure that, according to Le Monde, increased between 30% and 40% after the pandemic. The country has had digital detox centers since 2002 and will ban mobile phones in schools starting March 2026. In this context, introducing more screens in classrooms has generated greater rejection. Jang Ha-na of the Political Mamas organization, which advocates for the well-being of women and children, expressed to the medium that “textbooks (with AI) worsen the effectiveness of learning. Once digital devices become central in classrooms, exposure to screens increases, weakening literacy and communication skills.” Legal and political battle. According to the medium, even before the launch, teachers unions and civil groups They sued the then minister of education for abuse of authority, arguing that the program was “problematic” by making the use of AI mandatory, ignored risks to minors, and lacked data protection measures. The government moved from mandatory adoption to a voluntary test one year in January. Yoon was ousted in April following his attempt to impose martial law, and new President Lee Jae Myung, who promised to reverse the policy, kept his word. According to explains Rest of World, the publishers that developed the texts announced lawsuits for financial damages. Hwang Geun-sik, president of the committee that represents them, explains that “companies that trusted the government saw the market suddenly disappear. Our business is reduced and staff cuts are inevitable.” The figures say it all. The adoption rate collapsed from 37% in the first semester to 19% in the current one. Only 2,095 schools use them now, half of the number at the beginning of the school year. Among teachers, opinions are divided. Lee Hyun-joon, a mathematics teacher in Pyeongtaek, admits that “monitoring students’ progress was a challenge. The overall quality was poor.” In contrast, Kim Cha-myung, a primary school teacher near Seoul, recognize to the means that “they were convenient, helped save time and supported students with difficulties. But he also added that “the program failed because everything was rushed. It should have been implemented gradually after proving its effectiveness.” llearned action. Kim Jong-hee, digital director of Dong-A Publishing, one of the developer publishers, defend that books “did not cause addiction to screens” and that they can reduce educational inequalities. But he acknowledges that “a key reason for the setbacks is that the issue became overly politicized.” “We no longer trust the government, and that is the biggest problem,” he added. Cover image | Korea Times (Yonhap) In Xataka | There is a national symbol that Japan has kept unchanged for generations: a very expensive school backpack

In his mission to follow the movements of North Korea, South Korea has decided to bet on an advanced steering wheel

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In South Korea, the surveillance of heaven It is a constant task that is never terminated. Missile tests and the use of low flight drones The need to strengthen detection systems has highlighted by the north. Radars on land, conditioned by the country’s geography, do not always offer the necessary coverage against threats that seek to go unnoticed. To respond to that challenge, Seoul has decided to bet on a new generation of Early alert planescapable of expanding surveillance and ensuring more stable control of your airspace. It is not just about incorporating technology, but ensuring that the country has sufficient means to anticipate any scenario. The search for a new early alert plane It started in 2020when the Defense Procurement Agency (DAPA) approved the second phase of its AEW & C program. By then, South Korea already had four E-737 Peace Eye acquired from Boeing in 2006 and delivered in 2012, but the experience had made it clear that they were not enough. Parliamentary documents revealed in 2019 indicated Availability problems and technical failuress that prevented maintaining the planned patrol rate. To that limitation was added the pressure of an increasingly complex strategic environment, marked by the expansion of North Korean arsenal. A jump in the air surveillance strategy Seoul has opted for an unusual combination until a few years ago: an executive reactor Bombardier Global 6500 equipped with radar The/W-2085 developed by Elta. This system, with active electronic exploration antennas on the sides and additional sensors in the nose and tailallows to monitor in all directions promising a much greater scope than that of conventional radars. With this model, the country is looking for a more compact platform and with operational costs contained compared to larger solutions. The contest was marked by a struggle between two proposals that started from the same base plane, the 6500 global. L3Harris offered to integrate it with the radar the/W-2085, while the European Saab presented its globaleye solution, equipped with the radar Erieye Extended Range. Dapa’s evaluation concluded that there were no major differences in technical performance, but in other aspects. As the agency explainedthe American proposal received more points in operability, maintenance costs and contribution to the local industry, while the Swedish firm stood out in price and contractual conditions. Conceptual Image of Global 6500 for South Korea According to Dapa, the approved budget amounts to 3.87 billion wones, about 2,820 million dollarsand contemplates the incorporation of four planes until 2032. The goal is to have permanent patrols capable of monitoring the national airspace without interruption and coordinating the response in case of crisis. Deliver planning up to that horizon will progressively integrate aircraft in the operations of the Air Force. An E-737 Peace Eye in the United States The industrial component presumably had a relevant weight in the decision. L3harris has been supplying equipment to the South Korean armed forces, from electro-optical and infrared surveillance systems to safe communications and night vision devices. The company has an authorized service center in the country, which reduces maintenance times and simplifies logistics in case of breakdowns. The 6500 global is expected to reinforce the air defense of the Asian country. These devices will be integrated into the grid national Istarconnecting combat sensors and units to generate a complete image of airspace. Its main mission will be to detect intrusions and coordinate the immediate reaction, but its regular use is also contemplated in periods of calm to maintain training and preparation of crews. Images | L3harris (1, 2) | United States Air Force In Xataka | The F-47 will not only be the most advanced hunt in the United States: the filtration of its badge has revealed what country it aims

The lowest birth rate forced South Korea to a desperate measure: hire foreign nanny

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Of all the problems in South Korea, one was certainly shocking in September last year (things have changed a little Since then): they had the lowest birth rate in the world, of 0.72 children per woman. In recent years, governments and administrations have been passing, but no one managed to stop the descent, nor the super checksnor the rocambolesque idea that Girls begin the school before. The next measure was a symptom of the crisis: they are being forced to Hire foreign nanny. Nannies and visas. As part of the Government’s strategy, the hiring of 100 Philippine nannies that could work in the country since then. The measure was just the beginning, since approximately 1,200 foreign nannies for the first half of 2025and a “more affordable” program Last March. A problem without solution. Despite government efforts during the last 17 years, including An expense of 380 billion wones (Around 284,000 million dollars) In various incentives to increase fertility, the birth rate has continued to plumn. The desperate situation that in Seoul was warned that the country could be the first of the world to disappear due to this demographic decline is such. Moreover, the administration of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol recognized that drastic measures are needed to reverse this trend, and that was the first of the ideas: the introduction of foreign nannies with the aim of relieving the load of the care of children of parents who work, especially in households with double income, and ultimately increase the birth rate. The new policy. As The Government reportedthe entrance was formed between 24 and 38 years old who have the national level II certificate of care certification of the Filipino Government and who have received wide training. Their skills, according to the government, include the care of children, domestic tasks and the basic domain of the Korean language. In addition, the workers do it with an E-9 visa, which allows employment in non-professional sectors in the country, and will be part of a pilot program restricted to Seoul residents. This six -month program aims to provide affordable child care services with homes with children under 12, single -parent families and those with several children. Who pays the party. The lack of affordable nurseries is one of the main concerns among the parents who work, hence the question is more pertinent than ever, who paid the babysitters? According to the Seoul government, hire a foreign nanny for eight hours a day I could cost households around 2.38 million wones per monthalmost half of the average monthly income of Korean households. This generated many doubts about the affordability of the program for average Korean families. “We are seeing complaints about the cost burden of foreign domestic employees,” You Hye-Mi saidmain secretary of the president, in an interview. “Therefore, we are trying to explore ways to mitigate the burden it supposes for an individual home to hire them.” The controversy of the minimum wage. In addition, the program also faced criticism from work activists and immigrant rights groups. It happened in 2023, when the mayor of Seoul, Oh Se-Hoon, proposed to hire foreign nanny to A monthly cost of approximately 1 million woneswhich is significantly lower than the minimum wage in South Korea. Not just that. Deputy Cho Jung-Hun also proposed a bill that would exclude immigrant domestic employees from the requirement of the minimum wage law, arguing that the salaries of these workers should be in line with those of their countries of origin, a proposal highly criticized by human rights organizations, which argue that it violates the rights of foreign workers and violates the norms of the International Labor Organization (ILO). And birth rate? As we said at the beginning, the introduction of foreign nannies is part of a broader government effort to boost female participation in the workforce, which is considered essential to improve the country’s birth rate. The number of households with double income in South Korea has increased constantly, reaching 5.82 million in 2021. The problem is that many women end up abandoning the workforce due to the responsibilities of child care. Therefore, by offering more affordable child care options, the government expects to create a more conducive environment for young couples to have children, thus addressing, in theory, the worrying birth rate in descent. A version of this article is PUblicó in 2024 Image | Pexels, Pexels In Xataka | South Korea has taken the rivalry in the classrooms to the extreme: 84% of its children go to academies to be even more competitive In Xataka | Seoul lives an unprecedented birth crisis. The idea of ​​its mayor: set up a municipal dating program

The last to get to the China parade was Kim Jong Un. Because in North Korea the leaders do not fly, but they travel armored

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Where is Kim Yong Un? The question shortly before the beginning of the Military Parade in Beijing For the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, it began to circulate among the attendees. The answer would come shortly after. Just because The missiles that North Korea He had shown hours before they fly at a vertiginous speed, the nation leaders do it slow and on land, but completely safe. A trip loaded with symbolism. The displacement of Kim Jong-un a Beijing represented much more than a simple transfer: it was his reappearance in the multilateral scene accompanied by an emblem of dynastic power, the known armored train as “the sun” (Taeyangcho). This convoy, painted green off and armored in each of its wagons, has been the means of favorite transport of the Kim family from the Foundation of North Korea, linked to both the personal security of the leader and the propaganda staging of the dynasty. Its use reinforced the continuity narrativetradition and strength in an event where state leaders of more than 20 countries coincided, including strategic allies such as Russia and Iran. The rail legacy. The train predilection comes from afar. Kim Il-Sung used it as Modernity symbol and closeness to the people, and Kim Jong-il made him Your exclusive vehicle for fear of flying, reaching a journey of thousands of kilometers Until Moscow in 2001. His trips were long expeditions in which the train became a residence, command room and meeting space with foreign leaders. After his death in 2011, occurred precisely on this train, one of his wagons was converted in exposed relic In his mausoleum in Pyongyang, consolidating the image of the railroad as an essential part of the cult of personality. Kim Jong-UN has continued tradition, although it combines the train with rented aircraft when travel demands to cross oceans, as happened at its summit With Donald Trump in Singapore In 2018. A armored office. Beyond tradition, the train is today an authentic Mobile Command Center. Their wagons have offices, meeting rooms, sofas, satellite communication systems, televisions and computers, in addition to a permanent bodyguard and medical staff. Security measures include Comprehensive armor and weapons Heavy on board, in addition to space to transport the leader’s own car. This infrastructure makes it an Rself -sufficient and safe efugiobut also in an extremely slow medium: its maximum round speed 60 km/hwhich, together with the precarious state of the North Korean roads, prolongs any journey for days. Thus, in 2019 he needed almost three days to reach Hanói from Pyongyang in his meeting with Trump. Luxury and ostentation. The train not only guarantees protection and functionality, it is also the scene of the excesses associated with the dynasty. For example, during the trips of Kim Jong-il, I They served live lobsters and delicacies of various international kitchens, while French wines arrived in air cargoes along the journey. They even organized shows on board with singers and actors to liven up displacements. Although similar anecdotes have not been documented in the era of Kim Jong-UN, South Korean intelligence services believe that the leader has inherited his father’s inclination by the Refined gastronomy and the ostentation. The train as a metaphor. So, “The Sun” It is much more than a vehicle: it symbolizes the rigidity of power that moves slowly, but with Absolute armorwrapped in luxury for the leader and sacrifice for the people. In each international trip, the image of the green convoy touring borders becomes a metaphor for the survival of an isolated regime, which combines tradition, ostentation and fear in equal doses. Kim Jong’s arrival a Beijing in this kind of strength about Raíles not only evoked his father and grandfather’s legacy, but sent the world a continuity message: The dynasty remains firm, armored against external threats and determined to maintain its rituals even in the era of hypersonic missiles and autonomous drones. Image | Heute In Xataka | China has just told the world the place it wants to occupy. And he has done it with a parade of weapons that seem like science fiction In Xataka | In 2021 North Korea drew a stage as a power. Russia and a secret base have turned the plan in four years

What North Korea is a global threat by land, sea and air

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It happened a few hours ago. Kim Jong Un revealed A plan to develop a new intercontinental ballistic missile of solid fuelthus showing the advances of your arms program just before traveling to Beijing to meet with Xi Jinping and Putin in the framework of the celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Because North Korea has gone from being a possible threat To confirm as a challenge to international order. The new axis and an impulse. The weekend, The Washington Post dissected the latest advances by Pyongyang. Since 2021, when Kim Jong a presented a five -year plan to develop nuclear capabilities of great powers, North Korea has made unexpected advances thanks to a favorable international context and the direct support of Russia. We have gone counting. The war in Ukraine opened a Cooperation channel Strategic: Pyongyang He provided artillery and troops to a moscow eager for ammunition, I have already received Technological transfermilitary assistance and economic support. This turn reduces North Korean dependence of the United States as an interlocutor and reinforces Kim’s ability to challenge the West with a more diverse and modern arsenal. Progress in eyelets and deterrence. One of the recent milestones has been the presentation of the HWASAN-31a miniaturized tactical eye that reflects progress in the adaptation of nuclear weapons to missiles. Although it has not yet been tested in detonation or atmospheric reentry, its mere existence suggests that Pyongyang advances towards a more flexible and difficult arsenal to neutralize. At the same time, Kim maintains the ambition of completing the development of a bomb high -power hydrogensupported by continued production of highly enriched uranium, which reinforces the threat of an increasingly varied repertoire of weapons. Missiles, satellites and saturation. In the last four years North Korea has tried Intercontinental Balistic missiles with reach to American continental territory, in addition to tactical missiles for Japan and South Korea. After several failed attempts, he managed to put a Military Recognition Satellitea long -distance strategic objective. The current challenge lies in the development of multiple reentry vehicles (MIRV), which would allow a single missile transport several heads nuclear towards different targets, complicating the American antimile defense. An essay in 2024, although failed in its propulsion phase, confirms the seriousness of the project and anticipates more evidence in the immediate future. Nuclear and hypersonic submarines. It We also count. The regime has shown the structure of what it states will be its first submarine of nuclear propulsiona technology reserved for a small world club. Although experts believe that it is far from operability, the Russian experience in this field could accelerate the deadlines, as already happened with India in the 1980s. At the same time, Pyongyang has tried hypersonic missiles and a new generation planning vehicle, The Hwasong-16bwith an alleged flight of 930 miles at speeds superior to Mach 12. Although doubts persist about the veracity of this data, the continuous effort suggests that North Korea wants to enter the most advanced technological career of contemporary weapons. Drones and the lesson of Ukraine. The use of drones has become A plan pillar North Korean. Pyongyang has deployed recognition models and is producing armed devices capable of launching GPS guided bombs. His direct learning of war in Ukraine, together With Russian cooperation In manufacturing of geran drones (Derivatives of the Iranians Shahed), has allowed a qualitative leap. Russian instructors They train to North Korean pilots, consolidating a new dimension of the Technological Alliance. The slowness of Seoul to develop an equivalent strategy reinforces The tactical advantage of Kim in the Korean Peninsula. Satellite image that shows the Operational Base of SinPung Dong missiles in North Korea on August 12 The magnitude of the program. Had a few hours ago The CNN that the discovery of the secret missile base of Sinpung-Donglocated just 27 kilometers from the border with China, confirms the existence of strategic facilities that Pyongyang has never declared and that are part of a hidden network of between 15 and 20 complexes of storage and deployment of ballistic missiles. The report The Center for Strategic and International Studies warns that from there they could deploy to nine intercontinental nuclear capacity missiles with their respective mobile pitchers, configuring a direct threat not only for East Asia, but also for much of the United States continental territory. Location and base size. Raised in a mountainous valley and crossed by a stream, the base occupies an area of 22 square kilometerswhich makes it more extensive than, for example, the JFK International Airport in New York. The first evidence of its construction date back to 2004, and satellite images point out that it has been fully operational since 2014. Since then, it has remained in good condition, with continuous extensions that reflect the modernization of North Korean Arsenal. The site also gives a Geopolitical advantage: By being so close to the Chinese territory, any military operation against the base entails the risk of triggering an incident with Beijing, a strategic calculation that reinforces the deterrent value of the complex. So that. Although it is not known with certainty what type of missiles are stored in Sinpung-Dong, analysts consider it likely to be The Hwasong-15 or Hwasong-18both intercontinental and with nuclear capacity. The complex would also be equipped with Mobile transport units And launch, capable of leaving the enclosure in crisis situations, meeting with nuclear eyelets and executing shots from previously prepared scattered positions. This operation scheme increases the survival of arsenal and the difficulty of neutralizing it with a preventive attack. Camouflaged infrastructure. There are more, since The study details The existence of control stalls, warehouses, command buildings and small homes inside the complex, some of them camouflaged under thick trees and thickets, invisible in most satellite images except in winter. In other words, this degree of concealment seems to reveal a dispersion and deception strategy that seeks to guarantee the operational continuity of the program. The base fits what experts call The “missile … Read more

The US has found a new way to torpedo China. The problem is that it takes ahead to South Korea

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The truce is over. The US does not want integrated circuit manufacturing equipment that resort to US technologies and innovations They arrive in China. Not even chips factories that They do not belong to Chinese companies. In 2022 the US Department of Commerce granted a temporary exemption to several manufacturers of foreign semicondators who have plants in China so that they could equip their facilities with the machines they needed. But this permissive period has expired. From now on any chips manufacturer who has plants in China will have to request a license from the US Commerce Department to be able to install in its factories machines with US components or technologies. Intel has sold Your Dalian plant (China), so this measure no longer affects it. However, there are two South Korean companies of enormous relevance in the semiconductor industry whose business can be deeply conditioned by the restrictions imposed by the US: Samsung and SK Hynix. The Department of Commerce is not reassuring These two South Korean companies need to send new manufacturing machines of integrated circuits to their China plants to protect their competitiveness, and without the approval of the US administration they cannot do so. Lithography equipment that manufactures asml They incorporate American technologies (The ultraviolet light source of UVE and UVP machines is produced by the company of Californian origin Cymer, which is now integrated into ASML). And presumably the lithographic equipment of Tokyo Electron, Nikon and Canon also, which gives the US the power to control which countries can use this technology. The Commerce Department has noticed that it will not grant licenses that pursue expand the production capacity in China or update the existing technology The Department of Commerce has anticipated which will deliver the necessary licenses so that foreign chip manufacturers can continue to operate their China plants. The restrictions will begin in 120 days, so these companies They still have some margin to react. However, in its statement the Department of Commerce He has also warned that will not grant licenses that pursue expand production capacity in China or update existing technology. For Samsung and SK Hynix this limitation represents a serious problem. Samsung produces Nand Flash chips in Xian, and SK Hynix manufactures DRAM integrated circuits in Wuxi and Nand Flash in Dalian. Equipating these plants with avant -garde equipment can make a difference in your business. What the US Government pursues with this measure is to minimize the risk that the vanguard wafer lithography and wafering equipment that manufactures ASML, Apply Materials or Tokyo Electron Caigan in the hands of China. In addition, these restrictions make it difficult for the avant -garde chips to produce Samsung and SK Hynix They arrive at China’s distribution chain. A spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce of China has declared that “Beijing opposes this US measure and will take the necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of companies.” On the other hand, the South Korean government is negotiating with its American counterpart to protect the business of its companies in China. Image | ASML More information | Reuters | Nikkei Asia In Xataka | China is very clear about what you should do to win the Chips War to the US: resort to their technology geniuses

China has monopolized the battery market in just ten years. And the US only has one solution: South Korea

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China is the largest electric car exporter on the planet. In 2023 he exported approximately 1.7 million electric vehicleswhich represents more than 30% of its total car exports. Nevertheless, Its international expansion It is being seriously conditioned by the tariffs that are imposing USA or the European Union, among other regions with very serious difficulties to compete with the Chinese electric car. Largely the success of the country led by Xi Jinping in this industry strengthens its leadership in The production of lithium batteries. If we stick to China Fabrica electric cars 57% of batteries that these vehicles use. Catl and Byd are the largest lithium batteries manufacturers on the planet with A market share in 2023 34% and 16% respectively. This Asian country has reached this leadership position due to several factors. On the one hand it is The largest producer in the world of lithium and rare earths, which are the main raw materials used in the manufacture of batteries. In addition, it controls the processing of these materials and is capable of producing large -scale batteries and with a very competitive price. There is currently no indicator that invites us to anticipate that His domain of lithium batteries You will be threatened in the medium term. Even so, the US government is trying to create the appropriate conditions to put an end to China’s leadership in the battery market. South Korea is the strongest alternative to China in the battery industry At the end of July LG Energy Solution, the LG subsidiary specialized in the design and manufacture of lithium batteries, He signed an agreement of 4.3 billion dollars to supply iron and lithium phosphate batteries (LFP) to Tesla for three years. This plan is backed by the current US government and seeks to reduce the global dependence of electric car manufacturers of the Chinese Giants Catl and Byd. LG Energy Solution, Sk On and Samsung Sdi are the main battery manufacturers of South Korea LG Energy solution is The biggest battery manufacturer outside Chinaand, although it is a South Korean company, it is the best asset that the US has to end the Chinese domain. Catl and Byd have in their favor their ability to produce high performance batteries and with a very competitive price, which has caused LG Energy Solution, Sk On and Samsung Sdi, which are the main battery manufacturers of South Korea, Lose market share continuously. In fact, According to the consultant SNE Research Its combined market share has been reduced by 5.4% between January and June 2025. The Trump administration is determined to end this trend, and its strategy is to create in the US the necessary conditions to pave the way to South Korean batteries manufacturers and penalize Chinese producers. To carry out this idea has included A Catl, Byd, Envision Energy, Eve Energy, Gotion, Hithium and other Chinese batteries manufacturers in the list that lists the prohibited foreign entities. The purpose of this initiative is evident: it seeks to prevent US companies from buying batteries and components from China. If, despite this, they will be disqualified when accessing state subsidies. Image | Tennen-Gas More information | Volt Rush In Xataka | Historic record for China: its chips industry has produced in 2024 more than ever despite the sanctions

We knew that many use Starbucks as an office. In South Korea they lead to the printer, and the chain has said enough

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Enter a Starbucks store and meet several people installed with your laptop It is no novelty. The spacious tables, the plugs available, the air conditioning and, of course, the coffee, make these premises a habitual shelter for students and remote workers. A printer on the table. A cardboard separator to isolate itself from the world. A strip to plug laptop, mobile and tablet at the same time. All this has been seen – and is still seen – in some South Korea Starbucks. The phenomenon has shot, and therefore, the chain has decided to intervene. New standards in South Korea. The new regulation is clear: no printers, multi -mitoms or accessories that convert the premises into a portable office. This is what The Korea Herald collects itwhich adds that it is also not allowed to occupy several chairs or leave belongings for hours to “reserve” table. The original poster (left), the translation of Google Lens (right) From this week, employees have instructions to warn those who fail these guidelines. The measure communicates with a poster that already decorates dozens of stores in the country. And although the message is illustrated with a smiling bear, the background has nothing tender. What does it mean to be a 카공족. In South Korea, 카공족 It is the name that receives “the tribe that studies in coffee.” The term combines the words 카페 (cafeteria) and 공부 (study), and is used to describe those who spend hours working or reviewing notes in premises such as Starbucks. What began as a practical and punctual solution has become such a widespread custom that now raises a dilemma: is it a legitimate use of space or silent abuse of the common environment? The social reaction. The Donga Ilbo medium collects The testimony of Professor Seo Kyung-Duk, from the Sungshin Women’s University, who shared the image of the computer equipment with the cardboard separator: “It looks like a private office.” SEgún explainedeven the foreigner who accompanied him was bewildered: “How can anyone mark their territory in a public place like a cafeteria?” He asked, surprised. Some of the images that account for 카공족 in South Korea The author of the photo explained that this person did not return in all the time he remained in the store: “I spent three hours there and did not return once,” he said. Meanwhile, Asia Economy echoed some Of the most repeated reactions among users: “There is not even room to have coffee because of the 카공족,” said a person. Another ironized: “They leave their things and they will eat … is this a ‘Study Café’ or what?” Why have Starbucks Korea acted now? Starbucks has not acted in whim. According to the company, what is at stake is the collective experience. When a large table is occupied for hours by a single person, or when a client is absent leaving their objects as a reservation, the balance between those who enter, consume and leave, and those who turn the place into a personal office. There is also a commercial logic. Maintaining rotation is key in a business where each table counts. If someone occupies a seat for four hours with a single coffee, the impact is not anecdotal. If not, tell the owners of coffees in Barcelona, They are applying their own formula “anti occupies terraces”. Images | Athar Khan | 서경덕 (Via Donga Ilbo) In Xataka | We already know who is going to drink all the coffee that Brazil will not export to the US for the tariffs: China

We knew that North Korea has been infiltrating workers in companies in the West. Now we know how they do

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North Korea has been infiltrating teleworkors with false identities in United States companies. After that country became more hostile, the actor’s attention turned to Europe. According to the FBI, the Department of Justice and Googlewhat these employees pursue is to get income to finance the North Korea Nuclear Program. He modus operandi It was a great unknown. Until now. A framework without any improvisation. A cybersecurity researcher who responds to the name of Sttyk It was made with a database that has shown the environment Wired. The files include, according to Sttyk, “dozens of data gigabytes” and “thousands of emails.” From this information an organized workers’ structure is extracted in twelve groups, which in turn have approximately other twelve members. They respond to a general “master boss.” Organization in spreadsheets. The group works using the Slack communication tool, Google, Github and spreadsheets accounts. In the latter, an exhaustive follow -up of the works and the progress of the objectives, both economic and strategic, is made. They even collect the needs of specific jobs (required programming languages) of the companies to attack and their locations, with a record of whether there have been contact with the companies or progress of the process. How they get work. A few days ago, the BBC collected Jin-Su’s testimonya false North Korean teleworking that managed to defect. He said that most of the time of his work focused on acquiring fraudulent identities to request work. He went through Chinese, but aware that he needed Western identities, more attractive to the labor market, he got identities of people from Hungary, Türkiye or the United Kingdom. From there, the most involved workers in the process of getting work are the ones who most dominate English, although the fact that communications with technology companies are done by platforms such as Slack helps a lot. Also that many interviews are not made face to face, although that can be reversed with the proliferation of interviews made with artificial intelligence. Researchers have found identical curriculum among the suspects of being false workers. What jobs do they point to. We knew that false teleworkors were looking for employment in technology companies. The filtration is confirmed and limited to the areas: artificial intelligence, blockchain, Bots development, web development and mobile apps and desktop, CMS development, etc. The question of income. Jin-Su said that several works between the United States and Europe, earned about $ 5,000 per month. From what I entered, I had to pay 85% to North Korea, and even so, he said “it is much better than when we were in North Korea.” According to a United Nations report in March 2024, workers manage to generate between 250 and 600 million euros per year for their country of origin. The money they retain has a lot of value when they return to their country (many work from Russia or China, where they have more freedom), so the reasons for dropout lose weight. In parallel to this group of teleworkors operate the hackers that They steal cryptocurrencies To pass at the hands of the regime. Only in a blow in March this year they got 1,500 million, but in December 2024 they accumulated Other 1.3 billion in 47 blows. Working conditions that scare. The filtration presents a scenario that, although better than the one in North Korea, is nothing flattering for the workers involved in the plot. According to a Slack recording, the boss’s account stated in a message that “everyone should work more than at least 14 hours a day.” Although it sounds a lot, it does not perform from the model of some Silicon Valley companies or of the Elon Musk vision and its 120 hours per week. Images | Kremlin and Altumcode in Unspash In Xataka | Now we know everything that the new North Korea resort offers for 2,000 dollars. There is only one rule: be Russian

Now we know everything that the new North Korea resort offers for 2,000 dollars. There is only one rule: be Russian

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The first time we listened to the idea there was talk of setting up a Benidorm species North Korean version. That first outline mutated until woning already North Korea in a holiday place. The doubt since then, and more after Its inaugurationIt was knowing what attractions this resort had in one of the most isolated enclaves in the world, and what guests would go to the call. All that and something else has just known. Exclusivity and Russians. I told this week The journal wallstreet through a trip that has lasted seven days. The coastal complex by Wonsan Kalmaone of Kim Jong’s emblematic projects to exhibit an image of modernity and prosperity in North Korea, opened its doors to foreign visitors for the first timealthough very selectively: Russian citizens could only access. Conceived in 2018 and announced by the leader himself in his New Year speechthe project was inspired by leisure destinations Like Benidormwith plans for hotels of high height, casino, shopping centers and an aquatic park. According to the Official propagandait is a sample of the “policy centered in the people” and the large investments of the regime in social welfare, although satellite images show that a good part remains unfinished. Pompa and reopening. The partial reopening of borders In Februaryafter the total closure by the pandemic, it has served at the same time to strengthen cooperation political and military With Moscow, in a context in which Kim has promised Unconditional support to the Russian war against Ukraine. The Journal told that the inaugural visit of 13 Russian tourists It coincided With the arrival of Foreign Minister Serguéi Lavrov, housed in the best hotel and personally received by Kim on his private yacht. Experiences. The group of the first visitors, composed of experienced travelers and High purchasing powerhe started his tour with three days in Pyongyang before moving to Wonsan. Although the initial plan was to fly, they were redirected on a 10 -hour train trip to cover the 120 kilometers to the eastern coast, a change attributed to preparations for the preparations for the Arrival of Lavrov. Once at the resort, they met deserted beachesan extremely attentive service and disposal of the staff to satisfy any request, from preparing custom breakfasts to deliver chairs and speakers in the sand. And more. The beaches, apparently, They are segregated For premises and foreigners, the aquatic park remains closed to the latter and payments are made with recharged electronic bracelets only in dollars, euros or yuan. Prices ranged from 60 cents of a beer and the $ 465 of a model of a HWASong-17 missilewhile some activities, such as the use of aquatic motorcycles or quads, were free due to the absence of fixed rates. The visitors claimed to have enjoyed an unusual freedom to take photographs, documenting curiosities such as imported Heineken beer, war toys and buses with propaganda slogans. Of inside doors. The Arrival of Lavrov It altered the routine of the complex, which was filled with North Korean visitors apparently belonging to the elite, identifiable by its careful clothing and latest generation mobiles, something uncommon in the country. More. The hotel staff apparently showed behaviors that They surprised to tourists, such as ignoring “not disturbing” posters or reducing the temperature of hot water without consent. In a striking episode, the medium that dozens of North Koreans were equipped with swimsuits And they threw themselves into the sea next to the Russian visitors, including the group’s own guide, who did not know how to swim and spent hours clinging to one of them. Objectives and projection. What’s doubt, Wonsan Kalma It is not only an leisure center, but a propaganda instrument that the regime uses to demonstrate that it can offer luxury and recreation despite international sanctions and internal precariousness. In the domestic sphere, access to North Koreans is expected to be used as Loyalty Award Politics, reinforcing the official narrative of prosperity under the direction of Kim. The initial restriction of Russian visitors underlines the narrow tune strategic with Moscow and adds an element of exclusivity that enhances its symbolic value. In this way, experts point out that attracting international tourism in volume It will be difficultsince most travelers interested in North Korea seek their capital, their ideological monuments and military enclaves, Not a vacation on its beaches. It does not seem to import much in Pyongyang, where the regime plans to receive a second group of Russian tourists shortly, using Wonsan as a showcase of his political alliance and as an outgoing exterior. A place where the hospitality and the staging reinforce the message that, even under sanctions, North Korea can offer experiences that it intends to present as exclusive and luxurious. Image | Clay Gilliland, Heute In Xataka | North Korea has built a resort so great that it now faces another problem: find tourists to fill it In Xataka | After years with its closed borders, North Korea has opened to foreign tourism. The price: more than $ 600

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