The U.S. national debt has surpassed $40 trillion for the first time, raising alarms about the growing deficit as debt levels and long-term Treasury yields surge.According to the U.S. Treasury, the total national debt reached $40.47 trillion (approximately 56.45 quadrillion won) as of September 19.The national debt crossed the $30 trillion mark in January 2022, adding $10 trillion in just 4 years and 7 months. When President Donald Trump took office in January 2017, the debt was about $19.95 tri

Saemaul Geumgo is accelerating its recovery efforts. Amid ongoing burdens from loan loss provisions due to a sluggish real estate market, the organization aims to reduce losses through the management of non-performing loans (NPLs) and operational efficiency, with a goal of achieving profitability by 2028.According to the Saemaul Geumgo Central Association, 1,251 Saemaul Geumgos across the country sold a total of 3.4783 trillion won in non-performing loans in the first half of this year.Of this a

"We are researching solid-state batteries, which will lead to greater efficiency. Additionally, I believe hybrid and extended-range electric vehicles (EREV) show promise, so we plan to focus significantly on EREV development," said Chung Euisun, Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, during the 'GV90 World Premiere' held in San Francisco on August 19 (local time).On that day, Genesis unveiled its first ultra-large flagship electric sports utility vehicle (SUV), the 'GV90,' marking a significant milest

The Kakao Bank labor union plans to initiate a full strike from August 31 to September 4, demanding improvements in performance compensation. This will be the third strike following two previous full-day walkouts, indicating a prolonged labor dispute.According to the Kakao branch of the National Chemical Fiber Food Industry Labor Union, 100% of union members will participate in the upcoming strike.This marks the first time the Kakao Bank union has engaged in a prolonged series of strikes. The un

Kakao Games will launch the 2.5D MMORPG 'Goblin's World,' developed by Supercat, in October. This marks the company's first new MMORPG in 2 years and 8 months since 'ROM' in February 2024, aiming to drive a recovery in performance for the second half of the year.On August 20, Kakao Games held a media showcase for 'Goblin's World' at the Korea House in Jung-gu, Seoul, revealing key content and service directions for the game.Co-CEO Lee Si-woo stated, "We prepared 'Goblin's World' with the princip

Emergency living and operational funds will be provided to households and small businesses affected by recent heavy rainfall. Existing loans can be extended for up to one year, and credit card payments and insurance premiums can be deferred for up to six months.On August 20, the Financial Services Commission announced the implementation of these financial support measures in collaboration with the Financial Supervisory Service, relevant financial institutions, and industry associations. This dec

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on August 21, 2026, that it has selected Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province and Jeju Island as the two regions to support the K-Beauty export hub development project.According to the ministry, the K-Beauty export hub development project aims to combine the K-Beauty support policies of the central and local governments with private infrastructure and expertise to cultivate areas frequented by foreign tourists into global centers for K-Beauty expansio

Hana Financial Group is making significant strides in the digital asset custody market.On August 20, Hana Financial announced that Bitgo Korea, a joint venture with global digital asset infrastructure firm Bitgo, has completed its registration as a virtual asset service provider (VASP) with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).This marks the first instance of a global specialized digital asset custody company establishing a separate legal entity in South Korea and receiving VASP registration si

As the use of downloadable open weight AI models in academic research grows globally, nearly half of these applications are centered around Alibaba's Qwen model in China. Analysts suggest that many researchers are opting for domestic models rather than prioritizing openness.On August 20, the IT industry reported that researcher Zachary Okun-Dernivine from the University of Stuttgart's Institute for Social Science Research published a paper titled "Who Actually Uses Open Weight Models, and How is