AI startups reshape legal services in South Korea and Japan
SEOUL/TOKYO -- Hwang Sung-hyun, head of law firm Confidence in southern Seoul, can't say enough about how a new legal tech service has helped him save time and money. The senior attorney said SuperLawyer, developed by South Korean startup Law&Company, helps him analyze similar cases and draft legal documents to submit to courts.
"When you hire an associate lawyer, you should pay him 5 million won ($3,500) per month. But you can get the same, or even better service if you subscribe to SuperLawyer, which charges 100,000 won per month for basic services," Hwang said. "Moreover, you don't have to be stressed out by people."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yomiuri Shimbun
a day ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
South Korea to Minimize Impact of 50% Tariff on Steel Products, Ministry Says
Reuters Cranes and shipping containers are seen at Pyeongtaek port in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, April 2, 2025. SEOUL, June 2 (Reuters) – South Korea's Industry Ministry said on Monday it will respond to the looming 50% U.S. tariff on steel products as part of its trade discussions with Washington in order to minimize the impact on industry. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he planned to increase tariffs on imported steel and aluminum to 50% from 25% starting Wednesday, ratcheting up pressure on global steel producers and deepening his trade war. South Korea is the fourth-biggest exporter of steel to the United States, behind Canada, Mexico and Brazil last year, according to American Iron and Steel Institute data. South Korea's Industry Ministry said in a statement that it had held an emergency meeting with officials from the country's major steelmakers, including POSCO and Hyundai Steel Shares of South Korean steelmakers lost ground on Monday, with POSCO and Hyundai Steel falling 3% and SeAH Steel Corp down 6.3% in morning trade. The 50% tariffs will add challenge to Korean steel exporters which have refrained from sharply boosting exports to the U.S. to avoid Washington scrutiny, despite rising U.S. steel prices, an industry executive told Reuters. 'It will be a burden to exporting companies, if there are no additional steel price increases in the U.S,' he told Reuters, asking not to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue. Despite tariffs, South Korea's steel shipments to the United States rose 12% in April from a year earlier, according to trade data. Steel and aluminum tariffs were among the earliest put into effect by Trump when he returned to office in January. The tariffs of 25% on most steel and aluminum imported to the U.S. went into effect on March 12. Industry officials said the tariffs have increased steel prices in the United States, impacting several sectors, including home appliances, cars, and construction. TRADE TALKS South Korea, a major U.S. ally, has called for the exemption of tariffs on steel, autos and others items, during talks with the United States. Seoul agreed in late April to craft a trade package by the end of the 90-day pause on Trump's reciprocal tariffs in July, but it has been difficult for negotiators to make big decisions due to a political leadership vacuum. In late March, Hyundai Steel announced a plan to build a $5.8 billion factory in Louisiana in response to U.S. tariffs, but the factory will not open until 2029. In April, Hyundai Steel's bigger rival POSCO signed a preliminary deal to make an equity investment in the factory project.
Kyodo News
2 days ago
- Kyodo News
Kyodo News Digest: June 1, 2025
KYODO NEWS - 2 hours ago - 09:09 | All, Japan, World The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- Japan, U.S. vow to spur cybersecurity cooperation amid rising threats SINGAPORE - Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth agreed Saturday to boost cybersecurity cooperation, following Japan's enactment of a law allowing the government to monitor online communications amid rising cyber threats. After their talks in Singapore, meanwhile, Nakatani did not clarify whether Hegseth had requested Japan pay more for defense during their meeting. U.S. President Donald Trump views the long-standing security treaty with Japan as unfair and one-sided. ---------- Japan's cheaper stockpiled rice starts hitting store shelves TOKYO - The Japanese government's stockpiled rice released through direct contracts with retailers began hitting store shelves Saturday, with consumers flocking to the cheaper products. Major supermarket operator Ito-Yokado Co. and home appliance company Iris Ohyama Inc. were the first to start selling the rice at some of their shops, both setting a price tag of 2,160 yen ($15) including tax for a 5 kilogram-bag. ---------- Pentagon chief urges Asian allies to invest in defense to deter China SINGAPORE - U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday reaffirmed Washington's commitment to deterring what he called Chinese aggression, using a key Asia security conference in Singapore to urge regional allies and partners to boost their defense spending in response to the threat. Delivering a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue for the first time as Pentagon chief, Hegseth outlined the threat posed by China, including toward Taiwan, warning that "Beijing is credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific." ---------- Opposition chief sorry for calling gov't reserve rice "animal feed" TOKYO - Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the increasingly popular opposition party in Japan, apologized Saturday for having referred to the government's rice stockpiles as "animal feed," days after drawing criticism on social media. Tamaki, who heads the Democratic Party for the People, said on a TV program, "I regret that I caused discomfort to those who have been waiting for the government's stockpiled rice" amid soaring prices of the Japanese staple food, adding, "I would like to apologize." ---------- Seoul subway fire set by man, 400 passengers evacuate through tunnel SEOUL - A man started a fire inside a moving subway train in Seoul around 8:40 a.m. on Saturday, forcing about 400 passengers to evacuate on foot through the tunnel, according to South Korean media. The incident occurred near the center of the capital. The suspect fled the scene but was apprehended at a nearby station. Police are investigating his motives, as he appears to have started the fire using gasoline he brought with him. ---------- Museum featuring Asian works opens on Japanese island of art NAOSHIMA, Japan - A museum dedicated to contemporary Asian works opened Saturday on Naoshima Island in Kagawa Prefecture, known as an island of art and the only Japanese destination to make the BBC's list of the 25 best places to travel in 2025. The Naoshima New Museum of Art, designed by renowned architect Tadao Ando, is located in a hilltop village overlooking the Seto Inland Sea in western Japan. Featuring black plaster walls and stone fences, the building has a calm, subdued appearance. ---------- Chinese tourists returning to Japan with new travel style TOKYO - Chinese tourists are driving a recent surge in inbound travel to Japan, with arrivals now exceeding pre-pandemic 2019 levels, though their travel habits are shifting noticeably. Previously, Chinese tourism in Japan was defined by large group tours and shopping sprees known as "bakugai." Nowadays, however, more travelers are seeking immersive experiences related to Japanese cuisine, culture and scenery, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. ---------- Japan consumer watchdog warns of rice scam websites as prices soar TOKYO - Japan's consumer affairs center has called on people grappling with soaring rice prices to beware of websites claiming to sell the staple at heavily discounted prices. The National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan said complaints related to such websites have spiked since March, with some claiming the rice was never delivered though payment had been made. Video: Osaka Expo maritime parade
Kyodo News
2 days ago
- Kyodo News
Kyodo News Digest: June 1, 2025
KYODO NEWS - 5 minutes ago - 09:09 | All, Japan, World The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- Japan, U.S. vow to spur cybersecurity cooperation amid rising threats SINGAPORE - Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth agreed Saturday to boost cybersecurity cooperation, following Japan's enactment of a law allowing the government to monitor online communications amid rising cyber threats. After their talks in Singapore, meanwhile, Nakatani did not clarify whether Hegseth had requested Japan pay more for defense during their meeting. U.S. President Donald Trump views the long-standing security treaty with Japan as unfair and one-sided. ---------- Japan's cheaper stockpiled rice starts hitting store shelves TOKYO - The Japanese government's stockpiled rice released through direct contracts with retailers began hitting store shelves Saturday, with consumers flocking to the cheaper products. Major supermarket operator Ito-Yokado Co. and home appliance company Iris Ohyama Inc. were the first to start selling the rice at some of their shops, both setting a price tag of 2,160 yen ($15) including tax for a 5 kilogram-bag. ---------- Pentagon chief urges Asian allies to invest in defense to deter China SINGAPORE - U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday reaffirmed Washington's commitment to deterring what he called Chinese aggression, using a key Asia security conference in Singapore to urge regional allies and partners to boost their defense spending in response to the threat. Delivering a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue for the first time as Pentagon chief, Hegseth outlined the threat posed by China, including toward Taiwan, warning that "Beijing is credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific." ---------- Opposition chief sorry for calling gov't reserve rice "animal feed" TOKYO - Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the increasingly popular opposition party in Japan, apologized Saturday for having referred to the government's rice stockpiles as "animal feed," days after drawing criticism on social media. Tamaki, who heads the Democratic Party for the People, said on a TV program, "I regret that I caused discomfort to those who have been waiting for the government's stockpiled rice" amid soaring prices of the Japanese staple food, adding, "I would like to apologize." ---------- Seoul subway fire set by man, 400 passengers evacuate through tunnel SEOUL - A man started a fire inside a moving subway train in Seoul around 8:40 a.m. on Saturday, forcing about 400 passengers to evacuate on foot through the tunnel, according to South Korean media. The incident occurred near the center of the capital. The suspect fled the scene but was apprehended at a nearby station. Police are investigating his motives, as he appears to have started the fire using gasoline he brought with him. ---------- Museum featuring Asian works opens on Japanese island of art NAOSHIMA, Japan - A museum dedicated to contemporary Asian works opened Saturday on Naoshima Island in Kagawa Prefecture, known as an island of art and the only Japanese destination to make the BBC's list of the 25 best places to travel in 2025. The Naoshima New Museum of Art, designed by renowned architect Tadao Ando, is located in a hilltop village overlooking the Seto Inland Sea in western Japan. Featuring black plaster walls and stone fences, the building has a calm, subdued appearance. ---------- Chinese tourists returning to Japan with new travel style TOKYO - Chinese tourists are driving a recent surge in inbound travel to Japan, with arrivals now exceeding pre-pandemic 2019 levels, though their travel habits are shifting noticeably. Previously, Chinese tourism in Japan was defined by large group tours and shopping sprees known as "bakugai." Nowadays, however, more travelers are seeking immersive experiences related to Japanese cuisine, culture and scenery, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. ---------- Japan consumer watchdog warns of rice scam websites as prices soar TOKYO - Japan's consumer affairs center has called on people grappling with soaring rice prices to beware of websites claiming to sell the staple at heavily discounted prices. The National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan said complaints related to such websites have spiked since March, with some claiming the rice was never delivered though payment had been made. Video: Osaka Expo maritime parade
