Latest news with #Kwon
Korea Herald
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Novelist Kwon Yeo-sun, cellist Yang Sung-won, Lee Tae Seok Foundation receive Musan Cultural Awards
Continuing legacy of eponymous Buddhist monk-poet, second Musan Awards celebrate art, empathy, pubic service The Manhae Musan Foundation held its second Musan Cultural Awards ceremony Friday at the Grand Hyatt Seoul in Yongsan, central Seoul, presenting prizes to three winners: writer Kwon Yeo-sun, cellist Yang Sung-won and the Lee Tae Seok Foundation. The Musan Cultural Awards were established to honor the life and legacy of the late poet and Buddhist monk Cho Oh-hyun, known by his pen name Musan. Each prize carries a cash prize of 100 million won ($72,500). In the literature category, novelist Kwon was recognized for what the committee described as her "sensitive perception and unique rhythm that cut through social issues and illuminate the unspoken contours of life," as well as for her ability to confront pain with compassion. Speaking to reporters ahead of the ceremony, Kwon shared that she was recently rushed to an emergency room, went into shock and had to undergo surgery. "I still go to the hospital daily for follow-up treatment. Pain and sorrow have always been eternal themes in literature. But when I'm overwhelmed by my own suffering, I realize that my ability to empathize with others may not even amount to a fistful," said Kwon. "But I believe literature has the power to bridge that gap, even if only slightly. I hope my novels can expand the boundaries of what pain can touch. Sadly, I cannot write at the moment, and that breaks my heart. I want to return to writing as soon as possible." In the arts category, the foundation recognized cellist Yang for his contributions to cultural exchange and artistic inspiration through music. 'The values that Musan emphasized — respect for humanity, introspection expressed through silence and a return to traditional values — deeply resonate with the direction that arts should take," said Yang. 'Arts open hearts, connect emotions, and help us understand one another,' he added. The Lee Tae Seok Foundation, represented by Chair Goo Soo-hwan, received the award for its ongoing humanitarian efforts. Established in 2012, the nonprofit carries on the legacy of the late Catholic priest from which it takes its name, who devoted his life to medical and educational service in South Sudan. The foundation provides medical supplies and essentials to communities in need, including leprosy villages in Tonj, South Sudan and war-torn regions such as Ukraine. 'I have come to believe that the greatest form of social critique is love,' said Goo, who was formerly a documentary producer at KBS. 'When we think about how to change society for the better, it's not just about laws and systems — it's about people. The most powerful message we can send is a message of compassion.' The life and legacy of Lee were previously captured in the acclaimed 2010 documentary "Don't Cry for Me Sudan." A follow-up film, "Resurrection" (2020), screened at the Vatican last year. Goo added, 'Later this year, we hope to release the third film of the trilogy, offering guidance on the direction our society should take.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
OpenAI wants to help countries develop their own AI capabilities. But can they afford it?
The rise of AI is a tale of haves and have-nots. The power-hungry sector demands near-endless resources, from computing power to engineering talent, meaning top companies are mostly restricted to being based in the world's superpowers. OpenAI, the most valuable startup operating in the space, wants to change that, announcing a new initiative to help other countries build out their own AI infrastructure. Speaking on Wednesday at Fortune's ASEAN-GCC Economic Forum in Malaysia, OpenAI chief strategy officer Jason Kwon argued that his company's ambitious program will help countries determine their own future in the booming industry, even as the cost to create home-grown competitors remains prohibitive for most nations. 'Infrastructure is destiny,' Kwon said on a panel. He pointed at OpenAI's first pilot for the program, in the United Arab Emirates. Though hardly a cash-strapped country, the UAE still pales in size compared to the U.S. and China, and OpenAI's partnership represents its first international deployment of its Stargate platform, which will aim to direct hundreds of billions of dollars into infrastructure development. Kiril Evtimov, the chief technology officer of the leading UAE AI company G42, joined Kwon onstage in Malaysia, arguing that countries will have to be inventive to achieve technological autonomy, such as relying on open-source models for specific use cases, like embedding AI into government services, when other costs grow too prohibitive. 'Technically, this is probably as sovereign as it will get,' Evtimov said. 'It's always about balance.' Headquartered in California, OpenAI has amassed a staggering—and unprecedented—amount of funding for a private company, closing its latest round in March, valuing the ChatGPT developer at $300 billion. But even as the company swells, its CEO, Sam Altman, continues to hammer its mission of creating AI for all—which includes non-U.S. countries, even as geopolitical tensions simmer. Speaking on Wednesday's panel, Kwon argued that OpenAI aims to work individually with countries depending on their own needs, even if they cannot afford to build out multi-billion-dollar data centers like the UAE. 'It's not just about having capital,' he said. 'We'll provide the engine, and they're going to be providing the steering.' While the growing isolationist strain in Washington, led by President Trump, could dissuade some countries from working with U.S.-based tech firms, Kwon said that OpenAI's job is to listen to what they want to achieve, including localizing models. In the company's release announcing the initiative last week, it cited potential examples like providing customized ChatGPT to citizens that can deliver healthcare services and helping to raise and deploy a national startup fund. Still, OpenAI's move to help develop infrastructure, especially in the Middle East and with support from the Trump administration, has drawn criticism from some China hawks who have raised national security concerns. Trump's AI and crypto czar, David Sacks, pushed back in an X post earlier this month, calling the investment 'hugely beneficial for the United States.' With OpenAI quickly becoming one of the world's largest and most influential tech companies, its scope continues to grow, especially with last week's announcement of its $6.5 billion acquisition of legendary Apple designer Jony Ive's startup to build AI-native hardware devices. Kwon said that OpenAI's decision was rooted in its belief that AI is shifting how humans will interact with computers, necessitating new modes of communication. 'We need to be a full-stack competitor,' he said. This story was originally featured on
The Star
4 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Moving away from traditional gifts
May is known as 'Family Month' in South Korea, as it has several days to celebrate and show love for those held closest to people's hearts. One such commemorative day is Parents' Day on May 8. A time- honoured tradition in South Korea has children giving carnations to their parents to express gratitude for their love and care. However, some Koreans have recently shown a shift in preferences for Parents' Day, as they search for gifts that are more meaningful and worthwhile. Kwon Young-june, a 53-year-old office worker, is one person who a few years ago made the switch from giving carnations. 'I used to give my parents a bouquet of carnations along with some other gifts like nutritional supplements. But I've noticed that flowers have gotten increasingly expensive nowadays and that they wither quite quickly compared to how much I paid for them,' Kwon said. 'Since a few years back, I realised it would be better for me to spend what I would have spent on a bouquet of flowers on something more memorable and cost- effective, such as a fancy dinner outing with some additional gifts and a money envelope.' Spoilt for choice: Screencaps showing Parents' Day gifts such as soap flowers, money bouquets and money cakes being sold on Naver. — The Korea Herald/ANN Kwon added that his parents also seemed to enjoy his change in gifts. This year he treated them to a nice family meal and a short weekend trip to the outskirts of Seoul. Kwon isn't the only one making the change – a decrease in carnation sales suggests fewer Koreans are buying the flowers to celebrate Parents' Day. According to Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation's floral distribution data, carnation sales have seen a steady decrease. While some 80,000 bundles were sold in May 2021, a decrease in sales of about 50% was noted around the same time in 2024, when around 40,000 bundles were sold. Besides replacing carnations with gifts some would consider more valuable, other Koreans have started to prefer giving cash instead of physical gifts on Parents' Day. According to a survey conducted by Lotte Members' research platform Lime in 2024, 62.2% of respondents said they planned to give cash gifts. Nutritional supplements came in a distant second at 10.2%, followed by clothing and fashion accessories at 6.5%. 'In Korean culture, there's a deep-rooted expectation for children to support their parents financially, especially in old age. 'In this sense, giving cash is seen not just as a gift but as a form of ongoing responsibility and respect,' sociology professor Koo Jeong-woo from Sungkyunkwan University said. 'Cash is seen as a safe and thoughtful gift in Korea, as it lets parents choose what they truly need and minimises the risk of buying the wrong gift.' Even when it comes to gifting cash, Koreans have found entertaining ways to present the gift: The money is not handed out in a blank, white envelope but is often given with an element of surprise. Searching 'Parents' Day Gifts' on search engines like Naver shows results such as 'money boxes', 'money bouquets', 'money sitting mats' and even 'money cakes'. These products, often disguised to look nothing like what one would consider a cash gift, reveal large amounts of cash when opened. Jang Yu-jin, a 29-year-old office worker, recalled giving a money box to her grandparents for Parents' Day in 2024. The box, filled with soap flowers, held a commemorative card inside. Pull the card, and along with it comes a seemingly endless roll of cash. 'After I got employed for the first time last year, I wanted to gift something special to my grandparents, who raised me like their own child since I was very little,' Jang said. 'But I wanted to give more than a simple money envelope, so I gave them this money box I found online. I still remember how excited they looked pulling out all that money.' For those who wish to give cash gifts in an envelope, special envelopes that release confetti when opened have also recently gone viral. 'Korean gift culture is evolving. Younger generations are putting a playful twist on traditional forms of filial duty,' Koo added. 'Nowadays, it's not just about handing over large amounts of cash but rather gifts that show thoughtfulness, effort and humour – and in this case, we can say the presentation of such gifts fulfills that role.' Though Koreans have found a way to entertain their parents and loved ones with interesting gifts, many say that they still feel stressed when thinking about this commemorative day – not because they don't know what to get, but because they worry that it will be 'too little compared to others'. Kim Young-seo, 32, said that she gave her mother a mood light filled with preserved flowers for Parents' Day last year, which 'was a huge hit'. But she soon found herself worrying about whether she was doing enough for her parents. 'They did so much for me growing up, and I don't want to make it feel like they're getting any less compared to someone else they know,' said Kim. Though the mood light went over well last year, this year, Kim resolved to giving her mother a modest amount of cash within her budget. After hearing what her coworkers were doing for Parents' Day, she raised the amount accordingly. 'I felt like I was the only one giving that little to my parents,' Kim added. 'You keep hearing about how much others are spending and it makes it difficult for me to cut back even when my budget is tight. 'While I like celebrating this special day with my parents, I find that it's also one of those days in the year that gives me a significant amount of stress.' — The Korea Herald/ANN
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First Post
5 days ago
- Business
- First Post
OpenAI to set up office in Seoul as demand for ChatGPT grows in South Korea
South Korea has the largest number of paying ChatGPT subscribers after the United States, according to OpenAI. read more OpenAI will set up its first office in Seoul and has established an entity in South Korea as demand in the country jumps for its ChatGPT service, the company said on Monday. South Korea has the largest number of paying ChatGPT subscribers after the United States, according to OpenAI. OpenAI has also begun hiring staff to support partnerships with the country and expects to announce further details on this in coming months, the company said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Korea's full-stack AI ecosystem makes it one of the most promising markets in the world for meaningful AI impact, from silicon to software, and students to seniors,' Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon said in a statement. More from Tech South Korea protests China's maritime restrictions in shared waters Earlier this year, OpenAI announced it would develop artificial intelligence products for South Korea with chat app operator Kakao. Kwon, who is visiting Seoul, is set to hold a meeting with officials from the main opposition Democratic Party and the ruling People Power Party, local media reported.
Ammon
5 days ago
- Business
- Ammon
OpenAI to open office in Seoul amid growing demand for ChatGPT
Ammon News - OpenAI will set up its first office in Seoul and has established an entity in South Korea as demand in the country jumps for its ChatGPT service, the company said on Monday. South Korea has the largest number of paying ChatGPT subscribers after the United States, according to OpenAI. OpenAI has also begun hiring staff to support partnerships with the country and expects to announce further details on this in coming months, the company said. "Korea's full-stack AI ecosystem makes it one of the most promising markets in the world for meaningful AI impact, from silicon to software, and students to seniors," Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon said in a statement. Earlier this year, OpenAI announced it would develop artificial intelligence products for South Korea with chat app operator Kakao. Kwon, who is visiting Seoul, is set to hold a meeting with officials from the main opposition Democratic Party and the ruling People Power Party, local media reported. Reuters
