South Korea police find four bodies on Jeju island as missing persons scandal deepens South Korean police have discovered four bodies on Jeju Island, intensifying scrutiny of the police force over its handling of missing persons cases. The findings have drawn public criticism, with authorities facing accusations of negligence and misconduct in addressing missing persons reports. The discovery of the bodies, including that of a woman who had gone missing in May, has prompted calls for systemic reforms within the police department. Reports emerged last week that authorities had delayed searches for a woman reported missing months earlier, sparking criticism of the police for failing to act promptly. The scandal deepened with the arrest of a police sergeant, surnamed Bu, who is accused of misleading victims' families and prematurely closing missing persons cases. Four officers in his chain of command have been placed on administrative leave, and President Lee Jae Myung has ordered sweeping reforms of the police force. Since Saturday, police have uncovered four bodies on the island, including the 37-year-old Jang Mi-ran, whose body was found at a palm tree farm approximately 500 meters from her residence. Authorities believe she may have taken her own life. Bu is suspected of closing her case without confirming her whereabouts. According to local reports, Bu allegedly told Jang's boyfriend that he had spoken to her over the phone and that she had refused to communicate with him. Another body was found on Saturday, belonging to a man in his 60s from Jeju City, who had gone missing on June 28. Bu had reportedly informed the family that the man was found "safe" but "does not wish to disclose his location.#south_korea #lee_jae_myung #jeju_island #police_force #konkuk_university
Memory Makers Navigate AI-Driven Boom and Bust Cycle The memory industry, long known for its volatile boom-bust cycles, is currently riding the most extreme wave of its history: the AI-driven surge in demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM), DDR5, and NAND flash. Companies like SK Hynix, Micron, and Samsung have seen their revenues triple or double in the past year, fueled by the explosive growth of AI datacenters. However, this rapid expansion has created a precarious situation, as the same demand that has driven profits now threatens to trigger a reversal. The current scarcity of memory components has led to shortages that ripple across industries, from consumer electronics to AI infrastructure. Prices for everything from budget smartphones to GPU servers have spiked, with even basic devices becoming unaffordable. To address this, the three major memory vendors are investing hundreds of billions of dollars to expand production capacity. In June, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung announced a $576 billion initiative led by SK Hynix and Samsung to boost chip manufacturing and secure AI supply chains. Meanwhile, Micron has pledged up to $3 billion to strengthen the U.S. semiconductor industry, with plans to increase production across its facilities in Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan. Despite these efforts, the process of scaling up semiconductor manufacturing remains staggeringly complex and time-consuming. Building a new DRAM or NAND fab requires securing financing, selecting a location, obtaining permits, and constructing specialized infrastructure, including ultra-pure water filtration systems and cleanrooms. Even after construction, installing and validating advanced lithography equipment, wafer transport systems, and testing tools takes years.#samsung #south_korea #micron #sk_hynix #lee_jae_myung
North Korea fires two rounds of ballistic missiles: Seoul military North Korea conducted two rounds of short-range ballistic missile launches on Wednesday, according to South Korea’s military, following an earlier unidentified projectile fired from the Pyongyang area the previous day. The South Korean military confirmed the launches, describing them as ballistic missiles fired from the Wonsan region toward the East Sea. The first missile was launched around 8:50 am (2350 GMT Tuesday) and traveled approximately 240 kilometers, while the second, launched at 2:20 pm, flew over 700 kilometers. The Japan Coast Guard also reported an object suspected to be a ballistic missile was launched from North Korea, urging maritime vessels to remain vigilant. The missile tests mark North Korea’s fourth and fifth known ballistic missile launches this year, according to analysts. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who has sought to improve relations with North Korea since taking office in 2024, faced renewed tensions after expressing regret over civilian drone incursions into the North in January. Lee called the drone incidents “irresponsible” and noted that government officials were involved in the operation. However, North Korea’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, dismissed Seoul’s overtures as “hope-filled dream reading,” labeling the South as “the enemy state most hostile” to Pyongyang. She praised Lee’s actions as “wise behavior” but emphasized that North Korea’s anti-South stance remains firm. The military’s emergency response included an urgent meeting at Seoul’s Office of National Security, where officials demanded Pyongyang halt its provocative actions.#south_korea #north_korea #kim_yo_jong #lee_jae_myung #wonsan
