Ferrari driver Felipe Massa of Brazil drives during the first practice session of the 2013 Koreab Grand Prix at the Korea International Circuit in Yeongam The 2013 Korean Grand Prix takes place in Yeongam Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel takes a corner followed by Sahara Force India driver Paul di Resta during the first practice session of the 2011 Korean Grand Prix at the Korea International Circuit in Yeongam A powerfully built youngster with the nickname "Monster" has emerged as the dominant force in traditional Korean ssireum wrestling in recent years Standing 190 centimeters and weighing 140 kilograms including his second Grand Festival championship in three years in December The muscular grappler won about 90 percent of his matches last year "It is the biggest tournament of the year and was held in my home province (South Jeolla Province) so my psychological burden was heavy," Kim said of his Grand Festival triumph "I'm happy that I extended my winning streak since the June tournament." both wrestlers must first secure their grip on the satba and fight to topple their opponent without shoving ssireum became the first intangible cultural heritage of the U.N Scientific and Cultural Organization jointly registered by North and South Korea Kim made his major tournament debut in 2022 and stormed to victory at the Grand Festival that year making him the first student grand champion since the legendary Lee Man Gi in 1985 Although Kim struggled with a lower back injury at one stage he managed to take his major title tally to 14 by the end of 2024 Now the question is whether he can overhaul Lee's record of 18 this year Wrestling: Japanese Olympic champions learn big lesson in Germany To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription Please check your inbox for a confirmation email Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible Peasants’ Unions in Korea are protesting the sale of imported agricultural products by the local agricultural cooperatives These protests are intensifying across the South Jeolla Province (Jeollanam-do) all the way from Gwangyang at the eastern end to Yeongam at the western end Hanaro Mart is a grocery supermarket chain by Nonghyup (National Agricultural Cooperative Federation) with over 2000 stores across the country that are supposedly meant to sell ‘locally grown agricultural and livestock products.’ The Yeongam County Peasants’ Association held a press conference in front of the Yeongam County Branch of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation (NACF) on the 30th of April About 50 peasants attended the press conference the chairperson of Yeongam County Peasants’ Association “It is an undeniable reality in South Korea that due to the government’s misguided agricultural policies and the climate crisis whenever there is a possibility of even a slight increase in agricultural product prices destabilizing agricultural product prices and threatening the livelihoods of peasants It is absolutely unacceptable for the NACF which is like stabbing the cooperative members in the back.” The participants demanded that all imported agricultural products within Hanaro Mart be immediately removed and no longer sold and the Yeongam County Branch of the NACF strictly monitor Hanaro Mart to ensure that no imported agricultural products are sold immediate reporting to the central headquarters and suspension of all support to the respective cooperative were demanded They also delivered a letter to the Yeongam County Branch of the NACF the head of the Yeongam County Peasants’ Association “Although the Yeongam County Peasants’ Association has protested and warned several times against various agricultural cooperatives selling imported agricultural products at Hanomart within our jurisdiction the cooperatives only briefly withdrew after receiving the protests then resumed selling imported agricultural products so we held this press conference as a final warning If imported agricultural products are sold again at Hanaro Mart after today we will take immediate retaliatory action without further warning.” the Gwangyang City Peasants’ Association (Chairman Yu Yeong-jun) which raised the banner of this year’s struggle against imported agricultural products at Hanaro Mart for the first time held another press conference in front of Gwangyangwonhyeop It was a formal press conference following informal gatherings held in front of Jinjang Cooperative on the 19th and Gwangyang Dongbu Cooperative on the 22nd The Gwangyang City Peasants’ Association is conducting two parallel struggles against the local agricultural cooperatives: ‘recovery of shipping incentive funds’ and ‘prevention of the sale of imported agricultural products’ ‘Shipping Incentive Funds’ refer to a 0.5% incentive that is paid by wholesale market to auction companies (which is Nonghyup in this case) to encourage shipping Peasants wants that these incentives are extended to them instead.The large-scale cooperative struggle that began with the fight for the recovery of shipping incentive funds has expanded to include imported agricultural products most of the cooperatives in Gwangyang have withdrawn imported agricultural products from their shelves and are considering payment of shipping incentive funds but the peasants are demanding a clear resolution The press conference was attended by over 50 peasants the chairperson of the Gwangju Jeonnam Federation of the National Peasants’ Federation as well as peasants from nearby cities and counties such as Suncheon and Boseong “The cooperative is supposed to be an organization for the economic and social advancement of peasants but the current cooperative has degenerated into a business enterprise squeezing peasants’ blood and pursuing only its own profit by imposing high fees and loan interest rates on peasants until they die.” The union urged the six cooperatives in Gwangyang City to pay shipping incentive funds and stop selling imported agricultural products the participating peasants threw imported bananas at the NACF The Gwangyang City Peasants’ Association plans to continue pressure on the NACF through picketing and other forms of protest until the issues are resolved This article is based on a report filed by Im Sun-man and Kwon Sun-chang for the IKP News. This post is also available in Français A livestock cooperative federation employee disinfects a livestock market in Yeongam amidst an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease on March 17 amidst an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease Plans for the new circuit at Yeongam were ambitious indeed Not only was it to be the venue for the new Korea Grand Prix for the next seven years (with an additional five-year option) but the venue would eventually include hotels and the circuit was only just completed in time for the 2010 Korean Grand Prix although the surrounding area was never developed the Korea International Circuit featured long straights and heavy braking zones the pitlane exited straight onto the racing line (although this was soon altered) and drivers complained about the track surface That allied to the venue’s inaccessibility (it is 250 miles south of Soeul) and the lack of local hotel rooms meant that Korea was soon an unpopular destination The race dropped from the F1 calendar in 2014 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Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker wife and 3 disabled sons died of knife wounds The bodies of five found inside a family home in Yeongam are believed to be those of a man in his 50s who killed his wife and three sons in their 20s before taking his own life by drinking poison South Jeolla Police Agency said an initial autopsy showed the man while his wife and three children died from stab wounds Police found one knife and a bottle of insecticide in a search of the family’s home Investigators said it is likely that Kim drank the pesticide after stabbing his family members to death They will conduct an autopsy on Kim’s body to check for chemicals the police conducted a second round of forensic examinations on Saturday the police found no signs of intrusion and that the house door had been locked They plan to retrieve surveillance camera footage near the family’s home and conduct additional questioning The five bodies of the family members were found in the house by a neighbor who saw blood stains on the window Kim and his wife were found in the living room and his three children were found in the bedroom His three children also had disabilities that classified them as "severely disabled" here -- including physical disabilities and autism -- according to the police The man had been recently booked by the police for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in a nearby village on Sept He reportedly refused a summons by the police on Wednesday two days before the police discovered his and his family members' bodies The plan to unify the candidacies of conservative People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo faces a rocky road From booking beds to building AI: Yanolja Cloud CEO reimagines travel Amazon Prime sign deal to increase K-content access Korea mark 60 years of ties with sculpture Respect wanes: Teaching no longer highly coveted job in S As unused homes increase in rural South Korea Supreme Court’s verdict sours Lee Jae-myung’s presidential bid Korean mothers are opting for C-sections at record rates South Koreans get creative with Parents’ Day gifts Lee Jae-myung leads in hypothetical three-way race with Han Duck-soo Costco’s steep membership hike tests loyalty of Korean shoppers Netflix's 'The Devil’s Plan' returns with star-packed season 2 Sung Kil Moon reached the pinnacle of the unpaid ranks with no silky skills to boast of with a chin filled with cement and sandbags for fists his a transition to the top of the pro game was as simple as taking off his vest and head guard Perhaps the closest comparison in this regard would be to George Foreman a fighter similarly gifted at dishing out pain with little more than brute strength and otherworldly power he was not some recently excavated caveman who accidentally ended up on one of the most lauded amateur boxing programs of the 20th Century (and yes although South Korean boxing is not a powerhouse today from the 1950s up until the 1990s it produced many medalists and pro champs) Moon’s rural childhood saw him develop a talent for athletics Attempts to make it in the athletic programs in big cities failed however and Moon worked a variety of jobs in factories before he even reached high school age (1) Brief highlights of Ki-Soo Kim’s historic victory over Italian legend Nino Benvenuti which was massively popular in South Korea from the advent of it’s first world champion in the 1960s (national hero Ki-Soo Kim pulling off the major upset over international star and legendary Italian Nino Benvenuti to win the unified light-middleweight championship) gave Moon a chance to break out of rural poverty If he was a big fish in a small pond athletically he would punch his way to a high school scholarship instead: so I had to go to the other village to watch boxing and I fell for it but there was no way to pursue it The passion stayed with me till later but I didn’t know what to do I got an opportunity to start boxing after enrolling in high school and I was self-funded They told me I couldn’t get a scholarship if I don’t win a tournament but I started anyway and ended up getting one after winning silver at the King’s Cup.” (2) Moon had more success beating his big-city rivals in the ring than he did on the track you are a scientific amateur boxer qualifying for the most prestigious international tournaments in the sport and a fighter with little science just beats you up with seemingly nothing you can do about it This is what the top amateurs of the ‘80s—a deep era in the sports history—had to deal with as Moon sledgehammered his way to two World Cup golds and a gold medal at the 1986 World Amateur Championships in which Moon won gold in a field including European The only failure of his amateur career was in the Olympic games suffering a cut from an accidental clash of heads in his quarter-final matchup in Los Angeles and would be a factor in more than one of his later professional outings although some of Moon’s incredibly violent amateur outings are readily available His Olympic bout with Robert Shannon (a really fun one) is still readily available as is his hard-fought victory over Heo Yong-Mo at the 1986 Asian Games who had won a bronze medal at the 1982 World Amateur Championships Olympic success in his native Seoul—where he had lived and trained for many years as a member of the prestigious South Korean amateur team—should have been a shoo-in but Sung-Kil Moon made what would have been a surprising decision at the time: He was taking his talents to the pro game As a longtime ally in the field of boxing history research (a mysterious but clearly clued up South Korean historian known as either ‘Confucius’ or ‘Fighter In The Wind’) tells it it was Moon’s rivalry with Heo Yong-Mo that necessitated his switch to the paid ranks:  The most legendary wars were with Heo Yong-mo - which also happened to be quite possibly the greatest amateur rivalry in Korean history one-two boxer-puncher - a bit like Chung-il Choi (but with a better arsenal as Choi couldn't throw any hooks or uppercuts) contrasting match-up as well.Heo's fate is ultimately another "what ifs" - a bit like Moon's - as injuries and over-stay in amateurs ruined a potential world title caliber career Heo in my opinion was better than Moon as an amateur and far more technically advanced Kim Kwang-sun - the Olympic Gold Medalist and a guy who nearly beat both Carbajal and Chiquita when he was way past expiration date - could not touch Heo and never could even make the national team when Heo was affixed at flyweight And Kim wasn't the only elite Korean amateur at flyweight during these days; the Korean amateur flyweight scene - just like the pro scene - was loaded in the 70s and 80s Moon got in Heo's way of more amateur glory; and Heo never turned pro - I am told because of persistent hand problems which would have been exposed even more as a pro through greater usage.Still Heo's move up in weight ultimately was a major factor in Moon turning pro If the excellent pros Moon ran into knew this historical tidbit perhaps they would curse Heo Yong-Mo for pushing Moon towards them Moon’s previous love of athletics had served him well in the Seoul Olympic village and in the cross-athlete competitions he beat everyone The track and hill runs he partook in during his amateur boxing training had built him into a monster giving him championship lungs that pro fighters usually need to develop in increments it took one of the all-time great boxing showings—regardless of weight—to comprehensively beat Moon wholly appropriate) was no match for Khaokor’s pinpoint accuracy To the likely chagrin of the division below it convinced Moon to pursue further title opportunities at super flyweight which only made his strength and power more apparent Once down at super flyweight Moon would become known as ‘Korean Hands of Stone’ or ‘Stone Hand’ and watching back tape of his fights it’s not difficult to see why To give an idea of the ferocity Moon brought to the ring celebrated Japanese boxing scribe described Moon thusly: The Korean depends just on his fierce aggressiveness unlike Duran who displayed natural defensive ability in coping with Davey Moore Sungkil (sic) was formerly one of the most established amateur boxers ever produced in Korea 98 KOs and RSCs never mean his skill from the viewpoint of the so-called amateur boxing that put the same importance to a knockdown and to a single clean hit Even in Korea where there are plenty of brutally game punchers Unbeaten Ghanaian champion Nana Konadu was coming off the best win of his eighteen-fight career having eviscerated legendary champion Gilberto Roman by scoring multiple knockdowns en route to a wide decision victory Konadu was of the more sophisticated variety of offensive fighter a skilled boxer-puncher who had shown himself able to go tit for tat with one of the more skilled boxers of the era and a champion this writer sees as the greatest super flyweight of all time In a classic battle the two juggernauts traded knockdowns before Moon’s gung-ho style brought about another premature ending due to a clash of heads Just as he had against Khaokor Galaxy first time around despite ‘even Korean aficionados’ thinking that ‘Moon would have no chance to dethrone the Ghanan kingpin’ (5) This writer—whilst disappointed with the inconclusive ending—considers this one of the greatest wars ever contested at the super flyweight limit Moon proved his superiority over Konadu in a terrifying battering a year later that saw Konadu surrender unable to stave off Moon’s Neanderthal slugging Moon made nine defences of the WBC (lineal) title - including a drubbing of the aforementioned Roman - but found technically astute fighters more difficult to overwhelm durable and versatile Carlos Gabriel Salazar and well-schooled Jose Luis Bueno all gave him trouble with the latter relieving Moon of his title and sending him into retirement Famously tricky Hilario Zapata was too far gone to do much and was crushed inside a round clearly past his best form and way above his best weight it is a stunning example of Moon’s heavy-handed brutality against a fighter who was surely once among the most talented lower-weight operators that ever lived you will find no other fighter below bantamweight as scary as Sung-Kil Moon not even his contemporary (and long-reigning World Boxing Association champ) Khaosai Galaxy Contrary to a ferocious puncher such as Naoya Inoue or Jimmy Wilde the devastation wrought by Moon was not predicated on speed or technical nous: the likes of Moon are rarely seen below heavyweight and his ability to make even the most technical of fighters engage him in a brawl makes him a nightmare prospect for any fighter in history In the wild west that was ‘00s boxing forums the small and fervent gang of lower-weight aficionados (myself included) waxed lyrical about Moon whenever we could As footage was shared and dissected and his myth grew until he was the fully-realised 3D character you have met in this article worrying rumours about his health and life after boxing became as regular as the chatter about his special brand of ultra-violence And they were wholly believable: a fighter who led with his face who had engaged in wars from the first day he stepped foot into the ring and the oft-discussed meat-grinder that was the South Korean amateur scene (with many anecdotes about now-renowned fighters having brutal gym wars) led us to believe that rumours of Moon being in a vegetative state were likely true and a host of other internet-based tools happened or at least became more widespread and easier to use in conjunction with each other It wasn’t easy at first: I personally found a video of a man on a mountain hike that looked like Moon conspiracy theories continued: the woman he was walking with must have been with carer and this was an encouraging piece of footage detailing his physical therapy Periodically I search for my favourite Asian fighters from the past in their native language: simple stuff change the settings to ‘last six months’ or ‘most recent’ and see if anything new has come up Jackpot: three years ago a documentary on Moon (now lost to the wayback machine probably) which featured a smorgasbord of amateur and recent footage: Moon in the ring today terrifying the significantly younger man holding them Moon owns a chain of teppenyaki restaurants as well as a boxing gym (6) and is in better health than he ever was when trading punches and bleeding every other fight And then, a much more personal encounter, my good friend Elliot Morris (@bigsonbunce on Twitter) who lives and works in South Korea confirmed in the wild: ‘The Beast of Yeongam’ no longer I hope this article brings that storied history into the modern day and you are convinced of Sung-Kil Moon’s prowess for he is a fighter that should never be forgotten ______________________________________________________________________________________________ (2) “The Best I Faced: Sung Kil Moon (The Ring magazine) (3) Eastside Boxing (Sung Kil Moon amateur fights (Including a brutal one punch knockout) split grid and clampdown on European drivers for Blancpain GT Series Asia in 2019… The Blancpain GT Series Asia will hold a race at Yeongam next year while the GT3 and GT4 grids are set to be separated The 2019 schedule was revealed at the SRO Motorsports Group’s annual press conference at Spa last week ahead of the championship’s third season Fuji and Shanghai but the second Chinese race in Ningbo has been replaced with a round at Yeongam located near Mokpo in the south-west of the country held four Formula 1 Grands Prix in 2010-13 SRO Founder and CEO Stephane Ratel also announced plans to have GT3 and GT4 fields run split grids with separate races This was also announced at the press conference last year for the 2018 season with seven cars entered for the most recent race at Fuji The series will also require at least one Asian national per car in the GT3 class while the GT4 category will be exclusively reserved  for Asian and Oceanic residents and nationals The current GT3 championship standings include eight European drivers one Australian and one Chinese driver in the top ten He is a graduate of Politics and International Relations Factory Lamborghini star Edoardo Mortara joins Absolute Corse as Giancarlo Fisichella makes early LM.. DTM regular Thierry Vermeulen joins Anderson Tanoto aboard No BMW establishes early lead in global GT World Challenge manufacturers standings.. Evo-spec Porsche 911 GT3 R set for on-track debut ahead of 2026 customer rollout.. the Korean grand prix was finally given the green light today following a track inspection Under usual FIA guidelines tracks must be approved 90 days before the race takes place But the sport's governing body agreed to relent in this case even though excuses from local organisers – such as the bad weather – were less than convincing The Yeongam circuit will now host one of the most crucial races this season With three rounds left there are five possible winners of this year's world championship though McLaren's British pairing of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button are now outsiders behind the Red Bulls of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso's Ferrari The circuit still looks like a building site But after some intense scrutiny it has been passed fit for action The chances of the race being abandoned were being seriously discussed as recently as the Singapore grand prix at the end of last month, when the Formula One commercial rights holder It should have been inspected six weeks ago," he said It is unusual for Ecclestone to convey such a strong message but it has clearly been heeded with the final layer of asphalt his primary concern And afterwards he described facilities as "satisfactory" The track has been designed by Hermann Tilke the man behind the new circuits in Malaysia said today: "We are delighted that all works are now finished to the complete satisfaction of the FIA and we join the whole of Korea in welcoming the Formula One fraternity to the Korea International Circuit for the first time "The KIC has been constructed to the highest standards and will become the epicentre of motor sport in the country We believe the Korean grand prix will be the catalyst to ignite enormous interest in the sport across the nation." the worries will not go away until the track has been properly tested on Thursday and Friday next week This could be a recurring problem in the years ahead venue of the current and ill-starred Commonwealth Games And the possibility of staging races in other countries Red Bull Racing previews the new South Korean GP circuit The newest track in Formula 1, the Korean International Circuit might also be the worst--at least for the time being Its construction ran right up to the last minute and adjustments are still being made to pull off what could be one of the most important races of the season as the Driver's Championship hangs in the balance Get quick access to your favorite articles Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers Make your voice heard with article commenting From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport In order to keep delivering our expert journalism we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker With the first day's practice run entirely in wet conditions there was only a one-hour session in the morning for the drivers to assess tyres and run in the dry before qualifying carrying over an improved performance that had been on show in Suzuka last weekend with Button and Hamilton finishing the session fastest It was a pace they continued in qualifying with Hamilton leading the field in Q1 and Q2 he has shown similar promise previously this season and failed to convert it into pole Running the harder of the two tyres – the (prime) softs – in the first session while Red Bull opted to send Vettel and Mark Webber out for their one run on the (option) supersoft variant – the team working on the assumption that having an extra set of unused prime tyres for the race may be more valuable saying: "We saved all our prime tyres which will be crucial tomorrow." The final shoot-out was one of the closest of the whole season a gripping head-to-head that finally went McLaren's way again went straight out and threw down his marker going quicker again as the exceedingly green track finally started to rubber-in He went three-tenths faster than his previous time but Vettel Tense moments followed until the German crossed the line he was but three-hundredths of a second behind Hamilton and would have only one more chance to better it Having missed the window for his last flying lap in Japan last weekend McLaren seemed determined to leave no margin for error in Yeongam Again Hamilton went out early with a five-second gap to Webber's car ahead and again he posted the target going quicker again with a 1min 35.820sec lap winning back the time he had previously lost to Vettel in the middle sector And this time there was no answer from Red Bull Button was on the front row for seconds before Vettel beat him by a tenth but without going below the 1min 36sec mark followed by Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso McLaren will be relieved to have secured their first pole of the season as well as ending Red Bull's unbroken run at the top that goes back to Abu Dhabi last year seemed subdued and unwilling to attach too much significance to his performance But tomorrow is what counts," he said "It is probably one of the first positives I have had for a while so hopefully I'll try to redeem myself tomorrow and as long as we can get some strong points for the team as they have worked hard I hope tomorrow me and Jenson can repay them." Missing pole here means Red Bull remain tied with McLaren and Williams on the record total of 15 poles in a season and Vettel remains two behind Nigel Mansell's record of 14 in a season but the German was happy with his performance very hard in qualifying and got very close closer than probably they expected and closer than we expected so we did a very good job," he said The world champion was also optimistic about his chances in the race "It's not a long way down to the first corner and turn three is a little bit exposed," he said Tyre wear is crucial and Jenson did a good race last race Tyre-wear could be absolutely pivotal and uncertainty about their performance may be why Hamilton is taking nothing for granted with three and potentially four stops on the agenda Those are conditions that Hamilton knows suits his team-mate Button's driving style more than his own but to a certain extent the whole race will be a journey into the unknown for all the teams Last year's drive was run entirely in the wet and they have had little time on the slick rubber this weekend and while overtaking will be difficult in the second and third sectors there remain enough unanswered questions for an intriguing contest on Sunday The Korean Grand Prix racked up substantial operating losses last month the third year running it has finished in the red but organizers say the race will bring long-term benefits to the country returned operating losses of 39.4 billion won (US$36.38 million) One of nine Asian races on this year’s 20-stop Formula One calendar including the Asia-Pacific Australian Grand Prix the South Korean event also lost an estimated US$50 million in its first year “It’s hard to say what kind of impact the loss has on next year,” South Korean race organizers said “Although there are many concerns regarding the operating loss the loss for a third straight year is only a short-term effect.” “In the long-term the F1 event will bring more benefits to the country It will not only pave the way for South Korean car industries in the future but also help foster new industries,” they said The Korean International Circuit in Yeongam with a five-year option that could keep the race there until 2021 when construction of the circuit was only just finished in time for its maiden race South Korean organizers have expressed dissatisfaction at the terms of their contract with Formula One particularly over the cost of race-sanctioning fees their complaints have fallen on deaf ears with Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone The last two Korean races have been won by Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel The problems facing South Korea’s race contrast sharply to the success Formula One enjoys in nearby Japan where sell-out 120,000 crowds are commonplace at Suzuka but we had 103,000 for race day this year,” Japanese Grand Prix press manager Yoshihisa Ueno said “Last year with the [tsunami and nuclear] disaster operation-wise was a successful year,” he said The Japanese Grand Prix has been held at Suzuka since 1987 ※ This service is provided by machine translation tool Korea’s inflation rises 2.1% in April Samsung Electronics’ R&D costs hit record $24 bn in 2024 Musinsa enters emergency management for first time since inc.. 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Daemyung Sono to sell entire stake in Air Premia LG CNS partners with KAIST to train AI transformation expert.. item.tmx : Math.floor(item.tmn)+'/'+Math.floor(item.tmx)) +'℃ Samsung’s Bespoke AI Combo hits 100,000 sales milestone LG Energy Solution seeks global talent in U.S. LG Electronics rolls out tumbler washer MyCup LG Elec installs LED scoreboard at Boston Red Sox stadium HD Hyundai Heavy holds ceremony for Philippine patrol ship LG unveils 2025 OLED Evo TV Samsung unveils gaming monitor with glasses-free 3D technology KITA Chief meets Texas Governor to discuss semiconductor subsidies KB Kookmin Bank, KCS to enhance forex monitoring system LG Electronics’ AI Washtower optimizes laundry in 3 seconds The government's push for the construction of Yeongam-Gwangju Super Expressway and the high speed of the Jeolla Line is intended to significantly expand social overhead capital (SOC) in Jeollanam-do The plan is to increase the accessibility of the southern coastal area and develop Jeollanam-do into a mecca for convenient transportation tourism there have been many voices in the region pointing out the underdeveloped infrastructure compared to Yeongnam which is also a "concentration of the public sentiment." "General Lee Soon-shin said that there would be no country without Honam during the 'Yakmuhonam Shimu State' and the Imjin War the government will do its best to develop Jeollanam-do." The construction of the Wando-Gangjin Expressway is also expected to increase connectivity and tourism convenience in South Jeolla Province When the 38km section of the Wando-Gangjin Expressway is completed the travel time of the car will be reduced by about 20 minutes The project is currently undergoing a preliminary feasibility study After passing the preliminary feasibility study the project is expected to proceed quickly The government has decided to invest a total of 1.3 trillion won by 2033 to innovate the tourism industry in Jeollanam-do The goal is to create a global tourism and recreation belt by combining marine and ecological resources such as islands and coasts in Jeollanam-do with cultural and artistic resources 27.8 billion won in state budget has been set aside for the design of 62 projects A space industry cluster will also be built in South Jeolla Province It is part of the space industry cluster triangular system construction project (Jeonnam-Launcher Daejeon-Research and Human Resources Development) that passed the preliminary feasibility test in August last year It is a specialized space launch vehicle district that will be built in Jeollanam-do a private launch site and assembly building will be built to support the commercial launch of domestic companies and certification by establishing a technical commercialization center Goheung will build a new 1.73 million square meters (520,000 pyeong) space launch vehicle national industrial complex The goal is to start construction in 2026 and finish construction by 2030 Goheung was selected as one of the candidate sites for the new national industrial complex to foster high-tech industries As the preliminary feasibility study of the National Industrial Complex of the Space Launch Vehicle was exempted last month it is expected that the creation of the Goheung Industrial Complex will gain momentum Muan and Hampyeong create high-tech agricultural convergence zones It is a place to realize digital innovation and technological advancement in the agricultural industry by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and big data The convergence district is expected to serve as an outpost for entry into overseas markets such as the Middle East while developing domestic smart agriculture to the next level "We will secure the competitiveness of the future agricultural and livestock industry and create new added value through the advancement of digital innovation technology." Mokpo and Haenam will be designated as special opportunity development zones to open the door for corporate investment Gwangyang has a theme of secondary batteries Mokpo and Haenam have offshore wind industries and improvement of settlement conditions are supported It also plans to speed up the special education development zone a pilot project for Jeonnam-type special educational development zones began in Gwangyang The key is joint education with local children from birth to elementary school students and the expansion of the operation of Neul spring schools The hometown love donation system will be activated in Jeollanam-do It plans to allow the operation of private platforms and expand donation benefits such as tax credits The move comes after the annual donation limit will be expanded from 5 million won to 20 million won from next year The so-called "Korean Autobahn" construction project linking Gwangju and Yeongam is expected to be on track as research service costs are reflected in the government budget "We have secured the basis for reviewing Gwangju-Yeongam Superhighway at the national level by reflecting 300 million won in this year's government budget for policy plan research service for the introduction of the superhighway." The so-called "Gwangju-Yeongam Super Expressway" promoted by Jeollanam-do is a project to connect 47km from Gwangju to Yeongam F1 Stadium with a high-speed network like Germany's Autobahn which can run at a high speed of more than 200km per hour to develop the economy and revitalize tourism in the southwestern part of Jeollanam-do The budget to be invested alone is worth 2.6 trillion won and President Yoon Suk Yeol made it one of the key pledges of Gwangju and Jeonnam when he was a candidate during the presidential election Jeollanam-do secured 600 million won for preliminary feasibility studies for "SOC New Project in the Southwest Region of Jeollanam-do" including the Gwangju-Yeongam Super Expressway The government's budget reflection is interpreted as an achievement that has not only promoted Jeonnam Province's own services and projects but also led to a review foundation for national and government-level projects Jeollanam-do is said to have been persistent in persuading the National Assembly and the government to reflect the government's research service budget "The ultra-highway is a new type of high-speed transportation network that has not yet been introduced in Korea," adding "We expect rapid development in the southwestern part of Jeollanam-do such as the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and the increase of tourists." In order to expand the effect of the Gwangju-Yeongam Super Expressway to Mokpo Jeollanam-do will also promote the construction of the Daebulsandan Bridge linking Yeongam and Mokpo The project is expected to be invested with a budget worth 190 billion won Jeollanam-do plans to attract government support by reflecting the Gwangju-Yeongam Superhighway in the "3rd Expressway Construction Plan (2026-2030)" and the Daebulsandan Bridge in the "Industrial Complex Entry Road Plan." director of the Construction and Transportation Bureau in Jeollanam-do "We will prepare an optimal route plan by the first half of this year and focus all administrative power to be reflected in the next national plan." YEONGAM ― The country’s second Formula One Grand Prix ended on a high note showing significant improvements from last year The inaugural Grand Prix was a very wet race due to a torrential storm The parking lots and also the 5.61 kilometer circuit were flooded making it difficult for both drivers and fans to enjoy Despite small rain drops before the start of the final on Sunday the sky was clear and the sun was warm to create a great atmosphere But the weather is not the only thing that has changed Although there was still some heavy traffic on Sunday the access road in and out of the circuit and the parking spaces have been improved “It took hours to just get into the circuit last year but this time it was much quicker,” said Choi Hang-sub Choi said the frequent shuttle bus service there was only one single road leading to the circuit but 12 months later the organizer had opened a temporary detour road and also a shuttle bus-only lane for the visitors “The access is always a massive problem in every race but the access roads are really fantastic here,” said veteran F1 commentator Bob Constanduros “And I’m very pleased to see certain things really tidied up.” Fans take in the action at the Korean Grand Prix in Yeongam on Sunday claimed that the race program should also be improved “The race program is awful compared to other European Grand Prix,” Ploegar said which was too short to fill the three day program “In Europe there are three to four supporting races during the F1 Grand Prix But when I came here on the first day there was nothing to see so I had to leave early after watching the morning practice,” he added There were complaints about the lack of food and refreshment booths around the track but there is only one burger place where I can go to eat,” said Richard Moulds Observers say now the most important thing is to continue to promoting the motor sports that is relatively unknown here “More people should know the amazing things about F1 race,” said Constanduros do you know you could drive a Formula One car on the ceiling upside down because the down force would hold it up Things like that need to be told to boost people’s interest.” By Oh Kyu-wook (596story@heraldm.com) High-rise window cleaning: A dangerous spring tradition on Seoul's skyline Run-ins with the law ― dos and don'ts gives 'second chance' to abusive husband Dodgers call up Korean infielder Kim Hye-seong from minors Lee Kang-in stays on bench in PSG's win in UEFA Champions League semis Dodgers' Kim Hye-seong records 1st MLB hit Music-loving Korean golfer thrives in noisy setting at LIV Golf tourney Olympic fencing champions eyeing Grand Prix medals at home this week Indian driver Karun Chandhok will be the first Formula One driver to try out the new Yeongam racing track in South Korea after agreeing to a test drive in September The HRT Racing driver will steer a Red Bull car around the inaugural circuit on Sept Chandhok competed in the season's first 10 Grand Prix races for Spanish team HRT before being replaced by Japanese driver Sakon Yamamoto for the past two and this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix The announcement is the first sign that the Korean track will be ready to host an F1 race which is subject to installations being completed Watches & Jewelry Fashion & Style Formula One a professional member of Mirae Asset Group donated 100 million won in scholarships to foster talent Mirae Asset Group announced on the 25th that Choi Kyung-ju donated 100 million won of the human resources development scholarship fund to the Yeongam-gun Future Education Foundation at the 36th Sinbuk-myeon People's Day event held at Sinbuk Elementary School in Yeongam-gun and Choi made the donation to commemorate his father's will who had to drop out of high school to take responsibility for his family's livelihood due to the Korean War stressed that no students should miss the opportunity to learn due to the difficult family environment The donation will be used to create a high-quality educational environment for children and expand learning opportunities Choi also made donations to practice Mirae Asset Group's donation culture Mirae Asset Group Chairman Park Hyun-joo has donated all dividends received from Mirae Asset for 14 consecutive years to foster talent The cumulative donation amounts to 31.5 billion won Employees and executives are also participating in creating a sustainable donation culture through '1% Hope Sharing' "I learned about the practice of sharing for society at Mirae Asset Group "I hope that my father's desire for his hometown juniors to focus on their studies without financial difficulties will be conveyed well." is currently a member of Mirae Asset Securities and is in charge of asset management (WM) business Recommended Contents For YouTaboola 후원링크 Ferrari Formula One driver Fernando Alonso of Spain leaps in the air on the podium as he celebrates his win at the Korean Grand Prix on the Korean International Circuit in Yeongam SOUTH KOREA - OCTOBER 24: The field prepares to start under the safety car as the start of the race is delayed due to bad weather during the Korean Formula One Grand Prix at the Korea International Circuit on October 24 Ferrari Formula One driver Fernando Alonso of Spain celebrates on the podium after winning the Korean Grand Prix at the Korean International Circuit in Yeongam McLaren Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain sprays champagne on the podium as he celebrates his second place finish at the Korean Grand Prix on the Korean International Circuit in Yeongam SOUTH KOREA - OCTOBER 24: Race winner Fernando Alonso (L) of Spain and Ferrari is congratulated in parc ferme by second placed Lewis Hamilton (R) of Great Britain and McLaren Mercedes following the Korean Formula One Grand Prix at the Korea International Circuit on October 24 SOUTH KOREA - OCTOBER 24: Second placed Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and McLaren Mercedes celebrates on the podium following the Korean Formula One Grand Prix at the Korea International Circuit on October 24 SOUTH KOREA - OCTOBER 24: The wrecked car of Mark Webber of Australia and Red Bull Racing is seen after he crashes out during the Korean Formula One Grand Prix at the Korea International Circuit on October 24 SOUTH KOREA - OCTOBER 24: Jenson Button of Great Britain and McLaren Mercedes drives as the safety car is deployed during the Korean Formula One Grand Prix at the Korea International Circuit on October 24 Ferrari Formula One driver Fernando Alonso of Spain stands on his car in pit lane as he celebrates his win at the Korean Grand Prix on the Korean International Circuit in Yeongam SOUTH KOREA - OCTOBER 24: Fernando Alonso of Spain and Ferrari drives on his way to winning the Korean Formula One Grand Prix at the Korea International Circuit on October 24 SOUTH KOREA - OCTOBER 24: Race winner Fernando Alonso (2nd right) of Spain and Ferrari third placed team mate Felipe Massa (right) of Brazil and Ferrari third placed Lewis Hamilton (left) of Great Britain and McLaren Mercedes and Chris Dyer ((2nd left) the Chief Track Engineer for Ferrari celebrate on the podium following the Korean Formula One Grand Prix at the Korea International Circuit on October 24 SOUTH KOREA - OCTOBER 24: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and McLaren Mercedes is seen on the grid during the rain delayed start to the Korean Formula One Grand Prix at the Korea International Circuit on October 24 Mon 25 Oct 2010 at 08:46Fernando Alonso screamed one word as the tension eased out of him on the slowdown lap: “Avanti!” after a 26th career victory in then inaugural Korean Grand Prix — a race turned into a tightrope affair thanks to heavy rain — had brought him another crucial step close to a third world championship as the Spaniard took his fifth win of the season ahead of Lewis Hamilton and team-mate Felipe Massa and title rivals Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel failed to get their Red Bulls to the finish and Vettel's Renault engine blew up as he was leading on the 46th lap Dusk was gathering as the race was completed just before the two-hour cut-off point but the floods that delayed its start were nothing to the emotion that washed over businessman Yung Cho Chung After the rain that had been falling all morning got heavier just before the start the race was red-flagged after just two laps had been run behind the safety car in which a white-faced Chung remarked of the 80,000 spectators who had queued for hours to get in: “They will kill me.” but it was a close-run thing as everyone waited for conditions to improve the safety car continued to lead the field for another 15 laps before the track was finally deemed safe for racing to begin on the 18th Vettel sprinted into the lead from Webber with Alonso third and Nico Rosberg deposing Hamilton for fourth But then Webber spun and hit the wall in Turn 12 on the 19th lap Out came the safety car again until lap 24 whereupon Vettel resumed control ahead of Alonso and Hamilton After their pit stops between laps 31 and 32 Hamilton jumped Alonso for second as the Spaniard had a slight delay due to arriving slightly sideways and making it difficult for mechanics to reach the right front wheel but they were racing under the safety car again after a collision between Sebastien Buemi and Timo Glock Hamilton ran wide in Turn One as his front wheels were locking And that's how it seemed likely to stay as Vettel built a lead of 2.7s by lap 41 But then Alonso and Hamilton began to move in and the Ferrari dived inside the Red Bull to take the lead Red Bull's mechanics once again put their heads in their hands but although Hamilton gave it everything he had annihilating the Ferrari in the first two sectors Alonso was able to make it all back in the final one keeping a badly worn right front intermediate tyre alive and was 14.9s adrift as a delighted Alonso took the chequered flag We know these types of races are very difficult,” the 2005 and 2006 champion said so no reference for driving in wet conditions in this Korean circuit so everything to discover in the first couple of laps no visibility at all for the first 10 laps plus the safety car laps but then the car was performing well with both types of tyre “Maybe not as good as Sebastian in some parts of the race but when Mark had the problem and we saw the retirement it changed the picture of the race and finishing on the podium was enough for us.” As a drying line appeared late in the race “The tyres were very good and you felt a lot of grip and still some corners with a little bit more standing water so those corners were a little bit trickier Leading positions after race (55 Laps): 1 Fernando Alonso (Spa) Ferrari 2hrs 48mins 20.810secs 2 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) McLaren 2:48:35.809 4 Michael Schumacher (Ger) Mercedes GP 2:49:00.498 6 Vitantonio Liuzzi (Ita) Force India 2:49:14.381 7 Rubens Barrichello (Bra) Williams 2:49:30.067 8 Kamui Kobayashi (Jpn) BMW Sauber 2:49:38.699 9 Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 2:49:40.917 10 Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Williams 2:49:41.661 11 Jaime Alguersuari (Spa) Scuderia Toro Rosso 2:49:44.956 12 Jenson Button (Gbr) McLaren 2:49:50.749 13 Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) Lotus F1 0 laps completed 14 Bruno Senna (Bra) HRT-F1 0 laps completed 15 Sakon Yamamoto (Jpn) HRT-F1 0 laps completed 16 Adrian Sutil (Ger) Force India 0 laps completed 17 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull 0 laps completed 18 Vitaly Petrov (Rus) Renault 0 laps completed 19 Timo Glock (Ger) Virgin Racing 0 laps completed 20 Sebastien Buemi (Swi) Scuderia Toro Rosso 0 laps completed 21 Lucas di Grassi (Bra) Virgin Racing 0 laps completed 22 Jarno Trulli (Ita) Lotus F1 0 laps completed 23 Nico Rosberg (Ger) Mercedes GP 0 laps completed 24 Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull 0 laps completed Leading World Championship Standings after Korean Grand Prix Drivers: 1 Fernando Alonso (Spa) Ferrari 231pts 16 Sebastien Buemi (Swi) Scuderia Toro Rosso 8 17 Pedro de la Rosa (Spa) Scuderia Toro Rosso 6 19 Jaime Alguersuari (Spa) Scuderia Toro Rosso 3 Korean Grand Prix organisers have warned that the loss-making event is under threat of closure unless Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone gives them a cheaper contract had made a “big financial loss” and was unpopular with the local community since joining the glitzy Formula One circuit last year Park told Autosport magazine that South Korea was keen to keep its grand prix but he said the event’s future depended on whether Ecclestone would let them negotiate a new deal but we need the co-operation of Bernie Ecclestone We certainly want to continue with this event because it is a big event Park added that it was “too early for me to say” what would happen if there was no change to the contract When asked if the race’s future depended on a better deal “He (Ecclestone) knows perfectly well our current situation and I hope he is more co-operative,” Park added South Korea became Asia’s sixth Formula One host last October seeking to boost its prestige and tourism associated with the widely televised event India will also debut on the circuit next week But Park said the event had quickly run into trouble because of the large hosting fee agreed with Formula One before he took up his post this year Similar concerns have been voiced by world championship Grand Prix organisers in China and Australia while speculation has also been raised about the night race in ­Singapore where officials are yet to extend their initial five-year deal please register for free or log in to your account Organisers of South Korea’s first Formula One event say they are confident they can complete the brand-new circuit before a final inspection from the world governing body India’s Karun Chandhok on Saturday became the first F1 driver to test out the 5.6-kilometre (3.5-mile) track which boasts Asia’s longest straight stretch “We have done more than 90 per cent of work on the track,” said Chung Yung-Cho chief of the Korea Auto Valley Operation (KAVO) at a lavish weekend event to mark the 50-day countdown to the race on October 24 “The F1 championship here will be successful You will see a historic moment 50 days from now.” About 1,500 fans and guests watched a motorcycle stunt a parade of 100 sports cars and Chandhok’s demonstration run in a Red Bull F1 machine organisers said the weekend event was staged to dispel worries that the track at Yeongam The circuit has been constructed on reclaimed land alongside an artificial lake by KAVO a joint venture between a private firm and the provincial government Many seats in the main stand are yet to be installed roads and some facilities such as mobile stands are still in the final phase of construction But organisers insisted the circuit would be ready in three weeks when officials from the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) travel to Yeongam to conduct their final inspection “This track satisfies strict safety standards required by the FIA,” Chung said His confidence in the event got a boost after signing an agreement on Saturday with Barry Bland director of British race management and insurance firm Motor Race Consultants to host an international F3 race in November KAVO officials described the F3 agreement as the first positive sign that their circuit would be competitive Bland said the track was generally in good shape although “a lot of work” still had to be done He said the circuit was “very different” from others with its unusually fast corners and a very long stretch “I think drivers will really like it,” Bland commented said the track – with a combination of fast and slow corners as well as places to overtake – was “very interesting” “High-speed corners will be a real challenge for drivers I think this is a little bit like Malaysia which has a combination of many different corners,” he said Chung said Yeongam would be the country’s biggest sports facility capable of accommodating more than 120,000 spectators at a time The Korean Grand Prix will be the 17th event of this year’s 19-race season KAVO will host the race once a year for seven years with an option to extend for five years if arrangements with the FIA are satisfactory Javascript Menu by Deluxe-Menu.com KOR) - Champion driver Sebastian Vettel said Thursday that he and his Red Bull team are still putting themselves under pressure to finish the season in style with the Korean Grand Prix in their sights The 24-year-old German clinched his second drivers' title in a row at Suzuka last weekend -- setting the team up to retain their constructors' crown this weekend in Korea Vettel said their success will not change anything and they will continue to do the best possible job in all the remaining races "We love racing and the moment you come to a race thinking it doesn't matter where you finish is moment you stay at home," he said Reaching that before the end of the season is not the usual but nevertheless we come here with pressure Vettel suffered a difficult race in Japan as he struggled with the degradation of softer tyres but said the team have worked to fix the problem and is hopeful a new more aggressive tyre strategy will work in Korea "It is true that in other races we always had the luxury to go a lap longer or two but had to pit for strategy reasons whereas in Suzuka we were the ones pulling into pits first," he said "We have a good chance to understand more about tyres Organisers of the Formula One Korean Grand Prix announced big cuts in ticket prices to try to fill the stands this year after glitches with the inaugural event in 2010 Last year’s race went smoothly but organisers struggled to attract the crowds amid criticism of sloppy marketing and delays in work to complete the circuit The average price of a three-day pass for this year’s event on October 14-16 will be 315,000 won ($279) down around 30 per cent from 460,000 won last year Racegoers who buy tickets from April 1 to August 31 will get a further discount of up to 30 per cent Organisers are also offering a 50 per cent discount to schoolchildren and the disabled as well as to 10,000 fans who plan to buy tickets this month The F1 organising committee from South Jeolla province in the country’s southwest where the track in Yeongam county is sited hopes to earn more than 40 billion won through ticket sales this year “We will do our best for perfect preparations this year,” said provincial governor Park Joon-Young The inaugural race attracted about 170,000 visitors but thousands were on free tickets and others were offered 50 per cent discounts to fill seats The board of the Korea Auto Valley Operation (KAVO) a joint venture between a private company and the province voted in January to fire chief executive Chung Young-Cho on the grounds of lax management Park vowed to ensure a better experience for fans this year admitting that last year’s event was not well prepared F1 committee officials conceded that big business groups had shunned sponsorship opportunities because of a lack of publicity and delayed work on the track Committee secretary general Park Jong-Moon said positive progress was made this year on negotiations about sponsorship and broadcasting rights KAVO’s reputation was damaged by the cancellation of an F3 event at Yeongam in November after inspectors questioned the safety of some facilities including mobile stands director of British firm Motor Race Consultants wrote to KAVO last month saying he would consider taking the race to another country or suing for damages “It’s difficult to hold the F3 event this year,” Joo Dong-Sik general director of the committee’s planning department adding his committee would try to host other international races Formula One world championship leader Mark Webber topped the times in second practice for the Korean Grand Prix at the Yeongam circuit this morning set his session-best time of 1 minute 37.942 seconds with 19 minutes of the 90-minute session remaining Webber leads the title chase by 14 points after 16 rounds of the 19-race season with Grands Prix in Brazil and Abu Dhabi to follow this weekend's inaugural race in Korea was 0.190secs adrift of the Australian in Friday afternoon practice in second place for Ferrari Poland's Robert Kubica (Renault) and Hamilton's teammate and compatriot Jenson Button rounded out the top five Circuit conditions at the new Yeongam circuit being used for the first time this weekend improved significantly over the 90-minute session with Alonso taking the early advantage after 15 minutes Vettel was the first driver to use the softer Bridgestone tyres to his advantage his lap of 1:39.204 at the halfway stage of the session eight-tenths of a second faster than the rest of the field Alonso reclaimed first place with 24 minutes remaining for Ferrari after spinning at Turn 12 on his first attempt to beat the Spaniard's time took control with his session-best lap soon after Button was the only late improver in the session after being stranded in the pits for more than 30 minutes with an overheating exhaust The defending world champion rejoined the fray with 10 minutes remaining improving from 15th to fifth in the latter stages The practice session was halted for six minutes after half an hour had elapsed following a spin by Japan's Sakon Yamamoto at Turn 16 The Hispania Racing Team driver stalled his car and was stranded in the middle of the circuit on the entry to Turn 17 the final right-hander that leads the drivers past the pit-lane entry and onto the start-finish straight Yamamoto finished the session in 23rd place in the 24-car field Hamilton had led the firstpractice session albeit at a slower time than the afternoon session A third and final practice session will take place at Yeongam tomorrow morning ahead of afternoon qualifying for round 16 of the 19-race season a 275 million dollar investment and frantic last-minute building work Formula One comes to South Korea this weekend on what is touted as Asia’s best circuit F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has predicted the world will watch a “great race” on a 5.6-kilometre track featuring a mix of corners long straights and good overtaking opportunities But ticket sales have been slow and big business groups have shunned the opportunity to sponsor the event even though South Korea is the world’s fifth largest automaker saying they are looking to long-term returns after spending an estimated 340 billion won ($275 million) building the circuit on reclaimed land in Yeongam county A floral tower with an F1 logo greets visitors to the track which passed an inspection by the FIA just last week It will be the country’s biggest sports facility capable of accommodating more than 120,000 spectators at a time But ticket sales have been slow and as of Monday organisers said only 60,000-70,000 had been sold Some attribute the sluggish sales and delayed construction to regional rivalries which despite South Korea’s relatively small size remain a potent force “The track should have been built months ago,” said Lee Phil-Soon a restaurant owner in the nearby city of Mokpo “We believe there has been no full government support because the race is being held in this region If it were held in other regions such as Busan South Jeolla is a stronghold of the party currently in opposition and the province shouldered over half of the construction costs plus enormous sums for approach roads and other infrastructure The province has set aside some 38,000 hotel and motel rooms near the circuit in a bid to attract 120,000 spectators including 25,000 foreigners please register for free or log in to your account.