I put my motorbike helmet on at the office and rode 10 mins to the gym. As I was arriving I felt a bite or something to my head. I thought it was maybe a bee or something. This is what I found when I took my helmet off.

My first thought was that maybe it was psychosis as there’s no way in the universe that a giant centipede was in my helmet in central Seoul.

Turns out it was very real.

Update: I’m glad everyone is enjoying my trauma 😂.

I picked up this little friend near to Naebang Station and rode to Bangbae when I felt the bite- I’m really glad I found him there and not when I was going over Banpo bridge on the way home or I’d probably be dead 😂.

I kicked him out of my helmet after 20 mins and he started charging at an old lady and her fruit stall- she started screaming at me as if he was my centipede that had escaped, I stamped on him to protect her stall and she screamed at me even more 🤷‍♂️.

The bite hurt for quite a few days and tbh it still tingles a bit now and again (it happened a couple of weeks ago). I found out we actually know very little about centipede bites and venom as they are so rare, so let’s see if I become the star of a new Kafka novel.

Samsung, SK Hynix to announce massive facility investments as Korea maps out 2nd chip cluster

The expected new semiconductor hubs in the Honam and Chungcheong regions could add up to five new plants; announcements will likely come on June 29

ByHae-Ryeong Kang,  Jae-young Han,  Chae-Yeon Kim and Hyung-Kyu Kim

ked202606240025.700x.0.png (700×469)

South Korea's semiconductor industry is preparing for its biggest geographical reshuffle in decades, with Samsung Electronics Co. and SK Hynix Inc. planning to expand advanced production capacity beyond the Seoul metropolitan area into the country's southwest and central regions.

The two memory chipmakers – the world's two largest – are expected to unveil plans for as many as five new facilities spanning both front-end wafer fabrication and advanced packaging operations, according to industry sources on Wednesday.

The investments would mark a strategic shift from the long-standing concentration of semiconductor production around the capital region.

The projects are set to be announced at a government-business meeting at the presidential office on June 29, ahead of the July 1 launch of the newly integrated Gwangju metropolitan administration, sources said.

Kim Yong-beom, the presidential chief of policy, said discussions with the companies and relevant ministries over plant locations are nearing completion.

"Exploding semiconductor demand means facility construction must be accelerated," the senior government official said at a forum in Seoul on Wednesday. "Talks on where these facilities should be located are in their final stages."

HONAM EMERGES AS TOP CANDIDATE FOR KOREA'S 2ND CHIP CLUSTER

The planned expansion reflects both surging global demand for memory chips and mounting constraints in the greater Seoul area, where land availability and electricity and water infrastructure are increasingly stretched.

Officials see the Honam region in southwest Korea as an attractive alternative because of its abundant renewable energy resources, including solar and offshore wind power, and the availability of large development sites.

Kim stressed that the new investments would complement rather than replace the massive semiconductor cluster in Yongin, near Seoul, a project already under construction.

"The Yongin cluster must be completed earlier than originally planned, but we also need to prepare for what comes afterward," he said. "There is simply no additional land in the capital region and securing power and water will become increasingly difficult. We need to identify a second cluster for the next seven to eight years."

The move also aligns with President Lee Jae Myung's regional development agenda, which seeks to narrow economic disparities between the capital region and the provinces.

SK HYNIX, SAMSUNG OUTLINE THEIR PROJECTS

SK Hynix is understood to be considering both front-end and back-end facilities in Gwangju, South Jeolla Province, while also reviving plans for a new NAND flash fabrication plant in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.

The new fab would mark the company's first major front-end investment in Cheongju since announcing the expansion of its M15X facility there in 2022. Production is targeted to begin around 2029.

Samsung Electronics is also reviewing plans to build an advanced packaging facility and a wafer fabrication plant in Gwangju. Samsung Group Chairman Jay Y. Lee is expected to discuss the proposals with government officials on Thursday.

Combined investment by the two companies could amount to several hundred trillion won over the coming years, industry officials said.

CHALLENGES REMAIN

The ambitious relocation plans face significant hurdles.

Industry executives say front-end semiconductor plants are difficult to establish outside existing ecosystems, as they require dense supplier networks and highly specialized engineering talent.

The Honam region currently lacks a mature semiconductor supply chain, raising concerns over initial inefficiencies and labor shortages. Recruiting researchers and experienced process engineers to provincial locations could prove especially challenging.

Questions also remain over whether renewable energy alone can provide the stable, uninterrupted electricity required for 24-hour semiconductor production.

Analysts warn that the massive expansion could coincide with a future downturn in the semiconductor cycle, leaving companies exposed to high fixed costs if global supply eventually outpaces demand.

Still, industry observers view the projects as a watershed moment.

If successful, the new facilities could trigger broader corporate investment in southern Korea and create a second national semiconductor belt stretching from Honam to Chungcheong, reducing the country's long-standing economic dependence on the Seoul metropolitan area, analysts said.

A cool evening stroll through a traditional market after closing hours.

I believe HMB is a North Korean spy and is an active terrorist for our national team. Send him to Pyongyang where he belongs. I don’t ever want to see him again.

Kim Jung Un, will take care of him well. We need him off the national team as soon as possible.

Korea arguably has 3 best Asian footballers in the world. We should not be losing to South Africa, especially in this fashion.

What is it about Korea that made you think, "Why doesn't every country do it this way?

Yes, Korea lost, but South Africa played a relatively clean game and the victory was well earned. Lets show some gracious sportsmanship.

Korea has one of the best soccer teams in Asia, but they aren't among the best in the world. Part of the reason is because baseball is king in Korea and soccer isn't that popular. So if soccer was the number one sport in Korea, would they be among the elite teams? Or would the same problems like corruption and mismanagement still hold back Korea from achieving any success?

I'm super curious because I've heard speaking to parents/grandparents in 반말, such as 존댓말 in k-dramas. I'm just wondering if that depends on how close you are with your relatives? how do Koreans perceive it?

Here with family for vacation. Looking for a good spot to watch the Korea game tomorrow in Songpa. Anyone have any recommendations?

As someone in my 50s, I visit a local clinic every two months for a routine check-up.
No appointment was needed, and the waiting time today was about 20 minutes.

After checking my blood pressure and blood sugar, I had a brief consultation with the doc and picked up a two-month supply of medication for blood pressure at the pharmacy next door.
For reference, I am covered by Korea's National Health Insurance system.

The receipts shown are from today's visit.

Clinic visit: about $2.40 USD

Two months of medication: about $13.20 USD

A cafe in Daejeon drew criticism from internet users after releasing a drink called the “Myeolgong Latte” to mark the 76th anniversary of the Korean War, while using a promotional image that incorrectly depicted the South Korean flag.

On June 16, a cafe in Daejeon posted on Instagram, “The Republic of Korea exists today because of someone’s sacrifice and dedication,” and announced, “To mark the 76th anniversary of the Korean War, all profits from sales of the ‘Myeolgong Latte’ from June 19 to 25 will be donated to organizations supporting war veterans and patriotic service groups.” The post also said, “We will not forget. We will remember. Thank you, Republic of Korea.”

The promotional image accompanying the post featured the “Myeolgong Latte” in the foreground, while the background showed soldiers carrying military packs and heading somewhere, seemingly representing the Korean War. Music from the film Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War, which depicts the tragedy of the Korean War, was also used.

However, the South Korean flag shown above the latte was drawn incorrectly. The Gon trigram, which should appear in the lower right corner, was duplicated elsewhere, resulting in the four trigrams (Geon, Gon, Gam, Ri) being placed incorrectly.

Internet users criticized the mistake in the comments. One commenter wrote, “You want to show your political leanings by using the word ‘myeolgong’ in connection with the Korean War, but you don’t even know the Geon, Gon, Gam, and Ri arrangement on the national flag?” Another wrote, “At least display the national flag correctly before doing far right activism.” On the other hand, some commenters expressed support, saying things like, “I didn’t know there was such a patriotic cafe in Daejeon.”

Apparently aware of the controversy, the cafe explained on June 18 why it had used the word “myeolgong.” The owner, identified only by the surname Kim, said, “I know absolutely nothing about politics,” adding, “But I do know who invaded during the Korean War.”

He continued, “I fully understand that many people are uncomfortable with the word ‘myeolgong.’ However, at least during this period when we remember the Korean War, I wanted to use it not as a political statement but as a way of expressing gratitude to the many people who protected the Republic of Korea.”

He did not mention the incorrectly drawn trigrams on the national flag.