A water turbine operates to prevent green algae growth in a reservoir in Gyeonggi on June 11.YONHAP
Good evening on this warm, summer Thursday in Seoul. Here are the stories you need to know in Korea!
In today's news, Korea's privacy watchdog handed a $409 million fine to Coupang over its data breach last year. In other stories, young people are finding connection through nostalgic spaces and technologies, and a monk was sentenced for gambling overseas.
How much was Coupang fined? The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) announced that it imposed a fine of more than 624.6 billion won ($409.3 million) on Coupang today for the company's data breach in November last year. The incident exposed the personal information of over 37 million people, both members and nonmembers of the website.
What was the fine for, specifically? The watchdog says 423.5 billion won of the amount was for the leaking of information of 37.5 million individuals, while 201.1 billion won was for the unauthorized collection and storage of the online activity of around 11.17 million users who accessed third-party websites and apps through the platform.
What was Coupang's response? The company said in a statement that it apologized for causing concern to customers through the information breach and aimed to "further strengthen our personal information protection framework." The company also signaled that it may plan to challenge the commission's decision, saying it expects the facts to be "clearly established through legal procedures."
Is this a new trend? As the world moves toward algorithmically curated feeds and the convenience of food and entertainment at one's fingertips, young people are looking to the past for meaning. An interest in "retro" culture has emerged as a trend, with people seeking imperfection over convenience. This involves people visiting old cafes and aging stores to take a glimpse at a time gone by.
What areas do these people visit? Chae Seung-jin is a retro enthusiast who spends his weekends trying to find retro places with his friends. He recently explored aging stores in the alleys of Euljiro in central Seoul. He documents his excursions on Instagram, visiting places like Techno Mart in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul, among others.
Why is there a renewed interest in nostalgia? Experts say that young people are gaining a fascination with gadgets and spaces that point to the past, as it is a way to experience "analog culture firsthand." As many young people have grown up in a digital environment, exploring older technology and places can be a refreshing experience. “As a kind of countertrend or reaction against AI and digital culture, people seem to be showing a stronger preference for these kinds of things,” Choi Ji-hye, a research fellow at the Consumer Trend Analysis Center, said.
A monk was caught gambling? A court has handed a 10-month sentence, suspended for two years, to a former chief monk of Beopju Temple in North Chungcheong for overseas gambling. The monk was indicted for gambling 47 times at casinos abroad, including in Macau.
What did the monk do exactly? The court confirmed that the defendant booked flights through casino personnel and that the monk had turned $100,000 into $100,000. He was found to have played slot machines and baccarat between May 2015 and September 2019. He was also accused of influencing other monks to gamble at the temple. Korean law prohibits citizens from gambling, even in countries where it is legal.
What did the court say regarding the sentence? The court noted that the monk had committed the offenses despite being in an important position that required a high degree of moral integrity. "This case is not merely a matter of personal misconduct,” the court said. “It carries the risk of damaging public trust in religion.”
![(평양 노동신문=뉴스1) = 북한 노동당 기관지 노동신문은 29일 해외군사작전 전투위훈기념관을 찾은 참관자들이 러시아 파병군으로 나섰던 참전 열사들을 기리며 헌화하고 있다고 밝혔다. [국내에서만 사용가능. 재배포 금지. DB 금지. For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. Redistribution Prohibited] rodongphoto@news1.kr](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/12923515.jpg?imageId=12923515&panox=0.00&panoy=8.29&panow=100.00&panoh=71.27&heightx=34.39&heighty=0.00&heightw=41.43&heighth=100.00&width=960&height=720&format=webp&format=jpg)
