Lifestyle

How will AI affect translators of the future?

gettyimagesbankBy Park Han-solWhat should be the role of a human translator in the age of ever-evolving artificial intelligence (AI)? Will machine-powered translation benefit or replace its human counterparts?The conundrum is knocking at our door sooner than we imagined.On the evening of Feb. 8, the Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI Korea) made a surprise announcement about its annual translation awards, two months after having declared the winners for 2022.Yukiko Matsusue, whose Japanese rendering of the Korean occult thriller webtoon “Mirae's Antique Shop” earned her the state-run organization's annual award for aspiring translators, had relied on the help of Naver's Papago machine-translation service ― which she hadn't made explicitly clear to the organization in the submission process.While her speaking and listening skills in Korean aren't fluent, she has studied the language for about a year and has been a longtime fan of Korean-language webtoons, Matsusue revealed in a press statement released by LTI Korea.“After perusing the original piece from

DAILY FORTUNE - FEBRUARY 10, 2023

Korean War POW who sued Kim Jong-un dies at 89

Han Jae-bok, right, a former South Korean prisoner of war who was captured by the North Koreans during the Korean War, stands during a press conference in 2020 after the court ruled in favor of him, ordering North Korea to compensate him for his forced labor. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoonBy Lee Yeon-wooHan Jae-bok, a former South Korean prisoner who was detained in North Korea for five decades before escaping, died on Wednesday. He was 89. With his death, the number of former prisoners of war living in South Korea is now 13. Han was born in Jeongeup City, North Jeolla Province in 1934. At the age of 17, he voluntarily joined the South Korean army after the outbreak of the Korean War on June 25, 1950. He was captured in North Korea in 1951. He was forced to work in coal mines in North Korea from Sept. 1953 until he escaped to South Korea in 2001.After his return, he constantly spoke out about the repatriation of South Korean prisoners of war while working as a chairman of the Association of Returned Korean POWs.In 2016, Han received international attention after filing a lawsuit a

Final lineup of artists, commissioned projects unveiled for Gwangju Biennale

Meiro Koizumi's “Theater of Life” (2023) / Courtesy of the artist, Annet Gelink Gallery, Amsterdam, and MUJIN-TO Production, TokyoBy Park Han-solThe 14th edition of Gwangju Biennale, Asia's largest and longest-running survey of contemporary art, is set to bring in 79 artists and collectives to examine transnational and postcolonial narratives both within and beyond the context of Korea's southwestern city that witnessed the 1980 pro-democracy uprising.Under the theme inspired by the chapter of a classical Chinese Daoist text, “Soft and Weak like Water,” over half of the participating artists will unveil commissioned projects and new works during the 94-day event from April 7 to July 9.Helmed by artistic director Lee Sook-kyung, the biennale will span four external venues throughout the city in addition to the main Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall ― Gwangju National Museum, Mugak Temple, Horanggasy Artpolygon and Artspace House.Yokohama-based artist Meiro Koizumi is set to present his latest five-channel projection installation “Theater of Life” whi

Air Busan to resume Busan-Kaohsiung route next month

An Air Busan airplane / Courtesy of Air BusanAir Busan, a budget carrier unit of Asiana Airlines, said Thursday it will resume the Busan-Kaohsiung route next month as travel demand recovers amid eased virus curbs.Air Busan plans to provide four flights a week on the Taiwan route from March 29 following three years of suspension due to the pandemic, the company said in a statement.The low-cost carrier also plans to offer flights on the Busan-Nah Trang route from March 26 and on the Busan-Taipei route starting April 20, the statement said.The carrier operated 25 international routes with 25 A321 chartered planes before the pandemic hit the airline industry in early 2020.It currently serves flights on 21 international routes ― 14 from the Gimhae International Airport in Busan and seven from Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. (Yonhap)

Hoiana Resort and Golf offer truly customized service for Koreans

The Hoiana Resort and Golf integrated resort includes Hoiana Shores Golf Club, arguably the best links course in Vietnam. Courtesy of Hoiana Resort and Golf By Kang Seung-wooHOIAN, Vietnam ― Set to provide a true home-away-from-home experience, Hoiana Residences is ready to satisfy Korean guests by offering unique services that cannot be found elsewhere in Vietnam, according to the vice president of Hoiana Resort and Golf.Hoiana Residences is part of a $4-billion (5 trillion won) mega project by Hoi An South Development to build an integrated resort featuring four luxury hotels along with a serviced apartment. It opened its doors in November of last year aiming to provide a luxurious, five-star experience with a touch of home for those who want relaxation and entertainment, thereby bringing the customer experience to a whole new level. Noel Lum, vice president of Hoiana Re

DAILY FORTUNE - FEBRUARY 09, 2023

INTERVIEW US conservation photographer's mission to save wild Florida and its elusive panthers

Carlton Ward Jr.'s “Log Jump” depicts a male panther jumping through a swamp in the southern Everglades of Florida. Although panthers once roamed throughout North America, the southern tip of wild Florida is the only place in the eastern United States where the animals survived widespread human persecution and encroachment. Courtesy of Carlton Ward Jr.'The story of the Florida Wildlife Corridor is not unique to Florida,' says Carlton Ward Jr.By Park Han-solThe story of the endangered Florida panther ― elusive, tawny-furred felines that are the last surviving big cats in the eastern United States ― is emblematic of the southeastern coastal state's long-underappreciated wilderness, says conservation photographer and National Geographic explorer Carlton Ward Jr.These carnivores, which can now only be observed in Florida's southern tip, almost faced extinction in the 1980s with a population of fewer than 20.That number has miraculously grown to 200 as of today thanks to conservation efforts, but the animal's need for vast swathes of territory to survive ― an average of 520 sq

INTERVIEW Veteran US photographer gives environment 'visual voice' to chronicle climate change

James Balog's “Iceberg #52, Disko Bay, Greenland” (2019) / Courtesy of James BalogJames Balog explores collision between human and nature through time-lapse videos of ice loss, magnum opus 'The Human Element'By Park Han-solIn just a matter of minutes, what used to be immense continental glaciers gracing the treacherous regions of the planet are seen retreating and collapsing on screen, their meltwaters falling directly into the ocean.The time-lapse videos of ice sheets in the Arctic Circle receding at an alarming rate have undoubtedly become the quintessential visual evidence of today's climate change.Nonetheless, veteran American environmental photographer James Balog had no idea that his undertaking would reshape the conversation surrounding global warming at such a fundamental level when he set out to document the ancient glaciers disappearing before his lens 16 years ago.The project, known as the Extreme Ice Survey (EIS), began in 2007 intending to give a “visual voice” to altering glacial ecosystems using real-time photography. More than 40 automated came

DAILY FORTUNE - FEBRUARY 08, 2023