The Minute to Read (Weekdays) series provides a quick overview of significant events in Korea everyday, conveniently condensed into a one-minute read. Here’s a recap of what happened yesterday: Aug. 29.
S. Korean military intel employee leaked secrets to China for 7 years
A 49-year-old civilian employee of the Korea Defense Intelligence Command has been charged with leaking military secrets to Chinese intelligence for seven years since 2017. The official, who was recruited by Chinese agents, used silent camera apps and cloud services to transfer classified documents. The military only discovered the breach in June this year, despite the espionage going undetected for years. The employee leaked 30 pieces of classified information and received about 160 million won in bribes through a proxy account, according to military prosecutors.
S. Korea’s nonmarital births reach record high
South Korea saw a 17% increase in marriages and a 1.2% rise in births in the second quarter of this year, while proportion of nonmarital births reached a record high of nearly 5%, with about 19,000 babies born outside marriage, up from 2.2% five years ago. Despite the rise, the country’s nonmarital birth rate remains low compared to countries like France (62.2%) and the U.K. (49.0%). The OECD average for nonmarital births is 41.9%. There are calls for improved support systems and cultural changes to better support childbearing and childrearing outside of marriage.
Hyundai plans hybrid expansion for Genesis by 2027
Hyundai Motor announced a shift in strategy to include hybrid models in its Genesis luxury brand lineup by 2027, reversing its earlier plan to focus only on electric and hydrogen vehicles. The company will also introduce an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) in the U.S. and China, featuring a range of up to 900 kilometers.
Hyundai will expand its global hybrid offerings from seven to 14 models and add hybrids to the Genesis G80, GV70, and GV80. The company aims to maintain a global EV sales target of 2 million units by 2030 and will invest 120.5 trillion won over the next decade. The automaker will also return 35% of its net profit to shareholders and enter the autonomous vehicle market.
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