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![[Editorial] Knotty trade issue](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fkoreaherald.com.png&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
Korea Herald
16-07-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
[Editorial] Knotty trade issue
US said to demand Korea further open agricultural, livestock markets Further opening of the Korean agricultural and livestock markets has emerged as a major issue in Korea's tariff and trade negotiations with the US. Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo said that trade negotiations on the agricultural sector always come with pain, but that there are some parts in which the country can make strategic decisions for a broader trade deal. He made the remark Monday during a meeting held with reporters to brief them on the progress of tariff negotiations he had during his visit to the US. Washington is said to demand that Seoul increase rice imports from the US; import American beef from cattle aged 30 months or older and living modified organism potatoes, a genetically modified crop; and ease quarantine on US apples. The Korean government is expected to finalize its proposals this week for tariff negotiations with the Donald Trump administration. Increasing the imports of rice and beef, among others, is a socially and politically sensitive matter for Korea. It is directly related to the foundation of the country's agricultural industry, its food sovereignty, the existence of its farm villages and regional economy Opposition from farmers is already strong. For these reasons, Korea has not fully opened its rice market. It obligatorily imports 408,700 metric tons of rice each year from five countries, including the US, at a low tariff rate of 5 percent. The figure amounts to about 11 percent of the 3.7 million tons that Korea produces at home annually. The US quota of some 132,000 tons takes up about 32 percent of Korea's rice imports. Korea imposes a 513 percent tariff on imports in excess of the quota, effectively banning imports of rice that go beyond the obligatory minimum. Unlike Japan, Korea has not experienced a shortage of rice. Rather, there is a surplus. Arguments for an increase in rice imports are less convincing here. Korea has only imported US beef from cattle younger than 30 months since fear of mad cow disease sparked nationwide protests against US beef imports in 2008. Despite these restrictions, Korea is still the largest importer of American beef in the world. Nearly half of the beef that Korea imported last year was American. The US does not appear likely to make a great profit from the additional opening of the Korean beef market. Yet, it has pointed to Korea's restriction on US beef imports as a typical non-tariff trade barrier. Koreans' aversion to US beef appears to have dropped remarkably, but US beef from cattle aged 30 months or older is likely to revive fears of mad cow disease and memories of protests. US-grown LMO potatoes were assessed as safe by the Rural Development Administration in March. Justification for the import ban on LMO potatoes has weakened. Importing apples is expected to cause vehement opposition from farmers. Many farmers grow apples in Korea, taking up 23 percent of its fruit cultivation area. Considering this, the government has practically banned apple imports since 1993 on the grounds that harmful insects could be brought in from abroad. Even when apple prices soared due to a poor harvest, Korea moved to increase imports of alternative fruits such as bananas, pineapples and mangoes, but not apples. Importing apples has been considered taboo. Proposals for negotiations are not yet finalized, but some Korean farmer groups are condemning the government for trying to make agriculture a scapegoat again. It will not be easy to persuade farmers within the two weeks left till the July 31 deadline for tariff negotiations. Yet, it is not easy to reject all of the US demands, either. Should the 25 percent "reciprocal" tariff be imposed on Korean items exported to the US, the Korean economy will reel from shock. In a macro perspective of national interests, a flexible attitude for strategic decisions is needed. Selective or conditional acceptance is more realistic than blanket refusal.
Forbes
13-06-2025
- Forbes
The End Of Browsing? AI Is Rewriting The Rules Of Online Visibility
Back when I was in high school, writing an academic essay was a chore. I'm talking leave-your-house-drive-to-the-library-to-search-for-citations-pain. Once, I spent an entire Saturday thumbing through books for quotes to back up my points. Later compiling that citation list in AP style was no joy either. By the time I got to college, the web had sped the search process way up. The miracle of online databases slashed my research time. A few years after that when I worked as a journalist covering the oil industry, I could easily access multiple sources by Googling topics. By then, the tedious part had become weeding out dead-end hyperlinks—usually anything past page one of the search results. In 2025 it's worth asking: do students or professionals search anymore? Business Insight Journal has an interesting take on this question. 'Students aren't just searching differently—they're searching elsewhere. According to Everspring's new 2025 AI Search Trends Report, prospective students increasingly turn to AI tools like ChatGPT instead of traditional search engines.' Professionals are also increasingly using AI to deliver direct answers rather than sift through pages of results. ''I don't even use Google anymore—I just use ChatGPT,' said Ash Minhas, a Technical Content Manager at IBM in a piece from the company evocatively titled: 'Browsing Obsolete: Examining the AI Search Era.' In it, Minhas gushes about artificial intelligence's utility to 'scan and synthesize a vast amount of sources in a short amount of time.' This remarkable shift in how we access information in such a short span reminds me of the saying: 'When one door closes, another opens.' That's because the expression 'Googling it' hasn't just lodged its way into our lexicon—it's become a way of life. Don't know something? Google it. But in a few years hearing someone say this may sound as quaint as the AOL modem startup noise. It might become a cultural relic due to the collapse of not just traditional search but the whole Search Engine Optimization (SEO) industry. Before discussing its likely replacement, Language Model Optimization (LMO), it's time for a refresher on the previous technology. Fittingly enough, it comes from 'SEO stands for search engine optimization, which is the process of improving a website's visibility in organic search results on Google and Bing, or other search engines. SEO involves researching search queries, creating helpful content, and optimizing the user experience to improve organic search rankings.' 'We're shifting from gaming Google's algorithm to engaging in real-time AI searches that respond directly to what we ask. That's the fundamental transformation unfolding right now,' said Claude Zdanow when I interviewed him to explain the impending sea change. As CEO of Onar Holding Corporation, a network of next-gen marketing and creative services agencies built to accelerate middle-market company growth via AI, he's following LMO closely. What he's noticed is the unprecedented value it brings clients. Traditional SEO often involved manipulating search rankings through keyword stuffing or an over-reliance on backlinks. There was definite utility behind such practices for companies wishing to be found, especially over their competitors. Unfortunately, end users didn't always find such stacked entries so helpful. LMO is now poised to disrupt this search model by operating as a kind of online oracle. 'Language Model Optimization is about creating content that's actually relevant and useful so that AI, not just a search engine, can interpret it, trust it, and serve it up as the best answer,' said Zdanow. 'It's no longer about finessing the system. It's about genuinely solving a user's problem.' Stepping back to contextualize this development, a logical progression is afoot. Value determines if a technology becomes widely accepted. Until web-based databases arrived, the most optimal way for high school students to source their papers was to pore through physical text. Later, search engines like Google became so popular because they worked even better. Now that LMO can accurately and efficiently deliver even more valuable answers, it's understandable that users like the Ash Minhas of the world flock to it. To grasp more of the value LMO provides, it's helpful to consult SEO Content Expert Jenny Abouobaia's LinkedIn post of the model's key prioritizations: 'Context Over Authority Signals: Unlike Google, which relies on backlinks for authority, LLMs focus on understanding the actual content.' Once more, we're talking about relevance. 'This shift isn't just about changing tactics,' said Zdanow. 'It's about changing intent. We must stop thinking in terms of algorithms and start thinking in terms of audiences. Moving forward, the question won't be 'How do I get ranked?' but rather: 'How do I help someone?'' That insight reminds me of philosopher Yuval Harari's take on the U.S.S.R.'s downfall in his book Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow. 'The Soviet Union tried to run a central economy from Moscow. And it just wasn't efficient. They brought all the information to Moscow, but there was nobody there who could process all the information fast enough and efficiently enough to make the right decisions. And this is why the distributed information system of the United States proved to be far superior to the centralized information system of the Soviet Union.' Harari's point is that America's decentralized bottom-up economy triumphed over its rival, but not through Cold War hostility. The U.S.S.R. imploded because it provided less value to its citizens. Top-down productivity collapsed alongside ideological alignment as its governance model proved incapable of meeting modern demands. The lesson here is simple: Value trumps everything in the end. Even totalitarian regimes. Companies would do well to think in these terms when it comes to getting found online. Business owners and the marketing agencies serving them can stay ahead of the search curve by producing content that's actually useful. When in doubt, stop and ask yourself: 'Would another person find this valuable?' If so, it's more likely you will get noticed under the LMO model. When it comes to content, the best advice I ever got was from my mom, back when I was still haunting the library to finish a paper on the Spartan phalanx: 'Be original.' In other words, share unique, non-derivative content, including stories or data AI cannot find anywhere else. This last point has special relevance for the times we live in. As AI automates more and more of life's drudgery and rote activities, space opens up for creativity and originality to once more be in demand. Rather than decry the shifting sands of commerce and the uncertainty it inevitably brings, we would do well to appreciate the opportunity tech provides. Especially when it allows us to deliver greater value to our fellow human beings.
New Indian Express
05-06-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
COVID-19 cases cross 4.3K in India; cost cases mild and managed under home care
NEW DELHI: India has reported 4,302 active COVID-19 cases, with an increase of 864 cases in the past 24 hours, official sources said on Wednesday. Officials said that most cases are mild and are being managed under home care. 'Since January 1, 2025, 44 deaths have been reported, primarily among individuals with pre-existing illnesses,' sources added. As cases rise across the country, the Union Health Ministry has held a series of technical review meetings under the chairpersonship of Dr. Sunita Sharma, Director General of Health Services (DGHS), to assess the current COVID-19 situation and preparedness measures. 'The Union Health Ministry continues to closely monitor the situation and remains committed to ensuring public health safety through timely interventions and effective communication,' sources said. A mock drill assessing oxygen supply systems (including PSA plants, LMO tanks, and MGPS lines) was conducted on June 2, and facility-level preparedness mock drills were carried out on June 4. A similar drill is scheduled for June 5, they added. 'The public is advised to practice hand hygiene, cough etiquette, and avoid crowded places when unwell. Individuals with acute respiratory illness should self-monitor and seek medical care if symptoms worsen,' officials said.
News18
05-06-2025
- Health
- News18
Centre To Conduct Nationwide Covid Mock Drill Today As Active Cases Breach 4000-Mark
Last Updated: The upcoming drill will evaluate preparedness in critical areas such as isolation wards, oxygen supply, ventilator availability, and essential medicines. In response to a recent uptick in Covid-19 infections, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will conduct a nationwide facility-level mock drill on June 5 to assess hospital readiness across the country, official sources confirmed. The exercise comes as India reported an increase of 276 active Covid cases on Wednesday, bringing the total number of active cases to 4,302, according to data released by the Ministry. Seven deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours, with Maharashtra accounting for four, and Tamil Nadu, Delhi, and Gujarat reporting one fatality each. The cumulative death toll now stands at 44. The upcoming drill will evaluate preparedness in critical areas such as isolation wards, oxygen supply, ventilator availability, and essential medicines. It aims to ensure that hospitals are equipped to respond effectively in the event of another surge in cases. The decision to conduct the drill follows a series of technical review meetings chaired this week by Director General of Health Services (DGHS), Dr. Sunita Sharma, amid growing concern over the rise in infections. States have been instructed to ensure the availability and functionality of vital medical infrastructure. As part of these preparations, a preliminary mock drill was held on June 2, specifically assessing oxygen supply systems including Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) plants, Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) tanks, and Medical Gas Pipeline Systems (MGPS). The June 5 mock drill is part of a broader strategy to proactively reinforce the country's Covid response mechanism and maintain robust healthcare readiness across all states and union territories. First Published: June 05, 2025, 07:20 IST
