Category: Random Stuff

I guess we will soon see if Naver and Kakao will have any competition in South Korea for mapping services:

The debate over the overseas transfer of South Korea’s high-precision map data, a sensitive issue that had been largely dormant since the launch of President Lee Jae Myung’s administration, has reignited. The government is moving to develop countermeasures as global tech giants intensify their efforts to gain access to the data.

Apple recently sought legal advice from a Korean law firm regarding its application to export 1:5,000 scale map data. The move follows the company’s earlier attempt in 2023, which was aimed at enhancing services, such as its Find My device tracking feature, Apple Pay’s local operations and the in-car navigation system integrated into Apple CarPlay, according to industry sources on Thursday.

Apple’s previous request was rejected by the Korean government due to national security concerns. Industry watchers believe the US tech giant will quickly reapply should the government approve Google’s pending application to export similar map data.

The review of Google’s request is ongoing. The government, which deferred its decision last month, must deliver a verdict by Aug. 11. As the Lee administration seeks to ease trade tensions with Washington, attention is focused on how it will respond to Google’s bid.

Maps at a scale of 1:25,000, used for navigation and route guidance, are already provided to foreign companies for their map services. However, both Google and Apple are seeking to secure high-precision maps as a necessity for expanding their mobility, AI and autonomous driving industries.

According to regulations, high-precision maps can only be used if the company has a data center located within Korea. As a result, only Naver and Kakao, which operate domestic data centers, are currently able to use high-precision map data free of charge.

Korea Herald

You can red more at the link.

What this article is not telling readers is that many of the Korean-American owned businesses in LA’s Koreatown use illegal immigrant labor, especially from Latin-American countries. This is the primary reason the Korean American Federation is speaking out against the ICE raids:

US federal immigration authorities conducted a series of coordinated enforcement operations across Los Angeles on Friday, including in neighborhoods with a high concentration of Korean American-owned businesses. The move has raised concerns within the local Korean diaspora.

The raids reportedly targeted areas in downtown Los Angeles’ fashion district, commonly referred to as the “Jobber Market,” where several Korean American-run wholesale clothing stores are located.

In a statement released the same day, the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles condemned the enforcement actions, describing them as “unilateral and heavy-handed.”

“These actions by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) disregard proper legal procedures,” the organization said. “We urgently call on our local elected officials to take action and provide solutions to this crisis. In addition, we will work closely with local organizations to ensure that no individuals are unjustly harmed.”

“Even individuals who struggle with English or are unable to provide identification immediately are reportedly being arrested or detained first,” the organization added. “This has caused significant harm and confusion, not only among Korean nationals but also among local residents.”

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link, but what do ROK Heads think would happen in Korea if a bunch of Americans started attacking Korean law enforcement while waving U.S. flags?

It is amazing how fast her run times are at her age:

At 76 years old, Jeannie Rice is still setting age group world records and altering what we thought we knew about aging and running. She currently owns the world record for every distance between the 1500 meters and the marathon. It’s not just that Rice is fast for her age—and just plain speedy, full stop. She’s also not seeing the decline in speed you’d typically expect for a septuagenarian runner. That’s why, when UK-based researchers learned that Rice would be racing the London Marathon last April, they pounced on the opportunity to study what biomarkers and physical characteristics set her apart from her peers.

Six days after she set a new age-group world record in the marathon, running a time of 3:33:27 (averaging 8:08 miles), Rice agreed to visit an exercise lab in England where she underwent body fat measuring, treadmill testing, and other running and jumping assessments. In the resulting case report, which was published last month in the Journal of Applied Physiology, the authors shared that Rice has the highest V02 max (47.8) ever recorded for a woman aged 75 years or older, and a surprisingly high max heart rate of 180.

Runner’s World

You can read more at the link, but even more amazing is that she started running at age 35 to lose weight after a visit to her native South Korea. Since then she progressed to being able to run 50 miles a week to maintain her current fitness level.