Apgujeong and Cheongdam, which are core commercial areas in Gangnam District Seoul, are getting noticed again. Apgujeong Galleria Department Store will be transformed based on a design by a world-renowned architectural designer as well as Cheongdam Hotel Prima site being reconstructed as a high-end mixed-use development project. On May 13th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that they have approved Hanwha Galleria’s redevelopment project as well as improvement of the station 's influence area in Apgujeong. The Galleria Department Store located near Apgujeongrodeo Station is divided into East and West buildings by Seolleung-ro. By this project, the existing structure will be replaced with an eight-story new building that has a sanglass shaped glass façade. The blueprint was conducted by the worldwide famous designer Thomas Heatherwick. Based on a symmetrical structure that balances East and West buildings, the design focuses on connecting interior and exterior spaces organically.Specifically, the integrated underground plaza, mid-level garden, and sky garden will be transformed into not just commercial facilities but Public Complex Cultural Spaces. Furthermore, the design will reinforce environmentally friendly aspects as they include solar, fuel, and hydrothermal energy as well as renewable energy system and double skin technique. The Seoul Metropolitan Government is hoping to see effective uses of mitigating Urban Heat Island effect (UHI) and a more sustainable environment. The Prima Hotel site development is also getting underway. In the 52-3, Cheongdam-dong in Gangnam-gu, there will be a mixed-use complex that ranges from the 8th basement floor to the 38th floor above ground. According to a modification, the building will have 75 hotel rooms, 29 apartment complexes, and 20 officetels. The Seoul Metropolitan Government aims to strengthen the Cheongdam area with tourism, and residential and commercial functions.The Seoul City official said that “This project is the representative example that both combines design innovation and tourism and cultural functions”. He also said, “will continue to strengthen Seoul’s global competitiveness.”. ▶원문 기사: “압구정 랜드마크 다시 쓴다”…갤러리아, ‘모래시계’ 유리 건축물로 재탄생 (이코노미스트, 2026. 5.13) ◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 이코노미스트 기사를 영문으로 번역하며 이슈를 팔로우업한 기사입니다. 차세대 글로벌 경제 리더, <영 저널리스트 with 이코노미스트> 영문 기사는 매주 연재됩니다.

Amid growing competition between global pharmaceuticals and the bio industry, the next generation treatment that not only controls inflammation, even targets recovering bowel mucous membrane is grabbing attention. As the unmet need for long-term remission maintenance and prevention of recurrence is still high, the competition for securing candidate drugs with new mechanisms is expanding. Amid this, Daewoong Pharmaceuticals has signed a license-in agreement for next generation treatment for inflammatory bowel disease ‘INV-008’ on 13th. The total scale of the contract is 662.5 billion won including 6.5 billion won of advance payment and 665 billion won of milestones. Daewoong Pharmaceuticals has secured the right to develop and commercialize the candidate drug through this contract. Since it strengthened the new approach of regenerating damaged bowel mucous membrane, moving beyond conventional treatments focused on immune suppression, the contract is evaluated as significant. Daewoong Pharmaceuticals plans to lead the direction of development from the clinical stage and integrated promotion of indication expansion and global technology transfer. Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic intractable disease including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. It remarkably lowers the patient’s quality of daily life with repetitive stomachache, diarrhea, and bloody stool. Even though various biological formulations and JAK inhibitors are being used at the moment, there are some critiques that there are limitations in long-term remission maintenance and mucous membrane cure. Mucosal healing is especially rising as the core goal for next generation inflammatory bowel disease treatment recently. The concept is to recover the function and structure of damaged intestine tissues, beyond just suppressing the inflammation. ‘INV-008’ is an oral treatment that expands the retention time of PGE2 which works for bowel mucous membrane regeneration in the body. The mechanism behind it is suppressing the enzyme ‘15-PGDH’ that breaks down PGE2, so bowel mucous membrane recovery is stimulated. According to the company, preclinical studies confirmed enhanced mucosal regeneration and reduced inflammation, also the development potential in the aspect of safety in the pre-clinical stage.INV-008 differentiates from the existing biological formulations and JAK inhibitors, as it induces the regeneration of tissues while the others work to block immune and inflammation responses. Subsequently, the potential to be used with the existing drugs to target both inflammation control and mucosal healing at the same time is being raised. Daewoong Pharmaceuticals’s policy is to strengthen the new drugs pipeline regarding digestive system and expand open innovation strategy from this contract. They explained they built up a structure to divide the roles, that Daewoong Pharmaceuticals led global clinic and commercialization, while Innovo Therapeutics focused on discovering candidate substances based on AI and initial research developments. Sung Soo Park, CEO of Daewoong Pharmaceuticals said “this contract is not just the introduction of the technology, it is a strategic partnership to lead the direction of development together from the initial clinical stage and to take responsibility for global commercialization” and that they “will actively support INV-008 to be an innovative new drug with global competence”. Hee Dong Park, CEO of Innovo Therapeutics said “INV-008 is beyond ordinary inhibitor of inflammation, it is innovative treatment that leads bowel mucosal healing” and they will “speed up the global clinic and commercialization by the cooperation with Daewoong Pharmaceuticals”.▶원문 기사: 대웅제약, 이노보테라퓨틱스와‘장 점막 재생’ 염증성 장질환 신약 개발 나서 (이코노미스트, 2026.5.13) ◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 이코노미스트 기사를 영문으로 번역하며 이슈를 팔로우업한 기사입니다. 차세대 글로벌 경제 리더, <영 저널리스트 with 이코노미스트> 영문 기사는 매주 연재됩니다.

◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 현 사회현상에 대해 학생들 시선에서 ‘왜’라는 질문을 갖고 직접 취재해 작성한 기획기사입니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단의 기획기사는 영문과 국문, 두 형태로 게재합니다. 유행은 자주 바뀐다. 요즘엔 매주, 아니 매일 바뀐다고 해도 과언이 아닐 정도다. 인터넷, SNS (Social Networking Service)로 인해서 유행이 바뀌는 속도는 점점 빨라지고 있다. 유행이 바뀔 때마다 사람들은 새 옷을 산다. 문제는 유행이 지나면 다시 입지 않는다는 것이다. 전세계에서 쏟아지는 옷 쓰레기들이 바다를 뒤덮고 있다. 이 문제를 사람들은 ‘패스트패션 (Fast fashion)’이라고 부른다. ‘패스트패션’이란 의류기업들이 유행에 따라 옷을 대량 생산하여 저렴한 가격에 파는 현상을 말한다. 많은 사람들이 ‘싸니까’라는 생각으로 쉽게 사고 쉽게 버린다. 패스트패션이 가져오고 있는 부정적인 영향을 모르기 때문일까? 패스트패션의 가장 큰 문제는 환경 오염과 노동착취다. 버려진 옷에서 발생하는 미세플라스틱, 1년에 약 700억톤패스트패션으로 환경 오염은 점점 더 심각해지고 있다. 패스트패션 브랜드의 옷들은 대부분 합성섬유로 만들어진다. 그린피스에 따르면, 합성섬유는 제조되는 과정에서 매우 많은 양의 탄소를 배출한다. 이는 면 섬유의 옷이 만들어질 때 나오는 탄소 배출량보다 약 3배 더 많다고 한다. 제조과정만 문제가 되는 것이 아니다. 대량으로 버려지는 옷은 태워지고, 이 과정에서수많은 미세플라스틱이 배출된다. 합성섬유가 버려지고 태워질 때 발생하는 미세플라스틱은 약 60만개. 이는 오직 옷 한벌만의 기준이다. 한국탄소중립녹색성장위원회에 따르면, 2020년에는 8만 2,000톤의 의류가, 2021년에는 11만 8,000톤의 폐의류가 버려지고 있다. 한국에서는 1년에 10만 톤에 가까운 옷들이 버려지고 있다. 계산을 해보면 약 700억톤 가량의 미세플라스틱이 배출되고 있는 것이다. 또한 태우지 못한 폐의류는 땅에 매립된다. 때문에 옷에 남아있는 미세플라스틱은 땅에 흡수되고, 사람들의 삶에 막대한 영향을 끼칠 것이다. 패스트패션의 또다른 그림자…아동노동착취패스트패션 브랜드를 운영하고 있는 많은 기업에서는, 빠른 제작, 유통을 위해 노동착취가 일어나고 있다. BBC(영국매체)에 따르면, 중국의 패스트패션 브랜드에서 일하는 노동자들은 단시간에 많은 옷을 생산하기 위해서 매우 적은 임금을 받고 하루 최대 12시간 동안 일한다고 한다. 노동자들이 티셔츠를 포함한 간단한 의류를 만들면, 한화로 약 200원 정도 받는다고 한다. 하루 최대로 일해도 2,400원 밖에 벌 수 없다. 중국 노동자들은 더위에 찌들어있는 환경 속에서 12시간 넘게 노동을 하며 매우 적은 임금으로 살아가야한다. 중국의 한 의류 공장에서는 열악한 환경 속에서 15세 이하 아동들이 일하는 것에 대해서 인정을 하기도 했다. 빨리 바뀌는 유행에 따라가기 위해, 대량의 옷을 만들어내기 위해 어린 아이들의 연약한 노동력을 이용하고 있는 것이다. 패스트 패션 Stop! 슬로우 패션 Start 단순히 유행만을 위해서 옷을 쉽게 사고 버리는 패스트패션. 이제 멈춰야 한다. 노동자들을 착취하는 브랜드는 사라져야한다. 이를 위해선 슬로우패션 (slow fashion)을 실천해야 한다. 슬로우패션은 말 그대로 패스트패션과 정반대의 개념으로, 옷을 장기간동안 입으려고 노력하는 것이다. 소비자들은 자신의 소비패턴을 돌아보며 패스트패션이 아닌 슬로우패션에 동참해야한다. 옷이 조금만 찢어지거나 얼룩져도 사람들은 옷을 버린다. ‘싸니까 새거 사야지’라는 생각으로 말이다. 옷을 버리지 말고, 수선해서 입어야한다. 무분별한 소비습관이 거대한 옷쓰레기 섬을 만들고 있다는 것을 기억해야 한다. 개인뿐만 아니라, 기업들도 패스트 패션의 문제점을 극복하기 위해 노력해야 한다. 이익만 추구해선 안된다. 기업으로써 윤리와 환경을 생각해야한다. 노동자들의 권리를 지켜주는 것도 기업이 할 일이다. 대량생산을 위해 일어나는 노동착취는 이제 사라져야 한다. 이는 환경에도 많은 도움을 줄 것이다. 마지막으로 정부는 엄격한 제도와 규제를 통해 패션패스트의 문제점을 막아야한다. 프랑스 정부는 이를 위해 ‘에코스코어’ (eco-score)라는 제도를 도입하고 있다. 기업이 얼마나 친환경적인지에 따라서 점수를 매기고, 만약 점수가 낮으면 벌금을 부과하는 제도다. ‘에코스코어’ 제도에 따라 프랑스 정부는 패스트패션 기업들의 광고나 홍보를 허용하지 않는다. 이와 같이, 정부의 적극적인 문제해결 의지가 필요하다. 한국도 엄격한 법을 도입하여 사람들이 옷을 사고 버리는 것에 대해 신중해질 수 있도록 도와야한다.

◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 현 사회현상에 대해 학생들 시선에서 ‘왜’라는 질문을 갖고 직접 취재해 작성한 기획기사입니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단의 기획기사는 영문과 국문, 두 형태로 게재합니다. The 20th century’s trends are constantly changing, so saying it is changing by a week is not an exaggeration. Nowadays, trends change more rapidly especially because of social media, as people take a photo and display it on their social media account. This resulted in people buying new clothes for every trend, yielding the phenomenon known as fast fashion. Fast fashion is when clothing companies produce massive amounts of clothes and sell them for a very low price. This results in people making them think, “Because the clothes are cheap, I will just wear them and then throw them away”, aggravating the negative sides of fast fashion. This demonstrates that people do not recognize the negative aspects of fast fashion. There is environmental pollution and exploitation of workers in the negative sides of fast fashion. Annual microplastics from discarded clothes…70 billion tons To start with, environmental pollution is the most serious problem of fast fashion. This is because most clothes from fast fashion are made from synthetic fibers. According to Greenpeace, during the production of synthetic fibers, massive amounts of carbon are emitted, which is three times more than the amount of emission of carbon in cotton clothes. As a result, companies that produce fast fashion products emit massive amounts of hazardous environmental factors. Furthermore, clothes — which is not part of trends anymore — are largely trashed and are burnt, resulting in 600,000 microplastics. This is a standard only for burning a single cloth. Furthermore, according to Greenpeace, before burning a single cloth, there are more than 700,000 microplastics. As reported by the Korean Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth Commission, in 2020, 82,000 tons of clothes were discarded, while in 2021, 118,000 tons were thrown away, showing an increasing trend. This shows that more than 70 billion tons of microplastics from clothes are emitted annually in Korea, since its average discard of clothes is more than 100,000 tons. If the clothes are not burnt, they are buried in landfills, making the solid absorb microplastics, cycling back to humans. Fast fashion’s hidden side…Exploitation of workers Secondly, lots of companies are exploiting workers because of fast fashion. According to the BBC, Chinese workers receive extremely low wages and work for up to 12 hours a day so that they can produce massive amounts of clothes in a small amount of time. Even if the workers make very simple clothes, such as t-shirts, they only get 15 cents, meaning for a whole day, they only get $1.6. Based on these horrible wages and working times, Chinese workers also have to work in an adverse environment, as it is the only way to earn money. Furthermore, one of the Chinese clothing companies admitted that they made children, under the age of fifteen, work. The exploitation of work is mainly due to fast fashion, as it forces the companies to produce clothes so that they can catch up the trends. Thus, fast fashion that exploits workers regardless of their age should be eliminated. To sum up, this article shows the definition and negative impacts of fast fashion. People should stop engaging in fast fashion that only buys and throws clothes away for trends. Instead, people should carry slow fashion out. Slow fashion is literally the opposite of fast fashion, as it is the phenomenon where people try to wear their clothes for the longest time. Practicing slow fashion will result in opposite effects with fast fashion. Thus, fast fashion will disappear when people stop following trends. Fast fashion shows the reality and truth where people only follow trends. Fast fashion Stop! Slow fashion StartFast fashion which discards clothes, must stop. Brands that exploit workers must be gone, which propels the concept of slow fashion. Slow fashion is completely opposite with fast fashion, meaning clothes should be worn for a longer time. Consumers should look back at their consumption habits and participate in slow fashion rather than fast fashion. People who discard their clothes even when the clothes are slightly stained or torn should repair clothes, not throw them away. People must remember the fact that reckless consumption habits make a massive clothes island. Not only individuals, companies also should work in order to overcome problems of fast fashion. They should not only seek profits but rather prioritize ethics, the environment, and laborer's rights. Exploits of laborers just for a massive production should be prevented, also benefiting the environment. Finally, governments should constrain fast fashion by strict laws. For instance, the French government implemented an ‘eco-score’, which evaluates how eco-friendly companies are. If companies receive a low score, they have to pay a fine. Due to ‘eco-score’, France does not allow a single company to advertise their products. Thus, strict regulations are strongly needed. Likewise, South Korea should also impose laws to raise awareness to fast fashion.

The Chief Executive Officer, Tim Cook, will step down as CEO of Apple in September after 15 years. Joining Apple in 1998, Cook took office as CEO in 2011 after Apple founder Steve Jobs passed away. While Cook led Apple, market capitalization surged approximately tenfold from $35 billion to $4 trillion. CEO Cook has revealed his feelings prior to his step down, stating “It was the most special work of my entire life in terms of being trusted to serve as CEO of Apple.” As Tim Cook’s successor, John Ternus has been internally appointed as senior vice president.Tim Cook has emphasized his successor John Ternus that “He possesses a qualified mindset involving an engineer’s heart and innovator’s spirit, as well as a consistency and glory,” adding “He is an appropriate figure to lead Apple’s future without a doubt." The speculation that Ternus would become the successor of CEO Tim has continued since last year. It’s because the so-called ‘Tim Cook doppelganger,’ Jeff Williams, being mentioned as a strong candidate successor, announced his retirement last July, and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Lucas Maestri, considered to be CEO Cook's aide, had also stepped down in the beginning of last year. Holding Bachelor's degree of mechanical engineering from University of Pennsylvania, Vice President Ternus hardware stepped into the role of senior vice president in 2021 after joining the company in 2011, and later became Vice President of hardware engineering in 2023. Until now, he has overseen the hardware development of Apple, including iPhone, iPad, Mac computers, Apple watch, AirPods, and he is considered to have played an essential role especially in raising the sales of Macs that used to experience a decline in sales for a while. Apple’s selection of John Ternus as next CEO is seen as expressing internally and externally about Apple’s determination to remain a company that focuses on hardware as its core business including iPhone. ▶원문 기사: 팀쿡, 15년 만에 애플 떠나…후임 존 터너스는 누구? ◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 이코노미스트 기사를 영문으로 번역하며 이슈를 팔로우업한 기사입니다. 차세대 글로벌 경제 리더, <영 저널리스트 with 이코노미스트> 영문 기사는 매주 연재됩니다.

As Meta, the operator of Facebook and Instagram, continues intensive investment in artificial intelligence (AI), it is cutting about 10% of its workforce Meta plans to lay off about 8,000 workers on the 20th next month, which is close to one-tenth of its total workforce of 79,000 employees as of the end of last year. This is predicted to be the largest restructuring effort following its 2022 “Year of Efficiency” initiative. However, Meta’s decision is interpreted not simply as a cost reduction measure. It reflects a strategic reorganization aimed at shifting the company’s operational focus from humans to AI. Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s chief executive officer (CEO), has emphasized since early this year that “We are entering an era where a competent individual using AI can complete projects that previously required large teams,” emphasizing slimmer team structures and AI-based efficiency. Following the establishment of Meta Superintelligence Lab (MSL) last year, Meta set aside up to $135 billion in capital expenditure this year, placing a strong focus on advancing technology.This trend of “AI-based workforce efficiency” is spreading across the broader big tech industry. Recently, Amazon also reduced 30,000 office workers, which represents 10% of its white-collar staff, while fintech company Block cut its workforce in half. According to Layoffs.fyi statistics, already more than 73,000 tech workers have lost their jobs this year alone. As Zuckerberg predicted, technology is fundamentally changing how humans work, while the structure of the labor market is also shifting rapidly.Meanwhile, in contrast to the large-scale layoffs, controversial executive compensation plans have been revealed. Meta’s board approved increasing performance bonuses for executives, excluding Zuckerberg, to as much as 200% of their base salary, while also granting additional stock compensation worth hundreds of millions of dollars if the company reaches a market capitalization of $9 trillion by 2031. While downsizing is helping Meta become more efficient from within, it provides strong incentives for its management to guide the company towards the era of AI.▶원문 기사: "너 대신 AI"가 현실로… 메타 8,000명 해고로 꺼내든 승부수 ◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 이코노미스트 기사를 영문으로 번역하며 이슈를 팔로우업한 기사입니다. 차세대 글로벌 경제 리더, <영 저널리스트 with 이코노미스트> 영문 기사는 매주 연재됩니다.

“I bought Samsung Electronics one month ago when it was 215 thousand won and after that the rate extremely decreased so I really worried about it. I’m so thankful it has finally gone back up”Samsung Electronics stock price has risen for 4 days, being challenged as the highest price renewal.As of 11:07 a.m. on the 16th, Samsung Electronics price was currently recording 2175 thousand won, which got 3.08% (6500 won) higher than yesterday.Samsung Electronics’ highest price historically was 2285 thousand won that was recorded last February, 26th.Brokerage firm industries see that Samsung Electronics’ stock price increase rate is still high. This is because there have been overwhelming performances.KB Brokerage firm predicted that this second quarter of the year will be 77trillion won, which increased 16 times than last year, and that the profit will be 50%.Dong-Won Kim, KB Brokerage firm research manager says “quarter profit is predicted to enter its acceleration area at 1 quarter, which is at least 57 trillion won, to fourth which is 107 trillion won.This is an expectation that Samsung Electronics will emerge as global profit first place company, achieving 335 trillion won in 2026 and 488 trillion won in 2027.General manager Kim emphasized that “Especially, from 2nd quarter that is expected to have relief in Middle East’s geographical risk, foreign investors seems they will focus on their performance and fundamental, resulting in Samsung, that entered performance surprise area, escalating as the foreigners’ favorite investment place.Yuanta Securities Korea researcher Gil-hyeon Baek assessed that “It is being analyzed that unlike previous semiconductor cycle, long-term contract prices for major clients is being formed higher than before.Continuing to this, they modified the stock price goal to 330 thousand won, saying “it is optimistic of how it is predicted to scale down future memory semiconductor volatility, and strengthen shareholder-friendly activity based on stable money flow.”Meanwhile, SK Hynix also recorded 1159 thousand won which got 2.02% (23 thousand won) higher than yesterday, continuously increasing for 5 days until now.Yesterday, SK Hynix got their value as 1173 thousand won, achieving their highest price of all time.▶원문 기사" 삼성전자도 최고가 뚫을까…"외국인 최선호 투자처로 부상할 것" ◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 이코노미스트 기사를 영문으로 번역하며 이슈를 팔로우업한 기사입니다. 차세대 글로벌 경제 리더, <영 저널리스트 with 이코노미스트> 영문 기사는 매주 연재됩니다.

Amid the rapid increase in drug consumption in Korea, different drug consumption patterns are clearly appearing for each generation. In particular, it has been confirmed that while the use of antidepressants among children and adolescents has surged over the past five years, bringing mental health issues to the forefront, daily use of gastrointestinal drugs has become common among the elderly.According to data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service on the 11th, daily drug consumption per 1,000 people recorded 1491.7DID as of 2024, up 4.2% from the previous year. This means that when the recommended daily dose set by the World Health Organization(WHO) based on the adult weight of 70kg is applied, one Korean person is taking about 1.5 days worth of medicine on average every day. As drug consumption increased, the economic burden also increased. Each South Korean spent 842,594 won per year on medication. When converted into dollars, the amount increased by 0.5 percent to 617.8 dollars. Among all drugs, medications for digestive and metabolic disorders were consumed the most, far exceeding the average of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The most noticeable part of the statistics is the steep increase in the use of depressive drugs. Over the past five years(2020~2024), the total use of depressive drugs has increased by 51.01%.In particular, the consumption of depressive drugs among children and adolescents increased sharply. Compared to five years ago, use among those aged 5 to 9 increased by 244.5%, those aged 10 to 14 by 157.5%, and those aged 15 to 19 by 128.3%. The primary background is the increase in psychiatric treatment as awareness of mental health issues among young people has grown.In both gender and age, the group that took the most depressive drugs was women over 80 years of age, and about 15 people per 1000 people per day were taking the drug. Excessive intake of gastrointestinal drugs, centered on the elderly, has also emerged as a key problem. An analysis of the amount of proton pump inhibitors, a typical gastric acid secretion inhibitor, has shown an increase of 52.9% over the past five years. The amount of use has increased significantly with age, with more than 10% of the population aged 65 or older taking this gastrointestinal drug every day. In particular, 203.3 women over the age of 80 consumed the drug per 1,000 people a day, ranking overwhelmingly first in all age groups. It is interpreted as a result of the increase in the elderly population and the increase in prescriptions for gastrointestinal protection due to chronic diseases.▶원문 기사: 소아 청소년 우울증약 사용 급증…노년층은 위장약 매일 복용 ◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 이코노미스트 기사를 영문으로 번역하며 이슈를 팔로우업한 기사입니다. 차세대 글로벌 경제 리더, <영 저널리스트 with 이코노미스트> 영문 기사는 매주 연재됩니다.

A U.S. court has recognized the harm caused by teenagers’ addiction to social media services (SNS) and held Meta and Google liable for damages. The verdict is drawing attention because it could serve as a “test case” that will determine the direction of thousands of similar lawsuits in the future.According to AP and Reuters on the 25th (local time), a jury in a California state trial court in Los Angeles ruled that Instagram and YouTube, operated by the two companies, were responsible for teenage SNS addiction.The ruling includes $3 million in compensatory damages for the plaintiff’s harm, along with an equal amount in punitive damages.If the verdict is finalized, 70% of the compensation will be paid by Meta, and the remaining 30% by Google.The decision was reached after more than a month of trial and over 40 hours of jury deliberation across nine days.During the proceedings, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri were also called to testify as witnesses.The plaintiff, a woman in her 20s identified as “Kaylee G.M.,” claimed that after starting to use YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at age 9, she suffered from depression and physical health problems due to SNS addiction. She argued that this was because the platforms were designed to addict users.The plaintiff also filed lawsuits against TikTok and Snap, which operates Snapchat, but those companies settled before trial.Meta argued that Kaylee had mental health issues unrelated to social media, while YouTube claimed that its platform was not social media but rather a video platform similar to television. However, the jury ultimately found them responsible.Considering that this lawsuit is a “bellwether trial” that could shape the direction of social media litigation, if the verdict is upheld, similar rulings may follow in future lawsuits against SNS companies. According to NPR, around 2,000 similar lawsuits filed by parents and school districts are currently underway across the United States.Sarah Kreps, a professor at Cornell University, explained, “There are hundreds of similar cases pending in California alone, and thousands in total. Once even one such ruling is made, it will open the floodgates for numerous follow-up lawsuits.”In a statement, Meta said, “We respectfully disagree with this verdict and are reviewing our legal options.”José Castañeda, a Google spokesperson, also stated that “YouTube is a streaming platform, not a social media site,” arguing that the verdict misunderstands YouTube.▶원문 기사: "SNS 중독 책임 인정"…美 배심원단, 메타·구글에 600만달러 배상 평결 ◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 이코노미스트 기사를 영문으로 번역하며 이슈를 팔로우업한 기사입니다. 차세대 글로벌 경제 리더, <영 저널리스트 with 이코노미스트> 영문 기사는 매주 연재됩니다.

Kori Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2, which had been shut down after reaching the end of its designed lifespan, has resumed power generation three years after completing a facility upgrade project for continued operation.Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) announced that Kori Unit 2 resumed power generation at around 3:57 a.m. on the 4th. The unit, which began its commercial operation on August 10, 1983, was shut down on April 8, 2023 after its 40-year operating license expired.In April 2022, KHNP submitted a ‘safety evaluation report for continued operation’ to the regulatory authority to seek approval for the unit’s continued operation After approximately three years and seven months of review, approval for continued operation was granted in November 2025.KHNP explained, “During the shutdown period of Kori Unit 2, facility upgrades and safety inspections for improvement of power plant safety and performance were carried out, and following regulatory authorities’ regular inspections, final safety approval for continued operation was obtained, so the unit has now resumed operation.”Hoe-cheon Kim, President of KHNP, stated, “Amid ongoing instability in energy supply, continued operation of nuclear power plants based on safety is an important method of securing national energy security. Starting with the successful continued operation of Kori Unit 2, we will ensure a stable electricity supply by thoroughly preparing the nine nuclear units currently undergoing the process for continued operation.”▶원문 기사: 중동발 에너지 수급 위기 속 고리2호기 3년 만에 재가동 ◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 이코노미스트 기사를 영문으로 번역하며 이슈를 팔로우업한 기사입니다. 차세대 글로벌 경제 리더, <영 저널리스트 with 이코노미스트> 영문 기사는 매주 연재됩니다.