Gender Watchdog
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Gender Watchdog
@genderwatchdog.org
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Exposing institutional capture through Dongguk University: falsified partnerships (2/5 Canadian), Title IX failures, exploitation systems, 180+ days institutional silence, Supported by EROC. genderwatchdog.substack.com
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Institutional capture creates contradictions:

• Condemn authoritarianism → Award Trump highest honor
• Announce AI safety → Partner with OpenAI (subpoenaing safety groups)
• Recruit Chinese tourists → Fail to control anti-Chinese violence

Economic opportunism > principles
Hankyoreh (July 14, 2025): "Those with ties to China decry racist intimidation by far right." Shows anti-Chinese rally in Seoul with protesters calling for deportation of Chinese residents.
October 21, 2025 at 5:08 PM
genderwatchdog.org
Same period Korea considers this award:

• Data center fire: 647 services offline
• Students housed with tourists in dorms
• Judge caught at hostess bars
• Leadership: K-content events

Infrastructure fails, prestige flourishes.

bsky.app/profile/gend...
ankyoreh editorial (Sept 29, 2025): "Disruptions to government systems raises questions about Korea's status as IT powerhouse." Shows responders examining batteries after data center fire that paralyzed 647 government services.
October 21, 2025 at 5:03 PM
genderwatchdog.org
Sept 26: Hankyoreh editorial calls Trump administration "marching toward fascism"

Oct 2: Same outlet celebrates Korean chaebol partnerships with Trump's "Stargate" AI project

You cannot condemn someone as fascist while courting them for business.
Hankyoreh editorial headline "[Column] America is marching toward fascism" published September 26, 2025. Shows photo of Donald Trump with American flags in background.
October 21, 2025 at 4:56 PM
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While 7 million Americans rallied in 2,700 cities chanting "NO KINGS" against authoritarianism...

Korea Herald reported South Korea was "mulling awarding highest order to Trump during APEC visit."

The contradiction reveals institutional capture in real time.🧵
Korea Herald article (Oct 19, 2025): "South Korea mulls awarding highest order to Trump during APEC visit." Photo shows President Lee Jae Myung giving pen to Trump during their White House summit.
October 21, 2025 at 4:53 PM
genderwatchdog.org
That APEC-student exploitation example: documented case in Gyeongju where APEC leaders met—students forced to share "dorms" with tourists while paying full fees.

Starting 2026: mandatory for all new students.

genderwatchdog.substack.com/p/apec-leade...
Orange graphic with white text: "APEC Leaders Will Meet in the Same City Where Students Are Forced to Share Dorms with Tourists. Starting 2026, Dongguk University is making it MANDATORY for international students to live in exploitative off-campus housing—while world leaders gather in Gyeongju to discuss 'AI governance'." Shows concrete example of prestige optics (APEC hosting) while governance collapses (student exploitation). genderwatchdog.substack.com
October 17, 2025 at 8:22 AM
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Leadership timeline: Lee Jae-myung became president June 2025—one month after Supreme Court overturned his acquittal on election fraud charges (May 2025).

Multiple criminal cases ongoing: Seongnam corruption, North Korea bribery, perjury charges.
Reuters article (November 15, 2024) headline "South Korea opposition leader convicted of violating election law." Lee Jae-myung received one-year suspended sentence for false statements during 2022 presidential campaign about Seongnam development project. Article notes he faces "at least four trials" on criminal charges including bribery and corruption. Conviction appealed, acquittal granted March 2025, then Supreme Court overturned acquittal May 1, 2025—one month before he became president June 2025. This timeline explains diplomatic caution.
October 12, 2025 at 4:29 AM
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Action items:
1. Pause partnerships pending independent audits
2. Verify all partnership claims (don't trust representations)
3. Tie funding to legal reform (abolish criminal defamation, consent-based rape law)
4. Establish survivor-safety baselines
Screenshot of Human Rights Watch article (February 1, 2023) titled "South Korea Cancels Plans to Update Definition of Rape" with subtitle "Nonconsensual Sex is Rape Under International Standards." Shows protest photo with #MeToo signs. Korea's rape law requires "violence or intimidation" rather than lack of consent—creating legal framework where coercion is normalized unless physically violent. This legal gap is structural, not accidental: it protects exploitation economies. Screenshot of Korea Economic Institute article (January 18, 2019) titled "Problems with Korea's Defamation Law" showing Korean Constitutional Court building. Korea's criminal defamation law (Articles 307 & 310) criminalizes truthful testimony, creating what legal scholars call "perfect omertà system." Survivors face prosecution for speaking truth. This legal architecture makes accountability reporting impossible—and AI training data will encode this silence as "toxicity."
October 10, 2025 at 1:07 PM
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Disappearing like = institutional capture in real-time:

✓ APEC validated concerns
✓ Suppressed within 23 minutes
✓ APEC unliked (evidence archived)

Multi-step damage control. Could be X automation, mass-reporting, Korean pressure, APEC hospitality capture, or hybrid.
X.com notifications page showing "APEC Secretariat liked your reply" notification from 23m ago. Text preview: "Congratulations to Korea on hosting APEC Leaders' Week 2025! The promotional video showcases Korea's creative industries and cultural leadership. As global leaders gather in Gyeongju, we hope discussions will address not only economic growth and AI development, but also digital" [continues]. Forensic evidence APEC engaged with thread about institutional capture, data center fires, and exploitation economy—then suppression followed 23 minutes later. This screenshot proves diplomatic validation occurred before suppression. Same X.com notifications page days later—APEC like notification has vanished. Manual unlike action after initial engagement proves deliberate evidence cleanup, not automated filtering. Someone at APEC or with access to their account went back and removed the like after we captured proof. This is active institutional cover-up: validate → suppress → erase evidence. Too late—archived in .wacz format with metadata proving timeline. Download evidence at https://drive.proton.me/urls/K6XSYN4D6G#HWyS6Nr3WyZk
October 10, 2025 at 12:59 PM
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While QS ranked Dongguk #10, Chinese students testified on Xiaohongshu:
- Sexual harassment by seniors (film program)
- Inappropriate interview questions (faculty)
- Racial discrimination
- Self-censorship from fear

Direct victim testimony × rankings legitimacy = trafficking enablement.
Xiaohongshu comment (redacted username): "上个学期还有个影像大留学生被前辈性骚扰了" (Last semester, a foreign student in the film program was sexually harassed by a senior student). Posted 21:37, May 24, 2025. Direct testimony of ongoing sexual violence against international students at Dongguk—the institution Korea Times ranked #10 for international students. Rankings ignore victim testimony while legitimizing trafficking institutions. iaohongshu comment (redacted username): "em...我以前读研的时候 面试我的是个东大的教授. 两名里面其中一名 问的问题 就不是面试问题. 有关我个人隐私的 第一直觉告诉我 得跑 录取上后我直接退学了" (When applying for graduate school, interviewed by Dongguk professor. One of two interviewers asked inappropriate personal privacy questions, not interview questions. First instinct said run. After acceptance, withdrew immediately). Sexual misconduct begins at admissions level—faculty using power to exploit prospective students. Rankings measure enrollment, not safety. Xiaohongshu comment (redacted username): "被东国大老师歧视过🙋" (I was discriminated against by a Dongguk teacher). Posted 21:37, May 24, 2025. Chinese student reports racial discrimination by faculty. Pattern of abuse: sexual violence + racial discrimination + predatory access = systematic targeting of international students. Korea Times and QS knew this, Dongguk was ranked #10 anyway.
October 10, 2025 at 12:38 PM
genderwatchdog.org
Timeline:
- April 12: Submit documentation to QS
- April 14: QS acknowledges receipt
- Sept 17: QS exec promotes Korea despite 61.5% sexual violence rate

G7+China avoided conference (informed risk assessment). QS proceeded anyway—commercial relationships over student safety.
Background shows "Top 30 schools in K-universities Global Excellence Rankings 2026" table. Seoul National (#1, 144.86), Korea National (#2, 141.48), Yonsei (#3, 140.33) lead rankings. Shocking: Dongguk University ranked #10 (101.43 points) despite comprehensive documentation of falsified partnerships (Posts 12-13), predatory corporate access (Posts 16-17), and legal threats against documentation (Post 17). Overlaid text: "How International University Rankings Enable Student Trafficking: The QS-Korea Times Scandal Exposed." Five months after receiving trafficking documentation (April 12), QS promoted Korea (Sept 17). G7+China avoided conference. Commercial relationships over student safety. genderwatchdog.substack.com
October 10, 2025 at 12:33 PM
genderwatchdog.org
2018 KAIST-Hanwha boycott precedent: "No killer robots" promise from president facing financial misconduct allegations. No sustained monitoring. No oversight framework.

Convergence of AI research + weapons manufacturing + exploitation economy = unprecedented alignment inversion risk.
BBC article "South Korean university boycotted over 'killer robots'" (April 5, 2018). Image shows Campaign to Stop Killer Robots visual with humanoid robot holding automatic weapon against explosion background. Article documents international AI researchers' boycott of KAIST over partnership with Hanwha Systems for autonomous weapons development. Boycott ended after KAIST President Shin Sung-Chul's "no killer robots" statement—but as Image 2 shows, that president was simultaneously facing embezzlement allegations. Compromised leadership making safety promises = failed precedent. Korea JoongAng Daily article "President of KAIST is accused of embezzling" (Dec 5, 2018). Photo shows KAIST President Shin Sung-chul at desk during press conference, 8 months after making "no killer robots" promise to end international boycott. Financial misconduct allegations emerged while he led institution making AI safety commitments. No sustained monitoring followed boycott resolution. In 2025, Korea pursues dual AI-arms ambition with same pattern: captured institutions, no independent oversight, exploitation economy unaddressed. Same failures, exponentially higher stakes.
October 10, 2025 at 12:05 PM
genderwatchdog.org
Korea simultaneously pursues:
- Top-3 AI superpower (30 trillion won investment, 200K GPUs)
- Top-10 arms exporter ($17B+ annually, NATO contracts)

UN Security Council speech on AI safety cited "K-pop Demon Hunters" (Netflix film) alongside Geoffrey Hinton—judgment failure at highest levels.
Korea Herald headline "From ashes of war to arsenal of world: South Korea's defense industry boom" (Aug 14, 2025). Photo shows Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back delivering speech at K2 tank export ceremony to Poland, standing before massive camouflage tank with Polish and Korean flags. Article notes Korea now top-10 arms exporter (~$17B annually, NATO contracts). Dual ambition: AI research access + weapons manufacturing. When institutions embedded in exploitation economies control both AI development and arms production, alignment inversion risks compound exponentially. Korea Times headline "Korea aims to become top 3 AI power with new presidential committee" (Sept 8, 2025). Photo shows President Lee Jae Myung speaking at National AI Strategy Committee launch, audience seated at tables with blue AI event materials. Ambitious AI governance push (30 trillion won investment, 200K GPU target) while basic infrastructure fails (data center fire), defamation law chills whistleblowing, and exploitation economy remains unaddressed. AI safety governance in captured institutional environment optimizes for prestige over safety.
October 10, 2025 at 12:02 PM
genderwatchdog.org
Could the data center fire have been prevented?

Korean business culture creates mutual compromise: expected after-hours drinking, room salon visits (documented practice). Can't whistleblow on boss when you're compromised too.

Add criminal defamation risk? System-wide silence.
ackground image shows hazmat-suited personnel examining water tanks outside National Information Resources Service building after Sept 28, 2025 battery fire. 647 government services offline for a month. Overlaid text: "Institutional Capture in Korea: Exploitation Economy, Governance Failures, and AI Safety Hijacking." Physical evidence of preventable disaster—aging batteries, no hot-site backup, warnings likely ignored. When employees are compromised through hospitality culture and threatened by defamation law, infrastructure fails predictably. genderwatchdog.substack.com
October 10, 2025 at 11:59 AM
genderwatchdog.org
Students face impossible choice: comply with exploitation or career destruction across entire industry.

When company issued legal threats against our documentation, they contradicted their own archived website. This is institutional capture protecting predatory access.
Screenshot of bilingual email threat from Sidus Pictures executive to Gender Watchdog. English text: "This is Sidus. After reviewing the contents of the email your organization sent, we would like to clearly state that Sidus has no shared space or cooperative facility relationship with Dongguk University... We hereby demand an official clarification and formal apology... If no response is received within 48 hours, we will proceed with legal measures immediately." Direct contradiction: Dongguk's own website states "The department is located in the building, so-called 'Choong-Moo-Ro Yeong-Sang Center,' in which Sidus FNH, one of the top five film production companies in Korea, is based." Sidus denies shared space while being physically based in same building as film department. First page of legal threat letter from Shinwon Law Firm (법무법인 신원) dated May 27, 2025, addressed to Gender Watchdog. Subject: "Notice Regarding Dongguk University Graduate School of Digital Image & Contents." Letter claims "defamation through false statement of facts subject to criminal punishment" for documenting Sidus-Dongguk relationship. This weaponizes Korea's defamation law (Post 5: criminalizes truthful testimony) to suppress documentation of corporate-academic exploitation pipeline. When victims can't speak (defamation law) and advocates can't document (legal threats), exploitation continues unchecked. Nine law firm partner seals on final page show institutional weight deployed to protect predatory access. Final page (page 4) of Shinwon Law Firm legal threat showing nine red official seals (도장) from law firm partners/attorneys. Date stamp: 2025. 5. 27. Corporate law firm mobilized to suppress documentation of corporate-academic exploitation pipeline. When institutions create triple dependency structures for exploitation, they protect them with legal threats. Same pattern: suppress evidence (APEC Posts 1-3), maintain silence on fraud (partnership Posts 12-13), threaten those who document exploitation (Posts 16-17).
October 10, 2025 at 11:47 AM
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Entertainment industry CEO appointed as university faculty teaching "French" despite only Bachelor's degree—creating "triple dependency":
1. Grades (instructor power)
2. Company internships (CEO power)
3. Industry-wide blacklisting (CEO + Korea Film Producers Association President)
Screenshot of Dongguk University's Department of Film and Digital Media Studies faculty page (English version). Shows faculty list with photos, names, majors, degrees, and final degree schools. Includes Sung-Jai Tcha listed as teaching "French Education" with only "Bachelor Degree" from "Hankuk University of Foreign Studies." No graduate credentials listed for language instruction position. This is the corporate-academic exploitation pipeline's entry point. Close-up of Tcha Sung-Jai's faculty profile entry showing: Name "Sung-Jai Tcha" with photo, Major "French Education," degree "Bachelor Degree," Final degree school "Hankuk University of Foreign Studies," email "tcha3369@naver.com." Entertainment industry CEO (Sidus HQ) appointed as university faculty teaching "French" despite only Bachelor's degree. Creates quadruple dependency: grades (instructor), internships (CEO), industry access (gatekeeper), association opportunities (President of Korea Film Producers Association). Perfect coercion architecture.
October 10, 2025 at 11:36 AM
genderwatchdog.org
September 2025 UNGA: Many empty seats during presidential address—diplomatic disengagement signal.

The gap between "AI superpower" narrative and governance reality is now visible to global leaders.
Photo from UN General Assembly (September 2025) showing President Lee at podium giving address, with UN emblem visible on stage. View from back of chamber facing stage shows numerous empty wooden seats and tan-colored delegate chairs throughout the hall. Many rows visibly vacant. This is not a procedural session—this is a presidential address with minimal diplomatic attendance. Yonhap News watermark confirms official Korean media documented their own diplomatic isolation. Side-angle view of same UN General Assembly address showing President Lee on video screen (right side) while chamber floor reveals extensive empty seating. Tan delegate chairs and wooden benches largely vacant. A few scattered attendees visible but vast sections empty. Diplomatic disengagement at highest levels—global leaders chose absence during Korea's presidential address. Months later, Korea hosts APEC amid infrastructure collapse, partnership fraud, far-right rallies. Empty seats weren't random—they were informed risk assessment.
October 10, 2025 at 11:24 AM
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Korea hosts APEC Leaders' Week (Oct 28-Nov 1) while:
- IT infrastructure unreliable (647 services offline, month-long recovery)
- Economic growth collapses to 0.8%
- Partnership fraud exposed (40% false rate)
- Far-right anti-Chinese rallies during APEC
Screenshot of Hankyoreh article (July 14, 2025) titled "Those with ties to China decry racist intimidation by far right in their community." Shows protesters waving Korean flags and American flags at Daerim subway station rally calling for deportation of Chinese residents. Conservative Koreans, including YouTubers, staged rally targeting Chinese migrants during Korea's APEC hosting period. Gap between "AI superpower" narrative and governance reality: hosting Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation while far-right stages anti-Chinese rallies. This is the diplomatic context global leaders saw.
October 10, 2025 at 11:19 AM
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Yet Dongguk appears in AI consortium materials featuring MIT, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon logos.

This is credibility laundering: false partnerships → research legitimacy → AI safety hijacking.

If institutions misrepresent 40% of partnerships, what else are they misrepresenting to AI collaborators?
Screenshot from DCInside showing Dongguk University's "Global AI Safety Research Network" promotional graphic. World map displays flight paths connecting Dongguk/KAIST/KMSLab (center, Korea) to prestigious institutions: MIT, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, Georgia Tech, Arizona State, University of Florida, University of Calgary, University of Alberta, UC Davis, UC San Diego, and others. Banner text: "Global network DB building for overseas AI research institutes." This is credibility laundering in action—institution falsifying 40% of partnerships appears in consortium materials with elite university logos. If they misrepresent basic partnerships, what else are they misrepresenting to AI collaborators about safety protocols, data handling, alignment research?
October 10, 2025 at 11:07 AM
genderwatchdog.org
Dongguk University falsified 40% of Canadian partnerships (2 of 5):
- One Canadian university confirmed: "We do not have a student exchange agreement"
- UBC's official page does NOT list Dongguk (global.ubc.ca/partner-ubc/...)
- 183+ days of silence from Korean govt, Canadian govt, and Dongguk
Screenshot of Dongguk University's archived "Partner University" page (August 15, 2025) showing Canada section. Lists 5 Canadian universities including "University of British Columbia" among claimed partners. UBC's official page does NOT reciprocate this listing. This false claim maintained for 183+ days despite diplomatic warnings. When institutions falsify 40% of partnerships for credibility laundering, what else are they misrepresenting to AI collaborators? Screenshot of UBC Office of Global Engagement "Current Partnerships" page showing South Korea section. Lists partner universities: Ewha Womans University, Korea University, Kyungpook National University, Seoul National University, Sungkyunkwan University, Yonsei University. Dongguk University is ABSENT from this official list—despite Dongguk claiming UBC partnership on their website. Verifiable proof of 40% falsification rate. Direct link: global.ubc.ca/partner-ubc/current-partnerships Screenshot of email from Canadian university to Gender Watchdog (April 8, 2025). Key text: "We do not have a student exchange agreement with Dongguk University. As a result, please DO NOT include our institution in the article and when you communicate with any journalists or media." University requests anonymity while confirming Dongguk's false partnership claim. This diplomatic denial triggered 183+ days of silence from Korean government, Canadian government, and Dongguk—institutional protection over accountability.
October 10, 2025 at 11:04 AM
genderwatchdog.org
Pattern: Framing follows advantage, not ethics. Criminal defamation laws make accountability reporting legally risky while prestige narratives are safe.

Result: AI training data will over-index institutional narratives, under-index survivor testimony.
Screenshot of Hankyoreh column (September 26, 2025) titled "America is marching toward fascism" by Jung E-gil, senior international affairs writer. Shows photo of President Trump at summit with American flags. Column condemns US political landscape as resembling "Germany over a century ago." Strong moral condemnation of Trump administration. Second article in three-month arc—moral outrage when Korea isn't directly benefiting. Screenshot of Hankyoreh article (October 2, 2025) titled "South Korea shoots for the Stargate." Shows President Lee meeting with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman at Blue House. Article celebrates "newly inked partnerships between Korean chipmakers and OpenAI" positioning Korea as "top-three AI powerhouse." Third article in arc—celebrates deals with same "fascist" administration condemned weeks earlier. Pattern complete: framing follows advantage, not ethics.
October 10, 2025 at 10:52 AM
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August: "Does Korea face US tariffs like Japan? Not quite" (relief Korea avoided Japan's fate)

September: "America is marching toward fascism" (moral condemnation)

October: "South Korea shoots for the Stargate" (celebrates Samsung/SK deals with that same "fascist" administration)
Screenshot of Hankyoreh article (August 7, 2025) titled "Does Korea face stacking US tariffs like Japan? Not quite." Shows aerial view of freight ship with containers. Article expresses relief that Korea avoided Japan's tariff fate under Trump administration. Tone: comparative satisfaction/nationalist scorekeeping rather than principled economic analysis. First article in three-month arc showing framing follows advantage, not ethics.
October 10, 2025 at 10:50 AM
genderwatchdog.org
When judges and prosecutors participate in exploitation-economy "hospitality," they can't credibly adjudicate cases involving that economy. Structural conflict of interest masquerading as cultural practice.
Screenshot of Hankyoreh article (May 21, 2025) titled "Critics say prosecutors are preemptively resigning to avoid accountability." Shows Seoul Central District prosecutor Lee Chang-su entering courthouse. Multiple high-ranking prosecutors with ties to cases involving former first lady resigned weeks before presidential election. Hankyoreh coverage framed resignations as "efforts to avoid audits." When prosecution flees accountability, institutional capture is complete. Screenshot of Hankyoreh editorial (May 20, 2025) titled "Allegations against judge overseeing Yoon's case must be investigated." Shows opposition lawmaker at press conference holding up enlarged photos of judge at hostess bar. Subtitle reads: "These allegations need to be cleared up as soon as possible if there are to be no further setbacks to the insurrection trial." Public accountability effort for judiciary's exploitation-economy entanglement.
October 10, 2025 at 10:46 AM
genderwatchdog.org
A presiding judge faced hostess-bar hospitality allegations during a high-profile trial. Changed phones twice when questioned. Photos later published.

Senior prosecutors resigned en masse before elections—coverage framed it as "efforts to avoid audits/accountability."
Screenshot of Hankyoreh article (May 20, 2025) titled "Democrats release photos of judge's alleged visit to hostess bar." Shows pixelated photo of Judge Jee Kui-youn (identifiable, right side) at "pricey hostess bar" with multiple women whose faces are blurred. Judge presiding over President Yoon's high-profile insurrection trial. Changed phones twice when questioned about Gangnam hospitality. When judiciary participates in exploitation-economy networks, they cannot credibly adjudicate cases involving that economy.
October 10, 2025 at 10:44 AM
genderwatchdog.org
This isn't poor prioritization. It's predictable resource allocation when leadership attention flows to maintaining prestige networks rather than basic infrastructure.
Screenshot of Korea Times article (October 2, 2025) titled "APEC summit promo features Korean president alongside star-studded cast." Shows promotional video still with President Lee in headphones, celebrity-style production during data center crisis week. APEC hosting used for soft power projection while 647 government services remained offline. This is prestige-first resource allocation in action. Screenshot of Korea Times article (October 5, 2025) titled "Lee faces backlash over variety show appearance amid national network outage." Shows President Lee in yellow disaster response uniform at press conference. President appeared on entertainment variety shows while government data center fire disrupted hundreds of public services. Attention flows to media presence, not infrastructure recovery. Screenshot of Korea Times article (October 2, 2025) titled "K-pop gets fresh lift with presidential push." Shows President Lee (center) with K-pop idols from Stray Kids and Le Sserafim at Presidential Committee on Popular Culture Exchange kickoff ceremony. Launched during data center outage week. When infrastructure burns, leadership attention goes to cultural diplomacy photo ops—predictable institutional capture pattern.
October 10, 2025 at 10:39 AM
genderwatchdog.org
October 2025: Korea's government data center burns. 647 services offline for a month. No backup systems—despite scolding Kakao for the same failure in 2022.

Same week: President appears on variety shows, launches K-content committee with idol groups, fronts star-studded APEC promos.
Screenshot of Hankyoreh editorial (September 29, 2025) titled "Disruptions to government systems raises questions about Korea's status as IT powerhouse." Shows forensic investigators in hazmat suits examining fire damage at National Information Resources Service data center. 647 government services offline for a month with no backup system—despite Korea scolding Kakao for identical failure in 2022. Editorial asks: How does an "IT powerhouse" lack real-time redundancy? Answer: When infrastructure spending competes with prestige narratives.
October 10, 2025 at 10:38 AM