Chat GPT is gaining popularity because it can quickly respond to all types of questions.

Attempts to introduce artificial intelligence are being made in all fields. The medical field is no exception, with Chat GPT already providing medical counseling. In particular, Chat GPT is gaining popularity because it can quickly respond to all types of questions.

But there is not only a rosy future. There are also many concerns that the rapid application of artificial intelligence technology can cause risks in the medical field. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA Oncology), serious defects were found in the medical advice presented by Chat GPT for cancer treatment. In a study jointly conducted by Boston Children’s Hospital and others, the researchers created 104 questionnaires related to lung cancer, prostate cancer, and breast cancer and asked Chat GPT to recommend a treatment. The answers presented by Chat GPT were reviewed by four oncologists according to five criteria and scored. To measure the quality of advice given by Chat GPT to patients, we compared it with cancer treatment guidelines from the U.S. Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). As a result of the review, as many as 34.3% of Chat GPT presented one or more treatment recommendations that did not match NCCN. In addition, about 13% of the responses presented by Chat GPT showed “welcome.” This may sound true, but it means that it is completely inaccurate or unrelated to the question. Dr. Harvey Castro, an emergency medical specialist and AI expert, pointed out, “It is an important concern because incorrect information can lead to harmful decisions by patients.” “The Chat GPT’s response can sound very human-like and quite convincing,” said Daniel Bitterman, co-author of the study and assistant professor of radiation oncology at Harvard Medical School. “The problem is that there are subtle differences between patients in clinical decisions.” “The answer can be very subtle, so ChatGPT or other large-scale language models are not yet available,” Bitterman stressed.

JULIE KIM

US ASIA JOURNAL

Following the Supreme Court’s rejection of President Biden’s previous student loan forgiveness program, the administration has embarked on an alternative route to offer relief to student debt holders. More than 4 million individuals have already signed up for President Joe Biden’s new repayment program, known as SAVE (Saving on a Valuable Education). This initiative aims to reduce their monthly financial burdens as student loan payments prepare to resume in October following a pandemic-related suspension that lasted for several years. The Biden administration has already implemented measures to simplify the process for numerous borrowers to pursue federal student loan forgiveness through various existing debt cancellation programs. To date, these efforts have resulted in the approval of approximately $116 billion in loan discharges benefiting more than 3.4 million individuals through August. Launched in the summer, the SAVE plan is accessible to most federal student loan recipients and offers substantial relief to those grappling with student debt. Similar to other income-driven repayment programs, SAVE assesses monthly payments based on a borrower’s income and family size, regardless of the total outstanding student debt.  For instance, if a single borrower earns $32,800 or less annually, or if a borrower with a family of four earns $67,500 or less, their monthly payments under SAVE can be as low as $0. This means that under the SAVE plan, individuals with lower incomes or larger families may have their monthly student loan payments reduced to zero, making it more manageable for them to handle their student debt. Notably, many of those who enrolled in SAVE were formerly part of a different repayment plan, REPAYE (Revised Pay As You Earn), and were transferred automatically. For borrowers who were not previously enrolled in REPAYE, applying for the SAVE plan is necessary. To date, over 1 million individuals have submitted applications, according to the Department of Education’s recent announcement.

Applicants will have the opportunity to apply continuously, but they are encouraged to do so promptly if they wish to be enrolled by the time payments become obligatory in October. As of September 1, interest has started accruing on federal student loans for the first time since March 2020 when interest rates were effectively set at 0%, and borrowers were exempt from monthly payments. Borrowers can expect to receive a bill from their loan servicer at least 21 days before their October payment deadline. Although President Biden’s proposal to cancel up to $20,000 in student loan debt for low- and middle-income borrowers before payments resumed was rejected by the Supreme Court in late June, the SAVE plan offers ongoing benefits to both current and future borrowers. This repayment plan was initially announced by the Biden administration in August and is estimated to cost $475 billion over the next decade, as per the Penn Wharton Budget Model.

JULIE KIM

US ASIA JOURNAL

Throughout the end of February going into the month of March, a looming storm has been making its way across the 50 states, bringing strong winds and heavy snow to many areas and causing travel disruptions and power outages. The storm has also been responsible for at least 14 deaths, mostly due to traffic accidents and carbon monoxide poisoning from the use of generators. In Texas, millions of residents were left without power as the state’s power grid failed to keep up with the increased demand for electricity. Many residents were forced to seek shelter in warming centers or other facilities. In the Northeast, heavy snowfall and strong winds caused flight cancellations and delays, as well as road closures and traffic accidents. The storm is just the latest in a series of extreme weather events that have impacted the United States in recent years. Climate change is believed to be a major factor in these events, as rising temperatures and changing weather patterns create conditions that are more favorable for severe weather. A climate scientist noted that “[the country is] starting to see the effects of climate change in the extremes.” There are ways that individuals and communities can prepare for and respond to extreme weather events. This includes things like having a disaster kit on hand, staying informed about weather conditions, and following evacuation orders if necessary. While it’s impossible to completely prevent extreme weather events, taking steps to prepare can help to minimize their impact. These series of disasters prove the overall importance of taking action to address climate change. This includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to clean energy sources. While these changes may be difficult, they are essential for mitigating the impacts of extreme weather events and protecting the planet for future generations. Storms are expected to continue throughout the beginning of March as the west coast is starting to see early signs of heavy rain for the following weeks. Many residents can expect flooding and additional power outages so city governors and weather forecasters are encouraging people to take extra precaution in the coming days.

julie kim
Asia Journal

President Biden presented a $3.2 trillion budget proposal on Wednesday, March 8th, which includes a significant increase in social programs, an increase in taxes on the wealthy and corporations, and large infrastructure investments. The proposed budget is part of Biden’s Build Back Better agenda, aimed at reducing economic inequality and promoting job creation.

The proposed budget calls for increased spending on social programs, including education, health care, and climate change mitigation measures, while also proposing increased spending on infrastructure, such as highways, bridges, and airports. In order to finance these spending proposals, the budget would raise taxes on corporations, capital gains taxes, and taxes on wealthy individuals, while also increasing enforcement on tax evasion. The budget proposal is intended to address growing income inequality in the United States, which has been a major concern for Biden since his campaign. The budget proposal is also significant because it sets the stage for the 2024 presidential election, as it outlines the vision that Biden and the Democratic Party have for the country’s future. It is expected that the proposed budget will face significant opposition from Republicans, who are likely to oppose the increased spending and tax increases. Biden’s proposed budget includes a 10-year plan to increase spending on climate change initiatives to combat global warming, including significant investments in renewable energy and green infrastructure. This is in line with Biden’s pledge to make the United States a leader in the fight against climate change, and it is hoped that the proposed spending will help to reduce the country’s carbon footprint. The budget proposal includes a $200 billion plan to increase access to affordable housing and to address homelessness. This would include investments in the construction of new affordable housing units, rental assistance, and other measures designed to help families struggling with housing insecurity. Finally, the proposed budget includes a plan to increase funding for education, including universal pre-K for all 3- and 4-year-olds and increased funding for Pell Grants, which provide financial aid to low-income students seeking higher education. This is part of Biden’s efforts to address the education gap in the United States and ensure that every child has access to a quality education. In summary, President Biden’s proposed budget aims to increase spending on social programs, infrastructure, and climate change initiatives, while also raising taxes on corporations and the wealthy to finance these proposals.

julie kim
Asia Journal

The meeting between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is scheduled for April 27. Kim’s meeting with US President Donald Trump is set for May.

With the critical meetings looming closer, Seoul’s inter-Korean summit preparation committee convenes for the fourth time Thursday, when the two Koreas are set to hold a working-level meeting for the summit.

President Moon Jae-in and US President Donald Trump. Yonhap

According to Cheong Wa Dae, Seoul has been in close communication with Washington with regards to the two summits.

In seeking improved inter-Korean ties and a resolution to the North Korean nuclear issue, Seoul has taken on the role of mediator between Pyongyang and Washington.

“The bigger issue at hand is North Korea-US (talks). As the North Korean and US leaders will discuss the core issues of denuclearization and (the North Korean regime’s) guarantee of safety, (the matter) is different from the Sept. 19 Declaration,” a high-level Cheong Wa Dae official said on the condition of anonymity. The Sept. 19 Declaration refers to North Korea agreeing to give up nuclear armament programs during the six-party talks in 2005.

“(Seoul) is exchanging information with the US, and we are sharing our experience and information necessary for North Korea-US dialogue.”

The official also revealed that Seoul is in talks with Beijing and Tokyo to arrange a trilateral summit, and that the results of the inter-Korean summit would be the “core agenda” of the three-way meeting.

Regarding the agenda of the inter-Korean summit, South Korea’s Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said that the consensus in Seoul is that a flexible approach is needed to enable Moon and Kim to have a “candid and inclusive” dialogue. S

She said that denuclearization, inter-Korean relations and establishing peace will be the main agenda items of the summit.

On the subject of North Korea’s human rights violations, Kang hinted that the matter is unlikely to be discussed at the summit.

“Dialogue must follow the agenda the two sides agreed on, so including the matter in inter-Korean talks will require more preparations by the government,” Kang said at a press conference Wednesday.

Kang, however, emphasized that Seoul has a “firm stance” on North Korea’s human rights situation, and that the government is dedicated to working with the international community to improve conditions in the North.
North Korea, meanwhile, is engaging South Korea and the US in so-called 1.5-track meetings, while reaching out to its traditional allies.

Last month, Kim made his first overseas trip as the leader of North Korea, meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. He has also dispatched his top diplomats on a series of overseas missions in recent weeks.

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho on Tuesday met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, on his way to attend a conference of the Non-Aligned Movement in Azerbaijan. From there, Ri will head to Moscow.

Ri’s meeting with Wang came less than three weeks after his meeting with Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom. In addition, Choe Kang-il, deputy director-general for North American affairs at North Korea’s Foreign Ministry, was dispatched last month to Finland, where he met with South Korean and US representatives.

According to Chinese media reports, Ri and Wang discussed Beijing-Pyongyang relations and matters concerning denuclearization.

Following the meeting, the state-run China Central Television reported that Wang informed Ri that the leaders of the two countries had reached a consensus on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula at their earlier meeting.

Xi and Kim met in Beijing on March 26. According to North Korea, Xi had invited Kim on an unofficial visit, following a request from Pyongyang.

The broadcaster also reported that Wang conveyed China’s support for the inter-Korean and US-North Korea summits, and praised Pyongyang’s efforts at easing tensions on the peninsula.

The broadcaster also said that Ri called for strategic communication between the two countries regarding the Korean Peninsula.

The sudden flurry of diplomatic activities by North Korea has sparked speculations of a Moscow-Pyongyang summit. Moscow, however, has denied that such a meeting is imminent,

It has also been rumored that Ri is set to visit South Korea soon after his return from Moscow. Seoul’s presidential office declined to comment on the matter.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)

John Mearsheimer, a professor at the University of Chicago, said there is a chance that the Trump-Kim summit may not materialize, or if the talks fail, the two counties could return to the level of animosity of last year.

“It’s not clear whether they will meet … there is hardly any preparations for the meeting and there is a good chance they won’t meet,” Mearsheimer said during a lecture hosted by the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies on Wednesday.

“The great danger there is that if the summit happens between Kim Jong-un and Trump and it fails, then you could end up in a situation where relations between the US and North Korea are worse after the failed summit than they have been over the past years.”

(Herald DB)

Tension on the Korean Peninsula had escalated last year, with Trump and Kim exchanging war-like rhetoric with each other. Trump threatened to attack North Korea with “fire and fury,” prompting Kim to call Trump a “mentally deranged dotard.”

The bellicose mood shifted this year when Kim made a diplomatic overture by inviting South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in and Trump for summits. Kim even expressed willingness to bring denuclearization to the negotiation table.

But Mearsheimer said there are no incentives for the nuclear-armed North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, saying the North is in a “completely different” situation from countries that abandoned their nuclear weapons when the Cold War ended in the 1990s.

“I can’t think of a country that needs nuclear weapons more than North Korea because you all know that the US is into a regime change,” the scholar said, referring to previous debates over military strikes on North Korea within the Trump’s administration.

“From their point of view, it will make eminently good sense. We don’t see any evidence that the US, which has the most powerful conventional forces in the world, is giving up their nuclear weapons. So why would you expect North Korea to do so?”

Regarding President Moon’s engagement policy with North Korea, Mearsheimer said it is helpful in reducing inter-Korean tensions for now, but its longer-term implications remain to be seen, as the prospects of the summits with North Korea look bleak.

John Mearsheimer, a professor at the University of Chicago. (Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies­)

“I think it is very smart policy. He did everything possible to tamp down the tension and get the US and North Korea to walk away from the cliff. I think President Moon did the right thing and pushed us in that direction.”

“How it plays out in the long term? It’s very hard to say. It’s not clear if there will be a happy ending to the summit. I think it’s more likely there will be an unhappy ending. … For the time being, I think it is good to walk away from the crisis.”

Mearsheimer has long asserted that the US and China would end up in a “security competition” that could end in major conflicts and that Washington should contain the rise of China by building a “balancing coalition.”

In his perspective, the security landscape surrounding East Asia is much more precarious than during the Cold War, and the likelihood of war between the US and China is higher than between the US and the Soviet Union.

But the scholar predicted such a scenario would not be fulfilled in the foreseeable future, as China wants to avoid conflicts — particularly those with the US and its allies — until it becomes powerful enough to compete with Washington.

“The Chinese are fully aware that provoking the US is not a good idea. … I think the Chinese understand that time is on their side (and) now is not the time to provoke the crisis,” he said.

By Yeo Jun-suk (jasonyeo@heraldcorp.com)

According to Seoul’s presidential office, Moon and Trump spoke over the telephone for about 35 minutes from around 10 p.m., discussing issues surrounding North Korea, and Seoul-Washington relations.

President Moon Jae-in (left) and US President Donald Trump. Yonhap

“Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is the most important objective in achieving peace not on the peninsula but in the world,” Moon was quoted as saying by his chief press secretary Yoon Young-chan.

“Concessions on (denuclearization) cannot be made under any circumstances, and that is our adamant position.”

According to Yoon, Moon also touched on the issue of Washington’s trade policies, saying that the strength of the alliance should be made visible, hinting at Seoul’s desires to see Washington easing its protectionist measures.

Yoon also revealed that Moon briefed Trump on the results of his national security officers’ visits to China, Russia and Japan, and said that these countries fully support US-North Korea talks. Yoon added that the two leaders agreed to maintain close cooperation “in every step to enable North Korea to take action towards denuclearization.”

Seoul’s National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong, and National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon had traveled to China, Russian and Japan to rally support for inter-Korean and US-North Korea talks.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Monday the US had not heard anything directly from North Korea since President Donald Trump accepted Thursday the invitation from the North’s leader Kim Jong-un’s for a meeting to be held by May.

“It‘s very early stages,” Tillerson told reporters in Abuja, Nigeria on a swing through Africa, when asked about plans for the meeting, according to the Associated Press. “We‘ve not heard anything directly back from North Korea, although we expect to hear something directly from them.”

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Yonhap

Tillerson’s remark came amid continued silence on the proposed summit in North Korea, which seems cautious on the impact of the unprecedented overture on the tightly controlled residents, Seoul’s officials and analysts said.

The North’s state-run newspaper and broadcaster have so far offered no coverage of the proposed meeting between Kim and Trump, prompting speculations over the reasons and when the news will be broken to the public there.

Officials and experts here said the North’s silence is “not unusual,” given the tight control the regime exercises over news that might affect its people, who rarely have access to news about the outside world.

“I think the North Korean government will publicize the news after a certain period, when it thinks the residents will be ready to accept the shock,” said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.

It is not unusual for the North Korean state media to take their time in releasing news as they synchronize their message.

When President Moon Jae-in expressed his willingness to meet with Kim during a speech in Berlin last July, it took more than a week for North Korea to issue an official response. The North then dismissed the idea as “far-fetched.”

Kim Dong-yup, a professor at Kyungnam University’s Far East Institute, suspects that North Korea may be holding off on the coverage partly out of fear that a failure in the talks could compromise the dictator’s authority.

“North Korea believes that laying low is the way to avoid confronting consequences of failure,” Kim said. “In order to prevent possible chaos from a surprise announcement, it wants to discipline its residents with ideological education.”

Without mentioning summits with the US and South Korea, the North’s main newspaper Rodong Sinmun Tuesday hit back against the international campaign of economic sanctions and denouncing of human rights abuses.

The editorial was published days after a news article about the US-North Korea direct talks was removed from the website of Choson Sinbo, a weekly newspaper published by a pro-North Korea group in Japan.

The original article published Sunday said the US and North Korea are ready for a peace dialogue that will end the US’ invasion attempt “once and for all.” The article, however, was deleted a day later for reasons unknown.

“We believe North Korea is taking a cautious approach as it needs time to organize its stance,” Baik Tae-hyun of South Korea’s Unification Ministry said at a regular press conference Monday. “There has been no official response from the North regarding the US-North Korea summit.”

(jasonyeo@heraldcorp.com)

South Korea’s national security adviser, Chung Eui-yong, told reporters at the White House on Frinday morning (Korean time) that Trump told him he would accept Kim’s invitation to meet with him as soon as possible.

The announcement is expected to greatly change the security condition on the Korean Peninsula gripped by a year of tensions over North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, and US President Donald Trump (AP)

Chung, along with National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon, traveled to Washington the previous day to discuss the results of their recent trip to Pyongyang.

During their North Korean trip, the South Korean officials met with North Korean leader Kim, and announced a series of inter-Korean agreements.

The key agreement stated that the two Koreas will hold a summit at the end of April, the North will cease missile and nuclear tests for the time being, and that Kim is willing to talk to the US.

Seoul has already publicized that North Korea offered talks with the United States on denuclearization and normalizing ties, a potential diplomatic opening after a year of escalating tensions over the North’s nuclear and missile tests. The rival Koreas also agreed to hold a leadership summit in late April.

(AP)

Top Trump administration officials got a chance to hear firsthand from South Korean national security director Chung, who led the delegation that went to Pyongyang and met Kim on Monday.

Chung told reporters on Tuesday that he received a message from North Korea intended for the United States, but didn’t disclose what it was. According to Chung, the North also agreed to suspend nuclear and missile tests during such future talks — a longstanding US demand.

On Tuesday, Trump had expressed both hope and skepticism about the reported offer of talks, which has yet to be confirmed, at least publicly, by the isolated North Korean government. While the path to a diplomatic resolution over the North’s nuclear arsenal would be long and difficult, talks could dampen fears of war breaking out over what represents an emerging threat to the US mainland.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Thursday in Ethiopia that the US has seen “potentially positive signals” from North Korea, but the adversaries are still a long way from holding negotiations.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com) and news reports

South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in plans to meet Kim on the South’s side of the Panmunjeom truce village as part of the recently reached inter-Korean agreement.

The announcement regarding Trump’s decision was made by Seoul’s National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong at the White House following his meeting with Trump and his top aides.

“President Trump appreciated the briefing and said he would meet Kim Jong-un by May to achieve permanent denuclearization,” Chung said.

South Korean National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong talks with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday (US local time). (Yonhap)

Chung had met with Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, as well as Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, to explain the results of his meeting with Kim on Monday.

Chung said that he briefed Trump on Kim’s promises, including that he is “committed to denuclearization.” Chung also said that the North Korean leader “expressed his eagerness to meet President Trump as soon as possible.”

Moon welcomed the developments.

“(The process of achieving) A complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula will be on track if a meeting between the two leaders (Kim and Trump) follows the inter-Korean summit,” Moon said.

“The May meeting will be recorded as a historic milestone in achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula.”

Moon also thanked Kim and Trump for their decision, going on to praise the US leader saying that his “leadership will be praised by South and North Koreans, and people of the world who wish for peace.”

(Yonhap)

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe welcomed the developments, but advised caution and said that pressure will remain until visible steps towards denuclearization are made.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Abe said that he “appreciates this change,“ referring to the North’s apparently willingness to discuss denuclearization with the US.

He added that the development is the result of the international community‘s continuation of high-level pressure.”

According to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom, Chung’s meeting with Trump was initially planned for Saturday, Korea time, but was brought forward at the US leader’s request.

At the meeting Chung quoted Kim Jong-un as saying “significant results could be achieved if (I) speak to President Trump in person,” the Cheong Wa Dae spokesman said. According to Kim Eui-kyeom, Trump immediately accepted the invitation to meet, and stressed that he has always emphasized the need for dialogue.

The spokesman also revealed that Chung did not deliver a letter from the North Korean leader, and that there has been no talk of special envoys between Pyongyang and Washington.

Moon, meanwhile, appointed Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok as the head of the inter-Korean summit preparation committee.

“The main task of the preparation committee is to draw up an agreement for the April summit meeting,” Kim Eui-kyeom said. He added that the committee will also take part in high-level talks that will be held in the run up to the summit meeting.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)