Heat-Health Safety: Seoul will roll out a “right to shade” citywide from 2028, aiming to link shaded routes to homes, schools, markets and hospitals after a surge in heat-related illnesses and deaths. Infection Watch: Syphilis is rebounding across East Asia; in South Korea, cases reached 1,300 from January through Aug. 19, with men and people in their 20s–30s most affected. Hospital Accountability: Authorities are investigating a Seoul nursing hospital after a patient’s severed toe was reportedly found stored in a kitchen refrigerator for about two weeks, raising concerns about medical waste handling and food-safety rules. Healthcare Tech: KT launched an enterprise AI server that packages a Korean NPU and language model for on-prem, network-isolated generative AI use, while KT and Seoul National University Hospital plan a healthcare AI transformation platform. Medical Innovation & Care: Chungnam National University’s nursing college and hospital signed an AI healthcare cooperation deal to expand education, research and industry-linked projects. Policy & Access: Hospital leaders urged changes to a proposed inheritance tax revision that would exclude hospitals from a family-business deduction, asking for case-by-case review instead. Sports Heat Risks: Korean pro footballers reported dehydration, dizziness and even temporary loss of consciousness, pushing for stronger mandatory heat protocols. Venture & Bio-Med Growth: South Korea’s venture investment hit a record 8.9 trillion won in H1, with major funding flowing into AI, chips and the bio/medical sector.