Korean Air is set to remove a popular in-flight offering from its long-haul economy class menu, citing safety concerns related to turbulence. According to a report by Time magazine, the South Korean flag carrier announced on Thursday that it will stop serving instant ramen during flights to the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East, effective August 15.

A spokesperson for Korean Air confirmed that the airline has "renewed its in-flight snack service" as part of "proactive safety measures in response to increased turbulence, aimed at preventing burn accidents." Instead of cup noodles, passengers will be offered alternative snacks such as sandwiches, corn dogs, and hot pockets.

This decision comes in the wake of several high-profile turbulence-related incidents that have made headlines in recent months. In May, a Singapore Airlines flight experienced severe turbulence that resulted in one fatality and dozens of hospitalizations. Similarly, an Air Europa flight in early July was forced to make an emergency landing in Brazil after turbulence injured dozens of passengers, some of whom were reportedly thrown from their seats.

While turbulence rarely causes serious in-flight injuries, its intensity can vary significantly, ranging from a mildly bumpy ride to potentially causing structural damage to aircraft. Climate scientists have linked rising global temperatures due to climate change with an increase in turbulence severity.

In response to these growing concerns, airlines have begun implementing stricter safety measures. Singapore Airlines, for instance, tightened its seatbelt rules and suspended meal services while the seatbelt sign is illuminated following the May incident. Korean Air has also announced that it will end cabin services 20 minutes earlier than usual to mitigate safety risks.

The removal of instant noodles from Korean Air's in-flight menu marks a significant change for the airline, as the snack has long been a popular request among passengers. However, the potential for hot liquid spills during unexpected turbulence has prompted the carrier to prioritize passenger safety over this particular culinary offering.

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Korean Air, a five-star airline, is ending cabin service 20-40 minutes earlier on medium and long-haul routes to conclude inflight services before the plane descends for landing, aiming to reduce the risk of turbulence-related incidents and injuries during descent.

The decision was prompted by an increase in turbulence incidents, including clear-air turbulence, which has been exacerbated by climate change and temperature variations, particularly during descent.

The number of turbulence incidents has doubled in Q1 2024 compared to Q1 2019.

Korean Air hopes its move will influence other carriers like Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways to enhance safety measures, following incidents of severe turbulence leading to injuries and even the death of a passenger.

Passengers are urged to follow crew instructions, fasten seat belts promptly, and stow carry-on luggage properly when turbulence is expected to reduce injury risk.

Sources: Business Insider, Travel and Tour World, Paddle Your Own Kanoo, VnExpress, AeroTime

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has officially declared a "demographic national emergency" in response to the country's alarmingly low birth rate and rapidly aging population, Korean Times reports.

In a decisive move to tackle the nation's ultralow fertility crisis, President Yoon announced, "Today, I officially declare a demographic national emergency. We will activate a pan-government comprehensive response system until the low birth rate issue is overcome."

A new low total fertility rate of 0.72 last year prompted urgent action from the government. Numerous factors contribute to South Korean couples' reluctance to start families, including steep housing costs, expensive education, and demanding work schedules.

Addressing these concerns, President Yoon has committed to implementing concrete measures. These include boosting parental leave allowances, extending paternity leave, introducing flexible work hours, and alleviating the educational burden on parents.

The demographic crisis in South Korea has far-reaching implications for the country's economic future and social structure. With an aging population and fewer young people entering the workforce, the nation faces potential labor shortages and increased pressure on its social welfare systems.

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The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan launched a new round of naval drills with South Korean warships on Friday, a day after North Korea fired more ballistic missiles and flew warplanes in an escalation of tensions with its rivals.

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The Reagan and its battle group returned to the waters near the Korean Peninsula after North Korea earlier this week launched a nuclear-capable missile over Japan in response to the carrier group's earlier training with South Korean navy ships. North Korea views US-South Korean military exercises as a practice to invade the country.

The latest two-day drills, which also involve US and South Korean destroyers and other ships, were taking place in international waters off the peninsula's east coast. The drills are aimed at bolstering the allies' defense capabilities and will involve training to escort the Reagan southeast of South Korea's southern island of Jeju, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

"We will continue to strengthen our firm operational capabilities and readiness to respond to any provocations by North Korea," the statement said.

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The Korean private school network The Education Company has partnered with Israeli education technology firm MagniLearn to adopt MagniLearn's artificial intelligence (AI) and neuroscience-based language learning platform for schools throughout Korea, the companies announced Thursday.

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MagniLearn was founded by world-renowned leaders in the fields of AI, NeuroScience, and Cognition from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Its solution offers a customized, personalized online English-teaching platform.

In Korea, a parent spends an average of $4,500 per year on private education per child. Private education expenditures on English language instruction are increasing 10% each year. But despite this investment, few students will gain even a moderate level of fluency, and only a tiny fraction will master English.

MagniLearn says it has changed that.

"In just five weeks, students using MagniLearn's platform have covered more than 50% of the full year's curriculum," MagniLearn CEO Lana Tockus said. "They are learning about three times faster with 97% of students, demonstrating dramatic increases in proficiency."

"MagniLearn knows exactly what to teach, at exactly the right pace-including vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation," one parent said.

"There are lots of language learning solutions out there, but no one has truly applied an AI-neuroscience approach to online learning," Tockus said.

"Our unique technology makes it easy to adapt to any school's textbook. More than that, we can teach other subjects like science, economy, or medicine in English at the same time that the relevant English skills are taught," the CEO added.

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