The two suspects in the attempted abduction of an elementary school student in Seodaemun-gu, were indicted one year after the incident on the additional charges of child abuse.

The second installment of the 'Everyone's Startup' project will conclude on the 20th, doubling the support budget from the previous phase. Last year's funding was increased by two times, and new tracks for youth, university students, and global entrepreneurs were established. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced this plan for the second phase of the 'Everyone's Startup' initiative during the National Startup Era Strategy Meeting on the 13th.

The project aims to lower the barrier to entry into the startup ecosystem and expand the nurturing infrastructure, including childcare facilities and support systems.

To qualify for the program, the eligibility criteria have been significantly relaxed. The time frame for being a 'repeat entrepreneur' has been expanded from three years to seven years. The total support budget has increased to 10,000 individuals, with 8,000 in the general category and 2,000 in the technical category. In terms of geographic distribution, more than 80% of the applicants will be pre-entrepreneurs, and more than 70% will be selected from non-metro areas.

The selection process will prioritize those who are in the earliest stages of their startup journey, with over 80% of the participants being pre-entrepreneurs. Additionally, 70% of the participants will come from non-metro regions. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups has partnered with banks such as Shinhan Bank and Shinhan Square Bridge, as well as the Water Resource Agency, to support the growing number of applicants.

The support categories have also been diversified to include topics such as education, employment, energy, artificial intelligence productivity, and environmental sustainability.

A new 'Social Innovation Social Startup' track has been created to support startups that address five social issues, including childcare, jobs, energy, AI-driven productivity, and environmental challenges. The project will allocate a maximum of 15 million won to support up to 10 startups in each of these areas. The evaluation process will involve a joint panel of three mentors and an AI-based plagiarism and plagiarism-checking system to ensure objectivity.

Participants' participation history will be recognized through an official 'Challenge Competency Certificate,' which will serve as a points-based benefit when applying for future government-funded R&D or joint ventures. The government plans to begin the official application process on the 20th and will confirm the 10,000 selected participants by October.