SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — Kakao Corp.’s biggest revamp of its flagship KakaoTalk messenger in 15 years has sparked a wave of criticism from users, rattling confidence in the app that dominates South Korea’s mobile communications. The update, rolled out last week, is part of Kakao’s push to reposition KakaoTalk from a basic messenger [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — Kia Corp., South Korea’s second-largest carmaker, said Monday it will test its purpose-built vehicle (PBV), the PV5, in Riyadh for potential adoption in a local resort town. Kia has partnered with Red Sea Global (RSG), one of the developers of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 Giga Project, which aims to [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — The relative poverty rate among South Korea’s retired population reached the highest level among member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), data showed Monday. For those aged 65 and older, the relative poverty rate stood at 39.8 percent in 2023, up 0.1 percentage point from [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — Suicide has overtaken cancer as the leading cause of death for South Koreans in their 40s, underscoring the intensifying pressures on the country’s core working-age population, according to new government data. Figures released by Statistics Korea show that South Korea’s overall suicide rate rose to 29.1 deaths per 100,000 [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s biosimilar industry is ramping up competition at home and abroad, with companies racing to secure early approvals, expand sales networks, and leverage artificial intelligence as differentiators in a crowded market. At least six biosimilars won approvals or launches globally this month alone, underscoring the pace of expansion. Celltrion [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s two largest automakers, Hyundai Motor and Kia, have agreed to broaden the scope of “ordinary wages” in their latest labor agreements, a move that could reshape labor relations and intensify cost pressures across corporate Korea. The accords, reached earlier this month, follow a Supreme Court ruling last December [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — Obstruction of official duties against South Korean police officers remains alarmingly frequent, with more than 9,000 cases recorded last year — nearly 25 incidents every day — according to newly disclosed government data. Figures released by Rep. Seo Beom-soo of the People Power Party, citing the National Police Agency, [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s second-largest telecom carrier, KT, is under mounting criticism from consumers and legal experts for refusing to disclose key network data in cases involving unauthorized mobile phone payments, even as reports of such incidents climb. Authorities say nearly 19,300 cases of fraud involving mobile micropayments were reported last [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — As South Korea prepares for the Chuseok harvest holiday, when household waste typically spikes, local governments and businesses are stepping up efforts to promote greener practices — from reusable wrapping to bans on artificial flowers at cemeteries. Officials in North Chungcheong Province estimate that nearly 20,000 tons of waste [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — South Koreans believe they will need about 3.5 million won ($2,600) a month to live comfortably in retirement, but most expect to secure only two-thirds of that amount, according to a new survey by KB Financial Group’s research institute. The study, released Sunday, polled 3,000 people aged 25 to [...]