SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — A new law banning English level tests for preschool children has ignited a sharp debate among parents in Seoul’s education hubs, exposing deep divisions over early childhood education and the future of private English instruction. Earlier this month, the National Assembly passed a bipartisan amendment to the Private Education Act [...]
SEJONG, Dec. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s self-employed sector is showing tentative signs of recovery, buoyed in part by government-issued consumption coupons and an improving growth backdrop, though economists caution that structural pressures could limit the durability of the rebound. According to data released Monday by the National Tax Service, the number of businesses that [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — South Koreans are spending significantly less time working and far more time socializing than they did a decade ago, reflecting a gradual shift away from a labor-centered lifestyle toward one more focused on family, leisure and personal relationships, according to a major national labor study released on Sunday. An analysis [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s fried chicken industry has crossed a symbolic threshold, with the number of franchise outlets nationwide surpassing 30,000 for the first time, even as signs of market saturation intensify and growth prospects dim at home. According to the National Data Policy Agency’s 2024 Franchise Statistics released on December [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s art market is expected to close 2025 still mired in a prolonged slump, as weak consumer sentiment continues to weigh on galleries and art fairs, according to a new industry survey. A year-end report released by the Arts Management Support Center found that nearly half of art market [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — As South Korea’s prolonged low birth rate reshapes consumer demand, yogurt has emerged as an unexpected sales driver at major retailers, while milk — once a staple — continues to lose ground. According to data released Sunday by the retail industry, Emart, the country’s largest discount chain, ranked milk ninth [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — Nearly one in three South Korean workers say they cannot freely use their paid annual leave, according to a new survey by a civic advocacy group, highlighting persistent gaps between labor law protections and workplace realities. The findings, released Sunday by Workplace Abuse 119 (Gabjil119), are based on a poll [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea is on track to end dog meat farming nationwide by early 2027, as the vast majority of dog-breeding operations have already shut down following the implementation of a landmark ban, government data showed this week. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said on Sunday that about [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — South Koreans are using less cash in their daily lives than ever before, but are holding on to more of it as a financial buffer, according to a new survey released by the Bank of Korea on Sunday. The central bank’s 2025 comprehensive survey on currency usage found that individuals [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Korea Bizwire) — Samsung Electronics unveiled its 2026 lineup of sound devices ahead of the opening of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026, signaling a continued push to blend audio performance, design and artificial intelligence in its home entertainment strategy. The new products, which will be introduced at Samsung’s “The First Look” event [...]