PYEONGCHANG, Feb. 14 (Korea Bizwire) – Olympic sponsor Coca-Cola’s giant vending machine in Gangneung is proving to be a hit attraction in its own right, with Korean celebrities making pitstops at the commercial landmark to bid South Korean athletes good fortune. Model Han Hyun-min and archery duo Jang Hye-jin and Choi Mi-sun – two-thirds of [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Korea Bizwire) – How much? That’s the question on the minds of South Korean adults as “Seollal” or Lunar New Year (February 16) is now only days away. In the midst of a prolonged economic downturn, how much they can afford to give out as “saebae don” or New Year’s money, a [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Korea Bizwire) – A study conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government into the working conditions of franchise convenience store owners has found that almost 40 percent are not able to take even a single day off work each year. Including 951 owners, the study revealed that average working hour totals were extreme. [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean retail giant Lotte Group was thrown into disarray Tuesday as a Seoul court sentenced its chairman to 30 months in prison for bribery. The sentence handed down to Shin Dong-bin, by the Seoul Central District Court, caught Lotte officials off-guard, as they did not expect a jail [...]
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea, Feb. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — On a hill leading to the Main Press Centre of the ongoing Winter Olympics in PyeongChang are three statues of naked muscular men with penis-like heads. The phallic statues, officially named “Bullet Men,” by Korean artist Kim Ji-hyun have recently become the talk of the town among [...]
GANGNEUNG, Feb. 13 (Korea Bizwire) – Whatever the political motivations behind the joint North and South Korean hockey team, the unified Korea team has already garnered a win in generating interest in ice hockey among the general public. An informal survey of spectators in the stands for the February 12 matchup between Japan and Switzerland [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s military said Tuesday it will abolish or scale down hundreds of routine, non-combat activities as part of a reform drive. The country’s 625,000-strong armed forces have organized or supported 953 ceremonies, festivals and other events nationwide every year that are not directly related to combat readiness, while [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — Prosecutors said Tuesday they will not file charges against the local unit of McDonald’s, citing a lack of evidence undercooked burgers at its restaurants caused illness among some customers. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office released the result of its investigation into the fast food chain that was prompted [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Korea Bizwire) – President Moon Jae-in held summit talks with Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis on Tuesday and discussed ways to expand trade and investment between the two countries and increase cooperation on security issues like North Korea, officials said. Moon, in particular, asked for Latvia’s support for his efforts to build on [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Korea Bizwire) – Until the end of March, foreign visitors looking to get a taste of South Korean culture can opt for the Korea Tourism Organization’s “Rush Ticket” service to snag seats for steep discounts of at least 50 percent. These special passes can be purchased at the Korea Tourism Organization’s Tourist [...]