SEOUL, Oct. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — As global demand for digital services such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing accelerates, a new report warns that South Korea must develop a sustainable and balanced approach to digital trade that aligns openness with technological sovereignty. According to a study released Thursday by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — As soaring bakery prices push past 10,000 won for just a few items at franchise shops, Koreans are increasingly turning to low-cost private label (PB) bread sold at convenience stores and large retailers. The shift has fueled what industry insiders are calling a “budget bakery boom,” with PB bread [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 9 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s imports of coffee beans jumped sharply from a year earlier in 2024, with imports this year widely expected to reach an all-time high, customs data showed Thursday. Imports of coffee beans, including both raw and roasted products, came to US$1.24 billion last year, up 13 percent from $1.1 billion the previous year, [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 9 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s exchange-traded fund (ETF) market has entered a new era, surpassing 250 trillion won ($180 billion) in total assets and reshaping what it means to be a “mega fund” in one of the country’s fastest-growing financial sectors. According to data from the Korea Securities Depository released Tuesday, the number [...]
Government Kicks Off “New Leap Fund” to Wipe Out Old Debts for Over 1 Million Borrowers SEOUL, Oct. 8 (Korea Bizwire) — The South Korean government has launched a new debt relief initiative aimed at helping long-term defaulters rebuild their financial lives, but officials face a key hurdle in securing cooperation from private lenders that [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 8 (Korea Bizwire) — Food prices in South Korea have risen more than 20 percent over the past five years, far outpacing overall inflation and placing a growing strain on household budgets. According to data released Wednesday by the National Data Office, the consumer price index for “food and non-alcoholic beverages” in September [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — What began as a side business rooted in Korean culinary tradition has become a full-fledged export strategy for the nation’s top hotels. As premium kimchi gains traction among global consumers, luxury hotel brands are ramping up production and shipping abroad. According to the hospitality industry on Tuesday, Walkerhill Hotel [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — The value of U.S. dollar–pegged stablecoins held by South Korea’s major cryptocurrency exchanges has more than doubled over the past year, underscoring the rapid expansion of digital asset trading — and prompting renewed concerns over unmonitored capital flows. According to data submitted by the Financial Supervisory Service to Rep. [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s non-life insurers are escalating a fierce competition to secure “exclusive usage rights,” which grant temporary monopolies over newly developed insurance products, as the industry pushes for innovation amid slowing growth in traditional sectors such as auto coverage. According to the General Insurance Association of Korea, domestic insurers [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Korea Bizwire) – Shares in securities firms, which have already doubled this year, are widely expected to further advance down the road on the back of increased turnover and market-friendly steps, industry watchers said Monday. According to the Korea Exchange (KRX), the index tracking listed securities firms’ stock movement has nearly doubled [...]