SEOUL, June 18 (Korea Bizwire) – Essential living costs in South Korea are significantly higher than those in other major nations, hindering the recovery of consumer spending, the central bank said Wednesday. South Korea’s price indices for food, clothing and housing stood at 151, 161 and 123, respectively, based on the average price level of [...]
SEOUL, June 18 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s financial regulator has issued a consumer alert warning the public about a rise in fraudulent schemes involving fake promises of imminent stock market listings—an increasingly sophisticated scam targeting retail investors amid the country’s recent market rebound. According to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), scam operators are falsely [...]
SEOUL, June 17 (Korea Bizwire) — On a weekday, a real estate agency in Seoul’s Mapo District was juggling multiple phone inquiries from prospective homebuyers but had little to offer, largely due to recent price hikes that encouraged home owners to withdraw their offerings in hope of further increases. “We are getting inquiries from over [...]
SEOUL, June 17 (Korea Bizwire) — A new report warns that South Korea’s elderly population faces a growing “double burden” as rising health insurance premiums and income taxes increasingly eat into public pension payouts, significantly reducing retirees’ real disposable income. According to a study released Tuesday by the National Pension Research Institute, the 2022 overhaul of [...]
SEOUL, June 16 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean stocks soared to the highest mark in over three years Monday, driven by big gains in the defense, energy and IT sectors. The local currency rose against the U.S. dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) jumped 52.04 points, or 1.8 percent, to end at [...]
SEOUL, June 16 (Korea Bizwire) — The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced new measures on Sunday to enhance oversight of real estate transactions involving foreign nationals, aiming to address rising concerns over transparency, market disruption, and perceived unequal treatment of domestic buyers. As foreign ownership of property in South Korea increases, Seoul officials plan to scrutinize sources [...]
SEOUL, June 16 (Korea Bizwire) — Global investors are showing renewed confidence in South Korea’s stock market, with over ₩1 trillion (US$770 million) pouring into the iShares MSCI Korea ETF (ticker: EWY) this month alone—the highest monthly inflow in 18 months. The U.S.-listed exchange-traded fund, which offers global investors passive exposure to Korea’s leading equities, has [...]
SEOUL, June 15 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s household debts stood at nearly 1.7 times their disposable income, data showed Sunday, with the pressure for loan repayment driving down consumer spending, potentially triggering an economic recession. The debt-to-income ratio for South Korean households and nonprofit organizations came to 174.7 percent as of end-2024, according to [...]
SEOUL, June 15 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s exports to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries are on the rise, helping offset recent drops in shipments to the United States and China amid a global trade war sparked partly by the U.S.’ evolving tariff policies, data showed Sunday. Outbound shipments to the ASEAN [...]
SEOUL, June 15 (Korea Bizwire) — For many South Korean households, the rising cost of everyday groceries is no longer just an inconvenience—it’s a growing burden. From fresh eggs to packaged snacks, the price tags lining supermarket shelves are fueling consumer frustration and prompting government action. According to data released Sunday, South Korea ranked as [...]