SEOUL, Aug. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s antitrust regulator has fined the operator of Burger King Korea 300 million won ($217,000) for forcing franchisees to buy tomatoes and cleaning products from designated suppliers without proper disclosure — even imposing penalties up to store closure for noncompliance. The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said on Wednesday it [...]
JEONJU, Aug. 8 (Korea Bizwire) — Goat meat is emerging as a popular summer health food in South Korea, with demand surging during the traditional “boknal” season—hot summer days when Koreans consume energy-boosting dishes to combat fatigue, the Rural Development Administration (RDA) said Thursday. According to statistics from the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, approximately [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — The antitrust regulator said Wednesday it has decided to refer the chairman of leading South Korean food company Nongshim Co. to the prosecution for allegedly omitting key affiliate companies from required disclosures to avoid designation as a large business group and to benefit from incentives for small businesses. Nongshim [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — Lotteria, the burger chain operated by Lotte Group affiliate Lotte GRS Co., will open its first outlet in Malaysia later this year as part of its overseas expansion strategy, the company said Wednesday. Lotte GRS has signed a master franchise agreement with local retailer Serai Group to launch the [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Korea Bizwire) – Lotte Chilsung Beverage Co. said Monday its second-quarter net profit rose nearly 32 percent from a year earlier, driven by improved exports of key products. Net profit came to 27.7 billion won (US$20 million) for the April-June period, up 31.6 percent from a year earlier, the company said in [...]
SEOUL, July 31 (Korea Bizwire) — As South Korean consumers grapple with rising food prices, ultra-low-cost products priced under 1,000 won are gaining popularity—prompting convenience stores to expand their “super-value” offerings. On July 30, 7-Eleven announced the launch of two canned coffee products, “Seven Select Black Coffee” and “Seven Select Café Latte,” each priced at [...]
GWANGJU, July 30(Korea Bizwire) — As dining costs continue to climb across South Korea, prices for samgyetang — a traditional Korean ginseng chicken soup favored during the summer heat — have breached ₩20,000 per bowl at many popular restaurants in Gwangju, marking a sharp departure from its status as an affordable seasonal comfort food. According to local [...]
SEOUL, July 29 (Korea Bizwire) — Record-breaking heat driven by climate change is disrupting South Korea’s agricultural and aquacultural sectors, with fresh milk production, farmed fish survival, and summer cabbage crops all under threat, raising fears of supply instability and inflation. According to the Korea Dairy Committee, raw milk output has declined by 5–10% amid prolonged [...]
SEOUL, July 28 (Korea Bizwire) — As an August 1 deadline looms, South Korea finds itself under mounting pressure from the United States to further open its agricultural and livestock markets—a delicate issue that has long tested the country’s balancing act between international diplomacy and domestic political realities. Behind closed doors, the two allies are [...]
SEOUL, July 25 (Korea Bizwire) — Sales of multigrain instant rice are surging in South Korea, especially among younger consumers, as part of a broader shift toward health-conscious eating, NH NongHyup Bank reported Friday. Analyzing 4.2 billion transaction records from its NH Members loyalty program between January 2022 and June 2025, the bank found that [...]