SEOUL, April 16 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s top food delivery app Baemin is facing mounting criticism from small business owners after it began charging a 6.8% service fee on takeout orders this week—a move seen as a reversal of the hard-won compromise on delivery commissions reached in 2024. On April 14, the first day the [...]
SEOUL, March 24 (Korea Bizwire) — A South Korean court has ruled that the death of a delivery driver who ran a red light and was killed in a traffic accident while rushing to meet delivery deadlines qualifies as a work-related accident. The Seoul Administrative Court’s 8th Division, presided over by Judge Lee Jung-hee, sided [...]
SEOUL, March 21 (Korea Bizwire) — The Bank of Korea has called for aggressive corporate investment and bold regulatory easing to accelerate South Korea’s service exports, emphasizing the need to build an independent content export infrastructure that doesn’t rely on foreign platforms. In a report titled “Current Status and Future Direction of South Korea’s Service [...]
SEOUL, March 3 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s e-commerce market is entering a new phase of competition as major players escalate their efforts to enhance delivery services, aiming to challenge Coupang’s dominance in logistics. With next-day delivery now an industry standard, retailers are racing to expand same-day shipping to differentiate themselves and meet rising consumer [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 27 (Korea Bizwire) — Despite a sluggish consumer economy, Coupang Inc. achieved a major milestone in 2024, surpassing 41 trillion won (approximately $29 billion) in annual revenue. The e-commerce giant, founded in 2010 with just 3 billion won ($2.1 million) in capital, has cemented its position as South Korea’s dominant online retailer. Coupang’s success [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — The Seoul Metropolitan Government has announced plans to become the first local government in South Korea to develop and publish a “coexistence index” that will evaluate delivery platforms on their commitment to fair business practices and cooperation with small businesses. The initiative, aimed at curbing excessive commission fees and preventing [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 23(Korea Bizwire) — Amid growing economic uncertainty and rising labor costs, South Korean restaurant owners are rapidly adopting digital “table-order” systems, allowing diners to order meals directly from tablets installed at their tables, without staff assistance. The adoption of table-order services surged dramatically in recent months, driven by restaurant operators seeking to cut staffing [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — E-commerce giant Coupang and its affiliates have reached a landmark agreement with small business owners and labor organizations, committing to improved working conditions and financial support measures. The agreement, signed on February 19, includes the abolition of a controversial policy that had been linked to overwork among delivery drivers. [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 19 (Korea Bizwire) — For the first time in 39 months, South Korea’s mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) market has recorded a decline in subscriber numbers, signaling increased competition from major telecom providers. According to wireless communication service statistics released by the Ministry of Science and ICT on February 18, the number of [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — Once a popular and low-barrier entry point for entrepreneurs, South Korea’s café industry is now facing an intense survival challenge due to market oversaturation, rising costs, and regulatory pressures. Despite the industry’s rapid expansion, data shows an alarming rate of closures. According to Statistics Korea, as of 2022, the number [...]