SEOUL, Jan. 8 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s National Health Insurance (NHI) system achieved a surplus for the fourth consecutive year in 2024, with its reserve fund reaching a record 29.7 trillion won, the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) announced on January 7. In 2024, NHI revenue totaled 99 trillion won, while expenditures amounted to [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 8 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s department store industry showed stagnant growth of less than 1% last year, with the disparity between high-performing and struggling stores becoming increasingly pronounced. According to industry data released on January 7, the five major department store chains – Lotte, Shinsegae, Hyundai, Galleria, and AK – recorded combined sales [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — As aging populations and chronic illnesses drive a shift in global healthcare toward prevention and cost reduction, traditional medicine is emerging as a growing export opportunity, according to a report released by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) on January 6. The report, titled “The Era of Global Traditional [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — Shinsegae Group and China’s Alibaba Group have joined forces to form a strategic e-commerce alliance, a move that has drawn close attention from Coupang, South Korea’s market leader in online retail. The partnership, announced on January 6, could significantly alter the competitive dynamics of the e-commerce sector. Coupang’s senior [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — The construction sector in South Korea is on edge after Shindongah Construction, a mid-sized builder known for its “Famille” housing brand, filed for court-led rehabilitation on January 6. The company, ranked 58th in construction capability evaluations, is the largest in its tier to take this step amid a worsening [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — Individuals with serious criminal records will face employment restrictions in online delivery services, such as Baemin and Coupang Eats, as well as in taxi services for disabled people, the transport ministry said Tuesday. Under the revised enforcement ordinances of transportation and services acts approved by the Cabinet, those with [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — Jeju Air Co., the embattled low-cost carrier facing intense scrutiny over a recent aircraft crash that claimed 179 lives, said Tuesday it plans to cut 188 international flights departing from Busan in the first quarter, with a total operational reduction plan to be finalized this week. Following the tragic Dec. 29 [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — Chey Tae-won, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and SK Group, highlighted the pressing challenges of global economic shifts during the “2025 Seoul New Year’s Meeting” on January 6. Speaking at the Seoul Chamber of Commerce in Jung-gu, he identified three major disruptions—U.S.-led tariff hikes, inflationary [...]
SINAN, Jan. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — A county in South Korea’s South Jeolla Province is breaking new ground with the nation’s first offshore wind power fund designed specifically for local residents. Sinan County announced on January 6 that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Sinan Ui Offshore Wind and Root Energy to establish a [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — Despite a sluggish dining-out economy, South Korea’s food delivery market continued to grow in 2024, fueled by aggressive free delivery campaigns, particularly from Coupang Eats. According to data released by mobile analytics firm IGAWorks on January 6, the combined monthly active users (MAUs) of the country’s three major food delivery [...]