SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Korea Bizwire) — The Seoul city government will invest 172.3 billion won (US$126.4) over the next five years in an ambitious design industry development project aimed at nurturing Korean versions of the global furniture giant IKEA, officials said Wednesday. The five-year plan aims to strengthen the design industry in the capital and [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Korea Bizwire) — The Seoul city government on Tuesday urged the owners of ferocious dogs to get permission from authorities to raise them by the end of this month, warning of legal action if they fail to comply, officials said. Under the revised Animal Protection Act, those who raise fierce dogs must [...]
CHEONGJU, Oct. 15 (Korea Bizwire) – In a significant move to address declining birth rates and support family planning, South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare announced plans to extend egg freezing subsidies nationwide starting next year, building on a pioneering program launched by North Chungcheong Province. Egg freezing, a fertility preservation method that allows women [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Korea Bizwire) – In a collaborative effort to improve access to public transportation for older residents in underserved areas, South Korean authorities and industry leaders have joined forces to expand a Demand-Responsive Transport (DRT) bus system. On October 14, the National Police Agency, the National Association of Mayors, and Hyundai Motor signed a [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 11 (Korea Bizwire) — The Bank of Korea (BOK)’s first interest rate cut in 38 months highlighted the urgent need for South Korea to ease interest burdens on households and businesses to prop up sagging domestic demand despite concerns over rising home prices and household debts, experts said Friday. The BOK lowered its [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 11 (Korea Bizwire) – The Ministry of the Interior and Safety is reaching out to foreign residents for their perspectives on a recently announced standardization of foreign name notations in administrative documents. The ministry will host a field meeting on October 10 to gather feedback from those most affected by the new guidelines. The [...]
SEJONG, Oct. 11 (Korea Bizwire) – Riding a wave of growing international interest in the Korean language, South Korea’s Education Ministry announced on October 10 that it will double the frequency of its internet-based Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) in 2025. The ministry’s “2025 TOPIK Implementation Plan” outlines a total of 15 test administrations for [...]
SEJONG, Oct. 10 (Korea Bizwire) – The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Promotion Institute announced on October 9 that they will launch their second anti-smoking advertisement campaign of the year, titled “E-cigarettes Are Not OK At All,” running from October 10 through the end of the year across various media platforms. This [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — The Cabinet meeting on Thursday approved a new bill calling for tougher punishment for digital sex crimes using deepfake technologies. The revision of the sexual crimes punishment law calls for punishing people caught possessing, purchasing, storing or viewing deepfake sexual materials and other fabricated videos with up to three [...]
VIENTIANE, Oct. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — President Yoon Suk Yeol said Thursday that South Korea will double its cooperation funds with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to US$48 million by 2027 to support key projects in the region. Yoon made the pledge during a summit with ASEAN leaders in Laos after elevating South [...]