SEOUL, Jan. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — Brandy Melville, a fashion brand known for its “one-size” policy, has ignited intense debate in South Korea following the opening of its first store in Seoul’s Seongdong District. The brand’s exclusive sizing, which caters primarily to petite frames (XS-S), has drawn both fascination and backlash as consumers grapple with its [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — The long-standing tradition of bullfighting in South Korea, celebrated as a local cultural event in regions like Cheongdo, will not be designated as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, following a decision by the Cultural Heritage Administration. The move comes amid heated debate over whether the practice should be preserved as [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — The South Korean government has announced an ambitious initiative to position the country as one of the world’s top five biotech powerhouses by establishing a Korean-style bio cluster and accelerating AI- and data-driven biotech research and development (R&D). The plan aims to elevate the biotech industry to a level [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — A stark gender divide exists among South Korean teenagers regarding dating expenses, with young women overwhelmingly favoring equal cost-sharing while young men show more traditional views, according to a lifestyle report released by Woori Bank on January 23. The “Teens’ Diary” report, which surveyed 3,729 teenagers aged 14-18 nationwide, revealed [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — A surge in Chinese exports is stoking tensions across the global industrial landscape, as countries worldwide grapple with an influx of low-priced Chinese goods that many say is disrupting their domestic markets. China’s customs authority reported that exports reached a record 25.5 trillion yuan in 2024, jumping more than 7% [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 21 (Korea Bizwire) — Automotive industry experts on Tuesday urged the government to revise its ambitious target of deploying 4.5 million zero-emission vehicles by 2030, part of the nation’s greenhouse gas reduction goals, to align with practical realities. Yoon Kyung-sun, executive managing director of the Korea Automobile & Mobility Association (KAMA), called the [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — In a move to penetrate South Korea’s tightly controlled smartphone market, Xiaomi is looking to establish its first physical store in Seoul, potentially disrupting the long-standing dominance of Samsung and Apple. The Chinese tech giant, which recently established a Korean subsidiary, launched its first product, the Xiaomi 14T, on January [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s top three shipbuilders are expected to report collective annual profits for 2024, marking the first time in 13 years that the trio—HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, Hanwha Ocean, and Samsung Heavy Industries—have all turned a profit. The achievement comes amid a “super cycle” in the global shipbuilding [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — In a significant strategic shift, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), and U.S.-based Westinghouse Electric Company have agreed to set aside ongoing intellectual property disputes and jointly pursue global nuclear power projects under the newly formed “Team KORUS” alliance. Though the specific terms of the [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — As K-pop continues to dominate global music charts, South Korea is taking steps to bolster copyright protections for choreography that has fueled the genre’s meteoric rise. A recent study by the Korea Copyright Commission underscores the need to safeguard the intellectual property rights of choreographers behind iconic dance routines, such [...]