SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean stocks climbed to a record close Friday, propelled by heavy buying in large semiconductor names as investors doubled down on bets that artificial intelligence–driven growth will continue to bolster the country’s export engine. The won weakened against the U.S. dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index jumped [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s leading conglomerates are entering the new year with a common message: artificial intelligence will be central to navigating an increasingly uncertain global business environment, even as companies double down on core technologies, safety and organizational reform. In New Year’s messages released this week, chairmen of the country’s largest [...]
SEOUL & DAEJEON, Jan. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — Pope Leo XIV has sent a rare message of congratulations to Seongsimdang (or Sungsimdang), a beloved bakery in the central city of Daejeon, praising its seven decades of business rooted in social solidarity and care for the poor. According to local reports, the message was delivered through Cardinal [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — Characters from the animated film K‑Pop Demon Hunters are drawing online attention that rivals — and in some cases surpasses — that of real-world global pop stars, underscoring the growing power of virtual idols in the social media age. According to an analysis cited by The Guardian, data from marketing [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — Samsung Electronics is set to unveil a new AI-powered portable projector ahead of the opening of CES 2026, underscoring its push to embed artificial intelligence more deeply into consumer devices. The company said Friday that it will introduce the updated “The Freestyle+” at its annual “The First Look” event on [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — Sales of traditional cultural merchandise tied to South Korea’s palaces and heritage sites reached a record high last year, buoyed by the global surge of interest in K-culture and the growing appeal of heritage-inspired products to foreign visitors. The Korea Heritage Agency (KHA) said Friday that combined online and offline [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — Deceptive and exaggerated online advertising is proliferating in South Korea, fueled by weak pre-screening rules, limited enforcement capacity and the rapid spread of artificial intelligence tools that make fake claims harder to detect, according to government officials and regulators. Across platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, consumers are increasingly [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Korea Bizwire) — Regular physical activity sustained over time can significantly reduce the risk of depressive symptoms, according to a large-scale Korean study that underscores the mental health benefits of even moderate exercise. Researchers at the National Institute of Health, under the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, analyzed data from 19,112 adults [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Korea Bizwire) — More than half of South Koreans with diabetes are obese, with abdominal obesity particularly prevalent among patients in their 30s and 40s, according to new findings released this week by the nation’s leading diabetes experts. The Korean Diabetes Association said its analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Korea Bizwire) — Online interest in artificial intelligence, K-culture and personal identity surged in South Korea this year, reflecting shifting social values as technology, culture and individual choice increasingly shape public discourse. According to a report released Wednesday by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, online mentions of artificial intelligence rose 44 [...]