SEOUL, April 23 (Korea Bizwire) — As anticipation builds for South Korea’s May “golden holiday,” new data reveals a stark reality for many franchise workers: more than 60% of franchise outlets nationwide operate without a single regular day off. According to figures released on April 23, 2025, by Statistics Korea through the national statistics portal (KOSIS), [...]
SEOUL, April 23, (Korea Bizwire) — For the first time, women working at South Korea’s top 500 companies earned more than 70 percent of what their male counterparts make, according to a new report signaling slow but steady progress in narrowing the corporate gender pay gap. The report, released April 22, 2025, by corporate analysis [...]
DAEJEON, April 23, (Korea Bizwire) — Exposure to microplastics in soil can impair the immune function of soil-dwelling organisms, according to new research published by a South Korean team, marking the first study to link microplastic contamination with reduced immune activity in earthworms. On April 22, 2025, the National Research Foundation of Korea announced that [...]
SEOUL, April 23, (Korea Bizwire) — Nearly one-third of insurance policies in South Korea are canceled within two years, with long-term contract retention rates significantly trailing those of major global markets, according to a report released April 22, 2025, by the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS). The report, titled “2024 Insurance Sales Channel Performance and Supervision [...]
DAEJEON, April 23, (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean researchers have developed a breakthrough artificial intelligence model that selectively processes visual information much like the human brain, significantly enhancing image recognition capabilities. Announced on April 22, 2025, by the Institute for Basic Science (IBS), the innovation comes from a joint effort between the IBS Center for [...]
SEOUL, April 22, (Korea Bizwire) — LG Electronics is pulling out of the electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions market just three years after entering the sector, citing prolonged demand stagnation and intensified price competition. The move comes as part of a broader strategic restructuring aimed at concentrating on more resilient and scalable businesses. In a [...]
SEOUL, April 22 (Korea Bizwire) — Starting April 23, 2025, individuals with disabilities in South Korea will be allowed to enter nearly all public and private spaces with assistance dogs, following a newly revised enforcement ordinance and rule under the Disability Welfare Act (ACT ON WELFARE OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES). Announced by the Ministry of Health [...]
SEOUL, April 22 (Korea Bizwire) — For the first time in 35 years, South Korean-grown rice returned to Japanese shelves — and sold out within ten days. Amid a historic spike in domestic rice prices, Japanese consumers are turning to Korean imports, not only for affordability but also for quality and taste. According to the National [...]
GANGNEUNG, South Korea, April 22 (Korea Bizwire) — In a bid to become a “disposable cup-free coffee city,” the coastal city of Gangneung announced on April 22, 2025, that it will implement a reusable cup deposit system, marking the first such initiative in an open, non-isolated area in South Korea. Under the new system, customers [...]
SEOUL, April 22, (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s per capita health insurance spending rose by 28% over the past decade, driven largely by higher treatment costs rather than more frequent medical visits, according to a report released Monday by the Korea Development Institute (KDI). The report, titled “Factors Behind Health Insurance Spending Growth and Policy [...]