SEOUL, Jan. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — Nearly half of South Korean workers are unable to freely use their paid annual leave, according to a survey released on January 5th by Workplace Gapjil 119, a civic group advocating for employee rights. The survey, conducted in September 2024 by Global Research, polled 1,000 workers nationwide. Only 50.1% [...]
SEJONG, Jan. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — The annual income gap between South Korea’s richest and poorest households has exceeded 200 million won for the first time, while the gap in their assets has grown to more than 1.5 billion won. As economic polarization continues to deepen, policy solutions have stalled, particularly after President Yoon Suk Yeol’s [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — An innovative childcare support program in Seoul offering 300,000 won monthly to grandparents caring for two-year-old children has revealed a striking pattern: maternal grandmothers comprise more than half of the participating grandparents. According to a policy review by the Seoul Foundation of Women and Family, maternal grandmothers account for 54% [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s K-Beauty industry has outpaced French luxury giants like Chanel and Lancôme to become the top imported cosmetics category in the United States and Japan, solidifying its position as a global cosmetics powerhouse. According to South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, the country’s cosmetics exports exceeded [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — A surge in social media offers to create fake digital IDs, mainly targeting minors seeking age-restricted products, is threatening South Korea’s newly-launched mobile identification system. A search for “mobile ID creation” on X reveals dozens of posts offering counterfeit services. One account advertises a two-minute turnaround time for 30,000 won, [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — In a move to enhance accessibility for its growing foreign resident population, South Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on Sunday that 235 frequently used civil service forms have been translated into 10 languages. The initiative aims to help foreign residents navigate administrative processes more accurately and efficiently. [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — LG Electronics has emerged as the global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) robotics patents, reflecting the company’s aggressive investment in the rapidly expanding sector. A report released by the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) revealed that LG filed 1,038 patents related to AI robotics over the past decade, the highest [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — On Sunday, a somber scene unfolded at the memorial altar near Seoul City Hall for victims of the recent Jeju Air tragedy. Among the mourners was “Pudding,” a dog who lost her entire family, including her 80-year-old owner, in the disaster. Pudding, now cared for by the animal rights [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — The musical Aladdin emerged as the highest-grossing production in South Korea in 2024, according to preliminary data from the Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System (KOPIS). The production, based on Disney’s animated classic, captivated audiences following its November debut and maintained high ticket sales into early 2025. Directed by [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — Hyundai Motor Group reported its highest-ever annual sales in the United States last year, cementing its position as the fourth-largest automaker in the market for the second consecutive year. The group, which includes Hyundai, Kia, and the luxury Genesis brand, sold 1,708,293 vehicles in the U.S. in 2024, a [...]