SEOUL, Dec. 3 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s adult smoking rates have climbed, reversing a years-long decline, particularly among men in their 50s and women in their 20s, according to a report released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Obesity rates also surged among younger adults, while nearly half of men in their [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 3 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s economic backbone—households headed by those in their 40s—saw a sharp drop in business income during the third quarter, reflecting prolonged domestic demand stagnation and heightened challenges for self-employed workers. According to Statistics Korea on Friday, the average business income for 40-something households fell to ₩1.07 million, down 13.1% [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 3 (Korea Bizwire) – The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has marked a major milestone, announcing that its 5 millionth international patent publication belongs to Samsung Electronics. The patent, filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), pertains to cutting-edge technology that enhances smartphone camera quality by reducing image distortion and improving focus stability during [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 3 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korean authorities have apprehended 39 individuals in a sweeping raid on a foreigners-only club in Suwon, suspected of drug trafficking and employing undocumented workers, the police announced on November 2. The raid, conducted by the Suwon West Police and Suwon Immigration Office, targeted a club catering exclusively to Vietnamese [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Korea Bizwire) – Daangn, a South Korean hyperlocal platform, is seeing unexpected success with its new “Bungeoppang Map,” a user-driven feature that helps people locate street vendors selling bungeoppang, a beloved fish-shaped winter pastry filled with sweet red bean paste. The map, launched on November 20 as a seasonal offering, has sparked a [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Korea Bizwire) – Microsoft has become the first global tech giant to secure certification under South Korea’s Cloud Security Assurance Program (CSAP), allowing its Azure cloud services to be used by public institutions. The certification, announced on Monday, marks a significant breakthrough for international cloud providers entering the domestic public sector. The CSAP [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s gaming industry, long reliant on the lucrative “loot box” model, faces mounting legal and regulatory challenges after a landmark court ruling against Nexon. The Supreme Court upheld a decision ordering Nexon to partially refund a player for misrepresenting item probabilities in its popular game, MapleStory. The ruling is [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Korea Bizwire) – Seoul has launched its annual Fine Dust Seasonal Management Program, introducing strict measures to reduce air pollution during the winter months. Effective from December through March, vehicles classified as emissions grade 5—the highest polluters—are banned from operating on weekdays between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m., unless equipped with eco-friendly modifications. [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC) is taking action against Coupang, Naver, and Market Kurly for allegedly hindering consumers from canceling their paid memberships. Coupang, in particular, faces additional scrutiny for using deceptive “dark patterns” in its membership pricing and cancellation processes. Coupang’s “Wow Membership” program allegedly made mid-term cancellations [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean food company CJ CheilJedang Corp. said Monday it has introduced its “shelf-stable” noodle products to the European market for the first time this month. The company has introduced its shelf-stable noodle product, bibigo Korean Style Udon Noodles, in Britain, Sweden and Spain to gain a bigger share [...]