SEOUL, Sept. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — A string of hacking incidents at South Korea’s telecommunications and financial companies has prompted pharmaceutical and biotech firms to tighten their defenses, wary that breaches involving sensitive clinical data and intellectual property could trigger irreparable damage. Industry officials said this week that companies are moving quickly to reinforce security policies [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — When Park Seung-woo turned 40 this year, colleagues wasted no time calling him “Young Forty,” a term meant to capture middle-aged Koreans trying to look youthful. Far from a compliment, he says the label now feels like a taunt. “They call me ‘Young Forty’ at every turn, to the [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s largest companies are showing a stronger preference for so-called “experienced freshmen,” or new hires with prior work experience, according to a survey released Sunday by the Korea Economic Research Institute (FKI). The survey, conducted among 121 of the country’s top 500 firms by revenue, found that 28.1 [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — When North Korean leader Kim Jong-un told his parliament last weekend that he still holds a “good memory” of U.S. President Donald Trump, it was more than a nostalgic aside. It was the first public hint in years that Pyongyang could contemplate returning to the table with Washington—provided, Kim [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea is witnessing the rapid spread of so-called “warehouse-style pharmacies,” large outlets that display and sell medicines and health supplements in bulk, fueling a heated debate over public health and market fairness. The trend began earlier this year in Seongnam, south of Seoul, and has since spread to [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s oil refiners are ramping up investment in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as the government prepares to mandate blended fueling for all international flights starting in 2027. Industry leaders warn, however, that the high upfront costs and uncertain global demand mean state support will be critical. SK Energy [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — Kakao Corp.’s simplified advertising platform for small businesses has surpassed 5,000 active accounts just two and a half months after its launch, the company said Sunday. Rolled out in June, the “Easy Ads” platform allows merchants to promote their shops on Kakao Map and KakaoTalk’s Biz Board with daily [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — Naver’s artificial intelligence search service “AI Briefing” is gaining traction in image recognition, underscoring the company’s push to differentiate itself from global rivals like Google. Since late July, the Korean tech giant has integrated its Smart Lens feature with AI Briefing, allowing users to upload photos of restaurants, menus, or [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — Genesis, Hyundai Motor Group’s luxury marque, is stepping up its push into Central Asia, opening a flagship showroom in Kazakhstan as part of a broader global expansion drive. On September 9, the company inaugurated the Almaty Genesis Showcase, a three-story dealership operated by Kazakhstan’s largest auto firm, Astana Motors. [...]
GANGNEUNG, Sept. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — In Gangneung, where South Korea declared its first-ever “state of disaster” caused by drought, a group of local young people has organized under the unlikely name “Toilet Demon Hunters.” Their mission is both urgent and practical: teaching citizens how small changes in daily habits can conserve vast amounts of water. The [...]