SEOUL, July 22 (Korea Bizwire) — As record-breaking heat and monsoon rains sweep across South Korea this month, a growing number of consumers are opting to spend their leisure time indoors — fueling a retail phenomenon known as “mallcations” and delivering a significant sales boost to department stores and outlet malls. According to major retailers, [...]
SEOUL, July 22 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s mid-sized and smaller business groups are increasingly leveraging mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to expand their reach, diversify services, and create synergies between legacy businesses and emerging growth engines — from hospitality and aviation to cosmetics, food tech, and education. Recent deals underscore how cross-sector integration is reshaping [...]
SEOUL, July 22 (Korea Bizwire) — A viral video shows Seoul’s Gyeongbokgung Palace submerged in water after torrential rain, with people in yellow raincoats bailing out water — and, in a surreal twist, a seal swimming across the flooded courtyard. It looks uncannily real, but the scene is pure fiction, created by artificial intelligence. As [...]
SEOUL, July 22 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s imported car market is on a sharp rebound in 2025, reversing a two-year contraction as demand for eco-friendly and high-end models soars, supported by a wave of new releases and increased purchases by consumers in their 40s and corporate buyers. According to the Korea Automobile Importers & [...]
SEOUL, July 21 (Korea Bizwire) — A record number of foreign medical school graduates have passed South Korea’s preliminary medical licensing exam this year, marking a more than threefold increase from the previous year, signaling a shifting landscape in the country’s medical profession. According to the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute on July 20, [...]
SEOUL, July 21 (Korea Bizwire) — Hyundai Motor and Kia are forecast to post lackluster second-quarter earnings this week, as newly imposed U.S. tariffs on specific automotive categories weigh on profitability despite modest revenue growth. According to South Korean auto industry sources on Monday, Hyundai is scheduled to announce its Q2 results on July 24, [...]
SEOUL, July 21 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s railway network is witnessing a major surge in foreign ridership, with nearly 3 million international travelers using high-speed and conventional trains in the first half of 2025 — nearly double the number from two years ago. According to data from KORAIL and SR, operator of the Suseo [...]
SEOUL, July 21 (Korea Bizwire) — One year after South Korea implemented a program allowing pregnant women in crisis to give birth under pseudonyms, 109 women have utilized the service, and 171 others have opted to raise their children following state-supported counseling, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The program, known as the [...]
SEOUL, July 21 (Korea Bizwire) — A growing number of South Korean university students are treating enlistment in the Air Force like a college entrance exam, as soaring competition has triggered a rush for certifications, volunteer hours, and even blood donations in a bid to earn higher scores in the military’s recruitment system. With monthly [...]
SEOUL, July 21 (Korea Bizwire) — In response to the rapid proliferation of new synthetic narcotics, the South Korean government is seeking to drastically shorten the classification timeline for temporary controlled substances from the current 40 days to roughly two weeks, aiming to bolster early detection and enforcement capabilities. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety [...]