SEOUL, June 28 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s information and communications technology (ICT) sector is increasingly embracing the four-day workweek, as President Lee Jae-myung’s campaign pledge to reduce working hours without cutting wages begins to materialize in practice. Tech companies with high salaries and flexible work cultures are leading the shift, signaling a potential turning [...]
SEOUL, June 28 (Korea Bizwire) — A South Korean internet user who left offensive comments under a news article about the nation’s first pregnant same-sex couple has avoided criminal punishment after reaching a settlement with the victims. According to legal sources, the Cheonan branch of the Daejeon District Court dismissed the criminal case against the commenter, [...]
SEJONG, June 27 (Korea Bizwire) — A widening housing disparity is emerging among South Korea’s younger generations, driven in part by soaring real estate prices in the Seoul metropolitan area, according to a new government study. In its summer issue of Statistics Plus, the National Statistical Office’s research institute published a report analyzing generational shifts [...]
SEOUL, June 27 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s auto parts sector is bracing for intensified export headwinds as the United States signals a possible expansion of its 25% import tariffs on vehicle components, deepening concerns in an industry already grappling with high trade barriers. On June 24, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration [...]
SEOUL, June 27 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s semiconductor, display, shipbuilding, and biotech industries are expected to lead the country’s economic performance in the second half of 2025, while other key sectors face continued headwinds, according to a new outlook released Thursday by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI). The KCCI’s semiannual “Industrial [...]
SEOUL,June 27 (Korea Bizwire) – Nearly half of franchise sales in Seoul come from food delivery platforms, with businesses paying as much as 24% in commission fees, a new city-led survey revealed, underscoring rising dependence on digital intermediaries and growing concerns over cost burdens for small business owners. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s first-ever [...]
SEOUL, June 27 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean venture companies are showing signs of renewed optimism, with overall business sentiment rebounding for the first time in a year, according to data released Thursday by the Korea Venture Business Association. The Venture Business Survey Index (BSI) for the second quarter rose to 89.8, marking an 11.2-point [...]
SEOUL, June 27 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean soldiers prefer empathetic superiors, while military officers favor leaders with strong organizational skills, according to a new personality-based survey released by Kookbang Ilbo (The Defense Daily) on Thursday. The survey, conducted between May 28 and June 13 via the military’s internal intranet system, gathered responses from 3,445 [...]
DAEJEON, June 27 (Korea Bizwire) — KAIST researchers have developed a new catalytic method to convert waste tires into high-purity cyclic alkenes—valuable chemical precursors for rubber and nylon—offering a promising solution to one of the most persistent recycling challenges. Announced on Thursday, the breakthrough comes from a team led by Professor Hong Soon-hyuk, which successfully [...]
SEOUL, June 27 (Korea Bizwire) — The average South Korean worker earned 3.97 million won ($2,870) in April this year, working 165.5 hours for the month, according to new data released by the Ministry of Employment and Labor on Thursday. While wages rose modestly, the outlook for core industries like manufacturing and construction continues to darken [...]