SUWON, May 7 (Korea Bizwire) — A South Korean court has acquitted a retail store operator previously convicted of selling counterfeit luxury goods bearing Louis Vuitton-like designs, reversing a lower court ruling that had fined the defendant for trademark infringement. The Suwon District Court’s Criminal Appeals Division 7, presided over by Judge Kim Byung-soo, on Monday [...]
SEOUL, May 7 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean households raising infants and toddlers spend significantly less on adult leisure and cultural activities than their childless peers, highlighting the personal sacrifices many parents make in the early years of childrearing. According to a new report released Tuesday by the Korea Institute of Child Care and Education, the [...]
SEOUL, May 7 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean prosecutors have sparked controversy after it was revealed they sought food delivery app records as part of a recent search of former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s private residence, an investigative move that Yoon’s camp condemned as a political ploy to humiliate him and his wife. The detail, disclosed by [...]
SEOUL, May 7 (Korea Bizwire) — Surging gold prices have ignited a wave of investor enthusiasm in South Korea, pushing gold-linked bank deposits to record highs and triggering a nationwide shortage of physical gold bars. According to data from major South Korean banks, gold banking balances — which allow investors to buy and sell gold through [...]
SEOUL, May 6 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s beauty industry continues its explosive global ascent, with overseas direct purchases of Korean cosmetics and perfumes — commonly referred to as K-beauty — nearly doubling in 2024 to approach $1 billion, according to newly released customs data. The Korea Customs Service, in data submitted to Rep. Park Sung-hoon [...]
Hwasong, South Korea, May 6 (Korea Bizwire) — A sexually suggestive figurine marketed under the name “Dongtan” has triggered a wave of criticism from local residents and women’s rights advocates, who accuse its creators of objectifying women and tarnishing the image of the fast-growing South Korean city. Since January 2025, the figurine has been sold [...]
SEOUL, May 6 (Korea Bizwire) — South Koreans in their 20s to 40s increasingly prioritize work over traditional milestones such as marriage, parenthood, and even personal fulfillment, underscoring a profound generational shift in values as the country confronts economic pressure and demographic headwinds. A report released by the National Integration Committee, based on a survey of [...]
SEOUL, May 6 (Korea Bizwire) — When Kim Nam-seok’s 10-year-old son begged him for a dog, Kim hesitated. The responsibilities of caring for a live animal were daunting. But last month, he gave in — not with a trip to the pet store, but by bringing home Luna, an AI-powered robot dog. “I didn’t expect much,” [...]
SEOUL, May 6 (Korea Bizwire) — Beauty products are undergoing a transformation in South Korea, emerging as fashion-forward accessories among the country’s style-savvy MZ generation — a demographic encompassing those born between the early 1980s and early 2000s. No longer limited to cosmetic utility, items like lip balms, tints, and compact cushions are increasingly designed to [...]
SEOUL, May 6 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s middle school students continue to rank among the world’s top performers in academic achievement, but their personal development — particularly in peer relationships, emotional resilience, and autonomy — lags significantly behind, according to a new international study. The Korea Educational Development Institute (KEDI) recently released a comparative analysis [...]