SEOUL, Jan. 16 (Korea Bizwire) — The number of companies in which South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) holds stakes of 5% or more has decreased by 14 over the past year, according to a new analysis. CEO Score, a corporate research firm, reported on January 15 that the number of listed companies with NPS stakes [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea continues to face mounting dining costs for the third consecutive year as high inflation, currency volatility, and rising interest rates drive food prices upward. From popular dining options to workplace cafeterias and convenience store meals, prices have surged, intensifying the so-called ‘lunchflation’ phenomenon. According to data from Statistics [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — The surge in shareholder proposals at South Korean companies over the past five years is showing signs of stabilization in 2025 as corporations adopt proactive measures to address investor demands, according to a recent report. The Ajou Corporate Management Research Institute’s newly released “2025 Annual General Meeting Preview” reveals [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — KB Kookmin Bank’s labor union has filed for dispute mediation with the National Labor Relations Commission, demanding a performance bonus equivalent to 300% of base salary and an additional 10 million won in special incentives. If mediation fails, this could lead to the bank’s first general strike since 2019. [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — The South Korean won experienced a sharp decline last month, mirroring the drop in Russia’s ruble amid ongoing conflict, according to recent data. This currency depreciation, driven by the December 3 martial law incident, has heightened concerns over inflation in a country heavily reliant on imports. As the high exchange [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — The debt burden among South Korea’s self-employed in their 50s and 60s has surged to unprecedented levels, raising concerns over financial stability amid sluggish domestic demand and persistently high interest rates. According to data submitted by the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) to Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Kang-il, as of November [...]
SEJONG, Jan. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s export landscape with China has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade, with traditional intermediate goods exports such as displays, computers, auto parts, steel sheets, and petroleum products sharply declining. Conversely, South Korea’s imports of Chinese intermediate goods, particularly battery materials, batteries, and auto parts, have [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — In 2024, the number of publicly listed companies on South Korea’s main stock exchange voluntarily disclosing sustainability reports rose by nearly 30%, reflecting growing awareness of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles. The Korea Exchange reported on January 9 that 204 companies listed on the KOSPI voluntarily released sustainability [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — In a significant healthcare reform initiative, the South Korean government announced plans to reclassify certain non-critical and uninsured medical treatments, including manual therapy, under a new “managed care” category that will require patients to pay over 90% of the costs. The policy change, unveiled at a public forum on healthcare [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — The use of cashless payment methods, such as credit cards and digital wallets, has led to a record low number of counterfeit bills detected in South Korea last year, according to the Bank of Korea. In its report released on January 9, the central bank stated that only 143 counterfeit [...]