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As Families Gather for Chuseok, Loneliness Emerges as a Critical Health Concern in South Korea

As Families Gather for Chuseok, Loneliness Emerges as a Critical Health Concern in South Korea

SEOUL, Sept.17 (Korea Bizwire) – With South Koreans reuniting with family members for the Chuseok holiday, a growing number of individuals are finding themselves grappling with an intensifying sense of isolation. Far from being a mere emotional inconvenience, loneliness has been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an “urgent global health threat,” while the [...]

Filipina Domestic Workers Navigate First Chuseok Holiday Amid Job Ambiguities

Filipina Domestic Workers Navigate First Chuseok Holiday Amid Job Ambiguities

SEOUL, Sept.17 (Korea Bizwire) – As South Korea celebrates its annual Chuseok harvest festival, a group of domestic workers from the Philippines, part of a new government initiative to address the country’s low birth rate, finds itself at a cultural crossroads. The program, launched on September 3 by the Ministry of Employment and Labor in conjunction [...]

Quirky Car Gadgets Gain Traction as Koreans Prepare for Chuseok Holiday Rush

Quirky Car Gadgets Gain Traction as Koreans Prepare for Chuseok Holiday Rush

SEOUL, Sept.17 (Korea Bizwire) – With millions of South Koreans gearing up for the annual Chuseok holiday exodus, online marketplaces are seeing a surge in sales of unconventional car accessories designed to make long journeys more comfortable. Gmarket, a popular e-commerce platform, reported a notable uptick in searches for portable urinals with the holiday approaching. Originally [...]

North Korea Embraces Dog Meat as Traditional Cuisine, Diverging from South’s Ban

North Korea Embraces Dog Meat as Traditional Cuisine, Diverging from South’s Ban

SEOUL, Sept.16 (Korea Bizwire) – In a stark contrast that highlights the growing cultural divide between North and South Korea, the consumption of dog meat has emerged as a contentious issue on the Korean peninsula. While South Korea has recently moved to prohibit the practice, North Korea continues to promote it as a cherished culinary tradition. [...]

South Korea’s Internet Cafes Face Decline as Mobile Gaming Surges

South Korea’s Internet Cafes Face Decline as Mobile Gaming Surges

SEOUL, Sept.16 (Korea Bizwire) – In a country once renowned for its vibrant PC gaming culture, South Korea’s internet cafes, known locally as PC bangs (PC rooms), are rapidly disappearing from the urban landscape. These establishments, which once served as sanctuaries for youth seeking refuge from family gatherings or adult supervision, are now falling victim to [...]

Soccer vs. K-Pop: Debate Erupts Over Use of Seoul World Cup Stadium

Soccer vs. K-Pop: Debate Erupts Over Use of Seoul World Cup Stadium

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Korea Bizwire) – A public controversy has erupted in South Korea over the use of Seoul World Cup Stadium, pitting soccer fans against K-pop enthusiasts in a debate that highlights the challenges of maintaining world-class sports facilities while accommodating the country’s booming entertainment industry. The dispute was sparked by complaints from the national [...]

South Korea’s Youth Embraces “Self-Analysis” Trend Through School Records

South Korea’s Youth Embraces “Self-Analysis” Trend Through School Records

SEOUL, Sept. 13 (Korea Bizwire) – A new social media phenomenon is sweeping across South Korea, with young adults eagerly accessing and sharing their school records online in a wave of nostalgic self-reflection.  The trend, particularly popular among the so-called MZ generation (Millennials and Gen Z), involves individuals retrieving their elementary, middle, and high school records [...]

Seoul to Expedite Verification of Ukishima Lists to Aid Victims’ Reparations: Official

Seoul to Expedite Verification of Ukishima Lists to Aid Victims’ Reparations: Official

SEOUL, Sept. 12 (Korea Bizwire) – The government will accelerate efforts to verify the lists received from Japan of Korean passengers killed in a controversial 1945 sinking of a Japanese vessel, to help with victims’ compensation, a Seoul official said Thursday. Last week, Japan gave South Korea 19 cases out of some 70 documents related [...]

South Korean Companies Embrace E-Sports to Foster Employee Bonding

South Korean Companies Embrace E-Sports to Foster Employee Bonding

SEOUL, Sept. 12 (Korea Bizwire) – In a bid to boost employee morale and bridge generational gaps, several South Korean companies are turning to an unlikely source: e-sports tournaments. These in-house gaming competitions are becoming increasingly popular as a means to promote teamwork and create a more relaxed corporate culture.  Hyundai Wia, a leading automotive parts [...]

Single-Person Households Expected to Exceed 40% of Total by 2052

Single-Person Households Expected to Exceed 40% of Total by 2052

SEOUL, Sept. 12 (Korea Bizwire) – The proportion of one-person households in South Korea is projected to surpass 40 percent in 2052 amid a delay in marriages and rapid aging, the statistics agency said Thursday. The number of households consisting of one member is forecast to reach 9.62 million in 2052, taking up 41.3 percent [...]