SEOUL, Nov. 16 (Korea Bizwire) – Applications for vouchers provided to pregnant women increased 8.1 percent from a year earlier in the first nine months of this year, data showed Sunday, in a possible sign of a continued rebound in the number of newborns in a country facing one of the world’s lowest birth rates. [...]
SEJONG, Nov. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — Fewer South Koreans say they plan to give anything back when they’re gone. Only about one in five now say they would leave part of their estate to society, the lowest share in more than a decade of record-keeping. The figure—22.2 percent, according to the National Data Agency’s latest Social [...]
SEOUL, Nov. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — Seoul has been ranked the world’s No. 2 destination for entertainment travel at Saudi Arabia’s inaugural TOURISE Awards, highlighting the city’s growing global appeal as a cultural and leisure hub, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Thursday. The awards, hosted by the Saudi Tourism Authority and backed by the Saudi government, [...]
SEOUL, Nov. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — A coalition of South Korean scholars and cultural heritage groups on Wednesday condemned Seoul City’s plan to allow high-rise construction near Jongmyo Shrine, warning that the move could damage the integrity of the UNESCO World Heritage site. At a joint press conference held in central Seoul, 27 academic societies—including [...]
SEOUL, Nov. 12 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea is preparing to roll out a sweeping plan this year to boost exports of its consumer goods, riding a wave of global enthusiasm for Korean food, beauty, and fashion, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said Wednesday. Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo outlined the strategy in a meeting [...]
SEOUL, Nov. 12 (Korea Bizwire) — A South Korean lawmaker has proposed a bill to punish so-called “extreme YouTubers” whose disruptive live broadcasts in public spaces have sparked growing complaints from residents and businesses. Rep. Seo Young-seok of the Democratic Party announced Monday that he had introduced a revision to the Criminal Act that would criminalize [...]
SEOUL, Nov. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s once-niche men’s cosmetics industry is rapidly emerging as a major growth engine for K-beauty, driven by changing attitudes toward grooming and self-care among younger male consumers. Once limited to simple skin lotion sets, the market has expanded to include makeup, fragrance, and scalp-care products as more men embrace [...]
SEOUL, Nov. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — A Seoul court has ruled that a Buddhist monk’s daily prayers and care for a temple’s head monk do not constitute “labor” under the law, rejecting his claim for nearly 700 million won (about US$510,000) in back pay and compensation. The Seoul Northern District Court on Sunday dismissed a [...]
CHUNCHEON, Nov. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — A South Korean court has ruled that a stepfather who nailed a window shut to stop his teenage stepson from opening it during winter did not commit emotional abuse, determining that the restriction was minimal and easily reversible. According to legal sources Sunday, the 51-year-old man, identified by his [...]
SEOUL, Nov. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s aging population is transforming the country’s food service industry, with leading catering companies pivoting toward senior housing and care facilities as a new growth market. According to industry officials, with the number of people aged 65 and older surpassing 10 million for the first time last year, [...]