SEOUL, March 27 (Korea Bizwire) — On weekends, 55-year-old Jang Mo clocks into a small dessert café in Seoul not for a paycheck, but for family. She spends 12 hours a day pulling espresso shots, washing dishes, and scrubbing floors—all to support her daughter’s dream of running a successful bakery. But dreams, Jang has learned, [...]
SEOUL, May 26 (Korea Bizwire) — The overall happiness of children in South Korea has improved steadily over the past decade, but significant disparities remain based on household income and family structure, according to a government-backed study released on Sunday. The Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA) published findings showing that the average [...]
SEOUL, May 26 (Korea Bizwwire) — A set of prehistoric petroglyphs located in southeastern South Korea is likely to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, people familiar with the matter said Monday. The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), an advisory body to UNESCO, has recommended the inclusion of the Petroglyphs along [...]
SEOUL, May 26 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea is the only major OECD economy where the proportion of youth not in education, employment, or training (NEET) has increased over the past decade, according to a new government-backed study. The country’s NEET rate remains significantly above the OECD average, raising fresh concerns about barriers to labor market [...]
PARIS, May 26 (Korea Bizwire) — Renowned Korean soprano Sumi Jo received France’s Commandeur of the Order of Arts and Letters on Monday in recognition of her contributions to French arts and culture. The 62-year-old soprano was awarded the highest rank of the three-tier honor from the French Ministry of Culture during an award ceremony [...]
SEOUL, May 26 (Korea Bizwire) — U.S. artificial intelligence (AI) company OpenAI on Monday announced it will begin operations in South Korea as part of its ongoing global expansion of AI infrastructure. Jason Kwon, chief strategy officer at OpenAI, said OpenAI has established a Korean unit and plans to open its first Korean office in Seoul. “Our next international office is going to be here in Seoul,” Kwon told reporters in Seoul, adding the Seoul office will be OpenAI’s third Asian branch following those in [...]
SEOUL, May 26 (Korea Bizwire) — A growing number of South Korea’s elite police academy graduates are leaving their posts to enter law schools, raising questions about the integrity of public investment in the Korea National Police University (KNPU) and prompting calls for institutional reform. This year alone, at least 81 KNPU alumni were admitted to [...]
SEOUL, May 26 (Korea Bizwire) — When 29-year-old logistics worker Min-jun Lee came down with a high fever and chills last winter, he knew he needed rest. What he didn’t have, however, was a choice. “There’s no such thing as paid sick leave in my job,” he said. “If I don’t show up, I don’t [...]
SEOUL, May 26 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea is facing a rapid rise in the prevalence of synthetic drugs, with new narcotics such as synthetic cannabis and ketamine accounting for nearly 35% of all confiscated substances in 2024, up nearly fourfold from 9.7% in 2019, according to a new government report. The National Forensic Service (NFS), [...]
ULLEUNG, South Korea, May 24 (Korea Bizwire) — A group of students and teachers from an international school in Qingdao, China, has completed a historic visit to South Korea’s easternmost islands, Ulleungdo and Dokdo, as part of a cross-cultural educational exchange. According to Ulleung County and the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST), 52 [...]