SEOUL, April 17 (Korea Bizwire) — In a move to strengthen protections for crime victims, South Korea’s Supreme Prosecutors’ Office and the Ministry of Employment and Labor have jointly revised internal guidelines to make it easier for affected workers to receive unemployment benefits. Announced on April 16, the new policy allows individuals who leave their jobs [...]
SEOUL, April 16, (Korea Bizwire) — A large majority of South Korean small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) employing foreign workers under the country’s Employment Permit System expressed satisfaction with the current framework, despite persistent concerns about language barriers and bureaucratic complexity, a new survey shows. According to the Korea Federation of SMEs, 86.8 percent of [...]
YEONGAM, South Korea, April 14 (Korea Bizwire) — The death of a 28-year-old Nepali migrant worker in Yeongam, South Jeolla Province, has sparked national concern and renewed calls for labor reform, as rights groups accuse his former employer of sustained abuse and exploitation. The worker, identified only as Mr. A, was found dead in February 2025 [...]
SEOUL, April 14 (Korea Bizwire) — As South Korea enters an early presidential race, a recent survey has revealed that the top policy demand among labor experts is the full application of the Labor Standards Act to all workers, including those at small businesses and in freelance or non-standard roles. In a poll conducted by labor [...]
SEOUL, April 7 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s largest banks posted record-breaking profits in 2024, yet their hiring of entry-level employees remained flat or declined, drawing criticism for neglecting their social responsibility to create jobs—particularly for young job seekers facing a worsening employment climate. According to data obtained by Rep. Kim Hyun-jung of the National [...]
SEOUL, April 6 (Korea Bizwire) — National certification exams in forest and plant protection are seeing a steady rise in popularity, fueled largely by a surge in applicants in their 50s and 60s preparing for post-retirement careers. According to data released by the Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRDK), older adults are not only driving [...]
SEOUL, April 5 (Korea Bizwire) — The impeachment and removal of former President Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday has thrown the South Korean government’s labor reform agenda into disarray, raising uncertainty over the future of key workplace policies just as the country enters a snap presidential election cycle. While the ruling party had continued to push [...]
ANDONG•YEONGYANG, South Korea, April 2 (Korea Bizwire) — As South Korea continues to assess the devastation caused by last month’s historic wildfires across five counties in North Gyeongsang Province—Uiseong, Andong, Yeongyang, Cheongsong, and Yeongdeok—stories of overlooked victims are beginning to emerge, particularly among the region’s foreign residents. According to the Ministry of Justice, more than 6,000 foreign nationals, [...]
SEOUL, April 1 (Korea Bizwire) — A recent South Korean Supreme Court ruling requiring companies to include conditional regular bonuses in base wages is placing significant financial pressure on employers, particularly smaller firms, according to a new survey released Sunday by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI). The emergency survey, conducted 100 days after [...]
SEOUL, April 1 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s largest companies are increasingly moving beyond traditional job postings, adopting more proactive hiring strategies such as headhunting and direct sourcing to secure talent, according to new government data. The findings, released Sunday by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Korea Employment Information Service, come from the [...]