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Workers at Small Firms Report Lower Job Satisfaction, Weaker Labor Protections, Survey Finds

Workers at Small Firms Report Lower Job Satisfaction, Weaker Labor Protections, Survey Finds

SEOUL,  Jan. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — Employees at smaller companies in South Korea are significantly less satisfied with their jobs and more likely to experience violations of labor laws than those at larger firms, according to a new survey released on Sunday by the civic group Workplace Bullying 119. The survey, conducted by Global Research between [...]

Korea Mandates More English Filings, Moves Ahead With Pro-Labor Reforms

Korea Mandates More English Filings, Moves Ahead With Pro-Labor Reforms

SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Korea Bizwire) —  A broader swath of South Korean companies will soon be required to file regulatory disclosures in English, a move aimed at opening the country’s capital markets further to foreign investors, even as a newly enacted pro-labor law is set to raise compliance risks for businesses. Beginning May 1, the Financial [...]

Demand for Skilled Talent Grows in Korea, With Chips and Bio Leading Gains

Demand for Skilled Talent Grows in Korea, With Chips and Bio Leading Gains

SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Korea Bizwire) — The number of high-skilled workers in South Korea grew for the fourth consecutive year in 2024, with such jobs in the semiconductor sector increasing by the most, government data showed Wednesday. The total number of industrial technology workers stood at 1.74 million as of end-2024, up 1.1 percent from [...]

Coupang Rejects Rights Panel Call to Expand Hiring of Foreign Delivery Workers

Coupang Rejects Rights Panel Call to Expand Hiring of Foreign Delivery Workers

SEOUL, Dec. 26 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s National Human Rights Commission said on Friday that Coupang, the country’s largest e-commerce platform, has refused to comply with its recommendation to broaden the hiring of foreign delivery workers, adding to scrutiny already facing the company over a recent personal data leak. The commission said it decided [...]

As Korea Attracts More Global Talent, Foreign Employment Reaches Historic High

As Korea Attracts More Global Talent, Foreign Employment Reaches Historic High

SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — The number of foreign workers in South Korea surpassed 1.1 million in 2025 to reach a record high, with the proportion of employed international students also sharply up, a survey showed Thursday. As of May, there were 1.69 million foreigners aged 15 or older residing in Korea, up 8.4 [...]

Seoul Aims to Build an AI-Ready Workforce With Massive Training Push

Seoul Aims to Build an AI-Ready Workforce With Massive Training Push

SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea plans to provide artificial intelligence (AI) job-training to more than one million people by 2030, the government announced Thursday, outlining an expansive workforce initiative aimed at preparing the labor market for rapid technological change. The Ministry of Employment and Labor unveiled the plan — titled the “AI+ Competency-Up [...]

Foreign Workers in Korea to Gain Online System for Mandatory Job Reporting

Foreign Workers in Korea to Gain Online System for Mandatory Job Reporting

SEOUL, Dec. 16 (Korea Bizwire) —  Starting January 2, South Korea will allow foreign residents to file mandatory employment information online, easing a long-standing administrative burden, the Ministry of Justice said Tuesday. Foreign nationals engaged in profit-making work are legally required to report their occupation and income, and to file updates within 15 days of [...]

As Regions Empty Out, Koreans Point to ‘No Good Jobs’ as the Root Cause

As Regions Empty Out, Koreans Point to ‘No Good Jobs’ as the Root Cause

SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Korea Bizwire) — As demographic decline accelerates across South Korea, a new national survey suggests that a lack of appealing jobs is the single most important reason people are leaving regional areas — and choosing not to raise children there. The Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA) released the findings Thursday [...]

Seoul Ends Pilot Discussions on How AI Will Transform Labor in IT, Media and Law

Seoul Ends Pilot Discussions on How AI Will Transform Labor in IT, Media and Law

SEOUL, Dec. 11 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s Presidential Committee on the Fourth Industrial Revolution (National AI Strategy Committee) has wrapped up a series of structured deliberation sessions designed to assess how artificial intelligence will reshape professional roles and employment, the committee said Tuesday. The talks, held between late October and early December, brought together practitioners [...]

Coupang Data Breach Raises Scrutiny of Foreign Developer Hiring, Including Large China-Based Teams

Coupang Data Breach Raises Scrutiny of Foreign Developer Hiring, Including Large China-Based Teams

SEOUL, Dec. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang is facing intensifying scrutiny after a major data leak revealed that significant portions of its Korean-language service were built and maintained by foreign developers, including sizable teams based in China. The primary suspect in the breach is a former Chinese employee who worked on the [...]