SEOUL, Jan. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — Nearly half of South Korean workers are unable to freely use their paid annual leave, according to a survey released on January 5th by Workplace Gapjil 119, a civic group advocating for employee rights. The survey, conducted in September 2024 by Global Research, polled 1,000 workers nationwide. Only 50.1% [...]
BUSAN, Jan. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — Veterinary healthcare workers in Busan are raising alarms about radiation exposure during routine animal CT scans, highlighting growing occupational safety concerns in the city’s burgeoning pet care industry. “Unlike human patients, animals need to be physically restrained during CT scans, which means our hands are routinely exposed to radiation,” a [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Korea Bizwire) – The average daily wage in South Korea’s construction industry will increase by approximately 2% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, according to data released by the Korea Construction Association on January 1. The findings are based on a September 2024 survey of [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Korea Bizwire) — A South Korean court has ruled that informal discussions about start dates and verbal indications of potential job acceptance following an interview do not constitute a binding employment contract. The decision also clarified that rescinding such offers does not qualify as unfair dismissal. On Monday, 2024, the Seoul Administrative [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 30 (Korea Bizwire) — As the won-dollar exchange rate soars to nearly 1,500 won, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in South Korea are grappling with mounting challenges, including volatile currency markets and the looming enforcement of stricter labor regulations. The steep rise in the exchange rate—up from the 1,300-won range earlier this year—has [...]
GUMI, Dec. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — On Christmas morning, hundreds of bottles of drinking water were delivered to the Korean Optical High Tech factory in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, where two dismissed workers have been staging a grueling rooftop sit-in protest for 352 days. The delivery was a result of a spontaneous nationwide campaign sparked [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — According to life-cycle statistics for 2023 released by Statistics Korea on December 23, one in three South Koreans aged 65 and above are now employed, while about 80% of both young (15-39) and elderly households consist of one or two people. The administrative data, compiled from various government departments and [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 20 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea will admit 130,000 foreign workers under the Employment Permit System (EPS) in 2025, a 21% reduction from this year’s 165,000 quota, according to the Ministry of Employment and Labor. The decision reflects changing labor demand due to economic shifts and increased reliance on alternative visa programs, such as [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 20 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s Supreme Court ruled on December 19 that conditional regular bonuses, tied to employment status or minimum workdays, must be included in the calculation of ordinary wages. This landmark decision overturns a 2013 precedent that required bonuses to meet strict “fixed” payment criteria to qualify, sparking significant debate [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 20 (Korea Bizwire) – A recent South Korean Supreme Court ruling, allowing nurses to perform bone marrow aspiration procedures under general supervision, has ignited sharp divisions among medical professionals, nurses, and patient advocacy groups. The ruling coincides with ongoing discussions on the implementation of the Nursing Act, set to take effect in June 2025. [...]