SEOUL, Sept. 27 (Korea Bizwire) — The government plans to invest 3.3 trillion won (US$2.5 billion) of its health insurance funding annually over the next five years to reform tertiary care hospitals to better prioritize the treatment of critically ill patients, the interior minister said Friday. Minister Lee Sang-min made the remarks during a government [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 27 (Korea Bizwire) — Only 143 out of about 3,000 juvenile offenders found guilty of sexual crimes last year were sent to youth correction facilities, with a majority of them getting lighter punishment, Supreme Court data showed Friday. According to the Supreme Court’s 2024 judicial almanac, a total of 3,701 teenagers were tried [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 27 (Korea Bizwire) – The 2024 Miss Korea Pageant, held on September 24 at COEX in Seoul’s Gangnam district, has come under fire for posing a controversial question about deepfake technology to contestants. The question, “If you appear more attractive in a deepfake video, how would you reduce the gap with your real self?” [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 26 (Korea Bizwire) – The South Korean government has announced a comprehensive plan to phase out the country’s dog meat industry by 2027, allocating more than 100 billion won in next year’s budget to support the closure of nearly 6,000 dog meat businesses nationwide. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs unveiled its [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 26 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea will create a new visa program to attract foreign workers specializing in high-tech industries, the government said Thursday, as the country prepares for a society with a growing foreign population. Justice Minister Park Sung-jae announced the plan as part of a new immigration policy aimed at enhancing social [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 26 (Korea Bizwire) – North Korea has experienced a rapid surge in smartphone adoption since easing pandemic-related lockdowns two years ago, with a recent analysis suggesting that the number of smartphone users in the country may have reached up to 7 million. Martin Williams, a researcher at the U.S. think tank Crimson Center, published [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 26 (Korea Bizwire) — The government and the ruling People Power Party (PPP) agreed Thursday to provide new scholarships to 1,000 graduate students in science and engineering fields from next year. A scholarship of 5 million won (US$3,750) will be granted to each student annually as part of efforts to foster talents in [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 26 (Korea Bizwire) – A recent government report has revealed significant disparities in the availability and cost of postpartum care centers across South Korea, highlighting concerns about equitable access to maternal health services. According to data obtained by Democratic Party lawmaker Park Hee-seung from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, over half of the [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 26 (Korea Bizwire) – A recent survey has revealed a concerning trend in South Korean media: the gradual reduction of dedicated science sections and specialized science reporting teams in newsrooms across the country. The Korea Science Journalists Association (KSJA) released these findings on September 25 as part of its “Survey on the Current State [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Korea Bizwire) – The government will work to further advance its evaluation system for policy loans to startup businesses, a move aimed at identifying areas that can make the most out of the much-needed funds, the vice chief of the financial regulator said Wednesday. Kim So-young, deputy head of the Financial Services [...]