SEOUL, Oct. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) pushed back on Monday against a recent study by domestic medical researchers suggesting that COVID-19 vaccines could increase the risk of cancer, saying the findings do not establish a causal link. “The mechanisms behind cancer development take years to identify,” a [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — Seoul residents who fear accidental drug exposure during overseas travel, such as over the Chuseok holiday, can undergo free and anonymous drug testing at local public health centers, the city government said Monday. The Seoul Metropolitan Government operates the program across all 25 district health centers, offering tests for [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — As South Korea embraces an era of 10 million companion animals, the government is moving to allow pets inside restaurants and cafes — a proposal that has sparked both enthusiasm and concern over hygiene, safety, and social friction. Under current food sanitation laws, animals are prohibited from entering dining [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — While much of the world races to unlock the economic and therapeutic potential of medical cannabis, South Korea remains mired in outdated regulations that treat even non-psychoactive compounds as narcotics. Lawmakers and experts warn that this rigid stance is stifling domestic innovation, draining public healthcare funds, and pushing patients [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — After decades as a gatekeeper of content, South Korea’s Game Rating and Administration Committee (GRAC) is undergoing a transformation — from a censorship-era pre-screening body into a modern agency focused on post-release oversight and player protection. Under the reforms, GRAC will delegate most general game ratings to private organizations while [...]
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 (Korea Bizwire) – A leading Washington think tank has warned that South Korea’s reluctance to challenge China militarily or economically could complicate U.S. strategy in Asia, even as it praised Seoul’s technological prowess as vital to the allies’ shared interests in an era of intensifying competition with Beijing. In a report released Wednesday [...]
Government Kicks Off “New Leap Fund” to Wipe Out Old Debts for Over 1 Million Borrowers SEOUL, Oct. 8 (Korea Bizwire) — The South Korean government has launched a new debt relief initiative aimed at helping long-term defaulters rebuild their financial lives, but officials face a key hurdle in securing cooperation from private lenders that [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 8 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea is turning to artificial intelligence to address a mounting environmental challenge: the massive volume of discarded clothing fueled by fast fashion. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment announced Wednesday that it will invest 25 billion won ($18 million) through 2030—including 17.5 billion won in government funding—to [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — A proposed bill that would make it illegal to create or distribute sexually explicit material using artificial intelligence (AI)–generated virtual characters is sparking intense public debate in South Korea, reflecting growing unease over the boundaries of technology and expression. The amendment to the Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 7 (Korea Bizwire) – The government has raised businesses’ mandatory hiring rate for people with disabilities to up to 4 percent to help expand their job opportunities. Under new measures announced by the labor ministry on Oct. 1, private sector businesses will be required to fill 3.5 percent of their workforce with people [...]