SEOUL, March 1 (Korea Bizwire) — In an effort to curb noise pollution and protect residents’ rights, Seoul’s Jongno District has implemented a new policy restricting tourist access to Bukchon Hanok Village after 5 p.m. The policy, which took effect on March 1, designates a 34,000-square-meter area as a ‘Red Zone,’ where visitors are only allowed [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 28 (Korea Bizwire) — The South Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs announced an ambitious five-year animal welfare plan on February 27 that includes banning convicted animal abusers from owning pets and increasing fines for animal abandonment to 5 million won, marking a significant shift in the country’s approach to animal protection. [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 28 (Korea Bizwire) – The Seoul city government said Friday it will formally implement a policy to restrict tourist visits to a special management area of the city’s historic Bukchon Hanok Village, beginning March 1, and start to impose fines on violators. Under the policy meant to address overtourism, tourists are allowed to [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 27 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s National Assembly passed the so-called ‘K-Chips Act’ on February 27, expanding tax benefits for semiconductor companies in a move aimed at strengthening the nation’s global competitiveness in chip manufacturing. The legislation comes at a crucial time as geopolitical uncertainties, including the new U.S. administration’s trade policies, add pressure [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea will work to develop reference materials for advanced strategic industries, such as semiconductor and battery, by 2028 as part of efforts to strengthen its global competitiveness in the sectors, the industry ministry said Tuesday. The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) will be in charge of [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — The Seoul Metropolitan Government has announced plans to become the first local government in South Korea to develop and publish a “coexistence index” that will evaluate delivery platforms on their commitment to fair business practices and cooperation with small businesses. The initiative, aimed at curbing excessive commission fees and preventing [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — In a move to curb China’s aggressive low-cost steel exports, the South Korean government has announced plans to impose anti-dumping tariffs of up to 38% on Chinese heavy steel plates. The decision, made on February 20, comes amid concerns over persistent oversupply from China and the looming impact of U.S. [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea will push to develop its own version of ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot created by U.S.-based OpenAI, acting President Choi Sang-mok said Thursday, pledging full-scale government support for research and development (R&D). Choi made the remarks during a high-level committee meeting aimed at positioning South Korea [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea will acquire 18,000 high-performance graphics processing units (GPUs) by the first half of next year to enhance the country’s artificial intelligence (AI) computing capabilities, the science ministry said Thursday. The government initially plans to secure 10,000 GPUs within this year for the launch of a new national [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — In a move to ease burdensome regulations, the South Korean government has approved guidelines allowing bakeries to provide complimentary birthday candles with cake purchases, addressing a peculiar regulatory oversight that had technically criminalized the common practice. Until now, birthday candles were classified as “household chemical products,” making their distribution — [...]