SEOUL, Dec. 5 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s Ministry of Environment announced plans to revise regulations governing saline wastewater discharge from secondary battery production, aiming to better assess its ecological impact on marine environments. The proposed amendments to the Water Environment Conservation Act and the Sewerage Act will be open for public comment starting December [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 4 (Korea Bizwire) — The unification ministry said Wednesday it will focus on stably managing the situation with North Korea while adhering to its principle-based policy toward Pyongyang, following the short-lived declaration of martial law. The ministry released the statement after a meeting of senior officials, presided over by Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho, [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 3 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea has officially launched a project to develop Tech-GPT, an AI-powered platform designed to explore global technologies, companies, and talent, leveraging generative AI capabilities. The Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy announced on Tuesday that it held a signing ceremony for the Tech-GPT project in collaboration with the Korea [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 3 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea is introducing stricter penalties for crimes involving the unauthorized transfer of defense industry technology abroad, reflecting heightened concerns over national security. The Ministry of National Defense and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration announced on Tuesday that amendments to the Defense Industry Technology Protection Act were promulgated and will [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 3 (Korea Bizwire) – Starting January 1, 2025, South Korea will waive out-of-pocket costs for cesarean section deliveries, addressing a longstanding disparity in childbirth-related healthcare expenses. The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on Tuesday that an amendment to the National Health Insurance Act Enforcement Decree, which includes this provision, was approved during a [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Korea Bizwire) – Seoul has launched its annual Fine Dust Seasonal Management Program, introducing strict measures to reduce air pollution during the winter months. Effective from December through March, vehicles classified as emissions grade 5—the highest polluters—are banned from operating on weekdays between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m., unless equipped with eco-friendly modifications. [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — Long-distance freight transport using autonomous vehicles will begin trial operations on highways as part of an initiative to promote self-driving technology, the transport ministry said Monday. The ministry said it designated six new autonomous vehicle test zones, including those on major highways and areas in the cities of Suwon, [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s oceans ministry said Monday that it plans to implement an enhanced crackdown on Chinese boats fishing illegally in the West Sea this week in cooperation with the Coast Guard. The country will work to round up boats fishing or operating illegally in South Korea’s Exclusive Economic Zone [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC) is taking action against Coupang, Naver, and Market Kurly for allegedly hindering consumers from canceling their paid memberships. Coupang, in particular, faces additional scrutiny for using deceptive “dark patterns” in its membership pricing and cancellation processes. Coupang’s “Wow Membership” program allegedly made mid-term cancellations [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Korea Bizwire) – In response to a proposal by the Seoul Metropolitan Government to allow foreign workers on E-9 non-professional employment visas to drive village buses, the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced it cannot accommodate the request under current regulations, citing safety and legal concerns. The ministry suggested the matter be addressed [...]