SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Korea Bizwire) – In a significant move to address electronic waste, South Korea’s Ministry of Environment announced on September 24 that it would broaden the scope of its recycling program to encompass a wider range of electronic devices, including Bluetooth earphones, clothes dryers, and electric scooters. The change, set to take effect in [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Korea Bizwire) – As the South Korean government moves to address medical shortages by allowing foreign-licensed doctors to practice, new data reveals that only 54.5% of foreign medical school graduates passed a key qualifying exam, raising concerns about the quality of care such a policy might introduce. The preliminary examination for medical licenses, [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – Police will invest 9.1 billion won (US$6.8 million) over the next three years to develop technology for detecting deepfake, voice cloning and other fabricated content, the police agency said Thursday. The National Police Agency announced the investment as part of its budget plan for next year, which totals 13.54 [...]
SEOUL, Sept.17 (Korea Bizwire) – The National Police Agency of South Korea has closed over 200 police substations (police box or police stand) since announcing a nationwide closure plan last October, according to recent data. The closures, which have disproportionately affected Seoul, reflect an apparent sensitivity to concerns about potential security gaps in certain areas. Representative [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 12 (Korea Bizwire) – A new enforcement decree will go into effect next week, permitting firms to collect personal information necessary for service provision without users’ consent, officials said Thursday. The Personal Information Protection Commission said a new enforcement decree on personal data protection will take effect starting Sunday. Currently, online businesses are [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Korea Bizwire) – The financial regulator said Wednesday it will work to strengthen punishment for illegal money lending businesses and nullify their very contracts that are deemed antisocial. The move follows a recent spike in the number of complaints against loan sharks, which jumped from 10,350 in 2022 to 12,884 last year, [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Korea Bizwire) – The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on September 10 that it will extend its Neighborhood Pet Care Center service to single-person households, broadening support for pet owners who need to leave their animals for extended periods. This initiative, coming just before the Chuseok holiday, widens the eligibility criteria from the previous [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Korea Bizwire) – Parents who have at least 30 million won (US$22,336) in unpaid child support or default on such payments three times or more will be subject to penalties, such as overseas travel bans and driver’s license suspension, the gender ministry said Tuesday. Such punitive measures were made possible as the [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Korea Bizwire) – In a tech-savvy approach to curbing public smoking, Seoul’s Seocho District is launching an innovative QR code-based service on September 9 to help residents and visitors locate designated smoking and non-smoking areas. The service, which expands on a pilot program initiated last year, allows users to scan QR codes on [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Korea Bizwire) – President Yoon Suk Yeol said Tuesday the government will temporarily raise health insurance payments to hospitals for the upcoming Chuseok holiday to better reward their services and to prevent disruptions in emergency medical care. During a Cabinet meeting, Yoon addressed concerns over possible disruptions to the medical system during [...]