SEOUL, Aug. 24 (Korea Bizwire) – An increasing number of South Korean seniors are opting to begin receiving national pension payments earlier than the legal standard, with the cumulative count expected to surpass 1 million individuals. According to a report from the National Pension Research Institute, the count of senior citizens opting for early pension [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s household income fell 0.8 percent on-year in the second quarter of 2023 due to the drop in COVID-19-related subsidies and other state support, and the narrowed income gap between the haves and have-nots, data showed Thursday. The country’s households earned an average of 4.79 million won (US$3,613) [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — The impending release of contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant by the Japanese government has stirred significant distress among citizens and instilled a prevailing sense of crisis among business owners in South Korea. Many are openly expressing feelings of helplessness in light of this situation. This [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea held a nationwide air raid exercise for the first time in six years Thursday, with vehicles on designated roads ordered to pull over and people to evacuate to shelters or underground facilities. The 20-minute exercise, which kicked off at 2 p.m., came a day before the beginning [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — About one-third of households in South Korea with members in their 30s and 40s, along with children, purchased their initial home before marriage, a government think tank said Tuesday. The Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements conducted a survey involving 3,042 households whose members fall within the age range [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — Japan’s imminent release of treated radioactive water from its crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea has deepened concerns among South Koreans over the safety of seafood, and restaurant owners and fishermen are already feeling the pinch of the controversial discharge. Many here, in particular, are worried about [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean environmental groups staged protests Tuesday following Japan’s announcement of a plan to begin dumping radioactive water from its crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean this week. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said earlier in the day that Japan will begin releasing the water Thursday. A coalition [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — The so-called “vigilante YouTubers” are gaining popularity due to their determination to locate criminals and unveil the truth on behalf of law enforcement authorities. However, concerns arise that such actions might provoke witch-hunts or lead citizens to take the law into their own hands, fueled by violent video footage [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — A growing number of young South Koreans are struggling to cover even modest monthly interest payments due to job instability, data showed Tuesday. Some 24.5 percent of South Koreans in their 20s, who availed microloans for their sustenance, faced difficulties in meeting interest obligations as of Aug. 4, according [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s coffee imports have declined this year due to reduced global production, dampening the growth driven by coffee’s popularity in the country. The value of coffee imports for the country totaled US$646.7 million in the January-July period, marking a 9.5 percent decrease compared to the previous year, according [...]