SEOUL, Dec. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s ambitious “Blue Whale Project,” aimed at exploring oil and gas reserves off the coast of Pohang, is facing significant hurdles due to political turmoil, budget cuts, and opposition from local fishermen. The drilling vessel West Capella began operations on December 17, drilling 2 kilometers into the seabed at [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 19 (Korea Bizwire) — The proportion of unmarried individuals in their 40s increased 6.7 times for men and 5.7 times for women in 2020 compared with 20 years earlier, a government report showed Thursday, underscoring the trend of delayed marriages that is partly blamed for South Korea’s ultra-low birth rate. The growing trend [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 19 (Korea Bizwire) — Some 100 military vehicles and 12 Blackhawk helicopters were mobilized by the military for the short-lived martial law imposition on Dec. 3, an opposition lawmaker said Thursday. The list of mobilized equipment includes 107 vehicles, such as buses and armed tactical vehicles, as well as choppers that carried special [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 19 (Korea Bizwire) — The Constitutional Court is set to hold the first plenary meeting of its justices Thursday since receiving the National Assembly’s impeachment case against President Yoon Suk Yeol. The Council of Justices, which is held regularly and attended by all justices to discuss pending cases, is expected to deal with [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 19 (Korea Bizwire) — A shaman reportedly close to President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife attended his arrest warrant hearing at a court Thursday after being charged with receiving illegal political funds about six years ago. Jeon Seong-bae, also known as Geon Jin, was detained by prosecutors earlier this week on suspicion [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 19 (Korea Bizwire) — The Seoul city government on Thursday announced a list of civic representatives to take part in the bell-ringing ceremony in downtown Seoul at midnight on New Year’s Eve. The 11 civic bell ringers were selected from among some 90 people recommended by the public last month for overcoming adversity [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – Nearly one-third of South Korea’s small and medium-sized exporters report being negatively impacted by the country’s ongoing political turmoil, according to a survey conducted by the Korea Federation of SMEs. The survey, conducted from December 10 to 13 among 513 exporting SMEs, revealed that 26.3% of respondents had experienced [...]
SEJONG, Dec. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – Less than 20% of South Koreans moved up the income ladder in the past year, according to new data released by Statistics Korea on December 17, highlighting growing concerns about social mobility in the country. The comprehensive “Income Mobility Statistics 2017-2022″ report, which analyzed data from 11 million individuals, reveals [...]
SEJONG, Dec. 18 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s foreign workforce has reached a historic milestone, surpassing 1 million workers for the first time, with nearly half employed in mining and manufacturing sectors, according to government data released December 17. A Statistics Korea report on immigrant residency and employment showed that as of May, the number of [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Korea Bizwire) – In a controversial escalation, hardline conservative supporters of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol have compiled a “blacklist” of celebrities who have supported or participated in protests demanding the president’s impeachment. The list is being circulated on online forums, accompanied by calls for boycotts of products endorsed by these [...]