SEOUL, Dec. 27 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s 10 largest conglomerates have nearly doubled their corporate bond issuance over the past two years to manage increasing financial burdens. However, with rising interest rates and tighter liquidity conditions, these firms face significant challenges in refinancing their debt, raising concerns about potential ripple effects in the country’s [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 27 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s elderly population is grappling with insufficient pension income, as nearly half of recipients receive less than 420,000 won ($290) monthly, according to a report released by Statistics Korea on Thursday. While 90% of the country’s seniors aged 65 and older collect at least one type of pension, [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 26 (Korea Bizwire) — Insurance payouts for small business closures in South Korea have reached a historic high of 1.3 trillion won in 2024, reflecting the deepening impact of the economic slowdown, according to the Korea Federation of SMEs. The federation reported on December 25 that payments under the “Yellow Umbrella” business closure insurance [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 26 (Korea Bizwire) – In 2025, South Koreans will see a number of small and big changes, including some that will improve convenience in their daily lives and some that may even lead to changes in how they live. Among Korean companies, CJ Logistics Corp. is set to take what may be the [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — Amid a surge in protests following the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol, calls for eco-friendly demonstration practices are gaining momentum in South Korea. Environmental activists and concerned citizens are urging organizers to minimize ecological harm during public rallies. The turning point came on December 14, when protesters released [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea has officially entered the ranks of a “super-aged society,” with one in five residents now aged 65 or older, sparking renewed debate over raising the official age threshold for seniors. The issue is tied to pressing concerns such as pension reform, retirement age extension, and the economic strain [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s manufacturing and export sectors, the backbone of its economy, are bracing for significant challenges in early 2025 due to rising global trade tensions and domestic political instability. Concerns are growing over protectionist policies from major economies, particularly under the incoming Trump administration, and a leadership void in [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 20 (Korea Bizwire) – In a landmark decision, South Korea’s Supreme Court has held the state accountable for inadequate accessibility for people with disabilities, ordering compensation and setting a precedent for broader systemic reform. On December 19, the court ruled that the government must pay KRW 100,000 (approximately $70) in damages to each plaintiff [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 20 (Korea Bizwire) – The proportion of never-married individuals in their 40s has increased dramatically in South Korea, with 23.6% of men and 11.9% of women remaining single in 2020 – representing a 6.7-fold and 5.7-fold increase respectively compared to 20 years ago, according to a new government report. Statistics Korea released these findings [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korean industry and academia have proposed creating a “KSMC” (Korea Semiconductor Manufacturing Company), modeled after Taiwan’s TSMC, to address challenges facing the nation’s semiconductor industry. The plan, revealed at a seminar held by the National Academy of Engineering of Korea (NAEK) on December 18, aims to build a [...]