SEOUL, July 30 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s credit card spending rose sharply in the second quarter of 2025, buoyed by recovering consumer sentiment and optimism over potential economic stimulus measures in the second half of the year. According to data released Wednesday by the Credit Finance Association, total card-approved transactions reached 313 trillion won [...]
SEOUL, July 30 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea has one of the lowest numbers of practicing physicians among developed nations, but its citizens visit the doctor more often than anywhere else in the OECD, highlighting a paradox of limited manpower and high demand in the nation’s healthcare system. According to the OECD Health Statistics 2025 [...]
SEOUL, July 29 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s over-the-top (OTT) streaming market has firmly established itself as a new standard in media consumption, with more than 20 million monthly active users (MAUs) now regularly engaging with major platforms. According to new data released Tuesday by WiseApp Retail, a market analysis firm tracking real-time app and payment [...]
SEOUL, July 29 (Korea Bizwire) — In a nation known for its rigorous education system, even dogs are facing entrance exams. A growing number of South Korean dog daycare centers — dubbed “pet kindergartens” — are implementing admission tests to assess a dog’s socialization, obedience, and emotional stability before enrollment. The trend has sparked comparisons to [...]
SEOUL, July 29 (Korea Bizwire) — South Koreans are sleeping less, working and studying less, and spending more time consuming digital media than ever before, according to a new government survey tracking the nation’s evolving daily routines. The Statistics Korea report, released Monday, showed that for the first time since the time-use survey began in [...]
SEOUL, July 29 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean elementary school students are spending more time studying than ever, while their sleep and playtime continue to shrink, reflecting the intensifying pressure of early academic competition, according to new government data released Monday. The 2024 Time Use Survey by Statistics Korea found that elementary students now study [...]
SEOUL, July 29 (Korea Bizwire) — A sweltering heatwave over the weekend sent South Koreans flocking to air-conditioned department stores and shopping malls, leading to a double-digit surge in sales at major retailers. In contrast, large discount chains saw a dip in revenue, despite government-issued consumer coupons aimed at reviving domestic spending. According to industry data [...]
SEOUL, July 28 (Korea Bizwire) — For years, Samsung Electronics has reigned as the top choice among South Korean college students aspiring to land their first job. But that crown has now passed to another tech giant—SK hynix. In a shift that reflects the evolving aspirations of a new generation of job seekers, SK hynix has [...]
SEOUL, July 28 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s battery sector surged to the top of domestic stock performance rankings in July, buoyed by rising lithium prices and new U.S. trade actions against China. Yet individual investors are increasingly betting on a market correction, diverging sharply from the bullish stance of foreign institutions. According to data [...]
SEOUL, July 26 (Korea Bizwire) — As YouTube continues to dominate the global internet landscape—with over 20 trillion videos uploaded and 20 million more added daily—its influence in South Korea has become particularly pronounced. More than half of South Koreans (51%) now consume news via YouTube, significantly outpacing the global average of 31%, according to the [...]