SEOUL, June 10 (Korea Bizwire) — Transactions of over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives rose to the highest level last year, helped by a sharp increase in currency forwards and interest swaps, data showed Tuesday. The combined turnover of OTC derivatives, including stock options and interest rate swaps, came to 26,461 trillion won (US$19.41 trillion) last year, up [...]
SEOUL, June 10 (Korea Bizwire) — Despite its wealth of manufacturing data, South Korea lacks the standardization and integration infrastructure necessary to fully leverage industrial artificial intelligence (AI), according to a new report calling for more proactive engagement from both government and industry. In its latest publication, “AI-Driven Transformation of Korea’s Key Export Industries,” the [...]
SEOUL, June 10 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea will require manufacturers and importers of plastic toys to recover and recycle a portion of their products starting in 2026, under a revised regulation aimed at curbing plastic waste. The Ministry of Environment announced Monday that it will begin a 40-day legislative notice period on an amendment [...]
SEOUL, June 9 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s labor market showed clear signs of softening last month, with the number of job openings per job seeker hitting its lowest May level since the 1998 IMF crisis, and the growth in employment insurance enrollments falling to a five-year low, government data showed Monday. According to the [...]
SEOUL, June 9 (Korea Bizwire) — Elderly South Koreans with lower incomes are significantly more likely to eat meals alone—and that isolation is closely linked to higher levels of depression, a new academic study has found. Published in the latest issue of the Korean Journal of Gerontology, the study titled “A Path Analysis of Income, [...]
SEOUL, June 9 (Korea Bizwire) — More South Korean men are taking paternity leave, but the majority continue to come from large companies, highlighting persistent disparities in access to parental benefits based on workplace size, a new study has found. According to a report released Sunday by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, [...]
SEOUL, June 9 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean chip giant SK hynix Inc. ranked first in operating profit among 1,000 major listed firms here in 2024, surpassing its longtime rival Samsung Electronics Co. for the first time, a corporate tracker said Monday. According to CXO Institute, which surveyed the earnings results of the top 1,000 [...]
SEOUL, June 9 (Korea Bizwire) — Just days into his presidency, Lee Jae-myung is facing a cautiously optimistic public. According to a new Realmeter survey released Monday, nearly 6 in 10 South Koreans believe the newly inaugurated leader will perform well in managing state affairs. Yet the number reflects a more tempered confidence compared to [...]
SEOUL, June 9 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s rapidly aging population is reshaping the country’s most common reasons for hospitalization, overtaking once-dominant childbirth-related admissions, according to newly released health data. The Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) announced on June 8 that the most common cause of hospitalization covered by the national health insurance system [...]
SEOUL, June 9 (Korea Bizwire) — A majority of South Korean exporters recognize the need to employ artificial intelligence (AI) in their businesses to boost efficiency, but only a small fraction are actively utilizing the technology, a survey showed Monday. According to the survey conducted from Feb. 17-19 by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), [...]