SEOUL, May 30 (Korea Bizwire) — Smoking-related deaths in South Korea exceeded 70,000 in 2022, with the associated socioeconomic costs reaching 13.6 trillion won (approximately $10 billion), according to new government data released Friday. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said the figures were derived from an analysis of cohort studies and national mortality [...]
SEOUL, May 30 (Korea Bizwire) — A new study suggests that students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds in South Korea are significantly more likely to take multiple gap years (“N-sus”) and enter university through standardized test-based admissions — raising concerns that recent reforms aimed at fairness may be deepening educational inequality. According to a report published [...]
SEOUL, May 30 (Korea Biawire) — South Korea’s declining school-age population has led to a steady drop in university enrollment, with vocational and technical colleges bearing the brunt of the demographic shift. In response, universities are increasingly recruiting nontraditional students — including adult learners and international students — to fill empty seats, a new government [...]
SEOUL, May 29 (Korea Bizwire) — After three years of steady decline, exposure to secondhand smoke in South Korea is once again on the rise — particularly in indoor workplaces and public spaces — prompting renewed calls for stronger tobacco control measures. According to new data released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency [...]
SEOUL, May 29 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea has emerged as the world’s second-largest market for paid ChatGPT subscriptions, trailing only the United States, amid a dramatic surge in the use of generative AI services nationwide. According to the 2024 Intelligent Information Society User Panel Survey released Thursday by the Korea Communications Commission and the [...]
DAEGU, May 29 (Korea Bizwire) — At the 2025 International Fire Safety Expo in Daegu, South Korea, Hyundai Motor Group and the National Fire Agency unveiled a next-generation unmanned firefighting vehicle, drawing significant attention for its autonomous precision and disaster-response capabilities. The vehicle—developed by Hyundai Rotem and based on the multi-purpose unmanned platform HR-Sherpa—is designed [...]
SEOUL, May 29 (Korea Bizwire) — General Motors’ South Korean unit has announced plans to sell off domestic service centers and production facilities, fueling renewed speculation that the Detroit-based automaker may be preparing to wind down its presence in the country. On Thursday, GM Korea informed employees of its decision to divest nine company-owned service [...]
SEOUL, May 29 (Korea Bizwire) – K-pop boy group Seventeen placed third on Billboard’s 2025 midyear Top Tours chart, earning $120.9 million from ticket sales. According to Billboard’s midyear boxscore report released on Wednesday (U.S. time), Seventeen sold 842,000 tickets across 30 shows on its latest “Right Here” world tour legs. The report covers the [...]
SEOUL, May 29 (Korea Bizwire) — SM Entertainment will expand its strategic partnership with Tencent Music Entertainment Group, following the Chinese streaming giant’s move to become SM’s second-largest shareholder. SM announced Thursday it signed a memorandum of understanding with Tencent Music to broaden cooperation beyond music distribution. The partnership will include the co-production of new [...]
SEOUL, May 29 (Korea Bizwire) — J-Hope of K-pop supergroup BTS will release a new digital single next month, his agency said Thursday. The song titled “Killin’ It Girl (feat. GloRilla)” will drop June 13 at 1 p.m., according to BigHit Music. The agency described it as a hip-hop song that candidly captures the thrill [...]