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Nearly 5% of South Koreans Identified as Socially Isolated, Study Finds

Nearly 5% of South Koreans Identified as Socially Isolated, Study Finds

SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — Nearly one in 20 South Koreans has limited monthly social interaction through mobile communications, highlighting a growing segment of the population at risk of social isolation, according to a government-backed data analysis released on Monday. The findings, published by the National Data Agency, mark the first nationwide statistical attempt to [...]

‘Chicken Republic’ Reaches a Turning Point With 30,000 Franchise Stores Nationwide

‘Chicken Republic’ Reaches a Turning Point With 30,000 Franchise Stores Nationwide

SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Korea Bizwire) —  South Korea’s fried chicken industry has crossed a symbolic threshold, with the number of franchise outlets nationwide surpassing 30,000 for the first time, even as signs of market saturation intensify and growth prospects dim at home. According to the National Data Policy Agency’s 2024 Franchise Statistics released on December [...]

Survey Finds Widespread Barriers to Annual Leave Use Among Korean Employees

Survey Finds Widespread Barriers to Annual Leave Use Among Korean Employees

SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — Nearly one in three South Korean workers say they cannot freely use their paid annual leave, according to a new survey by a civic advocacy group, highlighting persistent gaps between labor law protections and workplace realities. The findings, released Sunday by Workplace Abuse 119 (Gabjil119), are based on a poll [...]

Long-Term Foreign Population in South Korea Surpasses 1.6 Million, Data Show

Long-Term Foreign Population in South Korea Surpasses 1.6 Million, Data Show

SEOUL, Dec. 27 (Korea Bizwire) — The number of foreigners staying in South Korea for 90 days or longer for work or study has exceeded 1.6 million as of November, with about half of them living in the greater Seoul area, data showed Saturday. The figure, which came in at 1.1 million in 2021 and [...]

Teens Who Experience School Violence Are Far More Likely to Harm Parents, Research Shows

Teens Who Experience School Violence Are Far More Likely to Harm Parents, Research Shows

SEOUL, Dec. 26 (Korea Bizwire) —  A significant share of South Korean adolescents who have experienced school violence have also engaged in violence against their parents, according to a new academic study, underscoring concerns that trauma suffered at school can spill over into the home and pointing to the need for family-based interventions. The findings, [...]

Korea’s Birth Uptick Loses Steam as Demographic Pressures Persist

Korea’s Birth Uptick Loses Steam as Demographic Pressures Persist

SEOUL, Dec. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea recorded a 16th consecutive month of year-on-year growth in births in October, but the pace of increase slowed to its weakest level this year, underscoring how fragile the country’s demographic rebound remains. A total of 21,958 babies were born in October, a 2.5 percent increase from a [...]

Chinese Nationals Dominate Foreign-Owned Small Businesses in South Korea, Study Finds

Chinese Nationals Dominate Foreign-Owned Small Businesses in South Korea, Study Finds

SEOUL, Dec. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — More than seven in 10 foreign nationals running small businesses in South Korea are Chinese, highlighting the growing role of Chinese entrepreneurs in the country’s local service economy, according to a new report released Tuesday. An analysis by the Korea Immigration Policy Institute found that Chinese nationals accounted for 72.5 [...]

As Korea Attracts More Global Talent, Foreign Employment Reaches Historic High

As Korea Attracts More Global Talent, Foreign Employment Reaches Historic High

SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — The number of foreign workers in South Korea surpassed 1.1 million in 2025 to reach a record high, with the proportion of employed international students also sharply up, a survey showed Thursday. As of May, there were 1.69 million foreigners aged 15 or older residing in Korea, up 8.4 [...]

Home-Based Care in High Demand, but Local Governments Seen as Unprepared

Home-Based Care in High Demand, but Local Governments Seen as Unprepared

SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Korea Bizwire) — Most South Koreans want to remain in their homes or local communities as they age or face illness, but many say the country’s local care systems are not prepared to support that preference, according to a new nationwide survey released Tuesday. The survey of 1,500 adults, conducted earlier this month [...]

A Generation Losing Faith: Young Koreans Report Deep Dissatisfaction With Work and Life

A Generation Losing Faith: Young Koreans Report Deep Dissatisfaction With Work and Life

SEOUL, Dec. 16 (Korea Bizwire) — Young South Koreans are reporting strikingly low levels of life satisfaction compared with their global peers, revealing a generational mood shaped as much by economic pressure as by a sense of dwindling possibility. A government report released Tuesday shows that among waged workers ages 19 to 34, only 36 percent [...]