SEOUL, May 16 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s rapidly increasing number of elderly self-employed workers—driven by baby boomer retirements and limited reemployment options—is emerging as a structural risk to the country’s financial stability and long-term economic growth, the Bank of Korea (BOK) said in a joint report with the Korea Development Institute (KDI) on Thursday. Released [...]
SEOUL, May 16 (Korea Bizwire) — As South Korea’s National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) prepares for the final appeal hearing in its landmark ₩53.3 billion ($39 million) lawsuit against tobacco companies, a new survey shows that nearly two-thirds of Koreans believe cigarette makers should be held financially responsible for medical costs linked to lung cancer. The [...]
WASHINGTON, May 15 (Korea Bizwire) — A majority of Americans believe that investments by South Korean companies in the United States are beneficial to the U.S. economy, according to a recent poll released by the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI), a Washington-based think tank. The survey, conducted by polling firm YouGov between December 17, 2024, and [...]
SEOUL, May 15 (Korea Bizwire) — Two years after the high-profile suicide of a young elementary school teacher at Seoul’s Seoi Elementary School sparked national outrage, according to new survey results released ahead of Teachers’ Day. A nationwide poll of 8,254 teachers conducted by the Korean Federation of Teachers’ Unions between April 23 and May 7 [...]
SEOUL, May 14 (Korea Bizwire) — Nearly 6 out of 10 South Korean companies report that new employees leave within one to three years of joining, underscoring growing concerns over early attrition in the workforce, according to a new survey released by HR tech firm Incruit. The study, based on responses from 446 HR professionals, found [...]
SEOUL, May 13 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s eco-friendly market has surged to a valuation of 34 trillion won (approximately $24.7 billion), but consumer participation in sustainable practices is on the decline, a new survey by the Korea Consumer Agency reveals. The nationwide study, which polled 3,200 adults, found that although 66.4% of respondents are currently [...]
SEOUL, May 12 (Korea Bizwire) — As South Korea grapples with the financial implications of its aging population, the government has released the nation’s first full-scale survey on so-called “dementia money”—the frozen assets held by elderly citizens with dementia—and experts are urging swift action modeled on Japan’s experience. According to the Presidential Committee on Aging Society [...]
SEOUL, May 12 (Korea Bizwire) — For the first time in nearly two decades, nuclear power has surpassed coal to become South Korea’s largest source of electricity, signaling a broader shift in the country’s energy landscape toward cleaner and more sustainable sources. According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s newly released 2024 Energy Supply [...]
SEOUL, May 12 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s birthrate continues to decline, but a growing number of unmarried adults now say they still intend to marry—offering a potential, if modest, glimmer of hope in the nation’s battle against population decline. According to a comprehensive 2024 survey released Sunday by the Korea Institute for Health and Social [...]
SEOUL, May 9 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean consumers reined in spending on everyday items and luxury goods in the first quarter of 2025, while showing a notable willingness to spend on travel-related expenses, according to new data from mobile analytics platform IGAWorks. The firm’s Mobile Index data, based on estimated credit and debit card transactions [...]