Twenty years ago, the wage level of workers in South Korea was not even half of that in Japan, but now it has surpassed Japan. The wage gap between large, medium, and small-sized enterprises has further widened due to the cumulative wage increases in large companies.On March 17, the Korea Enterprise
Big South Korean companies are exiting China one after another. Business uncertainties are being fueled by fiercer competition and declining profitability in the Chinese market coupled with the U.S. government’s checks on China and policy changes by Chinese government authorities.Lotte Chemical sold
On March 13, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to ban TikTok, a Chinese video platform, from being downloaded in the United States due to security concerns. The bill was approved with an overwhelming majority of 352 votes in favor and 65 against. Europe is also engulfed in national sec
Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun met with Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a close confidant of former President Trump.According to industry reports on March 12, Chung met with Sanders during her visit to Korea and discussed possible cooperation between the two sides. He was accom
The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced on March 12 that it appointed Vice Chairman Cho Hyun-sang of Hyosung as the new chairman of the Korea-Vietnam Economic Cooperation Committee on March 11.The Korea-Vietnam Economic Cooperation Committee was jointly established by the Korea Chamber
Korea and ASEAN member countries are meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, on March 12 to assess the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and discuss measures for upgrading the agreement.The Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy announced that it will host the Korea-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement
The number of properties purchased by foreigners exceeded 15,000 in Korea in 2023, marking a new high of foreigner real estate buyers on record.According to the latest data on buyers applying for registrations of ownership transfer after purchases and sale on the court registration information plaza
The Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) announced on March 10 that they held the Korea-UAE Future Technology Partnership Plaza in Dubai of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for two days from March 6 to 8.The event was held to sho
It has been revealed that the hourly wages of domestic helpers in South Korea are more than four times higher than in neighboring countries such as Hong Kong and Taiwan. In an effort to alleviate the burden of caregiving services, which is considered one of the causes of low birth rates, the Bank of
The government has increased the budget for cash support for foreign investment from 50 billion won (US$37.64 million) last year to 200 billion won this year, marking a fourfold increase.The Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE) announced that it held the 114th meeting of Foreign Investmen
Only 14 percent of South Koreans work in large companies, versus 58 percent of Americans.Koh Young-sun, a senior research fellow at the Korea Development Institute (KDI), presented this statistic in a report titled “A Need for More Large-Company Jobs” released on Feb. 27, emphasizing the need to exp
Since taking office in early July 2022, Ongjin County Mayor Moon Kyung-bok has been busy listening to the voices of his residents. This has been producing remarkable positive results.In 2023, Ongjin County paved the way for a new leap forward, including finalizing a plan for the construction of Baek
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) announced on Feb. 25 that it held the first Korea-Qatar Smart Farm Cooperation Committee in Doha, Qatar, to promote exchanges and cooperation in the field of smart agriculture between the two countries as a follow-up to an MOU signed betwee
On Feb. 20, the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) announced the inauguration of Yoon Won-seok, the former executive vice president of the Economic and Trade Cooperation at the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), as its 8th Commissioner. The position of Commissioner of the Incheon Free E
The Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology (KEIT) opened the Korea-Germany Supply Chain Technology Cooperation Center at the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS in Dresden, Germany, on Feb. 20 to help stabilize global supply chains in key industries.The openin
The National Pension Service (NPS) issued an explanatory statement regarding the report by domestic media on Feb. 14, titled “NPS’ Overseas Alternative Investment Assets: Solely Trusting and Passing Verification to Asset Managers.”On the same day, the media reported that the NPS is accepting the pro
The Namdong district of Incheon Metropolitan City houses the Namdong National Industrial Complex, playing a pivotal role in driving the Korean economy. The industrial complex, established in December 1989, is a key metropolitan industrial area with an annual production value of approximately 30 tril
The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) is targeting franchise businesses owned by private equity funds. In particular, tensions within the industry have escalated recently after Mom’s Touch was fined 300 million won (US$225,989) for unfair practices towards its franchisees.Yook Sung-kwon, the Secretary Gen
Governor Kim Jin-tae addressed the plenary session of the 325th Extraordinary Session of the Gangwon State Council on the 14th, delivering a New Year's speech. He expressed, "The recently discussed 4-day workweek will be a significant opportunity for the state," and asserted his determination to "th
In relation to the crash of the Marineon (MUH-1) utility helicopter in 2018, which resulted in the death of five individuals, Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. (KAI) has been ordered by the court to compensate the state over 1.4 billion won. This first-instance verdict came after the state filed a law