Three-quarters of self-employed people and small business owners in South Korea report a monthly income of less than 1 million won ($750), well below the monthly minimum wage, government data showed Sunday. Out of 11.46 million self-employed people who filed for income tax in 2022, 75.1 percent, or 8.6 million reported a monthly income below 1 million won, or an annual income of less than 12 million won, according to data obtained from the National Tax Service by Rep. Park Sung-hoon of the rulin

Social Affairs Sept. 23, 2024

South Korean snack exports will likely hit a record high of $700 million this year, riding the wave of popularity of Korean culture and food overseas. From January to August, exports of Korean snacks were tallied at $494.2 million, marking a 15.4 percent increase compared to the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on Monday. Snacks were the third-largest export in the agricultural sector, following instant noodles and tobacco products. By mid-S

Companies Sept. 23, 2024

A total of 122 flights have been disrupted due to illegal drone activities over the past four years, data showed Thursday, prompting calls for stricter measures and penalties. From September 2020 to August 2024, a total of 506 cases of unauthorized drone activities were detected in the airspace around airports, and 122 cases affected flight operations, according to data from the Incheon International Airport Corporation and Korea Airports Corporation, submitted to Rep. Ahn Tae-jun of the main op

Mobility Sept. 21, 2024

Police have busted a Vietnam-based scam ring suspected of stealing more than 10 billion won ($7.5 million) through phishing schemes involving fake mobile wedding invitations and delivery notifications, officials said Friday. Last week, Korean and Vietnamese authorities apprehended seven individuals, six of whom -- including the leader -- have been extradited to Korea. The criminal ring is accused of stealing around 10 billion won, the largest amount recorded in such phishing scams, from 230 vict

Social Affairs Sept. 20, 2024

A popular AfreecaTV streamer, identified only by the surname Park, has been arrested and handed over to prosecutors on drug abuse charges, according to police Friday. The Gangnam Police Station in Seoul said Park's case was transferred to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday morning on charges of using illegal drugs. The court issued an arrest warrant, citing the possibility Park might flee. Park, 35, is accused of consuming drugs, including ketamine, on several oc

Social Affairs Sept. 20, 2024

Vegetable prices in South Korea have surged amid an unprecedented heat wave that has gripped the country for weeks, with the price of napa cabbage rising nearly 70 percent compared to last year. The price of a head of cabbage, the main ingredient for kimchi, retailed at 9,337 won ($7.02) on Thursday, according to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp. This marks a 69.5 percent jump compared to the same time last year and a 32.7 percent increase over the three-year average price. Continu

Consumer Sept. 20, 2024

An average of 127 missing persons reports involving children are filed each day in Korea, government data showed Thursday. The data also reveal that more than 70,000 adults disappear every year, with over 1,000 of them being found dead. According to data from the National Police Agency, submitted to Rep. Han Byung-do of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, 73,423 children under the age of 18 were reported missing from 2021 to 2023. In the same period, 23,950 people with intellectual, a

Social Affairs Sept. 19, 2024

Going into the Chuseok holiday, many expect to gorge themselves on delicious and hearty food to celebrate the full moon before the autumn harvest. While food is an essential part of Korea's main traditional holidays, it is important to note that these savory dishes are often high in calories. In fact, most of these bite-sized delicacies contain more calories than a bowl of white rice. For those who are health-conscious, understanding the nutritional content of these beloved Chuseok foods co

Food Sept. 16, 2024

This Chuseok, South Koreans are expected to make approximately 37 million trips across the country to visit family, pay respects to ancestors and celebrate the harvest festival. Long hours on congested expressways could be tiring, but rest stops that offer a variety of foods and entertainment could help fight the exhaustion. Here’s the list of some of the most popular dishes at different rest stops across the country. 1. Ginseng galbitang (ginseng beef short rib soup) Geumsan Insam Land

Food Sept. 15, 2024

More South Korean students are experiencing sleep deprivation, fatigue and suicidal thoughts as they spend more time on the internet, a new study showed, fanning concerns about youth mental health. The findings come despite the government’s five-year health promotion plan for students, which started in 2019 and appears to have fallen short of its objectives aimed at promoting mental health among students. A recent report released by the National Assembly Research Service shows that the per

Social Affairs Sept. 15, 2024

Lawmakers in South Korea have each received a bonus of around 4.24 million won ($3,181) for the upcoming Chuseok holiday, while more than 40 percent of ordinary workers reported receiving no such bonus, igniting a debate about whether legislators deserve such privileges and benefits. On Thursday, members of the National Assembly received their Chuseok bonus -- one of the two holiday bonuses -- with each amount calculated as 60 percent of their monthly salary, according to the regulations on civi

Social Affairs Sept. 13, 2024

With the Chuseok holiday period approaching, three out of four small business owners plan to keep their shops and restaurants open during the holiday break, a recent survey shows. Alba Heaven, one of the largest part-time job portals, conducted a survey of 96 small business owners, and 85.4 percent said they would operate their businesses during the Chuseok holidays. This figure marks an increase of 5.7 percentage from the previous year. This year, the Chuseok holiday period will stretch over fi

Social Affairs Sept. 7, 2024

Two South Korean women were released after being detained by Turkish authorities for allegedly stealing a bag containing around $17,000 in cash from another tourist, according to news reports on Thursday. Turkey’s Demiroren News Agency and other media outlets reported that the two women were arrested by police on suspicion of theft and released after questioning on Aug. 28. The two women, who were traveling in the country, were accused of stealing a bag belonging to an Albanian tourist on

Social Affairs Sept. 6, 2024

Some opposition party lawmakers took to social media to reject Chuseok gifts sent by President Yoon Suk Yeol, posting photos of the gifts and criticizing the administration. Rep. Kim Joon-hyung of the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party posted a picture to Facebook on Wednesday showing him returning the unopened gift to a parcel delivery worker. “I clearly told them not to send gifts,” Kim said in the post. “But just like how he handles diplomacy, appoints ministers as he p

Politics Sept. 5, 2024

A growing number of young police officers and firefighters in South Korea are quitting their jobs, citing heavy workloads and low wages, data showed Wednesday. According to data from the National Police Agency submitted to Rep. Shin Jung-hoon of the Democratic Party of Korea, the number of police officers with less than ten years of service who resigned voluntarily nearly doubled from 155 in 2022 to 301 last year. Similarly, 125 firefighters with less than ten years of service resigned last year

Social Affairs Sept. 4, 2024