Journalist

Lee Hugh
  • South Korea Tax Agency: 13.33 Million Must File May Income Tax Returns; 2.65 Million Get Automatic Extension
    South Korea Tax Agency: 13.33 Million Must File May Income Tax Returns; 2.65 Million Get Automatic Extension The National Tax Service said Tuesday that May is the month to file and pay comprehensive income tax and local income tax, and that individuals with comprehensive income in 2025 must report and pay by May 1. The agency said 13.33 million people are required to file this year. Since April 25, it has been sending filing notices by mobile message, including KakaoTalk, Naver electronic documents and text messages. The filing period runs from May 1 to June 1. Taxpayers subject to the “faithful filing confirmation” requirement must file and pay by June 30. Those who receive mobile notices can file immediately through SonTax or the automated phone system, and Hometax will provide a personalized filing screen after login. The tax agency said it improved convenience by revamping Hometax and SonTax and simplifying the automated phone system. Taxpayers who receive auto-fill notices can complete filing using the “file as is” function, and the phone system will automatically enter contact information and refund account details. The auto-fill service has been expanded to 7.17 million people. Of those, 4.6 million eligible for refunds can receive payments starting June 5 — 25 days earlier than the statutory deadline — if they submit the notice without changes. The agency said it will, for the first time, provide taxpayer-specific tax-saving benefits and reference materials related to tax audits to improve filing accuracy. It also said it will automatically extend the payment deadline to Aug. 31, without a separate application, for 2.65 million small taxpayers, including those in oil price-sensitive industries facing difficulties due to weak domestic demand and high oil prices and interest rates. Returns, however, must still be filed by June 1. When filing comprehensive income tax, taxpayers can also file local income tax in one step, as Hometax automatically links to Wetax. A customized tax guidance service will also be available through the government’s “National Secretary” notification system. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 12:07:19
  • Unpaid Housework Valued at 582 Trillion Won in 2024, Women Contribute 2.7 Times Men
    Unpaid Housework Valued at 582 Trillion Won in 2024, Women Contribute 2.7 Times Men Unpaid domestic work such as preparing meals, caring for children and cleaning was worth more than 580 trillion won last year, equivalent to about 23% of nominal gross domestic product, data showed. According to the National Data Agency’s “Household Production Satellite Account” released on the 29th, the value of unpaid domestic work in 2024 was estimated at 582.4 trillion won. That was up 96.9 trillion won, or 20.0%, from five years earlier. Total household production activity was valued at 809.4 trillion won, an increase of 158.02 trillion won, or 24.3%, from 2019. Unpaid domestic work accounted for a large share, but its ratio to GDP was 22.8%, down 1.0 percentage point from five years earlier. By category, household management — including cleaning and meal preparation — was the largest at 459.5 trillion won, followed by caring for family and household members at 113.6 trillion won, and volunteering and participation activities at 9.3 trillion won. Within household management, the fastest growth rates were seen in caring for pets and plants (60.4%), cleaning and organizing (30.2%), and food preparation (27.0%). In family care, care for minors fell 1.8%, while care for adults rose 20.8%, an analysis said, reflecting the impact of an aging population. By gender, the value of women’s unpaid domestic work was estimated at 425.8 trillion won, about 2.7 times men’s 156.6 trillion won. However, the growth rate was higher for men at 35.3% than for women at 15.2%, pointing to a trend of increased male participation in housework. Per capita, unpaid domestic work was valued at 11.25 million won, up 20.0% from five years earlier. The figure was 6.05 million won for men and 16.46 million won for women, leaving a wide gap. By employment status, the value of domestic work by those not employed was 297.4 trillion won, higher than the 284.9 trillion won for those employed, though the growth rate was higher among employed people. By marital status, married people accounted for 511.8 trillion won versus 70.6 trillion won for unmarried people, but the increase was faster among the unmarried. The household production satellite account is a set of statistics that assigns a monetary value to domestic work that is not traded in markets and therefore not included in GDP. It estimates the value by applying occupation-based wages and population factors to unpaid work hours, helping supplement conventional income statistics.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 12:06:49
  • South Korea books 16 in alleged smuggling of banned Chinese apple seedlings
    South Korea books 16 in alleged smuggling of banned Chinese apple seedlings South Korea’s Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency said Tuesday it has booked 16 people on suspicion of illegally importing large quantities of banned Chinese apple seedlings and other plant materials, in violation of the Plant Protection Act. The agency said it launched a planned investigation ahead of the spring season, when demand for seedlings typically rises. Investigators said the suspects — including seedling producers, importers, brokers and logistics operators — allegedly split roles and carried out repeated illegal imports. They also allegedly dispersed payments across multiple bank accounts to evade financial tracking. Seized items included about 630,000 Chinese apple seedlings and 138,000 peach seedlings, as well as 1,161 kilograms of peach seeds and 18 kilograms of fruit and vegetable seeds from Southeast Asia and Europe. The agency said the goods, worth tens of billions of won if sold domestically, were imported without quarantine procedures. The 630,000 apple seedlings alone could plant an orchard of about 4.13 million square meters (about 1.25 million pyeong), roughly 1.4 times the area of Yeouido, the agency said. It called the case unusually large for a single seedling-smuggling incident and said domestic distribution could have severely affected the broader fruit industry. The agency noted that fire blight previously entered South Korea through illegally imported fruit seedlings, and that since 2015 the country has paid about 254 billion won in compensation and related costs. The agency said it urgently seized illegally imported seedlings being stored by producers in March, before they could be distributed, and destroyed all of them by incineration. It said the investigation will be expanded to identify additional people involved beyond those already booked. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 12:06:17
  • South Korea’s Private Sector Meets Disability Hiring Quota for First Time
    South Korea’s Private Sector Meets Disability Hiring Quota for First Time Thirty-five years after South Korea introduced its mandatory disability employment system, private companies have met the legally required hiring rate for the first time. However, hiring remains relatively low among civil servants and companies with fewer than 100 employees, indicating continued need for improvement. The Ministry of Employment and Labor on Tuesday released its “2025 Status of Mandatory Disability Employment.” The system requires the state and local governments and 33,452 workplaces with 50 or more regular employees to hire people with disabilities. The current mandatory rates are 3.8% for the public sector and 3.1% for the private sector. Last year, the overall disability employment rate averaged 3.27%, up 0.06 percentage points from a year earlier. The number of employees with disabilities rose to 309,846, an increase of 11,192 from 2024. The disability employment rate was 3.94% in the public sector, including the government and public institutions, and 3.10% in private companies, up 0.04 and 0.07 percentage points, respectively. Most of the increase — 9,507 people — came from private companies. The ministry said the private sector met its mandatory hiring rate for the first time since the system took effect in 1991. Among companies with 1,000 or more employees, the disability employment rate rose 0.09 percentage points from the previous year. The ministry said disability hiring is increasingly becoming a key management consideration, especially at large firms. The makeup of the workforce is also changing. The shares of workers with severe disabilities and women with disabilities continued to rise, reaching 37.5% and 29.3%, respectively. The share of intellectual, autism and mental disabilities rose to 23.1%, topping 20% for the first time. Still, disability employment rates were low among civil servants and companies with fewer than 100 employees, at 2.85% and 2.13%, respectively. Civil service rates fell short of the legal requirement across central administrative agencies (3.53%), local governments (3.64%), constitutional institutions (2.86%) and education offices (1.91%). Among private companies with fewer than 100 employees, the rate rose 0.08 percentage points from a year earlier but remained low. The government said it will closely review disability employment in the civil service and actively seek ways to expand hiring, including integrated consulting and identifying suitable job roles. To encourage compliance in the private sector, it is providing employment improvement incentives to companies with 50 to 99 employees when they newly hire people with severe disabilities. It also said it will strengthen the effectiveness of levies on companies that repeatedly and deliberately evade their hiring obligations. Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon said, “Private companies meeting the mandatory hiring rate means disability employment is beginning to take hold as a universal standard in the labor market.” He added, “We will continue efforts to secure both quantitative and qualitative diversity in employment so that workers such as women with severe disabilities and those with mental disabilities can work in stable jobs.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 12:05:32
  • Garlic Planting Area Rises 5.3% on Higher Prices; Onion Area Slips 0.4%
    Garlic Planting Area Rises 5.3% on Higher Prices; Onion Area Slips 0.4% Garlic planting area has increased for the first time in three years as prices rose, while onion acreage edged down slightly. According to the National Data Agency’s “2026 Garlic and Onion Planting Area Survey” released on the 29th, this year’s garlic planting area totaled 24,170 hectares, up 5.3% (1,223 hectares) from 22,947 hectares a year earlier. Garlic acreage had been declining since 2023, but rebounded this year, a shift the agency attributed to last year’s price gains. By province and city, the largest garlic-growing areas were South Gyeongsang (7,857 hectares), North Gyeongsang (5,273), South Chungcheong (3,768), South Jeolla (3,023) and Daegu (874). Onion planting area came to 17,609 hectares, down 0.4% (68 hectares) from 17,677 hectares last year, marking a second straight annual decline. The agency said onion acreage tends to rise and fall each year with price swings, and this year’s change was limited. By province and city, onion acreage was led by South Jeolla (6,072 hectares), South Gyeongsang (3,895), North Gyeongsang (2,225), North Jeolla (1,977) and South Chungcheong (1,296). The agency said higher garlic prices last year encouraged expanded planting, while onion acreage was adjusted only modestly due to factors including prices and weather conditions. The preliminary figures are based on a sample survey conducted from March 16 to April 10 and will be finalized in July when the garlic and onion production survey results are released.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 12:04:50
  • Korea’s ICT R&D Spending Jumps 13.8% to 64.6 Trillion Won, Driven by Private Sector
    Korea’s ICT R&D Spending Jumps 13.8% to 64.6 Trillion Won, Driven by Private Sector Korean information and communications technology (ICT) companies sharply increased research and development spending last year, led by semiconductors and artificial intelligence, government data showed. The gains, however, were concentrated in private funding while government and public support remained flat. According to the “2024 ICT Corporate R&D Statistics” released Tuesday by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Institute for Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP), ICT R&D investment in 2024 totaled 64.6 trillion won, up 13.8% (7.8 trillion won) from a year earlier. It was the largest increase in six years and accounted for 60.6% of total industrial R&D spending of 106.7 trillion won. Private and foreign funding reached 62.4 trillion won, or 96.6% of the total, driving the rise. Government and public funding totaled 2.2 trillion won, or 3.4%, showing little change. By sector, ICT and broadcasting equipment makers—centered on semiconductors—spent 59.5 trillion won, or 92.1% of the total. Software development and production companies invested 4.2 trillion won, or 6.4%. By company size, large firms invested 53.5 trillion won, up 16.3% from the previous year, leading overall growth. Small and midsize companies spent 2.5 trillion won, up 11.9%, while venture companies posted a 0.3% decline in growth rate. By research stage, 45.2 trillion won (70%) went to development research, followed by applied research at 10.9 trillion won (16.8%) and basic research at 8.5 trillion won (13.2%). Basic research rose 19%, outpacing applied research growth of 16.1%. ICT R&D staffing also increased. The sector employed 225,900 R&D workers, up 5,200 (2.4%) from a year earlier, representing 48.0% of total industrial R&D personnel. Equipment makers accounted for 161,000 workers (71.2%), while software development and production employed 57,000 (25.1%). The ministry said the software field generates relatively high employment compared with investment levels. The share of advanced-degree researchers continued to rise. Master’s and doctoral researchers totaled 71,000 (33.2%), narrowing the gap with bachelor’s degree holders at 133,000 (62.2%). Female researchers numbered 36,000 (17.1%), continuing a steady increase since 2020. Park Tae-wan, director general for ICT Industry Policy at the ministry, said, “It is a meaningful result that private-sector-led ICT R&D investment expanded despite domestic and external uncertainties.” He added, “We will reflect this in future investment planning and budget allocation to strengthen synergy between the government and the private sector.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 12:04:19
  • South Korea Proposes Five-Tier Public EV Charging Rates, Sets 391.9 Won for 200 kW+
    South Korea Proposes Five-Tier Public EV Charging Rates, Sets 391.9 Won for 200 kW+ The government is moving to break public electric-vehicle charging fees into five tiers from the current two, lowering rates for slower charging while raising ultra-fast rates to better reflect cost differences by charging speed. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said April 29 it will issue an administrative notice on a revised fee system and unit prices for public EV charging stations from April 30 through May 19. The ministry also said it will begin a separate legislative notice, running the same day through June 9, on revisions to subordinate regulations under the Clean Air Conservation Act covering management standards for electric and hydrogen charging facilities. Slower charging cheaper, ultra-fast higher under new fee tiers The centerpiece of the plan is to expand the public charging fee structure from two tiers — under 100 kilowatts and 100 kW or more — to five tiers. Current rates are 324.4 won per kilowatt-hour for under 100 kW and 347.2 won for 100 kW or more. Under the proposal, rates would be set at 294.3 won for under 30 kW; 306.0 won for 30 kW to under 50 kW; 324.4 won for 50 kW to under 100 kW; 347.2 won for 100 kW to under 200 kW; and 391.9 won for 200 kW or more. The revised rates would apply when drivers use public chargers installed and operated by the ministry, or chargers operated under agreements with the ministry, and pay with a ministry membership card. A discount program that applies from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends and holidays in spring and fall would keep the same discount levels, applied to the new unit prices. The ministry said the existing system has not adequately reflected differences between charger output and actual operating costs. It said it recalculated unit prices to incorporate operating expenses such as communications fees, maintenance, labor and depreciation. A ministry official said charging services in the field have become more segmented — including slow, mid-speed and fast charging — but the fee system has remained a two-tier structure for about four years and has not kept pace with market changes. On concerns that the 200 kW-and-above ultra-fast rate could raise consumer burdens, the official said not all drivers use 200 kW chargers at all times and that simply comparing ultra-fast charging fees with average gasoline or diesel prices is not appropriate given EV usage patterns. Mandatory price posting, stronger maintenance and disclosure rules The ministry is also pursuing tighter management of EV and hydrogen charging infrastructure through revisions to subordinate regulations under the Clean Air Conservation Act. Operators would be required to make charging fees visible on-site through signs or notices. For charging facilities at highway rest areas, the government plans to require external price signs, similar to those at gas stations, so drivers can check rates before charging. The proposal would also strengthen obligations for preventive maintenance and regular inspections to reduce breakdowns. Operators would have to maintain a system to respond to fault reports and user inquiries, and could face corrective orders for failing to meet management standards. A new disclosure requirement would require operators to post charging fees, detailed location information and real-time availability on the Korea Environment Corporation’s integrated online portal for zero-emission vehicles. The ministry said it expects the measure to address “hidden pricing” and encourage price competition in the private charging market. Separately, the ministry said it is reviewing a seasonal and time-of-use pricing system for public charging fees, linking electricity rates and consumer charging prices so charging can be cheaper when renewable power generation is high. No implementation date has been set. The ministry also plans to revise subsidy guidelines to prevent unnecessary charger replacements. If a charging facility that has not reached its eight-year service life is removed and replaced, subsidies would be provided only when there is a justified reason, such as an irreparable failure. It also plans to allow apartment managers to receive subsidies when they directly install and operate charging facilities, expanding user choice. Jeong Seon-hwa, the ministry’s director general for Green Transition Policy, said, “Reasonable charging fees and convenience in using charging facilities are key to expanding EV adoption,” adding that the government will work to build an optimal charging ecosystem starting with the fee overhaul and management standards. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 12:03:30
  • South Korea Launches 3,600-Ton Frigate Jeju, Delivery to Navy Set for June 2027
    South Korea Launches 3,600-Ton Frigate Jeju, Delivery to Navy Set for June 2027 The South Korean Navy and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration held a launching ceremony Tuesday for the frigate Jeju at SK Oceanplant in Goseong, South Gyeongsang Province. The 3,600-ton ship is the fourth Ulsan-class Batch-III frigate and is intended to replace older frigates (FF) and patrol combat corvettes (PCC) now in service, officials said. After sea trials, Jeju is to be delivered to the Navy in June 2027 and then deployed following its commissioning process. About 150 people attended the ceremony, including Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Jin Yeong-seung, Navy Chief of Staff Kim Kyeong-ryul, DAPA Defense Capability Acquisition Program Bureau chief Jeong Jae-jun, and SK Oceanplant CEO Kang Young-gyu. Jeju is 129 meters (423 feet) long, 14.8 meters (49 feet) wide and 38.9 meters (128 feet) high. It is equipped with a 5-inch gun, the Korean Vertical Launching System (KVLS), anti-ship and missile-defense guided missiles, ship-to-ship guided missiles, tactical ship-to-surface guided missiles, and long-range anti-submarine torpedoes. Its integrated sensor mast carries infrared search-and-track equipment and a domestically developed multifunction phased-array radar. The four fixed radar panels provide 360-degree detection and tracking of air and surface targets and can engage multiple aerial targets at the same time, the Navy said. The ship uses a hybrid propulsion system to reduce noise and operates a domestically developed hull-mounted sonar (HMS) and a towed array sonar system (TASS), giving it enhanced anti-submarine warfare capability, officials said. Jin said the military must strengthen its commitment to self-reliant defense and its readiness posture. He said the armed forces are working to advance “AI-based manned-unmanned combined combat capability” by upgrading evolving K-defense industry technologies such as unmanned surface vessels and unmanned aircraft, in an effort to become “a strong military that can fight and win.” He said the effort would help support peace on the Korean Peninsula through strength, protect lives and property, and build a military “trusted by the people.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 12:00:11
  • Japan-Style Math App Mathmaji Launches Pilot Program at Indonesian Islamic Private School
    Japan-Style Math App Mathmaji Launches Pilot Program at Indonesian Islamic Private School Mathmaji, which develops the Japan-style global math learning app “Mathmaji,” said on the 28th it will start a pilot program at an Islamic private school in Indonesia. It is the first time the app will be used at an elementary education facility in the country. The app will be introduced at Sekolah Qur'an Savaty in Makassar, South Sulawesi, which provides integrated education from daycare and kindergarten through elementary school. Students learn math through an original curriculum based on Japan’s national teaching guidelines while also studying “English to become stronger with numbers.” Because the app is displayed in English, the company expects it to help improve proficiency in both math and English. Mathmaji President Yasunori Hirose said he wants to use the program’s results as a basis for a full-scale entry into Indonesia’s elementary education market.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 11:57:48
  • Korea Customs Hosts Asia-Pacific Anti-Drug Enforcement Workshop With WCO
    Korea Customs Hosts Asia-Pacific Anti-Drug Enforcement Workshop With WCO The Korea Customs Service said Tuesday it is holding an Asia-Pacific drug enforcement experts workshop with the World Customs Organization through April 30 to strengthen international coordination against drug crime. Experts from customs authorities across the region, including Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, are taking part, along with international organizations and European customs attachés based in China, the agency said. Participants will discuss ways to deepen cooperation by sharing joint-operation models and results by country, the latest drug-smuggling trends, and practices for using drug-detection dogs and drug analysis techniques. The program includes a WCO capacity-building seminar and hands-on training on operating an information-sharing platform between countries. Customs officials said they expect the workshop to strengthen enforcement capabilities and improve the effectiveness of joint crackdowns. This year, the agency plans to expand cooperation beyond existing partners by working more closely with Golden Triangle countries such as Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar to tighten border-level interdiction networks. The workshop will also serve as a pre-check for a Korea-Asia-Pacific joint anti-smuggling operation planned for the first half of this year, with the aim of refining cross-border coordination strategies, the agency said. Because drug crime is a major transnational offense that can undermine borders, a Customs Service official said the workshop will be used to raise cooperation among Asia-Pacific customs authorities and translate it into results.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 11:57:16