Journalist

Kim Seong-se
  • South Korea’s Q1 CD Exports Top $100 Million for First Time; U.S. Shipments Surge 506%
    South Korea’s Q1 CD Exports Top $100 Million for First Time; U.S. Shipments Surge 506% This year’s first-quarter exports of music albums (CDs) topped $100 million for the first time, setting a record high for any quarter. The Korea Customs Service said April 28 that CD exports in the first quarter totaled $120 million, up 159.0% from a year earlier. Annual CD exports totaled $300 million last year, but this was the first time quarterly exports exceeded $100 million. With quarterly results continuing to set new highs since the third quarter of last year, the agency said the annual record could also be broken. The surge is being attributed to the global popularity of K-pop, including BTS, and to fandom culture in which fans buy physical albums to own them and support artists. Demand is also rising among listeners who bypass major streaming-service algorithms and seek out physical CDs. By destination, the United States accounted for $36 million, or 28.8% of the total, followed by Japan at $31 million (25.3%), the European Union at $21 million (16.5%), China at $18 million (14.4%) and Taiwan at $9 million (6.9%). Exports to the United States jumped 506.4% from the first quarter of last year, the fastest growth rate. Shipments to the EU rose 461.9%, while Japan increased 157.4% and China 38.2%. Growth was strongest outside Asia. First-quarter exports to non-Asian markets rose 408.3%, far outpacing the 71.9% increase to Asian markets. North America climbed 449.2% and Europe 397.7%. Exports went to 131 countries, and 94 of them — 72% — posted their best first-quarter results.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 13:31:12
  • South Korea to Expand Employment Retention Subsidies Nationwide, Speed Wage Recovery
    South Korea to Expand Employment Retention Subsidies Nationwide, Speed Wage Recovery The government will expand the scope of employment retention subsidies from designated regions and industries to the entire country when nationwide employment conditions sharply deteriorate. It will also curb support for employers with repeated wage arrears and move faster to collect repayments tied to unpaid wages. The Ministry of Employment and Labor said April 28 that the Cabinet reviewed and approved amendments to the enforcement decrees of the Employment Insurance Act and the Wage Claim Guarantee Act. Until now, expanded employment retention subsidies have been limited to special employment support industries and employment crisis areas. The revised decree allows broader support even when job conditions worsen markedly nationwide. Eligibility requirements for the subsidy, previously set differently by type such as temporary shutdowns or leave, will be unified under a single standard: measures in which workers do not provide labor. The ministry said the change is intended to simplify complex application rules and improve understanding and use in the field. The government will also restrict access to programs under the Employment Insurance Act — including employment promotion and employment stability subsidies — for employers deemed habitual wage delinquents. The ministry said amendments to the Labor Standards Act created a legal basis to limit government subsidies and support for such employers, a step expected to encourage payment of overdue wages and reduce harm to workers. When the state pays workers unpaid wages on an employer’s behalf, it will collect the repayment using procedures for delinquent national taxes. Previously, collections followed civil enforcement, but critics said the process took a long time until a court ruling and lacked coercive power, leaving the cumulative recovery rate at 30%. Labor authorities said the change will allow compulsory collection without a final court judgment, sharply shortening recovery time and improving the recovery rate. The ministry said it expects the measure to heighten employers’ awareness of their ultimate responsibility for wage arrears and help operate the advance payment system more stably.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 13:15:27
  • South Korea raises minimum antitrust fines for cartels to 10%, seeks full recovery for unfair support
    South Korea raises minimum antitrust fines for cartels to 10%, seeks full recovery for unfair support The Fair Trade Commission will sharply raise the minimum rates used to calculate administrative fines for violations of South Korea’s Fair Trade Act, including a steep increase for cartels and tougher penalties for unfair support and private-benefit schemes. The FTC said on the 29th it will enforce revised fine guidelines starting on the 30th. Violations that ended before the effective date will be handled under the previous guidelines. Under the act, the FTC calculates fines based on sales related to the violation, multiplied by a rate that varies by the seriousness of the conduct. The revision significantly raises the minimum rate applied across violation types. For cartels, the minimum rate will rise to 10% from 0.5%. For serious cartels, it will increase to 15% from 3%, and for very serious cartel conduct, to 18% from 10.5%. For unfair support and private-benefit schemes, where fines are based on the amount supported or provided multiplied by a rate, the minimum rate will rise to 100% from 20%. That allows the FTC to recover the full amount of support or provision as a fine regardless of the assessed seriousness. The maximum rate will also jump to 300% from 160%, enabling punitive-level fines. Surcharges for repeat offenders will be strengthened. Currently, a company with one violation in the past five years faces an increase starting at 10%, rising up to 80% depending on the number of violations. Under the revision, a single prior violation can trigger an increase of up to 50%, and the increase can reach up to 100% depending on the number of violations. For cartels, any prior record of an order to pay fines within the past 10 years can lead to an increase of up to 100%. The FTC will also remove or narrow discretionary reductions. Companies that cooperate during the investigation and deliberation stages can currently receive reductions of 10% at each stage, up to 20% total. Under the revision, a reduction of up to 10% will be available only when a company cooperates consistently from the investigation through the end of deliberations. The maximum reduction for voluntary corrective action will be cut to 10% from 30%, and a 10% reduction for minor negligence will be eliminated. The FTC said the revision is intended to end the practice of treating fines as a routine cost of doing business and to strengthen fair competition. It added that the new rules provide a basis for strong sanctions against cartels that harm people’s livelihoods and said it expects cartel conduct to be dramatically curbed.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 12:06:32
  • South Korea Renames ‘Job Basic Skills’ as ‘Job Common Skills,’ Cuts Framework to Seven Areas
    South Korea Renames ‘Job Basic Skills’ as ‘Job Common Skills,’ Cuts Framework to Seven Areas The Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Human Resources Development Service of Korea said on 28일 they will rename “job basic skills” as “job common skills” and overhaul the framework into seven areas. The ministry described job common skills as core competencies all workers need regardless of occupation, such as communication, numeracy and problem-solving. The broader system consists of three parts: job-specific skills under the National Competency Standards (NCS), job common skills and general foundational competencies. NCS and job common skills are used as key indicators for human resources development. Introduced in 2003, the framework has not been revised for more than 20 years, prompting calls to update it. The government said it will pursue a major restructuring after gathering feedback from workplaces. The ministry said the name change is intended to avoid the misunderstanding that the framework measures only basic academic ability and to clarify that it covers universal competencies required of all workers. The existing structure of 10 areas and 34 sub-skills will be reorganized into seven areas and 21 sub-skills. Items seen as less useful amid labor market changes will be eliminated, while new areas will be added, including artificial intelligence use, digital responsibility and industrial safety and health awareness. The seven areas are communication, numeracy, problem-solving, self-management, interpersonal skills, digital skills and work ethics. Sub-skills include: communication (written, oral and foreign-language communication); numeracy (calculation, use of statistics and use of charts); problem-solving (problem analysis, identifying alternatives and decision-making); self-management (career development, adaptive learning and time management); interpersonal skills (collaboration, leadership and conflict management); digital skills (digital use, AI use and digital responsibility); and work ethics (work ethic, workplace community awareness and industrial safety and health awareness). The ministry said it will also expand field-oriented learning content. It plans to produce and distribute instructor guides and learner workbooks within the year, reflecting demand for practical materials. It will also develop video lectures to allow learning regardless of time and place and release them through the Korea University of Technology and Education’s STEP portal. “In the AI era, companies want talent with job common skills that can flexibly adapt to rapidly changing technology and see essential problems through to the end,” said Pyeon Do-in, director general for job skills policy at the ministry. He said the government will quickly distribute the revised standards and related content and “fully support” job seekers so they can strengthen fundamentals and remain competitive in the workplace.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 12:04:17
  • South Korea to Pay ‘Fair Allowance’ to Short-Term Public Workers, Ban Sub-1-Year Contracts
    South Korea to Pay ‘Fair Allowance’ to Short-Term Public Workers, Ban Sub-1-Year Contracts The government will introduce a new “fair allowance” for short-term fixed-term workers in the public sector after a survey found that about half of such workers were hired on contracts of less than one year. The plan also calls for, in principle, banning fixed-term contracts shorter than one year and tightening rules to prevent abuse of ultra-short-hour workers. The Ministry of Employment and Labor reported the measures at a Cabinet meeting on the 28th as part of a “public-sector nonregular worker treatment improvement plan.” The ministry said it had confirmed unfair practices such as repeated sub-one-year contracts used to avoid paying severance, along with concerns over low pay and allowances. After launching a joint interagency task force on nonregular workers late last year, the government surveyed about 2,100 public entities — including central government agencies, public institutions and local governments — on contracts and wages. The survey found about 146,000 fixed-term workers in the public sector, including 73,000 on contracts shorter than one year. Workers on sub-one-year contracts earned less than fixed-term workers overall, and they were less likely than regular employees to receive welfare points, meal allowances and holiday bonuses. Wage gaps also varied by institution. As a “model employer,” the government said it would pay fair compensation to reflect labor value and job insecurity. Under the plan, public institutions will pay a flat “fair allowance” equal to 10% to 8.5% of a base amount to fixed-term workers employed for less than one year. The base amount is set at 118% of the minimum wage, reflecting the average living wage. The plan applies higher compensation rates for shorter contracts. Based on next year’s 기준, payments would be 382,000 won for 1-2 months of work; 846,000 won for 3-4 months; 1.26 million won for 5-6 months; 1.622 million won for 7-8 months; 2.055 million won for 9-10 months; and 2.488 million won for 11-12 months. To narrow wage gaps within the public sector, the government will also pay an “appropriate wage” and include a one-time budget item in next year’s budget proposal so workers whose monthly fixed pay falls below that level can receive support. The appropriate wage is also set at 118% of the minimum wage. A ministry official said using the average living wage set by local ordinances would have the effect of partially raising and leveling pay for low-wage workers. The ministry said it will also review and gradually improve benefits and allowances, including meal costs, welfare points and holiday bonuses. To establish fair hiring practices, the plan would, in principle, prohibit contracts shorter than one year. Exceptions would require a prior screening process for public-sector nonregular hiring, and the government plans to require outside members on screening committees to strengthen the system. For work that is routine and ongoing, the government said workers should be hired as regular employees. It will also provide guidance to institutions that have not made conversion decisions under the 2017 regularization guidelines. As of this month, 52 public institutions had not made such decisions. To curb misuse of ultra-short-hour fixed-term workers — those working fewer than 15 hours a week — the government will restrict such hiring. Where unavoidable, employers must undergo a necessity review and meet conditions such as additional proportional payments, including weekly holiday pay, to prevent hiring for cost-cutting purposes. The government will conduct regular surveys to track employment and wage conditions for nonregular workers in the public sector. If unfair practices are found during surveys — such as 364-day contracts aimed at avoiding severance — it will guide institutions to guarantee a one-year contract. To ensure implementation, the government will strengthen nonregular employment indicators in management evaluations of public institutions and local public enterprises. A ministry official said detailed evaluation items and indicators will be prepared based on the results of an ongoing research project. The government also plans to draft and expand a tentative “guideline for improving treatment of nonregular workers.” With a committee for public-service workers set to be established starting in September this year, further discussions on public-sector treatment improvements will be handled through that body. Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon said the public sector should take the lead in correcting unfair hiring practices affecting nonregular workers and set an example through reasonable improvements in treatment. He said the government would work to ensure the public sector’s progress spreads to the private sector so all working people are respected and treated in line with the value of their labor.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 12:03:18
  • South Korea to Invest 90 Billion Won in 39 New Smart Green Industrial Park Projects
    South Korea to Invest 90 Billion Won in 39 New Smart Green Industrial Park Projects The South Korean government will invest 90 billion won this year to accelerate industrial parks’ shift to AI-based manufacturing, known as M.AX, and a carbon-free transition, known as GX. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said April 28 it will accept applications for its “2026 Smart Green Industrial Complex Support Program” through June 8. The ministry is running support programs for M.AX and GX across 24 industrial parks designated as smart green complexes, including projects to build AI transformation testbeds and energy self-sufficiency infrastructure. Under the integrated call, the ministry will select 39 new projects across nine programs — five in M.AX and four in GX. The ministry said this year’s support totals 90 billion won, and that selected projects will receive about 300 billion won in central government funding over their project periods. Asan Bugok, the Masan Free Trade Zone and Chungju’s First General Industrial Complex — newly designated as smart green complexes last year — will receive core projects common to smart green complexes, including a smart logistics platform, a manufacturing AX industry-academia innovation park and construction of a smart energy platform, known as FEMS. Nationwide competitive programs for smart green complexes will include building 5G specialized network infrastructure for industrial parks, edge AIDC demonstrations and energy self-sufficiency infrastructure. The ministry said it will also support construction of FEMS+ — a smart energy platform — for 14 tenant companies. In Yeosu and the Pohang National Industrial Complex, the government will push a digital-based pilot complex for resource circulation. The government said the projects will strengthen the foundation for M.AX and GX in industrial parks, support manufacturing innovation and carbon reductions among tenant companies, and contribute to more balanced regional development. It also said it will improve evaluation indicators to reflect policy aimed at strengthening balanced regional development. Details such as application periods and support conditions for each program are available on the ministry’s website and the Korea Industrial Complex Corp. website. The ministry said it will “continue to support AI-based manufacturing innovation and the carbon-free transition in industrial parks” to help boost tenant companies’ competitiveness and revitalize regional economies.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 11:04:29
  • Korea Blocks Sales of 85 Overseas Direct-Purchase Products That Failed Safety Standards
    Korea Blocks Sales of 85 Overseas Direct-Purchase Products That Failed Safety Standards The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s Korean Agency for Technology and Standards said Tuesday it has blocked domestic distribution of 85 overseas direct-purchase products found to fall short of South Korean safety standards after inspecting 431 items sold on online platforms. The inspection focused on outdoor-use products such as children’s textile goods and kids’ bicycles. The agency said 20% of the products reviewed failed to meet domestic safety standards, higher than the average 5% noncompliance rate for products distributed in South Korea. Among 202 children’s products inspected, 56 were found noncompliant: 15 children’s textile items such as shoes, bags and hats; 13 toys; seven children’s leather goods; seven infant textile products; and five children’s bicycles. All five children’s bicycles failed the safety standards. Eight of nine LED lighting fixtures also fell short. The agency urged extra caution, citing noncompliance rates of 60% for DC power supplies, 58% for children’s leather goods and 41% for children’s textile products. For electrical goods, 21 of 124 products were noncompliant, including eight LED lighting fixtures, six DC power supplies, and three plugs and outlets. For household goods, eight of 105 products failed to meet standards, including four riding helmets, three batteries and one sports helmet. The agency posted information on the 85 products confirmed to pose risks on the Product Safety Information Portal and Consumer24. It also notified overseas direct-purchase platform operators and requested that sales be blocked to prevent consumer purchases. Kim Dae-ja, head of the agency, said overseas direct-purchase items are not necessarily safety-verified and urged consumers to check the Product Safety Information Portal before buying to see whether a product has been flagged as hazardous. He said the agency will expand its safety inspections of overseas direct-purchase products to 1,200 cases this year from 1,000 last year and will continue monitoring whether hazardous products are being distributed.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 11:04:09
  • Labor Ministry to Add 30,000 Low-Income Youth With No Work History to Job Support Program
    Labor Ministry to Add 30,000 Low-Income Youth With No Work History to Job Support Program The Ministry of Employment and Labor said on the 28th it will select and support 30,000 low-income young people with no employment experience under the “National Employment Support System, Type I (selection track).” The ministry said it will use 78.6 billion won from this year’s supplementary budget to reach young people who have been hard to cover under existing rules. Under the current program, applicants must meet income and asset requirements and also show prior work experience, which has excluded youth without a job history. The government said it is expanding access to boost job-search motivation and ease financial burdens for young people preparing for employment. Applications are being accepted at employment centers nationwide and on the Employment24 website. Eligible applicants are ages 15 to 34, with up to three years added for time spent fulfilling mandatory military service. The program may close early once 30,000 applicants are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Those selected will receive the same level of support as existing participants, the ministry said. They will be paid a “Job-Seeking Promotion Allowance” of 600,000 won a month for six months, along with tailored employment services such as one-on-one in-depth counseling, an individualized job-search plan, and links to vocational training and work-experience programs. For those at or below 60% of the median income, an employment success bonus will also be paid, with up to 1.5 million won available for long-term employment. Lim Young-mi, the ministry’s director general for employment policy, said the additional selection through the supplementary budget “will serve as a practical ladder” for young people struggling in a difficult job market, and urged active participation.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 09:04:24
  • Industry Minister Urges Mature Talks as Samsung Electronics Union Plans Strike
    Industry Minister Urges Mature Talks as Samsung Electronics Union Plans Strike Kim Jeong-gwan the minister of trade, industry and energy, on April 27 urged labor and management at Samsung Electronics to reach a “mature” decision as the company’s union has warned it may strike. “The semiconductor industry is the only industry in our country that is still maintaining competitiveness, and the gap is steadily narrowing,” Kim told reporters at the Government Complex Sejong. “Since workers clearly have a share, I urge both sides to fully consider the various conditions and come to a mature conclusion.” Kim said he still could not imagine a strike. He said the company should weigh how to balance sharing current profits with maintaining future competitiveness. Samsung Electronics’ union is demanding the abolition of a cap on performance bonuses set at 50% of annual salary and wants 15% of total operating profit distributed as performance pay. The union has said it will launch a general strike from May 21 to June 7 if no agreement is reached. Kim said Samsung’s performance should not be viewed as the result only of executives and workers. He pointed to the broader semiconductor ecosystem, including many partner companies, infrastructure, shareholders and the National Pension Service, saying local and national communities are also tied to it. He added that with large-scale investment unavoidable, both sides should consider how much profit can be enjoyed and recognize how big an impact a strike could have across the industry. On the maximum price system for oil products in effect since last month, Kim called it an unsatisfying policy but an unavoidable step in an emergency. He said the government plans to end it as early as possible once the war ends or international oil prices stabilize. Kim compared the situation to closing windows in summer heat or opening them and letting mosquitoes in, saying government action on prices is not desirable but was unavoidable due to the unprecedented Middle East war. On when the system could end, he said the government would consider the course of the Middle East war, conditions around the Strait of Hormuz, and discussions on a post-settlement system and exclusive supply contracts. He said differing interests between refiners and gas stations would also be weighed. On delayed restructuring of the petrochemical sector in Ulsan amid the Middle East war and other factors, Kim said he believes it can proceed autonomously even without government intervention. He said talks have slowed due to supply-chain issues but are expected to pick up soon. On a first project for investment in the United States, Kim said discussions are ongoing and it is difficult to predict the timing.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 17:03:11
  • Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon vows preemptive steps as airline, tourism woes deepen
    Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon vows preemptive steps as airline, tourism woes deepen Rising oil prices and exchange rates linked to the Middle East war are adding to strains on South Korea’s airline and tourism industries, and Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon said Monday the government will prepare extraordinary steps to prevent the crisis from spreading. “At this moment, what matters most is preemptive action and close cooperation to protect jobs,” Kim said. “We will proactively consider special measures to keep the situation from worsening.” The Ministry of Employment and Labor held its fifth emergency employment and labor situation review meeting at Gimpo Airport with the Korea Air Transport Association, the Korea Tourism Association, the Seoul Tourism Association, the Korea Association of Travel Agents and three airlines. The meeting reviewed business and employment conditions in the two sectors and discussed practical support measures. Airlines said demand has not fallen sharply so far, but they are concerned about higher costs and losses from rising fuel prices and exchange rates, as well as a possible drop in summer demand if fuel surcharges surge. Some carriers have begun accepting applications for unpaid leave and have put new hiring on hold, signs of mounting employment stress. Tourism companies also face worsening profitability, with major travel agencies considering unpaid or paid leave. The ministry said there is concern that sharply higher fuel surcharges could weaken travel demand and spread job insecurity across the industry. Industry representatives called for broader government support, including easing eligibility requirements for employment retention subsidies and simplifying procedures to speed payments. They also requested expanded support for job retention and training through designation as a special employment support industry, and relief such as deferring payments of employment and industrial accident insurance premiums. The ministry said it will closely monitor employment trends in the airline and tourism sectors. If conditions worsen, it will review expanding the list of industries eligible for relaxed requirements for employment retention subsidies. For industries covered by the eased rules, subsidies can be paid even if firms do not meet the sales-decline threshold, if deteriorating conditions make workforce adjustments unavoidable. The ministry also said that starting May 12 it will unify support categories that are currently split between business shutdowns and leave into a single type and simplify eligibility requirements. It said it will quickly review whether to designate the sectors as special employment support industries. To do so, the ministry is improving quantitative criteria, including better detection of employment shocks and reflecting conditions for day laborers. It said it will promptly assess applications from industry associations and provide support under relevant procedures. “The airline and tourism industries are a bridgehead for our economy that helps spread K-culture, and they are the workplace that supports the lives of countless workers,” Kim said. “The ministry will remain a strong backstop so this foundation does not shake.” He also said the ministry will expand communication with the industry to address hardships not captured in statistics and pursue tailored support that can be felt immediately on the ground, while not neglecting its basic duty to protect workers’ lives and safety.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 15:05:49