Journalist

Kwon,sung jin
  • Korea FTC Orders Concert Membership Refund, Cancellation Terms Revised
    Korea FTC Orders Concert Membership Refund, Cancellation Terms Revised South Korea’s competition watchdog has ordered changes to what it called unfair terms that limited refunds for paid performance memberships, including clauses that blocked annual-fee refunds after a single use of discount or early-ticket benefits. It also moved to fix terms that made it easy to join online but required cancellation only by phone. The Korea Fair Trade Commission said Tuesday it reviewed membership terms used by 19 venues and ticketing platforms, including the Seoul Arts Center and Lotte Concert Hall, and required corrections to unfair provisions. The review was conducted to prevent consumer harm as public interest in culture and the arts has grown. According to the FTC, some operators had maintained clauses stating refunds were not allowed once service began. Lotte Concert Hall specified that refunds were unavailable if a paid member had received benefits, while Gangneung Arts Center said refunds were not allowed after 15 days from sign-up or if there was any booking history. The FTC said using membership benefits alone does not necessarily mean the operator suffers losses equal to the full annual fee. It required terms to allow full refunds within 14 to 30 days of joining, while permitting only a penalty equivalent to the benefits used to be deducted, with the remainder returned. The agency also cited cases of excessive deductions during refunds. The Seoul Arts Center deducted both an amount based on elapsed time and a fee after two weeks, and the National Gugak Center said refunds were not allowed if the value of discounts exceeded the membership fee. The FTC said such clauses infringed on consumers’ legitimate refund rights and required revisions so that only the larger of the amount corresponding to the period of use or the value of benefits provided can be deducted. Unfair limits on how members could cancel or withdraw were also targeted. Lotte Concert Hall and Interpark allowed sign-ups through easy channels such as online registration but required withdrawals to be made only by phone. The FTC said that improperly restricted how customers could express their intent and ordered changes to allow withdrawal through various methods, including online, phone and written requests. The FTC said it also corrected clauses covering exemptions from liability when user fault overlaps, unilateral deletion of member posts without a chance to explain, and unfair refusals of membership or limits on service use. Kwak Go-eun, director of the FTC’s Division for Standard Form Contracts and Special Transactions, said the changes are expected to reduce consumers’ burdens during refunds. She said the FTC will continue to inspect and correct unfair contract terms and trading practices in areas closely tied to daily life.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-06 12:04:09
  • South Korea Moves to Stabilize Agricultural Film Supplies Amid Mideast War Risks
    South Korea Moves to Stabilize Agricultural Film Supplies Amid Mideast War Risks As the prolonged war in the Middle East raises concerns about shortages of agricultural film, the South Korean government is launching a pilot program with private-sector partners to stabilize supplies. Under the plan, the government will work with petrochemical companies to provide raw materials to manufacturers, which will produce agricultural film and deliver it to local agricultural cooperatives. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Tuesday it will carry out the pilot with Jinju Horticultural Nonghyup, which operates its own film plant. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy will work with Hanwha Solutions to supply raw materials for agricultural film within this week, and Jinju Horticultural Nonghyup will use them to produce film and supply it to six materials sales outlets run by local Nonghyup cooperatives. Agricultural film is used during the farming season to manage moisture, suppress weeds and block pests. In summer, farmers also use specialized film to reduce sun-scorch damage. The agriculture ministry said supplies needed for spring farming have been secured nationwide, but it sees regional imbalances. To address that, it has been working with Nonghyup to support local cooperatives in areas with low inventories. “This is the first case of producing and supplying film through cooperation with the trade ministry and Nonghyup to ensure stable supplies of agricultural film,” said Kim Jeong-uk, director general for agro-industry innovation policy at the ministry. He said the ministry will continue to monitor supply and demand and “do its best” to ensure stable supplies. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-06 11:06:25
  • Suspected Iran Attack on Korean Cargo Ship Raises Hormuz Risks, Oil Price Concerns
    Suspected Iran Attack on Korean Cargo Ship Raises Hormuz Risks, Oil Price Concerns Suspicions that Iran attacked the Korean cargo ship NAMU have sharply raised tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, fueling concerns that South Korea’s crude oil supply strategy could be disrupted if Korean-operated vessels become targets. The renewed Middle East risk is also pushing international oil prices higher, adding another policy variable for Seoul. According to relevant authorities on May 5, a fire broke out in the engine room of the NAMU after an explosion at about 8:40 p.m. the previous day while the ship was anchored in waters north of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, inside the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel is Panama-flagged and operated by South Korean shipping company HMM. It had 24 crew members aboard: six South Koreans and 18 foreign nationals. Regional tensions have intensified. Iran has attacked oil export ports and other sites with missiles and drones, and the UAE has warned of retaliation. A ceasefire between the United States and Iran also appeared to be on shaky ground. Iran, strongly opposing the U.S. “Project Freedom,” launched missiles and drones, and U.S. naval vessels have continued intercepting them. As a result, expectations that South Korean tankers could leave the Strait of Hormuz in the near term have largely faded. Seven tankers linked to South Korean refiners — carrying about 14 million barrels — remain stuck in the strait, and rising tensions have further reduced the likelihood they can depart soon. A bigger concern is the possibility of a targeted attack on a Korean shipping operator. If it is confirmed that Iran deliberately targeted a South Korean vessel, disruptions would be difficult to avoid even for crude supplies rerouted via the Red Sea, where the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels remain active, the report said. The situation could also complicate the Industry Ministry’s crude supply planning. Alternative crude secured for this month totals 74.62 million barrels, or 87% of normal import volumes. But if tensions rise simultaneously in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, bottlenecks could worsen at alternative ports such as Yanbu in Saudi Arabia, making even those volumes harder to bring in. With many tankers already waiting, delays would be hard to avoid, the report said. Higher shipping rates and insurance premiums are another concern. If costs rise as tensions mount, they would likely be passed on to crude prices with a lag. Oil markets reacted immediately. Despite an output increase announced by seven countries in OPEC+, prices kept climbing. At the close, Brent crude futures settled at $114.44 a barrel, up 5.80% from the previous session, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures rose 4.39% to $106.42. Still, the impact on spot prices remains unclear. The Dubai crude spot market — a benchmark for South Korea’s Middle East crude imports — has not yet fully reflected the heightened tensions, and the same is true for Singapore’s MOPS oil product prices. With the fifth round of the fuel price-cap system set to take effect May 8, the government’s calculations have become more complicated. A key reason for holding the benchmark steady in the third and fourth rounds was stable international oil prices. But with crude above $100 a barrel and Middle East risks rising, the outlook has become harder to predict, making it difficult to maintain the previous freeze, the report said. Retail prices have continued to rise despite the government’s freeze. As of 2 p.m., Opinet data showed the national average gasoline price at 2,011.42 won per liter and diesel at 2,005.46 won, up 0.38 won and 0.25 won, respectively, from the previous day. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-05 19:03:06
  • Korea to Launch Public Zoo Safety Council After Wolf Escape
    Korea to Launch Public Zoo Safety Council After Wolf Escape The government will launch a consultative body to strengthen zoo safety management and improve animal welfare standards, following a recent wolf escape at Daejeon O-World that heightened calls for broader checks of zoo operations. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said it will hold the inaugural meeting of a nationwide council of public zoos on Tuesday at the Korea Public Institution Research Institute in Seoul. The council is intended to reinforce the leading role of public zoos as public concern grows over zoo safety after animal escape incidents. It will diagnose on-the-ground problems such as aging facilities, staffing shortages and weak safety systems, and discuss practical steps for improvement. The ministry also plans to review how public zoos are preparing for a shift to a permit-based system under the Act on the Management of Zoos and Aquariums. The system took effect in December 2023, but zoos already registered were granted a grace period through December 2028, allowing a phased transition. Through the council, the government plans to share difficulties reported by operators during implementation and develop support measures. Participants in the launch meeting will include Lee Chae-eun, director general for nature conservation at the ministry, along with officials from regional environment offices, the National Institute of Ecology, the Korea Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and representatives of public zoos nationwide. The ministry said it will use the council to build a standing cooperation framework among public zoos and jointly review implementation levels in key areas including facilities, staffing, safety management and animal welfare. It also said it will actively support the permit system so it can take root smoothly based on feedback from the field. Lee said the ministry will focus its policy efforts on encouraging the transition to the permit system while refining related standards to raise zoo safety and welfare levels. She added that the ministry will continue working with relevant agencies so public zoos can meet permit requirements in a substantive way. 2026-05-05 12:33:14
  • Climate Ministry Approves 12 Circular Economy Sandbox Projects, Including Plastic Pyrolysis
    Climate Ministry Approves 12 Circular Economy Sandbox Projects, Including Plastic Pyrolysis The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said Tuesday it approved regulatory exemptions, or sandbox status, for 12 projects tied to circular-economy technologies and services. The ministry said the move is expected to significantly overhaul standards for recognizing recyclable resources, making chemical recycling such as pyrolysis easier to carry out. The ministry said it held a Circular Economy New Technology and Service Review Committee meeting on April 30 at Seoul Square and conducted the reviews there. The circular-economy regulatory sandbox, introduced in January 2024, allows companies to test new technologies and services within limited time, locations and scale; if safety and effectiveness are proven, related regulations can be improved or supplemented. The latest review focused largely on expanding chemical recycling of waste plastics through pyrolysis and reducing packaging waste, as part of a shift away from plastics. In South Korea, waste-plastic recycling currently consists of 58% thermal recycling and 41% material recycling, while chemical recycling through pyrolysis accounts for just 1%, the ministry said. Under the plan, waste-plastic projects will receive exemptions from waste-related regulations during the demonstration period. Based on the results, the ministry said it will revise standards for recognizing circular resources so that chemical recycling such as pyrolysis can be more readily used. It said most waste plastics generated at worksites are now sent to thermal recycling because collection systems are inadequate and treatment costs are an issue. Regulatory exemptions were also granted for a project to test whether solid fuel products can be used as pyrolysis feedstock. Solid fuel products made from combustible waste are currently limited to use in power generation facilities or industrial boilers. During the test period, the fuel will be fed into pyrolysis facilities to verify the volume and composition of pyrolysis oil produced, and the ministry said it will consider revising related rules. The ministry also said it will adjust regulations to test recycling options for pyrolysis residue. Because the residue has lacked a separate classification number, it has been disposed of in landfills. The ministry said it plans to allow various recycling uses, including as a soil conditioner and solid fuel, and to create new waste classification numbers and recycling categories. Other projects granted sandbox status include reducing packaging waste by improving labeling methods for household chemical products and producing leather and cosmetics materials using plant-based residues. Kim Go-eung, director general of the ministry's Resource Circulation Bureau, said the ministry will provide broad support to promote high-quality circular use of plastics and reduce plastic waste. He said the ministry will work with industry to improve the on-site applicability of recycling technologies so the circular economy can spread across society.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-05 12:06:03
  • Korea Fair Trade chief to attend ICN annual meeting in Manila to discuss global cooperation
    Korea Fair Trade chief to attend ICN annual meeting in Manila to discuss global cooperation South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission said Tuesday that Chairman Joo Byung-ki will attend the 25th annual conference of the International Competition Network, to be held in Manila from May 6-8. Hosted by the Philippine Competition Commission, the meeting is expected to focus on strategic planning and priority-setting; responses to algorithm-driven collusion in the digital environment; merger policy amid changing economic conditions; balancing effectiveness and predictability in enforcement against unilateral conduct; and new approaches to competition advocacy. The ICN, founded in 2001, is a forum of 148 competition authorities, including the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition. The FTC is a founding member and serves on the ICN steering group. The agency sent a bureau director last year, but Joo will attend in person this year. On May 6, Joo is scheduled to join a plenary session on strategic planning and priority-setting to build agile, future-oriented competition authorities. The FTC said he plans to exchange views on challenges and responses with the heads of competition agencies from Greece, Hungary, the United Kingdom, Kenya and Poland. The FTC said Joo will present South Korea’s efforts to strengthen the effectiveness of enforcement tools, including reforms to its administrative fine system and easing criminal penalties. He also plans to highlight steps to expand judicial remedies, including introducing a Korean-style evidence-discovery system and widening the scope of injunctions available through consumer class actions and consumer group lawsuits. The FTC said Joo will also pursue bilateral cooperation during the conference, holding high-level talks with counterparts from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Italy’s competition authority and the European Commission’s competition directorate. It said he will sign a memorandum of understanding with Philippine authorities to strengthen cooperation on competition-law enforcement and will meet with South Korean businesspeople in the Philippines to hear their concerns. “This visit will be a meaningful opportunity to seek response directions with the heads of competition authorities worldwide at a time when the competitive landscape is being rapidly reshaped by digital technology such as artificial intelligence,” Joo said. 2026-05-05 12:05:05
  • Korea Fair Trade Commission Fines SL 38 Million Won for Late Subcontract Documents
    Korea Fair Trade Commission Fines SL 38 Million Won for Late Subcontract Documents A South Korean auto-parts maker has been sanctioned for issuing required subcontract documents late to its subcontractors. The Korea Fair Trade Commission said May 5 it will fine SL 38 million won for delaying written documents when outsourcing mold manufacturing to subcontractors. SL is a first-tier supplier to Hyundai Motor Co., providing automotive lamps and electronic parts. According to the commission, SL outsourced 328 cases of mold production for auto-parts manufacturing from May 2020 to May 2023, but issued subcontract-related documents only after work had begun, with delays ranging from at least eight days to as long as 605 days. The commission also said SL failed to pay 728,894,000 won in late-payment interest and promissory note discount fees across 342 contracts, even though more than 60 days had passed since the delivery date. The unpaid amounts included 509,651,000 won in late interest and 219,243,000 won in note discount fees. For violating its obligation to issue written documents, the commission ordered SL to prevent a recurrence and imposed the 38 million won fine. It issued a warning over the unpaid interest and discount fees, citing SL’s voluntary corrective action. A commission official said it will continue to address unfair trade practices that harm subcontractors’ rights and will impose strict penalties when violations are found to help establish fair subcontracting practices.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-05 12:04:15
  • South Korea weighs combined intake, pumping stations to cut river work and costs
    South Korea weighs combined intake, pumping stations to cut river work and costs The government is considering building a single integrated facility when two or more water intake stations and pumping stations are located close together, aiming to reduce costs by minimizing river construction work. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced the plan after holding a regular meeting of their 2026 working-level consultative body on intake and pumping station upgrades on Wednesday at the Government Complex Sejong. The upgrade program is designed to ensure stable water intake even as climate change increases swings in river water levels due to drought and algal blooms. The two ministries plan to invest a total of 88.6 billion won this year to improve facilities through 2028, including relocating intake points and reinforcing equipment. The climate ministry is upgrading intake and pumping stations managed by local governments and K-water. Of 70 sites, upgrades have been completed at four. Of the remaining 66, construction is underway at eight, while designs are being prepared for 56. The agriculture ministry is upgrading pumping stations managed by the Korea Rural Community Corp. Of 101 sites, 11 have been upgraded, and supplemental design work is underway for the remaining 90. Construction will begin as designs are completed, the ministry said. The two ministries reviewed progress and future plans and agreed to coordinate to speed implementation. The climate ministry said it will provide administrative support so permitting steps, including river-occupation permits and small-scale environmental impact assessments, can be processed quickly. The ministries also plan to hold seminars to share upgrade experience and new technologies. Song Ho-seok, the climate ministry’s director general for water resources policy, called the upgrades “a key project to secure stable water use even amid the climate crisis,” and said the government will work with relevant agencies to accelerate the work and actively consider ways to cut costs. Jeong Hye-ryeon, the agriculture ministry’s director general for food policy, said pumping station upgrades are an important foundation for a stable supply of agricultural water and pledged close coordination and technical support to keep the project on track.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 14:45:17
  • South Korea to Offer Up to 58% Discounts on Processed Foods for Family Month
    South Korea to Offer Up to 58% Discounts on Processed Foods for Family Month The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Wednesday it will offer discounts of up to 58% on processed foods in May, designated as Family Month, to help ease pressure on household grocery bills. The ministry said it will run the promotion with 16 major food companies, covering 4,373 processed-food items. The move comes as consumer sentiment has weakened and grocery costs have risen amid external uncertainty, including instability in the Middle East, the ministry said. It added that the discounts are intended to deliver price-stabilization effects consumers can feel, particularly in May when family spending typically increases. Discounts by category include Nongshim instant noodles at 6% to 36%, Paldo instant noodles at 6.4% to 33%, Samlip bread products at 8% to 37%, and CJ CheilJedang cooking oils and fats and dumplings at 33% to 50%. Jeong Gyeong-seok, director general for food industry policy, said the event reflects active cooperation between the government and the food industry to stabilize grocery prices despite difficult external conditions. He said the ministry will continue efforts to curb living costs by expanding cooperation with the industry. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 10:24:53
  • South Korea FTC to Base Fines on Last Full Year Before Violation Ends; Retaliation Penalty Up to 30%
    South Korea FTC to Base Fines on Last Full Year Before Violation Ends; Retaliation Penalty Up to 30% South Korea’s competition watchdog will change how it calculates administrative fines, shifting the sales base period from the business year immediately before a violation to the business year immediately before the violation ends. It will also raise penalties for retaliation in the agency and franchise sectors, allowing fines to be increased by up to 30% when businesses retaliate over reports to the Fair Trade Commission.  The Fair Trade Commission said April 30 it will seek public comment on proposed amendments to enforcement decrees under the subcontracting, franchise and distribution laws from that day through June 9. It also said it will issue an administrative notice through May 20 on revisions to its fine guidelines under the subcontracting, franchise, distribution and agency laws. The changes are part of the fine-system overhaul announced last year.  To deter repeat violations, the FTC will strengthen the cap on fine increases so that even a single prior violation within the past five years can raise a fine by up to 50%, and repeated violations can raise it by up to 100%, depending on the number of offenses. The agency said the move is aimed at preventing repeated illegal conduct such as collusion. The FTC will also tighten its response to retaliation. It already increases fines when a business retaliates because someone reported it to the FTC or sought dispute mediation. In the agency sector, the maximum increase for retaliation will rise to 30% from 20%. In the franchise sector, where there had been no separate rule, the FTC will add a basis to increase fines by up to 30% for retaliation. Grounds and ranges for fine reductions will be narrowed. Previously, companies could receive reductions of 10% each — up to 20% total — for cooperating with investigations and deliberations. Under the revision, a reduction of up to 10% will apply only when a company cooperates throughout both the investigation and deliberation stages. The FTC will also cut the reduction available for voluntary corrective action. A reduction of up to 50% had been possible, but it will be limited to up to 10% and only when the effects of the violation have been substantially removed. In addition, the FTC will create a basis to revoke, on its own authority, a reduction granted for cooperation if a company later reverses its statements during litigation. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 10:07:39