Journalist

Kwon,sung jin
  • Korea Fair Trade Commission Launches Third Youth Advisory Group
    Korea Fair Trade Commission Launches Third Youth Advisory Group The Korea Fair Trade Commission said Tuesday it has formed its third “2030 Advisory Group” and held a launch ceremony for the panel, which will advise the agency on fair-trade policy from a youth perspective. The 20-member group will operate in three divisions: consumer issues, competition and business transactions, and public relations and communications. Over the next year, members will propose policies the commission plans to prioritize and suggest ways to communicate policies more effectively to the public. The commission said it expects practical, on-the-ground input across fair-trade policy because the members include startup founders, consumer-policy researchers and environmental activists. KFTC Chairman Joo Byung-ki said in welcoming remarks that the commission has worked across its policy agenda to protect the rights of young people and support their growth. He said the agency will incorporate the panel’s “fresh proposals and approaches” to pursue policies the public can feel in daily life.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 16:05:07
  • RDA to Expand New Apple Variety Production Sites to 59 Hectares, Target 35% Adoption by 2030
    RDA to Expand New Apple Variety Production Sites to 59 Hectares, Target 35% Adoption by 2030 The Rural Development Administration said on the 28th it will expand production sites for new apple varieties to 59 hectares this year, up from 22 hectares last year. It also plans to raise the adoption rate of domestically developed apple varieties from about 24% to at least 35% by 2030. About 69% of South Korea’s apple cultivation is concentrated in the Yeongnam region. With climate change pushing suitable growing areas northward, the agency said there is a growing need to spread production across regions and diversify varieties. New varieties, however, face hurdles because consumer awareness is low and many farms lack cultivation know-how, the agency noted. To address that, the RDA is working with local governments and distributors to build specialized regional production complexes, including in Gunwi (the variety Golden Ball) and in Chungju and Pohang (the variety “Easyple”). The plan is to link production with distribution and sales to broaden the use of Korean-bred apple varieties. Gunwi County is cultivating the yellow-skinned Golden Ball variety on 20 hectares, citing easier peel-color management. Chungju and Pohang have introduced Easyple on 15 hectares and 10 hectares, respectively, and are working to stabilize quality, the agency said. The regional complexes are a joint framework involving growers, distributors and local governments. Growers can improve competitiveness by producing varieties suited to local conditions, while distributors can secure steady volumes and strengthen market response through joint shipments. Local governments expect higher farm income and greater regional recognition through specialized varieties. The RDA said it expanded the complexes from 9 hectares in 2023 to 22 hectares last year and is targeting 59 hectares this year. It plans to tie the effort to its smart orchard initiative, which includes flat canopy training, mechanization and information and communications technology-based disaster response. Based on that, the agency aims to lift the adoption rate of domestically developed apple varieties from 23.8% in 2025 to at least 35% in 2030. Lee Dong-hyeok, head of the Apple Research Center at the RDA’s National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, said the complexes are “a system that links production and distribution based on a growing environment that can maximize the traits of new varieties.” He added that they are expected to serve as hubs to expand the use of Korean varieties and strengthen the competitiveness of the apple industry. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 14:49:01
  • South Korea Extends Remedies on Hanwha Defense Merger Up to 5 Years, Citing Ongoing Monopoly Concerns
    South Korea Extends Remedies on Hanwha Defense Merger Up to 5 Years, Citing Ongoing Monopoly Concerns South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission said April 28 it will extend, for up to five years, the period for corrective measures imposed as a condition for approving the business combination involving Hanwha Aerospace, Hanwha Systems and Hanwha Ocean (formerly Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering). The FTC said it will extend the measures for three years and, if needed, add up to two more years. The FTC approved the combination in May 2023 after a full-commission meeting and ordered the companies to comply with remedies for three years. The measures ban: unfairly discriminatory price quotes for naval vessel parts; unjustified refusals to provide technical information on naval parts when Hanwha Ocean’s rivals request it through the Defense Acquisition Program Administration; and providing Hanwha affiliates with trade secrets obtained from competitors. After reviewing market competition and changes in relevant laws and systems, the FTC concluded the risk of reduced competition had not been resolved and decided at a full-commission meeting on April 15 to extend the remedies. The FTC cited market conditions over the past three years, saying Hanwha Ocean has remained the leading supplier in both the surface-ship market (67.3%) and the submarine market (64.8%). It also said Hanwha Aerospace and Hanwha Systems remain monopolists or dominant No. 1 suppliers in eight of 10 naval parts markets. Because rival shipbuilders have difficulty sourcing the relevant parts from suppliers other than these companies, the FTC said concerns remain about foreclosure effects stemming from discriminatory price quotes and information sharing. The FTC said, however, that competition concerns tied to the combination have been resolved in the markets for ship identification friend-or-foe equipment and ship integrated engine control systems, citing new entrants and changes in the companies’ market shares and rankings. “We will closely track and monitor changes in competition and the regulatory environment not only at the time of the business combination but also when the extended deadline arrives,” the FTC said, adding it will decide then whether to extend the remedies further. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 12:39:18
  • Korea Institute Urges Long-Term Solar Contracts, Permitting Fixes for Wind Power
    Korea Institute Urges Long-Term Solar Contracts, Permitting Fixes for Wind Power As resource security concerns grow amid war in the Middle East, a state-run research institute said South Korea needs a stable supply of materials, parts and technology to ensure reliable renewable power generation. It called for a shift to long-term contracts for solar power and for removing institutional barriers that slow wind projects. The Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade released the recommendations on 28 in a report titled, "Measures to Strengthen the Competitiveness of Korea’s Renewable Energy Industry From a Resource Security Perspective." The institute said recent instability around the Strait of Hormuz has exposed structural vulnerabilities in an energy system centered on fossil fuels. It added that persistent geopolitical tensions, the spread of artificial intelligence data centers and an accelerating green transition are broadening the resource security debate to the entire energy and power-generation system. It said renewables are durable facilities used for long periods after installation, making them harder to protect through stockpiling or diversifying import sources alone, as with fossil fuels. With rapid technological change and varied standards, strengthening the domestic industrial base can be a more practical response, it said. The institute pointed to limits in Korea’s industrial base despite pressure to expand deployment, citing wind power as a key example. As of the end of 2024, domestically made wind turbines accounted for 47.5%, and the share could fall further as offshore wind expands, it said. For wind, the institute urged action to ease nonprice bottlenecks such as permitting and military operational assessments. It said resolving difficulties tied to those assessments, securing dedicated ports, expanding installation and maintenance vessel capacity, and reinforcing grid infrastructure would improve predictability for project execution. It also called for institutional changes for solar power, saying a structure centered on the spot market for renewable energy certificates, or RECs, increases price volatility and strengthens incentives to adopt low-priced imports, weakening investment and production conditions for domestic manufacturers. It said the government’s push to shift to a supply system centered on bidding and long-term contracts is also justified from a resource security standpoint, and recommended considering supplementary measures such as a public track during the transition. Lee Seul-gi, a research fellow at the institute’s New Industry Strategy Research Division, said in the report, "While the domestic industrial base is important in strengthening renewable energy resource security, selective and strategic policy intervention that respects market functions is more desirable."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 11:09:21
  • Nonghyup Cooperative Leaders, Farmers Urge Parliament to Drop Provisions in Farm Law Revision
    Nonghyup Cooperative Leaders, Farmers Urge Parliament to Drop Provisions in Farm Law Revision As the government moves to revise the Nonghyup Act, 500 cooperative heads and farmers gathered at the National Assembly on the 28th to voice concerns about stronger government oversight and proposed changes to how the federation chair is chosen. They called for scrapping provisions they said could undermine Nonghyup’s autonomy. Nonghyup said 500 heads of local agricultural and livestock cooperatives and farmers from across the country held a “joint farmers’ declaration to defend Nonghyup autonomy” at the Assembly on the morning of the 28th. Earlier, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, through consultations with the ruling party, announced a reform plan centered on tighter internal controls and introducing direct elections by cooperative members for the chair of the central federation. Participants urged lawmakers to: immediately halt what they called government-led supervision that infringes on Nonghyup autonomy; remove “poison pill” clauses they said would weaken legal stability; preserve the federation’s authority to guide and supervise subsidiaries to protect its cooperative identity; withdraw a plan to create a new, inefficient audit body; and stop attempts to change the direct election system for the federation chair. The Emergency Committee to Defend Nonghyup Autonomy said the government’s stance had not changed since a farmers’ rally on the 21st. It argued the government is pushing revisions that include contentious items — such as changing the chair’s direct election system and establishing a Nonghyup audit committee — without sufficient discussion. The committee also criticized the limits of regional briefings. It said briefings held on the 22nd in Daegu and on the 24th in Cheongju and Suwon included cooperative heads and farm groups, but ended without adequately collecting views from the field, leaving concerns in farming communities unresolved. Major national farm organizations joined the event and issued a solidarity statement. “Excessive regulation and control of Nonghyup could ultimately lead to cuts in support programs for farmers and increased management burdens on farm households,” the groups said, adding that they would “respond together to the end” because the issue is directly tied to farmers’ right to make a living. Park Kyung-sik, a co-chair of the emergency committee, said farmers had again gathered in front of the Assembly after setting aside their livelihoods because they believe losing Nonghyup autonomy would “directly lead to a crisis in agriculture.” Calling the revision “intervention, not reform,” he said institutional changes should come through sufficient discussion and public debate, not “speed-driven legislation.” Park said the rally showed on-the-ground determination to defend Nonghyup autonomy and asked the Assembly to reflect views in a balanced way from farmers, Nonghyup members and farm groups. The committee delivered the joint declaration it read at the event to the National Assembly. 2026-04-28 10:29:39
  • Korea to Host 13th ISO Health Organization Management Standards Meeting in Seoul
    Korea to Host 13th ISO Health Organization Management Standards Meeting in Seoul The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s Korean Agency for Technology and Standards said Monday it will hold the 13th International Standards Meeting on Health Organization Management in Seoul for three days through April 30. The meeting will be the first hosted by South Korea since it took on the chair and secretariat roles for ISO/TC 304 (health organization management). South Korea plans to serve as a designer and coordinator for global health and medical standardization work during the session. Delegates will discuss five proposed international standards submitted by South Korea, including evaluation methods for logistics processes and performance based on autonomous driving robots in smart hospitals. The meeting will also establish a “smart hospital” subcommittee (SC1) as South Korea seeks to lead international standardization for smart health and medical systems. KATS Administrator Kim Dae-ja said, “By taking the lead in smart hospital standards, our medical industry will be able to strengthen its competitiveness in the global market and improve both patient safety and hospital operational efficiency.” She added, “We will continue to provide support so our standards experts can actively participate in international standardization for smart hospitals.” * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 06:08:28
  • South Korea to Launch Farm Energy Transition Task Force; NH Reform Plan Due in June
    South Korea to Launch Farm Energy Transition Task Force; NH Reform Plan Due in June Song Mi-ryeong, South Korea’s minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs, said April 27 the government will launch an agriculture and rural “energy transition” task force this week to prepare for a prolonged war in the Middle East. She also underscored the need for reform at NongHyup, citing survey results showing broad support for a government-led overhaul. Speaking at a briefing for reporters at the government complex in Sejong, Song said that if the conflict continues, “leaving the energy issue unattended or responding only with the existing fossil-fuel system” could threaten the country’s food security. She said agricultural waste could be converted into energy through solid-fuel production and biogas, and then used as “meaningful fertilizer,” turning what is discarded into a resource. She added that farmland could also become a key asset because solar panels can be installed there. On NongHyup reform, Song said the ministry has continued to gather views in the field amid criticism that input was insufficient. She said a second reform package, including measures to revitalize its economic businesses, will be announced in June, and that needed legislation will be processed quickly. A Korea Rural Economic Institute survey released that day found 94.5% of cooperative members and 95.1% of the general public supported the need for NongHyup reform. The most common reason cited was the need to eradicate misconduct by executives, including the chairman and local cooperative heads. Addressing opposition, Song said she was aware of concerns that direct elections by members could strengthen the central chairman’s authority and that expanded government oversight could undermine autonomy. She said giving members voting rights while expanding government supervisory authority would help NongHyup secure democratic legitimacy while correcting problems. On worries about farm input supplies due to the Middle East war, Song said the latest assessment showed the country has secured enough raw materials for urea to avoid disruptions in fertilizer supply through the end of August. She said raw materials for plastic film have been secured through June, and the government is working to increase supply to some areas facing shortages. Song also said there has been some misunderstanding about the recent jump in rice prices. She said that compared with other prices over the past 20 years, the rise in rice prices has not been large, and that balancing producers and consumers is important. Rice is currently about 62,000 won per 20 kilograms, about 15% higher than a year earlier. On rising egg and broiler chicken prices, Song pointed to increased imports of hatching eggs as a response. She said livestock infectious diseases have affected not only laying hens but also broilers, raising concerns ahead of Chobok, and that imports are being expanded in anticipation of higher broiler demand during Chobok and Jungbok. 2026-04-27 16:08:36
  • Korea FTC orders Salady to stop forcing franchisees to buy eco-friendly cutlery
    Korea FTC orders Salady to stop forcing franchisees to buy eco-friendly cutlery South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission said Monday it issued corrective and notice orders to salad chain Salady for forcing franchisees to use certain disposable items. The FTC said Salady required franchisees to buy eco-friendly spoons and forks. To enforce the requirement, the company included clauses in franchise contracts allowing it to halt supplies of ingredients and other goods, or to terminate contracts and seek damages. The FTC said the cutlery requirement was not essential to maintaining a unified brand image or ensuring consistent taste and quality of core products such as salads and sandwiches. It also said the items did not have special functions or characteristics and that many substitute products are available in the market. The FTC concluded Salady’s conduct amounted to an unfair trade practice under the Franchise Business Act, citing “binding trading partners,” and ordered the company to take corrective action and notify relevant parties. An FTC official said the agency plans to continue monitoring and actively correcting practices that impose unnecessary burdens on franchisees by unfairly restricting their choice of suppliers for items that are easily purchased on the open market.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 12:12:15
  • Minister Song Mi-ryeong to launch agriculture energy transition task force; NH reform plan due in June
    Minister Song Mi-ryeong to launch agriculture energy transition task force; NH reform plan due in June Song Mi-ryeong, South Korea’s minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs, said April 27 that the government will form an agriculture and rural energy transition task force this week and run it for about three months, citing the growing need for energy transition amid the war in the Middle East. Speaking at a regular briefing at the government complex in Sejong, Song said that if energy issues are neglected or addressed only through the existing fossil-fuel system while the Middle East conflict continues, South Korea’s food security would inevitably be put at risk. Song said solid-fuel production and biogas conversion could help turn discarded materials in agriculture into energy and allow them to be used as meaningful fertilizer, making them an important resource. She also stressed that farmland could be a key asset because it can be used alongside solar power generation. Song maintained that concerns about strengthening the authority of the chairman of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, known as NongHyup, are misplaced. She said she is aware of worries that direct elections by cooperative members could lead to greater power for the federation chairman and that expanded government oversight could infringe on autonomy. But she said that if members are given the power to choose and institutional safeguards such as oversight are put in place, NongHyup can secure democratic governance and operate well. She also said the government will move faster on a second package of reforms for NongHyup. Song said officials have been continuously listening to views from the field in response to criticism that the reform process lacked sufficient input. She said the second reform plan, including key measures such as revitalizing economic businesses, is scheduled to be announced in June. Song played down concerns about shortages of agricultural supplies due to the Middle East war. She said the government has secured raw materials for urea through the end of August to ensure there is no disruption to fertilizer supplies. She added that raw materials for agricultural plastic film have been secured through June and that supplies will be increased for some areas facing shortfalls. On the government’s farmland survey, Song said the first goal is to eradicate speculation and the second is to build a farmland database to improve various systems in the future. On the rural basic income program, she said 72.7% of the funds that must be used within six months have been spent, contributing to local economic activity. Regarding a South Korea-Vietnam memorandum of understanding on animal quarantine cooperation signed on April 22, Song said it appears to be accelerating exports related to heat-treated poultry and Hanwoo beef. She added that if the two countries later follow with an MOU on plant quarantine negotiations, it would lead to a win-win outcome for both sides. 2026-04-27 12:09:20
  • Survey: About 95% of NH members and public say reform is needed to curb misconduct
    Survey: About 95% of NH members and public say reform is needed to curb misconduct South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said April 27 that a survey found about 95% of NongHyup members and the general public agree reforms are needed, with the most common reason being the need to eradicate misconduct by executives, including the chairman and cooperative heads. The ministry said 94.5% of cooperative members and 95.1% of the public supported the need for reform, according to an “awareness survey of members and the general public” on reform measures. The Korea Rural Economic Institute commissioned Gallup Korea to poll 1,079 NongHyup cooperative members nationwide and 1,000 members of the public. Asked why reform is needed, respondents most often cited misconduct by executives such as the chairman and cooperative heads (55.1% of members; 73% of the public). Other leading reasons were an operating structure centered on cooperative heads rather than members (49.4% of members; 47.3% of the public) and problems involving agricultural product distribution and price stabilization (49.4% of members; 54.5% of the public). Support was also high for shifting to direct elections by members for the NongHyup chairman, with 83.1% of members and 90.5% of the public in favor. The main reasons cited were strengthening member sovereignty and democratic governance (66.3% of members; 65.6% of the public) and reducing the risk of corruption such as the provision of money or gifts (48.2% of members; 59.5% of the public). On establishing a NongHyup Audit Committee, support outweighed opposition among both groups (85.8% of members; 93.3% of the public). A key reason was that a separate audit body could conduct fair audits without internal pressure (79.4% of members; 68.6% of the public). Among opponents, a leading concern was increased government influence (70.6% of members; 53.7% of the public). The survey also found support for creating new government oversight authority over NongHyup’s holding company and subsidiaries (67.5% of members; 85% of the public). Strengthening members’ ability to request information disclosure from cooperatives was backed by 68.9% of members and 79.7% of the public. Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryeong said the results show reform is a shared priority for most members and the public. “We will promptly prepare follow-up reform measures, including revitalizing economic projects and scaling up cooperatives, so that NongHyup can restore its core role,” she said. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 12:06:50