Journalist

Kwon Sung jin
  • 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
  • Korea Fair Trade Commission Warns of Refund Delays as Prepaid Installment Firms Drop to 76
    Korea Fair Trade Commission Warns of Refund Delays as Prepaid Installment Firms Drop to 76 South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission said Thursday the number of registered prepaid installment transaction companies fell to 76 in the first quarter, down from 77. The commission said two companies canceled their registrations during the quarter and one newly registered. Four companies reported changes to key information such as executives or addresses. A Plus Life and Baramil Good Life changed their representatives, The Better Life changed its address, and Utopia Future changed its email address, the commission said. The commission urged consumers signing prepaid installment contracts to closely review notices from the consumer damage compensation insurance institution to help prevent losses tied to closures or registration cancellations. It also warned that companies that frequently change their name or address may pose a higher risk of weak operations or business suspension. It said consumers should be especially cautious with companies that have not signed a consumer damage compensation contract, because there is no safeguard to recover payments if the company shuts down or another incident occurs. The commission said some companies have failed to refund payments — excluding penalties — within three business days after consumers cancel prepaid installment contracts for mutual-aid services and savings-type travel products, or have delayed payment. Consumers who suffer losses such as delayed refunds can seek counseling or file for relief through the Korea Consumer Agency, it said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 10:06:45
  • Korea Fair Trade Commission Fines Bodyfriend 40 Million Won for Incomplete Subcontract Documents
    Korea Fair Trade Commission Fines Bodyfriend 40 Million Won for Incomplete Subcontract Documents South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission said on the 29th it will fine Bodyfriend 40 million won for issuing written manufacturing subcontract agreements that omitted required items, including signatures and delivery deadlines. The FTC said Bodyfriend signed 58 manufacturing subcontract contracts with four subcontractors from May 2021 to June 2024 for products including bed-type massage devices. Of the 58 contracts, 41 were issued in writing without the signature or name-and-seal of both parties. In eight cases, the written documents omitted the delivery deadline for the goods. In nine cases, both the signature or name-and-seal and the delivery deadline were missing. The FTC said the conduct violated Article 3 of the law requiring issuance of written documents. It ordered corrective steps to prevent a repeat and imposed the 40 million won penalty. An FTC official said the action is expected to help improve unfair subcontracting practices and protect subcontractors’ rights, adding that the agency will continue monitoring violations and take strict action in line with the law and principles when illegal conduct is found.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 12:09:20
  • 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
  • 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
  • South Korea to Accept Voluntary Pet Dog Registration Reports Through June
    South Korea to Accept Voluntary Pet Dog Registration Reports Through June South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Tuesday it will run a first voluntary reporting period for animal registration through June and then carry out intensified enforcement in July. Under the Animal Protection Act, pet dogs aged 2 months or older must be registered with the local government. Owners who fail to register or do not report changes may face administrative fines of up to 1 million won or up to 500,000 won. Fines will be waived for those who register or report changes during the voluntary period. The ministry said it will also step up publicity for animal registration during the voluntary period and conduct a monthlong crackdown in July after it ends. It plans to operate a second voluntary reporting and enforcement period starting in September. “Animal registration is the first step in accepting a pet dog as a member of the family and the best way to prevent pets from going missing,” said Lee Yeon-sook, director of the ministry’s Animal Welfare Policy Division. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 11:29:50
  • Online Sales Keep Rising; Department Store and Convenience Store Revenue Up for 9th Month
    Online Sales Keep Rising; Department Store and Convenience Store Revenue Up for 9th Month Online sales extended steady growth in March, while among offline retailers, department stores and convenience stores stayed in positive territory. Big-box discount stores, however, returned to a decline after a one-month reprieve. According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s report on March 2026 sales trends at major retailers released Tuesday, combined sales at major retailers rose 5.6% from a year earlier. Offline sales increased 1.9% year over year. By format, department stores climbed 14.7% and convenience stores rose 2.7%, while big-box discount stores fell 15.2% and mid-sized retailers declined 8.6%. Department store and convenience store sales have risen for nine straight months since July last year. The ministry attributed department store gains largely to higher foreign tourist traffic and demand tied to spring outings and the new school term, which boosted sales of well-known overseas brands. Convenience stores posted growth in processed and ready-to-eat foods, tobacco and miscellaneous goods. Big-box discount stores weakened as spending continued to shift online, with most categories — including food and daily necessities — underperforming, pushing sales back into negative territory. Mid-sized retailers extended their slide to a fourth consecutive month. On a quarterly basis, big-box discount stores have been sluggish for eight straight quarters since the second quarter of 2024, and mid-sized retailers for three straight quarters since the third quarter of last year. Online sales rose 8.1% from a year earlier, continuing a sustained uptrend since the government began compiling the data. In addition to strong performers such as cosmetics (up 15.8%), food (up 10.6%) and home and household goods (up 9.5%), sales also increased for appliances and electronics (up 11.1%), children and baby products (up 10.7%) and books and stationery (up 4.1%). By sales share, online accounted for 60.6%, followed by department stores at 15.4%, convenience stores at 13.9%, big-box discount stores at 8.1% and mid-sized retailers at 2.0%. Compared with last year’s annual shares, online rose 1.6 percentage points while offline fell 1.6 points. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 11:05:48
  • Korea Standards Agency Holds Forum on Industrial Measurement Strategy for Advanced Industries
    Korea Standards Agency Holds Forum on Industrial Measurement Strategy for Advanced Industries South Korea’s Korean Agency for Technology and Standards, under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, said Tuesday it held a policy forum on industrial measurement to support the advancement of high-tech industries. The agency said it used the forum to discuss strategies with industry officials in sectors including semiconductors, aviation, defense, and nuclear power. Industrial measurement refers to the infrastructure that ensures accuracy and reliability in measurements across industrial processes, enabling better quality control, improved safety, and more credible testing and certification. The agency said its importance is growing in advanced industries such as semiconductors, biotech and defense, where nanometer-level precision is required. It also said cases are increasing in which buyers, when importing aircraft and defense products, demand not only the product but also a “measurement and calibration package” that includes measurement equipment and calibration systems. The agency said such requirements are being viewed as a key factor in export competition between countries. The agency said South Korea’s industries remain heavily dependent on overseas suppliers for advanced measurement equipment and core metrology and measurement technologies, and that measurement management systems across industry have not been sufficiently upgraded. It said this could become a structural constraint on global competitiveness. At the forum, participants presented cases of applying ultra-precision metrology and measurement technologies in industrial settings and outlined the government’s policy direction. Experts from industry, academia and research institutes, including Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), Hanwha Aerospace and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, discussed development strategies to meet rising demands for precision in advanced industries. The government said it plans to foster industrial measurement as a national priority by expanding related research and development and building regional support centers, while continuing to broaden field-focused support. “Industrial measurement is no longer a supporting technology but a core infrastructure that determines the competitiveness of advanced industries,” KATS Administrator Kim Dae-ja said. “We will further strengthen our industries’ global competitiveness by securing precise measurements and reliable data.” * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 11:04:59