Journalist

Kwon Sung jin
  • 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
  • South Korea orders major open-market platforms to curb overly broad liability waivers
    South Korea orders major open-market platforms to curb overly broad liability waivers South Korea’s competition watchdog ordered corrective steps against what it called overly broad liability waivers used by open-market operators, including clauses that exempt a platform even when fault is shared between the company and users. It also revised provisions that had broadly waived intermediary responsibility on the grounds that the platform was not a direct party to contracts. The Fair Trade Commission said on the 27th it reviewed the terms of service of seven major open-market operators, including Coupang, Naver and Kurly, and corrected 11 types of unfair clauses across four areas: improper exemptions and limits on damages liability; arbitrary exercise of platform operating authority; disadvantages tied to settlement for sellers and refunds for consumers; and other terms unfavorable to users. The commission said the action is intended to strengthen platform accountability and better protect users’ rights as the domestic e-commerce market has expanded rapidly and open markets have become an essential distribution channel. First, it moved to fix clauses that improperly exempt or shift responsibility for protecting personal information. Open-market operators have a duty to securely collect and store users’ personal data, such as names and contact information, gathered during transactions. The commission said some terms had effectively freed operators from responsibility for incidents such as data leaks regardless of whether the company was at fault. It also corrected clauses that broadly waived a platform’s intermediary responsibility. The commission said platform operators that broker transactions between sellers and consumers have a manager’s duty to help ensure transactions are safe and smooth. It said terms will be revised so operators are not exempt when they are at fault, rather than being uniformly shielded because they did not directly participate in contracts. In addition, the commission said it was unfair to exempt a business whenever a user bears any fault in cases where responsibility is shared. When both sides are at fault, it said, liability should be allocated according to each party’s share of responsibility. Other clauses to be corrected include provisions that prioritize separate operating policies over the terms; allow unilateral changes to payment methods without user consent; unfairly delay settlement of sales proceeds to sellers; require users to waive restoration claims when canceling membership; and unfairly differentiate refund conditions based on subscription billing cycles. The commission said the measures were aimed at having major open-market platforms voluntarily correct unfair terms that had been applied unilaterally to users by leveraging superior bargaining power. It said it will continue to review and correct terms to create a safer environment for platform users and improve unfair trading practices. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 12:03:17
  • National Nakdong River Biological Resources Institute Opens Applications for Teaching Kit Loans, Online Classes
    National Nakdong River Biological Resources Institute Opens Applications for Teaching Kit Loans, Online Classes The National Nakdong River Biological Resources Institute said on the 27th it is accepting applications from schools and other educational institutions for its “teaching kit loan service” and its “online bio-environment classroom.” The program, which begins that day, is designed to expand hands-on learning by distributing teaching kits and content developed by the institute for use in classrooms and other learning sites. The teaching kit loan service provides free loans of seven types of kits focused on biodiversity and climate change for use in educational settings. The online bio-environment classroom is an integrated online-offline course that combines video content with hands-on activity packages. Applications open that day through the institute’s website reservation system. Registration for the online bio-environment classroom runs through the 31st of next month, with up to 2,000 participants accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for each program; applications will close once capacity is reached. “Through the teaching kits developed by the National Nakdong River Biological Resources Institute, children and teenagers will be able to understand the value and importance of biodiversity in an easy and engaging way,” said Yeo Jin-dong, head of the institute’s Exhibition and Education Division. He added that the institute will continue to expand educational content that can be used in schools and other learning environments.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 06:03:06
  • Korea FTC Awards 15 Million Won to Staff Who Uncovered Sugar Price-Fixing
    Korea FTC Awards 15 Million Won to Staff Who Uncovered Sugar Price-Fixing South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission said April 26 it will pay a combined 15 million won ($) in special achievement bonuses to two staff members credited with uncovering illegal collusion by three sugar manufacturers and sellers. The FTC said it held its first special achievement awards ceremony on April 22. The bonus program was introduced this year following a presidential directive to provide exceptional rewards to public officials who deliver outstanding results. The FTC said it will award 10 million won to Jeong Mun-hong, an official, and 5 million won to Woo Byeong-hoon, a senior official. The agency said the two, while investigating suspected collusion in the sugar sector, secured a decisive confession from an employee of a cartel participant. The confession and subsequent evidence led the sugar companies to voluntarily report, allowing the investigation to be wrapped up quickly, the FTC said. In March, the FTC imposed 396 billion won in fines on the three sugar companies. The agency also said the probe produced key leads that could help uncover cartel cases in major food raw materials such as corn syrup and flour. The FTC said the confession and evidence it obtained were later used as core materials in prosecutors’ investigations, and were cited as showing how early FTC fact-finding and securing admissions can be pivotal in bringing criminal penalties in cartel cases. The FTC said it highly valued the officials’ persistent tracking of covert collusion in the food sector and their role in driving down prices. It said sugar prices at the three companies fell 16.5% from the collusive level after the cartel was uncovered. Other award recipients included: four officials, including Min Ji-hyeon, for strengthening economic penalties for unfair practices (6.5 million won); five officials, including manager Eum Jan-di, for a tough response to omissions involving DB, Youngwon and HDC affiliates (6 million won); and three officials, including manager Jang Ju-yeon, for operating a monitoring team on unfair trade in items closely tied to daily life (4.5 million won). FTC Chairman Joo Byeong-gi said the sugar cartel case reflected investigators’ ability to read competitive conditions and their determination to uncover the truth. He said the key was persuading a participant in a “giant cartel” to voluntarily report after 12 months of persistent investigative work.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 12:08:31
  • South Korea to Inspect Livestock Traceability, Grading and Origin Labels; DNA Tests Possible
    South Korea to Inspect Livestock Traceability, Grading and Origin Labels; DNA Tests Possible South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Saturday it will conduct a joint inspection of livestock product traceability, grading and country-of-origin labeling from Sunday through May 15, working with the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service, the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency and local governments. The roughly three-week crackdown will focus on businesses suspected of violating rules on price and grade labeling and origin labeling for livestock products sold online and through other channels, the ministry said. If inspectors suspect false labeling of traceability numbers during on-site checks, they will also conduct DNA identity tests. The Korea Institute for Animal Products Quality Evaluation has carried out on-site checks under the livestock traceability system and used the results to improve operations. The ministry said the institute has also established a notice requiring it to report field findings to enforcement agencies, a step officials expect will improve the efficiency of inspections. Jeon Ik-seong, head of the ministry’s livestock distribution team, said the government will continue to strengthen inspections and enforcement against violations of the traceability system to eliminate illegal distribution and supply consumers with safe, reliable livestock products.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 11:03:44
  • South Korea to Launch ‘So-Prize 2025’ Hanwoo Sale With Discounts Up to 50%
    South Korea to Launch ‘So-Prize 2025’ Hanwoo Sale With Discounts Up to 50% South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Saturday it will run a nationwide Hanwoo beef discount campaign from Sunday through May 10, offering markdowns of up to 50% at Nonghyup-affiliated Hanaro Mart stores, major supermarkets and leading online malls. The online Hanwoo marketplace operated by the Hanwoo Self-Reliance Fund will hold its sale from Sunday through April 30. Most online and offline retailers will run promotions from April 29 through May 10. Store-by-store schedules are available on the websites of the Hanwoo Self-Reliance Fund, the National Hanwoo Association and Nonghyup Economic Holdings. Discounted items include popular cuts such as sirloin, brisket and other beef used for bulgogi and soup, spanning grades from 1++ to Grade 2. Participating sellers plan to offer, per 100 grams of Grade 1 beef, sirloin at 7,160 won and brisket at 4,810 won, about 16% to 25% below typical prices. Lee Jae-sik, the ministry’s director general for livestock policy, said the event was designed to give households a chance to buy high-quality Hanwoo at more reasonable prices during Family Month. He said the ministry will continue discount campaigns to ease consumers’ burden and help stabilize livestock product prices.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 11:03:16
  • Korea FTC Vice Chair Urges Used-Goods Platforms to Meet E-Commerce Law Duties
    Korea FTC Vice Chair Urges Used-Goods Platforms to Meet E-Commerce Law Duties Nam Dong-il, vice chair of South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission, said on the 23rd that used-goods trading platform operators should fully understand the procedures and obligations under new rules introduced through revisions to the E-Commerce Act and meet their social responsibilities. Speaking at a meeting with industry officials at the EL Tower in Seoul’s Yangjae-dong, Nam said used-goods platforms have become core trading infrastructure used routinely by most people, making it urgent to create a safe marketplace where consumers can trade with confidence. The meeting was held to encourage platform operators to comply with the legal framework governing consumer-to-consumer (C2C) transactions. Under the revised E-Commerce Act now in effect, C2C transactions are included in the category of mail-order sales and are subject to oversight. Nam said the government is working across ministries to eradicate illegal ticket scalping in performance and sports events, and urged the industry to do its part by regularly checking for suspected scalping transactions and taking swift action to help curb illegal activity in areas closely tied to daily life. Platform executives attending the meeting pledged to faithfully carry out measures to protect users. They also asked that future policy design reflect the flexible nature of secondhand trading, where a wide range of parties and transaction conditions coexist. The FTC said it will continue active on-site communication with companies in the e-commerce sector to help establish a safe consumer environment and fair trading practices. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 16:35:23
  • South Korea Parliament Approves Expansion of Fair Trade Commission to 11 Members
    South Korea Parliament Approves Expansion of Fair Trade Commission to 11 Members South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission will expand its roster of commissioners from nine to 11 for the first time in 30 years. The commission said on the 23rd that the National Assembly passed revisions to the Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Act to increase the number of members. Under the amendment, the commission will add one standing commissioner and one nonstanding commissioner, raising the total to 11 from the current nine. The new lineup will be six standing commissioners and five nonstanding commissioners, up from five and four, respectively. The commission’s membership cap has not changed since 1997. With the increase, officials expect reviews and decisions to move faster. The commission cited a rise in its caseload, saying it handled 2,400 cases over the past five years, nearly double the 1990s average of 1,300, while the number of commissioners remained unchanged. The revised law is expected to take effect immediately after it is transferred to the government, approved by the Cabinet and promulgated.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 16:09:18
  • South Korea labor ministry cites early Friday leave, flexible hours as workplace innovation wins
    South Korea labor ministry cites early Friday leave, flexible hours as workplace innovation wins The Ministry of Employment and Labor said Wednesday it held a workplace innovation forum to share examples of positive results. The ministry and the Korea Labor Foundation hosted the first "2026 Workplace Innovation Case-Sharing Forum" at 2 p.m. in an event hall at POSCO Tower Yeoksam in Seoul's Gangnam district. Company labor and management representatives, academic experts and consultants attended to discuss ways to advance workplace innovation. The forum series is scheduled to run eight times from April through November, with different themes, and is open to the public. At the first session, the ministry introduced the case of advertising agency MTRE INC, which adopted a policy allowing employees to leave work two hours early every Friday and cut its turnover rate to 11% from 63%. It also shared the case of Kolon Biotech, which increased its workforce by 13% after introducing flexible work arrangements tailored by job type, including a selective working-hours system. Cho Chung-hyun, the ministry's director general for labor-management cooperation policy, said the cases showed that "when labor and management put their heads together and join innovation, they can turn a crisis into an opportunity." He said the government will continue supporting companies so a culture of labor-management cooperation and workplace innovation can take root across workplaces.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 14:32:15