Korean firms experiment with four-day workweek amid fierce debate SEOUL, September 08 (AJP) - Some of South Korea’s biggest corporations are experimenting with shorter workweeks and flexible schedules, as the nation debates sweeping labor reforms that include cutting the workweek to four days and extending retirement ages. President Lee Jae Myung has pledged to phase in a 4.5-day workweek as a first step toward a four-day schedule without a reduction in pay. Labor unions have embraced the idea: both the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions have voiced support. Business leaders, however, warn that shorter schedules could erode competitiveness, particularly for smaller firms already struggling to match the resources of conglomerates. Still, early adopters suggest that flexibility can pay off. SK Telecom and its affiliate SK Square run a “Happy Friday” system that allows employees to log 80 hours over two weeks and take Fridays off. The companies also offer workers over 50 a two-year paid sabbatical to explore new opportunities before retirement. Samsung Electronics permits staff to design their own schedules as long as they meet a 40-hour weekly average, while LG Electronics has introduced self-directed time management, letting employees choose arrival and departure times within the same weekly limit. Both companies report positive feedback. Hunet, a corporate training firm, went further. In July 2022 it became one of the first South Korean companies to adopt a four-day week outright. The change boosted job applications threefold, raised first-half revenue by 20 percent year-on-year and delivered a 93.5 percent employee satisfaction rate. Local governments are also testing the waters. The provincial government of Jeju and Ulsan’s Jung-gu Office have introduced pilot 4.5-day schedules, while Gyeonggi's provincial government has signed agreements with dozens of firms to join a similar trial. Experts say the shift reflects changing social expectations but caution against rapid nationwide adoption. They point to uneven business conditions across industries, warning that what works for large conglomerates may not be sustainable for small and midsize firms. Some suggest that government incentives, rather than mandates, would be a better way to encourage voluntary adoption. Underlying the debate is a deeper concern about productivity. South Korea’s manufacturing output now stands at roughly 77 percent of the OECD average. As Chinese rivals dominate global markets, some economists argue that labor reform will fail unless paired with measures to improve efficiency and competitiveness. "Korea ranks 34th out of 38 OECD countries in work productivity, with the United States in first place. Korean workers could focus more on increasing output if four-day workweeks are implemented nationally," said Kim Dae-jong, professor of business at Sejong University. "In some sectors, the shortened work week could be implemented within a year." 2025-09-08 13:55:09

Matcha finds new home in Korea's old tea culture SEOUL, September 08 (AJP) - On a damp but sunlit Friday evening in Seoul’s Bukchon Hanok Village, a narrow stairway leads to a sleek three-story building tucked among winding alleys. As the door swings open, a cool breeze and a faint herbal scent rush out to meet the line of visitors. Inside, the walls are washed in green. Foreign tourists crowd the hall, perched on moss-colored couches and sipping lattes so vibrantly green they look almost painted. At the center of the room, a barista demonstrates the centuries-old ritual of brewing matcha: two grams of powdered tea leaves poured into a bowl, a thin stream of near-boiling water, a bamboo whisk spun until a delicate foam forms. The first sip, from a porcelain bowl, tastes grassy yet faintly tart. The latte version, sweeter and creamier, lingers with a thicker perfume of tea. “About 60 percent of our customers come from abroad, and most are here for matcha,” a barista at Osulloc, the teahouse chain run by South Korea’s Amorepacific Group, told AJP. “They’re looking for something calming that’s not easy to find outside Korea.” Matcha — or malcha in Korean — is a finely milled green tea that traces its roots to ancient China and Japan. Once the domain of monks and court officials, it has become one of the most recognizable health symbols of the 21st century. On Instagram and TikTok, celebrities pose with green lattes in hand; in Los Angeles and London, matcha cafés now rival coffee bars. The numbers mirror the craze. The global market, valued at $3.67 billion in 2025, is expected to top $6.2 billion by 2030. Yet demand is outpacing supply. In Japan, the largest producer, harvests are shrinking under record summer heat, while its tea-farming population is rapidly aging. Tariffs on Japanese exports have added to the strain, creating a shortage that producers elsewhere are eager to fill. That gap has created an opening for South Korea, where tea cultivation dates back more than a millennium. Green tea farming flourished as early as the 13th century in Hadong County, which today remains the country’s largest tea-growing region, accounting for half of all domestic output. Osulloc, with sprawling tea fields on Jeju Island, reported a more than tenfold increase in online matcha sales this March compared with a year earlier. On Amazon, its premium matcha sales climbed 170 percent. Smaller exporters are also riding the wave: Nousbo, which markets under the Seein Tea brand, credited overseas demand for boosting both sales and profits. Hadong’s county-run Tea & Bio Foundation has been exporting between 60 and 80 tons of powdered green tea to Starbucks in the United States since 2017, with plans to expand to 100 tons a year. The foundation is also opening a promotional teahouse in Manhattan and recently launched a training school in France’s Basque region to teach European growers Korean techniques. “We see this as a chance to share our heritage,” said Kim Jong-cheol, the foundation’s director. Domestic retailers, too, are rushing to capitalize. At convenience stores, 7-Eleven now sells matcha ice cream bars, chocolate sandwiches, and even a version of makgeolli, the traditional rice wine, infused with green tea powder. Rival GS25 has launched its own take on matcha makgeolli. Shelves are crowded with matcha-flavored cakes, chocolate crunches and moon pies. The government is also investing in innovation. The National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science recently developed a new varietal of tea plant, Geumda, which yields golden-tinted leaves with a richer, less astringent flavor. But the process is slow: tea trees require five to seven years to mature. “Like brewing tea itself, patience is key,” said Hong Ha-rim, a researcher at the institute. “But as more people turn from coffee to tea for health, we believe this culture will only grow.” 2025-09-08 13:50:23

INTERVIEW: What surprised foreign job seekers about life and work in Seoul SEOUL, September 7 (AJP) - At a career forum in Seoul's trendy Seongsu-dong on Saturday, more than 40 panelists shared hard-won lessons with international students seeking job opportunities here. Hosted by Exprivé, a company that connects over 10,000 foreign influencers living in Korea to promote Korean culture worldwide, Saturday's event aimed to help job seekers bridge into local industries and drew a packed crowd. On the sidelines, four Asian panelists from Singapore, Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia sat down with AJP to share what settling here has felt like, what surprised them, and what advice they would give. Saule, a global marketing manager at beauty startup Eleven Corporation, opened with a simple point about daily life. "In Korea, there is a strong 'do-things-together' culture," she said. "Back home, no one minds if you spend your lunch or free time on your own. Here, people tend to spend that time with the people around them. I’ve almost never eaten alone." Desmy, who completed an MBA at Yonsei University and now works at Samsung C&T Corporation, recalled awkward comments. "I've been asked, 'Isn't Southeast Asia poor? Is Singapore also part of that?'" she said. "There was no obvious bad intention, but the way some people think and view the world or other countries felt very narrow." Tsolmon, a University of Seoul graduate who now coordinates hospital programs at Exprivé, also shared a similar experience. "Some people are very kind to English-speaking foreigners but behave differently toward other foreigners, especially toward non-English-speaking Asians," she said. "When I interviewed for a part-time job at a café while in college, I was told, 'If customers ask whether you're a foreigner, say you're Korean because you look similar, but don't say you're Mongolian.'" Anna, a senior sales manager at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul who studied business at Sungkyunkwan University, pointed to the problem of Korean society's intense competition, especially in the job market in Seoul. "In China, even if it's not Beijing, you have other options in other cities," she said. "In Korea, so much is concentrated in Seoul that everyone wants to settle down here, and the competition is very severe. There's also a feeling that you should be 'perfect' in everything—your career, your appearance, and, if you are married, housework and childcare." All four said visas and paperwork are a major hurdle for foreigners who want to settle down in Korea. "Many students study really hard and try hard to stay," they said. "But strict visa conditions can lead to trouble, such as working without proper papers or staying without permission." They also pointed out the problem of some companies that exploit desperate foreigners who want to stay in Korea. "Some treat the minimum salary for a work visa as the most they need to pay, saying, 'There are plenty of other foreigners who would take this job at this wage to stay in Korea. If you don't take this, someone else will.'" They further described problems at immigration offices. "Western foreigners often receive friendly service in English," they said, "while people from Southeast or Central Asia are told to speak Korean—or addressed in very casual Korean that can feel disrespectful. This is often cited as a discriminatory experience by foreigners from those countries." Still, they stressed what they have learned here: be on time, respect others, and use gentle, considerate language. Tsolmon said she has developed the habit of using polite words in nearly every situation. Desmy added, "People say I've become calmer after living in Korea." They also advised newcomers on what they could learn from Korean society. "It is true that Korean society can feel difficult to settle into and highly competitive," they said. "But what we can learn from adapting here is that people here are always looking for ways to improve themselves and are working hard for the future. In such an environment, we push ourselves too, and we can see that we are improving and becoming better versions of ourselves day after day." 2025-09-07 21:37:13

South Korea to allow visa-free travel for Chinese visitors starting this month SEOUL, September 07 (AJP) -South Korea announced Sunday that it would temporarily allow visa-free entry for Chinese tour groups of three or more people, in a move aimed at revitalizing its tourism sector. The new policy, which takes effect on Sept. 29, permits these groups to travel across the country for up to 15 days. China has already been allowing visa-free travel for South Korean nationals since November of last year. Under the new policy, which will run until June 30 of next year, groups must be recruited by travel agencies that are either designated by the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism or a South Korean diplomatic mission in China. In an effort to prevent illegal stays, the government has also implemented stricter controls. Designated South Korean travel agencies are now required to register their tourists' lists on the Hi Korea website at least 24 hours before their arrival, or 36 hours for those arriving by ship. Individuals identified as high-risk will be denied the visa exemption and must obtain a separate visa to enter the country. The government has also strengthened administrative sanctions for unauthorized departures. If a tourist leaves a group intentionally or with collusion, the travel agency's designation will be immediately revoked. The policy change comes ahead of China's holiday season in October, a period known for a significant increase in international travel. To prepare for the expected surge in visitors, the government has allowed travel agencies to begin registering tourist lists starting on Sept. 22. Officials said they anticipate the temporary visa exemption will boost the tourism industry and local economies while also fostering greater understanding and goodwill between the two countries through increased people-to-people exchanges. The new policy does not affect Jeju Island, which, under its own special act, already permits individual and group tourists to visit for up to 30 days without a visa. 2025-09-07 17:40:27

Immigration crackdown leads Korean firms to cancel business trips to US SEOUL, September 07 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor Company has canceled all scheduled business trips to the United States after hundreds of South Korean workers were arrested in Georgia on charges of illegal stay and employment. Industry sources confirmed Sunday that the automaker had notified employees that all travel to the U.S. was suspended. The decision comes after a raid on a joint battery plant operated by LG Energy Solution and Hyundai Motor Group on Sept. 4 led to the detention of 475 people. About 300 of those arrested are believed to be South Korean citizens. Reports indicate that most of the detained Koreans entered the U.S. with either an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) or a B-1 business visa. While both allow for short-term visits, they do not permit employment. Proper work visas for foreign nationals, such as the H-1B or L-1/E-2, can take months or even years to secure. For years, companies have informally relied on ESTA and B-1 visas to send workers on business trips, a practice that is now under scrutiny. The unprecedented immigration raid, which led to the mass detention, appears to have prompted Hyundai's decision to halt travel. Industry observers now expect other South Korean firms with investments in the U.S. to also delay or postpone their business trips. One industry official called the U.S. government's action a "first-of-its-kind crackdown on a long-standing practice." "If travel becomes too difficult, it could make it virtually impossible for Korean companies to execute their business plans in the U.S. as scheduled," the official said on condition of anonymity. 2025-09-07 14:25:49

Samsung plans to embed AI across 90 percent of its business by 2030 SEOUL, September 07 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics plans to integrate artificial intelligence into nearly all of its operations within the next five years, a sweeping transformation that the company says will redefine how it makes and markets everything from smartphones to home appliances. Roh Tae-moon, the acting head of Samsung’s DX Division, which oversees consumer electronics and mobile devices, said at a news conference at the IFA 2025 trade show in Berlin that the company aims to apply AI to 90 percent of its business areas by 2030. “We will turn Samsung Electronics into a company that uses AI better than anyone else — a company that works and grows with AI,” Roh said. “AI will secure our competitiveness and become a new engine of growth.” Roh also teased new hardware, saying that development of a “tri-fold” smartphone — a device that folds three times — was in its final stages and would be released later this year. He added that extended-reality headsets and smart glasses would follow once the technology was mature enough. The push comes as global technology companies race to embed generative AI into products and services, seeking to boost efficiency and win over consumers increasingly drawn to smart features. Roh said Samsung intends to install AI functions on more than 400 million Galaxy devices by the end of this year. He added that AI would be expanded to televisions and household appliances, and that robotics using so-called “physical AI” would be a future growth driver. Samsung is developing its own large language model, known as Gauss, while also working with partners such as Google, whose Gemini AI is already embedded in Galaxy smartphones. “We want to provide the best AI model or platform depending on customer needs,” Roh said, adding that Samsung was also in talks with other partners beyond Google. The company sees Europe as a key proving ground. “European consumers tend to adopt advanced features more quickly than in other regions,” Roh said. “Our goal is to popularize AI technology, starting with premium products but quickly expanding to mass-market devices.” 2025-09-07 10:57:08

Charter flight to bring home Korean workers held in US SEOUL, September 07 (AJP) - The South Korean government said on Sunday that it had successfully negotiated the release of over 300 of its citizens who were detained by American immigration authorities at a construction site in Georgia. The workers were building a joint battery plant for Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution. Lee Hun-sik, the chief of staff to President Lee Jae Myung, announced that “negotiations for the release of the detained workers have been completed,” and he credited the rapid response of government ministries, corporations and economic organizations. Speaking at a high-level meeting in Seoul, Lee noted that while the release had been secured, administrative procedures were still pending. "A charter flight will depart to bring our citizens home as soon as those procedures are completed," he said. He added that the government would "not let down its guard" until the workers had returned safely to South Korea, and that officials would work to review and improve the visa system for South Koreans traveling to the United States for large-scale projects to prevent similar incidents. The detentions occurred after federal immigration authorities carried out what they called the largest enforcement operation in their history at the Bryan County construction site. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations arrested 475 workers during the raid on Sept. 4, citing widespread violations involving unauthorized employment and visa overstays. U.S. authorities said many of those taken into custody had entered the country under the visa waiver program or on short-term visas that do not permit employment. LG Energy Solution confirmed that 47 of its own employees were among those arrested, including 46 South Koreans and one Indonesian. The company said roughly 250 workers from its partner firms were also detained, most of whom were believed to be South Korean. Consular officials from South Korea’s Consulate General in Atlanta began meeting with the detainees on Saturday at an ICE processing center in Folkston, Ga., to check on their health and living conditions. The on-site support team is being led by Cho Ki-joong, consul general at the South Korean Embassy in Washington. LG Energy Solution said it had suspended all business travel to the United States for its employees, except for essential customer meetings, and had instructed staff members currently in the country to either return home or remain at their accommodations. On Friday, President Donald Trump, who has made immigration enforcement a centerpiece of his administration, praised the operation and referred to those detained as “illegal aliens.” ICE later released a video clip of the raid, showing workers being screened, shackled with chains and handcuffs, and loaded onto a transport vehicle. 2025-09-07 10:06:26

Rare lung disease drug fails to secure health insurance coverage in Korea SEOUL, September 06 (AJP) - A breakthrough medication for a rare lung disease has been denied health insurance coverage in South Korea, leaving desperate patients to bear the full cost of treatment. According to the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service on Saturday, the Tyvaso inhalation solution was rejected on Thursday during its ninth pharmaceutical benefit evaluation committee meeting of 2025. The drug, developed by U.S. based United Therapeutics Corporation and domestic copyrights owned by Korean firm Antrogen, was seeking coverage for pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease, a serious and progressive disease. The denial effectively blocks patients from accessing the only approved treatment for the fatal condition, which gradually hardens lung tissue while dangerously elevating blood pressure in pulmonary arteries. Patients suffer severe breathing difficulties and declining physical capacity before ultimately facing life-threatening heart complications. The disease carries a grim prognosis, with five-year survival rates hovering around just 30 percent. For most patients, lung transplantation remains the sole hope, though the path is fraught with obstacles and lengthy waiting periods. Clinical trials demonstrated that Tyvaso reduced the risk of clinical worsening by 55 percent, offering patients precious time to await transplants or extend their lives. The drug had emerged as the only therapeutic option for this devastating condition. Medical experts argue the medication meets all criteria for essential drugs under current regulations, including lack of alternative treatments and proven clinical benefits for life-threatening conditions affecting small patient populations. About 1,671 patients were on lung transplant waiting lists between 2009 and 2020, with 31 percent dying while awaiting procedures. The drug was first applied for insurance coverage in June of last year but faced rejection, prompting a second attempt in February targeting severely ill patients with similarly disappointing results. 2025-09-06 15:16:33

[[K-Pop]] aespa's "Rich Man" album tops iTunes charts in 14 countries SEOUL, September 06 (AJP) - South Korean girl group aespa claimed the top spot on iTunes Top Songs charts in 14 countries with their sixth mini-album "Rich Man," their agency SM Entertainment said Saturday. The album, released Friday, dominated charts in 14 countries including Thailand, Taiwan, and Russia. It also secured positions within the top 10 in 29 countries including the United States, France, and Japan. "Rich Man" swept China's digital music platforms, capturing first place on QQ Music's overall and EP digital album sales charts while earning "Platinum" certification for surpassing 1 million yuan (about $140 million) in sales revenue. The album also topped Kugou Music's digital album sales chart and Tencent Music's K-pop rankings. The title track of the same name climbed to 10th place on domestic streaming platform Melon's Top 100 chart as of 1:40 p.m. Saturday, also claiming the top spot on Japanese music platform AWA's real-time trending chart. The record features six tracks in a range of styles, including hip hop, R&B, and pop. The title track "Rich Man" is described as a dance song driven by rough electric guitar riffs and an addictive topline, paired with shifting band sounds meant to highlight the group’s vocals and energy. "We all really liked the fact that we didn’t portray the meaning of 'Rich Man' literally through money or through like luxury, and it was portrayed more creatively," aespa member Giselle told British music magazine NME on Friday. "It was more about being happy and confident with yourself, rich in a mindful way." 2025-09-06 14:20:18

South Korea-US trade complaints double as Trump tariffs undermine FTA benefits SEOUL, September 06 (AJP) - South Korean exporters are grappling with mounting trade barriers as complaints about US market access surged to twice last year's levels, undermining benefits from the bilateral free trade agreement amid Washington's protectionist pivot. Trade grievances filed with South Korea's FTA support center jumped to 1,526 cases in the first seven months of this year, already surpassing the full-year 2024 total of 1,380 cases, according to data from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The spike contrasts sharply with complaints about other major trading partners, which fell by half during the same period. China-related trade issues dropped to 1,787 cases while ASEAN concerns fell to 1,196 cases. U.S. trade complaints had been declining steadily from 1,746 cases in 2021 to 1,380 in 2023, before this year's dramatic reversal following President Donald Trump's return to the White House in January. Trump's administration has prioritized protectionist policies, wielding tariffs as a primary tool despite the Korea-U.S. FTA. While Seoul negotiated a reduction in reciprocal tariffs from 25 percent to 15 percent in July, Korean companies still face significantly higher barriers than the duty-free access they previously enjoyed. "Export companies' FTA utilization rates are steadily rising, but the gap between large corporations and small businesses still reaches 20 percentage points," said Democratic Party lawmaker Heo Jong-sik, who obtained the trade ministry data. The most common complaints involved certificate of origin issues, accounting for 3,870 cases, followed by product classification problems and tariff rate disputes, highlighting the complex bureaucratic hurdles now facing Korean exporters in their largest overseas market. 2025-09-06 11:01:56