Labor Ministry to inspect Coupang's warehouses after recent massive data breach SEOUL, December 1 (AJP) - E-commerce giant Coupang's logistics centers and delivery warehouses will be inspected next week, the Ministry of Employment and Labor said Monday. The move follows a surprise inspection by Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon at a logistics center in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province last week, shortly after a major data breach was detected. The inspection, set to begin next Wednesday, will cover Coupang's four logistics centers and three warehouses affected December 1, 2025

South Korean hotels ride wave of Chinese Gen Z travelers SEOUL, December 01 (AJP) - South Korea’s hotel scene is in the midst of a renaissance, energized by a surge of overseas travelers who are filling rooms, lifting revenues, and reshaping the country’s hospitality landscape. At the center of this revival is the return of Chinese tourists — once South Korea’s largest visitor group — whose comeback is accelerating faster than many in the industry anticipated. More than 14 million foreign tourists arri December 1, 2025

South Korean asset management firms' Q3 profit surges 128 percent year-on-year SEOUL, December 01 (AJP) - South Korea’s asset management industry expanded in the third quarter, with total assets under management (AUM) rising 3.9 percent from the previous quarter to 1,868.8 trillion won (about $1.27 trillion). Fund deposits grew 5 percent to 1,226.8 trillion won ($835 billion), while investment advisory contracts increased 1.8 percent to 642 trillion won. Funds recorded gains across major categories: equity funds reached 149.5 trillion won, bond December 1, 2025

Chip boom lifts South Korea's November exports 8.4 percent SEOUL, December 01 (AJP) - South Korea’s exports rose more than 8 percent in November from a year earlier, extending their growth streak to six consecutive months and putting the country on course to reach an annual export of $700 billion for the first time. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said Monday that outbound shipments reached $61.04 billion in November, up 8.4 percent on-year. Average daily exports, adjusted for working days, climbed 13.3 percent to $2.71 December 1, 2025

Coming-of-age indie film becomes this year's biggest sleeper hit SEOUL, December 1 (AJP) - Low-budget film "The World of Love" has attracted over 150,000 viewers since its release in late October, becoming this year's biggest sleeper hit. According to the Korean Film Council, the 119-minute film directed by Yoon Ga-eun, reached the impressive milestone as of the end of November, consistently attracting viewers. The film's success has been driven by strong word of mouth, with viewers and critics alike praising it, despite December 1, 2025

Subway workers in Seoul go on partial strike SEOUL, December 1 (AJP) - Commuters may have to brace for some delays as unionized workers in Seoul launched a partial strike, Seoul Metro said on its website on Monday. Seoul Metro, which operates subway lines 1 through 8, apologized for any inconvenience. It would involve operational slowdowns such as delayed door closures and reduced train speeds, likely causing disruptions for commuters during the morning and evening rush hours. The move came after Seoul Metro's labo December 1, 2025

SingCham Korea prepares Golden Ticket year-end event for 50th anniversary of ties SEOUL, November 30 (AJP) - The Singapore Chamber of Commerce in Korea is preparing to host its Golden Ticket year-end event next week as the two countries mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations. The event will take place on December 5 at Floating Island’s Vista Hall in Seoul. It follows SingCham Korea’s year-end gala event held last year at Signiel Seoul, where more than 200 guests from the business, diplomatic and cultural sectors gathered for an evening th November 30, 2025

Retail investors not to blame as NPS drives bigger dollar demand SEOUL, November 30 (AJP) - Growing attention has been placed on Korean retail investors pouring money into U.S. stocks, with some blaming their buying streak for the recent jump in the exchange rate. New data, however, show that the National Pension Service has been buying far more overseas equities, reinforcing the view that individual investors are not the main driver of the won's weakness. According to Bank of Korea figures released on November 30, overseas equity purchases November 30, 2025

Super-aged South Korea sees record share of one-person households SEOUL, November 30 (AJP) - South Korea's population structure is shifting faster than expected as the share of one-person households climbed to a new high last year and the number of older adults passed the 10 million mark for the first time. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare's annual social security statistics released on November 30, the number of people living alone reached 8.045 million in 2024, accounting for 36.1 percent of all households. The steady ri November 30, 2025

Coupang hit by massive personal data breach affecting 33 million accounts SEOUL, November 30 (AJP) - Coupang, the top e-commerce platform with some 33 million monthly active users in South Korea, is facing growing criticism after confirming that personal information belonging to more than 33 million customer accounts was exposed in a major data breach. The scale of the incident has stirred anxiety among consumers and intensified scrutiny of how large technology companies protect basic personal data. The breach has drawn wide attention because Coupang ha November 30, 2025