The Seoul Metropolitan Government has introduced new measures aimed at eliminating overcharging practices targeting foreign taxi passengers by improving fare transparency through bilingual receipts. According to the city on January 20, Seoul worked with taxi payment terminal operator Tmoney Mobility to revise taxi receipt formats starting last month. Under the new system, key information—including the final fare, pick-up and drop-off times, and whether a surcharge was applied

Gold prices have surged to record levels, with the price of one don (3.75 grams) of pure gold in South Korea surpassing 1 million won for the first time, amid rising global geopolitical uncertainty and strong demand for safe-haven assets. According to the Korea Gold Exchange on January 22, the buying price of one don of pure gold stood at 1,009,000 won as of the previous trading day, breaking the psychologically significant 1 million won mark. Gold prices have been on a sharp

South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI index crossed the historic 5,000 level for the first time on January 22, driven by strong gains in semiconductor stocks and improved global sentiment. As of 9:14 a.m. local time, the KOSPI stood at 5,002.02, up 92.09 points or 1.88% from the previous session. The index opened higher at 4,987.06 and continued to extend gains, briefly reaching an intraday high of 5,016.73. This milestone comes just three months after the KOSPI first surpassed the 4

South Korea will introduce a new “Living Expense Account” designed to protect a minimum level of household funds from seizure, allowing debtors to secure basic living costs even under enforcement proceedings. The Ministry of Justice announced Monday that a revised Enforcement Decree of the Civil Execution Act was approved at a Cabinet meeting. Under the new rules, eligible individuals will be able to open the protected account starting February 1. The Living Expense Account a

South Korea’s largest listed companies sharply increased share cancellations last year, with total treasury stock retirements reaching nearly 21 trillion won (about $16 billion), according to a report released Tuesday by corporate data tracker CEO Score. The study analyzed 479 companies among the top 500 by market capitalization, excluding newly listed firms. It found that 80 companies retired a combined 20.9955 trillion won worth of treasury shares in 2025. Samsung Electroni

Authorities in Daejeon have issued urgent safety warnings after reports of wild boars appearing in urban areas continued for a fifth consecutive day, alarming residents across multiple districts. The latest sighting was reported Monday morning in a neighborhood park in Doan-dong, Seo-gu. Emergency responders and district officials rushed to the scene, but the wild boar had already fled before it could be located. Following the incident, Seo-gu District Office officially desig

The phenomenon known as “Young Forty,” a term describing South Koreans in their 40s who actively follow youth culture and fashion trends, has recently drawn attention from international media, including the BBC. In an article published on January 18, the BBC reported that the term, once considered a positive description of trend-aware middle-aged consumers, is increasingly being used with negative connotations among South Korea’s Generation Z. According to the report, the ter

South Korea is experiencing an intense cold wave as temperatures across much of the country plunged well below freezing, with some regions recording lows near minus 20 degrees Celsius. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), cold wave alerts were issued for most parts of the country on Tuesday, excluding Jeju Island and parts of South Gyeongsang Province. Severe cold wave warnings were in effect for inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon Province and nort

More than eight out of ten foreigners report a favorable view of South Korea, marking the highest level recorded since the survey began in 2018. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the 2025 National Image of Korea survey found that foreign favorability toward South Korea reached 82.3%, an increase of 3.3 percentage points from the previous year. This represents the highest score in the survey’s history. By country, the United Arab Emirates recorded the h

Tesla has lowered prices for its Model 3 sedan in South Korea, positioning the vehicle more competitively ahead of new model launches by rival automakers. Tesla Korea announced that the Model 3 Standard Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) is now priced at 41.99 million won, while the Model 3 Long Range RWD is priced at 52.99 million won. The Model 3 Standard and Long Range variants qualify for government subsidies of 1.68 million won and 4.2 million won, respectively. When combined with l

For the first time in more than half a century, humanity is preparing for a crewed mission toward the Moon, as NASA’s Artemis II mission moves into its final launch preparations. On January 17 (local time), NASA confirmed that the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft were positioned at Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission is currently scheduled for launch on February 6. Over the coming days, NASA will conduct a Wet Dress Rehe

Everyday behaviors chosen to save time may be doing the opposite of what many people expect—accelerating the aging process instead. As speed and efficiency increasingly dominate modern lifestyles, experts warn that certain common habits can contribute to premature physical aging, particularly in fast-paced cultures. According to expert advice cited by the U.S. health portal Thehealthy, skipping sunscreen is one of the most common time-saving habits that negatively affects agi

South Korea’s drone regulations are facing renewed scrutiny as hobbyists question whether the country enforces some of the world’s most restrictive flight rules, with penalties starting at a minimum of KRW 1.5 million (about USD 1,100) for unauthorized operations. As of April 2025, nearly 70,000 drones are registered nationwide, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority. About 37% are used for recreational or

South Korea’s franchise industry is facing unprecedented uncertainty after the Supreme Court finalized a landmark ruling ordering Korea Pizza Hut to refund approximately KRW 215 billion in improperly collected gains to franchisees. The decision centers on so-called “margin-based franchise fees,” profits earned by franchisors through undisclosed distribution markups on ingredients and supplies, and is now triggering widespread legal and structural fallout across the sector. At

More than one in ten foreign students who entered South Korea to study at universities or language institutes have become undocumented residents, raising concerns that the country’s international student policy has focused on expansion rather than stability. A recent academic report shows that the number of undocumented residents who originally entered Korea on student-related visas has increased more than fivefold over the past decade, with Vietnamese nationals accounting fo

South Korea’s automotive industry has welcomed the conclusion of the improved Korea–UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), viewing it as a major turning point that could significantly expand access to the British market and strengthen export competitiveness, particularly for future mobility vehicles such as electric cars. Industry groups say the agreement, finalized in December, comes at a critical time as global trade conditions become more uncertain and competition intensifies in k

Bali, one of the world’s most popular honeymoon and resort destinations, is facing growing controversy after local authorities confirmed they are considering a new rule that would require foreign tourists to submit proof of their financial status before entering the island. According to international media reports, the Bali provincial government is reviewing a draft regulation that would obligate overseas visitors to disclose bank account balances from the past three months,

Busan is buzzing with excitement after news broke that BTS will perform in the city as part of their first full-group world tour in four years, a move that is already reigniting debate over whether South Korea’s second-largest city has a venue capable of hosting global-scale K-pop events. According to BigHit Music, BTS will kick off their new world tour in April at Goyang Sports Complex before traveling across North America, Europe, South America, and Asia, with a total of 79

Seoul’s city bus services are set to return to normal from the first bus on January 15 after labor and management reached a last-minute agreement, bringing an end to a two-day strike that disrupted commuting across the capital. The Seoul City Bus Labor Union and the Seoul City Bus Transport Association finalized a wage and collective agreement shortly before midnight on January 14, following more than nine hours of negotiations at a special mediation meeting held by the Seoul

A massive ₩100 billion donation to Seoul National University has ignited a nationwide debate in South Korea, not over the scale of the contribution, but over whether a donor’s ethical record should matter when accepting such a gift. On January 13, Hong Beom-jun, CEO of the education publishing company Goodbook Sinsago, donated the funds to Seoul National University, stating that the purpose was to support researchers and students in the natural sciences and help cultivate fut