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Netflix Cooking Show Sparks Surge in Kitchen Equipment Sales in South Korea

Netflix Cooking Show Sparks Surge in Kitchen Equipment Sales in South Korea

SEOUL, Oct. 21 (Korea Bizwire) – The popularity of Netflix’s cooking competition show “Culinary Class Wars” has ignited a boom in home cooking equipment sales in South Korea, according to recent data from a major e-commerce platform.  Gmarket, an online marketplace owned by Shinsegae Group, reported on October 20 that sales of kitchen-related items have skyrocketed [...]

Chinese Scalpers Exploit Korean Ticketing Sites, Lawmakers Say

Chinese Scalpers Exploit Korean Ticketing Sites, Lawmakers Say

SEOUL, Oct. 11 (Korea Bizwire) – Chinese scalpers are illegally acquiring Korean user account information to purchase tickets for hard-to-book events and concerts in South Korea, potentially reaping significant profits from reselling them on the black market, according to a South Korean lawmaker.  The allegations, raised during a parliamentary audit on October 10, has sparked criticism [...]

South Korea’s ‘Smart Order’ Alcohol Services Face Scrutiny Over Age Verification

South Korea’s ‘Smart Order’ Alcohol Services Face Scrutiny Over Age Verification

SEOUL, Oct. 11 (Korea Bizwire) – A new convenience in South Korea’s bustling alcohol market is raising concerns about underage drinking. ‘Smart order’ services, which allow customers to order alcohol online and pick it up at offline stores, are under fire for potentially lax age verification procedures, a consumer watchdog group reported on October 10.  The [...]

Pohang Courts Costco, Sparking Debate Over Potential Location

Pohang Courts Costco, Sparking Debate Over Potential Location

POHANG, Oct. 10 (Korea Bizwire) – The coastal city of Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province is actively pursuing Costco, the American multinational wholesale corporation, in a bid to boost its local economy and improve living conditions for its residents. However, the potential location of the store has become a topic of debate among citizens and officials [...]

South Korea to Develop Guidelines for Digital Product Passport Platform

South Korea to Develop Guidelines for Digital Product Passport Platform

SEOUL, Oct. 10 (Korea Bizwire) – Three key South Korean government bodies announced on October 9 that they will initiate a bidding process for a consultancy project aimed at establishing guidelines for a Digital Product Passport (DPP) response platform. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Digital Platform Government Committee, and the Ministry of Science [...]

Korea’s Job Market Shows Mixed Signals as Construction and Retail Sectors Struggle

Korea’s Job Market Shows Mixed Signals as Construction and Retail Sectors Struggle

SEOUL, Oct. 9 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s job market presented a mixed picture in the first half of 2024, with significant job losses in construction and retail sectors contrasting with growth in social welfare and software development, according to a report released by Statistics Korea on October 8.  The “Regional Employment Survey: Industrial and Occupational Characteristics [...]

Coupang’s User Base Grows Despite Membership Fee Hike

Coupang’s User Base Grows Despite Membership Fee Hike

SEOUL, Oct. 4 (Korea Bizwire) – Coupang, the South Korean e-commerce giant, has seen an increase in its user base despite raising its membership fees. This development challenges predictions of a mass exodus from the platform and underscores the company’s strong market position in a fiercely competitive landscape.  According to data from WiseApp, Coupang’s monthly active [...]

Chinese E-Commerce Giant AliExpress Faces Scrutiny in South Korea Over Misleading Ads

Chinese E-Commerce Giant AliExpress Faces Scrutiny in South Korea Over Misleading Ads

SEOUL, Oct. 2 (Korea Bizwire) – The South Korean Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has initiated regulatory action against AliExpress, the popular Chinese online shopping platform, over allegations of false advertising. On September 30, the FTC sent a report detailing potential sanctions to an AliExpress affiliate responsible for product sales. The commission determined that the company’s advertisements, [...]

Prosecutors Question CEO of Qoo10 over E-commerce Insolvency Incidents

Prosecutors Question CEO of Qoo10 over E-commerce Insolvency Incidents

SEOUL, Sept. 30 (Korea Bizwire) — Prosecutors on Monday grilled an e-commerce tycoon believed to be at the center of the large-scale insolvency incidents involving online shopping platforms TIMON and WeMakePrice. Ku Young-bae, CEO of the Singapore-based Qoo10 Group, the parent company of TIMON and WeMakePrice, underwent questioning as a fraud and embezzlement suspect at [...]