Category: Korea-General Topics

Coupang just continues to take major hits and this horrible fire may soon get even worse for them:

The fire at the Incheon Coupang logistics center has continued for three days, with hundreds of logistics warehouse robots, which pose risks of explosion during fires, located on the fifth floor directly below the sixth floor where the fire initially broke out. Fire authorities are making all-out efforts to prevent the spread of the fire.

Heo Seok-kyung, head of Incheon Seobu Fire Station, said during a briefing near the site of the Incheon Coupang logistics center fire on the 20th, “There are hundreds of logistics warehouse robots using lithium batteries on the fifth floor of the center,” adding, “We are intensively responding by deploying firefighters to prevent the fire from spreading to this area.”

Heo explained that the amount of lithium batteries in the logistics warehouse robots on the fifth floor is equivalent to that of 20 regular electric vehicles.

Chosun Ilbo

You can read more at the link.

The employees of Starbucks Korea have decided to unionize in affiliation with the violent, North Korean spy infiltrated, and illegal immigrant friendly KCTU:

Starbucks Korea workers have formed the first labor union at a domestic coffee franchise, joining the Korean Chemical, Textile & Food Workers’ Union (KCTFU), an industrial union affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU).

According to the KCTFU on Sunday, employees of Starbucks Korea, the local unit of the global coffee chain, joined the union on Thursday and established a Starbucks Korea chapter.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

Honestly I would not have a problem with this, but maybe I am wrong. Anyone support allowing kids to have social media accounts?:

Korea’s media watchdog said Thursday it is considering a social media restriction against children aged 14 years old and younger amid escalating concerns over excessive use of such platforms.

Kim Jong-cheol, the chairman of the Korea Media and Communications Commission, made the remarks at a policy briefing in Cheong Wa Dae, emphasizing that excessive social media use by teenagers is a worldwide problem.

“We are reviewing, in phases, a plan to restrict children under 14 years of age from creating accounts on social media platforms, and limiting exposure to designs and algorithms that could encourage excessive use of such platforms for teens aged 14 to 19,” Kim said.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

It will be interesting to see what becomes of this:

President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a meeting on state financial strategies at Cheong Wa Dae on July 13, 2026. (Yonhap)

President Lee Jae Myung said Monday that the government will use additional tax revenue expected from the ongoing semiconductor boom to create a “future response fund” aimed at investing in future industries and policies for younger generations.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

I don’t think this law is meant to target US social media companies. I think it is meant to target speech certain politicians don’t agree with:

The U.S. Department of State expressed “significant concerns” over Korea’s recently revised Information and Communications Network Act, commonly known as the “fake news” law, amid worries that the law could restrict free speech and negatively affect American platforms operating here.

“The United States has significant concerns with the ROK government’s approval of an amendment to the Network Act that risks negatively impacting the business of U.S.-based online platforms and undermining free speech,” the department’s press office said in response to an inquiry from The Korea Times, referring to Korea by an abbreviation of its official name, the Republic of Korea.

“We expect the ROK to deliver on its commitment to ensuring that U.S. companies are not discriminated against and do not face unnecessary barriers in terms of laws and policies concerning digital services,” it added.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

The summertime heat has come to South Korea:

A heat wave emergency warning — the highest alert level — was issued for Gyeongsan and Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province at 10 a.m. Sunday, marking the first activation of the alert since it was introduced under the revised advisory system last month.

The warning is issued when a region that has already had a perceived temperature of 35 degrees Celsius or higher for at least two consecutive days is expected to have a perceived temperature of 38 degrees or higher, or an actual temperature of 39 degrees or higher, for at least one more day.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

It will be interesting to see how attractive this visa ends up becoming:

South Korea has launched its digital nomad visa with more relaxed eligibility requirements than those applied during its pilot program, the Ministry of Justice said Tuesday.

The F-1-D visa, also known as the “workation” visa, became officially available on June 30. It allows foreign nationals employed by overseas companies to live in Korea while working remotely, unlike a work visa, which requires employment with a Korean employer.

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link.

It seems President Lee unlike some leaders in Europe has been doing a good job managing his relationship with Trump:

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump had follow-up discussions on Trump’s earlier request for Seoul’s assistance in building military vessels at the ongoing North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit, Lee’s presidential spokesperson said Wednesday.

The two held such discussions the previous day at a dinner banquet hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, according to Kang Yu-jung.

Lee earlier said the U.S. president had asked him whether South Korea could help build U.S. military vessels when they met at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, last month.

In response, Lee said he would cooperate with Trump’s request as fully as possible, highlighting the advanced capabilities of South Korea’s shipbuilding companies, according to Kang.

The leaders also agreed to continue working-level consultations between their countries to discuss details of the proposed cooperation. 

The encounter between Lee and Trump came just three weeks after they met on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France.

The leaders recalled their promise at the G7 summit to play golf together, and agreed to pursue Lee’s visit to the United States at an appropriate time, which could include a round of golf, the spokesperson said.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

It was unsustainable for Lee to keep such high approval ratings and ever since the election controversy his approval rating has been declining:

President Lee Jae Myung’s approval rating fell for a sixth consecutive week to 46.5 percent, remaining below the 50 percent mark for the second straight week, according to a Realmeter poll released Monday.

The survey, conducted by Realmeter from June 22-26 among 2,502 eligible voters aged 18 and older, put Lee’s job approval rating at 46.5 percent, down 0.2 percentage point from the previous week. Negative assessments of his performance also edged down 0.2 percentage point to 49.5 percent, while 4 percent of respondents said they were unsure.

Lee’s approval rating has been on a steady decline from 60.5 percent in the second week of May, to 59.3 percent in the third week of May, 59.1 percent in the fourth week of May, 55.2 percent in the first week of June, 51.5 percent in the second week of June, 46.7 percent in the third week of June, and 46.5 percent in the fourth week of June.

Realmeter attributed the continued decline to the lingering controversy over the National Election Commission’s mishandling of ballots during the June 3 local elections, coupled with growing public concerns over the economy, including a weak won, persistent inflation and instability in the housing market.

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link.