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London Bagel Museum operator faces $555,000 penalty for labor law violations after worker's death

A labor ministry investigation has found that the operator of the popular bakery brand London Bagel Museum violated multiple labor laws, including excessive overtime, unpaid wages and workplace harassment, with authorities filing a criminal complaint against the head of the company. The Ministry of Employment and Labor said Friday it conducted a special inspection of 18 outlets run by LBM, the company behind London Bagel Museum and its affiliated brands, between October and January. The probe involved anonymous surveys and face-to-face interviews with workers to determine whether labor regulations had been violated. The ministry said LBM chief Kang Kwan-gu faces five charges, including violation of overtime limits, illegal penalty clauses and breaches of workplace safety rules. More than 60 additional violations, such as failure to issue pay statements, lack of health checkups and workplace bullying, resulted in administrative fines totaling 801 million won ($555,132). Authorities also ordered the company to pay 564 million won in unpaid wages, including overtime pay. The inspection foll

Feb 13, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
London Bagel Museum operator faces $555,000 penalty for labor law violations after worker's death

Two men dead, one unconscious as Seoul police seek arrest warrant for suspect

Police on Wednesday sought an arrest warrant for a woman in her 20s after two men died and another was left unconscious after going to a motel with her. The Seoul Gangbuk Police Station said it applied for the warrant on suspicion of inflicting bodily injury resulting in death and violating narcotics control laws. The woman, identified only as A, was detained the previous day in Suyu-dong, Gangbuk District, on suspicion of giving a male victim a drink containing an unidentified substance at a motel. According to investigators, she entered the motel with the victim around 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 9 and left alone about two hours later. The following day, at approximately 5:40 p.m., a motel employee discovered the man lying dead on the bed and reported the case to authorities. No external injuries were found on the body, and beer cans were recovered at the scene. Investigators believe she used a similar method in two earlier incidents. Late last month, a man was found dead after staying at a motel with the woman. He had consumed a drink she provided before his death, investigators said. In mid-Dece

Feb 12, 2026By Hankookilbo
Two men dead, one unconscious as Seoul police seek arrest warrant for suspect

Gov't to extend fuel tax cut by another 2 months until April

Korea will extend its temporary fuel tax cut for an additional two months through the end of April in a bid to ease the financial burden on consumers amid ongoing volatility in global oil prices, the finance ministry said Thursday. Under the latest extension, the current tax reductions — 7 percent on gasoline and 10 percent on diesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) — will remain in place until April 30, according to the ministry. The latest decision took into account the uncertainty in domestic and international oil prices, and aims to alleviate fuel cost pressures on the public. Korea first introduced the fuel tax cut in November 2021 as a response to rising energy prices. The government has since extended the measure, adjusting the rates in accordance with changes in the global energy market. This latest move marks the 20th extension of the fuel tax relief program.

Feb 12, 2026By Yonhap
Gov't to extend fuel tax cut by another 2 months until April

AI expected to heavily cut jobs in sales, manufacturing over next decade

Korea’s latest 10-year employment outlook has delivered a stark message for workers: Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a distant threat, but a significant force reshaping which jobs will expand, which will vanish and what skills people will need to stay employed. According to a 2024-34 workforce projection released Thursday by the state-run Korea Employment Information Service (KEIS), employees in routine-based, easily automated roles will face the heaviest job losses over the next decade, as new technologies rapidly transform the structure of labor demand. Sales workers are projected to suffer the steepest losses, with employment in sales jobs expected to shrink by 268,000 over the next decade. Researchers tie this directly to the spread of online commerce and unmanned or self‑checkout systems. Machine operators and assemblers are next in line. Employment of these workers, who run equipment and production lines in factories, is projected to fall by around 180,000 jobs as companies roll out industrial robots, AI‑driven production control and fully fledged “smart factory

Feb 12, 2026By Jung Min-ho
AI expected to heavily cut jobs in sales, manufacturing over next decade

North Chungcheong Province makes all out effort to attract tourists, international students

North Chungcheong Provincial Office said it is rolling out a series of policies aimed at attracting more foreign visitors, including improved transportation access, and expanded shopping, tourism and incentive programs. Korea saw a record number of foreign visitors in 2025, with arrivals surpassing 18.7 million for the year, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Thanks to the nationwide rebound in inbound tourism, North Chungcheong Province also welcomed more than 100,000 visitors at the Cheongju International Airport last year, up about 40,000 from the previous year, reflecting its rapidly expanding inbound tourism potential. The province plans to establish and operate a demand-responsive transportation system linking major transport hubs such as Cheongju International Airport and Osong Station with key tourist sites across the province. The initiative is designed to improve mobility for foreign travelers and encourage visitors to explore destinations within North Chungcheong Province. The office said it will operate C-SQUARE, a travel lounge located at the Yongdu T

Feb 12, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
North Chungcheong Province makes all out effort to attract tourists, international students

Lee visits food bank to promote low-barrier welfare program

President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday visited a regional food bank and voiced support for expanding a low-barrier welfare program designed to help people in urgent need. Lee toured a food support center, called "Just Dream," in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, which offers basic food and daily necessities to people facing financial hardship without requiring income documentation or complex eligibility procedures. Lee said the initiative was intended to prevent vulnerable individuals from falling into severe hardship, including situations in which they might resort to minor offenses just to get by. "The idea is to make sure no one goes hungry or ends up going to prison for stealing eggs," he said, adding that support should not be limited based solely on a person's place of residence. During last week's Cabinet meeting, Lee called for further expansion of the program to better assist those in need by lowering barriers for individuals who might otherwise be excluded from welfare benefits due to procedural hurdles. According to Cheong Wa Dae, the pilot program is currently operating at 10

Feb 11, 2026By Yonhap
Lee visits food bank to promote low-barrier welfare program

Labor, gov’t launch consultative body as concerns rise over AI replacing human workers

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), a powerful umbrella labor organization with more than 1 million members, launched a joint consultative body with the government on Wednesday to address rising anxiety over artificial intelligence (AI) and rapid industrial change in workplaces. As the Ministry of Employment and Labor and other government departments prepare for sweeping changes that new technologies are expected to bring across industries, including robotics and AI-powered production systems, the labor union called for a “human-centered” approach to the transition. The ministry and KCTU formally inaugurated a high-level operational consultative body, under which representatives of both sides will meet monthly to discuss and seek agreement on key labor issues. The ministry set up a similar structure with another major labor union, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, on Monday, and also plans to do so with the Korea Enterprises Federation on Feb. 24. At the launch ceremony, KCTU Vice President Lee Yang-soo urged the government to play a more active role in protecting

Feb 11, 2026By Jung Min-ho
Labor, gov’t launch consultative body as concerns rise over AI replacing human workers

Advocates challenge Korean law threatening migrant parents with deportation

For nearly two decades, she built a life in Korea, raising five children as a single mother. Now, the Korean government says her time has run out — simply because her youngest child has grown up. The 56-year-old Nigerian woman, whose identity has been withheld for her protection, is the latest face of a rigid immigration rule in Korea. Under current policy, undocumented migrant parents are granted a precarious legal reprieve only as long as their children are minors. Once those children turn 19 or graduate from high school, the protection dissolves, often forcing parents into a devastating choice: leave their families behind or face deportation. On Wednesday, a coalition of advocacy groups, including the Association for Migrant Workers’ Human Rights, filed a formal complaint with the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK). They are urging a revision of the Immigration Act, which currently lacks specific residency protections for the families of migrant youth raised in the country. Without such reforms, advocates say, the Ministry of Justice’s temporary measures remain

Feb 11, 2026By Park Ung
Advocates challenge Korean law threatening migrant parents with deportation

Why Seoul students are being forced into cramped housing

With the spring semester just weeks away, university students in Seoul are facing a severe housing crunch as monthly rents skyrocket, compounding the financial strain of rising tuition and inflation. Yoo, a 20-year-old sophomore at Yonsei University from South Jeolla Province, recently found out they didn't get a space through the school’s dormitory lottery. They are now scrambling to find off-campus housing before classes begin in March. "No matter how much I scrimp, my fixed monthly costs for food, books and transport are already around 700,000 won ($480)," Yoo said. "Adding rent on top of that will double my living expenses. I’m really worried." Yoo’s search for a room near the Sinchon campus has been futile. Most affordable units were snapped up, and remaining studios cost over 700,000 won per month, excluding maintenance fees. The sophomore considered moving to the Sillim Station area — a district known for cheaper housing — but the 40-minute commute is a major deterrent. The atmosphere on campuses across Seoul is grim. Students describe a "triple whammy" of financial pres

Feb 11, 2026By Hankookilbo
Why Seoul students are being forced into cramped housing
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