People take photos in front of flowers at the Historic Site of General Sin Sung-gyeom in Daegu on July 16.YONHAP
Good evening on this cloudy Thursday in Seoul. Here are the stories you need to know in Korea.
In today's news, small businesses are worried about the new minimum wage hikes and their effect on labor costs. In other stories, we check out Seoul's Central Asia Street for some authentic cuisine, and we take a look at fake AI "doctors" dispersing questionable health advice on the internet.
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Today's top story
BUSINESS
'I can't afford another worker': Minimum wage hike renews calls for reform
Korea's decision to raise the minimum wage by 3.7 percent next year has renewed calls to overhaul the country's wage-setting system, as small business owners say they are struggling to absorb rising labor costs.
"The prolonged economic downturn has forced many nearby businesses to close, and the commercial district has lost much of its vitality," said a cafe owner in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi. "Some days, my sales don't even reach 100,000 won [$67.23]."
Gwanghui-dong's Central Asia Street: One neighborhood, many flavors
Immigrant-run restaurants and shops have turned this Seoul neighborhood near Dongdaemun Market into a culinary and cultural hub for Central Asians, Mongolians and curious locals alike.
AI 'doctors' are spreading fake health tips on YouTube. Regulators can't do much to stop them.
AI-generated videos featuring fake doctors dispensing health advice are proliferating on YouTube, and there's very little the authorities can do about it.
Breeder jailed for cutting open live dog, illegal euthanasia
A court sentenced a former Hwaseong breeding facility operator to 18 months in prison for cutting open a pregnant dog, practicing unlicensed euthanasia and violating animal protection laws.
BOK raises interest rate for first time in three and a half years
Korea's central bank lifted its benchmark rate to 2.75 percent, citing inflation, growth and stability concerns as reasons for its first increase since early 2023.
