Korea Legal News for the Week of October 20, 2013

This Week’s Korean Legal News Reported by Media S. Korea carries out defense drill on Dokdo Day N. Korea to return six S. Koreans citizens through Panmunjom Seoul shares down 0.83 pct in late-morning trade Seoul shares open lower amid Chinese woes Siemens Korea names new vice president S. Korea ranks 111th in gender equality: WEF report Government strips teachers’ union of legal status Samsung Q3 net jumps 26 pct on Galaxy boom, higher chip prices S. Korea’s economic growth

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Korea Legal News for the Week of October 13, 2013

This Week’s Korean Legal News Reported by Media Cyber warfare unit raided over election postings Seoul shares open higher on U.S. stimulus hope Norway freezes aid to South Korean climate group Top university hospital workers go on strike U.N. team to hold hearings on N. Korean human rights in D.C. S. Korea hails milestone cargo move via Arctic Korea, Poland elevate ties to strategic partnership Acting prosecutor general orders audit into NIS probe controversy KT offices, CEO’s home raided in

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Korea Legal News for the Week of October 6, 2013

This Week’s Korean Legal News Reported by Media Park arrives in Indonesia for ‘sales diplomacy’ visit Korea to open global election watchdog body Video evidence claims fly as Roh aide questioned World Bank to open regional offices later this year Ajman Free Zone beckons Korean SMEs to UAE Siemens Korea names new vice president ‘Era of electric cars will come slowly’ Sales of foreign hybrid vehicles up 14% in first half Franklin Templeton prioritizes investment education ‘Now is not time

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Agricultural Business Opportunities in Korea: USD 2 Billion Fund to be Established

The Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs has proposed establishing a nearly USD 2 billion fund for improving, among other things, farming productivity in Korea.  The fund is intended to lead to the doubling of Korea’s agricultural product exports.  The proposal was made in a government meeting chaired by Korea’s president, thus, indicating that the plan has significant weight behind it. When these funds are in the works, Korean companies, often, are eager to partner with foreign technology

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Korea Legal News for the Week of September 22, 2013

This Week’s Korean Legal News Reported by Media S. Korea’s national debt growing sharply since 1997 crisis: data Seoul shares open flat amid U.S. debt issue Foreign Businesses Nose Around Kaesong Complex N.Korea Hoping for Talks with Ex-U.S. Officials S. Korea logs current account surplus for 19th straight month in Aug. Seoul to offer incentives to job-creating foreign investors Korea Likely to Have World’s Highest Monthly Wage by 2030 Consumer Sentiment Drops to 5-month Low Samsung’s Smartwatch Gets Lukewarm Reception

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Korea Expands Definition of Discriminatory Treatment for Non-Regular Workers: Employment & Labor Law Update

Last March, the Korean National Assembly made changes to the Korean Labor Standards Act that may have a significant impact on companies doing business in Korea that employ non-regular workers.  The changes modify the definition of what constitutes “discriminatory treatment” against these non-regular workers. In the old version of the Korean Labor Standards Act (“KLSA”), the definition of discriminatory treatment was listed as “unfavorable treatment in terms of wages, other working conditions, etc. given without any justifiable reasons.” In the

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Happy Chuseok from IPG Legal

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South Korea Puts Near-Total Ban on Japanese Fish Imports Opening Opportunities for other Nation Exporters

The government of Japan announced last week that, at a cost of USD 470 million, they would build a “frozen wall of soil” around the base of the destroyed Fukushima nuclear reactor.  The ice wall will supposedly, once and for all, stop the reactor’s irradiated water from leaking into the ocean.  Japan still faces import bans on much of its food exports and is doing everything it can to help put the disaster behind it.  Unfortunately, recent news out of

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Korea Legal News for the Week of September 8, 2013

This Week’s Korean Legal News Reported by Media Korea can withstand QE tapering: BOK Embattled chief prosecutor offers to resign U.S. soldier gets jail term in BB gun shooting case Kia Motors union OKs wage deal Doctors clash over medical equipment Koreas discuss Seoul workers’ rights, communications in Kaesong Conglomerates to invest 37 tril. won in biotech, batteries Seoul, Washington not to attend six-party talks FTC seeking to toughen penalties on unfair biz activities LIG Group chief gets prison sentence

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South Korea and Vietnam Negotiate FTA: Korea’s Nuclear Exports

South Korean President Park Geun-Hye, after making trips to the U.S. and China earlier this year, recently made her third overseas visit to Vietnam.  The two countries are in the process of negotiating a new Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that my come into effect as early as 2014. According to local media sources, the FTA negotiations touched on the usual issues of labor exchange and economic cooperation.  What was of particular interest, however, was South Korea’s bid to export their

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