For a 33-year-old bank employee surnamed Jung raising a 3-year-old son in Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo District, coming home from work feels like starting a second shift. She uses a reduced working hours program for parents to leave work an hour or two early. Once her mother-in-law, who looks after the child while the couple are at work, heads home, Jung handles child care alone until her husband returns. “As soon as I get home, I feed my son dinner, bathe him and play with him. By then, my husband is home,” she said. “While he plays with our son, I finally get to shower, wash the dishes and tidy up. Then it’s time to put our son to bed.” Jung gets her first chance to sit down on the sofa after her son falls asleep, past 10 p.m. “Even though I leave work early, it feels like I work overtime every day,” she said. “My husband does quite a lot of child care, but our son tends to seek me out more, and I feel that a larger share of the housework naturally falls to me.” Government figures released Monday show that an uneven division of domestic duties persists among young working pa

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs last week joined Trinity Airways and Sono Pet Clubs & Resorts for a two-day pet adoption program, combining government support for retired detection dogs with private-sector assistance in event planning, accommodation and training. The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency under the ministry provided guidance on adoption procedures and answered prospective owners’ questions. Trinity Airways, formerly T’way Air, organized the program, held Saturday and Sunday, while Sono Pet provided spaces for families and dogs to interact and rest, along with professional training support. Held at Sono Pet’s Vivaldi Park in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, the program brought together three retired quarantine detection dogs and three prospective adoptive families selected through a screening process, according to the agency. The dogs were two English springer spaniels, aged 7 and 9, and a 9-year-old beagle. Activities included running together, treasure hunts and walks, giving participants opportunities to interact with the dogs. A trainer specializing

Finda, a loan comparison platform, is set to acquire a savings bank, in what would be a first for a Korean fintech company as it looks to build an artificial intelligence (AI)-native bank, industry officials said Monday. The Financial Services Commission's subcommittee approved Finda's application to acquire Daewon Savings Bank on Friday. The regulator is set to make a final decision at its regular meeting Wednesday. Finda signed a deal in June to acquire all of Daewon Savings Bank's shares for about 12 billion won ($9 million). The acquisition would allow the company to move beyond matching borrowers with lenders and offer financial services directly, including loans and deposits. Once the deal receives final approval, Finda plans to appoint a new CEO through board and shareholder meetings. The fintech firm aims to turn the lender into an AI-native bank, relying on digital services rather than a traditional network of branches. It plans to draw on AI technology and loan-comparison data it has collected since 2019 to expand its online lending business nationwide, the firm said. The compan

A global event aimed at exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation can deliver practical development gains kicked off its three-day run in Seoul on Monday, the science ministry said. The Global AI & Digital Summit, co-hosted by the ministry and the World Bank Group — a family of five institutions that makes leveraged loans to developing countries —brought together government officials from some 60 nations, as well as development partners, private sector leaders and researchers. This year marks the first time the summit was held outside of the United States, the ministry added. The event will begin with an AI and Digital Ministerial meeting, co-chaired by Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon and Kim Sang-bu, the vice president for digital and AI at the World Bank Group, followed by policy forums and exhibitions from participating companies. Korea has been hosting the AI and digital ministerial meeting since 2005, with the most recent gathering held last year on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum. Second Vice Science Minister Ryu J

Hyundai Rotem, a Hyundai Motor Group affiliate that manufactures the K2 battle tank, will acquire the defense business unit of fellow affiliate Hyundai Wia for 358.4 billion won ($252 million), as their parent company seeks to strengthen its competitiveness by consolidating its defense operations. According to the two companies’ regulatory filings, Hyundai Rotem will acquire Hyundai Wia's defense business, which manufactures main gun barrels for battle tanks and self-propelled howitzers. The two sides signed the contract on Monday and plans to close the deal by March 31. Hyundai Rotem’s main businesses include railway vehicles, such as trains and trams, and weapons systems for land, naval and air operations. Hyundai Wia manufactures engines, modules and gun barrels, supplying the barrels for both Hyundai Rotem’s K2 battle tanks and K9 self-propelled howitzers produced by Hanwha Aerospace. The acquisition will allow Hyundai Rotem to manufacture both complete K2 battle tanks and their main guns, reducing manufacturing costs and improving supply chain management efficiency. By bringi

JINJU, South Gyeongsang Province — International cooperation and corporate innovation have emerged as key priorities for navigating artificial intelligence (AI)-driven change and narrowing the digital divide, as former United Nations officials and executives from major conglomerates discussed ways to promote inclusive growth on Monday. The 2026 Jinju International Forum on Entrepreneurship, held on Monday and Tuesday, brought together international organization officials and business executives to discuss how entrepreneurship can help businesses navigate geopolitical tensions, supply chain realignments and rapid advances in AI. The first session, moderated by Oh Joon, the 71st president of the U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), focused on the role of international organizations in promoting inclusive development as digital technologies reshape economies. Nestor Osorio, the council's 69th president, called for broader digital access and support for small-scale agricultural producers, arguing that technological progress must benefit communities beyond major cities and large corp