"Principal Employers, Step Forward"... One Month Since "Yellow Envelope Law" Enactment, Strike Tensions Rise in Distribution Industry

Labor disputes that began in the distribution industry with demands for negotiations with principal employers are now spreading beyond the cargo sector. Employees responsible for selling brand products at department stores and duty-free shops are also calling for major distribution conglomerates?the headquarters of sales channels?to step up and improve working conditions. According to the industry on April 25, the Department Store and Duty-Free Shop Sales Service Labor Union, which is under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) Service Federation and consists of sales service workers at major department stores, duty-free shops, and large shopping malls both online and offline, recently held a press conference in front of the main branch of Lotte Department Store in Sogong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul to urge principal employers at department stores and duty-free shops to participate in negotiations. The union emphasized, "Principal employers at department stores and duty-free shops w

Distribution

04.25 08:49

It’s Not Just Oil Prices... Iran War Sends Condom Prices Soaring

Amid growing global supply chain instability stemming from the Iran war, there are projections that condom prices could rise by as much as 30%. On April 23 (local time), international media outlets such as the BBC and The New York Times reported that Malaysian condom manufacturer Carex has indicated it may raise product prices if supply chain disruptions continue as a result of the ongoing war. Previously, Mia Kiat, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), stated in a recent interview with Reuters that Carex could implement a 20-30% increase in product prices should supply chain disruptions persist. Carex is known as the world's largest condom manufacturer, producing more than 5 billion condoms annually. It supplies products to major brands such as Durex and Trojan, and also delivers to the United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS) and international health organizations. The CEO explained, "The current situation is highly unstable and prices have risen," adding, "At the moment, we have no o

Distribution

04.24 14:47

Coupang Refutes Claims of Pressuring Korean Government Through U.S. Lobbying

Coupang stated on the 24th that the allegation that it is pressuring the Korean government through lobbying the U.S. administration and Congress is "not true." In a statement released that day, Coupang refuted, "In particular, the claim that there were discussions related to security is clearly false." Coupang went on to explain, "Coupang's lobbying activities have focused on expanding investment and trade between Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and other countries, as well as increasing professional visas for Koreans. Security-related matters were not included at all. We are concentrating on communication to promote AI technology innovation, investment and job creation, and expanding cross-border commerce with countries including the United States and others." Coupang also added, "Our lobbying expenses are significantly lower compared to major U.S. corporations and leading Korean conglomerates." According to the first quarter report submitted by Coupang Inc., the parent company based in Seattle

Distribution

04.24 13:54

"Drones Carry, Robots Deliver to the Doorstep"... First Step for Unmanned Delivery Demonstration

For the first time in South Korea, an unmanned logistics service that enables 'doorstep delivery' through collaboration between drones and autonomous robots has been demonstrated. By combining high-capacity drones capable of transporting up to 40 kg with delivery robots, this initiative is seen as overcoming the limitations of conventional drone delivery. The Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) announced on April 24 that, together with the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), it has established and begun demonstration of a 'drone-robot collaborative doorstep delivery system.' In this system, drones automatically fly goods from a logistics hub to an area near the delivery destination, after which a robot takes over to complete the last leg of the delivery to the final address. Traditional drone delivery services have been limited to transporting goods only to designated landing points, making actual doorstep delivery difficult. In contrast, by linking drones a

Distribution

04.24 12:00

Allocation of Route Rights from Regional Cities to Major Chinese Destinations... Eastar Jet and Parata Air Awarded Incheon-Manila Routes

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 23rd that it held the Air Traffic Review Committee and allocated 35 international air route rights to 11 domestic airlines. The ministry explained that it focused on expanding international routes in line with the increasing passenger demand between Korea and China. In the first quarter of this year alone, the Korea-China passenger volume reached 4.39 million, surpassing pre-COVID-19 levels. Various international route rights were also allocated to regional airports such as Busan and Cheongju. This aims to improve the convenience of local residents' travel while also targeting an increase in the number of foreign tourists visiting these regions. New direct flights have been established to major Chinese cities beyond Beijing and Shanghai. From Busan, route rights were allocated for Guangzhou (4 times per week), Hangzhou (4), Xiamen (3), and Guilin (4). At Cheongju Airport, airlines were granted rights for Beijing (4), H

Distribution

04.24 11:00

"Aespa as Shopping Guides"... Lotte Duty Free Unveils New Campaign

Lotte Duty Free announced on April 24 that it would further strengthen its K-content-based marketing by launching a new branding campaign with aespa, the fourth-generation leading global girl group serving as its global model. From April 20 to 22, Lotte Duty Free sequentially released teaser content for the new campaign featuring aespa through its official social media channels. By incorporating elements reminiscent of travel?such as airport flipboards, in-flight announcements, and handwritten immigration forms by the members?the campaign heightened anticipation by presenting Lotte Duty Free as a travel destination in itself. The core message of the campaign is "TRIP LOTTE DUTY FREE," which conveys the ambition to make the duty-free store not just a shopping venue but a must-visit landmark for global travelers. Just as travelers seek out landmarks or popular restaurants during a trip, the campaign is designed so that shopping at Lotte Duty Free becomes an integral part of the travel ex

Distribution

04.24 10:47

Ably Celebrates 8th Anniversary with “Mega Sale” Offering Up to 93% Off

Ably announced on April 24 that it will hold a “Mega Sale” event offering discounts of up to 93% from April 27 to May 12, in celebration of the 8th anniversary of its app launch. The Mega Sale is Ably’s regular discount event held twice a year, and this time, to mark the 8th anniversary, both the benefits and the scale of participation have been significantly expanded. All categories?including fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and food?will feature products at discounts of up to 93%. During the event, Ably will offer unlimited coupon packs, including a 13% discount coupon and a 17% stackable coupon, which can be combined for a maximum discount of up to 30%. In the fashion section, the “Relay Shopping Mall Day” will sequentially introduce popular markets, and there will also be a “Time Attack” segment featuring special deals on brand products during select time slots. In the beauty category, “Lucky Boxes” containing a random assortment of major brand items will be on sale, while the lifestyl

Distribution

04.24 09:05

Korean Air Reaches 5,000 Sharklet Deliveries for Key Airbus Wing Components

On April 24, Korean Air announced that it has reached a cumulative delivery of 5,000 "Sharklets," a key wing component for the Airbus A320 series aircraft. On the afternoon of April 23, Korean Air held the "A320 Sharklet 5000th Delivery Ceremony" at the Korean Air Tech Center in Gangseo-gu, Busan. The event was attended by Yoo Jongseok, Executive Vice President of Safety and Health and Operations at Korean Air; Benoit Schultz, Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) of Airbus; and Lim Jingyu, Head of Aerospace Business at Korean Air. The Sharklet is an L-shaped structure attached to the wingtip of an A320 aircraft, serving as a type of wingtip device that significantly improves aerodynamic performance by reducing vortices. By lowering air resistance during flight, it increases fuel efficiency, enhances aircraft performance, and reduces carbon dioxide emissions. In 2010, Korean Air was selected as the final manufacturer of Sharklets for the Airbus A320 series performance improvement project th

Distribution

04.24 08:59

"Order by Midnight, Receive Tomorrow"... Gmarket Extends Star Delivery Cutoff Time

"Principal Employers, Step Forward"... One Month Since "Yellow Envelope Law" Enactment, Strike Tensions Rise in Distribution Industry

It’s Not Just Oil Prices... Iran War Sends Condom Prices Soaring

Coupang Refutes Claims of Pressuring Korean Government Through U.S. Lobbying

"Drones Carry, Robots Deliver to the Doorstep"... First Step for Unmanned Delivery Demonstration

Allocation of Route Rights from Regional Cities to Major Chinese Destinations... Eastar Jet and Parata Air Awarded Incheon-Manila Routes

"Aespa as Shopping Guides"... Lotte Duty Free Unveils New Campaign

Ably Celebrates 8th Anniversary with “Mega Sale” Offering Up to 93% Off

Korean Air Reaches 5,000 Sharklet Deliveries for Key Airbus Wing Components

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