South Korea

Intelligence for Better Decision Making

Seoul Bus Strike Resolved After Wage Deal Restores Citywide Service
Jan. 16, 2026 | Transportation & Logistics

Seoul’s extensive bus network ground to a halt in a citywide strike triggered by stalled wage negotiations.

**The strike began at 4 a.m. on Tuesday, January 13, after talks between the Seoul City Bus Labor Union and the Seoul Bus Transport Association broke down.**
At its height, approximately 93 percent of the city’s 7,018-strong fleet lay idle, with only 562 buses operating and commuters left scrambling in a metropolis that relies heavily on public transport.

**Negotiations resumed the next day at the Seoul Regional Labor Relations Commission in Yeongdeungpo-gu, where public-interest mediators stepped in following the previous day’s impasse.**
After more than nine hours of intense discussion, negotiators reached an agreement around 11:50 p.m. on Wednesday, January 14, ending the two-day walkout and allowing services to resume at 4 a.m. on Thursday, January 15.

**Under the deal, drivers will receive a 2.9 percent base wage increase for 2026—well above the city management’s initial 0.5 percent offer but just shy of the union’s 3 percent demand.**
The agreement also phases in an extension of the retirement age, raising it from 63 to 64 in July 2026 and then to 65 in July 2027. The parties agreed to postpone discussions about incorporating regular bonuses into ordinary wages, leaving that issue on the table for future talks in light of a December 2024 Supreme Court ruling.

**During the stoppage, Seoul city authorities rolled out emergency transport measures to ease the strain on commuters.**
They extended subway operating hours, increased peak-hour train frequency, deployed empty trains to reduce platform crowding, and doubled safety personnel at major stations. The city also chartered and operated 677 shuttle buses on Tuesday and 763 on Wednesday, carrying more than 86,000 passengers along halted bus routes. These interventions cost roughly 10 billion won (about $6.8 million) per day. Once buses returned to service on Thursday morning, officials lifted all emergency provisions and reverted to normal schedules.

**The strike brought deeper structural challenges in the semi-public bus operation system into sharp relief.**
The city covers annual budget deficits estimated at around 600 billion won and could face further strain if future wage demands materialize. Critics warn that unresolved questions over ordinary wage definitions and the funding model for semi-public operations may trigger fresh disputes, especially given the municipal budget injections during the COVID-19 pandemic and their lasting impact on city finances.

**Union chairman Park Jeom-gon apologized to citizens for the disruption and expressed hope for smoother negotiations ahead, while Seoul Bus Transport Association chair Kim Jeong-hwan welcomed the resolution despite regret over the strike’s duration.**
Mayor Oh Se-hoon praised both sides for their conduct and reaffirmed the city’s commitment to strengthening labor-management trust and ensuring reliable public transportation.
North Korea Demands Apology Amid Escalating Drone Incursion Dispute
Jan. 15, 2026 | Geopolitics & Defense

Tensions between North and South Korea have escalated following allegations of unauthorized drone flights and a subsequent demand for an apology from Pyongyang.

**Kim Yo-jong, deputy head of the North Korean Workers’ Party and sister of leader Kim Jong-un, rejected South Korea’s overtures for renewed communication after accusing Seoul of sending unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into North Korean airspace.**
She dismissed any hopes for improved inter-Korean relations as a “pipe dream and delusion,” described the South Korean government’s response as “pitiful,” and warned that further provocations would trigger consequences far more severe than mere verbal threats or proportional retaliation.

**North Korea claims that on January 4, a surveillance-equipped drone violated its airspace over Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, representing a serious breach of sovereignty.**
Pyongyang first announced the incident on January 10 through the Korean Central News Agency, demanding a formal acknowledgment and apology from Seoul. Kim Yo-jong reiterated that any repeat incursions would exact an “unbearable price,” insisting her warning was not idle rhetoric.

**South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense denies owning or deploying the drone and has launched a joint military-police investigation to trace its origin, even considering that civilian operators, rather than the military, could be responsible.**
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said Seoul remains open to dialogue once inquiries conclude and North Korea responds. He criticized Pyongyang’s choice to air its accusations via state media instead of through established inter-Korean channels, calling that approach “unnatural and abnormal.” Chung added that South Korea might issue an official apology for drone deployments in 2024 under the previous administration—an option now under legal review—and noted that the investigation’s findings will guide any further actions, echoing past expressions of regret after the 2020 killing of a South Korean government employee in the Yellow Sea.

Monitored Intelligence for South Korea - Jan. 16, 2026


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Businesspeople with investments in North urge gov't to lift sanctions on inter-Korean projects

Joongang Ilbo | English | News | Jan. 16, 2026 | North Korea

Businesspeople with investments in suspended inter-Korean projects urged the South Korean government on January 14, 2026, to lift the unilateral sanctions imposed in 2010 that ban joint businesses with North Korea. Ten organizations representing investors in the Kaesong Industrial Complex and the Mount Kumgang tourist zone made the request at a press conference, calling for the resumption of legal business activities despite ongoing difficulties in inter-Korean dialogue.

The sanctions were originally enacted on May 24, 2010, under the Lee Myung-bak administration following the North Koreans' torpedoing of the South Korean Navy frigate Cheonan. These measures suspended trade, investment, and assistance programs with North Korea, except humanitarian aid, severely impacting companies involved in inter-Korean economic projects. Business leaders argued that lifting the sanctions would open economic lifelines for the private sector at a time when government-to-government dialogue remains challenging.

The businessmen also noted North Korea's increasing economic engagements with China and Russia, expressing their intention to pursue direct or indirect business with North Korea once South Korea's sanctions are lifted. The Unification Ministry is reportedly considering easing the 2010 sanctions to improve inter-Korean relations, though any change would likely be symbolic due to ongoing international sanctions by the United Nations Security Council that continue to restrict business with Pyongyang.

PIPC Urges Coupang to Halt Leak Probe Announcements

Chosun Ilbo | English | News | Jan. 16, 2026 | Privacy

The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) has called on Coupang to immediately stop publicly announcing the results of its internal investigation into a personal information leakage incident on its app and website. During a full meeting on January 14, 2026, the PIPC reviewed Coupang’s overall response and criticized the company for independently contacting a former employee suspected as the leaker, obtaining unilateral statements, and presenting these as confirmed findings through public announcements, which could mislead the public and obstruct an accurate understanding of the incident.

The PIPC also highlighted that Coupang’s announcements contradicted prior improvement requests issued on December 3 and 10 of the previous year. It warned that sharing unconfirmed or distorted information risks confusing the public and impedes data subjects from exercising their rights. The commission further noted that Coupang’s previous efforts to comply with improvement recommendations were largely superficial and inadequate, thus requiring more substantial measures.

The PIPC requested Coupang to implement a personal information leakage inquiry feature within its app and website and to notify affected data subjects listed in the delivery address information promptly. Additionally, the commission pointed out that Coupang repeatedly delayed or failed to submit requested materials during the investigation, cautioning that such conduct could be seen as obstruction and might lead to harsher disciplinary action in the future. The PIPC strongly urged Coupang to prevent any recurrence of these issues.

Trade minister urges not escalating Coupang case into trade dispute between S. Korea, U.S.

Yonhap | English | News | Jan. 16, 2026 | Geopolitical Conflict and Disputes

South Korean Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo has engaged with U.S. lawmakers and officials in Washington to ease concerns over South Korea's investigation into a major data breach at American-listed Coupang Inc. Yeo emphasized that the investigation, which is based on related laws, should not be misinterpreted as a trade dispute between South Korea and the U.S. During his meetings, Yeo addressed concerns from U.S. policymakers who described Korean regulatory actions toward Coupang and other U.S. tech firms as potentially discriminatory.

Coupang, founded by Korean American Bom Kim, recently experienced a data leak affecting around 34 million customers, or nearly two-thirds of South Korea's population. Despite being U.S.-listed, the company generates 90 percent of its sales in Korea. Yeo also discussed broader trade issues, including non-tariff barriers and the implications of a pending U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the legality of reciprocal tariffs imposed during the Trump administration.

In talks with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Yeo stressed the importance of South Korea not facing discriminatory treatment in light of the Supreme Court's decision, highlighting South Korea's status as one of the few countries with a trade agreement with the U.S. Yeo concluded by reaffirming Seoul's commitment to maintaining open communication with the U.S. government, Congress, and industries to manage risks related to digital trade and tariff policies.

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