South Korea and the UK have concluded negotiations to improve their Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
The agreement eases origin criteria for key exports like automobiles and K-food, and opens up the UK high-speed rail and major service markets.
This negotiation is expected to enhance market accessibility between the two countries and expand exchanges and cooperation in various fields.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment plans to support 3.5 million heat pumps by 2035 to reduce 5.18 million tons of greenhouse gases.
Priority will be given to areas without city gas, social welfare facilities, and facility farms.
Various incentives, regulatory improvements, and industry ecosystem development plans have been established to promote heat pump distribution.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced that the Cabinet has approved amendments to the Employment Insurance Act and the Employment and Industrial Accident Insurance Premium Collection Act.
The period for paying substitute worker support for parental leave will be extended by up to one month, and the support will be fully paid for the duration of the substitute worker’s employment.
Due to the increase in next year’s minimum wage, the maximum amount of job-seeking benefits will rise to 68,100 won per day.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment announced an amendment to include plastic toys in the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system.
Although most toys are made of plastic and can be recycled, they were previously classified as difficult-to-recycle items.
With the amendment, 18 types of toys will be newly included in the EPR system, and the recycling cost standard is set at 343 won per kg.

The Hometown Love Donation Program has surpassed 100 billion won in cumulative donations in its third year.
Key factors include the activation of donations to special disaster areas and the increased proportion of donations through private platforms.
Next year, the tax deduction rate will be further expanded, leading to increased participation in donations.

The government is pushing for institutional improvements to expand the participation of local officials in government committees.
The amendment aims to establish a system that reflects regional characteristics and on-site demands in national policy tasks that need to be discussed by both central and local governments.
The Ministry of Government Legislation and the Association of Korean Local Governments have approved 20 presidential decrees, and 22 laws are pending discussion in the National Assembly.