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KBR Special Reports
Can AI Help Extend Human Life? The Current State of Medical AI
From clinical trials on AI electrocardiogram (ECG) mortality to 2026 breast cancer screening and aging marker studies, this article analyzes the proven effects and remaining limitations of medical AI. It outlines the operational conditions required for medical institutions to translate more accurate predictions into actual improvements in survival and healthy lifespan.
KBR경영연구소 · 09/21/2026
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KBR Special Reports
Seoul's Cost of Living Lower Than New York and London, But Higher Than Tokyo: Assessing Seoul's Relative Costs Through Rent-Excluding Living Expenses and OECD Inflation Rates
박소유 책임기자 · 09/15/2026
KBR Special Reports
Small Business Closure Rates Drop, but It Is Too Early to Call It a Recovery
이우리 선임기자 · 09/15/2026
KBR Special Reports
South Koreans Drink 416 Cups of Coffee Per Capita Annually... The Current State of the 'Coffee Republic' and Key Market Watchpoints for 2026
강지혜 선임기자 · 08/13/2026
KBR Special Reports
Where is Population Growth Highest? South Korea's 2026 Population Map Led by Gwangmyeong, Hwaseong, and Pyeongtaek
이태민 책임기자 · 07/18/2026
KBR Special Reports
Winners and Losers in the AI Transition: How Prepared Are South Korean Enterprises?
According to a Microsoft report (January 2026), South Korea has risen to 18th globally with an AI population adoption rate of 30.7%, entering the clear 'winner' group at the national level. However, a Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) survey revealed that actual corporate AI utilization hovers in the 30% range, exposing a wide gap of about 48 percentage points compared to the 78.4% who acknowledge its necessity. While the utilization gap between large corporations and SMEs stood at 13.8 percentage points, controlling for environmental variables such as education, guidelines, and acceptance attitudes narrowed the pure scale gap to 4 percentage points, confirming that 'environment' rather than 'scale' is the real variable. The AI workforce has grown to approximately 57,000—still falling far short of the U.S. (780,000)—and the wage premium remains at just 6%, leaving a vulnerable link of talent outflow. Ultimately, the success or failure of the AI transition depends not on whether technology was adopted, but on whether the organization has established the environment to convert that adopted technology into organizational growth, presenting an opportunity to narrow the gap.
이태민 책임기자 · 06/16/2026
KBR Special Reports
"Pushed Out at an Average Age of 52.9"… The Cruel Re-employment History of Breadwinners in Their 40s and 50s, and the Truth Revealed by Statistics
According to a survey by Byuluck Market, the re-employment rate among those with retirement experience stood at just 51.8%, and their expected average monthly income upon re-employment was 2.904 million won—14.5% lower than their earnings at their primary jobs (3.395 million won). Middle-aged specialty media outlets and labor market analysts suggest that the rise in the "resting" middle-aged population may not simply reflect early retirement, but rather the outcome of failed re-employment and job mismatches. The fact that the top reason cited for leaving a primary job in supplementary statistics for older adults is business stagnation, suspension of operations, or closure (25.0%) implies that self-employment is becoming another exit route rather than an alternative to failed re-employment.
강지혜 선임기자 · 06/11/2026
KBR Special Reports
K-Cosmetics in the Global Market: Ranking 2nd in Exports with $11.4 Billion Today
Consumers of diverse nationalities explore Korean skincare products at a premium K-beauty store in Seoul. Exported to 202 countries as of 2025, K-beauty is rapidly expanding its global consumer base. [Photo = Korea Business Review DB] The Present of K-Beauty Told Through Numbers In 2025, the Korean cosmetics industry made history once again.
류현진 기자 · 04/14/2026
KBR Special Reports
Analysis of Supply, Demand, and Price Trends for Monthly Rent in Metropolitan Apartments
In the metropolitan apartment market facing the Han River, the pace of supply is slow, while the pace of monthly rent prices is running fast. Executive Summary As of 2026, the metropolitan apartment monthly rent market is not simply in a price adjustment phase, but is passing through a structural turning point where the paradigm of the lease market itself is changing.
김민경 기자 · 04/01/2026
KBR Special Reports
Anatomy of the 2026 Delivery App Fee Structure and Diagnosis of Small Business Profitability
As delivery apps have become a core infrastructure of the food service industry, consumer convenience has been maximized, but structural challenges lie behind this, such as the high actual fee burden borne by small business owners and deepening platform dependency. Executive Summary: As of 2026, while the 'differential fee system' of the three major delivery apps has fully taken root to establish a superficial framework for mutual growth, pointed critiques remain that the actual fee burden felt by small businesses still lingers at the threshold of undermining profitability.
박소유 기자 · 03/26/2026
