SEOUL, Jan. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — A surge in global gold prices is prompting South Korean pharmaceutical companies to rethink a long-standing workplace tradition: rewarding long-serving employees with gold. As bullion prices climb to record highs, several drugmakers have begun replacing gold gifts with cash bonuses, citing sharply rising costs. Industry officials said the shift reflects mounting financial pressure as gold prices have more than doubled in recent years. The changes come as gold prices have soared both globally and domestically. According to Bloomberg, spot gold prices surpassed $5,000 an ounce for the first time on Jan. 26, briefly reaching an intraday high of $5,110.50.