Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
From AI child protection to visa reform: What social policies are changing in 2026
A customer holds a New Year's card at Kyobo Book Center in Seoul, Dec. 30, 2025. Newsis
By Jung Min-ho
Korea is ushering in 2026 with several policy changes affecting families, workers, foreigner nationals and even animals, as the government moves to expand childcare support, strengthen labor protections, attract global workers and phase out long-controversial practices.
AI system to fight online child sexual exploitation
Authorities will roll out an artificial intelligence (AI)–based early response system that can detect and block online sexual exploitation of children and teenagers in real time. The platform, set to begin operation in April, is designed to automatically scan images, videos and text across digital environments based on learned patterns. After risk assessment, the system flags suspected abusive content and alerts human monitors who can refer high risk cases directly to the police and other reporting channels, replacing the older model that primarily relied on manual monitoring.
Bear farming ban takes effect
After decades of controversy over bile extraction, a ban on breeding bears for gallbladder harvesting and related commercial uses comes into force on New Year’s Day. Existing farms will no longer be allowed to raise, breed or slaughter bears for bile, with a six‑month grace period focused on rescuing or purchasing the remaining animals before tougher penalties apply.
K-STAR visa track for top science and tech workers
A new K‑STAR (Korea‑Science & Technology Advanced Human Resources) visa track will be introduced to attract outstanding science and technology workers from around the world. The track expands an existing “fast‑track” scheme that was previously limited to graduates of five state‑funded science and engineering institutes such as KAIST. Under the new system, university presidents can recommend international students, who may then move directly from student status to F‑2 long‑term residency visas when they graduate, without first securing a job offer. They can then apply for F‑5 permanent residency after three years, and if they demonstrate outstanding research achievements, become eligible to apply for special naturalization.
New program for ethnic Koreans with foreign nationality
The government will launch a settlement program to attract "overseas Korean youth," meaning ethnic Koreans with foreign nationalities. Under the new system, selected participants will be encouraged to study, work and ultimately build long‑term careers here, backed by expanded budgets for scholarships and tailored integration programs.
Online reporting of foreign workers' employment details
Foreign nationals who are required to report their employment details will be able to do so online instead of visiting immigration offices. Through an expanded digital reporting system, workers can submit or update information such as workplace, job type and income remotely, making the process faster, easier and less burdensome.
Halal certification support for K-beauty products
To help domestic cosmetic brands expand into Muslim‑majority markets, the government is introducing stronger support for halal certification and global market entry. Companies will gain access to more systematic support for consulting, training and cooperation with foreign certification bodies so they can more easily meet religious and regulatory standards in target markets in the Middle East and other regions.
Minimum wage rises to 10,3020 won
Starting Jan. 1, the legal minimum wage rises to 10,320 won ($7.15) per hour, crossing the 10,000‑won threshold and marking a notable increase over the previous year. The new rate will push the monthly wage for a full‑time worker on a standard 40‑hour week to just over 2 million won, affecting millions of workers across industries nationwide.
Parent-friendly 10 a.m. workday start
Working parents with children of elementary‑school age or younger will gain access to a new “10 a.m. start” option that allows them to delay the start of their workday and shorten weekly working hours. Small and mid‑sized firms that adopt the scheme will be eligible for state subsidies to cover participating workers, in addition to existing childcare support programs.
'Yellow envelope law' to reshape labor disputes
The so-called “yellow envelope law,” an amendment to the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act, will come into force on March 20. It aims to expand workers’ rights in labor disputes and limit employers’ ability to claim damages from unions for strike‑related losses. The law broadens what counts as a labor dispute, so unions can legally strike not only over wages and working hours but also over management decisions that could significantly affect working conditions. It also expands the definition of “employer” so that a company that effectively controls working conditions, such as a parent firm using subcontractors, can be treated as an employer, allowing subcontracted workers to negotiate with the real decision makers.