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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

Korea legalizes tattooing by nonmedical professionals after 33-year ban

The National Assembly voted overwhelmingly Thursday to legalize tattooing by nonmedical professionals, ending a decadeslong ban that had criminalized the country's thriving tattoo industry. The landmark Tattooist Act passed a plenary session of parliament with 195 votes in favor and seven abstentions out of 202 members present. Despite the popularity and cultural acceptance of the body art, nonmedical tattooists in Korea have faced potential criminal punishment under the Medical Act since a 1992 Supreme Court ruling classified the practice as a "medical act." The move marks a significant legislative shift after 33 years, finally bringing the practice out of the legal shadows. Under the new law, both tattoos and semi-permanent makeup are defined as "tattooing acts." It establishes a licensing system, granting exclusive recognition as tattooists only to those who obtain a license. However, tattoo removal by nonmedical professionals remains strictly prohibited, as does tattooing on minors without parental consent. To safeguard public health, the law requires all licensed tattooists to undergo

Sep 25, 2025By Yonhap
Korea legalizes tattooing by nonmedical professionals after 33-year ban

Increase in birthrate reflects shifting attitudes among Koreans

More Koreans are expressing favorable attitudes toward marriage and having children, signaling change in a nation that has recorded the world’s lowest fertility rate, which fell to 0.75 last year, well under the 2022 OECD average of 1.51. A report released Wednesday by the Presidential Committee on Ageing Society and Population Policy surveyed 2,800 people aged 25 to 49 on marriage, childbirth and raising children. This was the fourth poll conducted since March 2024, providing a view of evolving public attitudes over the past year. Among unmarried men and women, 62.6 percent expressed a positive view of marriage, up 6.7 percentage points from March of last year, while willingness to marry rose to 64.5 percent, an increase of 3.5 points. Willingness to have children rose even more sharply, with 61.2 percent of unmarried respondents saying having children was necessary, up 11.2 percentage points. The share willing to have children also climbed to 39.5 percent, up 10 percentage points. Reflecting this shift in perception, Korea’s fertility is rebounding. According to Statistics Korea, t

Sep 25, 2025By Park Ung
Increase in birthrate reflects shifting attitudes among Koreans

Number of suicides in Korea hits 13-year high in 2024

Korea saw the highest number of suicides in 13 years in 2024, with suicide becoming the major cause of death among those in their 40s and younger. Last year, the total number of deaths reported in the country came to 358,569, up 1.7 percent from a year earlier, according to Statistics Korea. The agency said 702.6 deaths were reported per 100,000 Koreans last year, also up 1.9 percent from a year earlier. The report showed that cancer accounted for 24.8 percent of total deaths in 2024, followed by heart disease at 9.4 percent and pneumonia at 8.4 percent. The three factors were responsible for more than 42 percent of total deaths. Suicide, meanwhile, stood as the fifth-biggest cause of death for Koreans at 4.1 percent. A total of 14,872 people took their own lives last year, up 6.3 percent from a year earlier. The figure translates into 29.1 suicides for every 100,000 Koreans, the highest mark since 2011. Suicide remained the main cause of death for people aged between 10 and 49 in Korea in 2024, and the second-biggest cause of death for those in their 50s. It marked the first time suicide w

Sep 25, 2025By Yonhap
Number of suicides in Korea hits 13-year high in 2024

Do you take street flyers in Korea? Celebrities share clashing views

Street flyers are a familiar part of everyday life in Korea. Whether it is a restaurant coupon, political leaflet or religious message, people frequently encounter individuals handing out printed slips on busy sidewalks. For some, taking one is a simple courtesy; for others, it feels like unnecessary waste. That divide has now become the subject of debate after celebrities shared contrasting opinions. On Tuesday, model and broadcaster Joo Woo-jae uploaded a video to his YouTube channel where he addressed subscribers’ everyday dilemmas. One viewer asked, “Should I accept flyers handed out in the street?” explaining that they usually decline, partly to avoid wasting paper. The viewer added that many flyers contain religious content, which led them to stop taking them, but a friend had argued, “Once we accept them, their work is done, so we should take them.” Joo responded by saying he dislikes being bound by rules outside of legal obligations. “As long as you are not harming others, you should act according to your own judgment,” he said. He added that his decision depends o

Sep 24, 2025By Xportsnews
Do you take street flyers in Korea? Celebrities share clashing views

Seoul’s Hangang Bus faces backlash over safety failures

Seoul’s 150 billion won ($105 million) Hangang Bus project is facing criticism over repeated breakdowns and safety lapses just days after its launch on Sept. 18, raising doubts about its viability as the city’s new waterborne transport service. During rush hour on Monday and Tuesday, two Hangang Bus vessels suffered critical breakdowns, forcing emergency dockings and leaving more than 100 passengers stranded on each occasion. Sudden rudder failures and electrical glitches stalled the boats mid-river or prevented departures, as operators rushed to evacuate passengers and issue refunds. While city officials say repairs have been completed, the persistent nature of these failures has heightened anxieties about the reliability and safety of the boats. Concerns extend beyond mechanical defects. Local media reported that access to critical emergency equipment — including cabinets for infant life jackets — was blocked by ramps for wheelchairs and bicycles, which would be unsafe in an emergency. Fire extinguishers on board showed no recent inspection records, and on several occasions the

Sep 24, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
Seoul’s Hangang Bus faces backlash over safety failures

IFEZ's Promotion Center experiences growth in visitor numbers after renovation

Since reopening in July following renovations, the Incheon Free Economic Zone's (IFEZ) Promotion Center has been attracting attention from both international tourists and local visitors. According to an IFEZ official, Wednesday, a total of 54,423 people visited the center from January to Sept. 21. Of them, 36,336 people, or about 67 percent, visited after the reopening in July. In July, 11,386 people visited, followed by 14,984 in August. By Sept. 23, the monthly figure had already exceeded 10,000. Earlier this year, the center recorded 8,410 visitors in January and 9,677 in February. “The IFEZ Promotion Center is an important platform for Incheon to introduce the city’s future strategies to foreign investors,” the official said. “It has now become a venue for local residents as well as visitors.” The official added that the newly renovated center presents IFEZ’s history, present and future vision through a mix of digital media, photo exhibitions and dioramas, offering an immersive experience for visitors. New additions, such as a global communication space and wellness city

Sep 24, 2025By Jhoo Dong-chan
IFEZ's Promotion Center experiences growth in visitor numbers after renovation

Foreign residents in southeastern Korea earn $21,400 a year on average

Nearly 60 percent of foreign workers in Korea’s southeastern region work in manufacturing and mining, earning an average of 30 million won ($21,400) a year, according to Statistics Korea. The agency on Tuesday released a report on the demographics and characteristics of non-Korean residents in the southeast region comprising Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province — a manufacturing hub that employs a significant number of foreign workers. A 2023 Bank of Korea report found that the region produces 40.8 percent of the nation’s automobiles, 27.7 percent of its auto parts, 79.3 percent of its ships and 47.5 percent of its refined petroleum. Since the 1950-53 Korean War, the southeastern region has been at the heart of government-led economic development, particularly in heavy industry. Ulsan became the site of Korea’s first industrial complex in 1962, and as the state shifted from light to heavy and chemical industries in the 1970s, new complexes emerged in export-oriented port cities across the region, including Pohang and Busan. As of last year, roughly 215,000 foreign residents

Sep 24, 2025By Park Ung
Foreign residents in southeastern Korea earn $21,400 a year on average

Korea's childbirths rise for 13th consecutive month in July: data

The number of babies born in Korea jumped nearly 6 percent from a year earlier in July, backed by a steep climb in marriages, government data showed Wednesday. A total of 21,803 babies were born in July, up 5.9 percent from 20,580 babies born a year earlier, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea. It marked the 13th straight month of on-year growth but the fourth-lowest figure for July since the government began record-keeping in 1981. A total of 147,804 babies were born between January and July. The figure represents a 7.2 percent increase from the same period last year, the highest growth rate since 1981. It marked the first time since 2015 the number of newborn babies in the January-July period posted an on-year increase. The country's total fertility rate, the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, rose 0.04 from a year earlier to 0.8 in July. "The rise in births appears to be influenced by a continued increase in marriages, government policies supporting childbirth and the growth in the population of women in their early 30s," an official a

Sep 24, 2025By Yonhap
Korea's childbirths rise for 13th consecutive month in July: data

Population mobility hits 49-year low in August: data

The number of Koreans relocating to new homes fell to the lowest level in 49 years for any August amid sluggish home transactions and reduced housing supply, data showed Wednesday. Around 493,000 people changed residences last month, down 3.5 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from Statistics Korea. It was the lowest figure for August since 1976, when 471,000 people moved homes, and marked the first decline in three months following two straight monthly gains. The population mobility rate, which refers to the percentage of people relocating per 100 residents, slipped 0.4 percentage point on-year to 11.4 percent, the lowest for August since 2000. "The decline came as both home transactions and apartment completions decreased in July," an agency official said. Population mobility has been on a long-term downtrend amid the aging and shrinking of the population, and it is also affected by housing transactions and the supply of new apartments in the short term, the official added. By region, Seoul logged a net outflow of 1,815 residents in August, while Gyeonggi Province, which

Sep 24, 2025By Yonhap
Population mobility hits 49-year low in August: data

H-1B visa fee surge shuts door on Korean students’ US job hopes

The sharp increase in U.S. H-1B visa fees is forcing many Korean students to abandon hopes of working in the country after graduation, with immigration experts warning that the change could lead to a wave of early returns to Korea. “It has become impossible to even consider applying for an H-1B visa now. Many Korean students in the United States will have no choice but to give up on local employment after graduation and return home,” said Jun-hwan Kim, a 58-year-old Korean American immigration lawyer based in California, in a phone interview on Monday. The H-1B visa allows foreign professionals to work in the U.S. for three years, with possible extensions, but the annual quota is limited to 85,000. U.S. President Donald Trump recently raised the application fee from $1,000 to $100,000. The H-1B has long been notoriously difficult to obtain. Of the 85,000 visas, 20,000 are reserved for applicants with advanced degrees and 65,000 for those with bachelor’s degrees. Last year, 780,000 people applied, while 350,000 applied this year, Kim said. Indians accounted for 71 percent of the quo

Sep 24, 2025By Hankookilbo
H-1B visa fee surge shuts door on Korean students’ US job hopes
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