South Korea - The Korea Times

About 80,000 foreign residents in Seoul eligible for cash handouts

About 80,000 foreign residents in Seoul are expected to benefit from the central government's voucher-based cash handout of at least 150,000 won ($108), according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Thursday. The prepaid voucher program is limited to foreign residents who either have family ties to Korean nationals or meet specific eligibility criteria. Of the roughly 450,000 foreign residents in the capital, 17.8 percent, or an estimated 80,000, are expected to qualify. The program is intended to provide financial relief to residents, easing living costs while boosting local economies. Eligible recipients include foreign nationals listed on a resident registration that includes at least one Korean national and who are also enrolled in the national health insurance system as subscribers, dependents or medical aid beneficiaries. Another group comprises households entirely made up of foreign nationals, which may qualify if they include a permanent resident or recognized refugee currently enrolled in the national health insurance system or receiving medical aid. It also includes marriag

Jul 17, 2025By Park Ung

About 80,000 foreign residents in Seoul eligible for cash handouts

UN report shows Korean women least inclined to have kids among leading nations

Korean women show the lowest propensity for having children among major countries surveyed in a United Nations-backed study, underscoring the nation’s worsening demographic crisis and enduring gender divides over attitudes toward parenthood. According to preliminary findings from a family panel study conducted by the Korean Women’s Development Institute (KWDI) Wednesday, Korean women rated their willingness to have children at just 1.58 out of 5 — the lowest among eight countries and territories with comparable data. The figures will be presented at the institute’s gender equality policy forum on Thursday. In comparison, Korean men scored significantly higher at 2.09, marking the widest gender gap in childbearing intent among the survey targets, which included Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Norway, Austria and Hong Kong. The study is part of the Generations and Gender Survey, an international panel project led by the U.N. Economic Commission for Europe that tracks evolving family patterns and gender roles. While Korean men’s intentions to have children c

Jul 17, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

UN report shows Korean women least inclined to have kids among leading nations

Wave of child murders by cash-strapped parents stirs national alarm

In May, Ji, 49, whose full name has not been disclosed, traveled with his family to South Jeolla Province. After dinner, he and his wife gave their two sons energy drinks mixed with sleeping pills. A few hours later, the couple drove their car into the sea with the boys inside. When the vehicle hit the water, Ji panicked and escaped alone through the driver’s side window. Later arrested on charges of murder and assisting suicide, Ji told police he was overwhelmed by nearly 200 million won ($143,900) in debt, which he said had accumulated after he was not paid for supervising rebar crews at a construction site. He believed that if he and his wife died, the financial burden would fall on their sons. The case is one of several recent family tragedies in Korea linked to economic hardship. In a country with one of the world’s highest suicide rates, incidents in which parents kill their children before taking their own lives underscore the growing urgency of the nation’s suicide crisis. On Tuesday, three people believed to be family members were found dead inside a car on Yeongjong Islan

Jul 17, 2025By Park Ung

Wave of child murders by cash-strapped parents stirs national alarm

Heavy rains expected to soak Seoul, central regions

The state weather agency on Wednesday forecast heavy rainfall across the country until Thursday, with downpours of more than 200 millimeters per hour expected in southern Gyeonggi Province. Around 50 to 150 millimeters of rain was expected in the greater Seoul area and parts of Chungcheong Province, 20 to 100 mm in the Jeolla provinces and 30 to 100 mm in the Gyeongsang provinces until the following day, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). The KMA said it will issue a heavy rain advisory across Seoul at 5 p.m. A heavy rain advisory is issued when rainfall is expected to exceed 60 mm in three hours or 110 mm in 12 hours. The interior ministry activated the Level 1 operation of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for the greater Seoul area and Chungcheong Province as of 3 p.m. Vice Interior Minister Kim Min-jae called on authorities to take thorough measures to minimize damage and respond preemptively to prevent any casualties. He also urged the public to stay updated on the weather and avoid dangerous areas such as those at risk of landslide

Jul 16, 2025By Yonhap

Heavy rains expected to soak Seoul, central regions

Breaking tradition: Korean men embrace parasols to beat summer heat

On a sweltering July afternoon last week, a 36-year-old office worker in Seoul surnamed Park, made an unexpected purchase: his first parasol. “Heat is something all living things feel, regardless of gender,” he said. “Buying a parasol was an inevitable choice under this weather. There’s no reason to refuse portable shade.” Park is not alone. With Korea grappling with a record-breaking heat wave, an increasing number of men are adopting parasols — once considered exclusively feminine — to protect themselves from the intense sun. A 31-year-old salesman in Seoul surnamed Kang also purchased a parasol this summer. “I often travel for work by subway, and I bought it to protect my skin,” he said. “I hesitated a little bit at first because of the perception that men don’t normally use parasols, but after trying it, I’m more than satisfied with how cool it keeps me.” The shift toward greater use of parasols among men is striking. According to local online fashion retailer Musinsa, searches for "parasols" by male customers surged 904 percent between July 1 and 10 compared t

Jul 16, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Breaking tradition: Korean men embrace parasols to beat summer heat

Samcheok coal mine shuts down after 89 years, leaving town in limbo

The coal may be gone, but the dust hasn’t settled in Dogye. Home to more than 50,000 people in the 1980s, the mining town in Samcheok, a coastal city in Gangwon Province, has watched its population shrink to just under 9,000. On June 30, the town’s last economic lifeline, the Korea Coal Corporation’s Dogye Mine, shut down after 89 years of operation. The mine’s closure was not unexpected, but for many locals, the abrupt end and lack of meaningful alternatives feel like an abandonment. Kim Gwang-tae, 59, head of the Joint Committee Against the Closure of the Korea Coal Corporation’s Dogye Mine, described the current reality facing him and his neighbors, saying, “We are alive, but our way of life is no longer guaranteed.” At a protest site in front of the mine’s main building, Kim sits beneath a tent that has stood for over seven months. For Kim and his fellow protesters, the pain lies not just in the loss of jobs, but in the uncertainty of what comes next. The residents argue that unlike other recently shuttered mines such as Hwasun and Jangseong, Dogye still had extractab

Jul 16, 2025By Hankookilbo

Samcheok coal mine shuts down after 89 years, leaving town in limbo

Major Korean firms reduce number of new young employees

The proportion of employees in their 20s at major Korean companies has dropped over the past two years, data showed Wednesday, raising concerns about an aging workforce and narrowing job opportunities for young people, data showed Wednesday. According to the data from corporate tracker CEO Score, the share of employees in their 20s at 67 of the country's top 100 firms with disclosed sustainability reports fell from 24.8 percent in 2022 to 21 percent last year. In terms of headcount, the number of workers in their 20s declined from 291,235 to 243,737 during the same period, marking a decrease of 47,498. Samsung Display recorded the largest drop, with the proportion of its 20-something employees falling from 43.8 percent to 28.4 percent over the two years. SK On, LG Innotek and Samsung SDI recorded significant drops as well. Among industry leaders, Samsung Electronics saw the share of employees in their 20s fall from 30.8 percent in 2022 to 24.2 percent in 2024. SK hynix saw a sharper decline, from 29.6 percent to 20.8 percent. In contrast, Hyundai Motor saw an increase in workers in their

Jul 16, 2025By Yonhap

Major Korean firms reduce number of new young employees

Misto Holdings chairman awarded honorary doctorate by HUFS

Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) awarded an honorary doctorate in business administration Monday to Misto Holdings Chairman Yoon Yoon‑soo for his leadership in advancing Korea’s industrial development and globalization, along with realizing public value through corporate philanthropy. A 1966 graduate of HUFS in political science and diplomacy, Yoon is recognized as a self-made entrepreneur. He founded Fila Korea in 1991 and made headlines in 2007 by acquiring Fila’s Italian parent company — marking a milestone as a Korean firm taking control of a global brand’s headquarters. The ceremony was held at the university’s Seoul campus, in the Fila Acushnet Hall. HUFS President Park Jeong-woon and executives from Misto Holdings attended the event. “In addition to his global business leadership that has elevated our country’s economic growth and international stature, Chairman Yoon has contributed significantly to his alma mater with integrity and transparency,” said Park. “This honorary doctorate is HUFS’ expression of deep respect for his achievements.” In 20

Jul 16, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin

Misto Holdings chairman awarded honorary doctorate by HUFS

Overall marriages rebound in Korea, but share of int′l unions declines

In 2020, Nam Do-hyeon, then an exchange student at the University of Alabama, met Jenna Alcorn through a mutual friend and fell for her at first sight. He thought she was pretty and was drawn to her easygoing personality. After three years in a long-distance relationship between Seoul and Georgia, Nam proposed in 2023, and the couple tied the knot later that year. They are among more than 21,000 international couples who registered their marriages in Korea last year. Their story echoes a broader trend in Korea, where international marriages are increasing steadily. According to a report by Statistics Korea on Tuesday based on marriage and divorce filings submitted to local administrative and welfare centers, marriages involving foreign nationals rose 5.3 percent last year compared to 2023. For the first time in five years, the number of international marriages in Korea has surpassed 20,000. The figure had peaked at around 23,600 in 2019 before falling to just over 13,000 in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Marriages involving foreign women rose to nearly 16,000 last year, a 6.2 percent in

Jul 15, 2025By Park Ung

Overall marriages rebound in Korea, but share of int′l unions declines

Tourism industry welcomes first insider as culture minister nominee

Korea’s tourism industry is expressing cautious optimism after President Lee Jae Myung nominated Chae Hwi-young, co-CEO of NOL Universe, the country’s largest travel platform, as the next minister of culture, sports and tourism. Announced last Friday, the nomination marks the first time since the ministry’s 2008 reorganization that a candidate with deep roots in tourism has been chosen, breaking from the tradition of appointing officials from culture or sports. Chae, 61, is a Busan native and a graduate of Sogang University’s English literature program. He began his career as a journalist at Yonhap News and YTN before moving into the tech sector, holding key roles at Yahoo Korea and NHN — now Naver. In 2016, he founded the travel platform Triple, which leverages user travel histories to offer personalized recommendations. After Triple was acquired by Yanolja and merged with Interpark, Chae served as CEO during the transition. He now co-leads NOL Universe, a platform that integrates Yanolja’s accommodation services, Interpark’s ticketing and Triple’s artificial intelligen

Jul 15, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

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