South Korea - The Korea Times

Children of Korean-foreign couples now allowed to register longer names

Children born to Korean and foreign parents will now be able to register foreign-style names in full, such as “Kim Alexandriana” or “Park Cristiano,” without being restricted by a character limit. The Supreme Court’s Registration Office announced Tuesday that it revised the family registry regulations on Friday, lifting the previous five-character limit (excluding the family name) for names of children born to mixed-nationality couples. Until now, names exceeding five characters were only allowed if the child took the surname of their foreign father. With the revision, children who take their Korean parent’s surname can also use longer foreign-style given names that reflect their multicultural heritage. Previously, names like “Alexandriana” or “Cristiano” had to be shortened to “Alexandra” or “Christian” due to the limit. Children who were previously registered under abbreviated names can also update their records through a supplementary registration process, as long as the name matches what appears on the foreign parent’s national identity documents. “This

Jun 24, 2025By Hankookilbo

Children of Korean-foreign couples now allowed to register longer names

Teen suffers brain hemorrhage after police stop sparks excessive force debate

A teenager suffered a traumatic brain injury during a police crackdown on electric scooter violations in the western port city of Incheon, prompting a public debate over whether officers used excessive force. According to Incheon Samsan Police on Sunday, the incident occurred around 2:45 p.m. on Friday in the city’s Bupyeong District. Two teens, both riding a single electric scooter without helmets or licenses, fell during an encounter with police officers. The fall occurred when a patrol officer approached them at a crosswalk and attempted to grab one of their arms. One of the teens, identified only as A, who was riding on the back of the scooter, exhibited seizures and convulsions immediately after the fall and was rushed to the emergency room. A was diagnosed with traumatic brain hemorrhage and remained hospitalized for 10 days before being discharged on Tuesday. Police said they attempted to stop the scooter because the situation posed a safety risk. "It was a dangerous moment, so we intervened. We’re deeply sorry the teen was injured," a police spokesperson said. Authorities also

Jun 24, 2025By Hankookilbo

Teen suffers brain hemorrhage after police stop sparks excessive force debate

Starbucks ‘study squatters’ spark criticism for private dividers

A recent incident involving a “kagongjok" (a person who studies at cafes, especially those that take up space for long periods) at a Starbucks in Korea has drawn public backlash and sparked debate about etiquette in shared spaces. On Monday, Seo Kyung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women’s University, addressed the issue on social media, criticizing a customer who set up personal dividers on a communal Starbucks table before leaving the space unattended for hours. The customer also left study equipment behind, including a keyboard, headset and tablet. “These kinds of inconsiderate cafe users are becoming a serious social issue,” Seo said, noting that even foreign visitors are surprised by such behavior. Seo included a widely circulated photo originally posted by another social media user. The image showed a Starbucks table surrounded by dividers, along with study gadgets left behind — yet the user who set them up was nowhere to be seen for three hours, according to the post. “They always leave their things to hold the spot, but they’re never actually there,” the post read.

Jun 23, 2025By Hankookilbo

Starbucks ‘study squatters’ spark criticism for private dividers

Rap star’s overdose exposes gaps in Korea’s drug enforcement

Yoon Byung-ho, better known by his rap name Bully Da Ba$tard, boldly introduced himself as “the best rapper in Korea” when he was just 17. “Anyone who’s heard my music already knows that,” Yoon said in a 2017 interview on the reality show "School Rapper." Once hailed as one of Korea’s brightest young hip-hop talents, his promising career was derailed by fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid. The drug took a severe toll on his health, causing persistent vomiting that decayed his teeth, ultimately costing him four molars and a front tooth. “Quitting fentanyl was so painful, I would smash things with a hammer,” Yoon said in a later interview warning others about the dangers of drug abuse. “The pain makes it impossible to control yourself.” In the end, Yoon couldn’t break free. In 2023, the Supreme Court sentenced him to seven years in prison on charges of drug possession, purchase and use. To prevent repeated exposure to drugs in cases like Yoon's, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety last year introduced a system requiring doctors and dentists to check a patient’s pr

Jun 23, 2025By Park Ung

Rap star’s overdose exposes gaps in Korea’s drug enforcement

Gov't launches study on economic revitalization for region hit by Jeju Air crash

The government on Monday launched a comprehensive research project aimed at studying ways to revitalize the economy in the broader southwestern region affected by an aviation accident in late December. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said it held a briefing marking the launch of the project aimed at reviewing structured economic support for the city of Gwangju and South Jeolla Province following the air disaster that occurred at Muan International Airport. On Dec. 29, a Jeju Air plane carrying 181 people from Bangkok belly-landed and exploded at the airport, claiming 179 lives. It was recorded as the worst aviation accident for a South Korean airline on the country's soil. A subsequent shutdown of the airport had dealt a blow to local businesses and the regional tourism industry, resulting in direct and indirect sales losses. The project will be led by researchers from the Korean Regional Development Association and will be carried out for six months. It will involve consultations with six relevant government ministries, local authorities in Gwangju and South Jeolla, a

Jun 23, 2025By Yonhap

Gov't launches study on economic revitalization for region hit by Jeju Air crash

New report reveals large gender pay gaps for elderly, new parents

A persistent gender pay gap remains among Korea’s older workers, with elderly women earning just 59 percent of what their male peers make. A report released Sunday by the Korea Employment Information Service found that, as of June 2024, about 729,000 elderly wage earners — defined as those born before 1963 — were active in the labor force. Among them, 75 percent had entered the workforce after age 60 and another 75 percent were employed at small or medium-sized businesses. The report also noted that 53.9 percent held part-time positions. Elderly workers were primarily employed in production and social service sectors, with an average monthly real income of 1.84 million won ($1,339) at the time of hiring. However, a stark gender disparity was evident. Male elderly workers earned an average of 2.26 million won, while their female counterparts made just 1.33 million won — amounting to only 59 percent of men’s earnings. The report noted that job stability and wages tend to decline as workers age and the gender pay gap within this demographic remains particularly wide. In addition, j

Jun 23, 2025By Jung Da-hyun

New report reveals large gender pay gaps for elderly, new parents

1 year after deadly factory fire, safety reforms for migrant workers still on hold

A year has passed since a catastrophic fire ripped through a lithium battery plant in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, killing 23 people, most of them foreign workers. Yet many of the promised safety measures remain unfulfilled, casting doubt on the government’s commitment to protecting the country’s essential migrant labor force. Despite the completion of a government study last year to outline an implementation plan for mandating occupational safety and health training for all foreign workers, progress on vital safety provisions has since stalled, leaving a significant gap in protections for a vulnerable workforce that often toils in high-risk industries. The urgency for reform intensified after the Hwaseong fire exposed glaring gaps in workplace safety and education — especially for foreign workers. Just three weeks after the tragedy, the government vowed to revise the Occupational Safety and Health Act to mandate safety training for all foreign workers, regardless of visa status. Officials also pledged to integrate safety education into existing support programs and extend trainin

Jun 22, 2025By Jung Da-hyun

1 year after deadly factory fire, safety reforms for migrant workers still on hold

E-9 foreign worker arrivals down 21% this year amid economic slowdown

The number of foreign nationals entering Korea under the E-9 work visa has dropped by more than 20 percent compared to the same period last year, government data showed, amid signs of a broader economic slowdown. As of June 10, a total of 28,520 foreign workers had entered the country under the Employment Permit System (EPS), which grants E-9 visas to workers in selected non-professional industries, according to the Ministry of Employment and Labor on Sunday. The figure marks a 20.9 percent decrease from 36,048 during the same period in 2024. The E-9 visa program issues a fixed number of work permits annually. So far, only 21.9 percent of this year’s overall quota of 130,000 have arrived, and 29.1 percent of the sector-specific quota of 98,000 have been filled. The manufacturing sector, which traditionally absorbs the largest share of E-9 workers, saw the steepest decline. Only 21,443 foreign workers entered under the visa category, down 25.8 percent from 28,887 a year earlier. Other industries also recorded notable declines: Fisheries dropped by 21.7 percent to 2,198 workers, and cons

Jun 22, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin

E-9 foreign worker arrivals down 21% this year amid economic slowdown

Too hot or too cold? Seoul subway swarmed with temperature-related complaints

Lee, a 29-year-old Seoul-based office worker, was surprised to find the temperature inside the subway to be warm when he got on the subway on Thursday afternoon. “The weather was so hot and humid, and I was already sweating after a few minutes of walking there. I was looking forward to the cool air conditioning in the subway, but it was warmer than I expected,” he said. But another office worker in Seoul, Kim, 33, said she feels the air conditioning is usually stronger than it needs to be. Kim said she forgot to bring a jacket she would normally carry to protect herself from air conditioning sickness the same day, so she moved to a less cold subway car. Seoul Metro, which operates subway lines 1-8, said Friday that it received 283,972 complaints about heating and cooling discomfort from January to May this year, accounting for 75 percent of all complaints submitted to the customer center. More than 110,000 complaints were filed in May alone, as daytime temperatures became warmer. According to the Ministry of Environment’s guidelines, the temperature in regular subway cars is set to

Jun 20, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Too hot or too cold? Seoul subway swarmed with temperature-related complaints

Seoul to add 40 public wedding spots, from Mount Nam to Han River

For 30-year-old office worker Lee Sang-jae, who got married in Seoul last month, the big day came with a hefty price tag. “My wife and I spent just over 30 million won ($21,769) on the wedding,” Lee told The Korea Times. “It felt like a lot to pay for something that ends so quickly. That money could have gone toward better home appliances or a nicer place to live.” Lee added that they had carefully compared the prices of each element of the ceremony. “Everything — from the wedding dress to the photo studio — is categorized as high-, mid-, or low-end packages. We opted for all mid-tier options, and still ended up spending this much.” The Seoul Metropolitan Government has taken note of those with similar experiences, and is now expanding its efforts to ease the burden. The city government announced plans Thursday to expand its network of public wedding venues, offering couples a more budget-friendly option if they feel they cannot afford to hold a wedding ceremony elsewhere. It currently operates 25 venues, including traditional Korean houses inside Dream Forest in northern

Jun 20, 2025By Park Ung

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