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Private education spending surges over 60% despite shrinking student population

Even as Korea’s student population has shrunk because of the country’s low birthrate, spending on after-school tutoring and test preparation academies has risen by more than 60 percent over the past decade. The increase has been driven largely by a surge in private tutoring among elementary school students, as demand shifts to increasingly younger ages. According to data released Sunday by the Korea Statistical Information Service (KOSIS), household spending on private tutoring academies reached 29.19 trillion won ($20.18 billion), marking a 60.1 percent increase from 2014. After declining through 2015, when spending fell to 17.83 trillion won, expenditures on after-school tutoring and test preparation centers began rising again in 2016 and surpassed 20 trillion won in 2019. Spending dipped temporarily to 19.35 trillion won in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, but has increased for four consecutive years since 2021. While the number of students is declining, overall spending on private tutoring has continued to rise, influenced by a range of social and economic factors. KOSIS attribut

Jan 4, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Private education spending surges over 60% despite shrinking student population

Over 20% of Koreans 65 and older in 2025: data

A little over 1 in every 5 Koreans was 65 or older in 2025, data showed Sunday, as the country moved deeper into the "super-aged society" category. According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, some 10.84 million people were aged 65 and older in 2025, accounting for 21.21 percent of the entire population of about 51.11 million. Based on the United Nations' demographic classification, a country where over 20 percent of the population is aged 65 and older is defined as super-aged. Korea became one in 2024. Of the entire female population, 23.39 percent were 65 and older, compared with 19 percent for the male population in that age group. By region, the 65-and-over group accounted for 18.82 percent of the population in the capital area, while the figure was 23.69 percent in the rest of the country. The ministry said the seniors had over a 20 percent share of the population in 11 provinces and cities, including Seoul for the first time. The ministry's data also showed that the number of single-person households went up by about 1.5 percent from a year earlier to 10.27 million in 2025

Jan 4, 2026By Yonhap
Over 20% of Koreans 65 and older in 2025: data

1 killed, 9 injured in car crash in downtown Seoul

A woman in her 40s was killed and nine others injured after a taxi crashed into two vehicles in central Seoul, police said Friday. The accident occurred at around 6:05 p.m. on a street in front of Jonggak Station, when the taxi first crashed into a car, subsequently collided with a traffic pole at a crosswalk and then hit another vehicle, according to the police. Pedestrians who were waiting to cross the street were hit by the taxi during the crash. Police said the taxi driver, in his late 70s, showed no signs of alcohol or drug use. The woman was taken to a hospital in cardiac arrest but later died. Among the nine injured, four complained of pain in the pelvis and knee, and were taken to hospitals. Of them was one Indian national, while three of those who were not taken to hospitals were Indonesian nationals. A witness told Yonhap News Agency that he heard a loud noise from across the street and saw smoke, adding that an ambulance arrived immediately and took away a woman who was lying on the ground bleeding.

Jan 2, 2026By Yonhap
1 killed, 9 injured in car crash in downtown Seoul

UN envoy signals scrutiny over 'fake news' law as lawyers condemn 'state censorship'

A United Nations free speech envoy has signaled scrutiny of Korea’s new “anti-false information” law, as Korean lawyers warn it could amount to state censorship and a threat to digital trade. In response to a Korea Times inquiry addressed to Irene Khan, the U.N. special rapporteur on freedom of expression, her secretariat confirmed that the mandate is actively monitoring the situation following President Lee Jae Myung’s approval of the law earlier this week. The law will come into force in July. “The Special Rapporteur is following this matter very closely. We regret that it was not possible to take action before, due to numerous other commitments, but we will continue to work on this matter,” the secretariat said, indicating that further U.N. engagement is under consideration. The law targets the spread of “false” or “manipulated” information online, covering news outlets as well as major digital platforms. It allows courts to order punitive damages of up to five times the proven harm when media organizations or large online channels are found to have intentionally

Jan 2, 2026By Jung Min-ho
UN envoy signals scrutiny over 'fake news' law as lawyers condemn 'state censorship'

Korea’s running trend shows no signs of slowing in 2026

Korea’s streets, parks and even travel itineraries are being redrawn by the sound of pounding feet, as a nationwide running trend shows no sign of slowing. Once a preserve of a small group of enthusiasts, running has evolved into a mass hobby, with some 10 million people — roughly double the figure from 2015 — now estimated to identify themselves as runners and lace up regularly, according to industry and tourism data. Marathons and road races are multiplying across the country, and running-themed trips, dubbed "run trips," that combine travel and races are emerging as a new form of leisure. For office worker Yoo Jae-moon, 38, the trend began last fall with a suggestion from a colleague. "I used to struggle even with walking fast," Yoo said. "Now I run 5 kilometers very slowly after work or on weekends, and just hitting 30 or 40 minutes feels like a big achievement." Running, he added, has helped him lose weight and feel stronger in his back and shoulders, and he is now considering his first half marathon this year. The appeal for many lies in simplicity and autonomy. After the COVI

Jan 2, 2026By Lee Hae-rin
Korea’s running trend shows no signs of slowing in 2026

Nation hit by severe cold wave with heavy snow forecast in southern regions

A cold wave continued to grip the nation Friday as temperatures plunged and heavy snow fell on southern parts of the country, including South and North Jeolla provinces and Jeju Island, the weather agency said. As of 8 a.m., temperatures stood at minus 11.2 C in Seoul, minus 11.4 C in the western city of Incheon, minus 7 C in the southwestern city of Gwangju and minus 6.1 C in the southeastern city of Busan, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. Temperatures fell to near minus 15 C in some parts of Gyeonggi Province surrounding the capital, the eastern province of Gangwon and northeastern parts of North Gyeongsang Province. The daily highs are forecast to reach minus 5 to plus 4 C. The cold wave is expected to continue through Saturday morning, with temperatures forecast to reach as low as minus 14 C before easing later in the day as winds change direction and blow eastward. Meanwhile, heavy snow alerts have been issued for western parts of the southern provinces of South and North Jeolla, the southern resort island of Jeju, and the eastern islands of Ulleung and Dokdo. As

Jan 2, 2026By Yonhap
Nation hit by severe cold wave with heavy snow forecast in southern regions

Pope Leo XIV sends congratulatory message to bakery Sungsimdang on 70th anniv.

Pope Leo XIV has sent a congratulatory message to Sungsimdang, a well-known bakery in the central city of Daejeon, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of its founding, the bakery said Thursday. In the message, the pope extended his blessings and praised the bakery for its long-standing commitment to promoting fraternal solidarity and supporting the civic and church communities, particularly the most marginalized. He also encouraged the bakery to continue such "remarkable" activities, according to the bakery. The message, signed by the pope, was delivered by Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik during his visit to Korea last month, it added. Sungsimdang, which started out as a small bakery near Daejeon Station in 1956, is known for its commitment to supporting the local community and donating bread to those in need.

Jan 1, 2026By Yonhap
Pope Leo XIV sends congratulatory message to bakery Sungsimdang on 70th anniv.

From AI child protection to visa reform: What social policies are changing in 2026

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 Da

Jan 1, 2026By Jung Min-ho
From AI child protection to visa reform: What social policies are changing in 2026

NEW YEAR POLL Frequent regulatory changes undermine Seoul's potential as global business hub

Seoul has potential to become an international business and financial hub, but that potential is undermined by frequent changes in regulations and a workplace culture that makes it difficult for foreign nationals to integrate, a poll showed. The poll was conducted online with 258 foreign residents of Korea by Hankook Research on behalf of The Korea Times from Dec. 18 to 24, 2025, to gauge expats' perceptions of Korea's competitiveness as a global business destination. According to the survey, 72 percent of respondents said Seoul is competitive as a global center for finance and business. Of those, 19 percent described the city as “very competitive,” while 53 percent said it is “competitive.” By age group, respondents in their 30s recorded the highest share of positive assessments at 85 percent. Among foreign residents holding employment visas, 89 percent said Seoul is competitive, suggesting that its perceived strengths are also felt in day-to-day business environments. Frequent changes to the regulatory environment were the most commonly cited obstacle to expanding foreign inves

Jan 1, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
[NEW YEAR POLL] Frequent regulatory changes undermine Seoul's potential as global business hub

Prosecutors indict Unification Church official on illegal political donations

Prosecutors decided Wednesday to indict a Unification Church official for allegedly delivering illegal political donations to lawmakers, while requesting additional investigation into other figures involved, including the leader. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office said it has indicted Song Gwang-seok, a former head of the Universal Peace Foundation affiliated with the church, amid an ongoing investigation into the religious group's illegal political donations to both ruling and opposition parties. Song allegedly delivered church funds worth 13 million won ($8,960) to 11 lawmakers in 2019. On the previous day, the police transferred Han Hak-ja, the church leader, and three other officials, including Song, to prosecutors. Han is currently in custody on a separate bribery charge involving former first lady Kim Keon Hee. Prosecutors, meanwhile, requested the police to conduct an additional investigation into Han and two other officials. The four are accused of making illegal donations to both ruling and opposition politicians in an organized manner in early 2019. Police believe chur

Dec 31, 2025By Yonhap
Prosecutors indict Unification Church official on illegal political donations
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