Kim, a 33-year-old woman living in Seoul, was taken by surprise when she found out she was pregnant late last year. With no intention of getting married or having a child of her own, she began searching for hospitals that would terminate the pregnancy for her. While searching online, Kim encountered numerous advertisements and blogs listing prices for abortions by vacuum aspiration. The prices varied according to the stage of pregnancy: 600,000 won ($450) before week 7 and 900,000 won before wee

Politics March 7, 2024

South Korea should come up with various measures to attract foreign nationals to work here as care workers, as the country faces a shortage in the sector to care for its rapidly aging society, a report by the Bank of Korea argued, Tuesday. The cost of hiring a care worker at a nursing home or other facilities was estimated at 3.7 million won ($2,775) per month as of last year, according to the report titled “Measures to alleviate the care service labor shortage and cost burden” relea

Social Affairs March 5, 2024

The Constitutional Court has unanimously upheld the constitutionality of a law restricting the workweek to a 52-hour maximum, the court said Monday. In its decision delivered Thursday, the nine-member court unanimously ruled that the Labor Standards Act, Article 53, Section 1, specifying that the 52-hour workweek system is legitimate and appropriate as it is designed to protect the health and safety of workers by reducing actual working hours and discouraging overtime work on holidays. Under the

Social Affairs March 4, 2024

South Korean workers’ actual annual working hours have decreased by nearly 200 hours over 10 years, yet people here still work far longer than the average of the member nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. According to the statistics released by the Ministry of Employment and Labor on Sunday, the average monthly working hours of employees in South Korea stood at 156.2 hours in 2023, down 2.5 hours from 158.7 hours in 2022. In 2013, the average monthly worki

Social Affairs March 3, 2024

The debate on consanguineous marriage is heating up, as the government appears to be moving toward easing laws related to intrafamily marriage. Currently, South Korea prohibits marriage between blood relatives within eight degrees of relations ("chon" in Korean), according to the Civil Act, Article 809 and Article 815. That means that Koreans may not marry third cousins -- their grandparents' cousins' grandchildren -- or closer relatives. Article 809, Section 1 states that &l

Social Affairs March 3, 2024

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Wednesday announced that the city will operate a tethered helium balloon ride, dubbed Seoul’s Moon, at the Yeouido Hangang Park starting in June. The balloon will take visitors to a height of 150 meters, offering an elevated view of the capital from noon to night. Such attractions are in service at many famous tourist spots worldwide, including Disneyland Paris and the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, according to Seoul. The tethered balloon, create

Social Affairs Feb. 28, 2024

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday remained set on his push for an increase in the annual medical school enrollment quota of 2,000, saying the number "is non-negotiable." "No excuses can justify (doctors') collective action of taking people's health hostage and posing a threat to people's lives," Yoon told some 100 participants including mayors and provincial governors at the Central and Local Government Cooperation Council meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, the former presidential of

Social Affairs Feb. 27, 2024

Foreign embassies in South Korea can now process and submit applications from their citizens claiming industrial accident compensation, the Korea Worker's Compensation and Welfare Service announced Monday. Previously, only the victims themselves, the victims’ direct relatives and certified labor attorneys could apply for compensation on behalf of the victims. For instance, the bereaved family of a Cambodian woman in her 30s who was found dead while residing in an unheated plastic gree

Social Affairs Feb. 26, 2024

South Korean hospitals are experiencing further disruption amid a growing walkout by the country’s junior doctors, who perform surgeries and provide other treatment at major hospitals. The Ministry of Health and Welfare received 40 adverse effects from the doctor walkout as of 6 p.m. on Thursday, with reports renewing daily. These cases consist of 27 instances of delayed surgery, six cases of patients being refused treatment, four appointment cancellations, and three delays in hospitaliz

Social Affairs Feb. 23, 2024

The Ministry of Environment on Thursday said that it will recommend that people work from home whenever emergency dust reduction steps are taken, starting next month. According to the Ministry of Environment, the Special Task Force Committee on Fine Dust will include a recommendation to work from home or take time off when emergency dust reduction measures of fine dust are implemented in the government's "Total Response Plan for Spring Fine Dust," which it is set to announce next

Social Affairs Feb. 22, 2024

Despite the public's negative response and the government's stern warning against doctors leaving hospitals in protest of a drastic medical school quota expansion that would add 2,000 new spots per year, Korean doctors have remained adamant, expressing confidence that they would not back down until the plan is withdrawn. Among the doctors remaining steadfast over the government's threats of legal action is Noh Hwan-kyu, the former chair of the Korea Medical Association, an interes

Social Affairs Feb. 21, 2024

The bereaved family of a forced labor victim under Japan's 1910-1945 colonization received 60 million won ($44,850) in recompense in accordance with a Supreme Court ruling, marking the first case in which funds from a Japanese company were transferred to a forced labor victim. The family of the late victim surnamed Lee, who worked at the firm's shipyard starting in September 1944, withdrew 60 million won on Tuesday from the Seoul Central District Court, which Osaka-based industrial and

Social Affairs Feb. 20, 2024

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea announced Monday that it plans to fund research on the working conditions of migrant workers, to expand the statistics available specifically on migrant worker deaths and potential support systems. The commission will be accepting research proposals for related studies with a maximum funding award amount of 50,000,000 won ($37,374) per project from March 7, 10 a.m. through March 10, 10 a.m. via their website. “Various factors make migrant worke

Social Affairs Feb. 20, 2024

The South Korean presidential office said Sunday that the establishment of diplomatic ties with Cuba would create new economic opportunities for Korean companies, though it conceded it would take time. “The establishment of diplomatic relations and the future opening of a permanent mission in each country will lay the groundwork for expanded economic cooperation in a gradual manner," the presidential office touted the anticipated impacts of forging of ties announced on Wednesday. The

Social Affairs Feb. 18, 2024

Famous for the Hwasun Dolmen Remains, the world's only dolmen colony registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Hwasun County in South Jeolla Province is now setting its sights on the future, according to Gu Bog-gyu, the county’s governor, pointing to the city's 10,000 won ($7.50) apartments. “Outside the capital region, many rural areas face a serious population decline problem, and Hwasun was no exception. However, by offering 10,000 won apartments to younger generations

Social Affairs Feb. 14, 2024