Most Koreans would like more children, but feel restricted by finances, careers

Over 70 percent of South Koreans believe having multiple children is ideal, but nearly half think having just one child is more realistic, a survey showed Sunday. Of the surveyed individuals, 58.9 percent think having two children is ideal, followed by 20.8 percent who picked one child, 12.1 percent who said three or more, and 8.2 percent who do not want children. The survey by the Presidential Committee on Ageing Society and Population Policy from Nov. 3 to 14 inquired into public attitudes tow

2026-08-09 13:29:21:00

Relatives were suspects in over a third of police cases involving officers' families

Of the 117 cases identified by the National Police Agency as involving officers' relatives, there were 45 in which the family member was a suspect, according to a report released Sunday. South Korean police in July conducted a nationwide inspection on cases involving police officers' families, and found that 117 of them had been opened from July 10-22. The office of Rep. Chung Choon-saeng of the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party analyzed the cases to find the nature of their involvement an

2026-08-09 12:27:51:00

Temperatures ease; heavy rain forecast for east coast

Average temperatures across most of South Korea are expected to fall short of last week's record-setting highs, while heavy rain is forecast for the eastern coast and Jeju Island. Heat wave warnings had been issued in 118 regions across the country as of 5 p.m. Sunday, including the Greater Seoul area and some regions in the Chungcheong, Jeolla, and Gyeongsang provinces. Heat wave advisories were issued across 82 regions. Highest temperatures recorded in the country ranged from 36.5 degrees Cels

2026-08-09 11:26:51:00

Mother keeps promise to late daughter via hair donation

A 42-year-old police officer has been regularly donating her hair to make wigs for children undergoing cancer treatment, fulfilling a promise she made to her daughter, who died in 2023. Sgt. Lee Hyeon-ju of the Chungbuk Provincial Police Agency first learned about hair donations for children with cancer and decided to join in with her then-9-year-old daughter, Song Ji-yun. Lee donated 37 centimeters of her hair on Aug. 11, 2021, to mark her daughter’s birthday. Ji-yun’s hair was too short to don

2026-08-06 13:26:02:00

Chinese man in bloody Seoul brawl found staying illegally

A Chinese national involved in a bloody fight in Seoul was handed over to immigration authorities after police discovered that he was staying in South Korea illegally, officials said Thursday. The other Chinese man involved in the fight is under investigation on suspicion of assault without detention, according to Seoul Dongjak Police Station. The two men got into a brawl at a home in Dongjak-gu, southern Seoul, at around 9 p.m. on July 31. Police believe the fight broke out following an argumen

2026-08-06 13:23:17:00

Slower gains at bottom widen Korea’s wage gap

A decadelong decline in South Korea’s wage inequality has gone into reverse, driven largely by weaker growth among low-income workers since 2020, a recent study showed Thursday. Workers in the top decile earned 3.619 times as much as those in the bottom decile in 2024, up from 3.485 times in 2020, according to the study, “An Analysis of the Shift in Wage Inequality Trends in Korea.” The gap nevertheless remained substantially narrower than in 2010, when the highest-paid 10 percent earned 5.517 t

2026-08-06 11:58:27:00

Nearly 70% of older Koreans want to work into their 70s

The number of working South Koreans aged 55 to 79 has surpassed 10 million for the first time, and nearly seven in 10 in the age group say they want to remain employed until their mid-70s. More than half cited the need to cover living expenses, indicating the financial pressures keeping many older Koreans in the workforce. The number of employed people in the age group reached 10.1 million in May, up sharply from 6.7 million in 2016, according to a report released Wednesday by the Ministry of Da

2026-08-05 17:22:01:00

17 Michelin-listed restaurants violated food safety laws: report

Seventeen restaurants in Korea listed in the Michelin Guide were found to have violated the Food Sanitation Act over the past three years, according to government data released Wednesday. The restaurants committed a combined 21 violations between 2023 and 2025, according to a report compiled by Rep. Seo Young-seok of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, based on data from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Seven cases involved failures to complete mandatory sanitation training, while five co

2026-08-05 17:02:26:00

Why Korea's maid cafes are sparking concern

Online versions of South Korea’s maid cafes that offer paid one-on-one phone calls, gaming sessions and other private interactions are raising concerns over weak oversight and the possible involvement of minors, according to local media reports. Several online maid cafes in Korea offer private “dates” with employees through phone calls, Instagram and other platforms, with prices ranging from around 6,000 won ($4.20) to 10,000 won per 10 minutes, according to a report by News1 on Wednesday. Maid

2026-08-05 14:59:41:00

Moving to Korea with children? Here is how the school system works

For foreign national parents living in South Korea, choosing a school for their children can involve unfamiliar rules, documents and terminology. Children can enter Korea’s public school system regardless of their nationality, immigration status or Korean-language ability. Unlike Korean families, however, foreign national parents generally have to initiate the enrollment process themselves. Elementary and middle school education is compulsory in Korea, and public schools do not charge tuition. F

2026-08-05 13:29:25:00