KIHASA Update
Window on Korean Society: October 25-31
- Date 2025-10-27
- Hits 79
Oct. 25
●For Korean newlyweds without homes, love comes easy yet paperwork doesn't The Korea Herald
Yu, a 32-year-old office worker in Seoul, tied the knot with her husband in 2021, but four years on, they are still not legally married.
Oct. 27
●Twin Mother Lim La-la Condems 'Emergency Room Ping-Pong' After Postpartum Ordeal The Chosun Daily
Comedian Lim La-la, who gave birth to twin siblings, revealed that she experienced the so-called "emergency room ping-pong" in a critical situation due to postpartum hemorrhage.●Seoul's Wrist Doctor App Surpasses 2.5 Million Users, 105,000 Earth Circuits The Chosun Daily
The number of users of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's citizen health app, *'Wrist Doctor 9988,'* has surpassed 2.5 million.●'Pig-butchering' takes hold in Korea The Korea Herald
South Korea is facing a surge in romance scams that are increasingly intertwined with cryptocurrency investment fraud, costing victims more than 100 billion won ($700 million) so far this year, while the arrest rate remains below 50 percent.●Doctors of Western, Korean traditional medicine clash over X-ray use The Korea Herald
Division is intensifying between doctors who practice Western medicine and practitioners of Korean traditional medicine over a bill that would allow the latter to use X-rays.●S. Korea moves to tighten rules on misuse of weight loss drugs, including Wegovy The Korea Herald
The South Korean government said Monday it plans to tighten regulations on the misuse of medications such as Wegovy and Saxenday, as growing numbers of people use the drugs to achieve their desired weight despite potential side effects.
Oct. 28
●Hospital ordered to pay $430,000 for child's disability after C-section refusal The Korea Times
A court has ordered a hospital to pay about 600 million won ($430,000) in damages to a couple and their son, who was born with disabilities after doctors refused to perform a cesarean section despite a prolonged and difficult labor.●Fathers account for nearly 37% of parental leave users The Korea Times
The number of workers receiving parental leave benefits rose 37 percent to 141,909 in the first nine months of 2025, reflecting the impact of policy reforms and cultural changes in parenting.
Oct. 29
●Number of childbirths rises for 14th month as of August Korea JoongAng Daily
The number of babies born in Korea increased for 14 months straight as of August, largely due to an increase in marriages, data showed on Wednesday.●Echo Boom Generation Drives Birth, Marriage Surge The Chosun Daily
The number of births last August increased by nearly 4% over the past year, marking the 14th consecutive month of growth.●Gov't to allow medical students, residents who walked out to take next year's exams Korea JoongAng Daily
The government will allow medical students and residents who returned to their training after a 19-month standoff to take next year's residency and specialist exams.
Oct. 30
●Suicide the top killer as Koreans in their 40s endure financial burdens, cultural expectations Korea JoongAng Daily
Earlier this year, a self-employed man in his 40s was found dead in a parking area in an apartment complex in Suwon, Gyeonggi.●South Korea's foreign resident population hits fresh high The Korea Herald
The number of long-term residents in South Korea of a foreign nationality or background--which includes naturalized citizens--has surpassed 2.5 million, an all-time high, according to data from the Ministry of Interior and Safety.●Largest-ever Seoul City budget features higher public welfare spending, new landmarks Korea JoongAng Daily
The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Thursday a record 51.5 trillion won ($36.1 billion) budget proposal for next year--up 7 percent from this year's 48.1 trillion won--marking the largest budget in the city's history.●Bakery employee's death spurs online debate about others working similar hours, 'selective empathy' Korea JoongAng Daily
A person claiming to be a doctor wrote online that the recent public outcry over the suspected death from overwork of a bakery employee was "selective empathy," noting that doctors and self-employed workers regularly put in similarly long hours.
Oct. 31
●South Korea's Foreign Residents Top 2.5 Million The Chosun Daily
The number of foreigners staying long-term in South Korea exceeded 2.5 million for the first time last year, according to statistics.

