This Week in Korean Society:

This week’s headlines highlight how demographic change is reshaping nearly every corner of Korean society. Rapid population aging is driving medical costs toward a projected 191 trillion won by 2030, intensifying debates over health care reform, public medical schools, regional doctor mandates, and the limits of the national health insurance system―underscored by another court loss in its long-running suit against tobacco companies.

At the same time, Korea’s persistently low birthrate remains a central concern. Elementary school enrollment is set to fall below 300,000 for the first time, raising alarms for the future of universities and local communities. While many Koreans say children bring happiness and view marriage more positively than a decade ago, overwhelming financial burdens continue to deter childbirth. Infertility treatments now account for more than one in seven newborns, reflecting both delayed parenthood and medical reliance in a shrinking society.

Social and labor issues also came into focus. Career breaks still translate into significant pay penalties for women returning to work, while a growing number of so-called “full-time children” and elderly Koreans starting new ventures reveal shifting life-course patterns. Surveys suggest changing attitudes toward immigration, health, and family priorities, even as concerns mount over youth ADHD medication misuse, smartphone overuse, and chronic adult diseases.

Together, these stories depict a society grappling with longevity, inequality, and the economic pressures that shape personal choices.

Jan. 10

• ●South Korea's Medical Costs to Reach 191 Trillion Won by 2030 The Chosun Daily
  Amid a sharp rise in the elderly population and associated medical expenses, analysis shows that South Korea's total medical costs are projected to reach 191 trillion Korean won by 2030.
  
  

• ●Elderly Koreans Defy Retirement with New Ventures The Chosun Daily
  The play, titled 'The Warriors of the Wind,' is described as showing "how humans cling to life until their final moments on the battlefield of existence."
  
  

• ●South Korea's 'Full-Time Children' Tackle Household Chores The Chosun Daily
  #1. Mr. Kim, 39 years old, who lives in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, did not find a job after graduating from a master's program.

Jan. 11

• ●Prescription of ADHD medication on the rise among youth The Korea Herald
  The number of South Korean teenagers turning to ADHD medication as "smart pills" is on the rise, a government report showed Sunday, raising concerns that the drugs are being misused for academic performance rather than medical need.
  
  

• ●Survey shows Koreans likely to view childbirth as blessing but financial curse Korea JoongAng Daily
  A recent survey found that Koreans are more likely than their peers in Germany, Japan, France and Sweden to believe that having children will add happiness to their lives, even as they voiced the strongest concerns about the financial burden of childbirth and child-rearing.
  
  

• ●'Quit smoking' becomes a less-sought New Year's resolution for Koreans: report The Korea Herald
  Quitting smoking, once among the top New Year's resolutions in South Korea, has become less of a priority as only one out of 10 Koreans said they planned to quit smoking within the first month of 2026.
  
  

• ●42% of women who leave jobs to care for family face lower pay on return The Korea Herald
  More than two-fifths of women who interrupted their careers to raise children are paid less than before on their return to work, a report by a Seoul-affiliated think-tank said, much higher than for men.

Jan. 12

• ●Parents prioritize children's health over academics: survey The Korea Herald
  Parents place greater importance on health than academic achievement for infants and young children, according to a survey of 1,500 parents conducted by the Korea Institute of Child and Education.
  
  

• ●41% See Immigrants Help Economy, 23% Want Increase The Chosun Daily
  Four out of 10 South Korean citizens responded that immigrants help the country's economy.
  
  

• ●South Koreans' Marriage Essentiality Jumps 15.4 Points in Decade The Chosun Daily
  A survey has found that the percentage of South Koreans who believe "marriage is essential" has increased compared to a decade ago.
  
  

• ●Public Medical Graduate School: 15-Year Service Mandate Proposed The Chosun Daily
  The government has unveiled the framework for the 'public medical school' it is pushing to establish.
  
  

• ●South Korean Youth Willing to Marry, Birth Hesitancy Due to Economic Burdens The Chosun Daily
  South Korean youth responded more positively than their peers in other countries regarding their willingness to marry and life satisfaction if they have children, but they also perceived greater economic burdens.
  
  

• ●Smartphone Overuse Linked to Higher Insomnia, Depression Risks The Chosun Daily
  People who use smartphones excessively are 2.6 times more likely to experience insomnia and 2.8 times more at risk of depression, according to a study.
  
  

• ●4 in 10 Seoul women returning to work after career breaks face lower pay, longer job searches than men The Korea Times
  Women in Seoul who return to work after career breaks for pregnancy, childbirth, or caregiving face a steep "motherhood penalty," as they are more likely than men to start new jobs with lower pay and after a longer job search, a report showed Sunday.
  
  

• ●Koreans say children bring happiness, but 92% cite financial burden as deterrent The Korea Times
  Young people in Korea are more likely than their peers in Germany, Japan, France and Sweden to agree that having children would bring great joy, but they also express far stronger concerns about the economic burden of childbirth, a study found.

Jan. 13

• ●New elementary school enrollment to drop below 300,000 this year The Korea Herald
  The number of children entering elementary schools in South Korea is expected to fall below 300,000 for the first time this year, due to the nation's rock-bottom birth rate, the education ministry said Tuesday.
  
  

• ●Korean first-grade students set to drop below 300,000 this year Korea JoongAng Daily
  The number of first-grade students at Korean elementary schools is set to drop below 300,000 for the first time in 2026, driven by one of the world's lowest birthrates, government data showed.
  
  

• ●Grade 1 enrollment falls below 300,000 for 1st time as Korea's population shrinks The Korea Times
  For the first time, fewer than 300,000 children are expected to enter first grade in Korea this year, underscoring the effects of the country's persistently low birhrate on its education system.

Jan. 14

• ●More than 1 in 7 newborns conceived through infertility treatment The Korea Herald
  The share of babies born through infertility treatment in South Korea has risen sharply over the past five years, as medically assisted conception makes up a growing portion of a shrinking total, government data showed.
  
  

• ●Demographic decline puts dozens of universities at risk, experts warn The Korea Times
  As Korea's annual number of first graders is projected to fall below 300,000 for the first time this year, experts warn that higher-education institutions across the country are headed for a brutal shakeout, with many unlikely to survive the coming decade.

Jan. 15

• ●One in seven newborns born through infertility treatments The Chosun Daily
  One in seven newborns two years ago was born through infertility treatments such as artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization, according to a study.
  
  

• ●Hyperlipidemia Surpasses Hypertension, Diabetes among South Korean Adults The Chosun Daily
  A lawyer in his 40s surnamed A, who lives in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, said he discovered during a health checkup late last year that he had hyperlipidemia (high cholestrol).
  
  

• ●Big Tobacco beats Korea's national health insurer. Again. Korea JoongAng Daily
  Korea's National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) lost again on appeal in its roughly 50 billion won ($34 million) damages suit against tobacco companies, marking a second-instance conclusion nearly 12 years after it first filed the case.
  
  

• ●State health insurance agency loses damages suit against major tobacco companies on appeal The Korea Times
  The National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), which administers Korea's universal health insurance system, lost its appeal seeking financial compensation from major tobacco companies, after also losing a lower court case in 2020.

Jan. 16

• ●Korea's push for 'regional doctors': Reform or gamble? The Korea Times
  Korea's long-running debate over a shortage of doctors outside the Seoul metropolitan area is now centering on a new policy idea: a so-called "regional doctor system" that would require qualified physicians to serve for several years in underserved areas and key specialties.
  
  

• ●Acting budget minister says addressing demographic crisis top priority The Korea Times
  Acting Budget Minister Lim Ki-geun said Friday that South Korea's plunging birthrate has become the nation's most urgent challenge, calling for swift and effective countermeasures.