KIHASA Update
Window on Korean Society: January 17-23
- Date 2026-01-19
- Hits 10
Jan. 17
●Foreign housekeepers under gov't pilot project overworked, underpaid: Poll Korea JoongAng Daily
Foreign housekeepers employed locally under a government pilot project launched two years ago were severely underpaid and had to do extra work that was not agreed upon, a survey showed on Saturday.
Jan. 18
●Filipina caregivers earn half the Korean average: study The Korea Herald
The short-lived pilot program to bring Filipino domestic caregivers into Korean households in the capital left workers earning just half the national average and performing tasks that went beyond their contracted duties, according to a new study.●Employment rate among youths falls for 1st time in 5 years in 2025: data The Korea Herald
The employment rate for people in their 20s fell in 2025 for the first time in five years as a shrinking population and a weak job market weighed on hiring, data showed Sunday.●Immigrant teenagers, Korean teachers face challenges as clasrooms grow more diverse Korea JoongAng Daily
In a classroom tucked inside a youth center in Ansan, Gyeonggi, two girls -- one from Kazakhstan, the other from China -- sit side by side, each navigating a new language, a new culture and the uncertainty of starting over in Korea.
Jan. 19
●Some regions of Korea more accepting of migrants than others, suvey suggests Korea JoongAng Daily
Kobiljon, a 42-year-old migrant worker to Korea from Uzbekistan, shared his New Year's wish over a glass of beer on Dec. 27, 2025 -- to play a song on the guitar that sounded like rain falling on his hometown.●Nearly 8 in 10 non-capital region governments brace for population decline: poll The Korea Times
Nearly 8 out of 10 local governments outside of the capital region remain concerned over the likelihood of a decline in population in their areas due to comparatively weaker job opportunities and living conditions, a poll showed Monday.

