KIHASA Update
Window on Korean Society: January 17-23
- Date 2026-01-19
- Hits 117
This Week in Korean Society:
This past week in Korean society brought renewed attention to the realities of demographic change and labor precarity. A series of reports exposed serious problems in government-led foreign caregiver and housekeeper pilot programs, including underpayment, excessive workloads, and weak legal protections―ultimately leading Seoul to shelve its foreign caregiver initiative altogether. At the same time, public unease over immigration remained evident, even as Korea continues to rely more on foreign residents amid population decline, shrinking youth employment, and growing diversity in classrooms. Regional governments outside the capital voiced deep concern about population loss, underscoring widening gaps between Seoul and the rest of the country despite signs that young people are still flowing into the capital.
Labor and social protection issues were another dominant theme. The government moved forward with plans to extend labor protections to millions of freelancers, platform workers, and independent contractors, though the proposals immediately drew criticism from both labor and business groups. Other stories highlighted the vulnerability of those on the margins: day laborers struggling with rising health check costs, blood shortages exacerbated by flu outbreaks, and disturbing revelations of sexual abuse at a care facility for disabled women. Legal and institutional accountability also came into focus, from asset seizures for unpaid child support to court rulings on inmate health care costs and debates over medical license revocation following a doctor’s suicide.
Health, education, and social values rounded out the week’s headlines. Millions of Koreans opting out of life-sustaining treatment pointed to shifting attitudes toward end-of-life care, while disputes over medical school quotas and projections of doctor shortages continued to stir controversy. Research linking brain connectivity and suicide risk, along with coverage of school bullying cases, kept mental health and youth safety in the spotlight. Meanwhile, stories on disposable friendships among young people and the intense moral scrutiny faced by celebrities offered a glimpse into evolving social norms―and the pressures shaping everyday life in contemporary Korea.
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.●Top court clarifies who pays for inmate health care The Korea Herald
South Korea's top court has clarified when the state can recover medical costs from inmates, ruling that the government may seek reimbursement even if treatment is provided during a subsequent prison term.●Gov't begins asset seizures for unpaid child support The Korea Herald
The South Korean government said Monday it has begun seizing assets from parents who have repeatedly failed to pay child support, seeking to recover public funds advanced to the cusodial-parent.●Over 3 million Koreans opt out of life-sustaining treatment The Korea Herald
More than 3.2 million South Koreans have formally opted out of life-sustaining treatment in the event of incurable illness, according to data released Monday by the National Agency for Management of Life-sustaining Treatment.●At least 19 disabled women sexually abused at care facility: report The Korea Herald
An investigation by a university research team has uncovered evidence of extensive sexual abuse involving 19 women living in a care facility for people with disabilities in Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, a local media outlet reported Monday.●Seoul's Population Declines as Foreigners Rise Due to Students The Chosun Daily
Last year, the population of general foreigners (excluding foreign nationals of Korean descent) in Seoul increased by net inflow.
Jan. 20
●Doctor's Suicide after License Revocation Prompts Call for Legal Reform The Chosun Daily
The Jeollanam-do Medical Association has called for a comprehensive revision of the current medical license recovation system in connection with the death of a doctor in his 50s who ended his life after facing financial hardships following the cancellation of his license.●Most Koreans favor keeping immigration levels steady, survey shows The Korea Times
Nearly half of Koreans say the number of foreign residents--now surpassing 2 million--has grown faster than they anticipated, while roughly four in 10 favor maintaining current immigration levels, suggesting substantial public concern, a survey found.●Korea moves to extend labor protections to 8.6 mil. freelancers, platform workers The Korea Times
Freelancers, platform workers and others long excluded from labor protections will gain new rights under sweeping changes expected to be passed by May 1.●Korea faces blood reserve shortages as flu outbreak curbs donations Korea JoongAng Daily
Korea's blood reserves have fallen below recommended levels as donations dropped after an early influenza outbreak and a rise in blood demand for surgeries, the Korean Red Cross said.
Jan. 21
●South Korea to Recognize 8.7 Million Freelancers as Workers under Labor Law The Chosun Daily
The government announced it will push forward with a plan to effectively recognize freelancers, special employment workers, and platform workers-estimated to number up to 8.7 million-as "workers" under the Labor Standards Act.●Korea's Youth Adopt 'Tissue Friends' for Disposable Relationships The Chosun Daily
"Let's skip the self-introductions and talk about our New Year's goals."●Regional Doctor Program Requires Non-Capital Middle School Graduation The Chosun Daily
Starting from the 2027 academic year, a "regional doctor program" will be introduced for 32 medical schools outside Seoul.●Weakened brain connections tied to suicide attempts in depressed patients, Korean psychiatrists find The Korea Herald
South Korean researchers have identified distinct changes in the brain networks of depressed patients who have attempted suicide, offering new insight into the neurological factors that may influence suicide risk.
Jan. 22
●School bullies may escape punishment in court, but not in court of public opinion The Korea Herald
On Aug. 25, 2025, a first-year student at a high school in North Gyeongsang Province took her life after severe sexual and physical abuse by her boyfriend.●Doomed from the start? Why Seoul dropped its foreign caregiver initiative. Korea JoongAng Daily
Seoul's attempt to recruit foreign caregivers has been shelved after months of controversy over wages, working conditions and legal protections, exposing deeper questions about whether the country is ready to accept more foreign workers.●Warehouse-style pharmacies expand consumer choice, upset traditional drugstores Korea JoongAng Daily
Shoppers pushing carts through aisles and perusing over-the-counter medicines are becoming familiar sights in parts of Gwangju, where newly opened warehouse-style pharmacies are drawing crowds and, at the same time, stirring opposition from pharmacists and regulators.●100,000 Won Health Checks Strain Day Laborers The Chosun Daily
At 4:30 a.m. on the 16th at the Samgeori intersection near Namguro Station on Seoul's Line 7 subway in Guro-gu, Jeong, 58 years old, a 30-year eteran skilled worker, and Kim, 67 tears old, were warming themselves with vending machine coffee amid freezing winds.●Doctor Shortage Projection Shrinks to 4,800 with Each Meeting The Chosun Daily
Controversy is brewing over the shrinking scale of South Korea's projected future doctor shortage, which serves as the basis for determining appropriate medical school quotas in discussions by the Health and Medical Policy Deliberation Committee (HMPDC).●Seoul's population outflow slows as young residents move in The Korea Times
Seoul has consistently seen more people in their 20s and 30s move in than relocate to other regions over the past 24 years, while the overall decline in number of people leaving the capital city has slowed.●State plan to protect independent contractors draws fire from labor, business groups The Korea Herald
The South Korean government's plan to strengthen protections for independent contractors is drawing criticism from both business groups and labor organizations.●Why Koreans hold celebrities to sky-high moral standards The Korea Times
Korea's harsh moral expectations for public figures have once again come under scrutiny, as star chef Im Seong-Keun saw his hard-won fame evaporate almost overnight following revelations of past drunk-driving offenses.
