Feb. 07

• ●South Korea Ends Severance Pay, Mandates Retirement Pensions The Chosun Daily
  The existing severance pay system, where companies accumulate retirement funds internally, will be abolished and unified into a 'retirement pension' system where funds are deposited in external financial institutions.
  
  

• ●Younger Unmarried Women More Positive Toward Marriage The Chosun Daily
  The younger the unmarried individuals, the more positive they were found to be toward marriage and the more they believed in its necessity.

Feb. 08

• ●Koreans expected to live less than 70 healthy years The Korea Herald
  South Koreans have a life expectancy of over eight decades, but recent government data indicates that just under 70 of those years are expected to be in good health.

Feb. 09

• ●Excessive sugar intake among S. Koreans on rise; women show higher consumption: survey The Korea Herald
  A growing share of South Korean people have been consuming excessive amounts of sugar in recent years, even as oveall sugar intake has declined from earlier highs, a government report showed Monday.
  
  

• ●1 in 6 Korean diets dangerously sugar-high The Korea Herald
  Roughly one in six South Koreans consumes an excessive amount of sugar, with women and younger generations consuming the most, according to a government survey shared Monday.
  
  

• ●Korea eyes shift to care in community, but funding still lacking, disability groups divided The Korea Herald
  Calls to reduce South Korea's reliance on institutional care for people with disabilities are gaining renewed attention after a new case of sexual assault involving residents at a care facility came to light.
  
  

• ●South Korea's slow shift for single mothers, through their eyes The Korea Herald
  By the time Yoo Eun-a (pseudonym) realized she was pregnant in 2023, she had already ended a five-year relationship and three years of cohabitation-the final phases of which had been marked by violence and verbal abuse.
  
  

• ●Seniors Drive 80% of Employment Insurance Growth as Youth Subscribers Decline The Chosun Daily
  Last month, the majority of new subscribers to employment insurance were seniors aged 60 and older, according to statistics.

Feb. 10

• ●Elderly Divorce Counseling Quadruples The Chosun Daily
  A survey has revealed that the divorce counseling rate among couples in their 60s and older has nearly quadrupled over the past 20 years.
  
  

• ●As gov't sets med school quota hike for coming years, both doctors and patients are unhappy Korea JoongAng Daily
  The government set the hike in medical school enrollment for the coming years--and few involved are happy.
  
  

• ●Cabinet approves change to break up parental leave in week increments Korea JoongAng Daily
  Legislation allowing people to break up their parental leave into one- to two-week blocks to cover school and day care closures has passed a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
  
  

• ●In Korea, Filipino home helpers are expected to do double duty for half the pay The Hankyoreh
  "I don't want my employers to look bad. They're good people, thoughtful people. It's just..." Jasmine said, her voice trailing off.
  
  

• ●Medical School Quota Rises by 490 for Regional Doctors in 2027 The Chosun Daily
  The 2027 college entrance exam for this year's high school seniors will see an increase of 490 students in the medical school enrollment quota compared to the current level.
  
  

• ●Gov't hikes med school admission quota by 668 per year, ties new doctors to provinces for 10 years The Korea Times
  The Ministry of Health and Welfare on Tuesday announced medical school admissions quotas for 2027 through 2031, raising them by an average of 668 seats per year.
  
  

• ●Will Korea join global push to restrict teen use of social media? The Korea Times
  Korea is cautiously entering the global debate over whether to ban social media platforms for children and teenagers, as countries like Australia and Spain move toward sweeping restrictions on underage users.
  
  

• ●Six in 10 births at Asan Medical Center over past 3 years involve high-risk pregnancies, serious fetal conditions Korea JoongAng Daily
  Almost six in 10 births at Asan Medical Center over the past three years involved high-risk pregnancies or serious fetal conditions, the hospital said Thursday.

Feb. 11

• ●Government to Add 490 Medical School Seats in 2027 The Chosun Daily
  The government has decided to increase the domestic medical school enrollment quota for the 2027 academic year, which will be held this year, to a total of 3,548 students--490 more than the current enrollment (3,058).
  
  

• ●Aging, but still wanting to look good The Korea Herald
  At 91, Kim Jeom-hee has little interest in the usual gifts for grandmothers.

Feb. 13

• ●Both the number of new workforce and jobs stagnant in Korea, reports indicate The Korea Herald
  Government data has sugested a looming labor shortage due to a population cliff in the next decade, but another survey indicated Friday that young workers entering the labor market are struggling to find full-time jobs.

Feb. 15

• ●Undocumented migrant children left in legal limbo as birth registration bills stall The Korea Herald
  Multiple bills aimed at establishing a birth registration system for undocumented mirant children born in South Korea remain pending in the National Assembly, leaving thousands of children without legal recognition and access to basic services, despite growing calls for legislative action.

Feb. 17

• ●Korea's shrinking population closes schools, reshapes electoral maps The Korea Times
  With the world's lowest birthrate, Korea is confronting the widening consequences of population decline, from a steady wave of school closures to demographic shifts that could reshape upcoming local elections.

Feb. 18

• ●3 in 10 Korean elementary students discuss grades with parents almost daily: survey The Korea Times
  Nearly 3 in 10 elementary school students in Korea say they speak with their parents about schoolwork and grades almost every day, underscoring concerns that family conversations are increasingly centered on academic performance, while discussions about career paths and personal interests remain comparatively limited.

Feb. 19

• ●Over 2,000 schools will have 10 or fewer graduates by 2030 The Korea Herald
  Amid a continuing decline in South Korea's school-age population, government data showed Thursday that 2,026 elementary, middle and high schools will have 10 or fewer graduates by 2030.
  
  

• ●Number of schools graduating fewer than 10 students to exceed 2,000 by 2030, data shows Korea JoongAng Daily
  The number of schools graduating fewer than 10 students will exceed 2,000 within four years as the decline in the school-age population accelerates, government data showed.