Oct. 19

• ●S. Korea to conduct biennial mental health checkup for youth The Korea Herald
  The South Korean government said Thursday that it has decided to administer a regular mental health checkup for those aged between 20 and 34, starting next year as part of the state-run national health examination program.

Oct. 21

• ●Seoul mayor unveils measures to combat loneliness, social isolation among people living alone Korea JoongAng Daily
  Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon on Monday unveiled measures to help residents overcome loneliness and social isolation amid a surge in single-person households and seniors living alone in the city.
  
  

• ●Miscarriages, stillbirths rise: report The Korea Herald
  Nearly 40,000 babies were lost to miscarriages or stillbirths in the first half of this year in South Korea, government data distributed a lawmaker's report showed Monday.
  
  

• ●'Raise senior citizen age to 75': senior group head The Korea Herald
  The head of a senior citizens' association in South Korea proposed on Monday that the government raise the standard age classifying as senior citizens from the current 65 to 75, arguing it is necessary to address the country's demographic imbalance.
  
  

• ●Seoul city to spend $326m on fighting 'loneliness' The Korea Herald
  The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Monday released a comprehensive plan to support a growing number of Seoul residents struggling with loneliness and social isolation.
  
  

• ●Thousands of South Korean teens serve as family caregivers, study finds The Chosun Daily
  A recent study has found that more than 70,000 teenagers in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province are serving as "young carers," taking on the responsibility of caring for family members with serious illnesses, dementia, or alcohold addiction.

Oct. 22

• ●Head of senior citizens group calls for raising elderly age threshold from 65 to 75 The Korea Times
  The new chairman of the Korean Senior Citizens Association proposed Monday that the minimum age for eligibility for senior welfare benefits be raised from 65 to 75 in light of the rapidly aging population.
  
  

• ●S. Korea's leading elderly organization proposes raising senior age threshold to '75' The Chosun Daily
  The Korean Senior Citizens Association, the nation's largest elderly organization, has formally proposed raising the official age for senior citizens from 65 to 75 over the next decade.
  
  

• ●All you need is love, says Seongnam mayor, as city plays matchmaker to boost birthrates Korea JoongAng Daily
  Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin introduced his city's signature matchmaking program to global participants at an international conference in Mexico last week, sharing Korea's efforts to combat its dismally low birthrate.
  
  

• ●181 North Korean defectors have arrived in the South this year Korea JoongAng Daily
  The number of North Korean defectors coming to South Korea in the first nine months of this year reached 181, marking an increase from the same period last year, a Unification Ministry official said Tuesday.
  
  

• ●No. of foreign nationals on old-age pension crosses 10,000 The Korea Herald
  Over 100,000 foreign nationals are receiving South Korea's Old-age Pension, the main benefit provision of the country's national pension system, a figure that has continuously increased since 2019, data showed Monday.
  
  

• ●Korea has more workers 60 or older than any other age group: data The Korea Herald
  Government data showed Tuesday that of all the South Korean workers in the month of September, the largest portion of them were age 60 and over.
  
  

• ●4-way body to address medical dispute likely to launch next week The Korea Times
  A four-way body consisting of the two main political parties, the government and doctors' representatives will likely launch next week, according to officials, Tuesday.

Oct. 23

• ●Elderly workers now dominate South Korea's labor force as population ages The Chosun Daily
  South Korea's workforce distribution has shifted into an "inverted pyramid," with older workers now making up the largest share, reversing a decades-long trend.
  
  

• ●Low-income patients less likely to survive cancer: study The Korea Herald
  Low-income patients are less likely to survive any type of cancer, as they have a lower prevalence of cancer screening than wealthier patients, data showed Wednesday.
  
  

• ●Number of poeple changing residences up 3.1% in September The Korea Times
  The number of Koreans who moved to other regions in the country rose 3.1 percent on-year in September, data showed Wednesday, as more people relocated to outside Seoul in search of more affordable housing.
  
  

• ●Childbirths in Korea extend gains to 2nd month in August The Korea Times
  The number of babies born in Korea increased on-year for the second consecutive month in August, data showed Wednesday, amid lingering demographic challenges caused by the ultra-low birth rate and rapid aging.
  
  

• ●Health minister vows efforts to resolve walkout by trainee doctors via consultative body The Korea Times
  Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong on Wednesday vowed to make efforts to resolve a prolonged walkout by trainee doctors throughout talks with a consultative body comprising ruling, opposition parties and the medical community.

Oct. 24

• ●Long-term foreign residents in S. Korea at all-time high The Korea Herald
  The number of foreign nationals residing in South Korea long-term has increased to an all-time high, reaching almost 2.5 million last year, according to official data presented by the Ministry of Interior and Safety on Thursday.
  
  

• ●Municipal gov'ts struggle to collect due taxes from foreign residents The Korea Times
  Korea is facing growing problem of tax arrears by foreign nationalities as the number of international residents in the country increases, according to officials, Thursday.
  
  

• ●Long-term foreign residents increase to record high of about 2.5 mil. The Korea Times
  The number of long-term foreign residents in Korea increased to an all-time high of nearly 2.5 million last year, due to a steep rise in migrant workers and international students, the interior ministry said Thursday.

Oct. 25

• ●Disabled musicians celebrate unity at eighth Great Music Festival Korea JoongAng Daily
  The trill of a violin, accompanied by the heavy tones of a cello, pierced the air.
  
  

• ●S. Korea to raise compensation limits for unavoidable childbirth medical accidents The Chosun Daily
  The South Korean government plans to significantly raise compensation limits for unavoidable childbirth-related medical accidents, aiming to ease the legal burden on obstetricians while addressing demands for greater government responsibility.
  
  

• ●Korea's average salary $29,709, 87% less than top 1%: report The Korea Herald
  The average pretax annual salary in South Korea came to 41.23 million won (29,709) last year, with the vast majority of high-paying jobs concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area, highlighting the need to solve significant salary disparities between average and top earners, as well as between regions.
  
  

• ●To address low birth rate's roots in extreme gender specialization, Korea needs institutional overhaul The Hankyoreh
  Nancy Folbre, professor emeritus of economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said patriarchy was the main culprit behind the failure of South Korean policies to combat the plummeting birth rate.