Mar. 8

• ●Gov't to cut med school quota if students return by March The Korea Times
  The government will reduce the number of students it plans to admit to medical schools to 3,058, in response to a request from medical professionals, but only if students on leave return to their studies, the Ministry of Education announced on Friday.

Mar. 9

• ●U-turn on medical school quotas leaves students, parents reeling The Korea Herald
  South Korea's recent proposal to conditionally roll back its planned hike and cap next year's medical school enrollment at 3,058 - the quota it was before and has been for the last nearly three decades - has fueled frustration among high school seniors, Suneung test takers and their parents.
  
  

• ●16% of Korean students obese, half at risk of metabolic syndrome The Korea Times
  One in six elementary, middle and high school students in Korea is obese, and half of them may have at least one risk factor for metabolic syndrome, according to a report released Sunday by the National Health Insurance Service.

Mar. 10

• ●Incheon tops birthrates among major municipalities The Korea Times
  The western port city of Incheon became the city with the largest population growth and the highest birthrates in the country last year, the city government announced Sunday.
  
  

• ●Robots enter school kitchens in Korea: Are they allies or threats to cafeteria workers? The Korea Times
  Are cooking robots in school cafeterias truly assistants to workers, or do they pose a threat to their jobs and safety?
  
  

• ●60% of office workers see marriage as not a must: survey The Korea Times
  Six out of 10 office workers believe marriage is no longer necessary, given changing social norms and economic factors, a survey showed Monday.
  
  

• ●When Everyone's a VIP: South Korea's growing obsession with special status The Chosun Daily
  From theater seats and department store memberships to credit cards and even city designations, the meaning of 'VIP' in South Korea has expanded so much that exclusivity is losing its meaning.
  
  

• ●Junior doctors demand 64-hour work cap, end to 36-hour shifts in policy talks with gov't, lawmakers Korea JoongAng Daily
  Junior doctors on Monday urged the government to strictly cap their working hours to 64 hours a week and improve labor protections, accusing the current systm of being "exploitative" and "extremely poor."
  
  

• ●Marriage is optional, over 60 percent of South Korean workers say The Korea Herald
  More than half of South Korean workers said in a recent survey that getting married is not crucial in life, according to a job-search platform on Monday.
  
  

• ●Fraudulent insurance claims reach record high in 2024 The Korea Times
  The amount of insurance payments collected in insurance frauds climbed to an all-time high last year, prompting authorities to step up efforts to curb such practices, the financial regulator said Sunday.

Mar. 11

• ●Rights commission recommends raising retirement age to 65 The Korea Times
  The National Human Rights Commission of Korea on Monday recommended raising the legal retirement age from 60 to 65, emphasizing the importance of protecting the growing number of financially vulnerable older adults in the country.
  
  

• ●Seoul government offers 2 million won to university clubs for community service initiatives Korea JoongAng Daily
  The Seoul Metropolitan Government will provide up to 2 million won each to 200 university clubs engaging in activities that serve the city and its residents.
  
  

• ●Marriage, childbirth evoke fear, not joy among young South Koreans, study finds The Korea Herald
  Marriage and parenthood are increasingly associated with fear and anxiety among South Korea's younger generation, according to an analysis released Tuesday.
  
  

• ●S. Korea to provide financial aid for children of deadbeat parents The Korea Herald
  The South Korean government said Tuesday it will introduce legislation to subsidize child care costs for single parents whose former or current spouses refuse to pay their portion of child-rearing expenses.
  
  

• ●Korea to focus on sustaining rebound in birth rate: acting president The Korea Times
  Acting President Choi Sang-mok said Tuesday that the government will mobilize all of its available resources to sustain the country's rebounding birth rate, which rose for the first time in nine years in 2024.
  
  

• ●Seoul eyes regulatory reforms to tackle obstacles foreign residents face The Korea Times
  The Seoul Metropolitan Government held a forum on Tuesday with around 20 foreign residents and international students to address the regulatory obstacles the city's foreign community faces.
  
  

• ●Young Koreans associate marriage, childbirth with fear and sadness The Korea Times
  Despite a slight rebound in South Korea's total fertility rate last year, young people overwhelmingly associate marriage and childbirth with negative emotions such as sadness, fear and disgust.
  
  

• ●Policyholders to be allowed to securitize death benefits The Korea Times
  The country's financial regulator said Tuesday that holders of certain types of insurance will be able to securitize their death benefits to help them cover their later years of life.
  
  

• ●South Korea's prisons are overcrowded - a surge in drug crimes is to blame The Chosun Daily
  South Korea's correctional facilities, including detention centers and prisons, are becoming overcrowded.

Mar. 12

• ●Government to launch nationwide 'vacant house map' The Korea Times
  A new online platform will allow users to easily view the distribution of abandoned homes across the country and explore ways to repurpose them.
  
  

• ●Korea unveils additional steps to boost birthrate The Korea Times
  Major airports in Korea will offer a fast-track service to families with more than three underaged children starting June as part of measures to boost the country's birthrate, a presidential committee said Tuesday.
  
  

• ●Nearly 1 in 10 older adults suffer from Alzheimer's disease in Korea Korea JoongAng Daily
  Nearly one out of 10 older adults in South Korea suffer from Alzheimer's disease, with the number of dementia patients expected to surpass 1 million next year, data showed Wednesday.
  
  

• ●Number of young Koreans living in isolation doubled since 2022, with depression on rise The Hankyoreh
  The percentage of young South Koreans identified as being in isolation or seclusion reached 5.2% last year, or more than double the rate two years earlier, research findings show.
  
  

• ●Record 500,000 young Koreans give up on job search The Chosun Daily
  The number of young South Koreans neither working nor looking for a job surpassed 500,000 last month for the first time since records began in 2003.

Mar. 13

• ●North Korean defectors to fill bus driver roles amid Seoul's worker shortage The Korea Times
  North Korean defectors in Seoul will receive training to become shuttle bus drivers as part of a new city initiative to address a chronic driver shortage, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Thursday.
  
  

• ●Number of Koreans with dementia nears 1 million as population ages The Korea Times
  The number of Koreans suffering from dementia is expected to surpass 1 million next year and double in 20 years, due to the country's rapidly aging population, the government said Wednesday.
  
  

• ●Private education spending hits all-time high of 29 trillion won despite fewer students, gov't measures Korea JoongAng Daily
  Spending on private education in Korea has increased for the fourth consecutive year, reaching an all-time high of 29 trillion won ($20 billion) last year.
  
  

• ●City of love? Incheon announces new matchmaking events, free weddings and parenting support Korea JoongAng Daily
  From matchmaking events to free wedding venues and extended child care services, the Incheon city government is ready to support young people wishing to find their lifetime partners and further support families with children.

Mar. 14

• ●Why foreigners without employers' support pay higher health insurance premiums in South Korea The Korea Herald
  Foreign residents in South Korea face an increasing financial burden from health insurance premiums, as their costs continue to rise at a disproportionate rate compared to local subscribers.
  
  

• ●Health minister vows to support trauma specialist training centers The Korea Herald
  South Korea's Health and Welfare Minister Cho Kyoo-hong said Friday that the government will secure 868 million won to support trauma care specialist training centers and expand the target number of centers from five to 17.
  
  

• ●Half of Koreans under age 5 are receiving private education, study finds The Hankyoreh
  Half of Korean children aged 5 and under receive private education, with parents spending an average of 332,000 won on tuition each month, Korean government data shows.