Foreign-national children are largely excluded from South Korea's national childcare subsidies. This leaves immigrant families to depend on a patchwork of local programs even as the country seeks to encourage foreign residents to settle long-term. The Korea Women’s Development Institute has called on the central government to establish a nationwide childcare support system for immigrant families, citing wide regional disparities and the long-term social costs of leaving children without adequate

Reports of adverse events following growth hormone injections in children approached 2,000 in Korea last year as use of the drugs continued to increase, government data cited by a lawmaker showed Monday. The number of reports rose from 1,189 in 2021 to 1,910 in 2025, according to Ministry of Food and Drug Safety data obtained by Rep. Heo Jong-sik of the Democratic Party of Korea. The figures do not establish that growth hormone injections caused the reported conditions. An adverse event report r

Suicide accounted for nearly one in five deaths among international students in Korea since 2021, Education Ministry data showed Monday. Fifteen international students died by suicide out of 84 who died while studying in Korea during the period, according to data obtained by Rep. Kim Moon-soo of the Democratic Party of Korea. The figures were compiled through a ministry survey of more than 350 universities nationwide. Accidents were the leading cause of death, accounting for 34 cases, followed b

Data showed Sunday that the amount of parental leave benefits paid to foreign nationals in South Korea has doubled in a year, indicating that more foreign workers are putting down roots and raising families here rather than coming solely for short-term employment. According to Ministry of Employment and Labor data cited by Rep. Park Soo-min of the People Power Party, a total of 36.45 billion won ($26.2 million) was paid to foreign nationals in parental leave benefits in 2025, more than double th

Seoul had an average of around one report of suspected ground subsidence a day since 2023, data showed Sunday, as public concern grows over a lack of government efforts to prevent fatal sinkholes in the capital. According to National Fire Agency data cited by Rep. Kim Young-bae of the Democratic Party of Korea, Seoul received a total of 1,371 reports of suspected ground subsidence between 2023 and August this year — more than one report per day on average over the 1,338-day period. The number of

JEJU CITY — After 15 minutes of sailing through rolling waves, the boat approached a lone box-shaped platform standing in the sea off Jeju Island’s west coast. Measuring 32 meters long and 23 meters wide, the concrete structure is anchored in water about 15 meters deep. It is the core of a wave energy test site operated by the Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering. Researchers here are testing whether electricity generated at sea can be converted into hydrogen, providing a way

SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island — Jeju must move beyond expanding wind and solar capacity by building the infrastructure and industries needed to put its clean power to work, Gov. Wi Seong-gon said Tuesday. Jeju aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2035, 15 years ahead of Korea’s national target. Since taking office July 1, Wi has put climate policy at the center of his administration, creating the island’s first deputy governor post dedicated to climate and the economy. During an interview with a media

The Ministry of Education and Korean Council for University Education are offering relief to applicants who were unable to complete their applications for next year’s university admissions because of an error in the application system shortly before the deadline. According to the ministry on Sunday, up to 1,200 applicants may have been unable to complete their early admissions applications to universities across the country. A total of 2.61 million applications had been submitted for the admissi

The Korean War ended with a cease-fire in 1953, but the scale and ferocity of the fighting remain evident in the remains of fallen soldiers and wartime relics found across South Korea. The Army's 2nd Armored Brigade, together with the Ministry of National Defense's Agency for Killed in Action Recovery and Identification, began excavating war remains at Hill 367 in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on Thursday. The excavation will continue through Oct. 16. The area was the site of fierce battles during th

The first South Korean container ship to sail through the Arctic shipping route reached a port in the United Kingdom on Saturday, marking the halfway point of its voyage to assess the potential of the long-closed route linking the eastern and western ends of the Eurasian continent. According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Panstar Acro entered the port of Felixstowe in the UK at around 5 a.m., 21 days after departing Busan on Aug. 22. The 2,758-TEU midsize container ship is carrying

A South Korean court has overturned the denial of refugee status for an Iranian Christian after a six-year legal battle, finding that people who convert from Islam to Christianity could face persecution in Iran. According to local media reports Saturday, Seoul Administrative Court Judge Cho Dae-hyeon upheld the plaintiff’s claim seeking to overturn the Seoul Immigration Office’s decision to deny refugee status. The plaintiff was born into a devout Muslim family and attended an Islamic school. Th

South Korea’s presidential National Security Office held an emergency security meeting Saturday with relevant agencies, including the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, after North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles from near Wonsan, Gangwon Province, toward the East Sea. According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the missiles were launched at around 5:20 a.m. and flew about 250 kilometers. South Korean and US authorities are conducting a detailed analysis

Case studies on the hospitalization of immigrants South Korea describes as undocumented exposed a potential blind spot in their medical care: few options are available to them, while medical institutions face the burden of unpaid bills. The recent study showed that those without identification, family members or other support were cut off from the welfare and medical system, forcing them into prolonged hospitalization after the immediate treatment. A study led by Song Kyong-jun, a professor of e

The Sunfull Foundation, a Korean organization dedicated to combating cyberbullying, called for a nationally designated “Sunfull Day” to encourage kind online comments as it marked the movement’s 19th anniversary Wednesday. Lawmakers, diplomats, students, teachers, corporate representatives and celebrities gathered in central Seoul for a declaration ceremony against deepfakes and malicious comments. The foundation organized the event with the National Assembly Sunfull Committee and the National S

South Korea’s slopes face a growing threat from intense downpours and wildfires, but experts warn that landslide forecasts remain too rooted in the past. With roads and homes built close to hillsides, slope failures can quickly turn heavy rain into a deadly disaster. Wildfires can leave slopes vulnerable for years, while changing rainfall patterns are bringing heavier rain over shorter periods. Experts say forecasting models need to account for future climate conditions, and prevention efforts m