In September 2025, the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) announced its administrative goals to gradually extend the legal retirement age. As Korea has already become a super-aged society, this goal aligns with the country’s current status. However, concerns remain that additional social issues
On July 21st, the Lee Jae-myung administration launched the first round of the Livelihood Recovery Consumption Coupons, a nationwide initiative aimed at providing economic relief to all citizens. Despite its intended benefits, the policy has sparked mixed public reactions. Therefore, the Sungkyun Ti
On March 18th, members of a voice phishing ring were arrested for defrauding victims of approximately ₩55 million by impersonating card delivery agents and installing malicious apps on their phones. Voice phishing cases like these have increased by 10% compared to that of last year. These crimes not
On December 29th, 2024, Jeju Air Flight 2216 crashed at Muan International Airport, South Korea, bringing deep sorrow to many. All but 2 of the 181 on board lost their lives, which included people of all ages, from children to the elderly. As the situation reflects the importance of international ai
Last October 10th, Han Kang, the South Korean writer, won the Novel Prize in Literature. Despite the honor, the National Association of Parents claimed her representative work, The Vegetarian, was harmful to teenagers. They even gathered signatures to oppose the placement of the book in elementary,
On May 28th, a delivery worker in his forties, employed by the e-commerce platform Coupang’s late-night Rocket Delivery service, suddenly passed away due to overwork. Unfortunately, reports of delivery workers dying from overwork or suffering severe physical and mental distress are prevalent, unders
2024 is the 160th anniversary of the migration of Koryo-saram. Koryo-saram are ethnic Koreans who are descendants of the Korean people who arrived in the Russian Far East in 1863. They were deported to Central Asia in 1937. After years of hardships surviving in foreign lands, many became confused an
On March 17th, a driver in his eighties mistook the accelerator pedal for the brake pedal and caused a tragic collision of seven vehicles in Gangnam District, Seoul City. Traffic accidents caused by elderly drivers have been steadily increasing in South Korea, but the current regulation policies dev
On February 1st, two firefighters died on duty while extinguishing a fire at a factory in Mungyeong City. Following these line-of-duty deaths, 70,000 firefighters gathered and urged the government to improve working conditions. Questioning the current treatment of firefighters, the Sungkyun Times (S
In March 2024, the Ministry of Education (MOE) implemented the Neulbom School program in approximately 2,000 elementary schools to reduce the childcare burden of Korean parents. However, as the semester began, the implementation process was proven to be unstable, leading to considerable public criti
South Korea is currently on the verge of a population cliff. According to Statistics Korea, the nation’s total fertility rate dropped to 0.7 in the third quarter of 2023. This data suggests that the population decline in Korea could occur more rapidly than during the 14th century when the Black Deat
Last February, a pastor known for helping North Koreans’ escape from the country was sentenced to five years in prison for sexually abusing teenage defectors. Such cases exacerbate the challenges of these young defectors struggling to assimilate into South Korean society. Thus, the Sungkyun Times (S
In February 2024, the government introduced the Youth Housing Dream Subscription Saving Account aimed at individuals who are unable to get onto the housing ladder. Besides supporting people in achieving their dreams of becoming homeowners, it assists them in accumulating funds for future home purcha
On January 10th, the Gyeongsangnamdo Office of Education (GNE) and Busan Metropolitan City Office of Education (BMCOE) announced the expansion of support for basic academic achievement for students with borderline intellectual functioning (BIF). On the same day, the National Assembly announced a rep
On December 8th, the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) announced guidelines to prevent discrimination against fixed-term, temporary, and non-standard workers. Non-regular employment has been controversial because of its unfavorable treatment over the years. Thus, the Sungkyun Times (SKT) seeks
Starting in January 2024, when both parents take childcare leave, they will collectively be able to receive up to ₩9 million in monthly benefits. This was made possible by the 6+6 Childcare Leave Policy that was put forward by the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) last October 6th. While this
On October 8th, 2023, a massive jeonse fraud involving 150 cases in Suwon City was exposed to the media following a report by an anonymous person. As of October 14th, the total amount of losses in Suwon City alone reached about ₩87 billion according to the police. Therefore, the Sungkyun Times (SKT)
On August 20th, JTBC Newsroom disclosed the name of the offender in the Sillim-dong murder case, Choi Yoon-jong, ahead of the police. Whether or not revealing a felony suspect’s personal details is appropriate requires a value judgment concerning the public’s right to know and the offender’s right t
Airports connect people through the sky. However, while a lot of positive public opinion regarding South Korea’s airports exists, there is also no shortage of criticism. After the recent World Scout Jamboree incident, intense criticism arose regarding the new Saemangeum Airport, which is being promo
Juvenile criminals and the Juvenile Act that protects them are currently at the center of controversy. Last August, a group of middle school girls from Ulsan City were investigated for violently assaulting a fellow male student. However, since they were juvenile delinquents, the perpetrators were ex
