Dec. 16

• ●Momentum for education, medical reforms slows upon Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment The Korea Herald
  President Yoon Suk Yeol's suspension from office by the National Assembly has thrown his administration's ambitious, flagship education and medical reforms, such as expanding medical school enrollment quotas and introducing AI-powered digital textbooks, into uncertainty amid the political upheaval.
  
  

• ●Why more young Japanese workers are seeking jobs in Korea The Chosun Daily
  The number of Japanese people seeking jobs in South Korea is rising, reflecting a shift in employment trends between the two countries.

Dec. 17

• ●Foreign workers in Korea hit all-time high of over 1 million, earnings also on the rise Korea JoongAng Daily
  The number of foreign workers in Korea hit all-time high of over 1 million this year, according to Statistics Korea on Tuesday.
  
  

• ●Safety signage to be distributed to workplaces employing foreign workers Korea JoongAng Daily
  Signage that visually conveys workplace safety warnings will be provided to workplaces employing foreign workers, aiming to prevent accidents and enhance safety awareness.
  
  

• ●Number of immigrants in S. Korea hits record 1.56 million in 2024 The Korea Herald
  The number of immigrants in South Korea, which includes foreign nationals residing here as well as naturalized citizens, reached a record high of over 1.56 million in 2024, according to government data released Tuesday.
  
  

• ●Parental leave benefits to increase in January The Korea Herald
  Starting next year, the upper limit for parental leave benefits in South Korea will increase to 2.5 million won ($1,740) per month, up 1 million won from the current cap, the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced Tuesday.
  
  

• ●Foreign workers in Korea hit 1 mil. mark for 1st time The Korea Times
  The number of foreign nationals working in Korea has reached a record high, surpassing the 1 million mark for the first time, with a majority of them employed at small and medium-sized enterprises, data showed Tuesday.

Dec. 18

• ●South Korea's foreign workforce exceeds 1 million for the first time The Chosun Daily
  For the first time, the number of foreign workers in South Korea has exceeded 1 million, driven by rising demand across sectors like industry, agriculture, and hospitality.
  
  

• ●Address to be removed from inoculation records to protect children from abusive parents The Korea Herald
  The South Korean government announced Wednesday that it is seeking to remove addresses from inoculation documents, in a bid to prevent abusive parents from tracking down their separated children.
  
  

• ●Parental leave declines for 1st time in 2023 amid falling marriages, childbirths The Korea Times
  The number of Korean workers taking parental leave fell for the first time in 2023, reflecting a broader decline in marriages and childbirths, data showed Wednesday.
  
  

• ●S. Korea's elderly outnumber youth in workforce amid economy struggles The Chosun Daily
  The number of employed South Koreans aged 65 and older exceeded those in their 20s by nearly 500,000 last month, a trend that began in March when the older workforce first overtook the younger group.

Dec. 19

• ●Foreign workers in South Korea top 1M, reflecting growing labor demand The Chosun Daily
  The number of foreign workers in South Korea has surpassed 1 million for the first time, driven by rising demand in sectors like manufacturing, agriculture, and hospitality, according to Statistics Korea's 2024 survey.
  
  

• ●S. Korea issues influenza alert amid soaring infection cases The Korea Herald
  South Korea's disease control agency said Thursday it has decided to issue an influenza alert this week amid an increasing number of patients.
  
  

• ●Number of people over 40 and single jumps sixfold in 2 decades The Korea Times
  The proportion of unmarried individuals in their 40s increased 6.7 times for men and 5.7 times for women in 2020 compared with 20 years earlier, a government report showed Thursday, underscoring the trend of delayed marriages that is partly blamed for Korea's ultra-low birthrate.

Dec. 20

• ●Obesity becomes increasingly common cause of death in Korea The Korea Times
  Obesity is increasingly becoming a cause of death in Korea, with more than 110,000 individuals dying in 2022 after carrying excessive body fat and being diagnosed with fatal diseases, a report showed Thursday.