Lifestyle

The number of first-grade students entering elementary school in South Korea this year has fallen below 300,000 for the first time on record, underscoring the accelerating impact of the country’s prolonged low birth rate on its education system. According to the Ministry of Education’s 2025 revised student population projections, the estimated number of first-grade elementary students nationwide this year stands at 298,178. This marks a sharp decline from previous years and b

New Breast Cancer Drug Changes Outcomes but Raises Cost Concerns SEOUL — A breakthrough breast cancer drug is transforming treatment outcomes for advanced-stage patients in South Korea, but high out-of-pocket costs are forcing some to abandon therapy, according to a leading oncologist. In an interview, Professor Shin Jung-hoon of Samsung Medical Center said the antibody-drug conjugate Enhertu has dramatically improved survival and quality of life for patients with advanced br

Immigration Era Arrives in Korea as Local Acceptance Shapes Outcomes SEOUL — As South Korea heads toward an era in which its foreign resident population is projected to reach 3 million within four years, regional differences in how immigrants are integrated are becoming increasingly visible, according to field reports and policy data. A recent case study contrasts Yeongam County in South Jeolla Province with Jeju Island, highlighting how legal status, community interaction, a