Older mothers on the rise due to later marriages SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - The number of women giving birth in their late 30s and 40s is on the rise, as more and more tie the knot later in life, the Ministry of Data and Statistics said on Thursday. Childbirths among women in their late 30s increased for 11 consecutive months last year, rising an average of 5.1 percent from January through November, compared with the same period in 2024. Births to women in their 40s showed a similar trend. Over the same period, childbirths among women in their early 30s slowed, declining for three months in the second half of the year. The trend is widely attributed to later marriages, which are delaying women's first births. The average age at first marriage for women rose to 31.6 in 2024, up from 30.0 in 2015. "With more women marrying later in life, the age of first-time mothers has been rising," the ministry said. 2026-02-05 10:33:27

Seoul sees lowest population outflow last year as fewer move to outskirts SEOUL, February 4 (AJP) - Fewer people moved to the outskirts of Seoul last year, with the capital seeing the lowest outflow in about 35 years. According to data released by the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS) on Wednesday, some 27,000 residents left Seoul last year, down from 35,000 in 2022, 31,000 in 2023, and 45,000 in 2024. The figure was the lowest since 1990, when Seoul first recorded a decline in relevant statistics. KOSIS attributed the drop to an increase in available homes in Seoul, even as the overall housing supply fell across the country. Those who left Seoul mostly relocated elsewhere in the Seoul metropolitan region, with the largest number or about 41,000, moving to Gyeonggi Province. Although fewer residents are leaving, KOSIS said Seoul is unlikely to see an inflow soon because of high housing and living costs. 2026-02-04 10:22:30

Mobile shopping drives record online spending in South Korea SEOUL, February 02 (AJP) - South Korea’s online shopping transactions reached a record high last year, with cross-border online trade also expanding, official data showed on Monday. According to a report from the National Data Portal, total online shopping transactions rose 4.9 percent from a year earlier to 272.4 trillion won. Mobile shopping continued to dominate spending, rising 6.5 percent to 211.14 trillion won. Food services accounted for the largest share of online transactions at 15.3 percent, followed by groceries at 13.9 percent and travel and transportation services at 12.5 percent. Growth strengthened toward the end of the year. In the fourth quarter, online shopping transactions rose 6.1 percent year on year to 71.26 trillion won, driven by food services, up 12.3 percent; groceries, up 8.0 percent; and travel and transportation services, up 8.5 percent. Mobile transactions in the October–December period increased 6.9 percent to 55.22 trillion won, while spending on agricultural, livestock and fishery products rose 14.9 percent. December alone saw online shopping transactions rise 6.2 percent from a year earlier to 24.29 trillion won. Mobile shopping also grew 6.2 percent to 18.8 trillion won, with mobile’s share of total online spending unchanged at 77.4 percent. The strongest monthly growth came from automobiles and auto supplies, which surged 66.4 percent. Grocery purchases rose 10.2 percent and food services gained 9.1 percent. Mobile spending growth was likewise led by food-related purchases, including agricultural, livestock and fishery products, up 14.5 percent, groceries, up 13.6 percent, and food services, up 9.1 percent. Cross-border e-commerce also expanded. Online direct overseas sales by Korean sellers rose 16.4 percent to 3 trillion won. Sales declined to ASEAN markets, down 4.4 percent, but increased to the United States, up 26.3 percent, and China, up 10.9 percent. The report attributed overseas demand partly to the global popularity of Korean culture, with growth led by cosmetics, up 20.4 percent, groceries, up 49.2 percent, and records, videos and musical instruments, up 7.0 percent. Meanwhile, South Korean consumers’ direct online purchases from overseas retailers rose 5.2 percent to 8.51 trillion won. Purchases from the United States fell 17.6 percent, while imports from China and Japan increased 14.9 percent and 8.8 percent, respectively. Spending increased on household and automotive goods, up 12.7 percent, groceries, up 6.2 percent, and clothing and fashion products, up 2.5 percent. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-02-02 13:53:33

Rising overseas demand pushes Korean seaweed prices to record levels SEOUL, February 02 (AJP) - Dried seaweed prices in South Korea have climbed to a record high as rising exports tighten domestic supply and fuel broader seafood inflation. Data from the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp. showed Monday that the average retail price of mid-grade dried seaweed reached 1,515 won per 10-sheet pack in late January, the first time the period average has exceeded 1,500 won, or more than 150 won per sheet. Prices have risen about 50 percent over the past two years. Retail prices held near 100 won per sheet through early 2024 before climbing past 150 won per sheet by late January this year. The increase has accelerated since 2023. The annual average retail price rose 10 percent in 2023 from a year earlier, surpassing 100 won per sheet, then jumped another 25 percent in 2024. Prices continued rising last year, increasing by around 8 percent. Strong export demand has been a key driver. Seaweed exports last year rose 13.7 percent from a year earlier. By shipment volume, the largest destinations were Japan with 18.6 percent, followed by China at 17.5 percent, Thailand at 13.6 percent, the United States at 13.3 percent, Russia at 9.8 percent and Taiwan at 5.1 percent. Yang Young-jin, director general for fisheries policy at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, said production of the 2025 crop increased compared with the previous year, but rising exports and domestic consumption absorbed the additional supply. He added that higher export prices, which began rising in 2024, have continued and are influencing domestic pricing, limiting the potential for price declines at home. Rising seaweed prices are also feeding into seafood inflation. In December, consumer prices for seaweed rose 14.9 percent from a year earlier, outpacing other seafood items such as yellow corvina, up 10.5 percent, and mackerel, up 10.3 percent. With prices rising across major seafood products, seafood inflation averaged 5.9 percent last year, nearly triple the overall consumer inflation rate of 2.1 percent. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-02-02 09:47:02

South Korea Launches Public-Private Task Force to Draft K-GX Green Transition Strategy The South Korean government on Tuesday launched a public-private task force to draft its K-GX (green transition) strategy, bringing together relevant ministries and major industry associations at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The task force was formed to steer policy discussions as South Korea works to implement its 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution, or NDC, and to turn those efforts into growth opportunities while strengthening coordination between the public and private sectors. At the launch event, participants shared the strategy’s drafting direction and the task force’s operating plan, and discussed ways to translate proposals from private-sector consultative groups into concrete policy tasks. The government outlined green-transition priorities aimed at ensuring implementation of the 2035 NDC, including expanding renewable energy, demonstrating hydrogen-based steelmaking, sharply increasing adoption of hydrogen and electric vehicles, electrifying thermal energy use, converting livestock manure into energy, and revitalizing the timber industry. It also said it will prepare a package of support measures, including technology development, certification and standards, financial and tax support, and regulatory easing, along with steps to deliver a “just transition.” The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, presenting private-sector proposals, said 72% of its member companies believe a Korean-style GX policy is needed. It called the K-GX strategy a key national task to strengthen industrial competitiveness and future growth, and urged the government to create conditions that allow companies to view carbon neutrality as an opportunity and keep investing. Koo said a proactive green transition is a “core agenda” for South Korea’s manufacturing-centered economy. “I will fully support the K-GX strategy with strong determination so it becomes a driving force for future national competitiveness and a major economic leap,” he said. He also said the government will build a foundation for broad public participation and support the transition so it becomes central to regional growth alongside local industries. Climate, Energy and Environment Minister Kim Sung-hwan said the goal of the K-GX strategy is to cut carbon emissions through a green transition while drawing domestic investment by South Korean companies and maximizing growth potential based on the country’s technological capabilities. He said the government will mobilize all available policy tools — including technology development, fiscal measures, finance and tax policy — to support a major shift toward decarbonized, growth-oriented development. The government said it will actively incorporate industry input through the task force and plans to announce the K-GX strategy in the first half of this year. It also plans to set up a dedicated unit within the climate ministry to support the strategy’s development and implementation.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 18:27:00

South Korea Expands Youth Internships, but Participants Say Impact Is Limited South Korea’s “youth intern” program at public institutions, introduced to give young people work experience and serve as a bridge to full-time jobs, is drawing criticism that it is not delivering meaningful employment benefits in practice. The Ministry of Finance and Economy said Wednesday the government plans to expand youth intern hiring this year to 24,000, up 3,000 from last year. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said the government will “actively support” young people so they can build job skills through public-sector experience and enter the labor market more smoothly. The program was designed to strengthen job readiness through public-institution experience and shorten job searches. But as the program grows, complaints are rising that the internship often amounts to little more than “one line on a resume.” Critics point to short terms and uneven job quality. Many internships last about four months, which participants say is too brief to learn professional skills. Pay and duties vary by institution, and work is often described as routine administrative support or basic upkeep rather than specialized tasks. At the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the internship term is four months. Typical duties include drafting policy reports, analyzing materials and assisting with the ministry’s social media content. The program is structured as a short-term experience and does not lead to full-time conversion after the term ends. By contrast, the Korea Statistics Information Service offers a 10-month term and includes a review for possible conversion to full-time employment. It is seen as more skills-focused in statistics and data and as helpful for moves to private-sector big tech and consulting. Because of these differences, internships at public institutions often do not translate into private-sector jobs, analysts say. The value of an internship certificate in the broader labor market is unclear, fueling concerns the program is becoming a closed track mainly for those already preparing for public-sector employment. That, in turn, can push interns to focus even more narrowly on landing public-institution jobs. Experts say improving effectiveness will require more than expanding headcount. They call for a system that allows internship experience to be recognized as formal career experience in private-sector hiring and for institutionalized ways to reflect young people’s input from the program-design stage. Lee Yoon-ju, a senior research fellow at the Korea Youth Policy Institute, said membership in a work-experience policy council should be broadened and that deeper policy alternatives should be developed through the Youth Policy Coordination Committee. She also said the duties of hired youth interns should be clearly defined by each central government agency.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 17:25:19

Mom-and-pop businesses suffer brunt of economic slowdown SEOUL, January 25 (AJP) - The number of self-employed businesses stood at 5.62 million last year, down 38,000 from a year earlier, the National Data Agency said on Sunday. The figure fell for a second straight year and was also the largest decline since 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic hit the country. Mom-and-pop businesses declined by 75,000 in 2020 and 18,000 in 2021, then saw a gradual post-pandemic recovery of 119,000 in 2022 and 57,000 in 2023, only to fall again by 32,000 in 2024 and 38,000 last year. The agency attributed the decline to consistently high interest rates, rising labor costs, and weak domestic demand, pushing more small businesses to close. In particular, business owners in their 20s and 30s were hit hardest as those in their 20s stood at 154,000 last year, down 33,000 from a year earlier, and those in their 30s fell by 36,000 to stand at 636,000 during the same period. The agency explained that they were mostly engaged in eateries, lodging, and delivery services, which struggled to attract customers, making it difficult for them to survive. Despite the government's efforts last year to support them with cash vouchers to boost private consumption, these measures apparently failed to reverse the prolonged slowdown. Reflecting this trend, the number of young entrepreneurs and startup founders also declined from 350,000 in 2021 to 296,000 in 2024. Most young entrepreneurs these days tend to turn to online and high-tech services, which are characterized by rapidly changing trends and intense competition. However, limited resources and inexperience often make it difficult for them to respond to unpredictable economic shifts or market trends, increasing the likelihood of business closures, according to the agency. 2026-01-25 13:33:42

South Korea joins US-led talks on critical minerals SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) - South Korea’s deputy prime minister and finance minister, Koo Yun-cheol, joined counterparts in Washington on Monday for talks aimed at strengthening cooperation on critical minerals, the ministry said Tuesday. Participants at the meeting of finance ministers agreed on the need for swift action to address risks in the supply of minerals essential to advanced manufacturing, clean energy and defense industries. U.S. officials urged countries to move beyond statements of intent and commit to concrete investment, emphasizing a strategy of “de-risking” rather than decoupling from existing supply chains, the ministry said. Washington also proposed deeper coordination among allied and partner economies to improve supply-chain resilience. In an open session, Koo highlighted South Korean companies’ strengths in critical-minerals processing and argued that global value chains should be reinforced by linking countries’ comparative advantages. He also stressed the growing importance of recycling critical minerals as a means of restoring supply stability and called for the creation of a forum that would allow companies to pursue cooperation centered on specific projects. Resource-rich countries, including Canada and Australia, expressed strong interest in technology cooperation with South Korea, particularly in refining and recycling, as part of efforts to build more resilient critical-minerals supply chains, the ministry said. 2026-01-13 10:10:29

South Korea to import eggs, cut mackerel prices as it targets rising living costs SEOUL, January 07 (AJP) - South Korea will move to stabilize prices of fresh eggs and mackerel as part of broader efforts to curb rising living costs, the finance ministry said on Wednesday. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said the government has begun procedures to import 2.24 million fresh eggs and supply them to the domestic market in January, responding to a growing cull of laying hens amid the spread of avian influenza. Authorities will also consider lowering egg delivery prices depending on supply and demand conditions, he said. In addition, the government plans to import more than 7 million fertilized eggs for broiler hatching to expand chicken supply. To stabilize seafood prices, the government will support discounts of up to 60 percent on mackerel starting Wednesday, Koo said, adding that authorities plan to diversify import sources currently concentrated in Norway. The government will also expand the release of stockpiled seafood in processed forms so products can be sold immediately to consumers. Koo was speaking at a meeting held at the Government Complex Seoul, where officials discussed steps to strengthen price management and improve distribution. Koo said the government would work with relevant ministries to structurally stabilize food prices and improve livestock distribution and competition, with a detailed plan to be announced next week. 2026-01-07 16:29:42

Lee encourages Oceans Ministry staff with hearty meals SEOUL, January 7 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung has sent pizza to encourage staff at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries which was relocated to the southern port city of Busan recently, the ministry said on Wednesday. The relocation from the administrative city of Sejong, which was finalized last month, was part of Lee's campaign pledges during last year's presidential election, aimed at taking the lead in the era of Arctic shipping routes while fostering new growth engines. It is also part of broader efforts to promote balanced regional development across the country, beyond Sejong, where most ministerial offices and other government agencies have been relocated since 2012. The ministry explained that the surprise pizza delivery was meant to encourage staff and other officials for their efforts during the relocation. Lee previously made similar deliveries of hearty meals to other ministries last year. 2026-01-07 10:04:51