Journalist

Kim Yu-jin
  • South Korea sees births rise for 14th straight month
    South Korea sees births rise for 14th straight month SEOUL, October 29 (AJP) - South Korea recorded an increase in births for the 14th consecutive month in August, according to new government data released Wednesday. The National Data Office said 20,867 babies were born in August, a 3.8 percent increase from a year earlier. Births rose in 12 of the country’s 17 major regions, including Seoul and Busan, though declines continued in Daejeon, Sejong and several smaller provinces. The birth rate climbed to 4.8 per 1,000 people, up 0.1 percentage point from last year. The total fertility rate — the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime — rose slightly to 0.77 from 0.75 a year earlier, remaining far below the population replacement level of 2.1. Firstborn children accounted for most of the increase, up 2 percent from the previous year, while births of second and third or later children fell by 0.9 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively. Marriage rates also improved, a trend demographers say could signal modest stabilization in family formation. There were 19,449 marriages in August, up 11 percent year over year, while divorces fell by 5.5 percent to 7,196. Despite the recent uptick, South Korea continues to grapple with one of the lowest fertility rates in the world — a demographic challenge that threatens long-term economic growth and labor supply. Government efforts to reverse the decline, including childcare subsidies and housing incentives for young families, have so far yielded limited results. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-29 13:55:00
  • Seoul confident of Washingtons understanding on Koreas FX situation
    Seoul confident of Washington's "understanding" on Korea's FX situation SEOUL, Oct. 17 (AJP) – Seoul held firm against U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand that Korea’s pledged $350 billion investment be made in upfront cash, expressing confidence that Washington’s financial and trade officials understand Korea’s vulnerability to large foreign capital outflows. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said U.S. officials have shown understanding of Korea’s position. “I met Secretary Scott Bessent at the G20 meeting. He understands that stabilizing South Korea’s foreign exchange market benefits both countries,” Koo told reporters in Washington on the sidelines of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting, adding that Bessent was interested in cooperating with Korea to ensure market stability. Koo said Bessent recognizes the challenges Korea faces regarding the upfront payment issue and likely discussed the matter with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. When asked if Washington may drop the upfront payment demand, Koo replied that the U.S. side “understands our position, which could be favorable for us.” He emphasized that while Korea seeks to accelerate tariff negotiations — ideally by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit — any agreement should not compromise national interests. He pointed to the 25 percent U.S. tariff on automobiles as a key area needing prompt attention but noted that progress depends on mutual understanding and flexibility. On a possible currency swap facility, Koo said the instrument is one option to maintain market stability, though it is not the sole focus at this time. Soon after, Bessent told CNBC that Washington was “about to finish up with Korea,” echoing Seoul’s stance on the need for a currency swap arrangement to ease exchange rate volatility amid the planned investment outflow roughly equivalent to Korea’s foreign exchange reserves. Trump, however, reiterated that he expects Korea to make the full $350 billion payment upfront. Meanwhile, other senior Korean policymakers in Washington — Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan and Presidential Policy Chief Kim Yong-bum — met separately with Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which oversees U.S. shipbuilding efforts. The officials highlighted Korea’s role in the proposed investment package under the slogan “Make American Shipbuilding Great Again.” * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-17 07:48:06
  • Glass ceiling still persists for women in public-sector jobs
    Glass ceiling still persists for women in public-sector jobs SEOUL, October 2 (AJP) - Many women, particularly those in state-run and public-sector jobs, still struggle to climb the career ladder due to a persistent glass ceiling in South Korean society. According to data from the Ministry of Personnel Management submitted to lawmaker Kwang Hyang-yeop of the ruling Democratic Party, women accounted for only 12.9 percent of high-level government posts, with just 201 among 1,554 senior officials, as of December last year. Gender disparity is particularly stark in economic ministries. The Ministry of Economy and Finance has only 3 women among 61 senior officials (4.9 percent), while the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy has 3 women among 52 officials (5.8 percent). The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has only one woman among 41 officials (2.4 percent), and the National Tax Service also has just one woman among 39 officials (2.6 percent). But the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has four women among 29 officials (13.8 percent), slightly above the average, and the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Fair Trade Commission's ratio for female public servants also surpasses 10 percent. One female official expressed concerns about her career due to the lack of female role models in senior positions, raising questions about whether promotions or advancement opportunities are as fair as in private-sector jobs. The government plans to strengthen relevant policies in hiring and managing personnel to tackle these disparities. "We will promote diversity and ensure greater balance in recruitment to better address these concerns," vowed Yoo Seung-joo, head of the Ministry of Personnel Management. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-02 09:22:48