Coupang falls under pan-government scrutiny in Seoul despite remedy program SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) -The South Korean government maintained that it will press ahead with a sweeping investigation into Coupang despite the e-commerce giant’s announcement of a large-scale compensation plan, vowing to leave “not a single suspicion” unresolved over a massive data breach affecting nearly all of its 34 million users. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon, who chairs a pan-government task force on the case, on Monday said the incident would be treated not only as a cybersecurity failure but also as a potential case of serious legal violations and corporate irresponsibility. “A company that has grown on the public’s trust cannot justify behavior that evades responsibility,” Bae said at a task force meeting. He said the leak of personal information involving “more than 30 million” domestic users constitutes a clear violation of the Korean law, adding that authorities will act “strictly and without exception” if wrongdoing is confirmed, applying the same standards used for all companies. The stern stance was reaffirmed after Coupang announced a 1.7 trillion won compensation plan that drew more backlash than sympathy. Coupang offered to compensate users affected by the breach with vouchers worth 50,000 won ($35) each, following mounting criticism over its handling of the incident. The total compensation package amounts to 1.685 trillion won ($1.17 billion) to cover paid subscribers as well as non-subscribers and those who closed their accounts, according to Coupang. The vouchers will be split across multiple services on the platform: 5,000 won usable for Rocket Delivery, Rocket Direct Purchase, Seller Rocket and Marketplace purchases, 5,000 won for Coupang Eats, 20,000 won for Coupang Travel, and 20,000 won for R.LUX, the company’s luxury goods platform. The compensation plan, however, has drawn mixed reactions, with consumers questioning whether vouchers — rather than cash — adequately address potential harm from a breach involving sensitive personal data. The move also comes amid mounting scrutiny over the company’s broader governance and compliance practices. The government has formed an unusually large interagency task force involving 11 bodies: the Personal Information Protection Commission, National Police Agency, Fair Trade Commission, Financial Services Commission, National Intelligence Service, Korea Communications Commission, Ministry of Employment and Labor, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, National Tax Service, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. Officials said such a broad joint response for a single company is rare, describing the case as a test of Korea’s ability to protect personal data in the platform economy while ensuring worker safety and fair market order. Under the coordinated probe, authorities plan to apply pressure through investigations, penalties and possible policy reforms. The science ministry will analyze the technical causes of the breach and vulnerabilities in Coupang’s security systems. The Personal Information Protection Commission will determine the precise scope of leaked data and whether the company violated the Personal Information Protection Act. Police will analyze seized materials and work with overseas agencies to identify suspects. The Financial Services Commission will review risks of fraudulent transactions stemming from the leak, including whether consumers were steered toward high-interest financial products. The Fair Trade Commission said it is considering sanctions — including possible business suspension — while assessing risks of identity theft and broader consumer harm. The Fair Trade Commission and the Korea Communications Commission are also investigating whether Coupang’s membership cancellation process violates the E-Commerce Act or the Telecommunications Business Act, including the possible use of so-called “dark patterns” that make it difficult for users to cancel subscriptions. Labor authorities will conduct on-site inspections into overnight work conditions and whether adequate measures were in place to protect workers’ health. The transport ministry said it will work with the National Assembly’s Euljiro Committee to prepare institutional measures to improve conditions for Coupang delivery workers. “This case goes beyond personal data,” Bae said. “It concerns public safety, fundamental rights and corporate responsibility.” He added that the government will respond “as one team” and pursue the investigation through to the end so the public can feel safe. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-30 08:02:57

Korea's Hanwha Aerospace signs $4 bn third-stage Chunmoo deal with Poland SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) -South Korean defense company Hanwha Aerospace has signed a third-stage contract for its multiple rocket launcher system with Poland’s arms procurement authority, enabling the European country to domestically produce guided rockets under a joint manufacturing framework. The 5.6 trillion won ($4 billion) agreement, covering 80-kilometer-range guided missiles, was signed Monday at the Warsaw Military Museum between Hanwha WB Advanced Systems — a joint venture between Hanwha Aerospace and Poland’s WB Electronics — and the Polish government. Senior officials and defense industry executives from both countries attended the ceremony. The joint venture, established in October, was created to localize production of the Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher system customized for Poland. Under the deal, Poland will acquire the capability to manufacture rockets domestically for its Homar-K system, a Polish variant of South Korea’s Chunmoo. Polish Defense Minister Władysław Marcin Kosiniak-Kamysz said the agreement turns “independence in rocket production into reality” and marks a turning point for Poland as it moves toward becoming a co-producer of advanced rocket systems rather than a simple buyer. “Homar-K is becoming a truly joint system,” he said, highlighting the strategic significance of technology transfer and local industrial participation. Chunmoo is South Korea’s home-grown multiple rocket launcher system capable of firing 12 rockets in under a minute from a single launcher. It has emerged as one of Korea’s most successful defense exports amid Europe’s push to expand artillery and missile capabilities following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The latest contract follows two earlier agreements signed between Seoul and Warsaw. The first, concluded in 2022, was dvalued at 5.0357 trillion won, while the second, signed last year, amounted to 2.2 trillion won. Together with the latest deal, total Chunmoo-related contracts with Poland now exceed 12.8 trillion won. President Lee Jae Myung’s chief of staff, Kang Hoon-sik, traveled to Warsaw to attend the signing ceremony, underscoring the deal’s diplomatic and strategic importance. Poland has become one of South Korea’s largest defense partners in Europe, purchasing a wide range of military equipment including K2 tanks, K9 self-propelled howitzers and FA-50 fighter jets, as Seoul positions itself as a major global arms supplier through co-production and long-term industrial partnerships. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-30 07:20:07

PHOTOS: Frontline vigilance — S. Korean troops brave extreme cold at border SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) — Amidst the bone-chilling winter at the North Korean border, South Korean military operations remain in constant motion, maintaining a 24-hour watch despite plummeting temperatures. At the heart of this defense is the General Outpost (GOP), a network of strategic surveillance positions situated approximately 2 kilometers south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). Tasked with monitoring the volatile frontier, GOP units manage a vast expanse of rugged terrain where accessibility is often restricted. The core mission involves relentless patrols and rigorous inspections of the barbed-wire fences that trace the border. To bolster these efforts, the military has integrated quadrupedal robots into its pilot programs. These "robot dogs" provide critical auxiliary surveillance in high-risk zones that are difficult for human soldiers to navigate. The intensity of the mission is underscored by the harsh climate. Pre-dawn patrols are conducted in temperatures averaging -10 degrees Celsius, though biting winds often push the perceived temperature down to -20 degrees Celsius. Despite these extreme conditions, the commitment to frontline security remains unwavering. 2025-12-29 17:56:18

Korean stock market reclaims the 4,200 level SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - While Asian markets were mixed—with Japan slightly down and China remaining flat—Korean stocks rose sharply. In Seoul, the benchmark KOSPI climbed 2.2 percent to close at 4,220 on Monday, while the KOSDAQ gained 1.4 percent to end at 932.59. It was the first time since Nov. 3 that the KOSPI closed above the 4,200 mark. The current level is just one point below the record high of 4,221.87 set on that date. Both Samsung Electronics and SK hynix hit new record closing highs. Samsung Electronics rose 2.1 percent to 119,500 won ($83.4), and SK hynix jumped 6.8 percent to 640,000 won. SK hynix’s sharp rise was driven by expectations of a memory semiconductor supercycle, along with the lifting of its "investment warning" designation, which eased supply-demand concerns and attracted buying. Lee Kyung-min, an analyst at Daishin Securities, said, "With recent positive momentum such as expectations for a memory supercycle continuing, both SK hynix and Samsung Electronics rose together," adding that "the strength of these two semiconductor leaders led the KOSPI’s gain." Samsung Biologics gained 0.8 percent to 1,706,000 won, Hyundai Motor rose 2.6 percent to 293,500 won, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries added 2.2 percent to 523,000 won, and Doosan Enerbility climbed 3.9 percent to 76,500 won. Hanwha Aerospace surged 9.1 percent to 949,000 won. The stock’s jump was attributed to news that the company signed a 103.3 billion won ($72 million) contract with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute to develop a "lunar lander propulsion system" scheduled for launch in 2032, and to its removal from the investment warning list. LG Energy Solution, the third-largest by market capitalization, fell 0.9 percent to 380,000 won. Most entertainment stocks advanced. HYBE gained 1.8 percent to 320,000 won, SM added 2.9 percent to 128,000 won, YG increased 0.3 percent to 64,700 won, while JYP was unchanged. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 fell 0.4 percent to 50,526.92. In China, the Shanghai Composite Index rose 1.60 points to 3,945.28. 2025-12-29 17:47:25

Korean banks' fight for deposits deepens as rate inversion signals liquidity strain SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - South Korean banks are raising deposit rates aggressively to stem an outflow of funds into buoyant stock markets at home and abroad, triggering an unusual inversion in short-term deposit yields and adding pressure to already strained borrowers. The competition for liquidity has pushed both lending and deposit rates higher, even as the Bank of Korea keeps its policy rate on hold. According to data released Monday by the central bank, the average interest rate on new bank loans rose 0.13 percentage point in November to 4.15 percent, reversing a three-month decline. Household loan rates climbed 0.08 percentage point to 4.32 percent, while corporate loan rates rose 0.14 percentage point to 4.10 percent. Household rates reached a seven-month high, and corporate rates turned upward for the first time in six months. Jeonse (long-term rental deposit) loan rates — closely tied to household living costs — also increased for a second straight month, rising 0.12 percentage point to 3.90 percent. Short-term rates jump as banks scramble for liquidity The upward pressure is most visible in short-term lending and deposit products, reflecting banks’ urgent need to secure liquidity. General credit loan rates jumped 0.27 percentage point to 5.46 percent, while mortgage rates rose 0.19 percentage point to 4.17 percent, their biggest November increase in four years and the first return to the 4 percent range in eight months. Banks have been raising add-on rates preemptively following the government’s Oct. 15 real estate measures, which tightened “stressed debt service ratio (DSR)” rules. At the same time, short-term market yields have climbed after the Bank of Korea maintained a hawkish tone while keeping its benchmark rate unchanged. The one-year bank bond yield rose 0.27 percentage point in November, outpacing the 0.18 percentage point increase in five-year yields. As a result, loans tied to short-term rates — especially general credit loans — saw the steepest increases. Despite rising borrowing costs, the share of fixed-rate household loans continued to fall. Fixed-rate loans accounted for 54.6 percent of household lending in November, down 1.6 percentage points from the previous month and marking a fourth consecutive decline. Within mortgage loans, the fixed-rate share dropped 3.8 percentage points to 90.2 percent, suggesting borrowers are increasingly betting on future rate cuts after perceiving that interest rates have peaked. SMEs face heavier burden as risk premiums widen Small and medium-sized enterprises are bearing a disproportionate share of the tightening. SME lending rates rose 0.18 percentage point to 4.14 percent, compared with a 0.11 percentage point rise for large corporations, whose average rate stood at 4.06 percent. The wider gap reflects rising risk premiums tied to concerns over SME creditworthiness. Bank of Korea data show that so-called “marginal firms” — companies unable to cover interest payments with operating profits — accounted for 18.0 percent of SMEs in 2024, well above the 13.7 percent recorded among large corporations. Deposit rates overtake savings banks for first time since 1998 On the funding side, deposit rates rose 0.24 percentage point to an average of 2.81 percent in November, outpacing the increase in lending rates and narrowing banks’ net interest margin on new transactions by 0.11 percentage point to 1.34 percent. A notable development is that commercial bank deposit rates have surpassed those offered by savings banks for the first time in roughly 27 years, since the 1998 Asian financial crisis. The reversal reflects sharply diverging strategies: savings banks, constrained by exposure to troubled real estate project financing and weak loan demand, have frozen or lowered rates, while major banks have raised them aggressively to prevent capital outflows. An inversion has also emerged within deposit maturities themselves. According to the Korean Statistical Information Service, the average rate on deposits with maturities under six months stood at 2.58 percent, higher than the 2.43 percent offered on deposits with maturities of two to three years — a clear signal of banks’ urgency to secure short-term funds. Funds flow accelerates from deposits to markets The liquidity squeeze is being amplified by a massive shift of household money into financial markets. Data from the Korea Financial Investment Association show inflows into public offering funds reached about 66.8 trillion won ($46.6 billion) as of Sunday, more than triple last year’s 22 trillion won. The surge underscores how capital is rapidly migrating from bank deposits into equities and investment products, intensifying competition among banks for funding and helping explain the sharp rise in short-term deposit rates. 2025-12-29 17:43:02

PHOTOS: One year after deadly Jeju Air disaster SEOUL, Dec. 29 (AJP) — South Korea on Monday marked one year since a Jeju Air passenger jet crashed during an emergency landing, killing 179 people in one of the country’s deadliest aviation disasters. Jeju Air Flight 7C2216, a Boeing 737-800 traveling from Bangkok, struck a concrete localizer structure while attempting to land at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province at 9:03 a.m. on Dec. 29 last year. Of the 181 people on board, 179 were killed and two others were injured. On the first anniversary of the tragedy, bereaved families and members of the public left messages of remembrance at a digital memorial space set up at Seoul Station. Temporary memorial altars were also installed by local governments and at airports nationwide, where mourners gathered to pay tribute to the victims. The government and Jeju Air issued statements expressing condolences to the families of those killed and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening aviation safety measures to prevent similar accidents. 2025-12-29 17:41:07

Memories linger as truth remains elusive a year after Muan airport crash SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - An 18-year-old boy left a note for his mother, promising that he had finally grown up in his final year of high school — and apologizing that he could not tell her in person. His message is one of hundreds now posted along a hallway at Muan International Airport, where families continue to mourn those lost in South Korea’s deadliest aviation disaster. Nearly a year has passed since Jeju Air Flight 2216, a Boeing 737-800 arriving from Bangkok, skidded off the runway during an emergency landing and slammed into a concrete embankment at Muan Airport in South Jeolla Province on Dec. 29, 2024. Of the 181 people on board, 179 were killed, with only two flight attendants surviving. The aircraft attempted an emergency landing after an engine failure caused by a bird strike, according to preliminary findings. Yet for bereaved families, answers have remained scarce in the months since. Presidential apology, lingering questions President Lee Jae Myung, on his first day back at Cheong Wa Dae, issued a formal apology to the victims’ families, calling the tragedy a failure of the state’s duty to protect lives. “As president, responsible for the safety of the people, I extend my deepest apologies,” Lee said, pledging to ensure accountability and prevent a recurrence. “The least we can do is make sure such a tragedy never happens again.” The Muan crash marked the deadliest aviation accident in South Korea’s history, surpassing the 1993 Asiana Airlines crash in Haenam that killed 66 people. Despite the apology, families say accountability has been slow and opaque. On May 13, 2025, they filed a criminal complaint with the Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency against 15 individuals, including former Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Park Sang-woo, former Korea Airports Corporation president Yoon Hyung-jung, and Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae. The complaint alleges violations of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and professional negligence resulting in death. Dispute over legal responsibility Whether the Serious Accidents Punishment Act applies has emerged as a central legal fault line. Its application would determine not only criminal liability for senior officials but also whether families could receive compensation of up to five times the standard level. Police are reportedly leaning toward concluding that the law does not apply — a stance that has alarmed victims’ families. Moon Yoo-jin, a former judge and legal scholar, argues otherwise, saying the crash should fall under the law because it involved defects in public transportation facilities. “An accident occurring during takeoff or landing, linked to a structure such as the embankment, can reasonably be viewed as resulting from defects in design, installation or management,” she said. Conflicting findings and withheld disclosures Shortly after the crash, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said the concrete embankment supporting the airport’s localizer met regulatory standards. Subsequent reviews by other institutions contradicted that assessment. The National Forensic Service later found that the structure violated both domestic and international aviation safety standards, a conclusion echoed by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. Tensions deepened when the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB) canceled a planned July briefing on its engine analysis after objections from victims’ families. The draft findings reportedly suggested that although the right engine suffered severe damage, the pilot had shut down the left engine — a claim families strongly disputed. Families accused investigators of relying too heavily on analysis provided by the U.S. engine manufacturer while downplaying possible structural defects. Requests to access the full original engine analysis were denied. A senior ARAIB official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the board had attempted to hold public hearings on Dec. 4 and 5 to present its findings, but was unable to proceed due to opposition from families. He added that earlier disclosure had been avoided because the investigation was still ongoing and premature release could have interfered with the process. Safety upgrades lag behind promises In the wake of the disaster, the transport ministry conducted a nationwide inspection of airport navigation facilities. On Jan. 13, 2025, it announced that nine azimuth structures at seven airports — Gwangju, Muan, Yeosu, Gimhae, Sacheon, Jeju and Pohang-Gyeongju — required safety upgrades. As of Dec. 18, 2025, only Gwangju and Pohang-Gyeongju had completed the improvements. A ministry official said four additional sites had since finished work and that all nine would be upgraded by next year. Lawmakers have criticized the pace of reform. Min Hong-chul, a Democratic Party member of the National Assembly’s Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, said repeated tragedies — from the 2014 Sewol ferry sinking to the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush — show a pattern of delayed accountability. “Investigations must be swift and transparent, with the participation of bereaved families,” Min said. “Moving the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board under the Prime Minister’s Office would be a first step toward restoring trust and uncovering the truth.” Nearly a year after the crash, messages of remembrance continue to line the walls of Muan Airport. For families, time has brought neither closure nor clarity — only a renewed call for accountability and structural reform. 2025-12-29 17:41:06

Independent prosecutors wrap up probe into wife of impeached former president SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - Independent prosecutors have concluded their investigation into a slew of allegations involving Kim Keon Hee, the wife of disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol. In a press briefing in Seoul on Monday, Prosecutor Min Joong-ki, who led the six-month investigation, said that around 76 suspects were indicted over dozens of alleged offenses. He said the investigation, which began in early July, has uncovered multiple allegations involving Kim, who is accused of accepting bribes including a luxury handbag and jewelry worth 370 million won (US$258,000) in total for various favors, being involved in a stock manipulation scheme, and interfering in candidate nominations during the 2022 by-elections. Based on what has been found so far, Kim used her status as the president's spouse to easily receive expensive gifts and broadly intervened in the nominations of officials and other personnel," Min said, adding that the country's public system was "greatly damaged by the abuse of authority from a president's spouse." He expressed regret that the investigation could not be completed due to time constraints, but pledged to cooperate as the case is transferred to the police for further investigation. Meanwhile, her husband who faces several charges related to his botched Dec. 3 declaration of martial law last year, is set to receive his first verdict next month on whether he obstructed law enforcement by blocking investigators and other officials attempting to detain him during the debacle. His main trial on charges of insurrection and abuse of power is expected to conclude in January, with a ruling likely to be made in February. 2025-12-29 17:02:45

Samsung to highlight regional startups as it expands C-Lab presence at CES 2026 SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics will expand its startup program footprint at next year’s CES by bringing 15 C-Lab startups — including the largest number of regional teams to date — to the global tech show, signaling the company’s continued shift toward broader ecosystem-building rather than in-house product promotion. The companies will showcase AI, robotics and digital-health technologies inside Eureka Park at the Venetian Expo in Las Vegas, where Samsung will operate a dedicated C-Lab booth from Jan. 6 to 9. Of the 15 teams, seven are based in Daegu, Gwangju and North Gyeongsang Province, marking the highest level of regional participation since the program began exhibiting at CES in 2016. C-Lab — Samsung’s startup incubation initiative launched in 2012 — now encompasses internal ventures, external startups and region-specific programs. The 2026 lineup includes eight C-Lab Outside startups, two C-Lab Inside projects, one team fostered with the Daegu Center for Creative Economy and Innovation, and four startups selected through Samsung Financial Networks’ incubation scheme. Startup teams will present services ranging from automated cooking robots and multimodal AI language models to pet-health analytics, digital scent solutions and cyber-risk assessment tools. Several C-Lab affiliated firms also won CES 2026 Innovation Awards this year, including two that received the show’s top honors. Samsung has expanded C-Lab Outside into Daegu, Gwangju and North Gyeongsang since 2023, aiming to create a pipeline that enables regional startups to grow without relocating to Seoul. The company provides workspace, consulting support and access to Samsung’s broader business network. To date, 40 regional startups have been incubated under the program. The exhibition will also feature two internal C-Lab Inside projects focused on AI-driven video editing and expert-based product-recommendation engines. Samsung says it views CES as a testing ground for early-stage concepts developed by employees before commercial viability is assessed. Since its launch, C-Lab has supported 959 internal and external teams, a figure projected to surpass 1,000 next year. 2025-12-29 16:45:29

South Korea races toward a cashless society, leaving many elderly behind SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - In South Korea, wallets are fast becoming relics, as most people now pay with a swipe of their phones. Cash use has fallen sharply over the past decade, reflecting the country's rapid embrace of digital payments — a shift that is transforming daily life but also exposing a growing divide between the digitally fluent and those being left behind. This year, individuals spent an average of 324,000 won ($226) a month in cash, less than half the 808,000 won recorded a decade ago, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK). Cash now accounts for just 17.4 percent of monthly spending, down from 21.6 percent four years earlier. The transformation has been accelerated by rising minimum wages and the rapid spread of kiosks and automation across restaurants, cafés and service businesses. In many parts of Seoul, ordering and payment are now completed without human interaction, with staff limited largely to preparing food and drinks. According to the National Information Society Agency, the number of kiosks nationwide surged from 210,033 in 2021 to 536,602 in 2023 — an increase of more than 300,000 units in just three years. Most cafés in central Seoul now operate two to three kiosks, while fast-food outlets often have five or more. "I don't carry a wallet anymore," said Kim Sang-deuk, a 57-year-old office worker. "Everything works with Samsung Pay, so there's no need for cash." Coins quietly disappearing Physical currency, especially coins, is steadily vanishing from everyday use. This year, the BOK for the first time placed no orders for new circulation coins with the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corp., reflecting sharply declining demand. Traditionally, the central bank forecasts annual demand by denomination and orders coins for both circulation and commemorative use. The absence of any circulation order underscores how rarely coins are now used in daily transactions. "Coffee costs 4,500 or 6,700 won, and there's nowhere to put the change," said Lee Sung-jin, a 28-year-old office worker. "It's just easier to pay by card." Convenience for some, exclusion for others Yet the shift toward a cashless economy is uneven. Older people and low-income households remain far more dependent on cash. People aged 70 and older still use cash for 32.4 percent of their spending, while households earning less than 1 million won a month rely on cash for 59.4 percent of expenditures, according to the BOK. As South Korea enters a super-aged society — with those aged 65 and older now accounting for more than 20 percent of the population — the idea of going fully cashless remains contentious. A recent survey found that 45.8 percent of respondents oppose a cashless society, while only 17.7 percent support it. The most common concern, cited by 39.1 percent, was the risk of excluding financially vulnerable groups. The challenge is visible on the ground. At a café in central Seoul, a foreign customer and a middle-aged woman struggled for several minutes to place orders at a kiosk, eventually requiring staff assistance. "It's become too troublesome just to eat out," the woman said afterward. A growing digital divide A 2023 survey by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs found that only about 18 percent of older adults were able to place orders independently using kiosks. In practice, more than eight in ten elderly people experience difficulty using such machines. Experts say the problem lies not only in digital literacy but also in design. "Kiosks are designed from the supplier's perspective, not the consumer's," said Hur Jun-soo, a professor at Soongsil University's School of Social Welfare. "The icons, fonts and interfaces are not tailored to older users." Hur added that although digital education programs for seniors have expanded, they often fail to reach people where help is most needed. "Support should go beyond senior welfare centers and community halls," he said. "It needs to extend to the places where older people actually live and carry out their daily activities." 2025-12-29 16:42:43