SEOUL, Jan. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s long-running legal battle against tobacco companies is drawing renewed attention as new research shows that smoking has imposed an enormous and growing burden on the national health insurance system. According to a study released Monday by the National Health Insurance Service’s research arm, smoking-related medical costs totaled an [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 4 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s demographic shift toward an aging and increasingly solitary population accelerated in 2025, with people aged 65 and older now accounting for more than one-fifth of the country’s registered residents, government data showed, underscoring mounting social and economic challenges for the nation. According to an annual population analysis released [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Korea Bizwire) — Regular physical activity sustained over time can significantly reduce the risk of depressive symptoms, according to a large-scale Korean study that underscores the mental health benefits of even moderate exercise. Researchers at the National Institute of Health, under the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, analyzed data from 19,112 adults [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Korea Bizwire) — More than half of South Koreans with diabetes are obese, with abdominal obesity particularly prevalent among patients in their 30s and 40s, according to new findings released this week by the nation’s leading diabetes experts. The Korean Diabetes Association said its analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — Nearly one in 20 South Koreans has limited monthly social interaction through mobile communications, highlighting a growing segment of the population at risk of social isolation, according to a government-backed data analysis released on Monday. The findings, published by the National Data Agency, mark the first nationwide statistical attempt to [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — As South Korea’s prolonged low birth rate reshapes consumer demand, yogurt has emerged as an unexpected sales driver at major retailers, while milk — once a staple — continues to lose ground. According to data released Sunday by the retail industry, Emart, the country’s largest discount chain, ranked milk ninth [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — Replacing screen time with traditional outdoor games has led to measurable improvements in weight and eating habits among South Korean elementary school students, according to government data released Tuesday. The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Promotion Institute said the “Healthy Care Playground” program, designed to promote [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — The use of computed tomography (CT) scans in South Korea has risen steadily in recent years, even as many patients remain poorly informed about medical radiation exposure and its potential health risks, according to a new survey released by the national health insurer. The National Health Insurance Service said an [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — As weight-loss drugs gain popularity in South Korea, gyms that once thrived on New Year’s diet resolutions are beginning to feel the strain. Fitness centers across Seoul report a noticeable shift in consumer behavior as more people turn to prescription obesity treatments such as Wegovy and Mounjaro instead of exercise [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s twin and multiple-birth rates have surged to among the highest in the world, prompting experts to warn that the trend carries heightened medical risks for mothers and infants and requires a shift in government policy. According to a new report released Thursday by Bae Hye-won, a senior researcher [...]