Free sanitary pads program rolls out to public restrooms Korea launches a 12-area pilot to stock free sanitary pads in public facilities, testing demand, access and safeguards before a possible nationwide expansion next year. 2026.7.6
Korea to roll out free public sanitary pad dispensers at 500 facilities Beginning Monday, about 500 public facilities in 12 pilot regions will offer free sanitary pads through a new government-backed service. 2026.7.2
Gender Ministry pledges violence crackdown, broadened family policy Korea’s Gender Ministry promised stronger action on stalking and dating violence, broader support for diverse families and no recognition of same-sex marriage without new legislation. 2026.6.11
Korea to launch free public sanitary pad program in 12 municipalities starting July A government-funded pilot program launching next month will install around 700 pad dispensers in a dozen regions around the country, ahead of a planned nationwide rollout next year. 2026.6.9
Over 40% of adolescents at risk of phone addiction, Family Ministry finds Around 40 percent of Korean adolescents are now at risk of smartphone addiction, according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family's 2026 youth statistics on Thursday. 2026.5.22
Filipino woman, Vietnamese man recognized by gov't as human trafficking victims The Korean government has recognized a Filipino woman and a Vietnamese man as victims of human trafficking. They will receive support, including medical care and legal aid, as the country addresses this violation of human rights. 2026.4.29
Korea's Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to remove 'women' from Korean title amid relaunch The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family will relaunch under a new name on Wednesday, removing the word “women” from its Korean title for the first time since the ministry’s inception in 2001, the government announced Tuesday. 2025.9.30
Children of multicultural families come of age to brighter futures and persistent challenges In Korea, the children of multicultural families are now entering adulthood with college degrees, higher incomes and deeper roots — challenging old prejudices in a country long seen as ethnically homogenous. 2025.7.31
Kang throws in towel, withdraws from gender minister nomination amid workplace bullying allegations Kang Sun-woo, nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, announced her resignation Wednesday amid a flurry of controversies, including allegations of mistreatment of her aides. 2025.7.23
Public opinion on multiculturalism marks positive shift but remains divisive issue in Korea As Korea’s multicultural population grows, so is public acceptance, particularly among younger people. But even as most Koreans see immigration as crucial for solving labor shortages and population decline, many remain uneasy about its social costs. 2025.6.5
![High school students take a state-wide exam at a school in eastern Seoul in June 2025. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/12584592.jpg?imageId=12584592&width=240&height=184&format=webp&format=jpg)
![Won Min-kyong, minister of gender equality and family, answers questions from lawmakers at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, on Nov. 4, 2025. [NEWS1]](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/12587219.jpg?imageId=12587219&width=240&height=184&format=webp&format=jpg)
![President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul, on Sept. 30. [YONHAP]](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/12050582.jpg?imageId=12050582&width=240&height=184&format=webp&format=jpg)
![Members of multicultural families prepare traditional Korean Chuseok dishes during an event held at Korean Red Cross Seoul's volunteer center in Yangcheon District, western Seoul, on Sept. 9, 2024. [YONHAP]](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/11932227.jpg?imageId=11932227&width=240&height=184&format=webp&format=jpg)
![Kang Sun-woo, nominee for minister of gender equality and family, responds to parliamentary questioning at her confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on July 14. [NEWS1]](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/12264461.jpg?imageId=12264461&width=240&height=184&format=webp&format=jpg)
![Families from multicultural households of Vietnamese background decorate cakes during a hands-on activity at Hana Bank’s Myeong-dong office in central Seoul on June 1. [YONHAP]](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/12215940.jpg?imageId=12215940&width=240&height=184&format=webp&format=jpg)