"Osteoporosis" refers to a condition where bones become weak and prone to fractures due to a decrease in bone density. Bones are living tissues that continuously undergo a process of removing old bone and forming new bone. The amount of bone in our bodies increases as we grow, but it gradually decreases as we age. Particularly, women experience a rapid decrease in bone density within 3-5 years after menopause. When bones become weak due to osteoporosis, they can fracture easily, even with minor impacts. To minimize these risks, it is important to prevent osteoporosis early and manage it consis
Starting next year, when parental leave is taken for 12 months, the parental leave allowance will increase by 5.1 million won, from the current total of 18 million won to 23.1 million won. On the 8th, the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced that it would pre-notify legislation from the 10th until November 19th for amendments to laws including the Gender Equality Employment Act and the Employment Insurance Act, which include increases in parental leave allowances and support for replacement workers. The amendments contain major measures for expanding government support, such as increasin
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has issued guidelines on precautions and helpful information for consumers when purchasing cosmetics directly from international online platforms, in response to a recent surge in such purchases to prevent potential consumer harm. Products officially imported undergo inspections by domestic cosmetics distributors to ensure they meet safety standards. However, cosmetics purchased via international online shopping do not undergo such inspection processes, so it is recommended to purchase officially imported products. The following are precautions to consider
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced on the 19th that the 2024-2025 seasonal influenza national vaccination program will begin on the 20th and continue until April 30th of next year. This year's national influenza vaccination program will be provided free of charge for children aged 6 months to 13 years, pregnant women, and seniors aged 65 and older, who are at high risk of severe illness if infected with influenza, in preparation for the potential influenza outbreak this winter. Children requiring two doses will start vaccinations from the 20th, while children need
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) has developed separate "COVID-19 Prevention Guidelines" from the previous "Respiratory Infection Prevention Guidelines" in response to the continued rise in COVID-19 cases during the summer, following discussions with public-private consultative bodies. ◆ Please Follow These in Daily Life! ① Wash your hands with soap under running water for at least 30 seconds. ② Ventilate indoor spaces for 10 minutes every two hours. ③ Cover your mouth and nose with your sleeve or tissue when coughing. ④ Wear a mask when visiting healthcare facilities or
The National Investigation Headquarters of the Korean National Police Agency has issued a warning about a new voice phishing tactic where scammers pose as postal delivery workers or couriers, saying, "A card has been requested in your name," or "You ordered a kimchi refrigerator; where should I deliver it?" to trick people. Below is a summary of the recent voice phishing scam scenario: <Impersonation of a Post Office Delivery Person> A scammer calls the victim from 010-0000-0000 and says, "This is a post office delivery person. Did you request a [XX Card]? Where should I deliver it?" If
Marriage immigrants, overseas Koreans, and permanent residents can now conveniently use automatic immigration gates and citizen screening gates for faster processing. To enhance passenger convenience, the Ministry of Justice has promoted the current immigration screening system. First, "marriage immigrants, overseas Koreans, and permanent residents" can use the citizen immigration inspection desks in addition to the foreigner inspection desks. Previously, marriage immigrants who entered Korea with their Korean children had to use the foreigner inspection desks while their children used the cit
As part of measures announced in the third meeting of the Central Accident Management Headquarters on the Hwaseong Arisel Factory Fire Accident in August, the Ministry of Justice has introduced a "Basic Safety and Health Education" course into the "Immigrant Social Integration Program" starting in September. This is aimed at filling safety gaps by providing safety education to foreign residents eligible for employment beyond the current mandatory occupational safety education scope, which only includes those under the Employment Permit System (E-9 visa). The main participants for this educatio
Recently, there has been a nearly sixfold increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations nationwide. The health authorities are increasing the supply of COVID-19 treatments and closely monitoring the supply of self-test kits. They also urge the public to adhere to preventive measures such as proper coughing etiquette and hand washing. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced that they had shared the COVID-19 outbreak trends and reviewed response measures in a joint meeting with related ministries, including the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety
Mold spreads easily in hot and humid weather, especially on carbohydrate-rich foods such as grains, beans, and nuts. Mold toxins are heat-resistant and are not destroyed during cooking. Even if the moldy part is removed, invisible spores or toxins may still be present, so it is safest to discard the entire item. Mold toxins are produced by molds and typically occur when grains, beans, nuts, and other foods are stored improperly in hot and humid environments. Ingesting these toxins can lead to various diseases, so special care is needed. If you ingest mold toxins, you may experience symptoms su
Going forward, with the new birth notification system, all children born in medical institutions will be reported to local governments to ensure their protection within the public system. Additionally, the protected birth system allows expectant mothers in crisis to receive prenatal care, give birth, and have the birth reported using an alias at medical institutions. Expectant mothers who find it difficult to disclose their identity despite receiving sufficient guidance on various support measures to help raise the child and emotional counseling can apply for protected birth. This allows them
Over the past five years, there have been a total of 612 fires caused by lithium-ion batteries, with more than half attributed to overcharging. Therefore, it is crucial to unplug the battery from the power source once charging is complete to reduce the risk of fire. On the 22nd, the National Fire Agency introduced the third topic in its series on creating safe habits in daily life, focusing on the 'Proper Use of Lithium-Ion Batteries' in response to recent fire incidents involving these batteries. Common household items using lithium-ion batteries include smartphones, laptops, electric scooter
Imagine you noticed a hole filled with rainwater, while walking along a road. It is a pothole, often referred to as a road mine. Rainwater-filled potholes can disrupt safe driving and pose a secondary accident risk, endangering pedestrians' safety as well. Especially during the rainy season in July and August, more potholes appear as rainwater seeps into the asphalt. So, where should you report these issues? The easiest method is through the Safety Report system. The Safety Report system allows anyone to easily report safety hazards they encounter in their daily life, anytime and anywhere. Rep
Amid reports of residents being scammed by fake applications mimicking 'The Gyeonggi Pass,' Gyeonggi Province has announced that there is no official 'The Gyeonggi Pass' app and is taking active measures to address the issue. According to Gyeonggi Province, there is no app named 'The Gyeonggi Pass.' To utilize 'The Gyeonggi Pass,' residents need to use the K-Pass app. Those who wish to benefit from 'The Gyeonggi Pass' policy must obtain a K-Pass card through the bank/card company's website or app. After that, they need to register the card and sign up for membership on the K-Pass website. Upon
The government is taking steps to simplify entry procedures and extend stay durations to encourage the increasing trend of inbound tourism to South Korea. Efforts will focus on addressing the inconveniences faced by foreign tourists, such as expanding visa review personnel and visa application centers, to reduce the processing time for tourist visas from countries with growing numbers of visitors to South Korea. To promote high-value tourism, entry procedures will be simplified. For instance, a pilot operation of the 'K-Culture Training Visa' will begin this year, targeting foreigners wishing