Cases are rising of postal carriers acting as a local safety net, from helping at traffic accidents to stopping fires and preventing voice phishing losses. Korea’s Postal Service said carriers’ roles are expanding beyond reporting incidents to early response and support for elderly and isolated households. It has institutionalised regular home visits through a welfare parcel programme and piloted cash delivery of local subsidies for older residents.

The Broadcasting Media Communication Commission said on Thursday it had selected 48 programmes from 21 broadcasters for its 2026 production support scheme for local and small broadcasters. The support budget totals 4.6 billion won, up 1 billion won from a year earlier. The selected works include locally focused regular and current-affairs reporting, programmes aimed at strengthening competitiveness, and new content formats. The commission also created a new locally focused radio category.