Korea demography reader (March 24, 2010 edition)

• About 310,000 couples got married in 2009, down from 328,000 the year before and 344,000 in 2007.

• The Hyundai Economic Research Institute says that the ratio of economically-active population aged between fifteen and sixty-four to total population in North Korea will likely surpass that of South Korea in 2020, a private research showed Sunday, which could indicate a sign of economic slowdown in the South.

• The Supreme Court says some 725,000 South Koreans legally changed their name over the past decade. I know several people who have done this. Among the reasons are seeking a new life after a divorce, or seeking better "luck" by changing from some unfortunate name to something better. (Story also here.)
• South Korea passes a "highly significant milestone" with the country's first-ever refugee to be naturalized.