{
  "id": 19405936,
  "title": "Korea's shift toward cashless society leaves elderly behind",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/10/koreas-shift-toward-cashless-society-leaves-elderly-behind-19405936",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-10T22:27:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/economy/20261111/koreas-shift-toward-cashless-society-leaves-elderly-behind"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A 67-year-old man from Bucheon, in Gyeonggi Province, faced a challenge when he attempted to purchase a coffee at a Starbucks location using cash. The store informed him that they no longer accepted cash payments, adhering to their established policy. This encounter left him feeling surprised, as he had observed a trend towards card payments in recent years. Consequently, he now always carries a card to avoid similar situations.\n\nThe trend towards a cashless society in Korea is becoming increasingly prevalent. Numerous cafes, bus services, and even bank branches are gradually eliminating physical payments. As more establishments adopt card and mobile payment methods, those who rely on cash face difficulties in conducting everyday transactions. The transition has been progressing steadily in the retail sector for several years. In November 2018, Starbucks Korea initiated cashless stores at 103 locations across the country, accepting only credit cards and mobile payments.",
  "summary": "A 67-year-old man surnamed Cho living in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, recently tried to pay for a cup of coffee at Starbucks with cash, only to be told that the store accepted only credit cards and mobile payments. \"I just wanted to pay in cash, but they told me it had been the store's long-standing policy not to accept it. I knew most people paid by card these days, but I never expected a store…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Independent Singapore",
        "title": "Singapore is high on global paternity list but is far behind top-ranked South Korea",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/10/singapore-is-high-on-global-paternity-list-but-is-far-behind-top",
        "published": "2026-11-10T18:00:04.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}