Previously, the number of short-term inbound visitors had shown a continual increase -- from 258,673 at the end of 2010 to 356,842 at the end of 2013, 518,902 at the end of 2016 and 792,853 at the end of 2019. Though there were hopes for its recovery earlier this year, the number of new COVID-19 infections on a daily basis is seeing all-time highs in July and a pessimistic outlook is looming. I...

In contrast, the average outstanding debt for all households in South Korea increased by only 16.2 percent for the same three years from 70.99 million won per household. “Though ordinary Korean households are also saddled with huge financial debt from apartment purchases or others, there is a need to pay attention to the liability of North Korean refugees, many of whom are suffering from a tough...

Further, the tally for women aged 60-69 at 3.57 million far outstripped those in their 30s at 3.28 million and 20s at 3.2 million. The number in their 60s has continued to narrow the gap with women in their 40s at 4.03 million. A decade earlier in June 2011, the portion of those aged 70 or over of the total women here stood at 9 percent -- 2.29 million of 25.26 million. Women’s faster aging tha...

Among those ranking above Korea were the Czech Republic (67.1 percent), Hungary (62.4 percent), Slovakia (61.6 percent) and Poland (61.5 percent). Iceland topped the list last year at 77.8 percent, followed by Switzerland at 75.9 percent, the Netherlands at 73.9 percent, Sweden at 73.5 percent, Germany at 72.9 percent and Norway at 72.7 percent. Among English-speaking countries, a figure of 72....

Further, Gyeonggi is estimated to have absorbed quite a many people from other metropolitan cities and provinces who wanted to be employed in the capital or its neighboring area, having gradually become a so-called “bedroom community.” Interior Ministry data showed that the population of Gyeonggi increased by 11,778 on-month in June. In contrast, negative growth was posted in Seoul by 9,365, Dae...

This means that an 84-square-meter home would cost 1.66 billion won in Gangnam-gu and 1.6 billion won in Seocho-gu, while the prices of same-sized apartment units in the two districts are estimated at over 2.5 billion won. Gyeonggi Province, which sounds Seoul, outstripped the capital by posting 33.4 percent growth in housing prices over the corresponding period. But the average price far fell s...

Given that the figure held by Colombia (No. 1) continued to fall -- from 28.8 percent in 2018 to 28.76 percent in 2019 and 27.3 percent in 2020 -- Korea will possibly top the list in 2021 or 2022. The figure for Korea is quite high compared to the European Union average of 13.6 percent, the OECD average of 11.4 percent and the Group of Seven average of 8.6 percent as of 2020. It is also far high...

DAEJEON -- South Korea is making full-fledged efforts to be practically cooperative in the global community’s concerted effort to tackle climate change by developing renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gases. A core joint effort by the global community is the “RE100” club, whose member companies have pledged to use 100 percent renewable energy without resorting to fossil fuels. In South Ko...

Only among people in their 20s was the trend reversed, with the number of men on benefits growing 104.3 percent, vs. 101.1 percent for women. But figures for both groups were so high that it was clear the younger generation took the hardest hit irrespective of gender. The number of recipients of unemployment benefits in their 20s climbed from 34,163 women and 21,051 men in December 2019 to 68,71...

This indicates that nearly 1 in 4 people aged 15-29 are out of work practically, though more and more businesses have stepped up to normalize hiring, which was in a critical doldrums throughout 2020. This is in contrast to the official unemployment rate of 9.3 percent for the age group as of May, publicized by the government, in which the number of jobless stayed at 402,000. This may mean that o...

The data puts Korea at the bottom among OECD members. The average of the 37 OECD members and the average of European countries in the OECD came to 10.91 percent and 15.95 percent, respectively. High rankers in the French-based organization included Iceland with 90.13 percent, Norway with 54.58 percent, Latvia with 41.37 percent, Sweden with 40.78 percent, Denmark with 36.93 percent, Colombia wit...

The COVID-19 situation has made households expand their online shopping by relatively reducing on-the-spot consumption at department stores, discount chains and restaurants. By segment, agricultural, livestock and fisheries products posted growth of 178 percent during the April 2018-April 2021 period from 215 billion won to 599 billion won in online transactions. Turnover among online sellers of...

[Profile of Yang Choong-mo] Aug. 2020 Administrator of Saemangeum Development and Investment Agency Jan. 2020 Deputy minister for fiscal affairs at Ministry of Economy and Finance 2018 Director general of budget office at Ministry of Economy and Finance 2014 Presidential secretary as senior administrative officer 2013 Director general for planning and coordination at Saemangeum Development a...

Ministry data showed that two-member households first overtook four-member households in number in November 2013, meeting at 4.13 million each. Three-member households overtook four-member households in February 2017, when the respective numbers were 3.93 million and 3.92 million. A demographic researcher in Sejong said the number of Koreans living alone had increased briskly, as had the number...

SEJONG -- The Moon Jae-in administration’s real estate policy has brought about social discord, as preferential treatment was effectively given to particular groups, irrespective of its initial policy intentions. The groups who benefited include people with large cash holdings and young married couples in their 20s or 30s. Though the government has not officially provided special favors for tho...