Most Popular
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Harris, Trump face off as North Korea tests US on Election Day
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After opposition U-turn, Korea to repeal plan for financial capital gains tax
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[Out of the Shadows] Seoul room clubs offer drugs to compete for clientele
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North Korea fires ballistic missiles hours before US Election Day
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Amid record-low approval rating, Yoon forgoes Assembly budget address
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Local food festivals enjoy unexpected popularity as snacks go viral
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South Korea and Central Asia set stage for first summit
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Seoul eyes expanding foreign caregiver pilot program
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‘Children have the right to great stories': Head of Astrid Lindgren Award stands firm against book ban
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Ruling party leader condemns North Korea troop dispatch as crime against humanity
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[Graphic News] Beer gains ground as whiskey and wine imports decline
The imported liquor market in South Korea is undergoing rapid changes. Wine and whiskey, which had gained popularity during the trends of drinking alone or at home, are seeing a decline, while beer is making a resurgence. Analysts suggest that the market, which experienced significant fluctuations due to external factors like COVID-19, is now entering a period of adjustment. According to data from the Korea Customs Service, whiskey imports fell 21 percent year-on-year to 6,624 tons in the seco
MarketSept. 26, 2024
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[Graphic News] World produces 52m tons of plastic pollution annually: study
A recent study reveals that the world generates 52 million metric tons of plastic pollution each year, with a significant portion coming from countries in the Global South. This staggering amount could fill New York City’s Central Park to the height of the Empire State Building. The study, led by the University of Leeds, examined waste production across more than 50,000 cities and towns globally. More than two-thirds of this pollution comes from countries with poor waste collection servi
World NewsSept. 25, 2024
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[Graphic News] Google and Bing capture over 40% of Korean search engine market share
Google and Microsoft’s Bing are steadily gaining traction in the South Korean web search market, with their combined market share surpassing 40 percent, according to data from Internet Trend. As of Aug. 9, Naver retained the top position with a 54.73 percent share, followed by Google at 37.2 percent and Bing at 3.6 percent. Bing recently overtook local portal Daum, which was at 3.33 percent, continuing its downward trend. Google and Bing together now command 40.8 percent of the market, m
Social AffairsSept. 24, 2024
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[Graphic News] Number of international flight passengers rises 19.9% in July-Aug.: data
The number of international flight passengers during the summer vacation season this year increased 19.9 percent on-year to fully recover to the prepandemic level, data showed. A total of 15.69 million people used international flights at South Korean airports in July and August, up nearly 20 percent from a year earlier, according to data compiled by the Korea Airports Corp. and the Incheon International Airport Corp. This year’s figure came to about 97 percent of that logged in 2019. By
Social AffairsSept. 23, 2024
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[Graphic News] Soaring rent in Seoul’s university areas strains students
Rampant rental deposit fraud and high loan interest rates are driving university students to opt for paying monthly rent instead of lumpsum “jeonse” deposits for leased housing. However, with a surge in the monthly rent due to limited property availability in university areas and more demand, students are facing significant financial pressure. As of July 2024, real estate big data from Dabang shows the average monthly rent in major university areas in Seoul has risen to 608,000 won
Social AffairsSept. 19, 2024
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[Graphic News] Recent S. Korean wins in LPGA
South Korea’s Yoo Hae-ran claimed her first LPGA Tour win in nearly a year at the FM Championship in the United States. On Sept. 2, Yoo shot an impressive 8-under-par 64 in the final round at TPC Boston, closing with nine birdies and one bogey. Yoo finished tied with fellow South Korean Ko Jin-young at 15-under-par 273, but won in a playoff by making par on the first extra hole while Ko bogeyed. This marks Yoo’s first LPGA victory in 11 months. The victory breaks South Korea’
GolfSept. 12, 2024
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[Graphic News] Fruit leads as top Chuseok gift choice
A survey conducted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry on "Chuseok Gift Purchase Intentions" among 1,000 consumers aged 20 and older revealed that 56.2 percent of respondents plan to spend a similar amount on gifts as last year, while 29.1 percent indicated they would spend more. Fruit emerged as the most preferred Chuseok gift, chosen by 43.8 percent of respondents across all age groups. Following fruit were health supplements (32.4 percent), meat (30.5 percent), processed
Social AffairsSept. 11, 2024
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[Graphic News] Korea’s electricity demand soars to record high in August
South Korea’s electricity demand hit a historic peak in August, driven by the intense summer heat wave. According to the Korea Power Exchange, the nation’s peak power demand averaged 87.8 gigawatts, a 6.1 percent increase from the previous year. This surge in energy consumption was largely attributed to increased air conditioning usage amid the sweltering conditions. The Korea Meteorological Administration reported that August experienced 16 days where temperatures exceeded 33 degr
Social AffairsSept. 10, 2024
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[Graphic News] How to use emergency descent device
An investigation into the Bucheon hotel fire on Aug. 22 revealed that, despite the presence of emergency descent devices, none of the guests used them. This underscores the critical importance of understanding how to properly use these life-saving tools. Emergency descent devices are designed to safely lower individuals from heights of up to 10 floors using their body weight. In situations where rescue personnel may be delayed, these devices can be vital in preventing loss of life.
Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024
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[Graphic News] Number of foreign nationals entering Korea to study exceeds 200,000
The time high in the first half of this year, exceeding 200,000. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, 204,000 people visited for such purposes — a 50.6 percent increase from the same period last year. This growth is largely attributed to global interest in Korean culture, with visitors from China leading the way at 112,724 (55.2 percent). Other top countries include Vietnam, Japan, Mongolia and Uzbekistan. Experts credit the surge to the worldwide popularity of Korean music, film
Social AffairsSept. 5, 2024
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[Graphic News] Nearly 60% of Koreans see AI's benefits outweighing risks
A recent survey conducted by South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT found that 57 percent of South Korean nationals believe the benefits of artificial intelligence technology surpass its risks. Additionally, 23.7 percent of respondents felt that the risks and benefits were roughly equal, while 19.1 percent expressed concern that the potential risks outweighed the benefits. When asked about AI’s advantages, 30.6 percent of respondents highlighted “improved convenience in da
Social AffairsSept. 4, 2024
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[Graphic News] 1 in 3 workers taking parental leave are dads
According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, one in three workers who took parental leave in the first half of this year were fathers. From January to June, 69,631 workers began receiving parental leave benefits, excluding civil servants and teachers not enrolled in employment insurance. This represents a 3.2 percent increase from the same period last year, which had 67,465 recipients. By gender, 47,171 women (67.7 percent) took parental leave, a slight decrease of 1.8 percent from last
Social AffairsSept. 3, 2024
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[Graphic News] Kyochon tops brand rankings for chicken franchises
Recent data from the Korea Fair Trade Commission showed that franchises had grown to account for over 70 percent of the local fried chicken market. According to a recent big data analysis by Rankify, Kyochon Chicken claimed the leading position in the brand index rankings for South Korean chicken franchises, earning 20,135 points. Goobne Chicken followed in second place with 11,110 points. BHC Chicken secured third place, with 60Gye Chicken in fourth and Norang Tongdak rounding out the top fiv
Social AffairsSept. 2, 2024
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[Graphic News] Average book price nears 20,000 won
The cost of purchasing a book in South Korea is approaching 20,000 won ($14.80), according to recent research by the Korean Publishers Association. In 2023, the average book price was 18,633 won. Books in the miscellaneous category were the most expensive, with an average price of 24,517 won. Other high-priced categories included history (24,289 won), social science (24,203 won), and descriptive science (24,157 won). The study also revealed that 62,865 books were newly published in 2023, a 2.8
Social AffairsAug. 29, 2024
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[Graphic News] Paris 2024 Paralympics in numbers
The Paris 2024 Paralympics will take place from Aug. 28 to Sept. 8, marking the 17th edition of the international sports event and the first time Paris will host the Summer Paralympics. It is also France’s second time hosting a Paralympics, the first being the Tignes-Albertville 1992 Winter Paralympics. This year, for the first time, the Paralympics and Olympics will share the same logo: a combination of the Olympic rings and Paralympic Agitos symbol. South Korea aims to secure at least
More SportsAug. 28, 2024
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[Graphic News] Korean food exports rise 9.2%
South Korea’s exports of foodstuffs rose 9.2 percent on-year in the first seven months of 2024, data showed, led by sharp growth in instant noodle and processed rice products. Outbound shipments of food products came to $5.67 billion over the January-July period, compared with $5.18 billion tallied a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. By product, exports of instant noodles jumped 34 percent over the period to hit $699 million, with those of sn
MarketAug. 27, 2024
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[Graphic News] Singapore tops passport power rankings, Korea secures 3rd place
Singapore has once again claimed the title of the world's most powerful passport, according to the Henley Passport Index. Singaporean citizens can enjoy visa-free access to 195 countries, maintaining the city-state's top position from 2023. France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain share the second spot, offering visa-free access to 192 destinations out of 227. Meanwhile, an unprecedented seven-nation group holds the third position, with citizens from Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxemb
World NewsAug. 26, 2024
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[Graphic News] Average commute hits 48.4 minutes
The average daily commute for South Korean workers takes 48.4 minutes, with those living in Gyeonggi Province spending the most time on the road and experiencing the highest stress levels, according to a survey by Job Korea. The online recruiting company polled 1,010 people nationwide to assess the current status of work commutes. Workers in Gyeonggi Province reported the longest average commute at 58.2 minutes. Seoul residents followed with an average of 46.8 minutes, while those living outsi
Social AffairsAug. 23, 2024
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[Graphic News] Number of registered dogs and cats up 7.6% in 2023: data
The number of registered dogs and cats in South Korea rose 7.6 percent on-year in 2023, data showed. The figure reached 3.28 million in 2023, up from 3.05 million the previous year, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Dogs accounted for 3.24 million of the registrations, while cats made up approximately 40,000. In 2023, the number of newly registered dogs and cats came to 271,000, a decrease of 10.4 percent compared with the previous year. In Kore
Social AffairsAug. 22, 2024
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[Graphic News] No. of foreign doctors in S. Korea on rise amid medical walkout
The number of foreign medical doctors in South Korea has been on a steady increase, data showed, amid a prolonged walkout by doctors and trainee doctors here over a government-proposed spike in the medical school quota. The report comes amid plans by the Health Ministry to allow foreign medical doctors to practice medicine in the country without obtaining a local license. According to data submitted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to Rep. Kim Mi-ae of the ruling People Power Party, the n
Social AffairsAug. 21, 2024