[Graphic News] South Korea finalizes 26-man World Cup squad

South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo unveiled his final 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, pledging that the Taegeuk Warriors would enter the tournament with the mentality of “challengers.” Son Heung-min, Asia’s top striker and a South Korean soccer icon, was named to the squad alongside key Europe-based players including Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain, Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich and Lee Jae-sung of Mainz. Son is set to appear in his fourth consecutive World Cup following the 2014 Brazil

2026-06-01 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] Foreign residents drive domestic travel

Foreign residents in South Korea are becoming an important part of the country’s domestic tourism market, according to a report released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization. A survey of 1,000 foreign residents found that 69.1 percent took same-day trips and 58.8 percent traveled overnight between November 2024 and October 2025. Respondents averaged 3.7 day trips and two overnight trips per year. Nature and scenic destinations were the most popular tr

2026-05-29 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] Mideast conflict raises living costs, service prices

The war in the Middle East has driven oil product prices up by more than 20 percent, with the impact spreading to service costs such as car repairs, laundry fees and airfares. According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics, the cost-of-living index rose 2.9 percent on-year in April, while personal service prices gained 3.2 percent. The cost-of-living index, based on 144 commonly purchased items, had remained relatively stable until earlier this year, but has recently accelerated toward the 3 p

2026-05-28 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] Half of upper elementary students use smart devices for over 2 hours

Nearly one in two upper-grade elementary school students use smart devices, such as smartphones and tablets, for more than two hours a day after school, a survey showed. The Korean Teachers and Education Workers’ Union surveyed 2,804 elementary school students in grades 4 through 6 from April 9-22. Nearly half of them, or 49.2 percent, said they use smart devices for more than two hours after school. Specifically, 21.1 percent reported using smart devices for two to three hours, followed by 15.9

2026-05-27 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] Generational divide grows over pet-friendly restaurants

Though pet-friendly restaurants have continued to spread across South Korea, a recent survey showed widening generational differences over dining with pets in public spaces. According to a survey of 1,000 adults nationwide conducted by market research firm Embrain Trendmonitor, only 28.5 percent supported expanding pet-friendly restaurants, while 62.6 percent expected conflict between pet owners and non-pet owners. Another 70.6 percent said there is not enough social consensus on the issue. The

2026-05-21 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] Half of farming population is over 65

South Korea’s farming, forestry and fisheries communities are aging rapidly, with more than half now aged 65 or older, according to government data. The Ministry of Data and Statistics said about 2.58 million people live in households related to the sectors, accounting for roughly 5 percent of the country’s population. The number of households stood at around 1.27 million. Small households continued to rise in rural areas, with one- and two-person households making up about 80 percent of the tot

2026-05-20 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] Foreign patients in Korea top 2m for first time

The number of international patients visiting South Korea surpassed 2 million for the first time last year, setting a new record, government data showed. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, 2.01 million overseas patients sought medical treatment in Korea in 2025, the highest figure since related statistics began in 2009. After falling to around 110,000 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number has rebounded sharply since 2023, posting record highs for three consecutive years. Patient

2026-05-19 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] Field trips fade in Seoul schools

Only 3 in 10 elementary, middle and high schools in Seoul have conducted or planned field trips this year, according to data from the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, highlighting a sharp decline in student experiential learning programs. As of 2026, just 407 out of 1,331 schools, or 31 percent, planned one-day experiential learning activities, down significantly from 86 percent in 2023. Participation has fallen precipitously in recent years. The decline comes as many teachers have grown

2026-05-18 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] ChatGPT leads Korea AI app market

New data from Wiseapp Retail shows ChatGPT has pulled far ahead of rivals in both user base and growth in Korea’s generative AI app market. ChatGPT added 12.37 million monthly active users in March from a year earlier, the largest increase among major apps. Google’s Gemini followed with 7.18 million new users, while Grok AI, Claude and Perplexity posted gains of 1.58 million, 1.34 million and 700,000, respectively. ChatGPT also led in total users, reaching 23.29 million monthly active users as o

2026-05-15 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] Korea now has 1,300 public libraries

South Korea’s public libraries have exceeded 1,300 nationwide, while annual visits topped 230 million, reflecting improved access and rising use. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Library Association said that the number of public libraries stood at 1,328 as of end-2025, up 2.5 percent from a year earlier. The population served per library improved to 38,492, down about 1,000 on-year. Annual visits reached 230.53 million in 2025, up 2.8 percent from a year earlier. Librar

2026-05-14 08:00:00:00