[Graphic News] Korean cosmetics exports hit record $3.1b in Q1

South Korea’s cosmetics exports rose to a record $3.1 billion in the first quarter of 2026, marking a 19 percent increase from a year earlier, data from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety showed. While outbound shipments in January and February remained largely in line with last year’s levels, exports in March jumped 29.3 percent on-year to $1.19 billion, lifting the quarterly total to an all-time high. By destination, the United States ranked as the largest market, accounting for $620 million

2026-04-27 08:00:02:00

[Graphic News] 7 in 10 overseas have favorable view of Korean culture

Seven in 10 foreign nationals view South Korea’s cultural content favorably, with K-pop remaining the country’s most culturally representative aspect for the ninth consecutive year, a government study showed. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the International Exchange and Cultural Promotion Institute surveyed 274,000 people across 30 countries who have experienced Korean culture. Overall, 69.7 percent expressed interest in Korean cultural content, with respondents in Southeast Asi

2026-04-23 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] AI engineers top fastest-growing jobs in US

With the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, AI engineer has emerged as the fastest-growing job in the United States. According to LinkedIn, AI engineers ranked No. 1 in hiring growth over the past two years. The analysis is based on millions of job listings posted by LinkedIn members between Jan. 1, 2023, and July 31, 2025. AI-related roles dominated the top 10 list, underscoring strong demand across industries. AI consultants and strategists ranked second, while data annotators, who la

2026-04-22 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] National Museum of Korea ranks 3rd globally in visitors

The National Museum of Korea ranked third in the world for visitor numbers in 2025, surpassing the British Museum and New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, according to industry data. The South Korean museum drew 6.5 million visitors in 2025, a 70 percent increase from the previous year, British publication The Art Newspaper reported in its annual visitor survey. The National Museum of Korea trailed only the Louvre in Paris, which topped the list with 9 million visitors, and the Vatican Museums

2026-04-21 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] Samsung retakes global smartphone lead in Q1

Samsung Electronics reclaimed the top spot in the global smartphone market in the first quarter, after losing the annual lead to Apple in 2025. According to market tracker Omdia, Samsung posted a 22 percent market share, surpassing Apple’s 20 percent. The rebound was driven by strong demand for Samsung’s premium lineup and solid preorders for the Galaxy S26 series, with global preorders rising more than 10 percent from the previous S25 series. Apple also recorded robust sales, supported by conti

2026-04-20 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] Most consumers oppose paying for banchan refills: survey

A recent survey showed that most South Korean consumers oppose charging for side-dish (banchan) refills at restaurants. Among 1,000 adults nationwide, 64.8 percent said they were uncomfortable with paid refills, while 42.3 percent said they would stop visiting restaurants that introduced them. Consumers also emphasized the importance of the service, with 81 percent saying they preferred restaurants that proactively offered refills, while 72.8 percent said they would avoid restaurants reluctant t

2026-04-17 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] 1 in 3 students struggle to read long passages: survey

Nearly 1 in 3 high school students in South Korea has difficulty concentrating on long texts, a survey showed. According to a survey of 3,525 students conducted by Jinhaksa, 30.6 percent said they struggle to focus on reading for more than 10 minutes. Another 28.5 percent gave neutral responses, suggesting a substantial share hover near the threshold of adequate reading concentration. The findings were linked to the widespread use of short-form video platforms. Some 57.9 percent of respondents s

2026-04-16 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] Fewer Koreans see supporting parents as child’s duty: survey

The traditional belief in Korean society that children should support their parents is weakening, a survey conducted by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs showed. Only about 1 in 5 respondents said children should provide such support. In the 2025 survey of 7,300 households, 47.6 percent said they opposed the idea, while just 3.15 percent strongly supported it. Overall, the share of those opposed was more than twice those in favor. Opposition was high across income groups. Among b

2026-04-15 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] 460 items lost each day on Seoul subway

Cash, wallets, bread from popular bakeries and even “sold-out craze” items were among the items lost in the Seoul subway last year, averaging 460 cases per day. According to Seoul Metro, a total of 167,738 lost items were reported in 2025, up roughly 10 percent from 152,540 in 2024. Wallets were the most frequently lost item with 36,387 cases, followed by clothing (27,226), bags (20,662), mobile phones (19,966) and valuables (11,064). Cash recovered from the subway totaled 580.9 million won last

2026-04-14 08:00:03:00

[Graphic News] Seven in 10 report discomfort from poor sleep quality: survey

A recent study shows that 7 in 10 South Korean adults sleep less than seven hours per day, below the recommended level. The 2026 Korea Sleep Health Report, published by Simmons Korea and the Korean Society of Sleep Medicine, found that 69.2 percent of adults aged 19 to 69 fall short of recommended sleep, based on a survey of 1,000 respondents. The largest share, 38.5 percent, reported sleeping 6 to 7 hours, followed by 5 to 6 hours (25 percent). More than 72 percent said they experience daytime

2026-04-13 08:00:00:00