The Korea Herald Series

Latest News

Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Koreans prefer staying home for year-end: survey

Four out of 10 Korean adults plan to spend the year-end holidays at home and prefer receiving cash or gift cards as presents, according to a survey of 1,000 people conducted by Lotte Members via its in-house research platform, Lime. The survey found that 43.3 percent of respondents had already made year-end plans, up 12.9 percentage points from the previous year. Younger respondents were more likely to have plans, with 54.9 percent of those in their 20s reporting arranged activities, compared wi
Dec. 25, 2025 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Seoul ranks 10th in global future-ready cities index

In an inaugural ranking assessing global cities’ readiness for the future, London topped the list, recognized for its financial dynamism, cultural vitality and global reach. Seoul ranked 10th, praised for its focus on people-centric policies and innovation. The World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGO) released the 2025 Cities Future Readiness Index, a global benchmark evaluating 102 cities across 75 countries, including 41 WeGO members. The study was conducted in partnership with the D
Dec. 24, 2025 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Teaching remains top career choice for students

Teaching continues to be the most popular career choice among South Korean middle and high school students, despite ongoing incidents challenging teachers’ authority. High school students are increasingly interested in careers as biological scientists and researchers, rising from seventh to third place. A survey of 37,408 students, parents and teachers found that 70.5 percent of students expressed a preferred career. Satisfaction with career-related activities was highest for hands-on experience
Dec. 23, 2025 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Solitary deaths increased 7% last year

South Korea recorded nearly 4,000 solitary deaths in 2024, a 7.2 percent increase from 3,661 in 2023, amounting to 1.09 deaths per 100 overall deaths. More than 80 percent of the victims were men, with those in their 50s and 60s accounting for over 60 percent of all cases. Suicide accounted for 13.4 percent of all lonely deaths, but the proportion was higher among people in their 20s and 30s, among whom roughly half of the cases were tied to suicide. Most incidents occurred in houses (48.9 perce
Dec. 22, 2025 - 08:00:00
Soccer
[Graphic News] S. Korea kicks off 2026 World Cup journey

South Korea has been drawn into Group A for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, alongside co-host Mexico, South Africa and the eventual winner of European playoff Group D, which includes Denmark, the Czech Republic, Ireland and North Macedonia. The final European qualifier will be decided on April 1, 2026. The tournament will run from June 11 to July 19, featuring 104 matches over 39 days. South Korea’s group-stage schedule has been fully confirmed and will take place entirely in Mexico. Korea will open it
Dec. 19, 2025 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Global arms sales soar

With wars still raging in Ukraine and Gaza, global arms sales reached a new high last year, according to a report. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said in its annual analysis that the combined revenues of the world’s top 100 arms producers rose 5.9 percent in 2024, reaching $679 billion. SIPRI attributed the latest growth primarily to companies in Europe and the US, noting that total revenues of the top 100 firms have increased 26 percent over the past decade. South Korea’s
Dec. 18, 2025 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Unprecedented surge in bear attacks in Japan

Japan has seen an unprecedented rise in bear attacks in 2025, with incidents reaching record levels nationwide. Between April and November 2025, 230 people were attacked by bears, resulting in injuries or deaths. This is the highest figure ever recorded for that period, according to preliminary data from Japan’s Ministry of the Environment. Fatalities have also hit a record high, with 13 deaths reported as of late November. The surge, particularly in northeastern prefectures such as Akita, Iwate
Dec. 17, 2025 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Paid TV subscriptions continue to decline in H1

The number of paid TV subscribers in South Korea fell for the third consecutive half-year period in the first half of 2025, amid the rising popularity of streaming services, government data showed. A total of 36.22 million people subscribed to traditional cable or satellite TV packages or internet protocol television as of end-June, down by 138,000, or 0.38 percent, from six months earlier, according to data from the Korea Media and Communications Commission. The half-year figure has been declin
Dec. 16, 2025 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] JYP named world’s most sustainable company

South Korean multinational record label JYP Entertainment has been ranked the world’s most sustainable company, according to a new study. The report, released by Time magazine in the United States and German data platform Statista, evaluated 500 companies based on revenue growth, financial stability and environmental impact. JYP placed third last year but rose to the top this year with 97.59 out of 100 points, showing strong performance across all three evaluation categories. Two other Korean co
Dec. 15, 2025 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Fried chicken tops global K-food favorites

Korean fried chicken has emerged as the most popular Korean food abroad, reflecting growing global interest in Korean cuisine as the country’s content continues to gain international popularity. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korean Food Promotion Institute released the results of a survey of 11,000 consumers across 22 major global cities on overseas Korean food consumption. Korean fried chicken ranked as the most preferred Korean food, followed by kimchi, bibimbap a
Dec. 11, 2025 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Samsung Electronics tops corporate donations

Samsung Electronics has topped the list of corporate donations made over the first nine months of 2025, although the volume of its donations declined from a year earlier, a report showed. The South Korean tech giant donated 110.4 billion won ($75.5 million) over the January-September period, down 22 percent from the previous year, according to data released by industry tracker CEO Score. The state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. followed next with 109.2 billion won in donations, and Hyundai Motor
Dec. 10, 2025 - 08:00:03
More sports
[Graphic News] Lee Sang-hwa’s 12-year record falls, legacy endures

The women’s 500-meter speed skating world record, held by South Korea’s Lee Sang-hwa for 12 years, has been broken. Femke Kok of the Netherlands set a new world record with a time of 36.09 seconds in the women’s 500 during the first round of the 2025-2026 ISU Speed Skating World Cup, surpassing Lee’s long-standing mark by 0.27 seconds. Lee’s was one of the most dominant sprinters in speed skating history. She captured back-to-back Olympic gold medals in the 500 meters at the 2010 Vancouver and 2
Dec. 9, 2025 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] 2025 voice phishing losses surpass W1tr

This year’s annual voice phishing damage exceeded 1,056,600,000,000 won ($718 million) in just the first 10 months, marking the first time losses have surpassed 1 trillion won. According to the Korean National Police Agency, voice phishing losses had decreased from 774.4 billion won in 2021 to 447.2 billion won in 2023, but surged to 854.5 billion won last year and have now exceeded 1 trillion won. While the number of cases has declined, from 30,982 in 2021 to 19,972 this year, the average loss
Dec. 8, 2025 - 08:00:05
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Seoul ranks 5th among world’s richest cities

Seoul has ranked fifth among the world’s richest cities for 2025, according to CEOWorld magazine, with Tokyo topping the list at a gross domestic product of $2.55 trillion, narrowly ahead of the New York metropolitan area at $2.49 trillion, based on a survey of 300 major metropolitans worldwide. Tokyo’s strength comes from decades of technological innovation, automotive engineering and precision manufacturing. The city combines innovation with infrastructure, making its transportation, networks
Dec. 4, 2025 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] International marriages on the rise in Korea

The number of international marriages in Korea last year reached its highest level since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Births to parents from such marriages also increased by 1,000 from the previous year, marking the first rise in 12 years. According to data released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics, there were 21,450 marriages last year between a Korean national and a foreign or naturalized spouse, up 5 percent from the year before. However, their share of all marriages declined from 10.6
Dec. 2, 2025 - 08:00:00