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Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Foreign tourists explore Seoul’s markets, hiking trails

Foreign tourists in Seoul are increasingly visiting traditional markets and hiking trails beyond the city’s well-known attractions, a report showed. Dongdaemun Design Plaza recorded the largest year-on-year increase in foreign visitors at 12.1 percent in 2025, followed by Achasan at 11.8 percent, according to a report by the Seoul AI Foundation, a city-run research institute. Other locations also saw notable increases, with the Hongdae area and Naksan Park both recording a 10.5 percent year-on-y
Aug. 20, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Number of registered pets tops 3.6m in 2025: data

The number of dogs, cats and other pets registered in South Korea rose by more than 5 percent on-year last year, data showed. The figure reached 3.67 million in 2025, up 5.3 percent from a year earlier, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Newly registered animals declined 4.9 percent to some 247,000 over the cited period. In South Korea, dog owners are required to register their pets with the authorities, while cat registration remains optional, as
Aug. 18, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Theater ticket revenue hits record high

South Korea’s theater ticket revenue more than doubled in the first half of this year from a year earlier, driven by the popularity of high-priced, large-scale productions based on global intellectual properties. According to the Korean Performing Arts Box Office Information System, theater ticket revenue reached 75.9 billion won ($51.2 million) from January to June, the highest since records began in 2014 and more than double the 37 billion won recorded a year earlier. The surge was driven larg
Aug. 13, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Heat wave reshapes summer mobility

A study shows that temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius are reshaping summer mobility in South Korea, driving people away from outdoor destinations and toward air-conditioned indoor facilities. TMAP Mobility analyzed destination search data from late July to early August, compared with the same period last year. Searches in the shopping category rose 5.2 percent, led by hypermarkets, up 26.2 percent, and department stores, up 4.5 percent. Searches for indoor cultural venues also surged, wit
Aug. 12, 2026 - 08:00:00
Market
[Graphic News] S. Korea’s fruit exports hit record high in H1: customs agency

South Korea’s fruit exports reached a record high in the first half of 2026, customs data showed, driven by global demand for premium products and improved shipping. Fruit exports during the January-June period reached $95.72 million, up 19.7 percent from a year earlier, according to the Korea Customs Service. The figure for all of 2025 stood at a record $240 million. The agency attributed the robust performance to South Korea’s strategy of offering premium products tailored to different markets
Aug. 6, 2026 - 08:00:00
Baseball
[Graphic News] KBO attendance, seat occupancy hit record highs

The Korea Baseball Organization continues to draw record crowds, with the leaguewide average stadium occupancy rate reaching 86.7 percent through July 25, up from 82.2 percent last season. Average attendance rose to 17,996 fans per game from 17,101. At the current pace, total attendance is projected to reach around 12.96 million all combined, putting the league on track for a third consecutive season with more than 10 million spectators and within reach of 13 million for the first time. The Hanw
Aug. 4, 2026 - 08:00:07
Market
[Graphic News] Eco-friendly cars account for half of new car registrations in H1

Eco-friendly vehicles accounted for half of new car registrations in South Korea in the first half of this year, driven by a sharp increase in electric vehicle sales, an auto market tracker said. It marked the first time eco-friendly vehicles accounted for more than half of new car registrations in the January-June period, according to the CarIsYou Data Research Center, which cited government data. In the first six months of the year, registrations of eco-friendly vehicles — including battery el
Aug. 3, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Tumblers become daily essentials

Tumblers have evolved from a lifestyle trend into an everyday necessity, with most consumers using them several times a week, according to a survey by Thermos Korea and Gallup Korea. The survey of 3,000 adults aged 20-54 in seven major South Korean cities found that 62.4 percent use a tumbler or thermos bottle at least three times a week, including 33.2 percent who said they use one almost every day. Most respondents (61.1 percent) said they purchased a tumbler to keep beverages at the desired t
July 31, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Package theft tops single-person households' vacation worries

Package theft is the biggest concern for single-person households leaving home for summer vacations, a survey showed. According to a survey conducted by Korean security company S-1 Corp. of 7,556 customers who use its services, 60.3 percent said they plan to leave their homes for summer vacations or extended trips this summer. The survey found clear differences in the concerns of single-person and multiperson households when leaving their homes vacant. Among single-person households, 59.1 percen
July 29, 2026 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Korean work hours fall, still above OECD

The average annual working hours for South Koreans fell by 32 hours last year from the previous year but remain nearly 100 hours longer than the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development average, data showed. South Korea’s average annual working hours came to 1,833 hours in 2025, down from 1,865 hours the previous year, according to the OECD. Amid the South Korean government’s efforts to reduce real working hours, including the introduction of the 52-hour workweek system in 2018, the
July 27, 2026 - 08:00:00
K-pop
[Graphic News] Foreign spending in S. Korea hits fresh high in May

Monthly spending by foreign tourists in South Korea reached a record high of over 1.4 trillion won ($913 million) in May, marking the third consecutive month foreign spending surpassed 1 trillion won, data showed. Credit card spending by inbound travelers came to 1.41 trillion won in May, up 73.7 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Tourism Organization. Spending by foreign travelers surpassed 1 trillion won for the first time in March, as global fans of K-pop megast
July 24, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] 98% of Korean parents back smartphone limits

Nearly all Korean parents believe their children’s smartphone use should be restricted, reflecting growing concerns over its impact, according to a recent survey. Rep. Kim Young-ho of the Democratic Party of Korea, chair of the National Assembly's Education Committee, surveyed about 51,000 parents of elementary, middle and high school students in Seoul, Incheon and South Gyeongsang Province. Some 98.1 percent of respondents supported restricting smartphone use. Their top concerns were exposure t
July 22, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Summer travel trends shift toward indoor venues

South Koreans are increasingly opting for indoor cultural and entertainment venues over traditional summer vacation destinations, according to the Korea Tourism Organization. Based on T Map destination search data for July and August 2025, Coex ranked as the most searched destination, followed by Everland and Sokcho Beach. Other popular destinations included the National Museum of Korea, Caribbean Bay and Kintex, highlighting growing demand for exhibitions, shopping and cultural experiences. Pre
July 20, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] S. Korea’s foreign medical spending hits record high

Foreign tourists spent a record $180 million on medical services in South Korea in May, up 74.6 percent from a year earlier, according to the Korea Tourism Organization. Dermatology led demand at 57.8 percent of spending, followed by plastic surgery at 18 percent. The surge in medical spending was largely driven by the growth of pharmacies, which had accounted for less than 5 percent of spending but surpassed 10 percent for the first time this year, reaching a record share in May. Chinese visito
July 16, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Samgyetang price gap widens

The price gap between preparing samgyetang at home and eating it at a restaurant has widened ahead of the summer season, with dining out costing nearly twice as much as home cooking. According to Korea Price Information, the cost of samgyetang ingredients for a family of four came to 35,260 won ($25.60), or about 8,800 won per person. That was down 2.8 percent from a year earlier but up 12.5 percent from 2022. The year-on-year decline was largely due to lower glutinous rice prices. By comparison
July 14, 2026 - 08:00:00