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Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Over 160 dead or missing due to maritime accidents in 2024: data

More than 160 people died or went missing in maritime accidents in South Korea last year, government data showed. In 2024, 3,255 maritime accidents occurred in the country, up 5.3 percent from 2023, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. In the accidents, a total of 164 people were killed or went missing, up 74.5 percent from the corresponding tally for 2023. In detail, there were 706 major accidents, such as collision, capsizing and sinking, with collisions betw
April 14, 2025 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Age at which Koreans start to use makeup causes concerns

As the age at which South Koreans begin using makeup continues to fall, concerns about makeup’s impact on health are growing. According to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, which surveyed 9,274 elementary school students, 4,678 secondary school students and a total of 13,952 makeup users, 11 percent (1,025) of elementary school students and 25.6 percent (1,196) of secondary school students reported using makeup. The most common age to begin using makeup was between fift
April 10, 2025 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] ChatGPT dominates generative AI app market in Korea

ChatGPT has emerged as the most widely used generative AI app among Korean smartphone users across all age groups, according to a survey by market research firm Wiseapp Retail Goods. The survey, conducted from March 3-9 across Android and iOS platforms, reveals that ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, leads the generative AI app market in Korea. Among users under 20, ChatGPT was the top choice, followed by Wrtn. For those in their 20s and 30s, ChatGPT ranked first, with Wrtn and Perplexity trailing. U
April 9, 2025 - 08:00:00
Politics
[Graphic News] 8 in 10 Koreans accept Constitutional Court’s ruling

A survey released on Sunday found that 8 out of 10 people in South Korea said they accept the Constitutional Court’s decision on Friday to uphold the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, removing him from office over his declaration of martial law in December. The survey, conducted by Gallup Korea and commissioned by the Seoul Economic Daily, polled 1,012 people aged 18 or older nationwide on April 4–5. The results revealed that 81 percent of respondents said they “accept” the Constitutional
April 8, 2025 - 08:00:00
Politics
[Graphic News] Major controversies associated with past South Korean presidents

The Constitutional Court removed former President Yoon Suk Yeol from office on Friday over his declaration of martial law on Dec. 3. Below is a summary of the struggles faced by past presidents.
April 7, 2025 - 08:00:00
Market
[Graphic News] Soju exports hit record high

Korean soju is gaining global popularity, with exports surpassing $200 million for the first time last year, according to the Korea Customs Service. The positive trend continued in 2025, with exports in both January and February showing a 0.5 percent increase in overall sales. The expansion of Hallyu and the growing preference for low-alcohol beverages have contributed to the rising interest in high-quality Korean liquor, which has fueled the growth in soju exports. In total, the export volume r
April 3, 2025 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Nearly 1 in 10 seniors have dementia

Nearly 1 out of 10 over-65s in South Korea suffer from dementia, with the number of dementia patients expected to surpass 1 million next year, data showed. The number of dementia patients has reached 970,000 as of 2025, accounting for 9.17 percent of those aged 65 or older, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. The figure is anticipated to surpass the 1 million mark next year and the 2 million mark in 2044. The ministry said the proportion of dementia cases
April 2, 2025 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Major earthquake hits Myanmar

A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar, causing significant loss of life. As of March 31, more than 17,000 people have been reported dead due to the earthquake. The quake also shook neighboring Thailand, including the greater Bangkok area, home to around 17 million people, and caused a skyscraper under construction to collapse. On the earthquake magnitude scale, a quake over 7.0 is considered major and can cause serious damage, while a magnitude over 8.0 is classified as mass
April 1, 2025 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Largest wildfires in South Korea’s history

In March 2025, South Korea experienced the most devastating wildfires in its history, affecting multiple regions with unprecedented severity. The fires started in Uiseong, South Gyeongsang Province, and rapidly spread to neighboring areas including nearby Sangcheong, as well as Andong, Yeongdeok and Yeongyang in North Gyeongsang Province and Ulsan. As of March 30, the wildfires affected an area of 48,238 hectares, which is 166 times the size of Yeouido (290 hectares) in Seoul. The disaster has r
March 31, 2025 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Ukraine tops arms imports; South Korea 10th in exports, 12th in imports

Ukraine has emerged as the world’s largest importer of weapons over the past five years, according to a report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute in Sweden. The report reveals that Ukraine’s arms imports from 2020 to 2024 surged nearly 100-fold compared to the previous five years, now accounting for 8.8 percent of global arms imports. The United States continues to dominate the global arms export market, with a 21 percent increase in arms sales between 2020 and 2024, suppl
March 26, 2025 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] 64% of Seoul residents support raising age at which subway rides become free

A survey conducted by the Seoul City Council reveals that six out of ten Seoul residents believe the current age of those eligible to ride the city’s metro service for free - set at 65 - should be raised. The survey, which was conducted last year, involved 1,144 participants aged 19 and older and was conducted both online and offline. The survey findings show that the largest proportion of respondents were in their 50s (18.4 percent), followed by those in their 30s (17.7 percent), 40s (17.2 perc
March 25, 2025 - 08:00:00
Baseball
[Graphic News] Judge and Ohtani lead most powerful MLB hitters of 2025

The inaugural Hitter Power Rankings of 2025, compiled by MLB.com experts, spotlight the top offensive talents poised to define the upcoming MLB season. Leading the list is Yankees’ outfielder Aaron Judge, whose remarkable performance over the past three seasons includes a .304 batting average, .433 on-base percentage, .674 slugging percentage, and an average of 52 home runs per season. Following closely is Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers, who led the National League in multiple offensive categories
March 24, 2025 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Spring blooming delayed by colder weather

According to the Korea Forest Service’s predictions, which include the blooming periods of plants such as Korean azaleas and cherry trees, 2025’s blossoms will come slightly later than last year. Average temperatures dropped to minus 1.8 degrees Celsius from December to February, 2.5 degrees lower than last year. The colder winter is expected to lead spring flowers to emerge a little later. Starting from Jeju Island in mid march, blooming season is expected to gradually spread across the souther
March 20, 2025 - 08:00:00
Baseball
[Graphic News] Kim Kwang-hyun becomes KBO’s highest-paid player

SSG Landers pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun has become the highest-paid player in Korean professional baseball, securing an annual salary of approximately 3 billion won ($2.06 million) for the 2025 season, according to a report from the Korea Baseball Organization. Kim’s standout performance in the 2024 season, which included 13 wins, 3 losses and a 2.12 ERA, helped lead SSG to a Korean Series championship and earned him the top spot in the league’s ERA rankings. Following Kim, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Hanwha
March 19, 2025 - 21:25:47
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Air New Zealand named world’s safest airline; Korean Air 8th

Air New Zealand has claimed the title of the world’s safest airline for 2025. According to AirlineRatings.com, which evaluates the safety and service quality of airlines globally, the airline outperformed 384 other carriers, including Australia’s Qantas, to secure the coveted title in this year’s rankings of “full-service” airlines. Air New Zealand edged ahead of Qantas in the rankings, with the two airlines separated by just 1.5 points. Qantas, which topped the list in 2023, slipped in the rank
March 18, 2025 - 08:00:00