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Social Affairs
[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
May 15, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[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
May 14, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Young Koreans in their 20s giving up on employment

Recent analyses show that about 1 in 5 discouraged job seekers are in their 20s, pointing to a growing number of young people abandoning the job search even before entering the labor market. According to microdata from Statistics Korea, 73,407 individuals in their 20s were classified as discouraged from job seeking as of March, accounting for 20.7 percent of the total 354,000. This marks the largest share among all age groups, exceeding those in their 30s (58,653), 40s (50,704), 50s (45,760) and
May 13, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Student obesity rises in Korea

About 3 in 10 South Korean students were classified as obese or overweight last year, reversing a four-year decline, government data showed. The share of students in the obesity group rose to 29.7 percent, up 0.4 percentage point from a year earlier. The figure marked a turnaround after three consecutive years of decline since 2021. By school level, the rate was highest among high school students at 31 percent, followed by elementary school students at 29.7 percent and middle school students at
May 12, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Cash tops wish list for Parents’ Day gifts: survey

Cash is the most preferred gift for Parents’ Day in South Korea, highlighting a continued shift toward practical forms of giving. According to Kakao Pay, 89 percent of 27,095 respondents to its “PayAttention” survey selected cash as their top choice. The result significantly outpaced other options, indicating a strong consensus among participants. Miscellaneous gifts ranked a distant second at 5 percent, while health supplements and travel were each cited by 2 percent, showing relatively limited
May 7, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Samsung Medical Center tops university hospital ranking

Samsung Medical Center ranked first in the inaugural comprehensive evaluation of South Korea’s university hospitals, jointly conducted by The Korea Economic Daily and the Institute of University Evaluation. It marks the first time hospitals in the country have been assessed across clinical performance, brand value and social contribution. The ranking was based on three categories: Key performance indicators (47 percent), patient experience and brand value (34 percent) and research & education (1
May 6, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Bestselling books of the past decade in Korea

Han Kang’s novels “The Vegetarian” and “Human Acts” were South Korea’s bestselling books over the past decade, according to Kyobo Bookstore, which released the list to mark World Book and Copyright Day on April 23. The ranking is based on combined online and offline sales from April 2016. “The Vegetarian,” first published in 2007, gained global recognition after winning the Man Booker International Prize in 2016, shared with translator Deborah Smith. Interest in Han’s work surged again in 2024 w
May 5, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] S. Korea’s cumulative EV registrations surpass 1m

South Korea’s cumulative electric vehicle registrations have surpassed the 1 million mark, with more than 100,000 EVs registered in the first four months of this year, government data showed. A total of 106,939 EVs were sold this year as of April 17, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment. Last year, the milestone was reached in seven months. In 2024, the figure only surpassed the 100,000-unit mark in September. This year, EVs accounted for more than 20 per
May 4, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Korean Gen Z favors travel centered on experience

Travel is increasingly becoming an experience-driven part of everyday life for South Korea’s Generation Z, according to Agoda’s 2026 Travel Outlook Report. Nearly half of South Korean Gen Z — generally adults born from 1997 onward, though not specified here — respondents (49 percent) said they plan to travel both domestically and overseas this year, 10 percentage points higher than the Asian average. Their travel motivations were led by outdoor activities (41 percent), cultural experiences (40 p
May 1, 2026 - 08:00:00
Market
[Graphic News] Coupang tops Korea’s e-commerce app users in Q1

Coupang was the most-used commerce application in South Korea in the first quarter of 2026, according to market research firm Wiseapp Retail Goods. The e-commerce giant recorded 33.25 million users during the January-March period, ranking first in monthly active users. Secondhand marketplace Karrot followed with 23.19 million users, while food delivery app Baemin came in third at 22.55 million. Other major platforms included Coupang Eats, fashion app Ably, beauty retailer Olive Young and Chinese
April 30, 2026 - 08:00:00
World Business
[Graphic News] Seoul ranks 8th in global financial index

Seoul ranked eighth globally in financial competitiveness, according to a recent report by UK-based consulting firm Z/Yen. In its 39th edition of the Global Financial Centers Index, Z/Yen evaluated 137 cities worldwide. The South Korean capital placed eighth in human capital, sixth in business environment, eighth in financial sector development and ninth in reputation. Seoul has remained in the top 10 for four consecutive years, climbing two spots from 10th place last year. The city ranked 53rd
April 29, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] 8 in 10 Koreans satisfied with life, highest since 2013

Eight in 10 South Koreans reported being satisfied with their lives, according to Statistics Korea. In its “2025 Social Indicators of Korea” report, the agency said 80.8 percent expressed overall life satisfaction, up 5.2 percentage points from a year earlier and the highest level since 2013. By age group, those in their 30s and 40s reported the highest satisfaction at 85.2 percent and 85 percent, respectively, while people aged 60 and older recorded the lowest at 75.1 percent. By income, respon
April 28, 2026 - 08:00:00
World Business
[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
April 27, 2026 - 08:00:02
WorldNews
[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
April 23, 2026 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[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
April 22, 2026 - 08:00:00