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Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Korea’s alcohol consumption sees record decline

South Koreans’ spending on alcoholic beverages posted its steepest decline on record in the first quarter, extending a prolonged downturn in alcohol consumption. Average monthly household spending on alcoholic beverages, adjusted for inflation, fell 9 percent on-year to 13,000 won ($8.60) in the January-March period, according to data from the Korean Statistical Information Service. The decline was the largest since comparable quarterly data became available in 2019. Real spending on alcohol has
June 25, 2026 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Hong Kong tops offshore wealth rankings

Hong Kong has overtaken Switzerland to become the world’s largest offshore wealth hub, according to Boston Consulting Group. The city’s cross-border wealth reached $2.9 trillion last year, up 10.7 percent from a year earlier, narrowly surpassing Switzerland, the offshore wealth of which grew 7.6 percent. The growth was driven largely by capital inflows from mainland China, which accounted for about 60 percent of Hong Kong’s offshore assets. BCG expects the gap between Hong Kong and Switzerland t
June 24, 2026 - 08:00:04
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Seoul tops global ranking of most walkable cities

Seoul has been named the world’s most walkable city for 2026, surpassing major tourist destinations such as New York City and Edinburgh. British travel and culture magazine Time Out released the ranking based on a survey of about 24,000 residents across major cities worldwide. The survey assessed various aspects of urban life, including nightlife, street food, dating, public transportation and pedestrian accessibility. Seoul earned high scores for its compact urban structure, which allows visito
June 18, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Population movement up 6% on property market boom

The number of South Koreans relocating to new regions moved up 6.3 percent in April from a year earlier amid the growing number of houses traded in the country, data showed. Around 506,000 people changed residences in April, up 30,000 from a year earlier, according to the data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics. The rising number of people changing residences came amid the recent rebound in the country's housing market. The number of homes bought and sold in March came to 71,975, up 7 perc
June 17, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Hangang Bus sets monthly ridership record

The Hangang Bus, which began regular service in September 2025, recorded a monthly ridership high of 91,126 passengers in May, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Ridership has risen steadily since full-route operations resumed in March, increasing from 62,491 passengers in March to 76,488 in April and 91,126 in May. Average daily ridership also grew from about 2,000 to 2,900 passengers, with a single-day record of 5,584 passengers on May 1. Cumulative ridership has surpassed 330,000
June 16, 2026 - 08:00:00
Soccer
[Graphic News] New rules at the 2026 World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has introduced several rule changes aimed at reducing time-wasting and increasing active playing time. Among the most notable measures were stricter limits on throw-ins, goal kicks and substitutions, as FIFA sought to improve match flow and discourage tactical delays.
June 15, 2026 - 08:00:00
Soccer
[Graphic News] World Cup by the numbers

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest ever, featuring 48 teams, 104 games and three host nations: the United States, Canada and Mexico. FIFA expanded the tournament from 32 teams, adding more group-stage matches and a new round of 32 in the knockout stage. The United States will host 78 of the games, including all quarterfinals, semifinals and the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Mexico and Canada will each stage 13 games, with Mexico hosting the opening match on June 11 in Mexico C
June 11, 2026 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Wine consumption slides in 2025

Global wine consumption fell 2.7 percent last year to 208 million hectoliters, marking a 14 percent decline since 2018, according to the International Organization of Vine and Wine. The downturn was driven by inflation, weakened purchasing power, shifting lifestyles and social habits, as well as declining alcohol consumption among younger generations. Nine of the world’s top 10 wine markets recorded lower sales volumes last year, with the United States, France and China leading the declines. In
June 10, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Infertility treatments rise nearly 40% in 4 years

Infertility treatment procedures in South Korea rose nearly 40 percent over four years, according to data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. A total of 203,101 procedures, including discontinued cycles, were performed in 2023, up 38.9 percent from 146,354 in 2019. By procedure type, artificial insemination fell 12.2 percent to 31,591 cases over the cited period, while in vitro fertilization jumped 55.4 percent to 171,510 cases. Single-cause infertility accounted for 67.5 pe
June 9, 2026 - 08:00:00
Soccer
[Graphic News] Korea World Cup kits rank 21st, 35th

ESPN has ranked the 48 kits for the 2026 FIFA World Cup based on visual appeal, placing South Korea’s uniforms in the middle-to-lower tier of the list. The national team's away kit ranked 21st, while its home kit came in 35th. The lavender away kit drew praise for its distinctive color scheme and glow-in-the-dark logo, though it fell short of the top tier. The red-and-black home kit, inspired by a tiger motif, was considered a solid design but lacked the originality to stand out among the tourna
June 8, 2026 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] S. Korea TOEIC ranking rises to 5th in Asia

South Korea’s average TOEIC score rose to 682 last year, up four points from a year earlier and ranking 17th among 39 countries and fifth in Asia, according to the Korea TOEIC Committee under YBM. The Test of English for International Communication, better known as TOEIC, is a standardized English-language test widely used to assess workplace English proficiency among non-native speakers. Germany recorded the highest average score at 851, followed by Lebanon at 850, Belgium at 780, Italy at 776
June 3, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] 3 in 4 young Koreans have no religion

About 3 out of 4 South Koreans in their 20s have no religious affiliation, underscoring rising disinterest among younger generations and a broader trend of religious aging, according to survey data. A Gallup Korea survey found that 40 percent of Korean adults currently identify as religious -- 18 percent Protestant, 16 percent Buddhist and 6 percent Catholic. The share of religious adults rose from 44 percent in 1983 to a peak of 54 percent in 2004, before declining to 37 percent in 2022 and reb
June 2, 2026 - 08:00:00
Soccer
[Graphic News] South Korea finalizes 26-man World Cup squad

South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo unveiled his final 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, pledging that the Taegeuk Warriors would enter the tournament with the mentality of “challengers.” Son Heung-min, Asia’s top striker and a South Korean soccer icon, was named to the squad alongside key Europe-based players including Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain, Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich and Lee Jae-sung of Mainz. Son is set to appear in his fourth consecutive World Cup following the 2014 Brazil
June 1, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Foreign residents drive domestic travel

Foreign residents in South Korea are becoming an important part of the country’s domestic tourism market, according to a report released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization. A survey of 1,000 foreign residents found that 69.1 percent took same-day trips and 58.8 percent traveled overnight between November 2024 and October 2025. Respondents averaged 3.7 day trips and two overnight trips per year. Nature and scenic destinations were the most popular tr
May 29, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Mideast conflict raises living costs, service prices

The war in the Middle East has driven oil product prices up by more than 20 percent, with the impact spreading to service costs such as car repairs, laundry fees and airfares. According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics, the cost-of-living index rose 2.9 percent on-year in April, while personal service prices gained 3.2 percent. The cost-of-living index, based on 144 commonly purchased items, had remained relatively stable until earlier this year, but has recently accelerated toward the 3 p
May 28, 2026 - 08:00:00