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Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Half of upper elementary students use smart devices for over 2 hours

Nearly one in two upper-grade elementary school students use smart devices, such as smartphones and tablets, for more than two hours a day after school, a survey showed. The Korean Teachers and Education Workers’ Union surveyed 2,804 elementary school students in grades 4 through 6 from April 9-22. Nearly half of them, or 49.2 percent, said they use smart devices for more than two hours after school. Specifically, 21.1 percent reported using smart devices for two to three hours, followed by 15.9
May 27, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Generational divide grows over pet-friendly restaurants

Though pet-friendly restaurants have continued to spread across South Korea, a recent survey showed widening generational differences over dining with pets in public spaces. According to a survey of 1,000 adults nationwide conducted by market research firm Embrain Trendmonitor, only 28.5 percent supported expanding pet-friendly restaurants, while 62.6 percent expected conflict between pet owners and non-pet owners. Another 70.6 percent said there is not enough social consensus on the issue. The
May 21, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Half of farming population is over 65

South Korea’s farming, forestry and fisheries communities are aging rapidly, with more than half now aged 65 or older, according to government data. The Ministry of Data and Statistics said about 2.58 million people live in households related to the sectors, accounting for roughly 5 percent of the country’s population. The number of households stood at around 1.27 million. Small households continued to rise in rural areas, with one- and two-person households making up about 80 percent of the tot
May 20, 2026 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Foreign patients in Korea top 2m for first time

The number of international patients visiting South Korea surpassed 2 million for the first time last year, setting a new record, government data showed. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, 2.01 million overseas patients sought medical treatment in Korea in 2025, the highest figure since related statistics began in 2009. After falling to around 110,000 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number has rebounded sharply since 2023, posting record highs for three consecutive years. Patient
May 19, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Field trips fade in Seoul schools

Only 3 in 10 elementary, middle and high schools in Seoul have conducted or planned field trips this year, according to data from the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, highlighting a sharp decline in student experiential learning programs. As of 2026, just 407 out of 1,331 schools, or 31 percent, planned one-day experiential learning activities, down significantly from 86 percent in 2023. Participation has fallen precipitously in recent years. The decline comes as many teachers have grown
May 18, 2026 - 08:00:00
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