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Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Hotel Shilla CEO Lee Boo-jin named Korea’s top female CEO

The Asia Brand Research Institute, a big data evaluation agency, announced that Hotel Shilla CEO Lee Boo-jin has been named the top female CEO on its K-Brand Index. The index measures brand influence by combining multiple indicators, including media exposure, social media activity, public sentiment, community engagement and artificial intelligence-based metrics. The assessment analyzed roughly 52.43 million online data points collected in December 2025, focusing on the top 30 female CEOs in Kore
Feb. 23, 2026 - 08:00:00
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[Graphic News] Global survey shows record 82% have positive view of Korea

More than 8 out of 10 of respondents in an international survey expressed a favorable view of Korea, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The ministry’s 2025 Survey on Korea’s National Image showed that overall favorability rose 3.3 percentage points from the previous year to 82.3 percent, the highest level since the survey began in 2018. By region, people in the Middle East and Southeast Asia showed the strongest fondness for Korea. The United Arab Emirates ranked first at
Feb. 20, 2026 - 08:00:00
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[Graphic News] Olympic first: Ski mountaineering

The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, the 25th edition of the Winter Games, features eight sports and 16 disciplines, with 116 gold medals up for grabs, including the Olympic debut of ski mountaineering. Long practiced in the Alps, the sport was approved by the International Olympic Committee in 2019 upon lobbying by the International Ski Mountaineering Federation, which emphasized its growing global participation, sustainability and natural fit with the host region’s alpine terrain. Ski mount
Feb. 19, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Japan tops Koreans’ Lunar New Year travel searches

According to global travel platform Skyscanner, Japan was the most searched destination among Korean travelers ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, known locally as Seollal, accounting for 51.6 percent of total searches. China and Vietnam followed, each scoring 12.7 percent, highlighting a strong shift toward short-haul overseas travel. The trend marks a sharp contrast from last year, when a temporary public holiday created a nine-day Lunar New Year break. The extended holiday boosted domestic t
Feb. 13, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Prices of ingredients put squeeze on Dubai chewy cookie craze

Prices of kadayif and pistachios, the main ingredients in the viral Dubai chewy cookie, or “dujjonku” — popular especially with people in their 20s and 30s — have surged sharply, putting pressure on small business owners. Pistachio imports spiked to 372 metric tons in December last year, up sharply from 93 tons in August, while the import price per ton nearly doubled from $8,800 to $16,800. Kadayif prices also rose about 85 percent, from 13,000 won ($8.90) per kilogram late last year to around 2
Feb. 12, 2026 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Portugal leads world in wine consumption

The world’s highest wine consumers are not the French or Italians — it is the Portuguese, according to recent data. A 2024 report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the International Organization of Vine and Wine shows that Portugal’s average wine consumption was 61.1 liters per person, far above Italy (42.7 liters) and Luxembourg (41.8 liters) on a per capita basis. Portugal’s top ranking reflects the country’s long-standing wine culture. The top rankings are d
Feb. 11, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Lunar New Year table costs shift

An improved supply of fruits and vegetables has slightly lowered the cost of preparing the Lunar New Year ancestral table. According to the Korea Price Information Agency, the average cost for a four-member family is 296,500 won ($203) at traditional markets, down 1.98 percent from last year, and 406,880 won at major retailers, down 0.64 percent. Overall, fruit and vegetable prices fell. In traditional markets, three pears cost 18,000 won (down 33 percent), 400 grams of jujubes are 6,000 won (do
Feb. 10, 2026 - 08:00:03
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[Graphic News] S. Korea’s key events at Winter Games

The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, the 25th edition of the Winter Games, will begin with an opening ceremony Friday at San Siro Stadium in Milan, officially launching the competitions that run through Feb. 22 across venues in northern Italy. The ceremony will carry the theme “Armonia” ("harmony") and feature performances and artistic segments designed to showcase Italian culture. According to reports from Korean media and the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, South Korea’s Olympic delegatio
Feb. 6, 2026 - 08:00:00
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[Graphic News] Majority of Koreans want more Paralympics broadcast coverage

The Korean Paralympic Committee has released the results of a nationwide survey examining public awareness of the Paralympics and demand for expanded broadcast coverage. The online survey was conducted by Micromill Embrain from Nov. 25 to Dec. 1, polling 2,000 adults nationwide through quota sampling. According to the survey, 76.6 percent of respondents said they were familiar with the Paralympics, while 63.1 percent said broadcast coverage of the Games should be expanded. More than half (55.2 p
Feb. 3, 2026 - 08:00:00
World Business
[Graphic News] Apple leads global brand value rankings; Samsung is 8th

Apple has maintained its position as the world’s most valuable brand for a third consecutive year, while Samsung ranked eighth, down two places from a year earlier. According to the Global 500 rankings released by brand valuation firm Brand Finance, Apple ranked No. 1 in 2026 with a brand value of $607.6 billion, up 6 percent from $574.5 billion in 2025. The increase was driven by steady demand across the United States, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, reinforcing Apple’s top position. The to
Feb. 2, 2026 - 08:00:00
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[Graphic News] Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics

Anticipation is building for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Italy’s first Winter Games in two decades. The 25th Winter Olympic Games will open on Feb. 6 and run through Feb. 22. In South Korea, interest is high not only because of the global competition but also due to recent Olympic history. At the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games, South Korea finished seventh in the medal standings with 17 medals, including five golds, eight silvers and four bronzes - its best result ever. At the 2022 Be
Jan. 30, 2026 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Korea posts world’s highest growth in AI adoption

South Korea emerged as the fastest-growing country in artificial intelligence adoption in the second half of 2025, signaling a major shift in the global AI race. The AI Economy Institute, a Microsoft-affiliated think tank, released “AI Diffusion Report: A Widening Digital Divide,” analyzing global AI adoption trends in the latter half of last year. According to the report, South Korea posted the highest growth rate among all countries, with AI adoption rising 4.8 percentage points, the largest i
Jan. 29, 2026 - 08:00:00
Soccer
[Graphic News] Son, global stars take ‘last dance’ at 2026 World Cup

South Korean men’s national soccer team captain Son Heung-min is expected to headline the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the tournament likely marking his final appearance on soccer’s biggest stage. Now in his mid-30s, Son embodies the culmination of a golden era for Korean soccer, combining global stardom, leadership and consistency across four World Cups. FIFA’s “Last Dance” spotlight places him alongside some of the sport’s defining figures, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modri
Jan. 28, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Koreans value family over money for happiness

When Koreans think of happiness, “family” is what comes to mind first, according to a recent survey. McDonald’s Korea surveyed 1,034 adults aged 20 to 69 about their general perceptions of happiness. Among all respondents, 26.2 percent said they most strongly associate happiness with family, followed by "health" and "comfort." As for situations that make them feel happy, 27.6 percent said chatting with family members or friends, followed by eating delicious food and taking a good rest. Meals wer
Jan. 27, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] LoL most popular ‘PC bang’ game of 2025

The game most played in South Korean internet cafes, known locally as “PC bangs,” last year was League of Legends — or LoL — a recent report showed. N Media Platform, an integrated online marketing firm, released its 2025 data covering Jan. 1 to Dec. 14, detailing South Korea’s most popular online games, their genres, and user demographics. By individual game, LoL ranked first, accounting for 36.01 percent of playtime, followed by FC Online (9.06 percent), Battlegrounds (8.42 percent) and Valora
Jan. 26, 2026 - 08:00:00