The Korea Herald Series

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Social Affairs
[Graphic News] National park visitors rebound

The number of visitors at South Korea’s national parks continued to rise in 2025, extending the post-COVID recovery trend. The Korea National Park Service reported that total visits to national parks nationwide reached 43.31 million last year, up 6.5 percent from 2024. Park attendance had totaled 43.82 million in 2018 and 43.18 million in 2019, before dropping to 35.27 million in 2020 due to COVID-19. Numbers gradually recovered over the following years, reaching near prepandemic levels last yea
March 31, 2026 - 08:00:00
Market
[Graphic News] Bio-health exports hit record $27.9b

South Korea’s bio-health industry posted record exports last year, driven by strong global demand for pharmaceuticals, medical devices and cosmetics. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, exports from the sector reached $27.9 billion in 2025, up 10.3 percent from a year earlier. Bio-health ranked eighth among the country’s key export industries. By segment, pharmaceutical exports totaled $10.4 billion, fueled by the rapid growth of biopharmaceutical products, particularly in the US an
March 30, 2026 - 08:00:11
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Koreans top global average IQ ranking for first time

South Korea ranked first in the world for average IQ, recording 106.97 in the 2026 International IQ Test report. The ranking was based on about 1.2 million participants from 126 countries who took the online test in 2025. A total of 26,996 South Koreans took part. In 2024, 23,727 Koreans participated, with an average score of 106.43. China ranked second with a score of 106.48, followed by Japan with 106.3. Iran placed fourth with 104.8, while Australia ranked fifth with 104.45. Other East Asian
March 26, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] 1 in 3 students distracted by smartphones

Over a third of high school students said smartphone and media use is the biggest distraction to their studies, according to a survey by Jinhak Corp. About 70 percent said they keep their phones nearby even though it hampers their work. The nationwide survey of 3,535 students found that 34.4 percent ranked “smartphone and media use” as the top study disturbance. The next most common distractions were “lacking will and procrastination” (28.1 percent), “poor physical strength and drowsiness” (13.5
March 25, 2026 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Nuclear warheads concentrated among major powers

US officials in the Donald Trump administration said the ultimate objective of the war in Iran was to prevent the development of long-range nuclear ballistic missiles capable of striking the US mainland. Such assessments reflect mounting fears of a new wave of nuclear proliferation. Iran’s advancing enrichment capacity and stalled negotiations had already raised concerns that it was approaching a “threshold” capability. Those fears have been further amplified by the outbreak of war in 2026, foll
March 24, 2026 - 08:00:00
K-pop
[Graphic News] BTS to brighten Gwanghwamun with comeback concert

BTS is set to hold an outdoor concert on March 21 to celebrate the release of its fifth album “Arirang,” transforming Gwanghwamun Square into festival grounds. The event, “BTS the Comeback Live — Arirang,” will take place at Yukjo Yard, north of Gwanghwamun Square. The seven members will enter through the gates of Geunjeongmun, Heungnyemun and Gwanghwamun, passing the royal viewing platform Woldae, with the procession and concert streamed live to viewers in 190 territories via Netflix. The perfo
March 19, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Majority of Korean companies plan to hire AI talent

Nearly 70 percent of South Korean companies plan to recruit artificial intelligence personnel this year, but many are struggling to find candidates who can contribute immediately, according to a recent survey by developer growth platform Grepp. About 68.5 percent of respondents said they intend to hire AI staff, citing AI-driven upgrades to existing businesses (38 percent) and development of new revenue models (36.4 percent) as primary motivations. Companies are seeking both technical specialist
March 18, 2026 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Portugal tops retirement living rankings

Portugal ranks as the best country in the world for retirement, according to the France-based retirement information website Retraite Sans Frontieres. The country scored high for its low cost of living, favorable climate and environment, tax benefits and retirement visas. Spain and Greece followed in second and third place, with Thailand, Mauritius, Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal, Vietnam and Indonesia rounding out the top 10. The rankings are drawing attention amid a growing trend of retirees, parti
March 17, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Wildfires surge again amid dry conditions

The number of wildfires in South Korea rose in February, raising alarms among authorities and experts. According to the National Fire Data System, 134 wildfires were recorded by February, a roughly 30 percent increase from the 103 incidents reported during the same period last year. After falling from a peak of 782 cases in 2022 to 268 in 2024, the number of wildfires climbed again to 408 in 2025. The number of wildfire days has also increased over the past two decades, rising from an annual ave
March 16, 2026 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] South Korea takes pride in its people: survey

A global survey of 30,000 people across 25 countries by the Pew Research Center found that sources of national pride vary widely, reflecting cultural values and political systems. In South Korea, respondents most often cited “diligent and sincere people with strong national character” as their greatest source of pride, highlighting national character and social cohesion. Similar sentiments were expressed in Japan, the United Kingdom and Spain, where “the people” ranked highest. In contrast, Amer
March 12, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Air traffic tops 1 million flights for first time

South Korea’s annual air traffic surpassed 1 million flights for the first time last year, government data showed. The total number of flights reached 1,013,930 in 2025, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The country averaged 2,778 flights per day, up 6.8 percent from a year earlier. The annual figure exceeded the previous high of 842,041 recorded in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. The growth was driven by a rebound in international travel. International flights
March 11, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] S. Korea shuts 153 schools over five years

A total of 153 schools were consolidated or closed across South Korea between 2021 and 2025 as the nation’s school-age population continues to shrink, according to data from the Ministry of Education obtained by Rep. Park Sung-hoon of the People Power Party. Of the schools closed, 120 were elementary schools, 24 were middle schools and nine were high schools. The closures come as the number of students nationwide fell from 5,323,075 in 2021 to 5,015,310 last year, a drop of nearly 310,000. By re
March 10, 2026 - 08:00:00
Film
[Graphic News] Korean films with over 10m admissions

“The King’s Warden” crossed the 10 million admissions mark Sunday, recording a cumulative audience of 11.17 million, a notable achievement as movie theaters continue to struggle to attract audiences amid fierce competition from streaming platforms. The Korean historical film achieved the milestone in just over a month after its Feb. 4 premiere, making it the first film - domestic or foreign - in two years to surpass that threshold. The last films to do so were Jang Jae-hyun’s supernatural thrill
March 9, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] 3 in 10 households in S. Korea have pets, mostly dogs

Nearly 3 out of 10 households in South Korea have pets, mostly dogs, government data showed. A Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs survey showed that 29.2 percent of households kept pets in 2025. Of those households, 80.5 percent raised dogs, 14.4 percent raised cats and 4.1 percent raised fish. Pet owners spent an average of 121,000 won per month on their pets. The survey marked South Korea's first nationally approved statistical survey on pet ownership. In a separate survey on anim
March 6, 2026 - 08:00:00
Baseball
[Graphic News] South Korea aims for WBC victory

South Korea heads into the World Baseball Classic running from Thursday to March 17 with its 30-man roster now set, as announced by the Korea Baseball Organization. The roster includes seven overseas-based players, headlined by San Francisco Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo and Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Kim Hye-seong, along with MLB and Korean American big leaguers. National team manager Ryu Ji-yun will lead the squad. Right-hander Go Woo-suk, playing in the minors under the Detroit Tigers, al
March 5, 2026 - 08:00:00