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WorldNews
[Graphic News] Children choose life satisfaction for best birthplace

Children aged 10 to 18 say they would prefer to be born in countries with high life satisfaction, according to a global survey by Save the Children. Of 1,000 children surveyed worldwide, 39.6 percent chose life satisfaction as the top factor. This was followed by safety (low accident and crime rates) at 38.6 percent and no discrimination at 21.9 percent. Other factors included financial rewards for success (16.8 percent) and high cultural development (6.9 percent). Among 1,000 adults surveyed, t
Aug. 14, 2025 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Russia overtakes Germany in beer output

Russia has overtaken Germany as Europe’s top beer producer for the first time in 12 years, brewing 9.1 billion liters in 2024 compared to Germany’s 8.4 billion, according to the German business daily Handelsblatt. The shift is largely attributed to Russia’s reduced trade with other European nations following the start of the Ukraine war, which spurred a boost in domestic production. Globally, China led with 34 billion liters, followed by the US (18 billion), Brazil (14.7 billion) and Mexico (14.
Aug. 13, 2025 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Koreans subscribe to over 2 OTT platforms on average; Netflix leads

South Koreans in their 20s to 50s subscribe to an average of 2.34 over-the-top video streaming platforms, according to a recent survey by the Korea Press Foundation, based on an online poll of 1,000 domestic users. Among respondents, 30.1 percent reported using a single OTT service, while 30.5 percent subscribed to two. Those using three platforms made up 22.9 percent. When asked why they subscribe to multiple services, 70 percent cited access to original content as the primary reason. Other top
Aug. 12, 2025 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Male parental leave at record 36%

In the first half of 2025, the number of parental leave takers in Korea increased by 37.4 percent, reaching 95,064. Male participation saw a particularly sharp rise of 54.2 percent, with men now accounting for a record-high 36.4 percent of all users of parental leave. The proportion of male leave takers has steadily grown from 13.4 percent in 2017. After a brief decline in 2023, the rate rebounded to 31.6 percent in 2024 and climbed further in 2025. The highest male participation was seen among
Aug. 11, 2025 - 08:00:00
Market
[Graphic News] Middle Eastern tourists spend most in Korea

A recent tourism report reveals that among foreign visitors to Korea last year, tourists from the Middle East spent the most, while Japanese tourists spent the least. According to KB Financial Group’s Management Research Institute, foreign tourist spending accounted for 10.5 percent of domestic consumption last year, slightly down from 14.8 percent the previous year but still well above the pre-pandemic level of 3.4 percent. The average per capita spending by foreign tourists was $1,372 (1.9 mil
Aug. 7, 2025 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Incheon National University ranks 9th in innovation

South Korea’s Incheon National University has been ranked 9th in the 2025 World University Rankings for Innovation. Incheon excelled in several categories, placing 3rd in student mobility and openness, 4th in culture and values and 8th in funding for sustainability. This year’s rankings considered a record 4,866 innovation programs submitted by 1,253 universities in 87 countries. The top three spots were awarded to Minerva University (US), Arizona State University (US) and Ecole 42 (France). Amo
Aug. 6, 2025 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] East coast tops vacation picks for Koreans

The east coast of Korea remains the most popular domestic vacation destination, according to a recent survey by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. In a poll of 9,560 respondents, 24.9 percent said they plan to visit the east coast during their summer break, a slight decline from 25.1 percent the previous year. Overall, 46.5 percent of those surveyed intend to take a vacation this summer, with the busiest travel period expected to have between July 26 and Aug. 1. Of those who wer
Aug. 5, 2025 - 08:00:00
World Business
[Graphic News] Samsung maintains top spot in global smartphone market: data

Samsung Electronics maintained its lead in the global smartphone market in the second quarter, supported by sales of its competitively priced Galaxy A models, industry data showed. According to the data from market tracker Canalys, Samsung accounted for 19 percent of the global smartphone market in terms of shipments. IPhone maker Apple ranked second with 16 percent, followed by China’s Xiaomi at 15 percent. Samsung was the only smartphone-maker to post on-year growth, at 3 percent, while Apple
Aug. 4, 2025 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Stay safe near water this summer

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has warned that drowning deaths peak during the start of the summer vacation season. Between 2020 and 2024, 112 people died in water-related accidents — 31 of them in late July alone. The most dangerous locations were rivers and mountain streams, followed by beaches and coastal areas. The leading cause of drowning was failure to follow safety precautions, particularly not wearing life jackets, which accounted for 37 percent of deaths. Other major factors i
July 31, 2025 - 08:00:00
More sports
[Graphic News] Over 2,200 school sports teams disbanded in 14 years

More than 2,200 elementary, middle and high school sports teams have been disbanded across South Korea over the past 14 years, reducing the number of teams from 6,061 in 2010 to just 3,800 by 2024. The sharp decline is mainly due to shrinking student populations and growing challenges in managing school teams, including administrative burdens and issues related to misconduct. Some sports have been hit especially hard. For instance, there are only four high school ice hockey teams remaining natio
July 30, 2025 - 08:00:00
Market
[Graphic News] Korean beverages going global

South Korea’s beverage exports hit a record high in the first half of 2025, fueled by growing global interest in unique Korean drinks. Total exports reached $409.81 million, up 3.9 percent from the same period last year and nearly 27 percent more than in 2021. Non-fruit/vegetable drinks made up 94 percent of the total. China was the top importer, purchasing $116.1 million worth of Korean beverages, followed by the US, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia and Russia. Lotte Chilsung’s Milkis, a creamy carbona
July 29, 2025 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Korean business closures surpass 1m for first time

The number of business closures in South Korea exceeded 1 million in 2024 for the first time since records began in 1995. According to data released by the National Tax Service, a total of 1,008,282 individual and corporate businesses shut down last year, an increase of 21,795 from 2023. The business closure rate also inched up to 9.04 percent, slightly higher than 9.02 percent in the previous year, marking the highest rate since 2020 (9.38 percent). Closures were most concentrated in the retail
July 28, 2025 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] ‘Parasite’ tops NYT’s 100 best movies of 21st century

Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s 2019 film “Parasite” has been named the best movie of the 21st century by The New York Times. The top 100 list was compiled based on votes from 500 directors, actors and film fans. The Times praised “Parasite” as “delightful yet twisted, unsettling and shocking,” noting that it “tells the story of the haves and have-nots and offers a fierce critique of neo-liberalism.” Two other Korean films also made the list: “Oldboy” (2005) by Park Chan-wook ranked 43rd, while B
July 24, 2025 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Lunch costs surge in Seoul’s business districts

A recent analysis by NHN Payco of around 9 million mobile meal voucher transactions in early 2025 shows that the average lunch cost in Korea has climbed to 9,500 won ($6.90) per person — a 58 percent increase from 6,000 won in 2017. In Seoul’s major business hubs like Samseong-dong, Gangnam and Yeouido, costs are notably higher, with Samseong-dong reaching an average of 15,000 won. More employees are using meal vouchers outside of company cafeterias, opting instead for convenience stores like CU
July 23, 2025 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Incheon climbs to 3rd in global passenger traffic

South Korea’s Incheon International Airport was the world’s third-busiest airport last year in terms of international passenger traffic, according to the Airports Council International annual report. The report analyzed data from over 2,800 airports across more than 185 countries. Incheon handled 70,669,246 international passengers, behind Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates (92,331,506) and London Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom (79,194,330). This marks a significant
July 22, 2025 - 08:00:00