[Graphic News] S. Korea’s ‘world competitiveness’ ranking rises to 20th: report

South Korea's ranking in terms of its competitiveness relative to other countries rose by eight places to reach the highest level for the country ever in 2024 on improved business efficiency and infrastructure, a report showed. The country ranked 20th in terms of global competitiveness among 67 countries surveyed in 2024 compared with 28th the previous year, according to the report by the International Institute for Management Development released by the Finance Ministry here. IIMD, a bus

World NewsJuly 9, 2024

[Graphic News] Over 3 million S. Koreans use ChatGPT app: data

The number of South Koreans using the ChatGPT mobile app has surpassed 3 million, representing 6 percent of the country's total smartphone users, according to a report by market research firm Wiseapp Retail Goods. In just four months, user numbers nearly doubled, rising from 1.62 million in January to 3.15 million in May, underscoring the increasing popularity of the AI-powered chatbot. Demographically, more than half of ChatGPT users in Korea are in their 20s (28.6 percent) and 30s (23.4

Social AffairsJuly 8, 2024

[Graphic News] Transfer values of Asian soccer players

"Golden Boy" Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has been ranked second in transfer value among Asian soccer players by the International Centre for Sports Studies, affiliated with FIFA. Transfer value is a comprehensive figure considering factors such as a player's age, remaining contract period, playing time and performance record. Lee has been valued at $53.1 million, placing him second among Asian players. Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich ranks fourth with a transfer value

SoccerJuly 5, 2024

[Graphic News] 9 in 10 S. Koreans agree country is facing climate crisis: survey

A recent online survey conducted by the Korea Meteorological Administration reveals that 90 percent of South Korean nationals agree the country is facing a climate crisis. The survey of 1,706 respondents found that 90.1 percent agree they are experiencing the effects of climate change, with 43.7 percent “strongly agreeing.” When asked which weather phenomena seem the most affected by climate change, 53.8 percent of respondents cited heat waves as their primary concern, followed by

Social AffairsJuly 4, 2024

[Graphic News] Majority of US registered voters believe Biden should not run for reelection: poll

A recent CBS/YouGov poll reveals that more than 70 percent of US registered voters believe President Joe Biden should not seek reelection in November. The survey, conducted with 1,130 registered voters nationwide June 28-29, showed that 72 percent think Biden should not run for president, compared to 28 percent who believe he should. The poll, released on Sunday, followed the first 2024 presidential debate between President Biden and former President Donald Trump on Thursday. When asked about

World NewsJuly 3, 2024

[Graphic News] Monthly births rise for first time in 19 months

The number of babies born in South Korea marked on-year growth for the first time in 19 months in April, data showed, as the country is struggling to boost its ultralow birth rate. A total of 19,049 babies were born in April 2024, up 2.8 percent from a year earlier, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea. It was the first time since September 2022 that the figure logged on-year growth. “The growth came as the number of newly married couples rose over the past couple of years

Social AffairsJuly 2, 2024

[Graphic News] S. Korea's tourism rebounds as foreigners return

South Korea is enjoying a significant tourism rebound, with visitor numbers in the first four months of 2024 reaching nearly 89 percent of pre-pandemic levels, according to the government’s tourism agency. From January to April, South Korea welcomed 4.866 million foreign visitors, marking an 86.9 percent increase from the same period last year. Tourists from Singapore and the United States led the recovery, surpassing pre-pandemic numbers by 54.7 percent and 19.5 percent, respectively. W

Social AffairsJuly 1, 2024

[Graphic News] Qatar Airways named world’s top airline, Korean Air No. 2

Qatar Airways has been named the world's best airline by aviation rating website AirlineRatings.com. The Doha-based carrier has taken the title, “Airline of the Year 2024,” on the world’s only safety and product rating website. AirlineRatings.com releases an annual ranking of the top 25 airlines, based on criteria including: aircraft safety, flight crew service, serious accident history and passenger evaluations. This year, Korean Air secured second place on the list, fo

World BusinessJune 28, 2024

[Graphic News] Deadliest fires in South Korea

At least 23 workers lost their lives and eight others sustained injuries in a fire that ravaged the Aricell lithium battery plant in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. The blaze, which broke out on the second floor of the plant, claimed the lives of all the deceased victims as they were inspecting and packaging finished battery products. According to police reports, among the victims were 17 Chinese nationals, five South Koreans, and one Laotian. Following are the major fire and related inci

Social AffairsJune 27, 2024

[Graphic News] Samgyeopsal prices surge in Seoul, breaking 20,000 won mark for first time

Samgyeopsal, or grilled pork belly, has long been a beloved staple of South Korean cuisine, cherished by locals for its affordability and pairing with soju. However, this popular after-work favorite is growing increasingly out of reach as average prices in Seoul surpassed 20,000 won ($14.39) per serving for the first time, according to data from the Korea Consumer Agency. This price increase represents a more than 20 percent increase from three years ago, when one serving — 200 grams &md

Social AffairsJune 26, 2024

[Graphic News] Israelis divided over war against Hamas

A recent survey by the Pew Research Center found that 39 percent of Israelis believe the country's military response against Hamas in Gaza has been appropriate, while 34 percent feel it has not gone far enough. Conversely, 19 percent think the response has been excessive. The survey also revealed that approximately two-thirds of Israelis are confident that Israel will likely achieve its goals in the war against Hamas, with 27 percent saying it will "probably" succeed and 40 perc

World NewsJune 25, 2024

[Graphic News] Users of translation service Naver Papago top 20m

Users of Naver Papago, the South Korean online portal operator's artificial intelligence-powered translation service, have steadily increased, topping 20 million last month on overseas demand, industry sources said. The number of Papago's monthly active users, both for app and web versions, reached 20.74 million in May, up 18 percent from a year ago, according to the sources, which cited a report by Naver Cloud Corp. Papago's MAUs first surpassed the 20 million threshold in Marc

Social AffairsJune 24, 2024

[Graphic News] S. Korea ranks 16th globally, 5th in Asia in TOEIC scores

According to an evaluation by the Korea TOEIC Committee, the average TOEIC score of South Korean nationals was 677 out of 990 points last year. This ranks Korea 16th among the 44 countries surveyed and fifth among the Asian countries surveyed. Overall, Lebanon had the highest average TOEIC score, with an average of 834 points, followed by Germany (819), Belgium (784), Costa Rica (777) and India (776). Among the Asian countries surveyed, Lebanon led with an average score of 834, followed by Ind

World NewsJune 21, 2024

[Graphic News] Five Korean universities make global top 100

Five Korean universities have secured spots in the top 100 of the Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings for 2025, showcasing the country's growing academic excellence. Leading the pack is Seoul National University, which ranked 31st globally, surpassing Japan's Tokyo University for the first time since 2015. Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology followed at 53rd, moving up from 56th last year. Yonsei University and Korea University secured the 56th and 67th spot

World NewsJune 20, 2024

[Graphic News] Jamsil overtakes Gangnam as Seoul’s busiest subway station

Jamsil Station on Seoul’s Subway Line No. 2 has replaced Gangnam Station of the same line as the capital’s busiest station, with over 150,000 passengers using the station per day, Seoul Metro said. Jamsil Station in southeastern Seoul served a daily average of 155,229 passengers in the first four months of this year, compared with Gangnam Station with a daily average of 151,607 passengers, according to Seoul Metro’s analysis of traffic at all stations on Line Nos. 1-9. Gangna

Social AffairsJune 19, 2024

[Graphic News] 1 in 10 Korean households buy lottery tickets

According to Statistics Korea, 1 in 10 Korean households purchased lottery tickets in the second quarter of this year, marking the highest proportional increase in the past five years. These households spent an average of 7,321 won ($5.30) per month on lottery purchases. Approximately 2.2 million households bought such tickets, encompassing the scope of Lotto, the pension lottery, horse racing and bicycle racing, in the last quarter. This accounts for 10.1 percent of the surveyed households. T

Social AffairsJune 18, 2024

[Graphic News] Son Heung-min named 10th-best forward

ESPN’s FC 100 has ranked Son Heung-min among the world’s top soccer players, placing him 10th in the forwards category. The FC 100 list features the world’s top 100 soccer players, with selections divided into 10 goalkeepers, 30 defenders, 30 midfielders and 30 forwards. Son, ranked 10th among forwards, received praise from ESPN: “One of the most steadily successful players — and best finishers — in the Premier League kept right on going at age 31 this seaso

SoccerJune 17, 2024

[Graphic News] 3,444 shade canopies installed in Seoul

The city of Seoul has installed a total of 3,444 shade canopies at crosswalks across its 25 districts as of late April, according to data from the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The top three districts with the most shade canopies are Songpa-gu (268), Gangnam-gu (239) and Seocho-gu (232), which are collectively referred to as the Gangnam area. In contrast, the districts with the fewest shade canopies are Seodaemun-gu (78), Mapo-gu (71) and Jongno-gu (57), all north of the Han River. Seoul rout

Social AffairsJune 14, 2024

[Graphic News] 30% of Americans say college not worth it

Close to 30 percent of Americans said a college degree isn’t worth it, according to a survey from Pew Research Center that highlights the drag soaring costs have had on views about higher education in recent decades in the country. Almost half of US adults in the report think college is worth the cost — but only as long as they don’t need to take out a loan. Only 22 percent of respondents said a college degree is worth it even with student debt. Four in 10 Americans said havi

World NewsJune 13, 2024

[Graphic News] 1 in 10 Seoul households have dogs: report

A recent report by the Seoul Digital Foundation, an organization affiliated with the Seoul city government, revealed that the number of registered pet dogs in Seoul has reached 612,000, accounting for 17.5 percent of the country’s total. This data, based on the March 2024 database of registered pets, indicated that approximately 1 in 10 households in the South Korean capital now own at least one dog, with a ratio of 14.9 dogs per 100 households. The report also provided a detailed breakd

Social AffairsJune 12, 2024