[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

[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

[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

[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

[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

[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

[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

[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

[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

[Graphic News] Korea slips to 27th in global competitiveness

The Finance Ministry announced that South Korea’s global competitiveness ranking fell seven places to 27th in the world, according to the 2025 report by the International Institute for Management Development, or IMD, a Switzerland-based business school. The report, which surveyed 69 countries, marks Korea’s steepest decline since IMD began assessing its competitiveness in 1997. In 2024, South Korea reached a record high of 20th place but has now slipped back to 27th — the same position it held i

July 21, 2025