[Graphic News] Number of Americans who identify as Christian further declines: poll

　The percentage of Americans who identify as Christian dropped 15 percentage points over the past 14 years, while those who consider themselves religiously unaffiliated increased by 14 percentage points, a Pew study released indicates. 　Pew‘s National Public Opinion Reference Survey found that the majority of Americans - 63 percent - consider themselves Christian, down from 78 percent in 2007. Meanwhile, 29 percent of adults list their religion as “none,” meaning they conside

WorldJan. 10, 2022

[Graphic News] No. of marriages in Seoul nearly halved over 20 years: data

　The number of marriages in Seoul has dropped by almost half in the past 20 years, while births of newborns also dropped by 64 percent, the city government said. 　Marriages in the capital stood at 44,746 in 2020, down 43.2 percent compared with 78,745 in 2000, according to the city’s latest report on population trends. 　The average age of first nuptials for men and women last year were 33.61 and 31.6, respectively, 3.96 and 4.35 years older compared with those 20 years ago. 　Babies bor

NationalJan. 7, 2022

[Graphic News] Foreign student enrollment in US colleges drops 15%

　Enrollment of foreign students in US colleges and universities plunged 15 percent in the 2020-21 school year even though American institutions remain in high esteem, research showed. 　Fewer than 1 million foreign students enrolled for either online or in-person classes at US universities in the 2020-21 school year, marking a 15 percent year-over-year decrease from the previous school year, according to data from the Institute of International Education analyzed by the Pew Research Center

WorldJan. 6, 2022

[Graphic News] Bio sector output, exports grow at fastest pace amid pandemic

　Output and exports of South Korea’s bio industry expanded at the fastest clip ever in 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic, data showed. 　Output of the local bio industry was estimated at 17.5 trillion won ($14.7 billion) in 2020, up 38.2 percent from the previous year, according to the data from the Korea Biotechnology Industry Organization and the Trade Ministry. 　It was the highest on-year growth rate to date. The bio industry’s production had been growing at a double-digit rate

BusinessJan. 5, 2022

[Graphic News] Workplace bullying still serious: survey

　Three out of 10 workers believe that workplace bullying is still serious, even though an anti-workplace harassment law has been in place for more than two years, a survey showed.  　According to the survey conducted on 1,000 office workers, 28.9 percent of respondents said they experienced workplace harassment as of September, down 16.5 percentage points from the corresponding rate of 45.4 percent tallied in June.  　But 32.5 percent of respondents said bullying is a serious problem

NationalJan. 4, 2022

[Graphic News] 36 percent of US employers require COVID-19 vaccine for workers: Gallup

　The percentage of US employers requiring workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 has flattened at 36 percent, according to a Gallup poll. 　According to the Nov. 29-Dec. 5 Gallup tracking survey, 36 percent of workers said their employers are requiring COVID-19 vaccination. That was unchanged from October tracking survey results. 　Meanwhile, 55 percent of US workers supported COVID-19 vaccine requirements at work, while 35 percent of workers opposed them. 　Gallup’s tracking survey r

WorldDec. 30, 2021

[Graphic News] N. Korean leader 3rd most-searched politician online

　North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is the third most-searched politician by internet users worldwide this year, data showed . 　Online searches for Kim totaled a monthly average of 1.9 million, behind US President Joe Biden, who topped the list with 7 million searches, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson with 2 million, according to German data analytics firm Statista. 　Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel ranked fourth with 1.4 million searches. 　The most-searched keyword related to the

WorldDec. 29, 2021

[Graphic News] S. Korea has 3rd-highest ratio of NEET youth among OECD: report

　South Korea has the third-highest ratio of youth “not in education, employment or training,” or NEET youth, among members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a report showed. 　The average monthly number of NEET people aged 15-29 in the country is estimated at 1.56 million in the January-October period, according to the report from the Korea Employment Information Service. 　Of the total, 778,000 were preparing for employment or seeking jobs, with another

WorldDec. 28, 2021

[Graphic News] Suicides, traffic deaths decrease in 2020 amid pandemic-induced social restrictions

　The numbers for suicides as well as traffic and crime-related deaths fell in 2020 due largely to various social distancing schemes imposed over concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government said. 　According to the Interior Ministry, the combined number of deaths connected to traffic accidents, crimes and suicides stood at 16,439 in 2020, down from 17,350 a year earlier. 　In terms of types, traffic deaths fell 15.9 percent to 2,858, and those connected to five major crimes, such as murder

NationalDec. 27, 2021

[Graphic News] Son Heung-min named top S. Korean athlete in 5th straight annual poll

　Tottenham Hotspur’s South Korean star Son Heung-min has been named the country’s top athlete for the fifth straight year in a national poll. 　Gallup Korea announced the findings of its annual survey on athletes. In a poll of 1,700 South Koreans over the age of 13 from Nov. 5 to 28, Son earned overwhelming support of 72.8 percent as the top South Korean athlete for 2021. 　Respondents could select up to two athletes. 　Son has developed into one of the Premier League’s most d

SportsDec. 24, 2021

[Graphic News] Proportion of 1-person households hits record high of 32% last year

　The proportion of one-person households in South Korea hit a fresh record high last year, as the number of such households has continued to increase amid a delay in marriage and rapid aging, data showed. 　One-person families accounted for 31.7 percent of the total last year, up from 30.2 percent the previous year, according to the data from Statistics Korea. 　Households consisting of a single member totaled 6.64 million in 2020, up from 6.15 million a year earlier, the statistics agency said

NationalDec. 23, 2021

[Graphic News] Pandemic stress weighs heavily on Gen Z: poll

　Isolation. Anxiety. Uncertainty. The stresses of the coronavirus pandemic have taken a toll on Americans of all ages, but a new poll finds that teens and young adults have faced some of the heaviest struggles as they come of age during a time of extreme turmoil. 　Overall, more than a third of Americans ages 13 to 56 cite the pandemic as a major source of stress, and many say it has made certain parts of their lives harder. But when it comes to education, friendships and dating, the disruption

WorldDec. 22, 2021

[Graphic News] Samsung retains No. 1 spot in Q3 global smartphone market: report

　Samsung Electronics retained the top spot in the global smartphone market in the third quarter of the year, a report showed.  　The world‘s largest smartphone maker held a market share of 20 percent in the July-September period, followed by Apple with 14 percent and Xiaomi with 13 percent, according to a report from market researcher Counterpoint Research.  　During the three months, the South Korean tech giant shipped 69.3 million smartphones, up 20 percent from the previous q

BusinessDec. 21, 2021

[Graphic News] US world‘s biggest plastic polluter: report

　The United States is by far the biggest contributor to global plastic waste in the world, according to a new report submitted to the federal government that called for a national strategy to tackle the growing crisis. 　Overall, the US contributed around 42 million metric tons in plastic waste in 2016 - more than twice as much as China and more than the countries of the European Union combined, according to the analysis.  　On average, each American generates 130 kilograms of plastic wast

WorldDec. 20, 2021

[Graphic News] Life expectancy of S. Koreans rises to 83.5 years in 2020

　The average life expectancy of South Korean babies born last year reached 83.5 years, more than seven years longer than two decades ago, data showed, amid improved public awareness about health and a better medical system. 　The average life expectancy at birth in 2020 was 2.4 months longer than a year earlier, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea. 　Compared with 10 and 20 years ago, the average life expectancy became 3.2 years and 7.5 years longer, respectively. 　The reading a

NationalDec. 17, 2021

[Graphic News] Overseas card spending down 14.8% in Q3 on weak won

　South Koreans’ overseas card spending declined 14.8 percent in the third quarter from three months earlier as the government tightened rules on withdrawals of money from automatic teller machines and the won depreciated against the dollar, central bank data showed.  　According to the data by the Bank of Korea, the amount of money spent overseas by South Koreans with cards, including credit and debit cards, came to $2.88 billion in the July-September period, down from $3.37 billion

BusinessDec. 16, 2021

[Graphic News] More than third of world has never used internet: UN

　Some 2.9 billion people - 37 percent of the world’s population - have still never used the internet, the United Nations said, despite the COVID-19 pandemic driving people online. 　The UN’s International Telecommunication Union estimated that 96 percent of those 2.9 billion live in developing countries. 　The agency said the estimated number of people who have gone online rose from 4.1 billion in 2019 to 4.9 billion this year, partially due to a “COVID connectivity boost.&rdq

WorldDec. 15, 2021

[Graphic News] Korea’s whisky imports jump over 70% this year

　South Korea’s imports of whisky soared more than 70 percent in the first 10 months of the year as more people drank at home amid the coronavirus pandemic, data showed. 　The value of whisky imports came to $93.21 million in the January-October period, up 73.1 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service and the local liquor industry. 　It represents the first on-year increase in the country’s whisky imports since 2014. 　Industry sources attribu

BusinessDec. 14, 2021

[Graphic News] S. Korea’s total population to fall for first time this year

　South Korea’s total population is expected to record its first decline this year, the statistics agency said, a grim assessment of its demographic situations amid the country’s chronically low birthrate, rapid aging and a decline in incoming foreigners during the pandemic. 　The country’s total population is estimated to have peaked at 51.84 million last year before falling to an estimated 51.75 million this year and an estimated 37.7 million in 2070, according to the latest

NationalDec. 13, 2021

[Graphic News] Imports of golf equipment at record high in first 10 months of this year

　South Korea’s imports of golf equipment rose to a record high in the first 10 months of this year on the back of strong demand amid the pandemic, customs data showed. 　The imports of golf clubs and other related equipment reached $601 million in the January-October period, up 29.3 percent from the previous year, according to data from the Korea Customs Service. 　The reading hit an all-time high for any first 10-month period of the year. It was also higher than the yearly imports of gol

BusinessDec. 10, 2021