[Graphic News] S. Korea’s mail volume dips 9% in H1 amid coronavirus

　South Korea’s mail volume fell at the biggest-ever pace in the first half of the year as the coronavirus outbreak sharply reduced demand, data showed. 　Mail volume in Asia’s fourth-largest economy came to 1.59 billion pieces during the January-June period, down 8.9 percent from a year earlier, according to data from the Korea Post. 　The figure was the largest-ever on-year decline and much higher than the 5.3 percent on-year drop recorded during the same period last year. (Yonh

Social AffairsJuly 27, 2020

[Graphic News] Beer imports down for first time in decade

　South Korean imports of beer fell last year for the first time in a decade, largely on a nationwide boycott of Japanese products amid a yearlong trade dispute, data showed. 　Imports of beer stood at 360,000 tons in 2019, down 7.2 percent from 387,000 tons a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Korea Customs Service. It marked the first on-year decrease since 2009, a sharp turnaround from a 17.1 percent hike in 2018 and a 50.2 percent jump in 2017. (Yonhap)

BusinessJuly 24, 2020

[Graphic News] Hallyu boosts demand for Korean ice cream in Vietnam: report

　South Korea’s exports of ice cream to Vietnam jumped 30 percent in 2019 from a year earlier on the back of the growing popularity of Korean culture in Southeast Asia, data showed. 　Outbound shipments of ice cream to Vietnam reached $7 million in 2019, rising sharply from $5.3 million a year earlier, according to the report released by the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency. 　In contrast, Thailand, the top player in the segment, saw its ice cream exports to Vietnam only edge up

BusinessJuly 23, 2020

[Graphic News] Half of Koreans quit first jobs in less than 1 year

　More than half of young South Koreans, 50.2 percent, quit their first jobs after less than a year in search of better-paying and more stable employment, a report showed. 　The report, published by the Korean Labor Economic Association, also found that only 1 in 10 young people stays at a first job for more than four years. 　The percentage of young people who stayed at their first jobs for more than one year but less than two was 18.9 percent, while another 18.7 percent kept their first jo

Social AffairsJuly 22, 2020

[Graphic News] Hallyu tourists spent $1,007 on average in 2019

　Foreign visitors to South Korea last year for consuming K-pop goods and content spent an estimated $1,007 on average, according to a report. 　In its latest tourism industry analysis report, the state-run Korea Tourism Organization estimated that some 1.11 million foreigners came to Korea in 2019 to specifically consume goods and experiences related to Hallyu last year. 　On average, $302 was spent on general shopping, $184 on lodgings, $155 on food and $138 on Hallyu-related spending, acco

NationalJuly 21, 2020

[Graphic News] Exports of cultural goods top $10b on games, character IP

　South Korea’s annual exports of cultural goods exceeded $10 billion won for the first time in 2019, led by gains in the games and character intellectual property sectors, a government report showed. 　The estimate of combined overseas exports of some 2,500 firms in 11 culture and entertainment sectors last year reached $10.4 billion, up 8.1 percent from 2018, according to the annual content industry statistics produced jointly by the Culture Ministry and its affiliated Korea Creative

CultureJuly 20, 2020

[Graphic News] COVID-19 fallout in culture industry nears 150 billion won in H1

　Estimated financial losses caused by the new coronavirus in South Korea’s arts and culture industry reached nearly 150 billion won ($124.9 million) during the first half of 2020, a report showed. 　In a report assessing the financial damage in the culture industry during the January-June period, the Korea Culture & Tourism Institute estimated that 6,457 performing arts events, such as concerts and theater productions, and 1,525 visual arts events, such as art exhibitions, were can

NationalJuly 17, 2020

[Graphic News] PC sales climb as virus keeps consumers at home

　PCs, somewhat left behind in the mobile internet age, are making a comeback as people stuck at home due to the coronavirus rely on them for work, education and entertainment, industry watchers say. 　Gartner and International Data Corp. reports show shipments of desktop computers, laptops and workstations grew in the second quarter as pandemic-related disruptions to the supply chain were overcome. 　IDC determined that PC shipments worldwide jumped 11.2 percent to 72.3 million units on the

World BusinessJuly 16, 2020

[Graphic News] Amazon becomes world’s most valuable brand

　Amazon has overtaken Apple as the world’s most valuable brand, according to global market research conducted by Kantar. 　The report, titled 2019 Top BrandZ, claims the value of the e-commerce giant’s brand grew to $415 billion. 　Apple came second, valued at $352 billion, with Microsoft in third place at $326 billion 　South Korea’s Samsung had the 40th biggest value at almost $32 billion.

World BusinessJuly 15, 2020

[Graphic News] Number of blood donors dips 11% in Jan.-May

　The number of blood donors in South Korea sank nearly 11 percent in the first five months of this year amid a prolonged coronavirus outbreak, data showed.  　About 966,900 people donated blood in the January-May period, down 10.9 percent from some 1.08 million a year earlier, according to the Korean Red Cross data provided to Rep. Jeon Bong-min of the main opposition United Future Party. 　The sharp decline comes as the potentially deadly novel coronavirus has been gripping South Kor

Social AffairsJuly 14, 2020

[Graphic News] Nearly 10,000 booked for dating abuse in 2019

　Reports of violence by romantic partners rose last year from a year earlier, police said, vowing to step up efforts to prevent this type of crime and protect victims. 　The number of dating violence cases reported to police came to 19,940 in 2019, up from 18,671 a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the National Police Agency. In 2017, the figure came to 14,136. 　Of the total, 9,858 people were booked for criminal charges last year, compared to 10,245 in 2018, the data showed.

Social AffairsJuly 13, 2020

[Graphic News] Global shipbuilding orders at historic low in H1

　New orders of ships worldwide fell to a historic low in the first half of the year amid the coronavirus pandemic, industry sources said. 　In the January-June period, global new shipbuilding orders totaled 5.75 million compensated gross tons, or a total of 269 ships, according to data provided by global market researcher Clarkson Research Service. 　The tally is the lowest since 1996, when the market tracker began to compile related data, and a 42 percent drop from the previous year, the

World BusinessJuly 10, 2020

[Graphic News] N. Korean households hold average $1,300 in cash

　North Korean families have average financial assets of over $1,700 while holding more than two-thirds of their assets in cash, the Bank of Korea said. 　According to the report, the average North Korean household had financial assets of $1,761 between 2012 and 2018, along with average financial debt of $408. 　It said North Korean households also held an average of $1,310 in cash during the cited period, though not necessarily in US dollars. 　North Koreans are believed to favor US dollars

North KoreaJuly 9, 2020

[Graphic News] Greater Seoul‘s population set to eclipse other areas in 2020: data

　The capital and its surrounding area is anticipated to become home to more than half of the country’s 52 million population this year, as more people moved into the metropolitan area for job and education opportunities, data showed. 　The population of the capital city and its surrounding Gyeonggi Province is expected to reach 25.9 million this year, surpassing the 25.8 million in the non-capital regions, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea. 　It will mark the first ti

Social AffairsJuly 8, 2020

[Graphic News] S. Koreans used over 82% of state emergency relief funds in one month

　South Koreans used over 82 percent of the 9.61 trillion won ($7.98 billion) worth of emergency disaster relief funds provided by the government in just one month, the Interior Ministry said. 　Seoul started receiving requests for the relief funds on May 11, with people allowed to spend the money, offered in the form of credit and debit card points, the following day, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said. 　The money has been handed out to prop up consumer spending and bolster the lo

Social AffairsJuly 7, 2020

[Graphic News] Number of incoming N. Korean defectors hits all-time low in Q2

　The number of North Korean defectors coming into South Korea hit an all-time low in the second quarter this year due to the new coronavirus, the Unification Ministry.  　According to the ministry, 12 defectors were estimated to have entered the country from April to June this year, marking the lowest figure since 2003, when the ministry began to tally the number of incoming defectors by quarter. 　The figure represents a 96 percent drop from the same period last year when 320 North K

North KoreaJuly 6, 2020

[Graphic News] Half of Tokyo residents oppose Olympics in 2021: poll

　Just over half of Tokyo's residents don't think the postponed 2020 Olympics should be held next year, backing either a further delay or outright cancellation because of fears over the coronavirus, according to a poll. 　The survey carried out by two Japanese news organizations is only a single data point, but comes after health experts warned that even a year's delay may not be sufficient to hold the Games safely. 　The poll conducted over the weekend found 51.7 percent of respondents hope

World NewsJuly 3, 2020

[Graphic News] Urban dwellers moving to rural areas down for 2nd year

　The number of urban dwellers seeking to resettle in farms or fishing towns has decreased over the past two years, but the new coronavirus pandemic is expected to push the figure back up as more people will search for new job opportunities, data showed. 　The number of South Koreans resettling in farms or fishing villages reached 461,879 in 2019, or 329,986 households, according to the data compiled by the agricultural and oceans ministries. It marked a drop from 347,665 and 341,221 househol

Social AffairsJuly 2, 2020

[Graphic News] Exports of ramyeon, kimchi jump amid pandemic

　Exports of the Korean staple kimchi and the instant noodle ramyeon posted double-digit growth in the February-May period from a year earlier on increased online purchases amid the new coronavirus outbreak, data showed. 　In the January-May period, exports of ramyeon and kimchi jumped 36 percent and 37 percent on-year, respectively, to $249 million and $162 million, according to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation. 　Outbound shipments of ramyeon jumped 40 percent to $55 mi

BusinessJuly 1, 2020

[Graphic News] Canada ranks worst in elderly care home COVID-19 deaths: study

　Canada ranks worst among 16 OECD countries for its high number of coronavirus-related deaths in elderly care homes, according to a Canadian Institute for Health Information report. 　Eighty-one percent of COVID-19 deaths in Canada were recorded in long-term care homes, according to an analysis by the government agency. 　This is significantly higher than the average for the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 42 percent. 　Canada also ranks last behind Spain (66 percent)

World NewsJune 30, 2020