[Graphic News] Prices of smartphones in global markets

The results are based on the surveys conducted at mobile shops in 15 countries from June 20-30, and from Oct. 1-10.

TechnologyDec. 15, 2013

[Graphic News] Average salaries of heads of public firms by sector

Major public organizations are under fire for the excessive wages and benefits received by their top executives despite their snowballing debts. According to a report from the Korea Institute of Public Finance, the chiefs of finance-related public organizations came out on top in terms of annual salary.

Dec. 12, 2013

[Graphic News] Korea’s free trade territory

Korea and its free trade partners make up 57.7 percent of the world’s GDP, giving Korea the third-largest FTA territory behind that of Chile and Mexico, according to officials. If South Korea concludes free trade pacts with China, Australia and Canada, the total GDP of Seoul’s free trade territory may become the largest.

Dec. 11, 2013

[Graphic News] New KTX routes

A new corporation to be established under KORAIL will operate the new high-speed KTX routes expected to open in 2015. The line, which will connect to the nation’s southern region, will start in Suseo, southeastern Seoul. The existing KTX service starts in Yongsan, central Seoul. The new section is are expected to make access easier for people in eastern Seoul and Gyeonggi Province.

Dec. 10, 2013

[Graphic News] Overseas spending hits record in Q3

Korea’s overseas spending reached a record high in the third quarter of this year at some 6.5 trillion won ($6.2 billion), a 4.7 percent increase from the previous quarter, according to the Bank of Korea. The increase rate outpaced that of domestic spending. From January to September, domestic spending rose 2.6 percent while overseas spending rose 4.3 percent from the same period last year.Financial analysts said the rise in overseas spending mainly came from the increase in overseas card paymen

Dec. 9, 2013

[Graphic News] 2014 FIFA World Cup draw

Group A　Brazil　Croatia　Mexico　Cameroon　　Group B　Spain　Netherlands　Chile　Australia　　Group C　Colombia　Greece　Ivory Coast　Japan　　Group D　Uruguay　Costa Rica　England　Italy Group E　Switzerland　Ecuador　France　Honduras　　Group F　Argentia　Bosnia-Herzegovina　Iran　Nigeria　　Group G　Germany　Portugal　Ghana　USA　　Group H　Belgium　Algeria　Russia　Republic of Korea

SoccerDec. 8, 2013

[Graphic News] Major results of survey on social affairs for 2013

According to a survey released by Statistics Korea on Wednesday, most elderly people do not want to live together with their children and most Koreans read online or offline newspapers. The agency polled 38,000 people aged 13 years and older from 17,664 households throughout the month of May to research more about people’s livelihoods and lifestyles.

Social AffairsDec. 5, 2013

[Graphic News] Export outlook by industry

Semiconductor chips, petrochemical products, automobiles and IT-related products including mobile phones and displays, will continue to lead Korea’s exports in 2014, according to a forecast by the Korea International Trade Association. KITA expects the export of semiconductor chips to reach $60.8 billion.

Dec. 4, 2013

[Graphic News] Korea’s ranking in transparency index continues to fall

Denmark and New Zealand are seen as the world’s least corrupt countries, according to graft watchdog Transparency International’s annual survey. South Korea’s ranking fell to 46 from last year’s 45. The index score relates to perceptions of the degree of corruption as seen by country analysts and business people. The range goes from zero, which is highly corrupt, to 100, which is very clean.

Social AffairsDec. 3, 2013

[Graphic News] Starting pay by industry

Entry-level workers in the financial and insurance industry saw the highest average starting salaries in Korea at 3.1 million won per month, according a survey released by the Korea Employers Federation. The poll also showed that average starting salaries at conglomerates with more than 1,000 employees topped 3 million won for the first time.

Dec. 2, 2013

[Graphic News] Economic scale of the TPP

The Trans-Pacific Partnership currently involves 38 percent of the world’s total gross domestic product and 27.8 percent of total trade, though it only covers 11.2 percent of the world’s population. The Korean government on Friday said it would carefully review its participation in the U.S.-led multilateral trade bloc.

Dec. 1, 2013

[Graphic News] Unemployed married women

Nearly one out of five married women was found to have discontinued her career due to marriage, childbirth or the education of her children, according to Statistics Korea. It said the number of married women between the ages of 15 and 54 is 9.71 million this year. Among them, 4.06 million women are unemployed and 1.95 million women have left their careers.

Nov. 28, 2013

[Graphic News] Korea’s underground economy

The size of Korea’s underground economy reached an estimated 314.3 trillion won in 2012, about 24.6 percent of its nominal gross domestic product, according to a report by LG Economic Research Institute released Tuesday.It is an increase of 8.4 percent from the 289.8 trillion won recorded in 2010. The Park Geun-hye government seeks to bring the shadow economy to light to raise tax revenue.

Nov. 27, 2013

[Graphic News] R&D investment by Korean firms

Korean firms’ investment in research and development leans toward the electronics sector, reaching 46.6 percent of total R&D spending in 2011, according to a report by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning. But the levels of investment in the high-tech industries of aerospace technology, pharmaceuticals and machinery stalled at 0.2 percent, 2.3 percent and 2.4 percent, respectively.

Nov. 26, 2013

[Graphic News] Disputes over China’s air defense zones

China’s announcement of its Air Defense Identification Zone in the East China Sea has stoked a new controversy with South Korea, Japan and the U.S.

DefenseNov. 25, 2013

[Graphic News] Manufacturing competitiveness

According to the competitive industrial performance index released by the U.N. Industrial Development Organization last week, Japan has the strongest competitiveness in the manufacturing sector, followed by Germany, the U.S., Korea and Taiwan. Korea has maintained fourth position since 2005.

Nov. 24, 2013

[Graphic News] Korea‘s life expectancy stood at 81.1 years in 2011

South Korea‘s life expectancy stood at 81.1 years in 2011, one year above the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development average, according to the health data from the OECD.

Social AffairsNov. 21, 2013

[Graphic News] OECD’s economic growth outlook

OECD revised down its global economy outlook for this year from 3.1 percent to 2.7 percent and next year from 4.0 percent to 3.6 percent, expecting lower economic growth in emerging markets. The Paris-based club of advanced countries also revised downward Korea’s 2014 economic growth outlook from 4 percent to 3.8 percent.

Nov. 20, 2013

[Graphic News] Global sales of tablet PCs

Samsung Electronics’ sales of tablet PCs in the third quarter reached 10.5 million units, accounting for 20.2 percent of the global market share, according to a report from Strategy Analytics. Samsung narrowed the gap with front-runner Apple, which shipped 14.1 million units in the same period.

Nov. 19, 2013

[Graphic News] Korean firms’ civilian helicopters

Korean Air, the nation‘s flag carrier, holds six civilian helicopters, topping the list of the number of company-held choppers for private use, according to the Transport Ministry. Samsung Techwin, a defense equipment maker, came in second with four helicopters.

Nov. 18, 2013