[Graphic News] Ronaldo becomes 1st person to reach 200m Instagram followers

　Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first person in the world to reach 200 million Instagram followers. 　Ronaldo follows just 434 accounts but had more than 200,468,000 followers as of Jan. 30. 　Singer Ariana Grande has the second-most Instagram followers, at 173 million, followed by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Selena Gomez. (UPI)

WorldFeb. 27, 2020

[Graphic News] Samsung tops global TV market for 14th year

　Samsung Electronics topped the global TV market for the 14th consecutive year in 2019, industry data showed Wednesday, on the back of robust sales of its QLED TVs. 　The South Korean tech giant took up 30.9 percent of the global TV market last year in terms of sales revenue, up 1.9 percentage points from a year earlier, according to data compiled by industry tracker IHS Markit. 　Samsung was followed by its local rival LG Electronics and Japan’s Sony. 　According to data, Samsung wa

IndustryFeb. 26, 2020

[Graphic News] Rice consumption dips to all-time low in 2019

　South Korea’s per capita annual rice consumption fell to a record low in 2019 amid changes in diet and eating habits, data showed. 　Per capita average annual rice consumption hit a fresh low of 59.2 kilograms last year, down 3 percent from a year earlier, according to data compiled by Statistics Korea. 　It marked the first time for the amount to fall below the 60-kilogram threshold. 　The latest figure indicates Koreans consumed around 162 grams of rice on a daily basis. (Yonhap)

FoodFeb. 25, 2020

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

　South Korea’s beer imports fell sharply in 2019 from a year earlier due mainly to a boycott of Japanese products here amid a bilateral trade row, data showed. 　Beer imports reached $280 million in 2019, down 9.3 percent from $309 million a year earlier, according to data compiled by the Korea Customs Service - the first on-year decrease since 2009. 　The drop was largely attributable to the ongoing “No Japan” campaign by Korean consumers, who have been boycotting Japanes

BusinessFeb. 24, 2020

[Graphic News] Average monthly wage of NK defectors hits record high of 2 million won

　The average monthly wage of North Korean defectors living in South Korea exceeded 2 million won ($1,684) for the first time last year, the Unification Ministry said. 　Defectors earned 2.04 million won ($1,720) per month on average in 2019, compared with 1.89 million won in 2018, according to a report released by the Unification Ministry. (Yonhap)

North KoreaFeb. 23, 2020

[Graphic News] COVID-19 helps toy sales

　Sales of toys are surging in South Korea as children stay home longer and people pay more attention to their health due to the prolonged scare over COVID-19, a respiratory disease caused by a new coronavirus, industry sources said. 　Online shopping site Auction said its sales of toys for toddlers and children skyrocketed from a year earlier in the seven-day period to Feb. 9. 　Sales of ball tents and toy blocks surged 285 percent and 72 percent, respectively, with those of mobile toys like

BusinessFeb. 20, 2020

[Graphic News] COVID-19 death toll surpasses that of SARS

　The new coronavirus that emerged in central China at the end of last year has now killed more than 2,000 people and spread around the world. 　The latest figures from China show there were more than 74,185 people infected in the country as of Wednesday. 　SARS was also a coronavirus, and that outbreak started in a wet market too. It infected 8,098 people and killed 774 between November 2002 and July 2003.

TechnologyFeb. 19, 2020

[Graphic News] Foreign ownership of Jeju land falls 1.4%

　The amount of land owned by foreigners on the South Korean island of Jeju decreased slightly last year, official data showed. 　According to the data released by Jeju’s provincial government, foreigners owned 22.6 square kilometers in 14,644 plots on Jeju Island as of the end of last year. 　The volume marked a reduction of 1.4 percent from 22.9 square kilometers at the end of 2018. 　By region, foreign land ownership in the city of Jeju amounted to 11.1 square kilometers, compared wi

BusinessFeb. 18, 2020

[Graphic News] Number of foreign subscribers to state health insurance soars in 2019

　The number of foreign subscribers to the state health insurance program surged in 2019, topping the 1 million mark, after Korea required long-term-stay foreigners to sign up for it. 　According to data from the National Health Insurance Service, there were slightly over 1.21 million foreign subscribers to the mandatory health insurance plan last year, up some 266,000 from the previous year. Last year marked the first time the figure surpassed 1 million. 　The number had been on a steady ri

NationalFeb. 17, 2020

[Graphic News] Online stores boost retail sales 4.8% in 2019

　Retail sales in South Korea rose 4.8 percent last year on the back of brisk sales at online malls, while revenue from offline stores lost ground, data showed. 　The combined sales of 26 major offline and online retailers reached 132.9 trillion won ($113 billion) last year, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. 　Of the volume, 13 online stores accounted for roughly 54.7 trillion won, up 14.2 percent from a year earlier, amid a rising number of consumers

BusinessFeb. 16, 2020

[Graphic News] Trending ‘Parasite’ filming locations after Oscar wins

　Locations that appeared in director Bong Joon-ho’s masterpiece “Parasite” are trending, with fans visiting the venues in celebration of the film’s historic Oscar wins. - Where “Parasite” begins Doijissal Supermarket Address: 32, Songijeong-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul Hours of Operation: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 a.m. daily Directions: Subway Line Nos. 2 & 5, Exit No. 6 of Chungjeongno Station, walk 10 minutes - Stairs connecting to President Park’s house Stair

CultureFeb. 13, 2020

[Graphic News] Online dating goes mainstream despite doubts: US survey

　Americans’ use of apps and dating websites to meet potential partners is growing despite concerns about such platforms, a survey showed. 　A report by the Pew Research Center showed 31 percent of US adults have used a dating app or service. The figure is close to half among adults under 30 years old and people who identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual. 　Twelve percent of those surveyed said they had married or been in a committed relationship with someone they met through a dating sit

World NewsFeb. 11, 2020

[Graphic News] Majority of low-income families attendcultural events

　A record number of families in the lowest-income bracket - more than five out of every 10 - paid at least one visit to cultural and art events last year, government reports showed. 　According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, 51.7 percent of families with a monthly income of 1 million won ($840.70) or less attended at least one cultural event in 2019, sharply up from 42.5 percent on-year. 　The corresponding figure for 2016 was 30.9

Social AffairsFeb. 10, 2020

[Graphic News] Some 85,000 terminal patients opt to die with dignity over 2 years

　More than 85,000 terminally ill South Koreans have chosen to forgo life-prolonging treatment since the legalization of the right to die with dignity two years ago, government data showed. 　The law took effect on Feb. 4, 2018, allowing terminal patients to sign up to forgo a “meaningless extension of life” by stopping or postponing four life-sustaining treatments. 　According to the data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the number of patients who opted to die with dignit

TechnologyFeb. 9, 2020

[Graphic News] International award-winning Korean films

  　As Korean cinema marked its centennial last year, director Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” won the country’s first Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, opening a new chapter in Korean cinema. 　Bong continues to write history, clinching the first Golden Globe for a Korean film. ”Parasite“ also became the　first film to win at the BAFTA Film Awards, winning the best film not in English and best original screenplay. “Parasite” now awaits

CultureFeb. 6, 2020

[Graphic News] Movie ticket sales fall to 8-year low in Jan.

　Korean movie theaters saw their total monthly admissions for January drop to an eight-year low, data showed, amid fears of the rapid spread of the new coronavirus. 　According to data compiled by the Korean Film Council, a total of 16.8 million people went to theaters over the one-month period. 　It is the lowest January figure since 2012, when the local box office posted 16.6 million in admissions in the month. 　The decrease came as people have refrained from going to cinemas in the last t

Latest NewsFeb. 5, 2020

[Graphic News] Population mobility at slowest pace in 47 years in 2019

　South Koreans changed residences to a different region at the slowest pace in 47 years in 2019, due to the rapid aging population and tightened regulations on home purchases, data showed. 　The number of people who moved to other regions - defined as a different province or city - in the country dropped 2.6 percent on-year to 7.1 million last year, according to the data by Statistics Korea. 　The population mobility rate - the number of those changing residence for every 100 people - fell 0

Social AffairsFeb. 4, 2020

[Graphic News] South Korea’s percentage of social media users dips in 2019

　A slightly lower proportion of South Koreans used social media in 2019, amid the waning popularity of platforms such as Facebook, data showed. 　According to data from the Korea Information Society Development Institute, 47.7 percent of people surveyed used social media last year, down from 48.2 percent the previous year. 　The figure had risen steadily since 2011, when it stood at 16.8 percent. It surpassed 30 percent in 2013 and 40 percent in 2015. (Yonhap)

Social AffairsFeb. 3, 2020

[Graphic News] More than 40% of US adults have eaten plant-based meat

　As restaurants nationwide add them to menus, plant-based “meats” are becoming increasingly popular in the United States - where more than 40 percent of adults have eaten them at least once, a new survey showed. 　Gallup research said 41 percent have tried a plant-based meat - whether it be a substitute for beef or pork - and they are mostly among upper-income young adults and those living in American suburbs. 　Plant-based meats are rising in popularity, with fast food chains li

World NewsFeb. 2, 2020

[Graphic News] Hong Kong named world’s most expensive cities for luxuries

　Wealthy bargain hunters should be wary of getting married in New York, hiring lawyers in Hong Kong or buying fine wines in Rio de Janeiro. 　That’s according to research from Julius Baer Group, which broke out the world’s most expensive cities for a variety of luxury goods and services - from houses to whisky to handbags. High local tax rates make Rio de Janeiro - Brazil’s second-largest city - the world’s most expensive metropolis in five of 18 categories in the Swi

World NewsJan. 30, 2020