Golf has made its first appearance in Gallup Korea’s top 10 favorite hobbies for South Koreans, ranking No. 8 with 4.1 percent of survey respondents mentioning it as their hobby of choice. The annual survey, conducted with 1,777 participants aged 13 and older, asked, “What is your favorite hobby?” and marked the first time since the survey began in 2004 that golf reached the top 10. The top hobbies include gaming (9 percent), followed by fitness and hiking tied for second (7

Social Affairs Nov. 25, 2024

Nearly 7 in 10 South Koreans believe that couples can live together without getting married, and almost 40 percent support having children without getting married first, a government report showed, signaling a substantial shift in perceptions around marriage and having children. The report was based on a survey, conducted by Statistics Korea in May 2024, involving 36,000 respondents aged 13 years and older. The survey is conducted biennially. The findings showed that 67.4 percent of respondent

Social Affairs Nov. 20, 2024

A recent survey by online recruiter Saramin showed that 8 out of 10 companies favor raising companies' retirement age. Conducted among 461 firms, 79.8 percent of respondents were in favor of raising the retirement age, with an average ideal age of 65.7 years. Over half of those surveyed, 57.9 percent, saw age 65 as optimal retirement age, citing the value of retaining experienced employees. Furthermore, 52.9 percent indicated openness to hiring workers in their 50s and 60s, to benefit fro

Social Affairs Nov. 19, 2024

The average temperature of South Korea’s surrounding seas has risen at nearly twice the global average rate over the past 56 years, according to a government report. The National Institute of Fisheries Science stated in its report, “2024 Impact of Climate Change in Fisheries Sector,” that sea temperatures around South Korea have increased by 1.44 degree Celsius between 1968 and 2023, compared to the global average rise of 0.7 C. The East Sea experienced the most significant i

Social Affairs Nov. 18, 2024

Travel app Skyscanner has unveiled its Travel Trends 2025 report, capturing tourism insights based on a survey of 20,000 travelers worldwide. According to the report, next year’s key travel theme is predicted to be “shared experiences with others,” in which people will pursue experiences that can be shared with others who have similar interests. Among the survey participants, 1,000 South Koreans shared their preferred travel destinations, favoring shorter flights. Taiwan&rsqu

Social Affairs Nov. 14, 2024

US-based social media platforms YouTube and Instagram saw their usage time among South Korean app users rise sharply in September from a year earlier, data showed, while locally based platforms like KakaoTalk and Naver lost ground. The total hours spent by Korean users on YouTube, the most popular app here, came to 1.8 billion hours in September, up 9.5 percent from a year earlier, according to data compiled by industry tracker Wiseapp. Instagram also saw its combined usage time reach 378 mill

Social Affairs Nov. 13, 2024

The number of dengue fever infections has spiked this year, with a South Korean university student recently dying from the mosquito-borne infection in Pakistan. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, South Korea has recorded 170 cases of dengue fever as of Oct. 26, a 16.4 percent increase from last year, with most cases caught while abroad. By country, Indonesia has the most cases, with 64 (37.6 percent of the total), followed by the Philippines with 44 cases (25.9 perce

World News Nov. 12, 2024

Amid “weddingflation” in South Korea, wedding expenses have surged, leaving guests uncertain about how much to give as cash gifts. Koreans commonly base cash gifts on the cost of the wedding meal and their closeness to the couple. In Seoul, most wedding meals now cost between 70,000 and 80,000 won ($51-$59), raising concerns for guests planning to give only 50,000 won. A Shinhan Bank survey found that people in their 20s to 40s primarily determined cash gift amounts based on their

Social Affairs Nov. 11, 2024

Cancer remained the leading cause of death among South Koreans last year, according to data from Statistics Korea. A total of 352,511 deaths were recorded in 2023, a decrease of 5.5 percent from the previous year, marking a decline after three years of increases. The decline in the total number of deaths is partly attributed to the country’s COVID-19 measures. However, excluding deaths due to COVID-19, the overall number of fatalities actually increased. COVID-19, which was the third lea

Social Affairs Nov. 6, 2024

The average amount workers spend on lunch has risen back above 10,000 won ($7.24), according to data from food tech company SikSin. The survey found that the average amount spent on lunch at restaurants nationwide was 10,037 won. After surpassing 10,000 won for the first time in the first quarter of this year, it dipped slightly to 9,902 won in the second quarter, but has since increased again. Other statistics reflect tighter household budgets. Notably, there has been a significant rise in wo

Social Affairs Nov. 5, 2024

Microsoft topped Forbes’ World’s Best Employers list for 2024, surpassing Samsung Electronics, which had previously held the top spot for four consecutive years since 2020. Alphabet, Google’s parent company, secured second place, with Samsung ranking third. The list, based on a survey conducted by Forbes in collaboration with German polling firm Statista, polled over 300,000 employees from more than 50 countries, focusing on multinational companies with over 1,000 employees o

World Business Nov. 4, 2024

Cabbage prices during the traditional kimchi-making - or “gimjang” - season before winter are expected to surpass 5,000 won ($3.63) per head for the first time, driven by a supply shortage due to this year’s lengthy heat wave. The Korea Price Research Center forecasts that the average retail price of one cabbage in November will be 22.5 percent more than last year. Based on trends in cabbage supply and cost-of-living surveys, they estimate that cabbage will sell at an average

Social Affairs Oct. 31, 2024

Lottery sales in South Korea rose 7 percent on-year during the first half of this year to reach an all-time high, data showed. Sales of lottery tickets stood at 3.62 trillion won ($2.67 billion) in the January-June period of 2024, compared with 3.38 trillion won the previous year, according to the data from the Finance Ministry. The figure has been on a constant increase, surging 38 percent in four years. Sales came to 2.62 trillion won in the first half of 2020, 2.94 trillion won in the same

Social Affairs Oct. 30, 2024

The number of heat-related emergency room patients increased by 31.4 percent this year compared to the previous year, according to data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Between May 20 and Sept. 30, 3,704 people were treated for heat-related illnesses in ERs, marking a sharp rise from last year. This year, 34 people reportedly died from heat-related conditions, a 6.3 percent increase from the previous year. The most cases occurred in 2018, with 4,526 patients, making 2024 t

Social Affairs Oct. 29, 2024

More than half of South Korea’s postpartum care centers are concentrated in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. The cost of these services has surged, with the highest prices reaching up to 17 million won ($12,600) in areas like Gangnam, Seoul. The price gap between regions has widened significantly, with Gangnam’s costs being more than ten times higher than in other areas. In Korea, new mothers typically spend around two weeks at a care center receiving medical attention and nutrition to

Social Affairs Oct. 28, 2024