Fine dust filled South Korea’s sky Sunday, prompting authorities to take countermeasures and issue advisories. 　The fine dust level stood at 79 micrograms per cubic meter for Seoul as of 10 a.m., according to Air Korea.　The density level was likely to hover above 50 micrograms per cubic meter on average for the day in most of Seoul and the surrounding regions, the weather agency predicted. 　In response to the dust, the Ministry of Environment required thermal power plants in the affected areas

National Jan. 14, 2019

　The number of dedicated global fans of “hallyu,” or the Korean Wave, is estimated to have surged to about 90 million at the end of last year, a government-affiliated foundation said.　The Korea Foundation said in a report that there were 1,843 hallyu fan clubs in 113 countries worldwide, excluding South Korea, as of December 2018.　The global hallyu fan clubs had a total of 89.19 million members, marking a surge of 22 percent, or 16.07 million, from 73.12 million in 2017, said the foundation, whi

Culture Jan. 13, 2019

　South Korean teenagers spend two hours a day watching online broadcasts streamed by individual creators, a survey showed, with YouTube being the most popular platform.　According to the survey of 1,058 respondents conducted by the Korea Communications Standards Commission, South Korean teenagers spend 114.9 minutes every day watching such online video content. 　By platform, YouTube accounted for 36.4 percent of the content, followed by AfreecaTV with 16.8 percent and Twitch with 16.6 percent. V

Social Affairs Jan. 10, 2019

　The number of South Koreans who switched mobile carriers reached a 13-year low in 2018 due to weaker subsidy competition, industry data showed.　The country‘s three major mobile carriers -- SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus -- and budget carriers posted a combined 5.67 million in number portability last year, according to data from the Korea Telecommunications Operators Association.　The tally was down 19.3 percent from the previous year and the lowest level since 2005.　The figure translates into aroun

Business Jan. 9, 2019

　South Korea’s performing arts market grew 23 percent in 2018 compared to the previous year, on the back of ticket sales for musicals and K-pop concerts.　According to ticket distributor Interpark, sales of tickets for performing arts reached 544.1 billion won ($486 million) in 2018, up from 441.1 billion won the previous year. 　Sales of tickets for musicals rose 29 percent on-year to 257.1 billion won, while sales of concert tickets rose 22 percent to 223.3 billion won. The two genres led the ov

National Jan. 8, 2019

　A total of 556 people died in 15 plane crashes in 2018, significantly more than the previous year, but long-term trends show that safety has improved, an aviation watchdog reported.　The year 2017 was the safest year in aviation history with only 44 people killed in 10 airliner accidents, said the Aviation Safety Network.　Last year was still the third-safest year in aviation history in terms of the number of fatal accidents and the ninth-safest in terms of lives lost.　Last year’s deadliest accid

World News Jan. 7, 2019

　South Korean food industry sales grew 2.3 percent in 2018 from a year ago to exceed 90 trillion won ($80.2 billion) for the first time, a report showed.　According to the report from the Korea Rural Economic Institute, total shipments of the nation’s food products, groceries and beverages came to an estimated 91.3 trillion won last year, up 2 trillion won from 2017.　Food industry sales topped the mark of 90 trillion won three years after passing the milestone of 80 trillion won.　Last year’s grow

Business Jan. 6, 2019

　According to the data compiled by the European Patent Office, the number of applications related to self-driving cars filed in Europe was 3,998 in 2017, growing more than threefold from 922 in 2011. 　Samsung Electronics holds the largest number of patents between 2011 and 2017, 624, with US company Intel ranking second with 590.　US chipmaker Qualcomm held 361, followed by Samsung Electronics’ smaller rival LG Electronics at 348 and Germany’s Bosch with 343. 　The figures show that information an

World Business Jan. 3, 2019

　More than 1 in 10 South Korean senior citizens live with dementia, data showed, with the number expected to reach 2 million by 2039 due to the rapidly aging population.　According to the data compiled by the National Institute of Dementia, 10.2 percent of Koreans aged 65 and above had dementia as of 2018. It was the first time the figure exceeded the 10 percent mark, the institute said. The 2017 figure stood at 9.95 percent. 　The total number of dementia patients came to 750,000: 275,000 men and

Social Affairs Jan. 2, 2019

　Nearly 190,000 foreign nationals have become naturalized South Korean citizens over the past seven decades, government data showed.　The Ministry of Justice said the number of people naturalized here since the enactment of the Nationality Act on Dec. 20, 1948, reached 189,193 as of the end of November.　The nation’s first naturalization occurred on Feb. 8, 1957, when a then Taiwanese citizen who changed his name to Son Il-seung acquired South Korean nationality.

Social Affairs Jan. 1, 2019

 Switzerland once again clinched the top spot in a global survey on fostering and attracting talent, part of a top-10 list that includes Canada but not the US and no Asian nations.The country retained its title for the fifth consecutive year in the World Talent Ranking report published by IMD Business School, a result of its strong emphasis on skills training and education. Denmark and Norway ranked second and third. While the US didn’t make the top 10, it climbed four notches to No. 12. Canada

World News Dec. 31, 2018

　Australia, Indonesia, the United States and New Zealand were found to be the world’s most generous countries in an annual study by pollster Gallup.　Gallup released its list of “most generous countries” for 2018. Indonesia and Australia tied for the top spot, and the United States and New Zealand tied for third.　To rank more than 140 nations in its wide-ranging survey, Gallup said it looked at population, which countries’ people gave the most volunteer time, and which helped strangers most often

World News Dec. 28, 2018

　According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Seoul Bamdokkaebi Night Market has been chosen by foreigners as the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s best policy of 2018.　The night market opened in various locations on Fridays and Saturdays from March through October this year, including the Cheonggye Stream, Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Yeouido Hangang Park and Banpo Hangang Park.　Seoul officials said the policy of lending out suits for job seekers to wear to interviews ranked as the second-best

Social Affairs Dec. 27, 2018

　The number of young people getting treatment for alcohol addiction neared 2,000 last year, doubling from seven years prior, a report said.　The drinking rate among the young is declining, but the severity of problems from drinking is still heavy, with one 1 in 2 young peole drinking to dangerous levels, the report from the National Assembly Research Service said.　There were 1,968 young people diagnosed as being addicted to alcohol last year, up 2.1-fold from 922 in 2010.  

Social Affairs Dec. 26, 2018

　South Korea’s gaming industry is the world’s fourth largest in sales, but none of the local companies rank among the top producers, a report said.　According to the Korea Creative Content Agency, the industry’s sales came to $5.76 billion in October, ranking fourth behind $34.4 billion for China, $31.53 billion for the US and $17.71 billion for Japan.　However, Korea would rank higher if internet connections are taken into consideration.   　For example, the internet-linked population in South Kor

World Business Dec. 25, 2018