Sixty-five journalists and media workers were killed worldwide in 2017, according to annual figures published by Reporters Without Borders on Tuesday.　Among them were 50 professional reporters, the lowest toll in 14 years. 　However, the downward trend is due at least in part to journalists giving up working in the world‘s deadliest spots.　Turkey is the world‘s biggest prison for professional journalists, the figures show, with 43 reporters and one media worker behind bars.　With 52 languishing i

World Dec. 25, 2017

　For the eleventh year in a row in US, gift cards remain the most popular items on wish lists, requested by 61 percent of those surveyed, followed by clothing and accessories at 55 percent, the highest level the category has seen in 12 years. Two in five would like books, music or movies, the lowest in survey history; others asked for consumer electronics (33 percent), home decor (24 percent), jewelry (23 percent), personal care or beauty items (21 percent), sporting goods (20 percent), and home

World Dec. 21, 2017

　The number of electric vehicles on the road rocketed to 2 million in 2016, having been virtually nonexistent just five years ago, according to the International Energy Agency.　Globally, 753 000 plug-in electric vehicles were sold in 2016, 60 percent of which were battery-electric cars. 　China remained the largest market for electric vehicles for a second consecutive year and, in 2016, accounted for close to half of global sales. Europe represented the second-largest global market, followed by t

Business Dec. 20, 2017

　Japan is the best country in Asia for older people to live, according to the Global AgeWatch Index.　There is high satisfaction with Japan’s social connectedness, safety and civic freedom, according to the index, which measures the quality of life for people aged 60 and older based on factors such as income security, health and personal capability.　The Global AgeWatch Index 2015 by HelpAge International assessed 96 countries to determine the best places for older people to live. The countries in

World Dec. 19, 2017

　As the Christmas shopping season enters its final phase Friday, for the first time, a majority of Americans, 53 percent, have said they were very or somewhat likely to do their Christmas shopping online this year. This is the highest percentage since Gallup first asked the question in 1998. Meanwhile, the percentages of Americans shopping for gifts in department stores and discount stores have slowly been declining, but these still beat the internet as places Americans will shop for the holiday

World Business Dec. 18, 2017

　Seoul has ranked as the third most expensive location in Asia for expatriates, according to the latest cost of living survey by ECA International.　Korea’s second-largest city Busan also placed 10th, according to the survey.　Tokyo retained its crown atop the Asia-Pacific pack, as a financial hub. Hong Kong was No. 2.　The survey was based on cost of living, salary, accommodations, taxes, labor laws, benefits and quality of life for international assignees in over 262 cities worldwide.

World Business Dec. 17, 2017

　Faced with constant missile and nuclear threats from its belligerent northern neighbor, South Korea is boosting its arms sales and aims to become a major exporter, a study said.　South Korea‘s arms industry accounted for 2.2 percent of the global top 100 producers’ sales in 2016, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said in a report listing the world‘s “top 100” military services.　South Korean arms-producing companies’ combined sales totaled $8.4 billion the same year with a 20.6

North Korea Dec. 14, 2017

　Cambodia‘s Angkor Wat has been named the best UNESCO world heritage site in the world, according to a leading international travel website.　The list, which is compiled annually, looks at travelers’ reviews of UNESCO sites on TripAdvisor throughout the year, bringing them together to find the best rated.　India‘s Taj Mahal was named the second-best heritage site, followed by China‘s Great Wall, Machu Picchu and the Iguazu Falls in South America.

World Dec. 13, 2017

　Facebook has been named the best place to work in the US, according to a list released by Glassdoor, a career listing and employer review site.　Global management consulting firm Bain & Company ranked as the second best place to work, followed by Boston Consulting Group, In-N-Out Burger and Google. 　The ranking was based on employee reviews, which touch on how satisfied employees are with the employer, CEO and other key workplace factors.

World Business Dec. 12, 2017

　The statistics show the 10 countries with the lowest fertility rates in 2017.　The fertility rate is the average number of children born per woman of child-bearing age in a country. 　The fertility rate in Singapore was estimated to be at 0.83 children per woman, making it the lowest fertility rate worldwide, according to data released by online statistics company, Statista.　South Korea has one of the lowest birthrates of any country in the world this year.

World Dec. 11, 2017

　South Korea ranked No. 4 among the easiest places in the world to do business, according to the “Doing Business 2018: Reforming to Create” report released by the World Bank.　New Zealand was No. 1, followed by Singapore and Denmark.　Starting a new business in New Zealand takes the fewest procedures (one) and shortest time to fulfill (0.5 day), according to the report.　The ranking uses 11 indicators to measure aspects of business regulation across 190 countries worldwide. Of the top 20 economies

World Business Dec. 10, 2017

Social Affairs Dec. 7, 2017

　Purchases made via the internet and mobile devices in South Korea continued to rise in October, as the use of smartphones has fully caught on with local consumers, government data showed.　Transactions made by smartphones and tablets reached 6.33 trillion won ($5.83 billion) in the one-month period, up a solid 9.9 percent from a year earlier, according to data from Statistics Korea.　In particular, the total amount of mobile transactions, valued at 4.03 trillion won, accounted for 63.6 percent of

Business Dec. 6, 2017

　Asian countries contributed almost 25 percent of the UN’s regular budget, with Japan contributing the most in the region, followed by China, Australia, South Korea and India, according to the latest data. 　The UN’s total budget for the year 2016-2017 was $5.6 billion. China was the third-largest contributor in the world and second in Asia, providing 7.92 percent of the budget. 　Australia contributed 2.3 percent, which made it the third-largest contributor in Asia. South Korea was the fourth-lar

World Dec. 5, 2017

　The 2016 data hack on 57 million Uber riders and drivers is among the biggest ever thefts of online users’ personal information. 　Here are some previous cases:　　In 2013, Yahoo was hit by hackers that affected all 3 billion accounts, which was the biggest cyberattack in history, and another attack affected 500 million accounts in 2014. Both were revealed in 2016.　In 2014, South Koreans scrambled to stop money being siphoned from their bank accounts after it emerged that data on 20 million credit

World Business Dec. 4, 2017