South Korea’s credit card firms saw their combined earnings fall in the first half, hit by a decline in credit card processing fees, data showed. 　The combined net profit of eight card issuers, including Shinhan Card, Samsung Card and KB Kookmin Card, came to 940.5 billion won ($789 million) in the January-June period, down 2.7 percent from a year earlier, according to data released by the Financial Supervisory Service.　Earlier this year, the government cut credit card processing fees to

Business Sept. 10, 2019

　The proportion of people in South Korea aged 65 years or older could increase sharply amid a rapidly aging population, the country’s statistics agency said.　Statistics Korea forecast that the country’s population is likely to fall to 39 million in 2067, sharply down from 51.7 million in 2019. It said people aged 65 years or older could account for 46.5 percent of the country’s population, which marks a sharp rise from the current 14.9 percent.　In comparison, the world’s

Social Affairs Sept. 9, 2019

　A state copyright agency found a total of 8,833 YouTube videos so far this year to be illegally copied content that violates copyrights here, marking a sharp rise from last year, data from the agency showed.　The number of pirated videos, detected through Aug. 14, is similar to 8,880 cases found for the whole of last year, according to data that the Korea Copyright Protection Agency submitted to Rep. Noh Woong-rae of the ruling Democratic Party, chairman of the parliamentary committee on science

National Sept. 8, 2019

　More than 2,300 endangered tigers have been killed and illegally trafficked since the turn of the century, according to a recent report, urging more action to protect the giant cats.　With an average of more than 120 illegally trafficked tigers seized each year -- which amounts to over two each week since 2000 -- conservation group Traffic warned there was little sign of respite for the species.   　In 1900, more than 100,000 tigers were estimated to roam the planet. But that fell to a

World News Sept. 5, 2019

　Forty-two percent of North Korea’s population is expected to remain food insecure even 10 years later, a recent US Department of Agriculture report said, as the impoverished country grapples with worsening food shortages. 　Referring to North Korea as one of Asia’s “most food-insecure” countries, along with Yemen, the International Food Security Assessment, 2019-2029 by USDA’s Economic Research Service showed an estimated 57.3 percent of North Korea’s populati

North Korea Sept. 4, 2019

What is a Category 5 storm?　Hurricane Dorian has slammed into the northern Bahamas, one of the strongest storms to make landfall in history. It’s also the fifth Category 5 storm to form in the Atlantic in the past four years. 　Here are some facts about what makes a Category 5 storm and what to expect as climate change supercharges our weather.What is a Category 5 storm? 　Scientists rank hurricanes from one to five on what is called the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Categor

World Sept. 3, 2019

　Nearly a quarter of the world’s population lives in 17 countries facing extremely high water stress, close to “day zero” conditions when the taps run dry, according to a recent report.　The World Resources Institute’s Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas ranked water stress, drought risk and riverine flood risk using a peer-reviewed methodology.　Qatar, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Jordan, Libya, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, UAE, San Marino, Bahrain, India, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Oman a

World News Sept. 2, 2019

　The South Korean market for ready-to-eat products increased 14 percent in 2018 on the back of rising demand from single-member households, seniors and others who seek convenience, data showed.　Sales of ready-to-eat meals reached 3 trillion won ($2.47 billion) in 2018, up from 2.6 trillion won posted a year earlier, according to the annual report released by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, as more customers sought hassle-free food items. (Yonhap)

Business Sept. 1, 2019

　The Amazon rainforest has seen a record number of forest fires this year, according to Brazil’s space research center.　　The official figures show that more than 75,000 forest fires were recorded in Brazil in 2019 -- the highest number since 2013. That compares with 41,404 in the same period in 2018.　The Group of Seven nations on Monday pledged tens of millions of dollars to help fight raging wildfires in the Amazon and protect its rainforest.　

World News Sept. 1, 2019

　The US public’s view of China has plummeted amid a surge in strategic and trade tensions in recent years, the Pew Research Center reported.　The group said 60 percent of Americans have an unfavorable view of China, the greatest percentage in the 14 years since the survey began and up from 47 percent a year ago.　But more Americans saw China as a military threat than an economic threat, despite the showdown over trade launched by President Donald Trump after he took office in 2017.　A majorit

World News Aug. 27, 2019

　Vital for smartphone screens, electric vehicle batteries and wind turbines alike, rare earths are highly sought after.　These metals and elements have become indispensable for many advanced industries.　About 35 percent of the world’s rare earth reserves are in China, which produced 120,000 metric tons, or 70 percent, of the global supply in 2018. (AFP)

World Business Aug. 26, 2019

　South Korean exports of information and communications technology products dropped for the ninth straight month in July on sluggish demand for chips, mobile phones and displays, data showed.　Outbound shipments totaled $14.51 billion last month, down a whopping 21.8 percent from a year ago, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Science and ICT.　Korea’s ICT exports have been on the decline since November last year, with overseas shipments plunging 22.5 percent in June. (Yonhap)

Business Aug. 25, 2019

　More than half of Seoul citizens watch TV or use the internet and play online games for leisure during weekdays, a poll showed.　The survey of 1,000 people by the Seoul Metropolitan Government showed that 51.2 percent spend their free time on weekdays watching TV and doing online activities, followed by exercising with 17.5 percent and taking a rest with 6.6 percent.　On the weekend, traveling or doing outdoor activities topped the list, followed by watching TV or playing online games at 17.3 per

Social Affairs Aug. 22, 2019

　Samsung Electronics ranked second in terms of the number of patents filed in the United States last year, a report by a US patent association showed.　 Samsung registered 5,836 patents in the US last year, trailing behind IBM with 9,088 patents, the Intellectual Property Owners Association said. 　Samsung’s rival LG Electronics was the seventh-largest patent holder with 2,473, moving up one notch from a year ago, the IPO said. (Yonhap)

World Business Aug. 21, 2019

　South Korea’s coal consumption increased last year, bucking the global trend for reducing carbon emissions, a report showed. 　South Korea consumed 88.2 million tons of oil equivalent, a unit of energy, in 2018, up 2.4 percent from a year ago, according to the London-based energy company BP’s Statistical Review of World Energy 2019.　The latest figure makes South Korea the world’s fifth-largest coal consumer, following China, India, the United States and Japan, BP said. (Yonhap)

World Business Aug. 20, 2019