Koreans are eating less rice, consuming other energy sources to sustain their health, data showed Tuesday. According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, rice accounted for 31.6 percent of major energy sources for Koreans in 2012, down nearly 10 percent from 2008. The average daily calories from rice consumption dropped to 629.41 calories per person, decreasing by 24.6 percent from 2008. This is about 170 grams, suggesting that one person consumes less than two bowls of rice

Korean authorities are grappling with an increasing number of avian influenza cases, as the virus has continued to spread to chickens and migratory birds across the country since the first outbreak in Gochang, North Jeolla Province on Jan. 17. Up to six areas were confirmed to be infected with the pathogenic H5N8 strain.

1. China - 1,485 products2. Germany - 703 3. U.S. - 6034. Japan - 2315. Italy - 2286. U.K. - 817. South Korea - 64

Korean firms placed within the top 10 in terms of sales revenues up to the third quarter of last year for nine of 26 industry categories, according to data compiled by CEO Score.Samsung Electronics was the industry leader in information technology and Hyundai Heavy led the shipbuilding industry, which on the list also included five other domestic companies.Meanwhile, other Korean firms ranked second in industries such as steel, semiconductors and mobile phones, the data showed.

Despite the death of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in 2011, the Middle Eastern terrorist organization appears to be growing, according to data released by AFP.Al-Qaida-affiliated militant jihadists have strongholds in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, while the group has also inspired the creation of independent militant groups operating in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Sinai and parts of the Arabian Peninsula.An estimated 17,000-20,000 fighters are engaged in jihadist activity in Iraq and Syria alone.

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics of Korea are expected to post an all-time high in global market share in smartphones in the first quarter of 2014, according to data released on Monday.The portion taken by Samsung, the world’s largest smartphone maker, was projected to reach 36.2 percent, while its smaller rival LG Electronics is anticipated to record a 5.9 percent share, data by market researcher Strategy Analytics showed.

About 40 percent of people who applied for individual rehabilitation in Seoul and Gangwon Province were doctors, a report concluded.According to data by the Seoul High Court, 449 doctors including dentists and oriental medical doctors filed for personal bankruptcy under the Debtor Rehabilitation and Bankruptcy Act between 2009 and 2013. The number of hospitals that closed down also jumped by 17.6 percent, from 2,857 to 3,359 in the same period, largely due to fierce market competition and less i

The South Korean economy is likely to have grown 2.8 percent in 2013 to rank ninth in Asia, according to data provided by major investment banks including Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs and the Korean Finance Ministry.

The number of visitors to South Korea increased 5.4 percent on-year in 2013 according to government data released Monday. Last year marked the first time Chinese visitors outnumbered Japanese visitors. Justice Ministry officials cited the improved visa review process and a weaker Japanese yen as possible reasons.Over 82 percent of foreigners arriving in Korea said they came for tourism while 4.5 percent made job-related visits. About 2.6 percent identified themselves as foreigners of Korean desc

The number of people pledging to donate their organs surged to a fresh high last year, exceeding 1 million for the first time. According to Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1.05 million people registered to become organ donors as of last year. This means 1 out of 48 Koreans is willing to donate organs if they die or become brain-dead. About 400 brain-dead patients donated their organs last year, saving more than 1,600 people in need of a transplant.

More than 60 percent of U.S. submarine-based reconnaissance activities are focused on Pacific areas including the Korean Peninsula, according to a recent report by two American nuclear experts.According to the report on U.S. nuclear forces by American scientists Hans Kristensen and Robert Norris, Washington has deployed 14 Ohio-class nuclear-powered submarines, equipped with Trident II D5 ballistic missiles, to the Pacific and Atlantic operational areas for nuclear deterrence.Observers say the U

The number of K-pop fans around the world surpassed 9 million last year, according to a recent report by the Korea Foundation. The number stood at 9.28 million, up 2.58 million from 2012. Fan clubs came in at 987, up 204 from a year ago. By region, the Asia-Pacific had the greatest number of K-pop-loving fans at 6.8 million, while Africa and the Middle East together reported the most significant surge. The combined number of fans in Africa and the Middle East tripled to 60,000, with countries li

North Korea is least capable of keeping nuclear materials secure among the 25 countries that possess the largest amounts of nuclear materials, a report concluded. According to the U.S.-based nongovernmental organization Nuclear Threat Initiative, North Korea scored 30 out of a possible 100 on its nuclear material security index. The index was compiled by analyzing a range of factors including adherence to international standards and management capabilities of the countries that hold 1 kilogram o

Several parts of the world have been hit by unusual weather patterns this week, causing deaths and damage on a massive scale.The U.S. and Canada fought with the frigid cold sparked by what is called a “polar vortex,” which claimed about a dozen lives across the country. U.S. authorities in chilly regions such as Milwaukee, Wisconsin, urged residents to stay indoors.Southeast Asia was also struck by a cold snap. Vegetable gardens were hit by frost, forcing the Manila government to prepare alterna

The socioeconomic costs of suicides and depression jumped more than 40 percent between 2007 and 2011, a report showed on Tuesday.According to the state-run National Health Insurance Service, Korea saw 10.38 trillion won ($9.71 billion) in economic losses as an effect of people committing suicide or suffering from depression in 2011, a 41.5 percent increase from the 7.33 trillion won recorded in 2007.The report studied medical costs spent by people diagnosed with depression as well as financial a