About 1 in 500 Koreans lived to age 100, a lower proportion than in most of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, according to recent research.The study showed that 1,826 among 908,490 Korean people in the 50-54 age bracket in 1961 became centenarians in 2011.In terms of the centenarian rate, Korea ranked 26th of 32 countries in the OECD, according to the report released by Kim Jong-in, a professor of health and welfare at Wonkwang University. Japan topped the list, proving

The effectiveness of Korea’s anti-smoking policy ranked 24th out of 25 member countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a report said Wednesday.The country’s smoking rate was the second-highest among 34 OECD countries in 2009, the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs said in the report. The state-run institute claimed that the country’s weak anti-smoking policy was connected to its low cigarette prices.Ireland was found to have the strongest anti-smoking po

Cardinals entered the conclave to choose the successor to Benedict XVI at the Vatican on Tuesday evening.The 115 voting cardinals, who are forbidden from contact with the outside world during the conclave, must arrive at a two-thirds majority to select the next pope. While the conclave has no set time limit, earlier reports had speculated that the process would be finished before the end of the month, in time for Easter.Observers have been unable to identify any clear favorite despite speculatio

Koreans have become more cautious in opening their wallets due to concerns over a prolonged economic slowdown, government data showed Monday. According to Statistics Korea and Shinyoung Securities, the average monthly household spending increased 1.38 percent to 2.4 million won ($2,200) in the fourth quarter of last year from a year ago. Following a mere 0.96 percent increase in the third quarter, it was the first time that year-on-year growth stuck below 2 percent for two consecutive quarters s

Corporate top guns touted the largest paychecks in the country, according to figures from the Korea Federation of Savings Banks on Saturday.CEOs’ annual salaries averaged 109 million won, followed by lawmakers, who were paid an average 106 million won. They were followed by maritime pilots whose annual paychecks were around 105 million won. Maritime pilots have the job of guiding ships safely to shore. Among doctors, plastic surgeons appeared to have the highest-paying jobs, with an annual salar

Small pocketknives are to be allowed onboard U.S. flights for the first time since their prohibition after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, following an announcement by the Transportation Security Administration on Tuesday.The new rules, to come into effect on April 25, will allow passengers to carry non-fixed blades of less than 6 cm in length and 1.3 cm in width. Happily for sports enthusiasts, golf clubs, ski poles, hockey sticks and baseball bats will also be permitted. Attracting its f

The death of Hugo Chavez on Tuesday is expected to have a profound impact on Latin America’s economy and political landscape, as the brash, outspoken Venezuelan ruler was the patron for the anti-American bloc in the region.With the death of Chavez, it seems unclear if the left wing will retain power within Venezuela.Vice President Nicolas Maduro, the next-in-command after the deceased leader, is set to face tough challenges from Henrique Capriles, the runner-up in last year’s presidential electi

The majority of the cardinals who are to select the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church held their first pre-conclave meeting in Rome on Monday, having being summoned the previous Friday by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals.Of the 117 cardinals eligible to vote for the next pope, 107 attended the meeting on the future of the church and when to hold the conclave to select the pontiff. While the date for the conclave is yet to be set, the cardinals reportedly hope to co

Medical costs for smoking-related illnesses surged by nearly 50 percent in four years, a report showed Monday. The report, which studied data compiled by the National Health Insurance Service, also showed a rapid increase in medical spending on drinking- and obesity-related diseases.Korean patients suffering from smoking-related diseases including cerebral disorders, high blood pressure and lung cancer spent over 1.56 trillion won ($1.4 billion) in 2011, up 48.7 percent from 1.05 trillion won in

The U.S. Federal Reserve may be vastly influential with decisions it makes on key interest rates that can cause ripple effects across the global financial markets.However, this power surprisingly does not reflect the current annual salary of chairman Ben Bernanke, who receives $199,700 ― much lower than that of Bank of Korea governor Kim Choong-soo, according to the Bank of Korea, the Ministry of Labor and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.The central bank in Seoul said that it was inappropria

The total value of foreigner-owned Korean stocks hit a record high last week, riding on the optimism of a global economic recovery, the Korea Exchange said on Wednesday. Breaking the 420 trillion won ($387 billion) mark for the first time, the total sum of foreigner-owned Korean stocks ― including those listed on the tech-heavy KOSDAQ market ― surpassed 420.4 trillion won on Feb. 20. Analysts said the increase stemmed from the country’s strong economic fundamentals despite the global economic sl

The number of tourists traveling overseas hit a January record, thanks to a strong won, travel portal Tourgo said Tuesday.The state-run online database engine revealed that the number of tourists headed abroad totaled slightly more than 1.4 million, a 21.8 percent increase from the previous month.In particular, about 50 percent more prospective travelers are visiting travel agencies, searching for tour packages to Japan, hoping for more economical deals thanks to the strength of the won against

How much do Korean drivers hit by high gasoline prices feel the pain at the pump? According to the latest Bloomberg Gas Price Ranking released last week, Korea ranked 32nd among 60 countries by pain at the pump, which is measured by the proportion of average daily income needed to buy a gallon of fuel.The average daily income in Korea was $65 and the share of a day’s income needed to buy a gallon (with a price of $6.77 per gallon) was about 10 percent, the report said. Last year, Korea ranked 20

More than 1 in 3 North American smartphone owners use a made-in-Korea device, according to Strategy Analytics, a U.S. market research firm.The company said Apple became the biggest seller of smartphones in North America with a 37.6 percent market share last year. But Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics continued to increase their sales in U.S. and Canada with market shares of 26.6 percent and 7.1 percent, respectively.Market analysts said the two Korean companies’ combined sales are expected

With each new personnel selection, President-elect Park Geun-hye has shown a tendency to pick people with overlapping educational and personal backgrounds, prompting some to question whether she has given any consideration to national unity and balanced appointments.Along with the prime minister nominee and justice minister nominee, seven out of 30 appointees picked up to Tuesday are Sungkyunkwan alumni in Park’s incoming Cabinet and presidential office.Regional considerations are also an issue.