South Korea’s online food market jumped more than 35 percent to touch an all-time high in 2021 amid the coronavirus pandemic, data showed. 　The value of online food transactions in Asia’s fourth-largest economy stood at 58.5 trillion won ($48.8 billion) last year, up 35.3 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from Statistics Korea and industry sources. 　The tally covers online transactions of food, groceries, farm produce, meat and fisheries goods, as well as food de

　One out of 4 South Korean students think that unification with North Korea is unnecessary, a survey showed.  　In the online survey of 72,524 elementary, middle and high school students conducted by the education ministry and the Unification Ministry from Nov. 1 to Dec. 10, 61.2 percent replied that unification is necessary, while 25 percent said it is not needed.  　The rate of students against unification increased for the third consecutive year from 19.4 percent in 2019 and 24.2 p

　Six out of 10 South Koreans are positive about the relaxation of COVID-19 curbs on businesses, a poll showed.  　In the survey by the Korea Society Opinion Institute, 62.1 percent said the government should enhance the protection of severely ill patients and those with underlying conditions while easing the curfew on restaurants, cafes and other businesses.  　But 32.6 percent said restrictions on business hours should be maintained firmly until infections are back on the decline. 　

　If a terrorist attack occurs in the Gwanghwamun Square area in central Seoul, Gwanghwamun Station on Subway Line 5 is most likely to become the primary target, a study warned, calling for comprehensive counterterrorism preparedness in accordance with the capital's rising international recognition. 　The study authored by professor Cho Youn-oh of Dongkuk University and her undergraduate students issued such a warning after assessing the risk of terrorism in 16 zones of the central Seoul square.

　South Korea is predicted to see its working age population shrink by a whopping 3.2 million during the 2020-2030 period, amid the country’s graying demographics, a government labor report showed.  　The estimate of people aged 15-64 would represent a turnaround from a growth of 1.17 million between 2010 and 2020 and 2.66 million during the previous decade, the Labor Ministry said in a report illustrating the seriousness of the country’s low birthrate and fast-aging population.

　North Korea retreated four notches in an annual international corruption ranking to 174th among 180 countries last year, a report by an anti-corruption watchdog showed.  　The reclusive country scored 16 out of 100 in the Corruption Perceptions Index report issued by Berlin-based Transparency International, down two points from the previous year. 　The index evaluates countries based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived to be, using data collected “by a variety of reputab

　The 2022 Beijing Olympics ended Sunday evening despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 　South Korea finished with two gold medals and three silver medals in short track speedskating despite hurdles and added two silver and two bronze in other speedskating events. The country achieved its stated goal, as the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee previously predicted a medal target of two Olympic gold medals and to finish around the top 15 in the medal race. 　South Korea grabbed its very first

　The South Korean market of instant meals jumped more than 145 percent in 2020 from four years earlier on the increased number of convenience stores and the coronavirus pandemic, data showed. 　Shipments of ready-to-eat items, known as home meal replacement products in South Korea, came to 2.01 trillion won ($1.7 billion) in 2020, up a whopping 145.3 percent from 2016, according to the data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Co

　Drug smuggling caught by South Korea‘s customs agency hit a record high last year as trafficking via non-contact delivery means shot up amid the COVID-19 pandemic, data showed. 　The Korea Customs Service said it confiscated a total of 1,272 kilograms of drugs in 2021, up 757 percent from the previous year. 　Drug smuggling via international mail and cargo sharply increased as drug delivery by international travelers declined due to the pandemic, according to the customs agency. 　The co

　The number of elementary and secondary school students in South Korea is expected to drop below 5 million for the first time in 2026, the government said, citing an ongoing decline of the school-age population. 　According to the Ministry of Education, the number of elementary, middle and high school students is expected to decrease each year, falling from 5.28 million this year to 5.21 million in 2023, 5.14 million in 2024 and 5.04 million in 2025. 　In 2026, when students born in 2007 - whic

　The proportion of apartments bought by people in their 30s or younger reached an all-time high last year amid “panic buying” over soaring housing prices, data showed. 　The buyers in this age group accounted for 31 percent of the country’s total apartment sales in 2021, up from 29.2 percent in 2020, according to the data compiled by the Korea Real Estate Board. 　The agency began compiling the related data in 2019, and the figure for that year came to 28.3 percent. 　In Seoul

　South Korean exports of red pepper paste soared nearly 63 percent in the past four years thanks to the global popularity of Korean pop culture, data showed. 　Overseas shipments of red pepper paste, called “gochujang” in Korean, came to $50.93 million in 2020, up 62.6 percent compared with 2016 and 35.2 percent from 2019, according to the data from Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp. and the Agriculture Ministry. 　Exports of red pepper paste seem to have soared in recent y

　The K-pop album market has been experiencing an unprecedented boom but the sales of digital music have been sluggish amid the coronavirus pandemic. 　According to the year-end data released by Korea’s album sales tracker Gaon Chart, the nation’s top 400 albums sold 57 million copies in and out of the country in 2021, up 36.9 percent from 41.7 million the previous year. 　The sales of the top 400 albums have been on a steep rise after exceeding 20 million for the first time in 2018.

　South Koreans’ consumption of rice hit an all-time low in 2021, but the decreasing rate slowed on the back of a growing demand for home meals amid the COVID-19 pandemic, data showed.  　The average South Korean consumed 56.9 kilograms of rice last year, down 1.4 percent or 0.8 kilograms from the previous year, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea. 　Rice is a key staple food for Koreans, but its consumption has been on a steady decline since 1980 due mainly to changes

　The local performing arts scene saw its revenue soar nearly 80 percent in 2021 from a year earlier, thanks to eased social distancing rules and a rising vaccination rate, data showed. 　The combined revenue of 12,000 theatrical plays, musicals, classical concerts and other performances reached 307.1 billion won ($258.1 million) last year, according to the data by the Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System. 　The 2021 amount marked a 78.4 percent on-year surge from 172.1 billion wo