SEOUL, Dec. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – Japan welcomed 33.38 million foreign visitors from January to November 2024, surpassing its previous annual record of 31.88 million set in 2019 before the pandemic, according to data released by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) on December 18. South Koreans accounted for the largest share, with 7.95 million visitors [...]
MUAN, Dec. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – Cheongsando, a picturesque island in Wando County, South Jeolla Province, has been recognized as a 2024 “Star of Korean Tourism” in the eco-friendly tourism category by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization, according to a December 18 announcement. Renowned as Asia’s first “Slow City” [...]
BUSAN, Dec. 18 (Korea Bizwire) – Minari, a water parsley widely regarded as a harbinger of spring in South Korea, holds a special place in Korean culture and cuisine. Beyond its culinary versatility, this humble plant symbolizes resilience and vitality, drawing parallels to the Korean spirit that has endured foreign invasions and authoritarian regimes. Known for [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Korea Bizwire) – A new analysis of social media data reveals that South Korean consumers are increasingly adopting cost-conscious spending habits, focusing on low-priced and small-packaged products. This shift reflects a growing emphasis on economic efficiency in response to prolonged inflation. Rising Concerns About Inflation According to KPR Digital Communication Research Institute, [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Korea Bizwire) – The percentage of South Koreans who play video games has dropped below 60% for the first time in a decade, marking a significant decline from its peak during the COVID-19 pandemic when nearly three-quarters of the population were gaming. According to a new survey released on December 16 by the [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 16 (Korea Bizwire) – K-pop fandom, primarily composed of women in their 20s and 30s, has emerged as a defining force in South Korea’s protest culture, blending activism with the hallmarks of fan culture. The recent impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol highlighted this unique phenomenon, with protests resembling the energy and organization of [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 16 (Korea Bizwire) – A flood of satirical memes has swept across South Korean social media in the days between President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law on December 3 and his impeachment by the National Assembly on December 14. Following the impeachment vote, online communities circulated a photoshopped image of North Korean leader [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 16 (Korea Bizwire) – A modest wall outside South Korea’s National Assembly has become a surprising symbol of political resistance and public solidarity following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol on December 14. The wall gained attention after being climbed by National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik during the “December 3 Martial Law Incident,” [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — A four-story library specializing in unification and North Korea will open in Goyang, northwest of Seoul, in 2027, the unification ministry said Friday. Construction of the unification information center will begin Monday with a total budget of 48.4 billion won (US$33.8 million), aiming to launch it in the first [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Korea Bizwire) — Han Kang, this year’s laureate of the Nobel Prize in literature, hopes her novel “Human Acts” will be an access road to understanding the May 18, 1980, pro-democracy people’s uprising in Gwangju to many people. “I was all the more cautious since this novel depicts a real incident,” the [...]