About 18% percent of S. Korean restaurant and accommodation businesses use online reservation platforms

SEOUL -- About 18 percent of South Korean restaurant and accommodation operators used online order and reservation platforms to attract more customers in 2023, data released by the national statistics office showed. Online food delivery and hotel reservation app services became popular in the country during the last decade thanks to the wide distribution of smartphones. According to a survey of 1,001 South Korean adults randomly contacted through their phone numbers, conducted by

February 1, 2024

Average of $235 required to prepare for Confucian rite during Lunar New Year holiday: market data

SEOUL -- South Koreans would have to spend an average of 380,000 won ($235) to prepare for "Charye," a Confucian ritual of preparing tables full of food dishes for deceased ancestors, during the Lunar New Year holiday. The cost of the ritual has consistently been increasing every year due to inflation. On Seollal, the traditional Korean holiday for Lunar New Year Day, and Chuseok, the traditional Korean autumn harvest thanksgiving holiday, non-Christian families traditio

January 31, 2024

Number of S. Korean children aged less than 18 to go below 7 mln in 2024

SEOUL -- The pace of South Korea's depopulation driven by the low fertility rate is accelerating, with the number of children under the age of 18 expected to dip below seven million in 2024. The number of children has decreased by more than two million over the last decade. Recent data from South Korea's National Assembly Budget Office (NABO) reveals a projected 49.6 percent decrease in the population of young people aged 0 to 14 by 2040, dropping to approximately 3.18 mil

January 31, 2024

About 30% of children's daycare centers to be closed in 2028 due to low birth rate: data

SEOUL -- About 30 percent of children's daycare centers and kindergartens in South Korea will be closed in 2028, due to low birth rate, data released by a private child care and education institute showed. Recent data from South Korea's National Assembly Budget Office (NABO) reveals a projected 49.6 percent decrease in the population of young people aged 0 to 14 by 2040, dropping to approximately 3.18 million from 6.32 million in 2020. This projection assumes that the fert

January 30, 2024

Exports of S. Korean processed rice products achieve record-high of $217 mln in 2023

SEOUL -- Data released by the agriculture ministry reveals that South Korean processed rice exports reached a record-high of $217.2 million in 2023. The surge in exports can be attributed to the global popularity of South Korean rice products, including instant cooked rice packs, rice cakes, frozen "Gimbab," Korean-style rice rolls filled with various ingredients such as vegetables and meat, wrapped in seaweed. This rise in popularity can be linked to the increased recog

January 29, 2024

Indian Embassy in Seoul celebrates 75th year of anniversary of foundation of Republic of India

SEOUL -- The Embassy of India in South Korea celebrated the 75th anniversary of the creation of the Republic of India on Sevit Islands, a set of three artificial islands in southern Seoul known as a cultural complex, on January 26. The country was founded about two and a half years after gaining independence from British rule on August 15, 1947. "It is a testament to the wisdom and foresight of our founding fathers that democracy has not only taken deep roots but flourished

January 26, 2024

Busan to host barista contest to select S. Korean representative for World Barista Championship

SEOUL -- A barista competition to pick South Korea's national barista will take place in the southern port city of Busan, well known for its fervent coffee culture. Using a coffee machine, contestants will create 12 beverages such as espresso and milk-based drinks within 15 minutes. The winner will participate in a global barista championship in May 2024. The 2024 Korea National Barista Championship (KNBC) is scheduled for four days, starting on February 1. To host the event,

January 26, 2024

S. Korea leads in number of overseas travelers during Lunar New Year holidays among Asian countries

SEOUL -- South Korea has become the country with the largest number of travelers headed to overseas countries during the Lunar New Year holidays among other Asian countries that follow the lunar calendar, according to data released by the global tourism information company Agoda. The Lunar New Year is celebrated over a three-day festive holiday known as "Seollal" in South Korea. Families typically gather at the eldest member's house to prepare food and catch up with

January 26, 2024

Flying passenger vehicles to be demonstrated above S. Korea's iconic canal in 2024

SEOUL -- South Korea has selected Ara Waterway, a canal that connects the Han River that flows through Seoul with the Yellow Sea, as the first location to demonstrate flying taxis, also known as urban air mobility vehicles. Starting in August 2024, flying passenger vehicles will be tested above the canal's 14-kilometer (8.7-mile) section in the western port city of Incheon. Urban air mobility (UAM) is a future ecosystem involving flying passenger vehicles in city areas. Aerial

January 25, 2024

Increased consumer prices affect preparation of Confucian rite for Lunar New Year holidays

SEOUL -- Increased consumer prices have affected the preparation of "Charye" a Confucian rite that is carried out during the three-day traditional Korean Lunar New Year holiday. The ancestral ritual involves one or two large tables full of offerings including food, fruits, and beverages. On Seollal, the Lunar New Year Day, and Chuseok, the traditional Korean autumn harvest thanksgiving holiday, non-Christian families traditionally arrange tables laden with dishes encompa

January 24, 2024