Number of accumulated pet insurance contracts increases by 51.7% on-year in 2023

SEOUL -- South Korea witnessed a remarkable surge of over 50 percent in the number of total pet insurance contracts in 2023. This increase can be attributed to the growing recognition of pets as cherished companions or even family members in a country where one out of four households owns a pet During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of pets adopted by new families surged significantly. People sought comfort and companionship from animals as they faced isolation due to strict so

March 6, 2024

S. Korea to utilize Deepfake content detection software in criminal investigations

SEOUL -- South Korea will deploy specialized software designed to detect whether video clips or image files have been manipulated using Deepfake techniques in crime investigations. This announcement comes about a month before South Korea's general election scheduled for April 10. Deepfake technology, driven by artificial intelligence, enables the alteration of videos or images by replacing the face of a person in the original content with that of another individual. This face-

March 5, 2024

Asan Medical Center ranks 22nd in global hospital ranking

SEOUL --Seoul-based Asan Medical Center has been recognized by American weekly news magazine Newsweek as the top 22nd hospital out of a pool of approximately 2,400 hospitals worldwide. Asan Medical Center achieved the highest ranking among 17 South Korean hospitals included on the prestigious list of the world's top 250 hospitals. Along with global market analyst firm Statista, Newsweek determined the global ranking based on online surveys of 85,000 medical experts in 30 count

March 5, 2024

Number of S. Korean men choosing childcare over careers increases 37 percent on-year: data

SEOUL -- Recent data from the national statistical information service revealed a significant uptick in South Korean men prioritizing childcare over their careers. This trend marks a notable shift in a traditionally conservative society, where societal biases often discourage men from assuming primary childcare responsibilities. In South Korea, deeply influenced by Confucian values, men traditionally bear responsibility for matters outside the home, such as providing for the famil

February 21, 2024

S. Korean government's decision to increase medical school admissions sparks mass resignation of doctors

SEOUL -- To oppose the South Korean government's decision to increase the admission capacity of medical school students to around five thousand, from the current three thousand, residents at major hospitals are joining a mass resignation movement. The resident doctors' mass rally will cause chaotic situations at major hospitals, resulting in delayed or postponed surgeries and treatments. A similar chaotic situation occurred in early 2020 when former President Moon Jae-in p

February 20, 2024

S. Korea's election governing body warns of AI-based 'Deepfake' content surge

SEOUL -- South Korea's state-operated election governing body has sent out a strong warning against Deepfake, artificial intelligence-generated content using facial and physical images of real-life people. Deepfake is an AI-based technique used to create fake videos or images that look incredibly real. It works by taking a real-life person's face and superimposing it onto another person's body in a video or picture. This can make it seem like a famous person is saying

February 19, 2024

S. Korean presidential office anticipates supply chain cooperation with Cuba for EV batteries

SEOUL -- South Korea's presidential office aspires to cooperate in the mineral supply chain sector following the establishment of diplomatic relations with Cuba. The Latin American country, well-known for its socialist and communist roots, is the world's fifth-largest producer of nickel, a critical material for secondary batteries, rechargeable batteries that are mainly used for the operation of electric vehicles and energy storage systems. Along with manganese and cobalt,

February 19, 2024

Number of working S. Korean elderly reaches 5.7 mln in January 2024, up 6 percent year-on-year

SEOUL -- Recent data released by South Korea's state statistical information service has shown that the number of working South Koreans aged 60 and older reached 5,404,000 as of January 2024, up six percent compared to the same period last year. However, employed South Koreans in their 20s decreased by 1.3 percent year-on-year. South Korea is facing rapid aging, with estimates indicating that by 2073, about 30 percent of the population will be aged 75 years and older. This dem

February 16, 2024

S. Korea establishes diplomatic ties with Cuba

SEOUL -- South Korea and Cuba promised to stay as good friends by formalizing diplomatic relations between Seoul and Havana, despite escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The Latin American country, well-known for its socialist and communist roots, is now South Korea's 193rd ally. South Korea sees this diplomatic establishment as a crucial milestone in strengthening its presence in Central and South America. The formalization of diplomatic relations between South Korea

February 15, 2024

30% of S. Korean teenagers believe marriage is necessary: survey

SEOUL -- Only about 30 percent of South Korean teenagers believe that marriage is necessary, according to data released by a state-operated youth policy institute. The perception of marriage among teenagers has shifted over the past decade in a country where the fertility rate has plummeted from 1.24 in 2015 to 0.7 in 2023. South Korea is rapidly aging and is expected to face rapid depopulation in 2025 when the fertility rate drops to 0.65. While the country's administrative b

February 14, 2024