Samsung Electronics was the top global smartphone manufacturer in the third quarter of the year, a report showed, as demand for its mobile devices increased in advanced markets amid the pandemic. 　Samsung led the industry in terms of smartphone production with 78 million units in the July-September period, up 42 percent from a quarter earlier, and accounted for 23.2 percent of the total share, according to market researcher TrendForce. 　Samsung was followed by Chinese players Oppo and Xi

　The number of malaria infections in North Korea nearly halved in 2019 from a year earlier, a UN agency’s report showed, as global aid organizations have worked to help with the impoverished country’s fight against the contagious disease. 　According to the report by the World Health Organization, North Korea reported a total of 1,869 malaria cases last year, compared with 3,698 tallied a year earlier. 　The North had reported over 10,000 malaria cases annually from 2008-2014, b

　South Korea’s video game market was the fifth largest in the world in 2019, falling one position from the previous year, a report showed. 　The country's video game market reached sales of 15.6 trillion won ($14.2 billion) last year, up 9 percent from the previous year, according to an annual report by the Korea Creative Content Agency. 　The country ranked behind the United States, China, Japan and the United Kingdom in the global video market worth a total $186.5 billion last year.

　Samsung Electronics was the world's fifth-largest computer monitor vendor in the third quarter of the year, a report showed, as its shipments increased significantly amid the pandemic. 　The South Korean tech giant had a market share of 9 percent in the global computer monitor market in the July-September period, up from 6.8 percent a year ago, according to market researcher International Data Corp. 　Samsung’s computer monitor shipments jumped 52.8 percent on-year to 3.37 million u

　A record number of journalists were imprisoned worldwide during 2020, as governments cracked down on coverage of the coronavirus pandemic or tried to suppress reporting of civil unrest, the Committee to Protect Journalists said. 　At least 274 journalists were in jail as of Dec. 1, the most since the New York-based group began collecting data in the early 1990s, the report said, up from at least 250 last year. 　Protests and political tensions were the cause of many arrests, with the most m

　Seven out of 10 South Koreans plan to travel abroad after coronavirus vaccines are developed, a survey showed. 　According to Incheon International Airport Corp.'s recent survey, 70.2 percent of South Koreans and 82 percent of foreign nationals said they have overseas travel plans after the development of COVID-19 vaccines is completed. 　The survey was conducted on 1,000 Koreans and 600 foreign nationals from China, Japan, Vietnam and other countries from Oct. 30 to Nov. 20. 　As for the

　A majority of Japanese people oppose holding the coronavirus-postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics next year, favoring a further delay or outright cancellation of the massive event, new polling showed. 　The new data shows public sentiment has shifted little since the summer, when surveys in Japan also found only a minority backing plans to hold the Games next year, despite the imminent arrival of new vaccines. 　A poll released by national broadcaster NHK found just 27 percent of respondents suppo

　German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been named the world‘s most powerful woman for the 10th straight year, according to Forbes’ 100 most powerful women 2020 list. 　President of the European Central Bank Christine Lagarde, US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen took second, third and fourth place, respectively. 　Lee Boo-jin, the eldest daughter of Samsung’s late Chairman Lee Kun-hee and president of Hotel Shilla,

　North Korea's trade with China plunged more than 70 percent in the first nine months of the year due to Pyongyang’s border closure with its ally to stem the spread of the new coronavirus, a report showed. 　Exports and imports between the two countries came to $530 million in the January-September period, down 73 percent from a year earlier, according to the report by the Korea International Trade Association. 　North Korea's exports to its biggest economic partner nose-dived 70 perce

　US and Chinese companies dominated the global arms market in 2019, while the Middle East made its first appearance among the 25 biggest weapons manufacturers, a report from the SIPRI research institute said. 　The US arms industry accounted for 61 percent of sales by the world‘s top 25 manufacturers last year, ahead of China’s 15.7 percent, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. 　Total sales among the top 25 rose by 8.5 percent to $361 billion - 50 t

　Samsung Electronics was the fourth-largest vendor of wearable devices in the third quarter of the year, a market report showed, amid soaring global demand for wearables. 　Samsung shipped 11.2 million units of wearable devices in the July-September period, up 32.2 percent from a year earlier, for a market share of 9 percent, according to the latest report from market tracker International Data Corp. 　Apple solidified its top position with a 33.1 percent share after shipping 41.4 million

　Samsung Electronics was the second-largest smartphone vendor in the African smartphone market in the third quarter of the year, a report showed, as the South Korean tech giant tries to expand its presence against Chinese competitors. 　Samsung accounted for 20 percent of the African smartphone market in the July-September period in terms of units, down from a 24 percent share a year ago, according to market researcher International Data Corp. 　China’s Transsion continued its dominan

　Single-member households in South Korea surpassed 30 percent of the total for the first time in 2019, data showed, amid a delay in marriage and a rapidly aging population. 　One-person families accounted for 30.2 percent of the total last year, up 29.3 percent from the previous year, according to data by Statistics Korea. 　Households consisting of a single member totaled 6.15 million in 2019, up from 5.85 million the previous year, the statistics agency said. (Yonhap)

　Output of domestic alcoholic beverages decreased by over 10 percent over the past five years, but alcohol imports nearly doubled during the same period, government data showed. 　Production of alcoholic beverages made in the country came to 337 million kiloliters in 2019, down 11.3 percent from 380 million kiloliters in 2014, according to the data from the National Tax Service. 　In contrast, South Korea imported 460,000 kiloliters of alcoholic beverages last year, up 125 percent from 2014,

　South Korean babies born in 2019 can be expected to live more than 83 years, data showed, amid improved medical systems and public awareness about health. 　Life expectancy at birth averaged 83.3 years last year, six months longer than a year earlier, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea. 　Compared with 10 earlier, the average life expectancy was 3.2 years longer. The tally also marked a sharp hike from 62.3 years in 1970, when the country began compiling related data. 　Bab

　About 40 percent of parcel delivery drivers in South Korea work more than 14 hours a day during peak seasons, government data showed. 　The Labor Ministry released its study on the working conditions and health of couriers following a recent series of deaths of workers, apparently from overwork. The survey was conducted online on 1,862 workers at four major logistics companies from Nov. 1-13. 　The survey found that 41.6 percent worked 14 hours per day during busy times of year, including

　Around 84 percent of local newspapers and magazines have experienced severe business difficulties due to the new coronavirus pandemic, a recent survey showed. 　According to the survey published by the Korea Press Foundation, 33.4 percent of newspaper and magazine companies said the management crisis was very severe, while 50.8 percent answered it was somewhat severe. 　Only 13.3 percent of respondents said the crisis was not that severe, while a mere 2.5 percent, most of which identified a

　One in 5 US adults, aged 50 to 80, would like to get vaccinated for COVID-19 right away, a new poll found. 　Another 46 percent would also like to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but would first wait until others receive it, according to the National Poll On Healthy Aging from the University of Michigan. 　Nearly half were also worried about the safety of a vaccine that is developed quickly. 　Twenty percent were unsure about getting the vaccination, and 14 percent did not want to get vaccin

　South Korea has been ranked 4th among 53 countries in the world that have handled the coronavirus pandemic most effectively, according to a COVID Resilience Ranking by Bloomberg. South Korea received a resilience ranking of 82.3. 　The report scores economies of more than $200 billion on 10 key metrics: From growth in virus cases to the overall mortality rate, testing capabilities and the vaccine supply agreements places have forged. The capacity of the local health care system, the impact

　South Korea‘s alcohol imports fell for the first time in 10 years in 2019, amid a boycott of Japanese beer due to a bilateral trade row, data showed. 　South Korea’s liquor imports came to 466,000 kiloliters in 2019, down 6 percent from the previous year, according to data from the Korea Customs Service and local alcohol industry. 　It represents the first on-year decrease since 2009, shortly after the global financial crisis. 　Last year’s decline was attributed mainly to