Seoul ranked third overall and first in artificial intelligence adoption and use in the 2026 AI Cities Index released by The Observer, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The San Francisco Bay Area topped the ranking, followed by New York, while Seoul placed ahead of Beijing, Paris and London. The index evaluated 57 cities across 36 countries in three AI categories: investment, innovation, and adoption and use. It drew on 50 indicators, combining quantitative data with qualitative fi

Wallets were the most commonly reported lost items on the Seoul subway from 2021 through September 2026, accounting for 191,223 of 820,106 cases, according to Seoul Metro data. The number of lost-item reports rose from 101,618 in 2021 to 167,738 in 2025, before reaching 123,879 in the first nine months of this year. Cash was reported lost in 52,859 cases, totaling approximately $2.26 million, of which 74.4 percent was returned to its owners. The direct return rate for all lost items fell from 65

The average age at which Korean children are first exposed to English-language books has fallen to 4.8 years, according to a survey by Yoons English School, an education company specializing in children’s English education. The survey of 696 parents with children in high school or earlier found that the average age of first exposure was 4.8 years, or 58 months. That was 1.5 years younger than the average of 6.3 years recorded in 2016. The survey also found that 72.8 percent of children currently

Korean fried chicken has been named the world’s highest-rated fried dish, according to food guide TasteAtlas. The dish ranked first on TasteAtlas’ list of the world’s 100 best fried dishes, scoring 4.4 out of 5. Indonesia’s batagor, fried fish dumplings served with sauce, came in second, followed by Peru’s jalea, a platter of fried seafood. TasteAtlas credited the dish’s crispy texture and variety of sauces for its popularity. Korean fried chicken is typically fried twice, first at a relatively

The amount of marine waste collected from South Korean waters rose nearly 20 percent over four years, with submerged waste such as discarded fishing gear showing a sharper increase, government data showed. The total volume of marine waste collected increased 19.8 percent, from 120,736 tons in 2021 to 144,615 tons in 2025, according to data from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries submitted to Rep. Lee Seong-gwon of the People Power Party, a member of the National Assembly’s Agriculture, Food, R

South Korea reported 4,066 patients with heat-related illnesses in 2026, the third-highest figure since nationwide monitoring began in 2011, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The total dropped from 4,460 last year. The number of heat wave days came to 22 this year, down from 29.7 in 2025 and 30.1 in 2024. Despite fewer heat wave days, the number of heat-related illness patients remained high, underscoring the health risks posed by intense heat. The agency estimated 36

Enrollment in Korean-language classes overseas reached 191,896 students in 2025, up about 50 percent from five years earlier. The 47 Korean Education Centers in 22 countries support Korean-language education, teacher training, TOPIK testing and international student recruitment. Korean classes were offered at 2,777 schools in 47 countries. Center-operated programs grew from 731 courses with 20,580 students in 2023 to 1,200 courses with 28,751 students in 2025. About 90 percent of participants we

Hiking accidents in South Korea peak in October, as fall foliage draws crowds of people to mountain trails, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. The country recorded 28,624 hiking accidents from 2022 to 2024, including 3,542 in October, which also saw the highest number of casualties at 2,364, the ministry said Wednesday. Slips and falls accounted for 29 percent of accidents, followed by hikers getting lost or stranded at 25 percent and medical conditions at 16 percent. With fal

South Korean children ranked 27th overall among those in high-income countries, placing among the highest in academic skills but near the bottom in physical and mental well-being, according to UNICEF’s Innocenti Report Card. South Korea’s skills ranking rose from 11th in 2020 to fourth in 2025 and third in 2026. However, it ranked 30th in physical health and 34th in mental well-being in 2026. The report measures physical health through child mortality and overweight rates, mental well-being thro

Seoul ranked seventh among 139 cities in the latest Global Financial Centers Index, up one spot from March, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said. The capital also ranked seventh in fintech, its highest-ever position in the category, placing Seoul among the world’s top seven financial centers in both overall and digital finance competitiveness. The GFCI, released by London-based consultancy Z/Yen Group, assesses financial centers based on business environment, human capital, infrastructure, fin