Tag: consumption

consumption

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Kia vehicles bound for export are parked at the Pyeongtaek port in Gyeonggi on April 3. [NEWS1]

Exports and consumption demand remain strong, but downside risks remain due to Middle East conflict: KDI

The Korean economy is showing signs of recovery, thanks to robust semiconductor exports and improving consumption demand, but downside risks persist due to uncertainties surrounding the Middle East, a state-run think tank said on Tuesday.

2026.5.12

Bingsu for one: Retailers roll out small-portion food products as inflation fuels 'micro consumption'

Soaring prices, the rise of single-person households and growing preference for experiential consumption are fueling the spread of so-called “micro consumption.”

2026.5.10

Most popular

Woori Bank traders in central Seoul celebrate as the Kospi closes at a record high of 6,388.47 on April 21. [YONHAP]

Consumers shift from shoes to shares as Kospi bull run sets off race for gains

The first app that a young office worker surnamed Jeon opens these days is no longer a shopping platform, but a brokerage account, and she is far from alone as Koreans cut shopping to increase shareholdings as the Kospi barrels upward.

2026.4.23

An employee climbs a ladder to a machine at a fabric company in Gyeonggi on March 31. [YONHAP]

SMEs brace for bleak April as costs, disruptions soar in March amid Iran war

The war in Iran, now into its fourth week, is taking a toll on businesses in Korea, with the fallout feeding into so-called warflation as food prices and living costs rise.

2026.4.1

Shoppers browse eggs at a supermarket in Seoul on March 30. [YONHAP]

Egging on premium growth

Demand for premium eggs rises despite higher prices, driven by growing interest in health and ethical consumption.

2026.3.30

Got milk?

Per capita consumption of milk in Korea fell to a record low last year.

2026.3.23

A screen shows the Kospi at over 6,000 points during a ceremony at the Korea Exchange in central Seoul on Feb. 25. [AP/YONHAP]

Kospi topping 6,000 masks K-shaped divide in economy, economists warn

K-pop, K-drama and now K-shaped economic growth — Korea has joined other countries experiencing a troubling trend signaled by uneven growth in the economy.

2026.2.27

Bank of Korea Gov. Rhee Chang-yong bangs the gavel to open a Monetary Policy Board meeting at the central bank in Seoul on Feb. 26. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

BOK raises Korea's 2026 growth forecast to 2% amid robust exports

The Korean central bank on Thursday raised to 2 percent its growth forecast for the local economy this year, citing strong exports and a recovery in private consumption.

2026.2.26

Rice is displayed at a supermarket in Seoul on Dec. 2, 2025. [NEWS1]

Rice consumption falls to record low in 2025

Koreans' rice consumption fell to a record low in 2025 as changing diets and eating habits continued to reduce demand, government data showed Thursday.

2026.1.22

A street inside a traditional market in Seoul is almost vacant on Dec. 30. [NEWS1]

Domestic consumption slumps sharply in November after gov't stimulus measures, Chuseok end

Korea’s domestic consumption slumped sharply in November. The index of retail sales, a key gauge of consumer spending, fell by the most in 21 months, underscoring how the record-breaking export boom has yet to translate into stronger domestic demand.

2025.12.30