NEWS BRIEF

[Anchor Lead]

Statistics Korea says that South Korea's per capita gross national income recorded 36.8 million won last year, 26 times North Korea's 1.4 million won. The North's trade volume plunged amid global sanctions while its output of mineral resources also sharply fell last year.
Statistics Korea also forecasts that South Korea's elderly population 65 and older which accounted for 14 percent of the total in 2017 will reach 47% by the year 2067. At this pace, within 50 years, the agency predicts that one working age person will have to support one senior citizen.
An underground urban garden has opened Friday inside the underground walkway that connects to Jonggak Station on Seoul subway line one. The garden incorporates sunlight gathering technology. Architect James Ramsey known for the New York underground space regeneration plan called the Lowline project took part in the garden's design.
The Gimhae National Museum says it found the main ingredient of lacquer in red earthenware pottery dating 5,000 years ago recovered from a historic site in Shinan county in Gyeongsangnam-do Province. It's known to be the oldest trace of lacquer varnish discovered in the country.