Hankook Ilbo
A Korean national daily with news, politics and society coverage online.
Hankook Ilbo at a glance
Hankook Ilbo is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in South Korea, currently ranked #105 in the country. It was founded in 1954 by Chang Key-young and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. Today Hankook Ilbo is owned by Hankook Ilbo Co.. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 40 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through digital advertising, print sales. Its closest rivals include donga.com, khan.co.kr, joongang.co.kr.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 37.6 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 38.8 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 40 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 42.4 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct37%
- Organic search34%
- Social18%
- News aggregators8%
- Email3%
Audience & demographics
- Men55%
- Women45%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5423%
- Age 25-3422%
The audience is concentrated in South Korea, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- South Korea86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 12 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- South Korea
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| hankook ilbo | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| breaking news | Top 10 | High | — |
| today's headlines | Top 10 | High | — |
| live coverage | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the South Korea web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 79% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading news & media apps in South Korea
Company information
- Website
- hankookilbo.com
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- Hankook Ilbo Co.
- Owner type
- Private company
- Founders
- Chang Key-young
- Founded
- 1954
- Headquarters
- Seoul, South Korea
- Employees
- 500+
- Ownership
- Hankook Ilbo Co. controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $100 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- Korean
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $100 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Private company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Hankook Ilbo operates a news and media publisher focused on South Korea. A Korean national daily with news, politics and society coverage online. Revenue comes mainly from digital advertising, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Digital advertising
- Print sales
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- South Korea
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (South Korea)
- #105 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in South Korea
- Global rank
- 3000
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| donga.com | ≈ 24 million / month | #106 class competitor | — |
| khan.co.kr | ≈ 18 million / month | #107 class competitor | — |
| joongang.co.kr | ≈ 12 million / month | #108 class competitor | — |
What is Hankook Ilbo?
Hankook Ilbo (hankookilbo.com) is a news and media publisher serving users in South Korea. A Korean national daily with news, politics and society coverage online. It ranks #105 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns Hankook Ilbo?
The site is operated by Hankook Ilbo Co., founded by Chang Key-young. The company was established in 1954 and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It employs around 500+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Hankook Ilbo at roughly 40 million visits per month, about 1.3 million per day. Around 79% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 3.1 pages per visit with an average session of 3 min.
How Hankook Ilbo makes money
Revenue comes primarily from digital advertising, alongside print sales.
Competitors in South Korea
Its closest rivals include donga.com, khan.co.kr, joongang.co.kr.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1954
Hankook Ilbo is founded in Seoul, South Korea.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #105 among the most visited websites in South Korea.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad daily news coverage with national reach
- Fast breaking-news publishing
- Free access to most articles
- Strong presence in search and social
Cons
- Heavy advertising load on article pages
- Editorial line criticised by parts of the audience
- Clickbait headlines on high-traffic sections
- Paywall limits on premium content
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Hankook Ilbo?
Hankook Ilbo is operated by Hankook Ilbo Co.. Private company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Hankook Ilbo headquartered?
Hankook Ilbo is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.
When was Hankook Ilbo founded?
Hankook Ilbo was founded in 1954 by Chang Key-young.
How many employees does Hankook Ilbo have?
Hankook Ilbo employs approximately 500+ people.
What is Hankook Ilbo's revenue?
Hankook Ilbo's revenue: ≈ $100 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are Hankook Ilbo's competitors?
Main competitors in South Korea include donga.com, khan.co.kr, joongang.co.kr.
How does Hankook Ilbo make money?
Mainly digital advertising, print sales.
Is Hankook Ilbo publicly traded?
No — Hankook Ilbo is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Hankook Ilbo Co..
How many visitors does Hankook Ilbo get?
Third-party estimates place Hankook Ilbo at roughly 40 million visits per month, mostly from South Korea, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is Hankook Ilbo safe?
Hankook Ilbo is an established news & media site founded in 1954 and ranked #105 in South Korea; use the official domain hankookilbo.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementshankookilbo.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageSouth Korea and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos