Yonhap News Agency
South Korea's national news agency, supplying wire reports and a major news site.
Yonhap News Agency at a glance
Yonhap News Agency is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in South Korea, currently ranked #110 in the country. It was founded in 1980 by Government-led merger of Korean news agencies and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. Today Yonhap News Agency is owned by Yonhap News Agency. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 60 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through content licensing, government subsidy. Its closest rivals include news1.kr, newsis.com, chosun.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 56.4 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 58.2 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 60 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 63.6 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
- ≈ 18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| yonhap news agency | 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
- yna.co.kr
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- Yonhap News Agency
- Owner type
- Government agency
- Founders
- Government-led merger of Korean news agencies
- Founded
- 1980
- Headquarters
- Seoul, South Korea
- Employees
- 1,000+
- Ownership
- Yonhap News Agency controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $250 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- Korean, English, many others
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $250 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Government agency
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Yonhap News Agency operates a news and media publisher focused on South Korea. South Korea's national news agency, supplying wire reports and a major news site. Revenue comes mainly from content licensing, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Content licensing
- Government subsidy
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)
- #110 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in South Korea
- Global rank
- 2000
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| news1.kr | ≈ 36 million / month | #111 class competitor | — |
| newsis.com | ≈ 27 million / month | #112 class competitor | — |
| chosun.com | ≈ 18 million / month | #113 class competitor | — |
What is Yonhap News Agency?
Yonhap News Agency (yna.co.kr) is a news and media publisher serving users in South Korea. South Korea's national news agency, supplying wire reports and a major news site. It ranks #110 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns Yonhap News Agency?
The site is operated by Yonhap News Agency, founded by Government-led merger of Korean news agencies. The company was established in 1980 and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It employs around 1,000+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Yonhap News Agency at roughly 60 million visits per month, about 2 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 Yonhap News Agency makes money
Revenue comes primarily from content licensing, alongside government subsidy.
Competitors in South Korea
Its closest rivals include news1.kr, newsis.com, chosun.com.
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
- 1980
Yonhap News Agency is founded in Seoul, South Korea.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #110 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 Yonhap News Agency?
Yonhap News Agency is operated by Yonhap News Agency. Government agency structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Yonhap News Agency headquartered?
Yonhap News Agency is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.
When was Yonhap News Agency founded?
Yonhap News Agency was founded in 1980 by Government-led merger of Korean news agencies.
How many employees does Yonhap News Agency have?
Yonhap News Agency employs approximately 1,000+ people.
What is Yonhap News Agency's revenue?
Yonhap News Agency's revenue: ≈ $250 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are Yonhap News Agency's competitors?
Main competitors in South Korea include news1.kr, newsis.com, chosun.com.
How does Yonhap News Agency make money?
Mainly content licensing, government subsidy.
Is Yonhap News Agency publicly traded?
Yonhap News Agency's ownership: Government agency.
How many visitors does Yonhap News Agency get?
Third-party estimates place Yonhap News Agency at roughly 60 million visits per month, mostly from South Korea, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is Yonhap News Agency safe?
Yonhap News Agency is an established news & media site founded in 1980 and ranked #110 in South Korea; use the official domain yna.co.kr and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsyna.co.kr
- 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