NK paper calls for unconditional adherence to coronavirus quarantine rules

North Korea's main newspaper called Monday for "unconditional and absolute" adherence to coronavirus quarantine regulations, saying allowing exceptions to the law could affect the very existence of the country. The Rodong Sinmun, an organ of the North's ruling Workers' Party, made the appeal in an editorial, stressing that it is also an important political issue for all people to strictly abide by regulations and order established under the national emergency quarantine system. &quo

North KoreaMarch 23, 2020

S. Korea to unveil measures to stabilize markets this week

South Korea's financial authorities are expected to announce a set of measures this week to help stabilize financial markets roiled by the spread of the new coronavirus, industry sources said Monday. The measures include a bond market stabilization fund worth more than 10 trillion won ($7.94 billion), according to officials. Last week, Financial Services Commission chief Eun Sung-soo decided to create the bond market stabilization fund during a meeting with the heads of eight banks and other r

MarketMarch 23, 2020

[Herald Interview] Ex-Boyfriend vocalist Jeongmin returns as singer-songwriter

Jeongmin, now an accomplished singer-songwriter, used to live in the glitz and glam, wear heavy makeup and dance in front of thousands of crowds. For eight years, he was a vocalist for the now-defunct K-pop act Boyfriend, signed under one of the major K-pop labels, Starship Entertainment. Since 2011, the youthful six-piece boy band had a promising start with numerous hits like “I’ll Be There” and “Janus,” especially flourishing in Japan. But just like many K-pop a

K-popMarch 23, 2020

S. Korea to take legal actions against churches violating coronavirus guidelines

South Korea will take legal action against some Protestant churches for violating the government's guidelines for preventing the massive spread of the new coronavirus, the prime minister said Monday. As part of the government's drive for stricter social distancing, health authorities advised churches to follow quarantine measures, including keeping the distance between followers at least 2 meters while attending services and having their temperature checked. But some churches, including Saran

PoliticsMarch 23, 2020

[Contribution] What US can learn from Korea about fighting coronavirus

South Korea has been recognized internationally for the effectiveness of its response to the novel coronavirus pandemic and impact of the COVID-19 disease. As the number of cases continue to rise in the US, what lessons can America take from South Korea? Drive-through testing: Korea created a highly efficient system of drive-through COVID-19 test centers that have helped the nation of 51 million perform fast and extensive testing. With a capacity to test up to 15,000 patients daily, the expans

ViewpointsMarch 23, 2020

Korea's exports up 10% in first 20 days of March amid virus woes

South Korea's exports moved up 10 percent in the first 20 days of March from a year earlier despite the new coronavirus pandemic, customs data showed Monday, led mostly by improved shipments of chips and automobiles, along with increased working days. The country's outbound shipments came to $30.7 billion in the March 1-20 period, rising from $27.9 billion in the same period a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. The daily average for the period, however, slipped

EconomyMarch 23, 2020

S. Korea logs 2nd-biggest foreign capital outflow in Asia over virus

South Korea has suffered the second-largest outflow of foreign stock investment funds among major Asian emerging nations over the past month amid a dollar shortage sparked by the coronavirus pandemic, data showed Monday. Offshore investors withdrew $10.24 billion from the South Korean stock market between Feb. 20 and Wednesday, according to the data compiled by the Korea Center for International Finance (KCIF). It was the second-largest outflow among major Asian emerging markets after Taiwan's

MarketMarch 23, 2020

Olympic postponement may be 'inevitable', Japan's PM says

TOKYO (AFP) -- Postponing the Olympics over the coronavirus pandemic may become "inevitable", Japan's prime minister conceded Monday, after the International Olympic Committee said a delay was being considered as pressure grows from athletes and sports bodies. The comments from Shinzo Abe were his first acknowledgement that the 2020 Games may not open as scheduled on July 24, as the coronavirus marches across the globe causing unprecedented chaos. Canada's Olympic and Paralympic com

Olympic GamesMarch 23, 2020

Spain reports virus deaths up 30 percent in one day

Spain on Sunday announced 394 new deaths caused by the novel coronavirus, raising to 1,720 the official death toll in Europe's worst-hit country after Italy, a 30 percent increase over the previous day. The number of confirmed cases of the disease rose by 3,646, or 14.6 percent, to 28,572, according to health ministry figures, with officials warning infections will rise further in the coming days. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said his country's situation was now the most difficult sin

World NewsMarch 22, 2020

Iran leader refuses US help, citing virus conspiracy theory

Iran's supreme leader refused US assistance Sunday to fight the new coronavirus, citing an unfounded conspiracy theory that the virus could be man-made by America.  Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's comments come as Iran faces crushing US sanctions blocking the country from selling its crude oil and accessing international financial markets.  But while Iranian civilian officials in recent days have increasingly criticized those sanctions, 80-year-old Khamenei instead chose to traffic in the

World NewsMarch 22, 2020

Overcoming virus scare with fiercer fears

Virus fears are not just present in reality, but also on the big screen. American director Steven Soderbergh’s 2011 film “Contagion” portrays the spread of a deadly virus. The details -- from the outbreak of the virus to the symptoms and even the wickedness of humankind amid the chaos -- seem almost prophetic considering what was to come in nine years. Maybe it is the desire to put the invisible culprit threatening and constraining us inside our homes in front of our eyes, o

FilmMarch 22, 2020

[Graphic News] No. of foreign residents in Korea falls below 2.5 million

　The number of foreigners staying in South Korea fell nearly 4 percent in January this year, after topping a landmark 2.5 million the previous month, government data showed. 　According to data released by the Ministry of Justice, 2,426,433 foreigners were residing in the country as of the first month of 2020, marking a decline of 3.9 percent from 2,524,656 last December. 　The ministry also said the number of Korean nationals leaving the country in January increased 7.4 percent on-month to

Social AffairsMarch 22, 2020

S. Korea issues nonbinding social distancing ultimatum

South Korea has called for expanded public participation in social distancing for the next two weeks, as the country witnesses a wave of community spread and imported infections leading to a resurgence in new cases of COVID-19. In announcing the 15-day plan for more stringent social distancing, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Saturday that adhering to the practice was of utmost importance to stem the spread of the disease before the spring semester kicks off on April 3. This means cancelin

Social AffairsMarch 22, 2020

With status elevated, sister speaks for Kim Jong-un

Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, seems to have risen above her leadership title as deputy chief of Pyongyang’s propaganda affairs to Kim Jong-un’s personal messenger, aggressively weighing in on US relations and the inter-Korean agenda. In her second known official statement, released Sunday, she disclosed that US President Donald Trump had sent Kim Jong-un a letter, saying Washington was ready to expand cooperation with Pyongyang to combat the cor

North KoreaMarch 22, 2020

[Xun Wu, Donald Low] How big virus crisis will become is up to us

For the people of a growing number of countries, the coronavirus outbreak is no longer something they read about in the news or on TV as the virus spreads to their cities, communities, and even families. COVID-19 has already evolved into a full-blown global public health crisis: the confirmed cases of infection outside of China grew to over 115,000 as of March 18, with the death toll exceeding 4,700. The World Health Organization has already declared it as a global pandemic. While much attenti

ViewpointsMarch 22, 2020

[News Focus] 8.56 million people reside alone in South Korea

SEJONG -- South Korea saw the number of single-person households grow sharply over the past 10 years in the wake of continuously declining marriages, higher divorce rate and increasing number of senior population residing alone. The number of single-person households came to 8.56 million out of the total, 22.56 million households, in the nation as of February, data from the Ministry of Interior and Safety showed. They took up the largest percentage -- 37.9 percent (all-time high) of the total

Social AffairsMarch 22, 2020

Korean companies rev business engine amid ongoing coronavirus headwinds

Even as foreign companies across the globe are increasingly suspending operations of production facilities and offices, South Korean firms are once again gearing up for full business operations. 　Major Korean companies that had advised employees to work from home amid the spread of COVID-19 are now reopening offices as the situation in Europe and the US drastically worsens, hiking concerns of a global economic meltdown. 　Despite reports of global facilities shutting down, and the commercial p

IndustryMarch 22, 2020

Family admitted to hospital after using methanol to disinfect home

A woman in her 40s and her two children in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, were admitted to a hospital showing symptoms of intoxication after the woman used a methanol-based substance to disinfect her home against COVID-19, a government agency said Sunday. According to the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, earlier this month the woman sprayed a 9:1 solution of methanol to water on furniture, blankets and other items in her home about 10 times. The woman later showed signs of acute i

Social AffairsMarch 22, 2020

Citibank Korea’s WM strategy pays off amid market fluctuations

Citibank Korea has seen the pool of high-net-worth clients grow on the back of its unique wealth management program, which focuses on strict product screening for the sake of investor security. The number of wealth management clients at the local subsidiary of the New York-based bank soared 124 percent on-year in January, according to officials. Also, its Aggressive Model Portfolio yielded a 19.8 percent return last year, while its Moderate Model Portfolio returned 17.2 percent, despite the

MarketMarch 22, 2020