[News Focus] Korean won loses ground to major currencies

SEJONG -- The South Korean won has lost its value versus yuan as well as key currencies such as the US dollar, euro and yen over the past two weeks. Despite the simultaneous epidemic shock in the region from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) that originated in China, the recent weak position of the local currency against the yen and yuan is attributable to the rapidly growing number of infections here since the third week of February, according to market analysts. The Chinese yuan traded at 17

EconomyMarch 1, 2020

Luxembourg reports first coronavirus case, linked to Italy

LUXEMBOURG (AFP) -- Luxembourg on Saturday announced its first case of infection by the new coronavirus: a man who recently returned from Italy, Health Minister Paulette Lenert told reporters. The man in his 40s returned to Luxembourg "at the beginning of the week" and, after "more recently" exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, had a test that confirmed the disease, she said. A second test is being carried out in the Netherlands and the results should be known on Sunday, she adde

World NewsMarch 1, 2020

S. Korea reports 376 new virus cases, total exceeds 3,500

South Korea reported 376 additional cases of the new coronavirus Sunday, bringing the total number of infections here to 3,526. The country's COVID-19 death toll remained unchanged at 17. Of the 376 new cases, 333 are in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and 26 were reported in neighboring North Gyeongsang Province, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Other major provinces and cities have also reported some infections, with Seoul reporting an add

Social AffairsMarch 1, 2020

US, Taliban sign deal to pull foreign forces from Afghanistan

DOHA (AFP) -- After nearly two decades of conflict that has ravaged Afghanistan's impoverished population, the United States and the Taliban signed an accord Saturday that Washington hopes will mark the beginning of the end of its longest war. The pact signed in Doha would see the United States and foreign partner forces pull all their troops from Afghanistan within 14 months, provided the Taliban stick to pledges to open a dialogue with the Western-backed Kabul government and push back agains

World NewsMarch 1, 2020

First coronavirus death on US soil confirmed, Trump calls for calm

SEATTLE (AFP) -- The first fatality from the novel coronavirus has been confirmed on US soil, as President Donald Trump on Saturday urged Americans not to panic. Health officials said the man who died in Washington state was one of a handful with no known links to global hot zones to have contracted the virus -- indicating that the pathogen was now likely spreading in communities. The death occurred in King County, the most populous in the state and home to Seattle, a city of more than 700,00

World NewsMarch 1, 2020

78 countries restricting entry from S. Korea over coronavirus fears

Two countries have been added to the list of nations and regions imposing entry restrictions or stricter quarantine procedures on travelers from South Korea over coronavirus fears, the foreign ministry in Seoul said Sunday. As of 5 a.m. Sunday, 78 countries have moved to bar the entry of people traveling from South Korea or to strengthen quarantine steps. The ministry said Angola is now one of 35 countries to keep out South Koreans or foreigners who've recently visited South Korea. Angola's

Foreign AffairsMarch 1, 2020

Govt. supplies nearly 4.5 million face masks via public organizations

South Korea's government distributed nearly 4.5 million face masks via public organizations nationwide Saturday to fight a sharp supply shortage amid the surging coronavirus. To purchase face masks, many people lined up in front of pharmacies and marts operated by the agricultural cooperative Nonghyup as the government intervened to stabilize their supply. The government supplied 1.54 million masks to the southeastern city of Daegu and its adjacent county of Cheongdo, where more than half of

Social AffairsMarch 1, 2020

[Newsmaker] Asiana flight turns back en route to Vietnam on coronavirus

A South Korean flight turned back while en route to Vietnam on Saturday after the Vietnamese authorities prevented it from landing in Hanoi, with more flights connecting the two countries expected to be suspended amid the spread of the new coronavirus. The flight of Asiana Airlines Inc., the country's second-biggest carrier, arrived back at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, around two hours after departing for Hanoi at 10:30 a.m. Asiana said it decided to return flight OZ729 when

MobilityMarch 1, 2020

US State Department urges Americans not to travel to Daegu over coronavirus

WASHINGTON -- The US State Department on Saturday raised its travel advisory for Daegu to the highest level, urging Americans not to travel to the South Korean city most affected by the coronavirus. The advisory was raised to Level 4, which means "do not travel," due to the level of community transmission of the virus and imposition of local quarantine procedures, the department said on its website. The rest of South Korea remained under Level 3, which means "reconsider travel.&

Foreign AffairsMarch 1, 2020

Hong Sang-soo wins best director at Berlin film fest for 'The Woman Who Ran'

Renowned South Korean director Hong Sang-soo on Saturday (Berlin time) won best director at the Berlin International Film Festival for his latest film, "The Woman Who Ran." At the awards ceremony held at Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin, the director's 24th feature film was awarded the Silver Bear prize for best director at the 70th edition of the Berlin film fest, which kicked off Feb. 20 and closes Sunday. Hong is the second South Korean filmmaker to earn the prize in the category,

FilmMarch 1, 2020

Still not enough face masks to go around

Protective items against the virus have been running short since the outbreak’s onset at the end of January. Prices for face masks with respirator filters have shot up nearly tenfold, despite the government’s repeated vows to resolve the shortage. Faced with shortages, the government started clamping down on hoarding, price gouging and smuggling of face masks and other goods in high demand from Feb. 5. A total of 255 police stations under 18 police agencies across the country have

Social AffairsFeb. 29, 2020

S. Korea’s coronavirus cases surpass 3,100, more infections expected in Daegu

South Korea saw the number of the novel coronavirus cases surpass 3,100 with 17 deaths on Saturday afternoon, with the coming days until early March considered a watershed for the country’s efforts to contain community spread of the deadly virus. As of Saturday afternoon, the number of infections climbed by 813 - the biggest spike in a single day since the first case was reported in late January -- to 3,150, with most cases confirmed in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, according to t

Social AffairsFeb. 29, 2020

[Newsmaker] After recovery from coronavirus, Korean woman tests positive again

A Korean woman who had been discharged after recovering from the novel coronavirus has tested positive for the disease again, health officials said Saturday.  Kwon Jun-wook, director of the National Institute of Health, said it was not believed to be a case of reinfection from someone else. He said the virus was thought to have been dormant in the patient, and the illness was able to recur because she was old and had a weak immune system. “A normal person would have been able to de

Social AffairsFeb. 29, 2020

Shincheonji under fire for uncooperative response to coronavirus

Local provinces and cities are questioning the claims of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which is linked to most cases of the novel coronavirus, claiming that the secretive church has undermined their efforts to track the virus by hiding followers and continuing to run its facilities. Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don said Saturday the city would take legal action if Shincheonji is found to have falsified the follower list that it provided to the government. Three Busan residents who tested positive

Social AffairsFeb. 29, 2020

Virus outbreak keeps Koreans indoors

South Korea’s virus tally has skyrocketed from double to quadruple digits in a matter of a week, with the number of infected hovering well above 3,000 as of Saturday afternoon. As fears grip the country, streets are empty with more Koreans choosing to stay home, and health officials and experts are campaigning to discourage the public from going outside. Incheon International Airport said Saturday its passenger volume fell to levels not seen since August 2012, when Typhoon Bolaven c

Social AffairsFeb. 29, 2020

This weekend crucial for coronavirus containment, cases to spike in Daegu: KCDC

South Korea confirmed 594 more cases of the novel coronavirus overnight to push up the total infections to 2,931 on Saturday morning, as the government stepped up testing for members of a controversial Christian church at the center of the spread of the country‘s virus outbreak.    Health authorities said at a regular briefing that the coming days until early March are critical for the country’s efforts to contain community spread of the fast-spreading virus. 　 Of the newly

Social AffairsFeb. 29, 2020

Chinese arrivals fall below 1,000 per day following outbreak: data

The number of Chinese nationals entering South Korea fell sharply following measures to contain the new coronavirus, government data showed Saturday.  After peaking at 18,743 on Jan. 13, the number of Chinese entrants plunged around 94 percent to 1,093 on Thursday, according to the data announced by Korea Immigration Service Commissioner Cha Gyu-geun in a briefing. Cha explained that the number of entrants has gradually fallen from around 5,350 on Feb. 4 to 870 -- this year's lowest figur

Social AffairsFeb. 29, 2020

More countries restrict travel from South Korea

Over 70 countries are imposing entry restrictions or special quarantine measures on South Korean visitors amid a sharp surge in the number of patients infected with the novel coronavirus here, Seoul officials said. On Saturday, a Vietnam-bound Korean flight carrying 40 passengers returned to the country after the Vietnamese government denied it permission to landing in the capital city of Hanoi. The Vietnamese government notified Korean carriers on 8:30 a.m. Saturday to use Van Don Intern

Social AffairsFeb. 29, 2020

S. Korea warns of more virus cases in Daegu, total almost 3,000

South Korea on Saturday warned a large number of virus cases will be reported in Daegu, the epicenter of virus outbreak here, as the country intensified its anti-virus fight with a massive program of testing on followers of a religious sect in the city. The country reported a whopping 594 additional cases of the new coronavirus to bring total infections to 2,931. So far, 16 people have died in South Korea from the virus that emerged in China. Of the 594 new cases, 476 are in Daegu, 300 kilo

Social AffairsFeb. 29, 2020

NK leader supervises joint strike drill: KCNA

  North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has supervised a joint strike drill of his military, expressing his firm conviction that the armed forces will steadily develop its combat capability, state media said Friday. Kim attended the drill held Friday "to judge the mobility and the fire power strike ability of the defense units on the front and in the eastern area," according to the Korean Central News Agency. Kim expressed "his admiration for the combat capability of the units

North KoreaFeb. 29, 2020