USFK imposes self-quarantine for US service members returning from China

US Forces Korea said Sunday it has instituted a 14-day self-quarantine for US service personnel who visited China recently as the new coronavirus outbreak continues to spread. The quarantine measures, effective as of Sunday, are for US service members returning from China to South Korea on or after Jan. 19, "out of an abundance of caution to mitigate risk to the USFK population," the military said. The implementation applies only to US soldiers who reside on or off USFK installation

Social AffairsFeb. 2, 2020

[Newsmaker] Father checks into quarantine center to look after 2 kids

The father of two children who were airlifted from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the new coronavirus outbreak, voluntarily checked into the quarantine center in Asan to look after the kids, authorities said Sunday. The children, aged 8 and 10, were among the hundreds of Korean residents who were flown in from the city in Hubei province on Jan. 31 and are currently staying in isolation at two locations. Their mother could not accompany them for the trip because of her Chinese nationality. A

Social AffairsFeb. 2, 2020

BTS agency wins trademark suit against cosmetics firm

DAEJEON -- South Korea's intellectual property tribunal has recently ordered the cancellation of a cosmetics trademark that is similar to that of the K-pop group BTS. The Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board said Sunday it has ruled in favor of the band's agency, Big Hit Entertainment, in a suit against a company that has registered the trademark "BTS," along with its phonetic spelling in Korean, and used the name "BTS" on its beauty products. "This is a case

K-popFeb. 2, 2020

S. Korea joins efforts to conclude RCEP negotiations this year

South Korea said Sunday it will attend a high-level meeting on a mega Asia-Pacific trade pact this week as part of its efforts to expand its trade network around the globe. During the two-day meeting that kicks off in Bali, Indonesia, on Monday, the participants will set a detailed timeline of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and seek to hold the final signing ceremony later in 2020, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. It will be the first gathering

EconomyFeb. 2, 2020

UN marks 75th anniversary year in world of distrust, shifting power

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) -- As the United Nations enters its 75th year, the world is still rife with mistrust: the United States remains the dominant superpower but is on the wane, while Asian power is growing in the face of an increasingly fractured Europe, with an explosive Middle East sandwiched in between. In the New York headquarters of the United Nations, the Cold War never really ended, as demonstrated by a scene recently observed in its hallowed hallways: a US diplomat spotted hiding behin

World NewsFeb. 2, 2020

S. Korean captain to miss Olympic women's football qualifiers with injury

South Korean captain Cho So-hyun will miss the Olympic women's football qualifying tournament this week with an ankle injury. The Korea Football Association (KFA) said Cho has suffered a right ankle sprain and will not compete in the third round in the Asian qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Coached by Englishman Colin Bell, South Korea will host Myanmar at Jeju World Cup Stadium in Seogwipo, the southern resort island of Jeju, at 7 p.m. Monday to kick off Group A action. South Korea wi

SoccerFeb. 2, 2020

S. Korea reports 3 more cases of novel coronavirus, total now at 15

South Korea on Sunday reported three more cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing the total here to 15, with 87 people in quarantine for detailed checks, amid mounting concerns over person-to-person transmission.    The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said the 13th case involved a 28-year-old man who was one of the 368 Koreans that were brought back from the Chinese city of Wuhan on Friday.    The man had been initially moved to a state run facilit

Social AffairsFeb. 2, 2020

N. Korean leader expresses support to Chinese President Xi Jinping over coronavirus

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has expressed support to Chinese President Xi Jinping over China's efforts to stop the spread of a new strain of coronavirus that has killed 259 Chinese people and sickened more than 11,000. On Saturday, the North's official Korean Central News Agency said that Kim "conveyed his sincere feelings of wanting to share the suffering and trial of the fraternal Chinese people and to render help even a bit" in a letter to Xi. Kim also sent "militant gre

North KoreaFeb. 2, 2020

S. Korea reports 12th new coronavirus case, 70 potential cases under observation

South Korea on Saturday identified its 12th case of the novel coronavirus and was monitoring 70 potential cases as the country braces for further spread of the deadly virus here amid concerns over person-to-person transmission. The latest case involves a 49-year-old Chinese man who works as a tour guide in Japan and arrived here on Jan. 19 through Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The KCDC said the man was a

Social AffairsFeb. 2, 2020

Britain embarks on future outside EU with trade talks looming large

LONDON (AFP) -- Britain began an uncertain future outside the European Union on Saturday, as it gears up for likely gruelling negotiations on future relations with the EU after the historic end to almost half a century of membership. There was joy and sadness on Friday night as the EU's often reluctant member became the first to leave an organisation set up to forge unity among nations after the horrors of World War II. Little has changed yet as the UK is now in an 11-month transition pe

World NewsFeb. 2, 2020

China virus death toll rises to 304 with 45 new fatalities: govt.

BEIJING (AFP) -- The number of confirmed deaths from China's coronavirus outbreak rose to 304, as authorities in hardest-hit Hubei province on Sunday reported 45 new fatalities. In its daily update, figures from the provincial health commission also showed a sharp increase in confirmed infections in Hubei, with 1,921 new cases. That puts the national total over 13,700, based on numbers previously issued by the central government. The virus is believed to have emerged in December in the provi

World NewsFeb. 2, 2020

NK newspaper urges 'absolute obedience' to Pyongyang's campaign to fight coronavirus

North Korea's main newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, called on the country's people Saturday to show "absolute obedience" to Pyongyang's stepped-up campaign to prevent the spread of the deadly new coronavirus stemming from the central Chinese city of Wuhan. The call came as the North has reportedly shut down all air and railway routes across its borders with China and taken other stringent steps to fend off the highly contagious disease that could potentially hamper its efforts to improv

North KoreaFeb. 1, 2020

US Ambassador Harris offers prayers for those affected by coronavirus

US Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris on Saturday offered prayers for those affected by the new coronavirus, saying his embassy is "very focused" on the global health emergency. Since the virus first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December, it has killed 259 people in China alone and spread to at least 23 countries. South Korea has so far reported 12 confirmed cases. "My thoughts & prayers are with those affected by the outbreak of the #coronavirus,&quo

Social AffairsFeb. 1, 2020

Korean telcos to take part in MWC amid coronavirus fears

South Korea's three major telecommunication companies said Saturday they will participate in the upcoming mobile technologies trade fair as planned despite growing fears over the spread of the new strain of coronavirus. The three -- SK Telecom Co., KT Corp. and LG Uplus Corp. -- said they have no plans to skip the Mobile World Congress 2020 in Spain. The event is scheduled from Feb. 24 to 27 in Barcelona. The MWC is one of the top three tech events in the world, along with the Consumer Electr

TechnologyFeb. 1, 2020

S. Korean evacuees arrive at Asan makeshift shelter

Hundreds of South Korean evacuees from the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan arrived in a makeshift shelter in Asan, south of Seoul, on Saturday, hours after their arrival from the epicenter of the deadly virus. A total of 326 people from Wuhan and its vicinity were put under a 14-day quarantine program at the Police Human Resources Development Institute in the city, about 90 kilometers south of the capital. They were among 333 citizens aboard the country's second and last evacuation char

Social AffairsFeb. 1, 2020

Korea's exports down for 14th straight month on extended chip slump

South Korea's exports fell at a slower-than-expected pace in January but extended the slump to a 14th consecutive month due to fewer working days and still weak demand for chips, data showed Saturday. Outbound shipments came to $43.35 billion last month, down 6.1 percent from $46.17 billion a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The declining pace was slower than the median forecast of a 7.5 percent on-year drop as a fall in chip exports

EconomyFeb. 1, 2020

S. Korea's 2nd chartered plane carrying 333 citizens arrives in Seoul from virus-hit Wuhan

South Korea's second chartered plane carrying 333 citizens from the  coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan arrived in Seoul on Saturday, completing the evacuation mission to bring home about 700 nationals from the epicenter of the deadly illness. The Korean Air plane touched down at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul at around 8:15 a.m., a day after the first evacuation flight brought home 368 citizens from Wuhan. Though they underwent quarantine checks at the airport in Wuhan,

Social AffairsFeb. 1, 2020

S. Korea reports 12th confirmed case of novel coronavirus

South Korea on Saturday reported its 12th confirmed case of the novel coronavirus, as the country tightens quarantine efforts to stem the spread of the contagious disease. According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the latest case involves a 49-year-old Chinese man who works as a tour guide in Japan and arrived in the country on Jan. 19 through Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul. The KCDC said the man was acquainted with a Japanese person infected with the vi

Social AffairsFeb. 1, 2020

Opposition lingers in Shinhan’s Orange Life merger

Shinhan Financial Group’s plans to merge Orange Life Insurance with its wholly owned life insurance unit seemed to have been working out smoothly. However, trouble persists as minority shareholders continue to demand an increase in their dividend payouts. Small shareholders of Orange began making the demand after teaming up with civic activist group the Korea Stockholders Alliance in November, but Shinhan refuses, saying it would constitute a breach of trust with its other shareholders.

MarketJan. 31, 2020

Korea’s semiconductor show canceled amid coronavirus outbreak

Semi Korea, the local organizer of Semicon Korea, on Friday canceled the nation’s semiconductor show due to mounting concerns over the new coronavirus. Semi Korea’s decision came in line with World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’ announcement, in which he declared the outbreak a “public health emergency of international concern.” Semi Korea added that it is currently looking into contingency plans for Semicon Korea 2020 and will post updates

IndustryJan. 31, 2020