New virus infections fall below 50 for 1st time since late February

South Korea recorded fewer than 50 new cases of the novel coronavirus Monday, marking the lowest number since late February, as the nation extended strict guidelines on social distancing. South Korea has recorded around 100 or fewer daily new cases for more than three weeks, but health authorities remain on high alert over cluster infections at churches and hospitals, as well as new cases coming from overseas. The 47 new cases, detected Sunday and down from 81 new cases a day earlier, brought

Social AffairsApril 6, 2020

Korea lifts ban on online liquor sales

As of Friday, South Korean consumers can freely order alcoholic drinks online and pay via internet or with a mobile app. With a ban on online purchases of liquor lifted, convenience stores and hypermarket chains stand to benefit, according to the industry. Changes to the Liquor Tax Act came into effect Friday allowing retailers, including restaurants, hypermarkets and convenience stores, to sell alcoholic beverages on mobile apps and on the internet. But delivery is still banned, so custome

ConsumerApril 6, 2020

[Newsmaker] Korea to push for abolishing statute of limitations for child sex crime

The ruling Democratic Party (DP) and the government have agreed to push for abolishing the statute of limitations for sex crime involving children and minors. DP and government officials held a consultative meeting Sunday to discuss ways to strengthen the punishment of digital sex crime in response to a high-profile sex exploitation case at online chat rooms involving minors, widely known as the "Nth room case." At least 103 people, including 26 underage girls, are known to have been

PoliticsApril 6, 2020

Seoul stocks open higher amid virus woes

South Korean shares opened higher Monday amid hopes of a potential treatment for the new coronavirus that has infected more than 1.2 million people around the world. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 20.56 points, or 1.19 percent, to 1,746.00 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Seo Sang-young, a researcher at Kiwoom Securities Co., said the main index received a boost amid positive news about Gilead Sciences' remdesivir against COVID-19. Daniel O'Day, chairman and

MarketApril 6, 2020

Moon's approval rating hits this year's high at 53.7%: Realmeter

President Moon Jae-in's approval rating has ascended to this year's highest of 53.7 percent, a poll showed Monday, amid a widespread view that his administration is coping effectively with the coronavirus. In the five-day phone survey of 2,521 people nationwide, age 18 or older, through last Friday, Moon's popularity rose 1.1 percentage points from a week earlier, while the portion of those critical of his leadership fell 0.9 percentage point to 43.2 percent, according to Realmeter. The margin

PoliticsApril 6, 2020

Anti-N. Korea group helped to hide top diplomat: report

Free Joseon, a clandestine anti-North Korea political group, helped Pyongyang’s top diplomat in Italy go into hiding in November 2018, the Wall Street Journal reported Saturday. It said Free Joseon arranged a car and a safe house for Jo Song-gil, who was then acting ambassador to Rome, and his wife, citing sources familiar with the matter. Jo, who had told colleagues he was going for a stroll, got into the car with his wife at the embassy compound and fled to a safe house, leaving thei

North KoreaApril 6, 2020

American citizen at USFK's Camp Humphreys tests positive for COVID-19, bringing total to 19

An American citizen working at US Forces Korea's Camp Humphreys tested positive for the new coronavirus Sunday, the 19th confirmed case for the USFK community. USFK said the infected person is an American construction worker working for the military camp. According to USFK, the US citizen last visited Camp Humphreys, the USFK headquarters in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, and has since been under self-quarantine at his home for having been in contact with another coronavirus

Social AffairsApril 5, 2020

Baedal Minjok’s new fee system faces dispute

Baedal Minjok’s recently restructured fee system, which involves charging restaurant owners a fixed-rate commission of 5.8 percent, is now facing criticism from restaurants that say it imposes a higher cost burden, industry sources said Sunday. The country’s No. 1 delivery app has expanded its fixed-rate system Open Service by lowering the rate from 6.8 percent to 5.8 percent per order starting Wednesday, while scaling back the other optional flat-sum system, Ultra Call. This

IndustryApril 5, 2020

S. Korea seeks heftier penalties for quarantine violators

South Korean health authorities said Sunday that lying during coronavirus checks constituted an offense, and a no leniency policy would be put in place for all forms of foul play during a quarantine procedure. “Giving false or deceptive information during the coronavirus investigation can result in up to one year of jail time or 10 million won in fines,” said Korea Centers for Disease Prevention and Control Vice Director Kwon Jun-wook in a press briefing. “Violating a quarant

Social AffairsApril 5, 2020

[Graphic News] S. Korea halts overseas election process in US, 24 other nations

　South Korea will stop overseas election affairs for the April polls in 41 diplomatic missions of 25 nations, including the United States, over the coronavirus pandemic until April 6, according to the National Election Commission. 　The move followed last week’s decision to suspend the election process in Italy and 16 other countries and territories over the COVID-19 pandemic. 　The total affected diplomatic missions reached 65 in 41 countries, the NEC said. An estimated 80,500 voters

PoliticsApril 5, 2020

Korea’s virus fight ‘may drag on for months, years’

A long, grim road is ahead in South Korea’s war against the novel coronavirus. The message from the government was clear Saturday when Health Minister Park Neung-hoo admitted for the first time that ending the novel coronavirus outbreak was “a near impossibility” within a short time frame. “This fight may drag on for months, or even years,” he said. Infectious disease specialist Kim Woo-joo of Korea University Hospital in Seoul’s Guro-gu said that despite

Social AffairsApril 5, 2020

‘Snowpiercer’ to come to small screen sooner

The serial adaptation of Korean film “Snowpiercer” is moving up its premiere date to mid-May, two weeks ahead of the original schedule. According to news reports from several US entertainment media outlets Thursday, US cable network TNT has decided to advance the release date of “Snowpiercer” to May 17. The move comes in response to a growing thirst for more content on the small screen by viewers as the COVID-19 outbreak pushes back new releases elsewhere. “Snow

TelevisionApril 5, 2020

Calls grow for BOK intervention amid COVID-19 crisis

Increasingly pressed to play a more active role in the coronavirus-hit financial market, South Korea’s central bank is considering exceptional measures to provide liquidity, such as purchasing corporate bonds and corporate bills. The Bank of Korea is slated to hold its decision-making Monetary Policy Board meeting Thursday to review the necessity of base rate adjustments and other key monetary actions, officials said. Despite the prolonged economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic an

EconomyApril 5, 2020

S. Korea to post negative GDP growth due to coronavirus: reports

South Korea is likely to post negative economic growth this year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, data showed Sunday. The average estimate of the nation’s gross domestic product growth for this year recently came to negative 0.9 percent, drastically down from the previous suggestion of around 2 percent. The forecasts were tallied from 11 global financial services firms, including Standard Chartered, UBS, Morgan Stanley, Nomura Holdings and Credit Suisse. The plunge is attributed

MarketApril 5, 2020

Korea’s listed firms’ earnings to shrink 17% in Q1 amid coronavirus pandemic

South Korea’s listed companies are likely to post poor earnings results for the first quarter due to the escalating fallout from the novel coronavirus pandemic, a financial market tracker said Sunday. The combined operating profits of 141 listed companies are expected to mark 16.79 trillion won ($13.6 billion) in the January-March period this year, down 20.22 trillion won, or 16.92 percent, from a year ago, according to data compiled by FN Guide. If the projection turns out to be roughl

MarketApril 5, 2020

Jeongdong Theater to stream ‘Red Cliff’ online

Jeongdong Theater in central Seoul is to stream its signature show “Red Cliff” through YouTube on Wednesday. The show, originally slated to run from Feb. 14 to Sunday, has been on hold to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 since Feb. 24 after the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism ordered all national theaters and art troupes to cancel their performances.   Instead, for patrons who had been eagerly awaiting the show, Jeongdong Theater will stream the show live Wednes

PerformanceApril 5, 2020

Online payments rise amid coronavirus spread: data

Under the prolonged impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, major economies around the world have seen a visible decrease in cash transactions and an equivalent rise in online payments, data showed Sunday. According to a report issued by the Bank of Korea, major e-commercial platforms here saw their sales climb in the January-February period this year. Asia’s fourth-largest economy reported its first confirmed case of the new coronavirus on Jan. 20 and faced a rapid rise of patients in mid-Feb

EconomyApril 5, 2020

Foreign residents shut out of virus relief funds

South Korea’s government and municipalities are introducing direct cash payments to citizens here to help them cope with the economic fallout of a prolonged coronavirus crisis. 　 Some details are still unresolved, but the government has said that foreign nationals, whether they pay taxes here or not, will largely be excluded from the assistance programs unless they are married to Korean citizens. 　 “In principle, foreigners are not eligible for the emergency funds. But in case of

Social AffairsApril 5, 2020

1st, 2nd graders to begin new school year with TV lessons, rather than online classes

In a new learning environment in South Korea created by the coronavirus outbreak, getting glued to the television screen won't be such a bad thing for young students. The education ministry announced on Sunday that, starting on April 20, first and second graders in elementary school will be following instructions offered in TV programs and handout materials, rather than through live online classes like older students. Those programs will air on the state-run Educational Broadcasting System (EB

Social AffairsApril 5, 2020