Shincheonji workers at nursing homes tested; no new COVID-19 cases found so far

The testing of Shincheonji Church of Jesus members working at hospices and nursing homes is near completion, with no reports of any new COVID-19 cases so far, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. Shincheonji is the Christianity-based cult at the center of the outbreak in South Korea, and the government announced Tuesday that all Shincheonji believers working at hospices and nursing homes would be tested for the disease. “Hospice and nursing home workers, a

Social AffairsMarch 13, 2020

Seoul’s COVID-19 total reaches 231; efforts underway to track cases from call center

The number of COVID-19 patients in Seoul stood at 231 as of 10 a.m. Friday, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said, up 12 from the previous day. The number is six more than the 225 stated by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The KCDC tallies the numbers up to midnight and releases them at 10 a.m. According to Seoul City, 191 of the 231 patients are currently in isolation and 40 have been released after being cleared of the virus. Those linked to a call center in Guro-gu

Social AffairsMarch 13, 2020

Nearly 60 coronavirus patients in critical condition

Nearly 60 coronavirus patients in South Korea are in critical condition, the government response team said Friday. According to the government’s central COVID-19 response team, 91 people are showing severe symptoms and 59 are in critical condition. The health authorities consider patients to be in critical condition if they require mechanical life support, meaning a ventilator or a device that replaces the heart and lung functions by oxygenating the blood outside the body. When blo

Social AffairsMarch 13, 2020

French national tests positive for coronavirus in S. Korea

A French national living in South Korea's capital has tested positive for the new coronavirus, local government officials said Friday. The expat, in her twenties, was confirmed as a COVID-19 patient after initially testing negative in an earlier screening test conducted in France, according to the ward office of Mapo in western Seoul. The patient, who arrived in Seoul via Incheon International Airport on Monday, visited the local health office the following day to be tested. The health offi

Social AffairsMarch 13, 2020

S. Korea temporarily bans stock short selling for 6 months

South Korea on Friday announced a temporary ban on stock short selling for six months amid a market rout triggered by the outbreak of the new coronavirus. The Financial Services Commission said the six-month ban will affect all listed firms, starting from Monday. FSC Chairman Eun Sung-soo said the duration of the ban may be extended, or even shortened, depending on future conditions. "The ban on short selling may be lifted (before six months) when and if the market becomes stabilized,&

MarketMarch 13, 2020

S. Korea, US to hold defense cost-sharing talks in LA next week

South Korea and the United States will hold a new round of defense cost-sharing talks in Los Angeles next week, the foreign ministry said Friday, amid growing concerns over potential furloughs for Korean employees in the US Forces Korea. Seoul's top negotiator Jeong Eun-bo and his US counterpart, James DeHart, will lead the negotiations on Tuesday and Wednesday as some 9,000 Korean workers are facing unpaid leave, which would begin on April 1 absent a new cost-sharing deal, called the Special

DefenseMarch 13, 2020

[Newsmaker] Korean punched in the face in NY for not wearing mask

A 23-year-old South Korean student was punched in the face for not wearing a face mask in New York, in what appears to be a hate crime against Asians amid virus fears, reports said Friday. According to the reports, the student was entering a building in midtown Manhattan on Tuesday morning when she was grabbed by the hair and punched in the face. The alleged attacker reportedly attends an institution located in the same building as the victim’s language school. The attacker assaulted th

Social AffairsMarch 13, 2020

Worldwide sports collapse piles pressure on Olympics

TOKYO (AFP) -- The collapse of sports events worldwide over the rapidly spreading new coronavirus heaped pressure on the Tokyo Olympics on Friday as US President Donald Trump suggested delaying the Games by a year. Formula One's Australian Grand Prix and The Players Championship, one of golf's most prestigious events, were the latest to fall in a period when the virus has laid waste to the sporting calendar. Football's Premier League, with a worldwide audience of billions, is also in question

More SportsMarch 13, 2020

N. Korea's main paper calls for incentive system for scientists, engineers

North Korea's main newspaper on Friday called for an incentive-based system for scientists and engineers in an apparent move to revitalize the sectors amid economic challenges stemming from global sanctions. North Korea has emphasized advancement in science and technology and an economy independent of outside help as it braces for a prolonged fight against crippling sanctions led by the United States amid an impasse in nuclear talks. "(We) must ensure that a portion of the profit made fr

North KoreaMarch 13, 2020

Despite record high album sales, BTS faces barrier of US radio airplay

Despite K-pop band BTS' record high sales of "Map of the Soul: 7," the relatively tepid performance of the album's title track, "ON," on the Billboard singles chart indicates that American radio airplay remains a formidable barrier for the septet. This week, "ON," the lead single from the latest BTS album, slipped sharply to 68th on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart dated March 14 after debuting at fourth on the weekly chart the previous week. The No. 4 spot w

K-popMarch 13, 2020

Moviegoers fall to 15-year low in Feb. out of coronavirus fear

The number of moviegoers in South Korea fell to a 15-year low in February out of intensifying fears over the infectious coronavirus, data showed Friday. According to the data by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), a total of 7.37 million people went to the cinema last month, plunging 66.9 percent from 14.9 million tallied a year ago. It is the smallest February number since 2005, when monthly admissions came to 11.3 million. It is also the first time in 15 years that the February admission dropp

FilmMarch 13, 2020

After server errors, ‘Mr. Trot’ winner to be unveiled Saturday

The winner of TV Chosun’s hit talent audition show “Mr. Trot” will be announced Saturday, after the broadcaster failed to name the winner on its Thursday’s episode, citing an unprecedented number of text message votes from viewers. “Mr. Trot” was to announce the winner at the end of Thursday’s episode, aggregating the scores by the panel of judges and text message voting from viewers after the final round of competition. However, as the show neared t

TelevisionMarch 13, 2020

Lotte to hold shareholders meeting, seek approval to reappoint CEO

Lotte Corp., the holding company for the nation’s fifth-largest conglomerate, will hold a shareholders meeting March 27 and seek approval to reappoint current Chairman Shin Dong-bin as executive director, the company said Friday.  The executive director normally serves two years, according to the group. Shin currently serves as executive director for Lotte Corp. and other affiliates including Lotte Confectionery, Lotte Chemical, Lotte Chilsung, Canon Korea and FRL Korea.  Shi

IndustryMarch 13, 2020

Busan-based VC to control mask inventory app operator Carelabs

Busan-based venture capital Maple Investment Partners has been selected as the preferred bidder to become the largest stakeholder of Carelabs, a South Korean company listed on the development stock bourse Kosdaq, a regulatory filing showed Friday. Carelabs operates a mobile app Gooddoc, which allows users to track the nearest hospitals and drugstores. The app began to feature real-time face mask inventory tracking function earlier in March. Facing a mounting fallout of COVID-19 here and the c

MarketMarch 13, 2020

K-pop soloist Chungha takes big leap into US showbiz

K-pop singer Chungha is taking a big leap by teaming up with ICM Partners, one of the biggest talent agencies in the US, which has represented big name stars such as Beyonce and Megan Fox. “I hope to show more various sides of me while working with ICM. ‘Breaking into the US market’ still sounds like a huge title for me, but I’m excited for what’s to come in the future,” Chungha told The Korea Herald on Wednesday. “As much as it’s a hard-won oppo

K-popMarch 13, 2020

Foreign-based S. Korean athletes affected by coronavirus

Outbreaks of the novel coronavirus have brought major international sports competitions to an abrupt halt this week, and South Korean athletes plying their trades overseas have been affected as well. Major League Baseball has canceled the remainder of spring training games, and the start of the new regular season will be delayed by at least two weeks. The Opening Day was originally set for March 26. Four South Korean big leaguers were in camp this year, a contingent led by Ryu Hyun-jin of the

More SportsMarch 13, 2020

Virus impact on airline ratings depends on duration, severity: S&P

S&P Global Ratings said Friday the ultimate impact of the new coronavirus outbreak on its global airline ratings will depend on the duration and severity of the crisis. The spread of COVID-19 cases across the globe has caused air traffic demand to plunge in recent weeks. With the virus now present in more than 100 countries and territories, more flight cancellations are expected as lower travel demand, S&P said in a statement.  "We see significant downside potential to t

EconomyMarch 13, 2020

Speculation grows N. Korean leader has been away from Pyongyang for weeks

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's attendance at this week's artillery fire exercise has added to speculation that he has been away from Pyongyang for an extended period of time due possibly to coronavirus concerns. According to state media reports, Kim supervised the coastal artillery drill on Thursday, just days after he oversaw a similar exercise on March 9. These drills followed two more artillery exercises held on March 2 and Feb. 28 with the leader in attendance. The North did not discl

North KoreaMarch 13, 2020

Air carriers fly more cargo planes than passenger planes after COVID-19 outbreak

As the aviation industry has been hit hard from the coronavirus outbreak, South Korean air carriers were flying more air cargo planes than flights carrying passengers, industry sources said Friday.  More countries have been announcing entry restrictions of South Koreans over virus concerns. The number has reached 123 as of Friday morning.  This has led to South Korea’s largest full-service air carrier Korean Air to operate only 18 flights per day, compared to 131 flights opera

MobilityMarch 13, 2020

Jeonju to give cash to virus-affected citizens for first time in Korea

Jeonju, a southwestern South Korean city, said Friday it will pay half a million won each to about 50,000 citizens suffering economic losses from the coronavirus outbreak. The capital of North Jeolla Province said about 50,000 economically vulnerable citizens, including unemployed people, will receive an "anti-disaster basic income" of 527,158 won (US$430) per person, as part of its efforts to overcome the city's economic fallout from COVID-19. The local government said the cash wil

Social AffairsMarch 13, 2020