Robots deployed to help fight coronavirus contagion

Robots are helping doctors treat coronavirus patients at the Seoul Medical Center, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Friday. There are three types of robots at the hospital: One conducts temperature checks on visitors, one sterilizes negative pressure rooms and the other transports clothes and other goods to a disposal site after use by medical staff and patients. Two robots of each model are deployed at the state-run facility, which has been designated as a COVID-19 treatment center, sa

Social AffairsMarch 13, 2020

Busan film festival to feature fewer movies this year

The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) will feature about 13 percent fewer movies this year, its organizer said Friday. In a recent general meeting, the secretariat decided to invite about 260 films for its 25th edition, a sharp cut from some 300 screened in previous years. The organizer also decided to hold this year's event from Oct. 7-16 under the slogan of "New Start, Always BIFF." The downsizing came as its funding was slashed 6 percent on-year to 11.95 billion won (US$

FilmMarch 13, 2020

Churches continue with online Sunday services

Large churches in Seoul are continuing with their Sunday services online, as Korea is still in national battle against COVID-19. Like the past weeks, Sarang Church in southern Seoul, one of the several megachurches here, is going online for its Sunday services this week. On Sunday, more than 40,000 people viewed the online stream by the church.   “The decision was voluntarily made by the church community -- not by someone’s order. A church -- a religious community -- shares

PeopleMarch 13, 2020

Moon urges 'unprecedented' special steps for pandemic-hit economy

South Korean President Moon Jae-in called Friday for "unprecedented" policy measures to counter the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, speaking at a rare Cheong Wa Dae meeting with the country's finance minister and central bank chief. Moon received an emergency briefing on the real economy and the financial market jolted by growing worries about the global spread of COVID-19. It marked Bank of Korea Gov. Lee Ju-yeol's first official visit to Moon's office since he was re

PoliticsMarch 13, 2020

Samsung Display workers exempted from Vietnam's mandatory quarantine: embassy

Vietnam has exempted Samsung Display engineers from South Korea from its mandatory quarantine, the South Korean Embassy in Hanoi said Friday, allowing them to swiftly do their jobs upon arrival. To stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, Vietnam has mandated a 14-day quarantine for all people travelling from South Korea. However, the South Korean Embassy said Samsung Display's workers will be exempted from this quarantine rule after the Vietnamese government accepted its request. Early

IndustryMarch 13, 2020

Ruling party votes in favor of proportional coalition

The ruling Democratic Party will join a coalition proportional representative party in the April 15 general election, the party said Friday. In the vote to decide whether to join the coalition, nearly three-quarters of party members with voting rights supported the idea. According to the party, 74.1 percent of those who voted approved of the plan. Of the party’s 789,868 members with voting rights, 30.6 percent or 241,559 took part in the vote. The idea of joining the proportional re

PoliticsMarch 13, 2020

As virus spreads, govt. tells public officials to work from home

As the number of officials infected with COVID-19 continues to rise in the administrative capital of Sejong, the government has required all public servants to work from home on shifts. The Ministry of Personnel Management said Thursday that it has delivered to some 50 central government agencies a set of guidelines to reduce the number of people working in the offices. Heads of agencies will set the percentage of remotely working officials, and all non-managerial staff will take turns to wor

Social AffairsMarch 13, 2020

Earlier-than-expected rate cut grows plausible amid coronavirus

Weighed by the escalating impact of COVID-19, South Korea’s central bank hinted Friday that it may lean toward an earlier-than-expected policy rate cut as early as within this month. “Members of the Monetary Policy Board are currently contemplating the necessity to hold an extraordinary panel meeting,” the Bank of Korea said in a release. The monetary policy institution’s latest move came as Asia’s fourth-largest economy saw its stock market nosedive amid inve

EconomyMarch 13, 2020

[Video] Koreans adapt to mask rationing system to protect themselves against coronavirus

South Koreans are slowly adapting to a new distribution system of face masks, which was initiated by the government Monday to address the shortage of them. A lot of Koreans see masks as a vital source for protection against the spread of COVID-19. But the distribution has been uneven and masks have been hard to get. Some resellers have engaged in hoarding and price-fixing to increase their profits. Under the new rationing policy, individuals can buy only two masks per week at pharmacies and

Social AffairsMarch 13, 2020

127 countries, territories restricting entry from coronavirus-hit S. Korea

A total of 127 countries and territories were imposing an entry ban or tougher quarantine procedures for people from South Korea over coronavirus fears Friday, up by four from the previous day, the foreign ministry said. As of 7 p.m., 52 countries and territories were barring the entry of travelers who have been in Korea at least in the past two weeks, joined by Honduras, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Sudan and Niue. Honduras began to impose an entry ban on foreigners from four virus-affected

Foreign AffairsMarch 13, 2020

Biz groups postpone H1 hiring over new coronavirus

South Korea's major conglomerates pushed back their hiring schedules due to the novel coronavirus, industry officials said Friday, amid concerns that they may scale down their employment plans in the first half of the year. Samsung Group, South Korea's largest conglomerate, said it is very likely to postpone its first-half hiring event that usually takes place in March. Industry officials said they expect Samsung's recruitment process to be delayed a month. Samsung and other big employers in

IndustryMarch 13, 2020

Coupang named one of most innovative firms in world

Coupang, South Korea’s leading delivery service provider, has been named one of the world’s most innovative companies by a US market researcher in recognition of the firm’s e-commerce technology and logistics service.  According to an announcement by US-based business media brand Fast Company on Tuesday, Coupang was ranked second on its list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2020 for the Asia Pacific region. Korea’s biggest tech firm Samsung Elec

TechnologyMarch 13, 2020

Film festivals in S. Korea postponed amid coronavirus scare

Local film festivals in South Korea set to open this spring have been rescheduled amid heightening fears over the rapid spread of the infectious coronavirus. Organizers have postponed the opening of the 21st Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF), the country's largest showcase of indie and art-house films, for one month to May 28. The 2020 JIFF was originally to kick off April 30 and run through May 9 in the southwestern city of Jeonju. Last year, the festival featured 275 films from 53

FilmMarch 13, 2020

Auto exports down for 7th month on virus-hit disruptions

South Korea's automobile exports sank 25 percent in February from a year earlier to extend their on-year drop to the seventh month in a row as the operation of local car factories was partially disrupted amid the global outbreak of the new coronavirus, data showed Friday. South Korean carmakers shipped 123,022 units of cars overseas last month, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. In terms of value, auto exports also moved down 16.6 percent over the p

EconomyMarch 13, 2020

Chelsea's Hudson-Odoi becomes first Premier League player with virus

LONDON (AFP) -- Chelsea's players and coaching staff were ordered into isolation as Callum Hudson-Odoi became the first Premier League player confirmed to have the new coronavirus late on Thursday. "Chelsea men's team player Callum Hudson-Odoi had a positive test result for coronavirus returned this evening," a club statement said. "Chelsea personnel who had recent close contact with the player in the men's team building will now self-isolate in line with government health guid

World NewsMarch 13, 2020

Virus cases continue to increase in Seoul, but growth slows

New cases of the new coronavirus reported in Seoul on Friday slowed from earlier in the week, but officials said it is yet too early to lower their guard against the contagious virus. "We seem to have extinguished the big fire, but we cannot lower our guard. ... There is a possibility that (the call center infection) may emit sparks to other areas," Park said in a press briefing streamed on YouTube. South Korea reported 110 new COVID-19 cases Friday, bringing the total to 7,979, the

Social AffairsMarch 13, 2020

Canada PM's wife tests positive for new coronavirus

OTTAWA (AFP) -- The wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has tested positive for the new coronavirus, his office said late Thursday. "Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau was tested for COVID-19 today. The test came back positive," the Prime Minister's office said in a statement. "Following medical advice, she will remain in isolation for the time being. She is feeling well, is taking all the recommended precautions and her symptoms remain mild," it said. "The Prime M

World NewsMarch 13, 2020

Japan says no plans for Olympics without spectators

TOKYO (AFP) -- Japanese government officials insisted Friday they have no plans to alter the Olympics, including holding it without spectators, after US President Donald Trump proposed a delay over the coronavirus. The fate of the 2020 Games, scheduled to open in Tokyo on July 24, has been thrown into doubt by the outbreak of the virus, now dubbed a pandemic. But organisers, Japanese government officials and the International Olympic Committee have insisted preparation for the Games is on tra

Olympic GamesMarch 13, 2020

KRX activates ‘circuit breaker’ on Kospi, Kosdaq markets

South Korea’s stock market dived more than 8 percent during Friday morning trading, triggering the stock exchange to temporarily halt trading on both the country’s main bourse Kospi and tech-heavy Kosdaq market. It is the first time in Seoul stock market to activate circuit breakers in both Kospi and Kosdaq market in one trading session. The Korea Exchange activated the circuit breaker to suspend the Kospi’s operation for 20 minutes around 10:43 a.m., as the index plumm

MarketMarch 13, 2020

COVID-19’s slower spread continues, Korea total stands at 7,979

The number of COVID-19 cases in Korea continued the slower pace of increase, coming to 7,979 at midnight Thursday, rising 110 from the same time a day earlier. Thursday also saw 177 people being released from isolation, pushing up the number of those deemed clear of the virus to 510. During the course of Thursday, one more patient died from the illness, pushing the country’s COVID-19 death toll to 67, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Daegu continued

Social AffairsMarch 13, 2020