Celebrities donate to support fight against coronavirus

Celebrities in Korea are making donations to help people fight against the spread of COVID-19 across the nation. On Friday, actress Yum Jung-ah donated 100 million won ($82,200) to Green Umbrella Child Fund Korea to help purchase masks and hand sanitizers for children in need. Singer-turned-actress Yoona, members of K-pop band Red Velvet, and singers Kang Daniel and Zico also made donations to the cause. 　　 On Thursday, singer-songwriter IU donated 100 million won each to nonprofit organi

PeopleFeb. 28, 2020

USFK employee in Daegu area tests positive for coronavirus

A South Korean employee at an American military base in the southeastern county of Chilgok has tested positive for the new coronavirus, US Forces Korea said, bringing the total number of USFK-related virus cases to three. The Korean national, who works at Camp Carroll, has been in isolation at a hospital in the neighboring city of Daegu, USFK said in a release updated on its website on Thursday. He had been self-quarantined since his wife tested positive for COVID-19 Saturday, it added. Chilg

DefenseFeb. 28, 2020

Peak of virus outbreak not in sight: KCDC

South Korea has been adding new coronavirus patients by the hundreds every day since Saturday with no end in near sight. Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the country had 2,337 confirmed COVID-19 patients as of Friday afternoon, up 571 from the same time the previous day, with 30,237 more being tested. Of them, 62 are in Seoul, 72 in Gyeonggi, 65 in Busan, 409 in North Gyeongsang and 1,579 in Daegu. Addressing a press briefing, the centers’ vice director Kwon Jun-woo

Social AffairsFeb. 28, 2020

Korean Air to cut flights on US routes next month

Korean Air Lines Co., the country's biggest airline by sales, said Friday it will reduce flights on US routes next month and use smaller planes due to declining demand amid the spread of the new coronavirus. Korean Air will temporarily reduce the number of flights on the routes from Incheon to San Francisco, Honolulu and Boston from March 7-28 to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on its business, the company said in a statement. "We may reorganize further flight schedules depending on cor

MobilityFeb. 28, 2020

Seoul virus cases surpass 60 with rise in hospital infections

Coronavirus infections in Seoul exceeded 60 cases Friday, with a hospital in northwestern Seoul identified as one of the biggest clusters of infections in the capital. The number of patients in Seoul increased by six overnight, bringing the total to 62 as of 9 a.m. Friday, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Separate data from the Seoul Metropolitan Government showed there were 65 patients by 10 a.m. Total infections in the country reached 2,022 cases on

Social AffairsFeb. 28, 2020

Over 850 medics volunteer for Daegu

Over 850 medical professionals and administrative officials from the private sector have volunteered to serve in Daegu, the government announced Friday. “Having recruited medical professionals to volunteer to work in the Daegu area from the 24th of this month, 853 have volunteered as of 9 a.m. today,” Kim Gang-lip, vice health minister, said Friday. Kim also serves on the government’s central response team. By profession, the volunteers consist of 58 doctors, 257 nurses, 2

Social AffairsFeb. 28, 2020

Economic indexes for Feb. to plunge amid coronavirus outbreak

South Korea’s economic indexes for February could plunge drastically, taking the full impact of the coronavirus outbreak, the government said Friday. “The fast-spreading COVID-19 is increasingly weighing on consumer sentiment and economic activities,” said Kim Yong-beom, first vice minister of economy and finance, during a macroeconomy-finance policy meeting at the Korea Federation of Banks in central Seoul. The meeting was attended by officials from the Financial Service

EconomyFeb. 28, 2020

S. Korea's only 'drive-thru' virus testing to be more available

South Korea's answer to quick and safe testing of the new coronavirus may be a drive-thru clinic and the country's health authorities said Friday it plans to deploy more such facilities and spots across the country. The move came as a number of local governments have introduced testing facilities where medical staff take samples from people in automobiles who have suspected symptoms of COVID-19. Under the planned measure, the authorities said they will establish a standard model of such testi

Social AffairsFeb. 28, 2020

About 1,600 Shincheonji followers on self quarantine

About 1,600 followers of the homegrown minor Christian sect Shincheonji Church have been on self-quarantine after showing signs of coronavirus infection, health authorities said Friday. The South Korean government has secured a complete list of more than 310,000 Shincheonji believers, including 65,000 new members, and conducted comprehensive testing for the coronavirus as the country has seen a massive increase in confirmed cases. "We've checked one third of the listed people, or 110,000

Social AffairsFeb. 28, 2020

Japan PM defends school closure plan despite critics

TOKYO (AFP) - Japan's prime minister on Friday defended his call for schools across the country to close over the new coronavirus, an abrupt decision that stunned officials and parents alike. The move, announced Thursday, came as the country stepped up its response to the outbreak, and the operator of Tokyo's Disney resorts said its two parks would close for around a fortnight -- the latest in a string of closures and cancellations. Shinzo Abe's surprise move prompted criticism, with official

World NewsFeb. 28, 2020

Smudge-proof makeup gains popularity amid virus outbreak

With the coronavirus outbreak prompting many to wear face masks, demand for smudge-proof makeup has soared, according to Lalavla on Friday. According to the health and beauty chain operated by GS Retail, sales of lip-stain products, face powder and makeup fixers rose 91 percent, 89 percent and 74 percent, respectively, in the period from Feb. 1 to Wednesday compared with the same period the previous year. Sales of products related to a healthy diet also went up 96 percent in the same period

ConsumerFeb. 28, 2020

‘NK could stage military provocation in Oct.’

Provided the COVID-19 outbreak is under control by October, North Korea could stage a military provocation, such as a satellite launch, to mark the founding anniversary of its Workers’ Party, said Ankit Panda, a senior editor at The Diplomat. Speaking on Radio Free Asia on Thursday, Panda said October would be a critical moment for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who appears eager to insert himself onto the US political agenda ahead of the 2020 US presidential election in November. Pan

North KoreaFeb. 28, 2020

Military has 27 infected, 10,400 quarantined

A total of 27 military personnel had tested positive for COVID-19 as of Friday, and 10,400 service members had been quarantined, the Ministry of National Defense said. Infected personnel included soldiers, officers and civilian workers; Fifteen of the patients were in the Army, and ten were in the Air Force, with one each in the Navy and Marine Corps. The military had taken the precaution of an expanded quarantine to curb COVID-19. The total number of infected patients from United States Forc

DefenseFeb. 28, 2020

Hyundai Motor’s Ulsan plant halts due to confirmed COVID-19 case

Hyundai Motor Group stopped operations of its Ulsan manufacturing plant’s second factory Friday after an employee who works there was confirmed with COVID-19. According to the automaker, the factory has suspended operations since 11:30 a.m. Friday. The worker was confirmed to be infected that morning. The company said it has disinfected the site and put five co-workers into self-isolation.  A Hyundai Motor employee said the duration of the shutdown will be decided later based on t

MobilityFeb. 28, 2020

BTS' 'Map of the Soul: 7' breaks 1st-week sales record in S. Korea

"Map of the Soul: 7," the new album by K-pop boy band BTS, sold more than 3.37 million copies in the first week of its release, the biggest first-week sales volume for any K-pop album, the band's management agency said Friday. The album sold 3,378,633 copies during the period of Feb. 21 till Thursday, breaking the former record high first-week sales of 2,130,480 copies, set by BTS' previous album, "Map of the Soul: Persona." This marks another sales record set by the new,

K-popFeb. 28, 2020

Filter-added handmade masks’ effectiveness equivalent to government-certified masks: research

Cotton masks with a manually added filter were as effective as government-certified masks in blocking particles of human saliva, research by a public health institute showed Friday. The average particle collection efficiency of cotton masks with an electrostatic filter cotton attached inside was found to be 80 to 95 percent, while government-certified KF 80 masks measured at over 80 percent, according to Seoul Research Institute of Public Health and Environment. Efficiency of dental masks ca

Social AffairsFeb. 28, 2020

NTS to capture mask filter manufacturers with illegal profiteering amid virus outbreak

South Korea’s tax agency said Friday that it had begun inspections of mask filter manufacturing companies to prevent illegal profiteering amid the new coronavirus outbreak. The National Tax Service has examined 12 local manufacturers that produce nearly 95 percent of the nation’s supply of filter material -- melt blown nonwoven fabric. Melt blown or MB filters are the core material for hygiene masks. Depending on the percentage of particle blockage, they are classified into thre

EconomyFeb. 28, 2020

Samsung apologizes for unauthorized access to employees’ donation records

Samsung Electronics and its 16 affiliates on Friday apologized for accessing employees’ records of donations to civil organizations without their permission. In a statement, they said the former control tower of Samsung Group -- called the Future Strategy Office -- had unauthorized access to the records of Samsung executives and employees regarding donations to 10 civic groups in May 2013. “The office defined the 10 civic groups as ‘rebellious’ and browsed employees&r

IndustryFeb. 28, 2020

MMAA selects 8 external partners to back W130b

The Military Mutual Aid Association said Friday it has selected eight South Korean external partners dedicated to investment in private equities and venture capital to back a combined 130 billion won ($107.1 million) this year. The Korean institutional investor will invest a total of 100 billion won to blind pool funds managed by private equity houses KStone Partners, Aju IB Investment, SkyLake Investment, KTB Private Equtiy and Dominus Investment. In the meantime, a combined 30 billion won w

MarketFeb. 28, 2020

Biggest church in Korea halts Sunday services

Yoido Full Gospel Church in Yeouido, Seoul, the biggest church in Korea, will stop its Sunday services starting this weekend out of concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.  A megachurch with around 560,000 followers, Yoido Full Gospel Church said Friday that it had made the decision to halt its Sunday services out of concern for the safety of its followers and the wider public. On Thursday, the church said it would not halt its Sunday worship services, but would downscale the seven-ses

CultureFeb. 28, 2020