S. Korea reports 12th coronavirus death as total cases jump past 1,100

  South Korea reported its 12th fatality from the new coronavirus and 169 new confirmed cases on Wednesday, bringing the total number of infections here to 1,146. A 73-year-old man, a member of a religious sect in the southeastern city of Daegu, died of COVID-19, according to the city government. The man, who had a history of diabetes and high blood pressure, had been admitted and treated since Sunday.  Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which has nearly 210,000 members across the coun

Social AffairsFeb. 26, 2020

BMW introduces two new gasoline crossovers

BMW Korea has introduced two new gasoline-powered crossovers with revamped features, the New X3 and the New X4. The Korean unit of the German automaker said Wednesday that the New X3 xDrive20i and the New X4 xDrive20i models are equipped with advanced features including a panoramic glass roof and a Driving Assistant Plus function that allows semi-automated driving. The New X3 is the first in the X series to come in a single trim “Luxury Line.” The midsized sport activity vehicle

MobilityFeb. 26, 2020

Baedal Minjok to financially support riders during coronavirus emergency

South Korea’s biggest food delivery service in terms of market share, Baedal Minjok, will provide financial support for its riders if they have to go into self-quarantine for COVID-19, the company announced Wednesday. For delivery riders who have to miss work due to a suspected case of COVID-19, Baedal Minjok will pay the minimum wage of 820,000 won ($673) for two weeks. Normally, the company’s riders work eight hours a day, six days a week. The minimum wage in Korea is 8,590 won

IndustryFeb. 26, 2020

Hyundai Motor chief quits executive role at steel affiliate

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Euisun has resigned as an inside executive director of the group’s steel affiliate, Hyundai Steel, the company said Wednesday.  Chung aims to focus on the group’s core automotive business as the group seeks to transform itself into a smart mobility solutions provider, according to the company.  Chung served in his executive role at Hyundai Steel since 2012 but rarely made an appearance at its executive directors’ me

MobilityFeb. 26, 2020

Celltrion’s Remsima SC authorized to treat rheumatoid arthritis in Korea

Celltrion’s autoimmune disease treatment Remsima SC was approved to treat rheumatoid arthritis in South Korea, the company announced Wednesday. Remsima SC is a biobetter of Johnson & Johnson’s Remicade (infliximab), and is the world’s first subcutaenously injectable form of infliximab that comes in a prefilled syringe called an autoinjector. However, while intravenous Remsima is authorized for treatment of psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, ulcerative colitis,

IndustryFeb. 26, 2020

USFK service member confirmed with coronavirus

An American soldier stationed in the southeastern South Korean town of Chilgok tested positive for the new coronavirus, US Forces Korea said Wednesday, marking the first case among USFK service personnel. The 23-year-old soldier at Camp Carroll is currently in self-quarantine at his off-base residence, according to USFK. Chilgok, about 220 kilometers southeast of Seoul, is near the city of Daegu, where a coronavirus outbreak has spread rapidly in recent days. It is the first time that a USF

DefenseFeb. 26, 2020

Bidding for duty-free operation at Incheon Airport kicks off

Incheon International Airport Corp. began taking bids for existing airport duty-free operations on Wednesday, accepting proposals from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., industry sources said Wednesday. Eight duty-free operators including Shilla, Lotte, Shinsegae and midsized operators like SM which currently operate business over 11,645 square meters in the duty-free zone need to submit proposals including the bid price, if they wish to continue to operate. Their contracts end in August.  Beyond the bi

IndustryFeb. 26, 2020

S. Korea curbs exports of facial masks amid soaring virus cases

South Korea on Wednesday started to regulate the country's exports of facial masks as demand for sanitary products has been running high here amid the spread of the new coronavirus. Under the measures, effective until April 30, the government will limit mask exports to a maximum of 10 percent of total output here, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. While the country's daily production of masks reached 11 million units as of Tuesday, which doubled from two weeks earlier, South

EconomyFeb. 26, 2020

Parliament reopens after closure due to coronavirus

South Korea's parliament reopened on Wednesday morning, after it was closed down two days ago due to concerns of coronavirus infection. The National Assembly called off a plenary session and shuttered its main buildings on Monday after it was discovered that a person infected with COVID-19 attended a parliamentary forum last week organized by a lawmaker from the opposition United Future Party (UFP). It was the first time the National Assembly had been shut down for an emergency. Three UFP

PoliticsFeb. 26, 2020

S. Korea's virus cases spike past 1,100, tests on church followers start

South Korea's new coronavirus cases topped 1,100 on Wednesday morning and the health authorities started testing about 210,000 followers of a religious sect at the center of rapid infections here. The 169 additional cases brought the total cases to 1,146 from only 51 a week ago, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). So far, 12 people have died in South Korea from the new virus that emerged in China, including a 73-year-old Korean man who was a follower of t

Social AffairsFeb. 26, 2020

BTS' 'Map of the Soul: 7' tops Japan's Oricon album chart

Having been reported to be on course to take over the top seats on the Billboard 200 and the British Official Albums Chart, BTS has also topped Japan's Oricon album chart with its latest album. According to latest chart results by Oricon on Tuesday, BTS' latest album, "Map of the Soul: 7," came atop the Oricon daily album chart dated Monday after selling 227,204 copies in Japan. The result adds to the BTS album's chart victories on the US and British charts. Earlier this week, Bill

K-popFeb. 26, 2020

United Airlines extends window for changing S. Korea-bound flights without fee

WASHINGTON -- United Airlines on Tuesday extended its window for travelers wishing to change their South Korea-bound flights without paying a fee, as the number of coronavirus cases in the country continued to climb. The US airline said on its website that passengers originally booked on flights departing from Feb. 24 to June 30 can switch to another flight within the same window, and between the same cities, without paying the change fee or any difference in fare. On Monday the airline had s

MobilityFeb. 26, 2020

Korean manufacturers' sentiment worsens for March

The business sentiment of South Korean manufacturers sharply deteriorated for the upcoming month, central bank data showed Wednesday, amid growing concerns that the fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak may undermine the country's already weak exports and economic recovery. The business sentiment index (BSI) for manufacturing businesses here came to 69 for March, down from 77 for this month. It marked the lowest since February 2019 when the index stood at 65, according to the data from the Bank

EconomyFeb. 26, 2020

Monsta X becomes 3rd K-pop band to make top 5 on Billboard 200

Monsta X, a six-piece K-pop boy band, debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 album chart this week, becoming the third K-pop band ever to make the top five on the album tally. "All About Luv," the band's new album, came in fifth on the album chart dated Feb. 29, Monsta X's first entry on the Billboard 200 that makes the band the third Korean group to break into the chart's top five, according to the latest chart results by Billboard. So far, BTS has had three No. 1s on Billboard 20

K-popFeb. 26, 2020

Italy sees virus cases rise 45% in a day; deaths up to 11

ROME (AP) -- Italy reported a 45 percent one-day increase in people infected with the coronavirus as other countries in Europe recorded their first cases Tuesday, producing evidence that travelers are carrying the virus from the European outbreak's current epicenter. Italian officials reported 11 deaths and 322 confirmed cases of the virus, 100 more than a day earlier. While the majority were concentrated in northern Italy, some of the new cases registered outside the country's two hard-

World NewsFeb. 26, 2020

Dow ends 3.1% lower as virus worries lead to 2nd straight rout

NEW YORK (AFP) -- Wall Street stocks suffered a second straight rout Tuesday, with losses picking up after US health officials warned the virus was likely to hit the world's biggest economy. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stood at 27,083.46, down 3.1 percent and about 875 points. The broad-based S&P 500 sank 3.0 percent to 3,128.51, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index lost 2.8 percent to 8,965.61. The losses were slightly more modest than Monday, when the Do

World NewsFeb. 26, 2020

Algeria reports first novel coronavirus case

ALGIERS (AFP) -- Algerian authorities on Tuesday announced the country's first case of the novel coronavirus, in an Italian citizen who arrived in the country on February 17. "One case was confirmed positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), out of two suspected cases (both) of Italian nationality," the North African country's health ministry said. State television said the infected person had been placed in isolation, without offering further details. The health ministry said it had rei

World NewsFeb. 26, 2020

Health authorities expect coronavirus spread on US soil

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- American health authorities said Tuesday they ultimately expect the novel coronavirus to spread in the United States and are urging local governments, businesses, and schools to develop plans like canceling mass gatherings or switching to teleworking. Officials are also worried the outbreak poses a threat to the the security of the US drug supply chain because a high proportion of ingredients used to make medicine is made in China, where the virus was first identified. &qu

World NewsFeb. 26, 2020

Moon to meet with political leaders on COVID-19 response

President Moon Jae-in is expected to hold a meeting with the leaders of South Korea's ruling and opposition parties this week on the COVID-19 epidemic, a Cheong Wa Dae official said Wednesday. Moon plans to discuss the matter with Lee Hae-chan, head of the ruling Democratic Party; Hwang Kyo-ahn, chief of the main opposition Future United Party; and leaders of other major parties on Friday, according to the official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The official stopped short of reveali

PoliticsFeb. 26, 2020

Trump says he 'spoke to' S. Korea about coronavirus

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he spoke with South Korea and Italy about the spread of the coronavirus in those countries. Trump made the remark during a press conference in New Delhi, India, as he talked about US cooperation with China over the virus, which has infected more than 80,000 people around the world, mostly in China. "I spoke to (Chinese) President Xi (Jinping) the other day. He is so committed to solving that problem. He is working very hard. He i

Foreign AffairsFeb. 26, 2020