In-person classes fully resume at schools nationwide amid virus resurgence

In-person school classes fully resumed across South Korea on Monday in line with the country's "living with COVID-19" scheme. All kindergarten, elementary, middle and high schools welcomed students without anyone left behind for remote-learning for the first time since schools switched to learning from home or classes being held in shifts since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. The full reopening of schools came after the country kicked off the first stage of "li

Social AffairsNov. 22, 2021

N. Korea yet to reopen land border with China: unification ministry

North Korea has yet to reopen its land border with China amid indications of brisk preparations to ease lockdown measures attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Seoul's unification ministry Monday. South Korea has been closely monitoring signs of the North reopening its border, which has remained closed for nearly two years due to the virus crisis. "Signs of preparations to resume trade have been continuously detected, but it's not at a stage to say trade has resumed or the N

North KoreaNov. 22, 2021

Yoon, Lee neck and neck in presidential race: survey

Yoon Seok-youl, the presidential nominee of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), and his opponent Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) are neck and neck in a hypothetical multicandidate race, a survey showed Monday. Yoon garnered 40 percent support, while Lee trailed by only 0.5 percentage point at 39.5 percent, within the survey's margin of error, according to the survey of 1,007 adults conducted Friday and Saturday by the Korea Society Opinion Institute (KSOI). Yoon's r

PoliticsNov. 22, 2021

Police face flak over inadequate responses to violent crimes

Police have come under fire for their inadequate responses to violent crimes, as seen in the recent death of a stalking victim under police protection and an alleged dereliction of duty by two Incheon officers accused of sidestepping a knife attack scene. A man in his 30s was arrested Saturday for killing his ex-girlfriend with a knife at her studio apartment in central Seoul the previous day. The murder sparked public fury, as it was known that the victim was under police protection after suff

Social AffairsNov. 22, 2021

Military reports 5 additional COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military reported five additional COVID-19 cases Monday, bringing the total caseload among its personnel to 2,193. An Army officer stationed in Paju, 30 kilometers north of Seoul, tested positive following a vacation. Another officer based at the defense ministry's compound in Seoul tested positive after developing symptoms. Three other service members contracted the virus from their family members. Of the cumulative cases in the military, 85 patients are still under treatment.

DefenseNov. 22, 2021

[Graphic News] S. Korea posts 1st decline in foreign population since 2006

　South Korea saw its foreign population shrink by 3.2 percent in November last year from the previous year, the first such decline since 2006 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Interior Ministry said. 　According to a report by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the number of foreign residents, defined as foreign nationals residing in the country for more than 90 days or naturalized Koreans and their children, stood at 2.15 million in November in 2020, compared with 2.22 million the same mo

NationalNov. 22, 2021

Daily infections fall below 3,000, country's guard up as in-person classes resume

South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell below 3,000 for the first time in six days Monday due to fewer tests over the weekend, but concerns remain high over a virus resurgence amid eased social distancing rules and this week's full-fledged reopening of schools. The country reported 2,827 new COVID-19 cases, including 2,086 local infections, raising the total caseload to 418,252, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). This marked the first time in six days that th

Social AffairsNov. 22, 2021

N. Korea calls for glorifying Kim's era as mass movement conference closes

North Korea has called for praising the era of leader Kim Jong-un as a large-scale conference on carrying out a mass movement for the country's development wrapped up, its state media said Monday. The 5th Conference of the Frontrunners in the Three Revolutions, which kicked off in Pyongyang on Thursday, closed with the adoption of an appeal that calls for the glorification of "the great era of Kim Jong-un," according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The three-revolution move

North KoreaNov. 22, 2021

Moon says real estate issues ‘most regrettable’

President Moon Jae-in cited issues surrounding real estate as the most regrettable during his term in a live conversation with the public Sunday night. During a live talk with around 300 people attending for over 1 1/2 hours, Moon answered questions on the response to the pandemic, people's livelihoods and post-pandemic tasks. Moon said, "The most regrettable thing is that we did not give enough opportunities for people who don’t own homes, ordinary people and young people and new

PoliticsNov. 21, 2021

Moon voices worry on jump in COVID-19 cases, warns against complacency

President Moon Jae-in said Sunday that he is worried about a recent jump in new COVID-19 cases as the nation eased some social-distancing rules and urged people to strictly comply with containment rules despite higher vaccination rates. "The number of confirmed patients is on the increase as vaccination rates rise. Containment rules, including mask wearing, must be followed," Moon told a nationally televised town hall meeting. The nation's new coronavirus cases stayed above 3,000 fo

PoliticsNov. 21, 2021

Police chief apologizes over bungled response to violent dispute between neighbors

Police chief Kim Chang-yong apologized Sunday for the police's bungled response to a violent dispute between neighbors that left one person unconscious. "I offer my deep apology to the victims, their family and the nation over the recent case of the Incheon Nonhyeon Police Station having failed to protect people in danger even though it is the most important mission and the calling of the police to protect the lives and safety of the people," Kim, commissioner-general of the Nationa

Social AffairsNov. 21, 2021

Rising number of COVID-19 patients waiting for hospital care in Korea

More than 800 patients with COVID-19 in Seoul were waiting for hospital beds for more than a day on Saturday, as infections continue to rise at record levels amid the country’s phased exit from pandemic restrictions. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare data, the number of patients waiting for a bed to open up for longer than a day rose to 804 on Saturday at midnight from 659 seen the day prior. More than half, or 478, of them had been waiting for more than two days, and 421

Social AffairsNov. 21, 2021

Yoon Seok-youl’s election committee takes shape

The main opposition People Power Party’s presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl on Sunday finalized the leadership of his election committee, reaching across the aisle to shape his campaign. Former interim leader Kim Chong-in will head the election committee, and current and former party leaders Lee Jun-seok and Kim Byong-joon become standing committee chairmen. Former Democratic Party leader Kim Han-gil serves as chairman of the so-called New Era Preparatory Committee. Yoon revealed

PoliticsNov. 21, 2021

[From the scene] As home isolation becomes default, bed availability remains issue

Health care workers in charge of looking after COVID-19 patients in home isolation are calling on authorities to ensure at least some hospital beds are kept aside for worsening cases, citing a lack of emergency provision. As the recent surge fills hospitals, patients who were only minimally sick initially and prescribed home care are being left without a bed after their conditions rapidly deteriorate, they said. In Korea, home recovery has been the default option for patients under 70 year

Social AffairsNov. 21, 2021

Ex-interim party leader named to lead presidential election campaign committee for Yoon

A former interim leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) was named Sunday to lead the election campaign committee for the party's presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl. Yoon said Kim Chong-in, a veteran politician who resigned in April after heading the PPP as a caretaker leader, will be in charge of his campaign committee for the 2022 presidential election. Incumbent PPP Chairman Lee Jun-seok will serve as a co-standing chairman for the election campaign committee along with Ki

PoliticsNov. 21, 2021

[News Focus] Pay gap for regular, nonregular workers widening

SEJONG -- Nonregular workers’ pay has risen quite slowly compared to regular workers over the past four years, government data shows. According to Statistics Korea, the average monthly pay for regular employees reached 3.33 million won ($2,790) this year. This marked a 17 percent increase -- or by 485,000 won -- from 2.85 million won in 2017. But the increase in average pay for nonregular employees was 12.7 percent -- or 200,000 won -- over the corresponding period, from 1.56 million wo

Social AffairsNov. 21, 2021

N. Korea dismisses UN human rights resolution as outcome of ‘hostile policy’

Pyongyang “strongly” condemned the recent passage of the UN draft resolution on human rights violations in North Korea and reiterated its call for the UN to investigate the US for human rights abuses, state-run media reported Sunday. North Korea claimed that the US and other “hostile forces” forcibly adopted the draft resolution, in a press statement issued by an unnamed spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The press statement was released four days after t

North KoreaNov. 21, 2021

Army officer wounded in unidentified blast

An officer of an Army unit in Gimpo, west of Seoul, was wounded Sunday after an unidentified explosive device detonated during defense operations, military officials said. The officer was immediately rushed to a nearby civilian hospital following the blast at around 7:35 a.m., the officials said. Despite an injury to his ankle, he was not in critical condition. The military authorities are looking into the exact cause of the explosion, including the possibility of a landmine blast. (Yonhap)

DefenseNov. 21, 2021

Daily infections above 3,000 for 5th day amid concerns over virus resurgence

South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed above 3,000 for the fifth consecutive day Sunday amid concerns over the full-fledged reopening of schools and a virus resurgence ahead of winter. The country reported 3,120 new COVID-19 cases, including 3,098 local infections, raising the total caseload to 415,425, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Daily infections have stayed in the quadruple digits since July 7 due to growing cluster infections and the spread of more

NationalNov. 21, 2021

Fine dust blankets much of South Korea

A choking pall of fine dust plagued much of South Korea on Saturday, prompting authorities to urge vulnerable people to stay indoors. As of noon, the density of ultrafine dust, called PM 2.5, hit the "very bad" level for Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi Province and South Chungcheong Province, according to data from the state-run Korea Environment Corp. Other parts of the country, excluding Gwangju and South Jeolla Province in the southwest, registered "bad." The level of fine d

Social AffairsNov. 20, 2021