Seoul hopes to soften economic impact with cash subsidies

South Korea will offer up to 1 million won ($820) in disaster relief subsidy to households as part of the efforts to soften the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, President Moon Jae-in revealed Monday. The government plans to submit a bill for another supplementary budget to raise the required funds. Speaking at an emergency economy meeting, Moon said that the subsidies will be given to households in the bottom 70 percent income group. The amount will vary depending on the number of

March 30, 2020

S. Korea halts overseas election process in US, 24 other nations

South Korea's election watchdog said Monday it will stop overseas election affairs for the April polls in 41 diplomatic missions of 25 nations, including the United States, over the coronavirus pandemic. South Korea will halt the polling affairs for the April 15 parliamentary elections in the US, Canada and 23 other countries until April 6, according to the National Election Commission (NEC). The move followed last week's decision to suspend the election process in Italy and 16 other countrie

March 30, 2020

S. Korea to grant 'disaster relief money' for households, vows extra budget plan

The South Korean government will grant "emergency disaster relief money" to a majority of the country's households in a one-off stimulus program to help with the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis, President Moon Jae-in said Monday. He also unveiled a plan to seek another supplementary budget during a third session of the emergency economic council at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae. "The government has decided to pay emergency disaster relief money" directly

March 30, 2020

Parties head for showdown in polls over coronavirus handling

With rival political groups set to go head to head in the April parliamentary elections, the Moon Jae-in administration’s handling of the COVID-19 outbreak is dominating election campaigns. The outbreak has killed at least 152 people in South Korea and infected 9,583 so far. The conservative opposition United Future Party is urging voters to pass judgment on the “failed” response of President Moon Jae-in and his ruling camp, while the liberal bloc is pinning hopes on a

March 29, 2020

[Newsmaker] S. Korean coronavirus test kit firms earn US FDA pre-approval

Three South Korean COVID-19 test-kit companies have obtained preliminary approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the foreign ministry said Saturday. The initial FDA approval will allow the Korean test-kit makers to sell the products in the United States, where the number of confirmed coronavirus cases has surpassed 100,000, an official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said over the phone. The official did not provide the names of the three approved test kits or a time frame

March 29, 2020

Govt. mulling financial support for 10m households in wake of coronavirus

South Korea said Sunday it is considering providing financial support to 10 million lower-income households as part of emergency measures in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Under the plan, a four-member household whose income is below the median income can receive a one-time lump sum of up to 1 million won ($820), according to the Ministry of Finance and Economy. The proposed measure worth up to 6 trillion won is set to be discussed in this week's emergency economic council meeting to b

March 29, 2020

S. Korea likely to maintain suspension of visa-waiver program for Japan over pandemic: PM

South Korea's prime minister said Friday the government is expected to continue suspending a visa-free entry program for Japanese nationals for the time being, citing the rising number of new coronavirus cases in Tokyo. On March 9, South Korea halted a visa-waiver program for Japan in a tit-for-tat response to Tokyo's decision to impose new entry restrictions for South Korean visitors over COVID-19. "Tokyo has recently reported a considerable number of confirmed cases. If the situation c

March 27, 2020

Parties focus on virus responses for April elections

Appealing to voters with measures to tackle the new coronavirus, political parties ramped up election campaigning on Friday, the second and last day of candidate registration for the April 15 elections. The candidate registration for the parliamentary polls will end at 6 p.m. according to the National Election Commission (NEC). A total of 300 National Assembly seats will be up for grabs, with the number of the directly elected slots reaching 253 and that of proportional representation spots 47

March 27, 2020

S. Korea begins mandatory 14-day self-quarantines on arrivals from US

South Korea reported 91 new novel coronavirus cases Friday, bringing the total infections to 9,332, as the government began to impose mandatory 14-day self-quarantine on arrivals from the US to contain imported cases from abroad. Under the new quarantine measures, incoming travelers from the US -- citizens and foreign nationals with long-tern visas -- must self-quarantine at their homes or designated facilities for 14 days. They are required to get tested for the virus only if they develop sy

March 27, 2020

Full text of joint statement from G-20 virtual summit

The following is a full text of a joint statement adopted at the G-20 2020 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders Summit. It was provided by Cheong Wa Dae.       The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic is a powerful reminder of our interconnectedness and vulnerabilities. The virus respects no borders. Combatting this pandemic calls for a transparent, robust, coordinated, large-scale and science-based global response in the spirit of solidarity. We are strongly committed to presenting

March 27, 2020

S. Korea halts overseas absentee ballot processes in 17 countries

South Korea's election watchdog said Thursday that it has decided to stop the absentee ballot process for next month's general elections for citizens living in Italy and 16 other countries due to the coronavirus outbreak.    The National Election Commission said the process will be suspended at 23 South Korean diplomatic missions in the 17 countries until April 6, meaning that eligible South Korean voters cannot cast their absentee ballots for the April 15 elections.    Th

March 26, 2020

Candidate registration for general election begins

Candidate registration for the April 15 elections began Thursday -- at stake are 300 seats in the 21st National Assembly.  Largely overshadowed by the coronavirus outbreak, the poll outcome will shape the country’s political landscape two years before the next presidential election and serve as a litmus test of public sentiment for President Moon Jae-in and his liberal Democratic Party.  Currently, the Democratic Party controls 121 seats in the unicameral parliament, which is

March 26, 2020

President Moon’s approval rating rebounds on virus response

President Moon Jae-in’s approval rating rose to its highest level in more than 16 months, owing to the government’s COVID-19 response, local pollster Realmeter said Thursday. The country’s aggressive tracing and testing early in the pandemic has helped it to avoid drastic lockdowns. According to the poll, conducted between Monday and Wednesday, Moon’s approval rating stood at 52.5 percent, up 3.2 percentage points from the previous week. It was the highest since the

March 26, 2020

Moon asks opposition party leader to present details of relief bond offer

President Moon Jae-in responded prudently to an opposition party's call for a 40 trillion-won ($32.5 billion) government bond program meant to help businesses and households here hit by the coronavirus. He publicly requested that Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the conservative main opposition Future Korea Party, provide details, including how it would be financed and work. Hwang earlier criticized the Moon administration's package of emergency aid to prop up the livelihoods of the people amid a mon

March 26, 2020

Moon notes S. Korea's virus testing ability, says Trump also wants it

President Moon Jae-in said Wednesday his government would help facilitate exports of South Korea's new coronavirus diagnostic materials, revealing that US President Donald Trump has requested the supply of test kits and other quarantine-related goods during their latest phone conversation. Moon was visiting Seegene Inc., a Seoul-based developer of COVID-19 diagnostic solutions. He met with the heads of Seegene and four other local producers of novel coronavirus diagnostic reagents -- Kogene

March 25, 2020

Parties draw up proportional candidate lineup

The ruling Democratic Party and the main opposition United Future Party are heading into a double clash in the April 15 general elections, with both fielding satellite parties for proportional representative seats. The Future Korea Party, a satellite party of the United Future Party, has shortlisted 40 candidates. The ruling Democratic Party’s satellite party, whose name roughly translates to “Citizen’s Party,” is entering the race with 30 candidates. In proportional

March 24, 2020

Moon pledges W100tr of emergency funding for virus-stricken business sector

President Moon Jae-in unveiled plans Tuesday to double the size of his administration's emergency-financing aid package to 100 trillion won ($80 billion) for businesses here under growing stress from the coronavirus pandemic, and he announced a set of special funds to stabilize South Korea's bond and securities markets. He stressed that the government would serve as a "stout breakwater" to prevent the huge crisis facing the nation's firms, speaking at the second session of the emerge

March 24, 2020

New law to enhance protection of consumers from humidifier sanitizers

The Ministry of Environment said Monday it will proclaim a revision of the current law regulating humidifier sterilizers this week, seeking to expand the scope of diseases caused by the use of the chemical products and facilitate victims' lawsuits against their manufacturers. A revision of the Special Act on Remedy for Damage Caused by Humidifier Disinfectants will be proclaimed Tuesday before being enforced six months later, the ministry said. Under the revised law, people who become sick wi

March 23, 2020

Moon against discussing permanent change in academic calendar, Cheong Wa Dae says

President Moon Jae-in expressed a negative view Monday about formally considering a change to South Korea's academic year in response to a call for a review of whether to introduce the autumn semester system. He said it's "not desirable to discuss" the issue in connection with the current situation, receiving a report from Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae, according to Cheong Wa Dae's deputy spokesman Yoon Jae-kwan. Yoo, who doubles as deputy prime minister for social affairs, briefed

March 23, 2020

Ruling party, President Moon earn high grade in polls

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea saw a slight uptick in the polls with some 42 percent support, while President Moon Jae-in flagged his highest approval rating this year, a poll showed Monday. Support for the liberal party inched up 0.6 percentage point from last week and stood at 42.1 percent, followed by the main opposition United Future Party 33.6 percent, up 1.5 percentage points, and the People’s Party on 4 percent, according to local pollster Realmeter. The survey was conducte

March 23, 2020