Reservations for COVID-19 booster reach 100,000

The number of people who made reservations for updated omicron-specific bivalent boosters reached almost 100,000, according to health authorities Friday. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said it opened reservations on Thursday to anyone aged 18 or older. The number of people who made reservations as of 5 p.m. on Thursday reached 99,512, the agency added. Previously, updated omicron-specific bivalent boosters were mainly available for people aged 60 or above. But the government dec

Oct. 28, 2022

Light could treat common colds, clinical trial shows

Light could be used to treat viral infections in the respiratory tract, such as the common cold, a clinical trial by a local research team showed. A Jeonbuk National University research team led by Jeong Hwan-jeong, a professor at the Department of Nuclear Medicine, and Otorhinolaryngology professor Hong Yong-tae, conducted a clinical trial on treating the common cold with a laser device from March to September. Under the trial, the team's laser device, named "Bye-Vi," was used on

Oct. 28, 2022

Korean police seek Interpol red notice for subway graffiti suspects

South Korean police said Friday that they have requested Interpol’s assistance for the capture of two suspects who fled the country after allegedly committing a series of graffiti vandalism on subway cars here. According to Incheon Nonhyeon Police, police have obtained an arrest warrant for the suspects on charges of breaking into a building and damaging property. Since they appear to have already left the country, they have requested Interpol to issue a red notice, investigators said.

Oct. 28, 2022

[Newsmaker] Hanoi-Yangyang flights on hold after Vietnamese tourists go missing

Over 60 Vietnamese tourists who entered South Korea this month using the visa-free system have fallen out of contact with immigration authorities, raising suspicion that the individuals came here for illegal stay. Sixty-seven out of 1,600 Vietnamese tourists who came through Yangyang International Airport in Gangwon Province from Oct. 13-25 for packaged tours remain unaccounted for, as of Friday, according to the Korean Immigration Service. Earlier this week, Vietnamese media reported that its F

Oct. 28, 2022

S. Korea's new COVID-19 infections below 40,000 for second day

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases stayed below 40,000 for the second straight day Friday amid lingering concerns over resurgence woes. The country reported 35,924 new COVID-19 infections, including 60 from overseas, bringing the total to 25,466,992, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. Friday's tally is a drop from the weekly peak but 11,173 higher than that logged from the previous week, KDCA data showed. Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong said early Friday that daily casel

Oct. 28, 2022

S. Korea to release vegetable, salt reserves amid price hikes

South Korea plans to release its stockpile of vegetables and salt to cope with the lingering inflation for the annual kimchi-making period ahead of winter, the government said Friday. Under the plan, South Korea will release 5,000 tons of garlic, 1.4 tons of peppers and 3.6 tons of onions starting next week, according to the finance and agricultural ministries. It plans to supply 500 tons of salt reserves to traditional markets as well. "For a considerable period, prices are expected to sta

Oct. 28, 2022

S. Korea's new COVID-19 infections below 40,000 after a two-day uptrend

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases fell below 40,000 on Thursday, breaking an upward trend that had continued for the past two days. The country reported 34,987 new COVID-19 infections, including 55 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 25,431,105, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. Thursday's tally is a 5,855 drop from the previous day, but slightly higher than the past seven day average, KDCA data showed. The country reported 26 deaths, bringing the death tol

Oct. 27, 2022

[Herald Interview] South Korea was doing it right until omicron U-turn: Birx

South Korea ended most of its COVID-19 policy responses as omicron hit in January this year. Then it backfired, leading to one of the world’s highest death counts from BA.1 and 2, omicron’s two subvariants that were circulating then. “To me it’s a teaching moment that’s unfortunate that it happened,” said Dr. Deborah Birx, who served as the White House COVID-19 response coordinator. In an interview with The Korea Herald, Birx pushed back on the rationale gi

Oct. 26, 2022

Drug crimes involving foreigners see 6.5 fold rise since 2012: study

The number of drug arrests made against foreign nationals in South Korea has increased much faster than the foreign population, a study has found, with the nature of the offenses also becoming more serious. According to a study by the Criminal Investigation Institute, a research center at the Korean National Police University, the number of drug arrests made against foreigners reached 2,335 in 2021, up from 359 cases in 2012. That is a 6.5-fold increase, while the foreign population rose just 35

Oct. 26, 2022

Get ready to pay W1,000 more per taxi ride in Seoul next Feb.

The base taxi fare in Seoul will rise by 1,000 won (69 cents) to 4,800 won, starting in February. Whether the increase will solve the ongoing shortage of after-dark taxis, however, remains uncertain. The Seoul city government on Tuesday passed the plan to increase the base rate for midsize taxis operating in Seoul from the current 3,800 won. The raise would be the first since February 2019. Under the new scheme, the distance that taxis travel with the basic fare, will also decrease to 1.6 kilome

Oct. 26, 2022

Ministry eyes allowing younger teens to face criminal trials

The Ministry of Justice announced comprehensive countermeasure plans to deal with young offenders, including lowering the maximum criminal minor age from 14 to 13, Wednesday. Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon said at a press conference at the Justice Ministry on Wednesday that the aim was not rigid adherence to discipline or lowering the age standard in itself. "It is for the reformation of juvenile offenders and protection for victims," he said. At present, offenders aged over 10 and und

Oct. 26, 2022

Police looking into online seller of BTS Jungkook's hat

Police have launched an investigation into an online seller who put up a hat allegedly worn by BTS member Jungkook for 10 million won ($6,981) on an online flea market platform. According to Seoul Seocho Police, the seller has turned himself or herself in to a police station in Gyeonggi Province on Oct. 18 after the attempted sale caught public attention for its potential unlawfulness. In South Korea, a person who obtains a lost property must report it to the police. If the person keeps it or

Oct. 26, 2022

S. Korea reports more than 40,000 COVID-19 cases for second straight day

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases stayed above 40,000 for the second straight day Wednesday, fanning concerns of a possible resurgence of the pandemic. The country reported 40,842 infections, including 81 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 25,396,155, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. The figure is higher than the past seven day average of 27,259, showing signs of a possible rebound in infections. The country reported 26 deaths, bringing the death toll to 29,04

Oct. 26, 2022

Mother, 2 sons found dead with stab wounds

GWANGMYEONG -- A mother and her two teenage sons have been found dead with stab wounds at their home in Gwangmyeong, just south of Seoul, police said Wednesday. Her husband in his 30s alerted police around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday that the three were found dead, officials said. The bodies of the mother in her 30s and the two boys were on the living room floor of their apartment when the police arrived, officials said. "We plan to investigate the case while leaving various possibilities open based

Oct. 26, 2022

Largest-ever Korea Sale Festa to kick off next week amid high inflation

The largest-ever annual shopping event in South Korea will take place next week amid the government's effort to curb high prices and boost private spending, the industry ministry said Wednesday. The Korea Sale Festa, the Korean equivalent of Black Friday, will be held from Nov. 1-15 both online and in stores nationwide, with around 2,300 companies participating, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The figure is the largest ever since the festival was launched in 2016, i

Oct. 26, 2022

K-Arts, celebrating 30 years, sets out bigger goals

Korea National University of Arts, known as K-Arts, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this week, aims to turn itself into a global institution attracting foreign students, its president, Kim Dae-jin, said Wednesday. “Thirty years ago, K-Arts was established to provide top quality education so that Korean students would not have to go abroad to study -- a goal that not many believed back then,” Kim said. “For the next 30 years, we want to become an institution sought after

Oct. 25, 2022

[Newsmaker] Dashed dreams: Young Koreans' leveraged investments backfire

When stock and crypto markets were hot and borrowing costs were cheap, many younger South Koreans, who typically had strong risk appetite but little capital to invest, dabbled in leveraged investing, known as “bittoo” in Korean. Many of these young investors had dreamed of getting rich quick and retiring young to become a new member of “FIRE tribe” -- the acronym standing for financially independent, retire early. But many are now suffering, as markets have tanked and int

Oct. 25, 2022

Justice minister condemns Rep. Kim Eui-kyum for making false accusations

Friction between Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon, a key member of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, and the opposition bloc appears set to further escalate, with Han hinting that lawmakers should be held responsible for their words. On Tuesday, Han hit back at Rep. Kim Eui-kyum of the main opposition, who had raised suspicion that Han met with lawyers from Kim ＆ Chang at an upscale bar with President Yoon Suk-yeol. “Rep. Kim acts like he as a license to lie,” Han said to reporters

Oct. 25, 2022

Chronic doctor shortage pushes hospitals to shut off services for pediatric patients

The number of hospitals offering medical services for infants and children at night or on weekends are shrinking amid a chronic shortage of pediatricians in the country, data shows. From this week, Gangnam Severance Hospital has decided to suspend the nighttime emergency room for pediatric treatment. Emergency room treatment for pediatric patients under the age of 16 is available only from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital suspended its emergency treatment for pediatric p

Oct. 25, 2022

'No tattoos allowed here'

Tattoos were once considered a badge for gangsters in Korea, but they have become a medium of self-expression or a fashion statement among younger generations. Many are not reluctant to show off their inked skin in public or on social media, but there still persists a societal stigma surrounding the body art. A sports center in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, has recently put up a notice that restricts entry of tattooed members. The no-tattoo policy was introduced after complaints from nontattooed member

Oct. 25, 2022