S. Korea's COVID-19 cases bounce back to over 50,000

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases bounced back to surpass 50,000 on Tuesday after reporting a steady decline last week. The country reported 57,309 new COVID-19 infections, including 272 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 24,099,134, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Tuesday's tally is up by more than 20,000 from 36,938 a day earlier. Daily infections have slowed after peaking at around 180,000 in mid-August in the latest virus resurgence. The

Sept. 13, 2022

Disposable cup consumption at cafe and fast food chains tops 1b in 2021

The number of disposable cups consumed at major cafe and fast food chains topped 1 billion last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a report showed Tuesday. According to the environment ministry report submitted to Rep. Lee Joo-hwan of the ruling People Power Party, the number of disposable plastic and paper cups consumed at stores of 14 major cafe chains and four fast food brands between 2017 and 2021, including Starbucks and McDonald's, reached more than 4.34 billion. The average yearly cons

Sept. 13, 2022

Report: Nearly 560,000 foreign hacking attempts against govt. detected over past 6 yrs

The government has seen nearly 560,000 outside hacking attempts into its key computer systems over the past six years, with a combined 43 percent from China and the United States, a report showed Tuesday. According to the interior ministry report submitted to Rep. Lee Hae-sik of the main opposition Democratic Party, 558,674 hacking attempts into key government computer systems were detected between 2017 and July this year. Since reaching 62,532 cases in 2017, such hacking attempts have been on a

Sept. 13, 2022

Experts warn of impending 'twindemic' in S. Korea

Experts are warning of a possible “twindemic” of seasonal flu and the coronavirus, starting in the fall. The country is already seeing gradual rises in the number of people who are infected with seasonal influenza viruses. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, in the fourth week of August, 4.7 out of 1,000 visitors to hospitals were reported to have influenza-like symptoms, up from 4.3 from a week ago and 3.3 five weeks ago. The infection rate among minors ar

Sept. 12, 2022

Special counsel probe on Air Force sex crime ends

The independent counsel probe into the death of Sgt. Lee Ye-ram, a victim of sexual violence in the Air Force, came to an end Monday, with the results to be announced tomorrow. The independent counsel team led by prosecutor Ahn Mi-young was launched in June, and Monday was the end of the 100 days granted under related regulations. Over the past 100 days, the team searched more than 30 locations, including the Defense Ministry, Air Force Headquarters, 20th Fighter Wing, and Air Force Investigatio

Sept. 12, 2022

Conservative, anti-Japanese groups clash overnight at rally near symbolic peace statue

Scuffles plagued the site of a statue of a girl symbolizing victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery Sunday night as members of a right-wing organization raided the site and clashed with anti-Japanese activists guarding the statue. The four-hour melee happened as members of New Freedom Solidarity held a surprise rally near the statue in central Seoul around 10 p.m. Sunday, demanding the breakup of a civic organization established to help victims of the sexual enslavement of Korean women du

Sept. 12, 2022

New COVID-19 cases below 40,000 for 2nd day amid Chuseok holiday

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases stayed below 40,000 for the second consecutive day on Monday due largely to fewer tests being carried out over the Chuseok fall harvest holiday amid the virus slowdown. The country reported 36,938 new COVID-19 infections, including 202 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 24,041,825, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Monday's tally is up from 28,214 counted for Sunday but marks a steady decline since last Tuesday, when the daily inf

Sept. 12, 2022

S. Korea's COVID-19 cases fall to 2-month low amid Chuseok holiday

New COVID-19 cases fell to about a two-month low on Sunday due largely to fewer tests conducted over the Chuseok holiday amid the gradual slowdown of the spread of the virus in recent weeks. The country reported 28,214 new COVID-19 infections, including 228 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 24,004,887, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Sunday's tally marked a sharp decrease from the previous day's 42,724 amid the Chuseok holiday, or the Kore

Sept. 11, 2022

Bile farm bears get reprieve, but remain locked up

HWACHEON, Gangwon Province -- The practice of farming bears for their bile is being phased out, but hundreds of bears remain in cages with an uncertain future. For the bears at bile farms, a three-square-meter cage is their entire world. Even for those rescued from a life of bile extraction -- done through syringes or catheters attached to their gallbladders -- their living conditions are not much better. That is the situation for 13 bears at a bear bile farm in the mountain ridges of Hwacheon i

Sept. 11, 2022

Is planting trees the best way to tackle heat waves?

Every summer, local district governments in Korea are tasked with tackling heat waves in resourceful ways. But while mist-spraying and parasols can cool down the heat, street trees are more effective at keeping temperatures down, according to a new study. Street trees create shade where temperatures are 15.4 degrees Celsius lower than their surrounding areas, according to a study published by the city-funded Seoul Institute of Technology earlier this month. Outdoor shade canopies, a popular an

Sept. 11, 2022

Military reports 492 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military reported 492 additional COVID-19 cases Saturday, raising the total caseload among its service members to 270,187, the defense ministry said. The new cases included 387 from the Army, 34 from the Air Force and 28 from the Navy. There were also 27 cases from units under the direct control of the ministry, 15 cases from the Marine Corps and one from the ministry. Currently, 3,588 military personnel are under treatment. (Yonhap)

Sept. 10, 2022

Parents heavily reliant on smartphones when tending to children at home: survey

A majority of parents in South Korea were found to rely heavily on smartphones or tablet computers when tending to young children while carrying out daily tasks at home, a poll showed Saturday, a development that reflects the country's growing smartphone addiction problem among young people. In the poll conducted by the Korea Institute of Child Care and Education on 1,500 parents with children aged 1 to 7, 70.2 percent said they have handed smartphones to their children at home to handle da

Sept. 10, 2022

S. Korea's consumption of flowers grew over 6 pct in 2021 amid pandemic

South Koreans' consumption of flowers and ornamental plants rose 6.1 percent on-year last year on rising demand amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions in outdoor activities, data showed Saturday. An average South Korean spent 12,386 won ($8.90) on buying flowers and other plants in 2021, compared with 11,676 won a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. It marked the first time since 2005 that the per-person demand

Sept. 10, 2022

Traditions of Chuseok holidays: how it was and how it is

In what is commonly dubbed by local media as “the great migration of the nation,” flocks of people travel across the country to gather with their relatives each Chuseok, which this year falls on Saturday. Some people make the trips clad in “chuseokbim,” new clothing and shoes specially prepared for one of Korea's biggest holidays. Although commonly referred to as “Korean Thanksgiving,” Chuseok is actually not really about giving thanks for the year’

Sept. 10, 2022

Civic group pushes to erect statue honoring late US Korean War veteran

A South Korean civic group is pushing to erect a statue to honor the late US Army Major Gen. John K. Singlaub to mark the 70th anniversary of the Seoul-Washington alliance next year, the group said Monday. The Korea-US Alliance Foundation, which was established in 2017, is in talks with the deceased general’s bereaved family in the US, as well as officials from the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs in Seoul for the project, officials at the group said. Details on the envisioned m

Sept. 10, 2022

[Photo News] Different ways of marking Chuseok

  Celebrating this year's Chuseok holiday, the first one to be spent in three years with social distancing measures lifted, heavy traffic congestion are already apparent on the nation's major highways, since Friday morning. Meanwhile, people still prefer to wear their face masks in public areas that are usually packed with crowds.  Passengers wait by the boarding entrance stairs of the Seoul Railway Station on Thursday, to be with families and acquaintances during the f

Sept. 10, 2022

Highways nationwide clogged both ways on 2nd day of Chuseok holiday

Sections of expressways nationwide remained clogged with traffic Saturday as South Koreans traveled across the country on the second day of the four-day Chuseok holiday, officials said. This year's Chuseok holiday, or the Korean fall harvest celebration, started Friday and will run through Monday. Koreans normally head back to their hometowns to spend time with their families. As of 9 a.m., it took 7 hours to drive from Seoul to Busan, 325 km southeast of the capital, about three hours long

Sept. 10, 2022

S. Korea's COVID-19 cases under 50,000 amid Chuseok holiday

South Korea's daily new COVID-19 cases fell below 50,000 on Saturday, data showed, due largely to fewer tests carried out over the Chuseok holiday. The country reported 42,747 new COVID-19 infections, including 237 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 23,976,673, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Saturday's tally is sharply down from 69,410 the previous day. Daily infections have slowed after peaking at around 180,000 in mid-August in the lat

Sept. 10, 2022

Highways nationwide clog with traffic as Chuseok exodus begins

Sections of expressways nationwide became clogged with traffic Thursday as South Koreans headed to their hometowns for family reunions one day ahead of the four-day Chuseok holiday. This year's Chuseok holiday, or the Korean fall harvest celebration, runs from Friday to Monday. Traditionally, Koreans head back to their hometowns to spend time with their families and bow at their ancestors' altars and graves. As the holiday exodus began, sections of highways across the country became co

Sept. 8, 2022

[Newsmaker] A cloudy, but pleasant Chuseok day forecast

  Mostly pleasant weather conditions are forecast for the upcoming four-day Chuseok holidays, which kicks off Friday, the Korea Meteorological Administration said Thursday. On Chuseok, which falls on Saturday, skies will likely be cloudy, but it will be possible to see the full moon through the clouds in most parts of the country, it added. According to the state's weather authorities, the central region will be mostly sunny on Friday with some clouds expected over the southern region and J

Sept. 8, 2022