New cases hit record high of over 380,000; COVID-19 death toll tops 10,000

South Korea‘s daily coronavirus cases hit another record high of over 380,000 on Saturday amid the omicron surge, with the death toll surpassing 10,000. 　The country reported 383,665 new COVID-19 infections, including 　383,590 local cases, raising the total caseload to 6,206,277, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). 　It marks the largest-ever daily count, surpassing the previous daily high of 342,446 cases tallied Wednesday. 　 Total cases also reached

March 12, 2022

Private education expenses hit record high in 2021 amid COVID-19 restrictions in school classes

Spending on private after-school classes hit a record high of 23.4 trillion won ($18.9 billion) last year amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic that restricted in-person school education, according to a survey released by the education ministry Friday. The 2021 expenditures, based on a survey of some 74,000 elementary to high school students nationwide, marked a solid increase from 21 trillion won in 2019 and 19.4 trillion won in 2020, and a new record high since related figures were first compil

March 11, 2022

Seoul Mayor Oh tests positive for COVID-19 in self-test kit check

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon on Friday tested positive for COVID-19 in a self-test kit check and is now waiting for the results of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, officials said. The mayor canceled an in-person meeting of his staff at Seoul City Hall while heading to work in the morning and held an online meeting instead. "We are currently waiting for the test result," a city government official said. (Yonhap)

March 11, 2022

Omicron wave to peak in 10 days with 370,000 daily confirmed cases: PM

Health authorities are expecting the omicron variant spread to reach its peak within 10 days, reaching some 370,000 COVID-19 cases a day. South Korea saw 282,987 new confirmed cases as of Thursday midnight, while the number of deaths hit 229. “According to predictions from multiple research teams, the spread will reach its peak within 10 days. The average daily new cases can reach the maximum of 370,000,” Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said at a meeting held at the government complex

March 11, 2022

Two foreigners at large after escaping COVID treatment center

  Police are tracking down two Russians who escaped from a COVID-19 treatment center in North Chungcheong Province, violating their quarantine requirement, according to the North Chungcheong Provincial Office Friday. The undocumented foreigners in their 30s were quarantined in separate rooms on the fourth floor of the facility located in Jangan-myeon, Boeun-gun, sources said. They sneaked out of their rooms at around 1 a.m. on Wednesday and met secretly at a vacant room on the same floor.

March 11, 2022

Seoul city unveils virtual influencer candidates to promote Dongdaemun fashion district

The Seoul city government on Friday unveiled three virtual influencer candidates for promotional ambassador of the capital's central fashion district of Dongdaemun. The profiles of the candidates -- Ha Ri-ra, Seo Hi and Mo I-da -- are available on the city government's online voting website (mvoting.seoul.go.kr), where a four-day public vote to pick a winner will be held through Tuesday. The winner will become a promotional ambassador for the fashion district and an intern for a public fashion d

March 11, 2022

Main opposition party chief Lee tests positive for virus in rapid antigen test

GWANGJU -- The head of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Friday tested positive for COVID-19 in a rapid antigen test while on a visit to the southwestern city of Gwangju, according to party officials. Should PPP Chairman Lee Jun-seok's infection be confirmed in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol will also have to take a virus test, because party officials said the two had lunch together Thursday. Lee was in Gwangju, 330 kilometers southwest of Seo

March 11, 2022

Wildfires on east coast burn nearly 24,000 ha of woodland, most devastating on record

The ongoing wildfires in east coastal mountain areas have so far burned nearly 24,000 hectares of woodland since they started a week ago, becoming the country's most devastating on record, a government agency said Friday. The blaze that started in the east coastal town of Uljin last Friday, about 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, has spread to nearby areas and continued for the 8th day. An estimated total of 23,993 hectares of woodland had been scorched so far in the wildfires as of 6 a.m. Frid

March 11, 2022

Daily COVID-19 cases fall below 300,000; deaths hit record high of 229

South Korea's daily coronavirus cases fell below 300,000 on Friday after spiking to a record high two days earlier, but deaths hit a fresh high amid the omicron surge. The country reported 282,987 new COVID-19 infections, including 282,880 local cases, raising the total caseload to 5,822,626, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The omicron-fueled surge in infections has recently led to more COVID-19 deaths, and severe and critical virus cases. The country conf

March 11, 2022

Omicron wave expected to peak within next 10 days with daily cases up to 370,000: PM

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Friday that the country is expected to see the omicron wave peak in the next 10 days with daily cases going up to 370,000. South Korea's daily virus infections exceeded the 300,000 mark for the first time Wednesday with 342,446 cases due to the highly transmissible omicron variant of COVID-19. "During that period, the government's top priority will be reducing the number of critically ill patients and deaths," Kim said during a COVID-19 response meeting

March 11, 2022

KIS celebrates equal gender representation

Korea International School has won the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award, in recognition of the school’s effort to bring diversity to a program for advanced computer science. The College Board, a nonprofit organization established to expand access to higher education, honored the school’s Design and Innovation Department (D&I) for its near equal gender representation in AP computer science principles courses. Other classes in the department also strive to draw more fem

March 10, 2022

S. Korea‘s daily COVID-19 cases top 300,000 two days in a row

South Korea’s daily COVID-19 cases have surpassed 300,000 for two days straight, government data showed Thursday. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the country added 327,549 new COVID-19 infections during the 24 hours of Wednesday, slightly down from the previous day. The country’s daily infections first topped the 300,000 mark a day earlier with 342,446 cases, the country’s current record-high tally. The daily tally currently appears to go beyon

March 10, 2022

Yoon’s 7 companion animals to become ‘first pets’

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s seven companion animals are set to become the nation’s “first pets” after he is inaugurated on May 10. Without children, Yoon and his wife Kim Keon-hee live with four dogs -- Tori, Narae, Mari and Sunny -- and three cats -- Akkaengi, Navi and Norangi -- since they tied the knot in 2012. He will become the president with the most pets ever.  Among them, Jindo dog Tori is especially well known to the public from starring in a news phot

March 10, 2022

30-yr prison term confirmed for man who killed sister, abandoned her body

The Supreme Court has confirmed a 30-year prison term for a man who murdered his older sister and abandoned her body on a west coast island in 2020, officials said Thursday. The 28-year-old man, whose identity was withheld, was convicted of stabbing his older sister, in her 30s, multiple times and killing her at an apartment building in Incheon, about 40 kilometers west of Seoul, on Dec. 19, 2020. He put the victim's dead body in a piece of luggage and hid it inside storage on the rooftop of the

March 10, 2022

Future first lady Kim: ‘I will help with my humble capabilities’

Kim Keon-hee, President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s wife and future first lady, spoke to local media early Thursday morning after Yoon won the 20th presidential election. “I will assist, with my humble capabilities, the president-elect to fulfill the tasks given to him by the people,” said Kim, 49, in an interview with a local media outlet early Thursday morning after Yoon’s win became clear. “I will try to help the president-elect pay more attention to (people living

March 10, 2022

S. Korea's new daily COVID-19 cases top 300,000 for 2nd day as omicron spreads fast

South Korea confirmed more than 300,000 coronavirus cases for the second consecutive day Thursday as the dominant omicron variant of the coronavirus continued to spur new outbreaks nationwide. The country reported 327,549 new COVID-19 infections, including 327,490 local cases, raising the total caseload to 5,539,650, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Daily infections exceeded the 300,000 mark for the first time the previous day with 342,446 cases, when voters w

March 10, 2022

Arrest warrant in review for ruling party chief’s assailant

A local court is reviewing an arrest warrant request against a YouTuber under police custody for attacking the chief of the ruling party with a hammer on Monday. The Seoul Western District Court on Wednesday started reviewing an arrest warrant request filed by law enforcement for attacking Rep. Song Young-gil, head of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, while Song was campaigning in Seodaemun-gu, western Seoul, on Monday afternoon. The 70-year-old man surnamed Pyo, who runs a political YouTu

March 9, 2022

S. Korea’s COVID-19 cases surpass 340,000 for first time

South Korea’s daily COVID-19 infections spiked during the 24 hours of Tuesday to hit an all-time high of over 340,000, increasing more rapidly than the country’s health authorities had expected. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Wednesday, the country added 342,446 new COVID-19 cases. It was up 139,726 from the previous day’s 202,720. The previous record was the 266,847 reported Friday last week. The daily figure has increased faster than the

March 9, 2022

New cases soar to fresh high of over 340,000 amid omicron wave

South Korea's daily COVID-19 cases soared to hit a fresh record high of more than 340,000 Wednesday while voters went to the polls to pick a new president amid the fast spread of the omicron variant. The country reported 342,446 new COVID-19 infections, including 342,388 local cases, raising the total caseload to 5,212,118, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The tally jumped from the 202,721 reported Tuesday. Daily infections exceeded the 300,000 mark for the

March 9, 2022

[KH Explains] Essential guide for treating COVID-19 at home

For foreign residents in Korea who do not speak the local language, now may feel like the most dangerous time to live here since the pandemic began. Over the recent week, over 200,000 people a day in South Korea have been diagnosed with COVID-19. With no sign yet of the country pulling out of the omicron surge, the pressure on the medical system is increasing dangerously day by day. Yet, all patients are supposed to take responsibility for their own safe recovery at home, unless they belong

March 8, 2022