[News Focus] Unemployment benefits surge among youth, women, self-employed

SEJONG -- The pandemic was found to have dealt tougher blows to young workers, women and the self-employed in South Korea in terms of job security, a state agency data showed. According to the Korea Employment Information Service, the number of recipients of unemployment benefits among men in their 20s reached 41,814 last month. This marked a 98.6 percent surge from 21,051 in December 2019, a month before COVID-19 initially hit the nation. The situation was similar among women in their 20s: a

July 29, 2021

Students from 26 countries advised to travel to Korea after 70% first-dose vaccination rate

In preparation for an influx of students coming for the fall semester, the Education Ministry has come up with a separate set of guidelines for students from 26 countries where there has been a higher risk of the spread of virus variants, including the highly contagious delta variant. The government has designated 26 countries where COVID-19 variants are spreading fast. The countries are South Africa, Malawi, Botswana, Mozambique, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Brazil, Suriname, Paraguay, Chil

July 29, 2021

Relatives, spouses of employers punishable for workplace harassment from October: Labor Ministry

Close relatives and spouses of employers could face legal action for workplace bullying starting October, as the South Korean government looks to continue its work on improving workplace culture. The Ministry of Employment and Labor said Thursday that it will expand the range of people punishable for workplace bullying in accordance with the Labor Standards Act from those directly in the workplace with those harassed. At the moment, no legislative clause is in place to directly levy punishment

July 29, 2021

Daily virus cases dip as authorities mull stronger virus curbs

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases fell slightly Thursday after reaching a record high the previous day as health authorities weigh implementing more virus restrictions to slow down the spread of the delta variant and growing infections outside the greater Seoul area. The country added 1,674 COVID-19 cases, including 1,632 local infections, raising the total caseload to 195,099, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The latest tally is a fall from a record

July 29, 2021

Korea says Moderna will resume shipments next week

Korea said Wednesday that Moderna was set to make up for the shortfall in the July delivery of its COVID-19 vaccine to the country with shipments resuming in August. “As a result of a teleconference with Moderna officials held Tuesday evening, shipments will return starting next week,” said Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum.  A day earlier, he said the pharmaceutical company had reported production issues with its vaccine and consequent delays in delivery in a July 23 exchange wi

July 28, 2021

[Newsmaker] Foreign population in Korea shrinks to lowest level in 5.5 years

The number of foreigners in South Korea decreased for a consecutive 19 months amid the pandemic to its lowest in five years and six months in June, according to statistics released by the Korea Immigration Service under the Justice Ministry. The foreign population in Korea stood at about 1.98 million in June, 0.3 percent less compared to May, and the lowest since December 2015 (1.89 million). The number peaked at 2.52 million in December 2019, but plunged by nearly 100,000 in January 2020 as C

July 28, 2021

S. Korea's childbirths at fresh low in May

The number of babies born in South Korea dropped to a new record low in May, data showed Wednesday, in the latest sign that underscores the country's gloomy demographic situation. A total of 22,052 babies were born in May, down 3.5 percent from the previous year, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea. It marked the lowest for any May since 1981, when the statistics agency began compiling related data. South Korea is struggling with a sustained fall in childbirths as many young pe

July 28, 2021

KCTU dismissed link to COVID-19 cases without evidence

The announcement that no COVID-19 infections were reported from a Korean Confederation of Trade Unions rally was based on a report submitted by the labor group with no supporting evidence, an opposition lawmaker said Wednesday. The finding extends controversy as to whether the mass rally of thousands of people held in central Seoul played a role in worsening the country’s virus situation, and whether the labor group should be held responsible in related developments. The office of Rep.

July 28, 2021

Chungcheong cities, provinces to bid to co-host 2027 Summer World University Games

Local governments in the Chungcheong region received approval from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Tuesday to participate in bidding to host the 2027 Summer World University Games. The ministry made the decision after reviewing proposals from the local governments of Sejong, Daejeon, and North and South Chungcheong provinces. During a review session, Jeon Jung-ae, director of culture, sports and tourism for North Chungcheong Province, outlined the local government’s visio

July 28, 2021

Daily virus cases hit new high; infections in non-capital area, delta variant worrisome

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases hit a new high Wednesday, health authorities said, as the highly transmissible delta variant and rising infections outside the greater Seoul area continue to hamper the virus fight. The country added 1,896 COVID-19 cases, including 1,823 local infections, raising the total caseload to 193,427, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The daily number was up 531 from the previous day. It was the largest daily caseload since t

July 28, 2021

[News Focus] Deaths outnumber births by 53,000 since late 2019

SEJONG -- The number of births was outpacing deaths by 100 percent in South Korea a decade ago, with their monthly tallies recording nearly 40,000 vs. 20,000 throughout 2011. The gap between the two sharply narrowed in the early 2010s in the wake of record-low fertility rates, under which the number of births was only higher -- by about 50 percent -- than that of deaths in 2016. A historic event occurred in January 2018, when deaths outnumbered births by 31,857 vs. 30,615. This marked the fir

July 27, 2021

Variant cases top 6,000, delta variant infections piling up amid 4th wave of pandemic

South Korea has confirmed 1,412 more cases of four major contagious variants of the new coronavirus over the past week, including 1,242 cases of the highly transmissible delta variant, health authorities said Tuesday. The caseload of such infections reached 6,016 here, with the number of delta cases first reported in India tallied at 2,983, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Of the newly confirmed variant cases over the cited period, there were 1,233 local inf

July 27, 2021

Anti-corruption agency summons Seoul education chief in power abuse probe

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials on Tuesday summoned Seoul Education Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon for an ongoing probe over alleged power abuse in pushing for unfair employment. Cho is accused of abusing his authority by pressing for a 2018 special employment process for five teachers who were fired after being convicted of violating the Public Official Election Act. He has denied the allegations since the CIO launched the probed into his case in April. “Re

July 27, 2021

Sewol disaster memorial hall to be dismantled for construction at Gwanghwamun Square

Bereaved family members of the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster agreed Tuesday to dismantle a memorial hall at Gwanghwamun Square while construction on the plaza is under way. The Seoul metropolitan government informed the families early this month that it would take down the structure Monday as part of construction work for the restructuring of Gwanghwamun Square. The families agreed at the time to move the makeshift hall, which was built in April 2019, and asked that a consultative body be set up t

July 27, 2021

Korea’s vaccine plans face more uncertainties over Moderna supply disruption

South Korea’s already slow vaccination rollout may face a further delay with Moderna, from which Seoul purchased 40 million COVID-19 vaccines -- experiencing production issues. Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said on Tuesday, “Moderna has informed us that it is inevitable to adjust the supply schedule due to production setbacks.” He added, “We are currently discussing with Moderna over the specific and definitive volume and date for vaccines in the July and August period.&

July 27, 2021

Labor group says 3 members' COVID-19 infections irrelevant to July 3 rally

Three members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), who tested positive for COVID-19 after participating in a massive outdoor rally in downtown Seoul on July 3, had actually contracted the virus from a restaurant, the militant labor group said Tuesday. Yang Kyung-soo, head of the KCTU, called a news conference to announce that the COVID-19 infections of the three KCTU members were confirmed to have occurred at a restaurant on July 7 and there have been no additional confirmed case

July 27, 2021

New virus cases in 1,300s for 2nd day; virus fight dogged by delta variant, vacationers

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases stayed in the 1,300s for the second straight day Tuesday as health authorities strive to stem infections outside the greater Seoul area and the spread of the delta variant with toughened distancing measures. The country added 1,365 COVID-19 cases, including 1,276 local infections, raising the total caseload to 191,531, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The daily caseload was up 47 from the previous day. The country

July 27, 2021

How Korea’s plans for ‘more normal’ summer fell through

South Korea’s summer was supposed to be “more normal.” Come July, there would be more freedom from social distancing and face mask wearing, political leaders and health officials had promised.  Instead the country is in the midst of its largest wave of COVID-19 yet and Koreans are having to practice social distancing far more rigorously now more than ever, raising questions over what went wrong. Easing COVID-19 restrictions is something that had been in the

July 26, 2021

Delta variant becoming dominant strain of COVID-19 in S. Korea

The highly contagious delta variant is becoming a dominant strain of COVID-19 in South Korea, making it more difficult for health authorities to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, officials said Monday. The delta variant is behind a recent spike in the nation's COVID-19 infections in Seoul and its neighboring areas, while showing signs of spreading much faster outside the greater Seoul region. In the third week of July, 48 percent of new patients were infected with the aggressive delta va

July 26, 2021

[Newsmaker] Majority of Koreans in favor of Samsung heir parole

A majority of Koreans support the idea of granting parole to Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong on Aug. 15, the nation’s liberation day, a survey showed Monday. His release date is July next year. More than 66 percent of South Koreans said Lee, head of the nation’s largest conglomerate, should be released early as it would provide a boost to the economy, a nationwide survey conducted by Realmeter on Friday showed. Realmeter interviewed 500 people who were aged 18 or old

July 26, 2021