[Seoul Struggles 10] A hostile city for eco-friendly cars

Owning and driving an electric car, as everyone likes to say these days, is a thoughtful choice for an environment-conscious citizen. Many in Seoul have followed the advice of officials promoting environment-friendly vehicles, and more electric cars than ever can be seen on the city’s streets. As of January, a total of 23,441 electric vehicles were registered for use in Seoul, a sharp contrast with the 1,498 cars registered at the end of 2016. More electric car options have become avail

July 7, 2021

More than half of population expected to be over 50 in next decade

People aged 50 or older are expected to account for half of the South Korean population in the next decade, government data showed Wednesday. According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s population statistics, based on the resident registration system as of June 30, people in their 50s accounted for the largest percentage of the total population at 16.6 percent or 8.6 million people. The second-largest group was the 40-somethings, who made up 15.6 percent of the total. Analyz

July 7, 2021

S. Korea to expand child care services to help more women work: minister

South Korea's top economic policymaker said Wednesday the country plans to expand child care services in a bid to encourage more women to continue to work amid the chronically low birthrate. Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said the plan is aimed at better tackling the country's demographic challenges from the low birthrate and rapid aging. "A decline in labor supply, a jump in welfare costs for senior citizens and regional imbalances will have significant economic and social impacts on the c

July 7, 2021

Pfizer vaccines under exchange deal with Israel arrive in S. Korea

A total of 700,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine by Pfizer Inc. under an exchange deal with Israel arrived in South Korea on Wednesday. The expiring COVID-19 vaccines, enough for 350,000 people, arrived at Incheon International Airport, the country's main gateway, earlier in the day. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said the country will return the same number of Pfizer vaccine doses from a future order to Israel later, possibly between September and November. The COV

July 7, 2021

New cases most since late Dec., virus curbs extended for 1 week

South Korea's daily new virus cases spiked by the most since late December on Wednesday, fanning fears of a fourth wave of outbreaks over the summer. Health authorities decided to extend current distancing curbs in the greater Seoul area for one week but warned of further tougher measures unless the current situation is brought under control. The country reported 1,212 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,168 local infections, raising the total caseload to 162,753, the Korea Disease Control and Pr

July 7, 2021

S. Korea records 2nd-highest daily COVID-19 cases of over 1,200

South Korea on Wednesday recorded over 1,200 new daily COVID-19 cases, marking the second-highest tally since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country and raising concerns of the potential emergence of a fourth pandemic wave, the government announced. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum during a daily interagency meeting on the nation's coronavirus response. Kim also said that the government's current distancing rules will be extended for an additional week. Wednesday's

July 7, 2021

Seoul to ban drinking at Han River parks after 10 p.m. starting Wednesday

The Seoul metropolitan government said Tuesday it will ban drinking at Han River parks every night between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. starting the next day. The ban was announced Sunday as part of the central government's toughened social distancing guidelines for the capital area, which has recently seen a spike in COVID-19 cases. The city government said it will begin enforcing an administrative order on the ban at midnight Tuesday, with no predetermined end date. Violations will be punishable with

July 6, 2021

Daily coronavirus cases surge over 1,000 for first time in six months

South Korea confirmed over 1,000 new coronavirus cases Tuesday for the first time in six months amid a resurgence in the Seoul metropolitan area, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The country reported 1,006 more COVID-19 cases from 12 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the number is expected to further rise when the daily total is announced Wednesday morning. The figure shot up to over 1,000 for the first time since Jan. 3 when the nation was undergoing a third wave of the pandemic,

July 6, 2021

Move to revise Nationality Act faces backlash

Anti-China sentiment and differing views on nationality could be fanning debate over a proposal to lower the entry barriers to South Korean citizenship. In Korea, any child born to a Korean parent is granted citizenship. In April the Ministry of Justice suggested tweaking the laws to open the door to citizenship for children born in Korea to foreign parents. Doing so would promote multiculturalism and boost Korea’s ultralow birth rate, said the ministry. The proposed change would aff

July 6, 2021

Vaccine-scarce Korea accepts Israel’s offer of Pfizer doses close to expiry

Korean health officials said Tuesday they have reached a deal with Israel to receive their offer of 700,000 doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine that are due to expire shortly, in exchange for a fresh batch of the same number at a later date. The Pfizer vaccines sent from Israel will arrive here Wednesday morning, to be used immediately, according to a Ministry of Health and Welfare statement. “The Israeli government was looking to exchange its surplus Pfizer supply, and Korea is

July 6, 2021

Seoul to ban drinking at Han River parks after 10 p.m. starting Wednesday

The Seoul metropolitan government said Tuesday it will ban drinking at Han River parks every night between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. starting the next day. The ban was announced Sunday as part of the central government's toughened social distancing guidelines for the capital area, which has recently seen a spike in COVID-19 cases. The city government said it will begin enforcing an administrative order on the ban at midnight Tuesday, with no predetermined end date. Violations will be punishable with

July 6, 2021

S. Korea to receive 700,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine under exchange deal with Israel

South Korea will receive 700,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine by Pfizer Inc. from Israel under an exchange deal, health authorities here said Tuesday. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said the expiring COVID-19 vaccine doses will arrive in the country early Wednesday and will be used for inoculation starting next week. The KDCA said the country will return the same number of Pfizer vaccine doses from a future order to Israel later, possibly between September and Novem

July 6, 2021

Seoul to run free shuttles for wheelchair users getting COVID-19 vaccines

Seoul will operate free shuttle services for wheelchair users to get their COVID-19 shots starting Thursday as the capital of South Korea seeks to improve access for those unable to easily reach vaccination centers in the city. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday that it will dispatch two wheelchair-friendly “Seoul Accessible Buses” to pick up and drop off passengers at welfare centers and 33 local COVID-19 vaccination centers. The buses will run every Monday to Friday an

July 6, 2021

Downpours trigger landslide, cut off power, leave 2 dead in southern parts of Korea

Heavy rains that hit the southern parts of the country overnight flooded houses and farmland, and disrupted the power supply and train services, leaving two dead and forcing 120 people to evacuate, authorities said Tuesday. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters said the downpour swept away a woman, in her 60s, in the southwestern county of Haenam early in the morning. The authorities said she was found dead from drowning. In the nearby counties of Gangjin and Jindo, 47 p

July 6, 2021

23 Incheon elementary school students infected with COVID-19

INCHEON -- More than 20 students of an elementary school here have been infected with the new coronavirus, authorities said Tuesday, ordering emergency COVID-19 tests for all its students and teachers and their families. According to the municipality of Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, 23 sixth graders of Inju Elementary School in the city's central ward of Michuhol have been diagnosed with COVID-19 this week. The municipality plans to install a walk-through screening station at the schoo

July 6, 2021

New cases over 700 for 4th day, distancing rules in greater Seoul likely to be maintained

South Korea's daily new virus cases stayed in the 700s for the fourth day in a row Tuesday, as health authorities struggle to prevent infections from spreading further amid concerns about a spike in cases of the contagious delta COVID-19 variant. The country reported 746 more COVID-19 cases, including 690 local infections, raising the total caseload to 161,541, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The latest figure is compared with 826 on Friday, which marked a nearly s

July 6, 2021

Businesses to face 10-day closure for single breach of coronavirus rules: PM

Restaurants, cafes and other businesses will face a strengthened penalty of a 10-day closure for just a one-time violation of new social distancing rules, the prime minister said Tuesday. The new enforcement regulation set to go into effect Thursday is "a strong law that warrants a shutdown of 10 days for even a single violation of distancing rules," Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said during an interagency meeting to review the greater Seoul region's virus situation. The statement came

July 6, 2021

Wife of Belgian ambassador to Seoul got into altercation with street sweeper: police

The wife of the Belgian ambassador to South Korea, who faced assault charges in Seoul earlier this year, was involved in an altercation with a street sweeper in the city Monday morning, police said. Police said Xiang Xueqiu, the spouse of Ambassador Peter Lescouhier, got into a fight with the cleaner in a park in central Seoul after the cleaner's broom touched Xiang. Police said the two apparently traded blows, but when officers arrived on the scene, neither wanted the other punished. Xiang w

July 5, 2021

S. Korea in talks with mRNA vaccine makers to make up to 1b doses: govt. official

SEOUL (Reuters) -- South Korea is in talks with mRNA vaccine makers including Pfizer and Moderna to produce COVID-19 shots in the country and is ready to offer the capacity to make up to 1 billion doses immediately, a senior government official said. The plan, if agreed, would help ease tight global supply of COVID-19 vaccines, particularly in Asia which lags North America and Europe in vaccine rollouts, and put South Korea a step closer to its ambition to become a major vaccine manufacturing c

July 5, 2021

Restrictions remain in place amid COVID-19 resurgence

South Korea has walked back its plans to ease restrictions in the capital region for people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, as the country struggles with another virus resurgence despite continued vaccination efforts. Face masks will again be mandatory and drinking outdoors past 10 p.m. will be prohibited in the Greater Seoul area, even for those vaccinated against COVID-19. These rules are to be enforced indefinitely until the authorities decide that the COVID-19 situation has impro

July 5, 2021