S. Korean worker at Camp Humphreys tests positive for COVID-19

A South Korean working at an American military base here has tested positive for the new coronavirus, US Forces Korea (USFK) said. The contractor at US Army Garrison Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, around 70 kilometers south of Seoul, was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 on Friday after close contact with an individual who tested positive earlier, according to the US military. The confirmed patient last visited the base on Thursday and is now in isolation at a facility designated for coronavirus

June 9, 2021

New virus cases back over 600; vaccination drive on smooth path

South Korea's daily new virus cases bounced back to over 600 Wednesday due to sporadic cluster infections as the country's inoculation drive gains traction on increased vaccine supply. The country reported 602 more COVID-19 cases, including 581 local infections, raising the total caseload to 145,692, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Wednesday's figure was sharply up from 454 cases Tuesday. Daily cases here usually spike from Wednesday as more people get tested. Dai

June 9, 2021

S. Korea to allow overseas group tours of fully vaccinated citizens as early as in July: govt.

South Korea will allow overseas group tours of fully vaccinated citizens to nations with stable virus response measures as early as in July, as the COVID-19 vaccination campaign picks up speed across the nation, the prime minister said Wednesday. "Starting in July, we plan to allow group travel of fully vaccinated people through consultations between nations with stable antivirus conditions," Kim Boo-kyum said during a daily interagency meeting on the country's coronavirus response.

June 9, 2021

Delivery workers union calls strike amid stalled talks with govt., logistics firms

Unionized delivery workers threatened Tuesday to go on strike as their talks with the government and logistics firms to prevent their overwork have made little progress. The 6,500-strong Parcel Delivery Workers' Solidarity Union said its roughly 2,100 members who have the right to strike will stage an indefinite walkout Wednesday after holding a members' vote early in the day. The union has been in talks with the government and logistics firms on the timing of the full implementation of a Janu

June 8, 2021

Korea looks forward to ‘more normal’ this summer -- but is it too soon?

South Korea plans to allow more socializing and less mask-wearing through its pre-herd immunity phase of summer and early fall. But as the vaccine still remains out of reach for many, the country may be moving too fast with the new recommendations, some experts worry. President Moon Jae-in promised “a mask-free Chuseok,” a national holiday coming up in late September, during a special COVID-19 response meeting Monday. The president’s goal is for 70 percent of the population

June 8, 2021

Jeju sees hottest spring on record this year

JEJU -- Jeju Island experienced its hottest spring on record this year, with an average high of 19.3 C from March to May, the local weather agency said Tuesday. The average temperature in the three-month period was 15.5 C, up 1.5 C from 14 C in the average year and the highest since record-keeping began in 1961, according to the Jeju branch of the Korea Meteorological Administration. The average high during the three months was 19.3 C and the average low 12.1 C, also the highest on record for

June 8, 2021

Vaccine incentives fan hopes for return to normal

Hopes of a return to a pre-coronavirus normal are being fanned by COVID-19 vaccine incentives packages. Various incentives for vaccinated people, such as eased gathering restrictions, are being welcomed by citizens who say the measures will help provide some relief from prolonged restrictions.　 The vaccine incentives allow people who have had at least one shot of coronavirus vaccine to engage in larger family gatherings and religious events. They can go outside mask-free from July. Fully vacc

June 8, 2021

Greenhouse gas emissions fall by 7.3% in 2020: ministry

Greenhouse gas emissions fell by 7.3 percent last year from 2019, the first time there has been a decrease for two consecutive years, the environment ministry said Tuesday. The ministry's Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Research Center said total emissions last year are estimated at 648.6 million tons, down 7.3 percent from 2019, and down 10.9 percent from 2018, when the level of emissions was the highest at 727.6 million tons. The decrease was caused in part by less economic activity amid the CO

June 8, 2021

[Newsmaker] Tower crane operators launch general strike over safety fears

Unionized tower crane operators on Tuesday began a general strike nationwide over safety fears, putting nearly 90 percent of domestic construction sites at risk of being halted. The operators belonging to the Korean Construction Workers' Union (KCWU) went on strike, accusing the government of failing to take sufficient measures to protect citizens and construction workers despite a recent spate of accidents involving tower cranes. The KCWU, affiliated with the militant Korean Confederation of

June 8, 2021

[Seoul Struggles 9] Newcomers ‘stranded’ in Korea’s biggest city

With almost everything centered in Seoul, for many South Koreans born outside the capital the “Korean Dream” has meant packing their bags and making their way to the city, whether it be for education, a career or a new life. The capital city, home to a fifth of Korea’s population, has been a dream destination for Koreans yearning to blend into a crowd of 10 million people. But once they are within that crowd, many feel left out and stranded. “All of my friends are back

June 8, 2021

S. Korea adds 3 more species to list of protected marine organisms

South Korea's oceans ministry said Tuesday it has added three additional species to the list of protected marine organisms in line with efforts to join the international move to conserve the ecosystem. The newly included species are the olive ridley sea turtle, killer whale and false killer whale, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. Under the South Korean marine ecosystem law, those who hunt protected organisms can face imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of 30 million w

June 8, 2021

New virus cases in 400s for 2nd day amid vaccination push

South Korea's daily new virus cases remained in the 400s for the second straight day Tuesday amid efforts to boost the country's vaccination campaign. The country reported 454 more COVID-19 cases, including 435 local infections, raising the total caseload to 145,091, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Tuesday's figure was down from 485 cases Monday. But daily cases usually go up starting Wednesday as more people get tested. Daily caseloads have been going through so

June 8, 2021

Korea will see some return to normal in summer: minister

This summer could feel more normal now that more South Koreans can get COVID-19 vaccines, Minister of Health and Welfare Kwon Deok-cheol said Monday. The minister told a news briefing that based on the current trajectory, the goal of vaccinating 14 million adults with at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of this month could be met “even sooner than previously thought.” “This means that by that point, more than a quarter of Koreans will have been vaccinated. T

June 7, 2021

Korea mistakenly registers ineligible people for COVID-19 vaccine

South Korea mistakenly opened up COVID-19 vaccine appointments on Monday for tens of thousands of people who were not yet eligible, leading to a slew of cancellations the same day. Pfizer vaccine appointments became available to employees in their 20s at some of the country’s largest tech and semiconductor firms and banks, according to industry sources. The news quickly spread through social media, with many people working in the same fields proceeding to make appointments. Later, the

June 7, 2021

Seoul court dismisses lawsuit on Japan’s wartime forced labor

A Seoul court ruled Monday that victims of Japan’s wartime forced labor cannot sue Japanese companies. The victims said they would appeal the ruling. The Seoul Central District Court rejected a lawsuit filed by 85 plaintiffs, comprising forced laborers and bereaved family members of forced laborers, against 16 Japanese companies including Nippon Steel, Nissan Chemical and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Rejection means the court made its decision without hearing the case because it d

June 7, 2021

Couriers refuse parcel sorting in protest of working conditions

Thousands of unionized parcel delivery workers arrived late at work Monday and refused to sort packages as they urged logistics firms to quickly finalize a deal on their working conditions. The Parcel Delivery Workers' Solidarity Union said that starting Monday, around 6,500 couriers nationwide would start work at 9 a.m. instead of 7 a.m., and head out to make deliveries at 11 a.m. instead of after noon, without sorting parcels in between. Between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., the workers will load parc

June 7, 2021

S. Korea 'open' to discussing solution for forced labor issue with Japan: ministry

South Korea remains open to discussing solutions for wartime forced labor issues with Japan, the foreign ministry said Monday, after a local court dismissed a compensation lawsuit filed by a group of victims. The Seoul Central District Court dropped the case filed by 85 plaintiffs against 16 Japanese companies, including Nippon Steel Corp. and Mitsubishi Materials Corp. It ruled that while their individual rights to damage claims may not be precluded by the 1965 bilateral agreement that inclu

June 7, 2021

Court rejects damages suit against Japanese firms by Korean forced labor victims

A local court on Monday dismissed a damages suit launched by 85 South Korean victims of wartime forced labor in Japan and their families against 16 Japanese companies, saying the plaintiffs don't have litigation rights. The Seoul Central District Court said South Korean wartime forced laborers cannot claim individual legal rights to damages from Japan, while deciding to reject their collective suit. The 85 forced labor victims and their families started their damages suit against 16 Japanese c

June 7, 2021

[Newsmaker] Distrust of police and media, and fake news fuel outcry in medical student’s death

Lee Jin-ah, 43 and the mother of a 13-year-old son, has been following the updates of the death of Sohn Jung-min, a medical student who died in the Han River, every day, through news articles and YouTube videos. “Because I have a son, I am emotionally attached to Jung-min’s father. I feel so sorry for him. It is so terrible to think that my child could be dead like that,” she said. Lee does not know why Jung-min died, but does not trust the police investigation. “I

June 7, 2021

Police tighten reins on sex doll businesses left in legal gray area

Police said Monday they have started to regulate life-size sex doll "experience" shops, popping up around the country following court decisions to allow the import of the sex toys. The National Police Agency said the crackdown will continue for two months, jointly with the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and local governments. As the import of sex dolls, as well as running shops that allow customers to use the sex toys, is all legal under the current laws, however, the police

June 7, 2021