[Newsmaker] Gyms reopen in defiance of coronavirus restrictions

A growing number of gym owners have reopened their businesses this week in defiance of the government's coronavirus restrictions, claiming the rules are unfair and putting their livelihoods at stake. Indoor gyms in the capital area are subject to an assembly ban under Level 2.5 social distancing measures, which were recently extended by two weeks until Jan. 17. In announcing the extension, however, the government allowed ballet and taekwondo schools to hold classes of up to nine people, sparkin

Jan. 5, 2021

Another soldier tests positive for coronavirus

A soldier based on the southwestern Jin Island has tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Tuesday. The enlistee was confirmed to have contracted the virus in a test conducted before his return from holiday, according to the ministry. The latest case brought the total number of COVID-19 patients among the military members to 509. Nationwide, South Korea added 715 additional coronavirus cases Tuesday, raising the total caseload to 64,979. (Yonhap)

Jan. 5, 2021

COVID-19 deaths reach over 1,000, marks fast growth in past month: PM

The number of deaths from the new coronavirus surpassed the 1,000 mark in South Korea, with the third wave of the pandemic having accelerated the growth of new fatalities in the past month. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said the country reported 28 additional deaths from COVID-19, bringing the total fatalities to 1,007. Of the accumulated deaths, 295 were reported in Gyeonggi Province surrounding Seoul, followed by 204 in Seoul and 203 in the central city of Daejeon, t

Jan. 5, 2021

Virus curve appears to be slowly flattening; cluster infections, variant cases still worrisome

The third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea appears to be slowing down with the help of tough restrictions ahead of the holiday season, but concerns remain over continued cluster infections at virus-prone facilities and a more transmissible virus variant, health authorities said Tuesday. The country added 715 more COVID-19 cases, including 672 local infections, raising the total caseload to 64,979, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Tuesday's daily

Jan. 5, 2021

Moon calls for better protection of young adoptees amid public fury over death of abused child

President Moon Jae-in called Monday for better protection of young adoptees and stronger oversight of adoption procedures, amid public outrage over a fatal child abuse case. Citizens voiced anger online and offline over the case involving a 16-month-old adoptee who died in October, allegedly after having been abused by her adoptive mother. The case resurfaced recently after a local broadcaster reported on the case. "Make all efforts to ensure the post-adoption management of adopted childr

Jan. 4, 2021

Ex-employees of Kumho Asiana, antitrust watchdog under probe on bribery charges

A former executive of Kumho Asiana Group and a former employee of the nation's antitrust watchdog are under prosecution's probe for allegedly conspiring to delete documents unfavorable to the company, judicial sources said Monday. According to the sources, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office has arrested a former employee of the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC), surnamed Song, on the charge of receiving kickbacks, and a former executive of the nation's 20th-largest business group,

Jan. 4, 2021

Public fury grows as some politicians flout COVID-19 rules

Public fury is growing in South Korea over elected officials flouting safety guidance and practices as the country grapples with a record number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Hwang Un-ha on Dec. 26 dined out at a restaurant in Daejeon in the company of five people in apparent violation of social distancing orders.  Among those at the get-together was the former mayor of Daejeon, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 a few days later. As a result of the

Jan. 4, 2021

S. Korea to invest W1.5tr in startups in 2021

South Korea will invest 1.5 trillion won ($1.4 billion) in helping startups this year. It increased by 66.2 billion won on-year to record the largest amount ever, according to the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. The ministry said in a press release Monday that the budget related to startups has been on the steady increase as it is important to creating jobs and nurturing companies that specialize in contactless technology. Fifteen ministries plan to support 1.4 trillion won for 90 projects,

Jan. 4, 2021

Licensed private detectives get green light in Korea

Licensed private detectives can do business in South Korea beginning Wednesday, following the recent revision of the Credit Information Use and Protection Act. The National Police Agency announced Monday that it had inspected the country’s private detective agencies over the past year and provided on-site guidance so they can operate as part of a regulated system. Previously, the police said, 12 companies were issuing 14 different private certificates. The police had ordered corrective

Jan. 4, 2021

[Newsmaker] Death of 16-month-old causes public outcry

The death of a 16-month-old girl has caused public outrage in South Korea.  The girl reportedly died from violent child abuse that took place over nine months by her adoptive parents. When the girl died in the emergency room at a hospital in western Seoul on Oct. 13, she had fractures across her body and her organs had suffered severe damage, including extensive damage to the pancreas and internal bleeding. The adoptive parents are set to face trial on Jan. 13. The prosecution has indi

Jan. 4, 2021

South Korea to begin vaccinations next month

South Korea’s nationwide vaccination program will start as early as next month as the country’s coronavirus situation remains in its third and deadliest wave thus far, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Monday. Speaking at the central response team meeting, Chung said the government will do its best to ensure that the country has a detailed vaccination plan in place, covering all stages from shipment and storage to inoculation and aftercare, by the end of this month. He asked relat

Jan. 4, 2021

S. Korea investigating new suspected case of highly contagious bird flu

South Korea's agricultural ministry said Monday it is looking into yet another suspected case of highly pathogenic bird flu linked to farms amid the prolonged fight against the disease. The latest suspected case of a highly contagious H5N8 strain of bird flu was reported from an egg farm in Cheonan, 92 kilometers south of Seoul, late Sunday, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. After reporting the first case at a farm in nearly three years in November 2020, the cou

Jan. 4, 2021

Govt. rejection of naturalization application over DUI charge legal: court ruling

A government decision to reject a foreign national's naturalization application citing a drunk driving conviction has been ruled lawful by a Seoul court, according to judicial sources Monday. According to the sources, the Seoul Administrative Court recently overturned a Nepali national's request to rescind the justice ministry's rejection of the person's naturalization due to a driving under the influence (DUI) conviction. The Nepali had filed litigation against the justice minister after bein

Jan. 4, 2021

Freezing temperatures sweep S. Korea

Cold waves swept across South Korea, with temperatures falling below 0 degrees Celsius for most parts of the country on Monday. Morning lows ranged from minus 3 C to minus 18 C in the central, northern and western regions. Temperatures dipped to around minus 20 C in some mountainous and seaside areas in the northeast. The Korea Meteorological Administration issued cold wave alerts for parts of Gyeonggi Province and Gangwon Province as of 11 a.m. Monday. Wind chills will be lower than the a

Jan. 4, 2021

New cases rebound to over 1,000 despite extended virus curbs

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases bounced back to over 1,000 Monday due to soaring infections in a Seoul prison and care homes across the country, as well as continued community infections, despite extended tougher virus curbs. The country added 1,020 more COVID-19 cases, including 985 local infections, raising the total caseload to 64,264, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Monday's daily caseload marks a sharp rise from 657 on Sunday and 824 on Satur

Jan. 4, 2021

[Herald Interview] Nursing home residents are being ‘quarantined to death’

As COVID-19 ravages through nursing homes in South Korea, their vulnerable residents are being “quarantined to death” without getting a chance of treatment, says Dr. Son Deog-hyeon heading the Korean Convalescent Hospital Association. Son told The Korea Herald in a telephone interview that the recent string of outbreaks at nursing homes across the country was “made deadlier” by leaving those with and without the virus together in a practice known as cohorting. “

Jan. 3, 2021

[News Focus] Korea’s COVID-19 surge among fastest outside Europe

SEJONG -- South Korea has seen a 167.3 percent increase in the number of novel coronavirus infections over the past three months, higher than in major economies in South and Central America as well as in many other Asian nations. The cumulative tally of COVID-19 cases to date in Korea came to 61,769 as of Jan. 1, compared with 23,106 on Sept. 21, 2020, according to epidemiological data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. Over the correspondi

Jan. 3, 2021

Ban on private gatherings to be extended nationwide until Jan. 17

Private gatherings of five or more people will be banned nationwide starting Monday, as the country struggles to contain the largest wave of COVID-19 infections since the pandemic began. The ban, which has already been in place in the Seoul area since Dec. 23, is being expanded nationwide for two weeks from Monday until Jan. 17, the government said over the weekend. The updated rules ban groups of five or more from meeting anywhere, indoors or outdoors, with the goal of socializing. In-person

Jan. 3, 2021

[Newsmaker] S. Korean population falls for 1st time on record low births

South Korea's population fell year-on-year for the first time in 2020, census data showed Sunday, with a record low number of births getting surpassed by deaths to cause a natural decrease. According to the latest census figures released by the Ministry of Interior and Safety, South Korea had 51,829,023 people as of Dec. 31, 2020, down 20,838 from the end of 2019. The population had increased in each of the previous 10 years, though the growth rate had been steadily falling -- from 1.49 percen

Jan. 3, 2021

121 more COVID-19 cases reported at Seoul prison

A prison in eastern Seoul reported 121 more cases of the novel coronavirus Sunday following its latest round of mass testing. The justice ministry announced 121 inmates at Dongbu Detention Center in Seoul were among 126 newly infected individuals at prisons across the country as of 8 a.m. Sunday. The latest tally raised the total caseload at South Korean prisons to 1,108 -- 1,068 inmates and 40 members of the prison staff. Dongbu Detention Center has been responsible for the vast majority of

Jan. 3, 2021