New COVID-19 rules to be announced Saturday as winter holiday season near its end

South Korea will decide on new social distancing rules Saturday, as the country continues to battle the third and deadliest COVID-19 wave to date, officials said Thursday. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters said officials are in discussion with experts and local governments to come up with a new plan starting Monday, as the social distancing rules in place will reach their end by Sunday’s end. At the moment, the region of Greater Seoul, which includes Incheon and

Dec. 31, 2020

[Newsmaker] Medical students who boycotted licensing exam get second chance

The government will allow fourth-year medical students to retake a state medical licensing exam they boycotted, a reversal of its previous position, as the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic threatens to cause a shortage of doctors. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters said during a press briefing Thursday that the government will administer the practical test again in January as a precaution, to address the anticipated shortage of medical personnel next year. “We are dee

Dec. 31, 2020

President’s son urges critics to stop attacking what he does for living

President Moon Jae-in’s son Moon Joon-yong said he can accept criticism against the “president’s son,” but cannot accept the denunciation of what he does for a living. “Since the reason politicians criticize me through mass media is to attack the president of the rival camp, I point out that their intention is lousy,” Moon, 38, wrote on Facebook on Wednesday. Opposition politicians have questioned the fairness of the city of Seoul’s decision to grant M

Dec. 31, 2020

S. Korea's bird flu countermeasures put to test as farm-linked caseload nears 40

South Korea was struggling to contain the spread of highly pathogenic bird flu among local poultry farms as the number of such cases reached nearly 40 on Thursday, but the influx of migratory birds continued to strain the antivirus fight. The latest highly contagious H5N8 strain of bird flu was found from a duck farm in Gimpo, just north of Seoul, on the previous day, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Among the 37 farm-related cases reported so far, 10 came from

Dec. 31, 2020

Military reports 3 new COVID-19 cases

An Army officer and two civilian workers for the military tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Thursday. The Army officer stationed in the city of Incheon, west of Seoul, contracted the virus after coming into contact with a citizen confirmed later to have the virus, according to the ministry. One civilian officer working at an Army base in the southeastern city of Daegu and the other worker for the Navy tested positive after taking tests as a preventive step, the

Dec. 31, 2020

[Newsmaker] COVID-19 cases top 60,000 in S. Korea amid worst wave of pandemic

South Korea's total COVID-19 caseload broke the 60,000 mark on Thursday as new cases have been rising at an alarming pace despite tougher virus curbs put in place ahead of the year-end holiday season. New cases stood at 967 earlier in the day to raise the total to 60,740, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), surpassing the threshold 11 months after the nation's first confirmed case on Jan. 20. A total of 900 people have died from the highly infectious virus. It

Dec. 31, 2020

[Best Brand] Peter & Kim offers global expertise

Peter & Kim is a pioneering international dispute resolution firm with offices in South Korea, Switzerland, Singapore and Australia. The Seoul office, headed by Kevin Kim, was established in 2019, with Dr. Wolfgang Peter heading the Swiss offices in Geneva and Bern. Both Peter and Kim are leading arbitration practitioners in their jurisdictions, having handled a long list of award-winning cases and multibillion dollar disputes. Peter & Kim continues to represent many sovereign states, in

Dec. 31, 2020

COVID-19 cases at Seoul prison reach 918, another inmate dies at separate facility

Coronavirus cases tied to a Seoul detention center rose by 126 on Thursday, sending the total to over 900, while another inmate died of COVID-19 complications at a separate facility. The justice ministry said 126 inmates at Dongbu Detention Center in southeastern Seoul tested positive during the prison's fourth mass testing Wednesday, bringing the total to 918, including 21 staff members. No additional workers tested positive this round. At Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, 25 kilometers south

Dec. 31, 2020

S. Korea to decide level of virus curbs this week amid no letup in virus resurgence

South Korea said Thursday it will decide this week whether to raise the social distancing scheme to the highest level or maintain the current second-highest measures amid no signs of a letup in the coronavirus resurgence. The country's new virus infections fell below 1,000 Thursday for the first time in three days but the level of new cases remains still high due mainly to cluster infections from churches, private gatherings and other facilities. The country added 967 more COVID-19 cases, incl

Dec. 31, 2020

Which city has best work-life balance in Korea?

Seoul, the capital of Asia’s fourth-largest economy, may seem like a busy metropolis with the country’s most overworked people, but it was actually the best city for work-life balance in South Korea last year. Seoul was the highest-ranked city by earning 58.8 out of 100 points in terms of work-life balance among 17 cities and provinces in the country, a government index showed Wednesday. Jeju Island came in second with 56.7 points, followed by Busan with 56.2 points, South Jeolla

Dec. 30, 2020

[Best Brand] 100 Classics offers customized English learning for kids

100 Classics is an English education service brand for children and teenagers not only in Korea, but also the US and Japan. Owned by education company In Times In, 100 Classics provides a systematic program that helps students with reading, writing and discussions in English, in addition to consulting services for those applying to prestigious schools in the US.  100 Classics helps students enhance their English communication, creative thinking, critical thinking, writing and debating ski

Dec. 30, 2020

How COVID-19 changed Koreans’ pastimes

South Koreans had more spare time than before, but many spent it alone this year due to the coronavirus outbreak, government data showed, with more people taking walks and enjoying mobile content. According to a report on Koreans’ pastimes and cultural activities by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Culture & Tourism Institute, they spent about 3.7 hours on leisure activities during the week and 5.6 hours on weekends this year, up 12 minutes from the previous

Dec. 30, 2020

Prosecutors demand 9-year prison term for Samsung heir, final ruling on Jan. 18

Prosecutors demanded a nine-year prison term for Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, who was indicted on bribery charges involving former President Park Geun-hye, at a final retrial Wednesday. The court designated Jan. 18 next year as the date for a final ruling. 　 Prosecutors also demand seven-year jail terms for two other former Samsung executives, Jang Choong-ki and Park Sang-jin. “Samsung is a group with such overwhelming power that it is said that Korean companies are

Dec. 30, 2020

Korea mulls toughening social distancing rules

South Korea is contemplating whether to raise its social distancing measures to the highest level, as the country continues to report high numbers of new coronavirus cases and deaths under the third and deadliest wave of the pandemic here. Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun urged in a meeting Wednesday that the country thoroughly prepare virus control strategies following the end of this weekend, when the Level 2.5 social distancing rules in the Greater Seoul area and Level 2 rules in the rest of th

Dec. 30, 2020

Military reports 2 new COVID-19 cases

One civilian worker for the Navy and a Navy officer have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Wednesday. The worker affiliated with a Navy unit in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, contracted the virus after coming into contact with a colleague who recently tested positive following a business trip to the metropolitan area, according to the ministry. The Navy officer stationed at a unit in the southeastern city of Changwon was confirmed to have been infect

Dec. 30, 2020

Nine in 10 Koreans willing to get COVID-19 vaccination

South Koreans were more positive about receiving COVID-19 vaccination than people in most other countries, with nearly 9 out of 10 people expressing willingness to get vaccinated, a survey showed. According to a survey by Gallup Korea on 1,500 Koreans last month, 32 percent of the respondents said they were “certain” and 55 percent said they were “likely” -- for a combined 87 percent -- to get vaccinated when the vaccines become available. This was higher than the ave

Dec. 30, 2020

Justice minister decides not to appeal injunction reinstating top prosecutor

Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae said Wednesday she will not appeal a court injunction that returned Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl to his post last week. Earlier this month, the justice ministry suspended Yoon from duty for two months over four counts of alleged misconduct, including the surveillance of judges hearing cases involving former Justice Minister Cho Kuk and some presidential officials. Yoon filed for an injunction and the Seoul Administrative Court granted it last Thursday. The pros

Dec. 30, 2020

S. Korea investigating 2 suspected cases of highly pathogenic bird flu

South Korea's agricultural ministry said Wednesday it is investigating two suspected cases of highly pathogenic bird flu from local farms, amid growing concerns that the disease may penetrate deeper into the local poultry industry. Authorities are investigating the two suspected cases from ducks farms in North Jeolla Province and South Chungcheong Province, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Since identifying the first infection in late November, South Korea has

Dec. 30, 2020

Cold wave grips many parts of S. Korea

A cold wave swept across the country Wednesday, with temperatures dipping into the double digits below zero in the northern and central parts of the country. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) has issued cold wave alerts for Seoul and the provinces of Gyeonggi, Gangwon, North Gyeongsang and North and South Chungcheong. Morning lows ranged from minus 10 C to minus 15 C in the greater capital area and other northern and central regions. Incheon, west of Seoul, experienced the coldest

Dec. 30, 2020

New infections above 1,000 for 2nd day, variant cases rise to 5

South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed above 1,000 for a second straight day Wednesday and variant cases rose to five as the government is mulling the toughest distancing rules to curb the pandemic. The country added 1,050 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,025 locally transmitted infections, bringing the total caseload to 59,773, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The daily infections fell slightly from 1,046 cases a day earlier amid the stricter Level 2.5

Dec. 30, 2020