[Newsmaker] S. Korea rolls out measures to shorten couriers’ work hours

The government said Thursday that it would work to ensure shorter working hours for delivery workers following a recent series of courier deaths, allegedly from overwork, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Labor Ministry and the Transport Ministry announced in a joint press briefing that the government will consult with logistics companies, push for legislative revisions and introduce improved workplace guidelines to protect couriers. “A limit to quantitative growth (of the e-commerce and

Nov. 12, 2020

6 individuals affiliated with USFK test positive for COVID-19

Five American service members and a dependent have tested positive for the new coronavirus upon their arrival in South Korea, US Forces Korea (USFK) said Thursday. They arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, on US government chartered flights between Nov. 3-10, according to the US military. Five of them tested positive on their first mandatory COVID-19 test prior to entering quarantine, while the other was confirmed with the virus on a second test conducted before release. Al

Nov. 12, 2020

Court grants bail to Shincheonji leader indicted on charges of obstructing COVID-19 response

SUWON -- A court on Thursday granted bail to the leader of a minor religious sect at the center of the early coronavirus outbreak in South Korea. The Suwon District Court, south of Seoul, allowed the bail request of Lee Man-hee, the founder of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, citing a low risk of destroying evidence and his deteriorating health. The court set the bail bond at 100 million won ($89,700) and ordered him to stay at his residence and wear an electric device to trace his movement.

Nov. 12, 2020

Seoul to launch city-wide response system against violation of public mask rules

The Seoul city government said Thursday it will launch a 24-hour response system to handle all queries about potential violations of rules on the wearing of masks in public places. The decision comes as all those not wearing a mask in public will face a 100,000 won ($90) fine starting Friday. The city government said each ward office will assign workers the same day to field phone calls on the mask rules and respond to the scene if necessary. The system will be in place for two weeks. "

Nov. 12, 2020

Seoul hosts global labor forum in memory of iconic labor activist

In memory of an iconic labor rights activist who burned himself to death 50 years ago in the heart of Seoul to fight for better working conditions, an international academic forum is under way here this week for discussions on the future of the labor movement, the metropolitan government said Thursday. The forum, which kicked off at Seoul City Hall and other locations on Tuesday for a three-day run, has been organized as part of efforts to reflect on the legacy of the late Chun Tae-il, a garmen

Nov. 12, 2020

S. Korea probes 3 more suspected cases of bird flu

South Korea said Thursday it is investigating three suspected cases of avian influenza found from wild bird droppings, amid the growing concerns over the disease spreading to local poultry farms. Local authorities are looking into the three cases reported in Gyeonggi Province earlier this week, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. It could take about five days to determine whether the virus is a highly pathogenic strain of bird flu. South Korea has raised its guard

Nov. 12, 2020

New virus cases over 100 for 5th day; enhanced virus curbs in the offing

South Korea's new coronavirus cases rose by triple digits for a fifth day Thursday, as sporadic cluster infections from private gatherings and facilities piled up across the nation, raising the possibility that the country may enhance social distancing measures. The country added 143 more COVID-19 cases, including 128 local infections, raising the total caseload to 27,942, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The daily caseload marked a slight decrease from 14

Nov. 12, 2020

Mask rule violators face fines in S. Korea

Violators of South Korea's face mask mandate may face fines starting Friday as the country seeks to better combat the new coronavirus. The move follows an end to a 30-day grace period for the implementation of the country's revised infectious disease control and prevention act, which requires people to wear face masks on mass transportation and in public places. People will face a fine of up to 100,000 won (about $90) if they do not wear masks on public transportation and at demonstrations, as

Nov. 12, 2020

Four more military personnel test positive for new coronavirus

Four more workers at a defense ministry agency handling welfare for service members have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the ministry said Thursday. The latest cases brought the total number of COVID-19 cases at the Welfare Agency to 11 -- five service members and six civilian officials -- after one member of its personnel was confirmed to have been infected earlier this week, according to the ministry. Three family members of the patients were also found to have been infected, the C

Nov. 12, 2020

Woman arrested for allegedly abusing adopted baby to death

  A Seoul court on Wednesday approved pre-trial detention of a mother suspected of abusing her adopted 16-month-old baby to death. The Seoul Southern District Court issued the warrant to detain the woman, whose identity has been withheld, on charges of child abuse resulting in death, citing the risk that she may try to flee or tamper with evidence. The baby died at a Seoul hospital on Oct. 13, police said. She reportedly had serious injuries on her abdomen and brain, prompting doctors to

Nov. 11, 2020

Will COVID-19 vaccine be pandemic’s endgame?

Hopes of the pandemic coming to an end are soaring with the latest vaccine results. But health officials and experts say normal life may not be within reach at least for another year, and that varying ranges of public health interventions may still be necessary even after a vaccine arrives. The US drug giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech said in a press release on Monday an interim analysis showed their vaccine candidate was 90 percent effective in protecting people against the infect

Nov. 11, 2020

Busan to develop 'port-through' virus test to prevent infectious disease from overseas

The Busan metropolitan government said Wednesday it is developing a comprehensive system to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases from ships arriving from overseas. The "port-through" platform seeks to minimize contact during virus tests by flying drones to ships and developing a new testing method of analyzing droplets left on protective face masks instead of using nasal swabs, a city government official said. The Busan city government has teamed up with Pusan National Uni

Nov. 11, 2020

COVID-19 cases above 100 for 4th day

New daily cases of the novel coronavirus in South Korea have increased by 146, bringing the total caseload to 27,799, marking the fourth day in a row above 100, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Wednesday. The death toll rose by two to 487. The fatality rate stands at 1.75 percent. The triple-digit rises in COVID-19 cases are pushing health authorities to consider an elevation of social distancing measures. The country adopted Level 1 distancing rules Saturday, t

Nov. 11, 2020

Watchdog advises police against disclosing history of mental illness in cases

The state human rights watchdog on Wednesday advised police against disclosing any history of mental illness in people involved in a case. The National Human Rights Commission of Korea said making such disclosures to the media without the person's consent amounts to a violation of human rights and should be subject to an internal review by the police if necessary. "Considering our society's attitude toward people with mental illnesses and social norms, it is highly likely that such a hist

Nov. 11, 2020

Cases of non-COVID-19 infections sharply down: study

Social distancing protocols and heightened attention toward person hygiene from prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in sharply lower cases of other infectious diseases, a study found Wednesday. According to a study led by Dr. Kang Ji-man, a pediatrics professor at Yonsei University Severance Hospital, measures introduced to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have helped people avoid other infectious diseases such as chicken pox, measles and mumps. From February to July this year, South Korea

Nov. 11, 2020

Foreign population in Korea decentralized from Seoul to major cities and provinces

The population of foreign residents in South Korea has decentralized from Seoul to other parts of the country, and has become more diverse in terms of nationality, a study said Wednesday. According to researchers at Chonnam National University, Seoul was home to 30.8 percent of foreigners residing in Korea in 2010, but its share dropped to 22.7 percent in 2018. Over the same period, the proportion of foreign residents living in Gyeonggi Province grew from 30.3 percent to 33.8 percent. The tw

Nov. 11, 2020

S. Koreans neck and neck over reopening of Kaesong complex: Realmeter

South Koreans are almost evenly divided over the reopening of the inter-Korean industrial complex of Kaesong, a poll showed Wednesday, before US President-elect Joe Biden maps out his North Korean policy. In a survey conducted by Realmeter the previous day, 43.6 percent of 500 respondents aged 18 or older agreed with resuming operations of the Kaesong Industrial Complex in a preemptive way. But 45.8 percent answered they disagree with it, while 10.6 percent said they are not familiar with the

Nov. 11, 2020

Seven more military personnel test positive for COVID-19

Six more personnel working at a defense ministry agency handling welfare for service members and an airman have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the ministry said Wednesday. The Welfare Agency officials, including both active-duty soldiers and civilian employees, were confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 after one of its workers tested positive for the virus earlier this week, according to the ministry. The ministry has temporarily shut down the agency in Yongsan to conduct disinfec

Nov. 11, 2020

New virus cases at nearly 3-week high; more regions upping virus curbs amid resurgence

South Korea's new coronavirus cases rose by triple digits for a fourth day Wednesday to a nearly three-week high on sporadic cluster infections across the nation, with more cities adopting enhanced social distancing schemes. The country added 146 more COVID-19 cases, including 113 local infections, raising the total caseload to 27,799, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The daily caseload marks the highest since the 155 cases added on Oct. 23, and a sharp ri

Nov. 11, 2020

21 USFK-affiliated individuals test positive for COVID-19

Twenty-one people affiliated with the US military, including 16 service members, have tested positive for the new coronavirus upon their arrival in South Korea, the US Forces Korea (USFK) said Tuesday. The service members all arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, on US government chartered flights, while four dependents and a contractor arrived on commercial flights at Incheon International Airport, west of the capital, according to the US military. Nineteen of the newly con

Nov. 10, 2020