New COVID-19 cases hit record high of over 56,000 amid omicron surge

The number of daily COVID-19 cases in South Korea reached a fresh high of 56,431 on Sunday, as the highly transmissible omicron variant continued to spread fast across the nation. The fresh cases, including 56,297 local infections, raised the country's total caseload to 1,350,630, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The latest figure marks the fourth day in a row with daily infections above the 50,000 level. A total of 54,941 cases were reported Saturday. New

Feb. 13, 2022

[Newsmaker] Buying of virus self-test kits to be restricted to 5 per purchase for 3 weeks

Buying of COVID-19 self-test kits will be restricted to five units per purchase for three weeks, as the government works to stabilize the supply in light of the recent surge in at-home treatment patients, according to officials Saturday. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the purchase restriction of self-test kits will be enforced for three weeks starting Sunday. Customers, however, will be allowed to purchase additional kits at different stores if needed, according to officials

Feb. 12, 2022

Ultrafine dust blankets most parts of S. Korea

Ultrafine dust plagued most parts of South Korea on Saturday, prompting authorities to take emergency emissions reduction measures against bad air quality, according to officials. According to the National Institute of Environmental Research, the level of ultrafine dust in the greater Seoul area, Chungcheong and North Jeolla regions were all recorded at "very bad" on Saturday morning. South Korea measures air pollution in a four-tier system -- "good," "average," &

Feb. 12, 2022

New COVID-19 cases reach fresh high of 54,941 amid omicron surge

South Korea's new COVID-19 infections reached a fresh daily high Saturday, as the highly transmissible omicron variant continued to spread fast across the nation. The country reported 54,941 new COVID-19 infections, including 53,797 local cases, raising the total to 1,294,205, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. It marks the third day in a row that the daily tally exceeded the 50,000 level. A total of 53,926 cases were reported Friday. The health authorities have war

Feb. 12, 2022

Vice health minister tests positive for COVID-19

A senior health and welfare ministry official has tested positive for COVID-19, his office said Friday amid worries over a spike in infections of the omicron variant and its spread among high-ranking government officials. Second Vice Health and Welfare Minister Ryu Geun-hyuk took the polymerase chain reaction examination earlier in the day after having tested positive with a self-test kit, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. He has been deeply involved in anti-pandemic efforts sin

Feb. 11, 2022

Test, trace, treat must go on, says ex-Korea CDC chief

Health authorities were wrong to make omicron out to be flu-like in its impact, according to the former head of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who says the country should bring back efforts to slow the spread to turn around the worst. Speaking at a conference Friday organized by a COVID-19 civic group associated with the Consumers Union of Korea, Dr. Lee Jong-koo, who led the national health protection agency during the 2009 swine flu pandemic, said the Korean governmen

Feb. 11, 2022

Education Ministry moves to soothe schools upset with new ‘normalcy attendance’ rules

The Education Ministry has shared additional details to the guidelines of its new “normalcy attendance” scheme for the new semester, apparently taken aback by criticism of the plans. On Monday, the ministry had announced that schools would move to “normalcy” in attendance measures for the new semester. Under the new measure, schools can flexibly change their attendance policy based on a new four-stage plan suggested by the ministry. The new plan, however, has been met

Feb. 11, 2022

Supreme Court upholds 30-yr prison terms for couple over fatal child abuse

The Supreme Court on Friday confirmed a lower court's 30-year prison sentences for a couple in their 20s convicted of abusing and starving their 8-year-old daughter to death. The third-grade elementary school child died at their home in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, in March last year after suffering nearly three years of maltreatment and violence by her biological mother and stepfather, 29 and 28 years old, respectively. The top court also approved a lower court order that the couple un

Feb. 11, 2022

[Newsmaker] After being called feminists, these women faced online harassment

The death of livestreamer Jammi, whose real name is Cho Jang-mi, made headlines this week in South Korea. It emerged that she took her own life after “suffering severe depression over malicious online comments and rumors,” according to an online post written by one of her family members. The 27-year-old who used to stream on YouTube and Twitch was accused of being a radical feminist in 2019. The accusations began after she used a pinching hand sign that some claimed to be misandri

Feb. 11, 2022

3.1 magnitude natural quake hits near N. Korea's nuclear test site: KMA

A 3.1 magnitude natural earthquake hit near North Korea's nuclear testing site Friday, South Korea's state weather agency said. The quake occurred about 40 kilometers north-northwest of Kilju, North Hamgyong Province, at 10:35 a.m., according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Kilju is where North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear testing site is located. A total of 25 earthquakes with a magnitude of 2.0 or bigger have struck regions near Kilju since 1978, with a 3.2 magnitude quake th

Feb. 11, 2022

4 dead, 4 injured in factory explosion in Yeosu: officials

An explosion rocked a petrochemical factory in the southern city of Yeosu on Friday, leaving four workers dead and four others injured, police said. The explosion occurred at 9:26 a.m. at the Yeochun NCC Co. factory in Yeosu, about 320 km south of Seoul, and eight people were believed to be at the scene at the time. Of them, four died and four were taken to a hospital with injuries. Police and firefighters believe the explosion occurred during a testing of the factory's heat exchange system and

Feb. 11, 2022

Military reports 401 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military on Friday reported 401 additional COVID-19 cases, raising the total caseload among its domestic personnel to 7,908. The new cases included 247 from the Army, 74 from the Air Force, 51 from the Marine Corps, 17 from the Navy, 11 from units under the direct control of the defense ministry and one from the ministry. Currently, 3,000 military personnel are under treatment. (Yonhap)

Feb. 11, 2022

Man gets 10-month prison term for verbally abusing COVID-19 testing center nurse

A 62-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 months in prison for cursing at and speaking violently to a nurse conducting a COVID-19 test on him, court officials said Friday. The man was convicted of verbally abusing the 31-year-old nurse working at a COVID-19 testing center in Seoul in December 2020, telling her in a threatening way to gently push the nasal swab into his nose. "You are a public servant, right? If I file a complaint, you'll get fired," he said, cursing at her and poundin

Feb. 11, 2022

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases over 50,000 for 2nd day amid raging omicron

South Korea's daily COVID-19 infections stayed above 50,000 for the second day in a row Friday amid the fast spread of the highly transmissible omicron variant across the nation. The country reported 53,926 new COVID-19 infections, including 53,797 local cases, raising the total to 1,239,287, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). It marks the second day in a row that the daily tally exceeded the 50,000 level. A daily record high of 54,122 was reported Thursday.

Feb. 11, 2022

Govt. considering placing price ceiling on COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits: PM

The government is considering placing a price ceiling on COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Friday, as at-home testing and treatment has become a key element of the government's COVID-19 response. Kim made the remark during a COVID-19 response meeting in Seoul as the government tries to ensure the stable supply of self-test kits following the initiation of an enhanced at-home treatment system amid soaring virus cases. Driven by the highly transmissible omicron v

Feb. 11, 2022

35,000 electric car chargers to be installed in Seoul this year

The city of Seoul will receive citizens' applications to choose sites for new electric vehicle chargers as part of its plan to supply 35,000 charging stations in the capital this year, city officials said Thursday. About 22,000 EV chargers will be installed in the city with the support of the Seoul metropolitan government while about 12,000 units will be set up by the environment ministry and other agencies, they said. The city government will receive citizens' applications for one month from ne

Feb. 10, 2022

S. Korea to ramp up policy efforts to tackle low birth trends

South Korea said Thursday it will boost policy efforts to tackle the low birth trends that have been aggravated during the COVID-19 pandemic as the country will likely suffer a severe fall in the working-age population in the coming years. The government plans to launch the fourth pan-government task force this month to deal with demographic challenges, including a fall in the population and preparation for a super-aged society, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The government ha

Feb. 10, 2022

Health authorities mulling free at-home test kits

The South Korean government is mulling over whether to provide free self-testing kits for COVID-19 and who to give them to, amid growing supply shortage fears induced by recent changes in pandemic treatment measures. Demand for self-test kits has surged since the government began to prioritize high-risk groups on Feb. 3, including those aged 60 and over, for access to immediate polymerase chain reaction tests. Under the new system aimed at dealing with the omicron-fueled COVID-19 wave, the re

Feb. 10, 2022

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases soar to all-time high of over 50,000 amid raging omicron

South Korea's daily COVID-19 infections rose sharply to hit another high of over 50,000 on Thursday amid the fast spread of the highly transmissible omicron variant across the nation. The country reported 54,122 new COVID-19 infections, including 54,034 local cases, raising the total to 1,185,361, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). It marked the first time that the daily tally exceeded the 50,000 level. The previous daily record high was 49,567 recorded Wed

Feb. 10, 2022

Korea’s omicron plan leaves vulnerable patients under 60 on their own

COVID-19 patients recovering at home under the age of 60 will no longer be provided care and monitoring unless they are on Paxlovid, the Pfizer oral antiviral treatment, raising concerns for younger but vulnerable patients. Amid an omicron surge, a record 168,000 patients were under home recovery as of Monday afternoon across South Korea, exceeding the manageable maximum of 166,000 that was set previously by the government. Home recovery became the default care arrangement for patients of

Feb. 9, 2022