S. Korea's virus caseload surpasses grim milestone of 500,000 amid unrelenting spread of virus

South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed above 7,000 for the third consecutive day Friday and its caseload surpassed the grim milestone of 500,000 as the coronavirus continued to spread unabated among the unvaccinated and older adults with waning immunity. The country reported 7,022 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total caseload to 503,606, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The figure was the third highest daily total of the pandemic, after a record-hi

Dec. 10, 2021

Suspect in development corruption scandal found dead in apparent suicide

GOYANG -- The head of a regional city development company allegedly connected to a massive development corruption scandal was found dead Friday in an apparent suicide, police said. Police said they discovered the body of Yoo Han-gi, head of the Pocheon Urban Corp., who was reported missing by his family early Friday, at around 7:40 a.m. near his home in Goyang, north of Seoul. Yoo reportedly left home after leaving behind a will. Yoo was a suspect in the investigation surrounding a massive de

Dec. 10, 2021

As Korea opens up, government says kids should get jabs

Up to 40 percent of kids and teens could get COVID-19 if Korea continues on with its return to normal plans without vaccinating more in the age group, according to a government expert. Dr. Jung Jae-hun, a COVID-19 policy adviser at the prime minister’s office, told a news briefing Thursday that based on his latest modeling, as many as 40 percent of people under 18 could get infected with COVID-19 as the country opens up. “Although COVID-19 is known to be less severe for children

Dec. 9, 2021

Vaccine status registration opens to foreign nationals vaccinated abroad

Foreign nationals who were fully vaccinated abroad can now register their vaccine status without applying for a quarantine exemption, health authorities said on Thursday. “Foreigners who register their first and second shots received abroad can request for a foreign vaccination certificate which will work as a vaccine pass and allow them to receive a third shot (in Korea),” the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said during a news briefing. To register, foreign nationals n

Dec. 9, 2021

New infections in 7,000s for 2nd day

South Korea on Thursday fell deeper into the COVID-19 crisis, reporting over 7,000 new cases for a second consecutive day while critical cases hit an all-time high. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said 7,102 cases were reported in the 24 hours ending Wednesday at midnight, putting the country’s total number of cases to date at 496,584. It is the second-highest tally of daily cases since the pandemic began nearly two years ago. On Tuesday the country reported 7,174 cas

Dec. 9, 2021

Overtraining cause of fall that left promising gymnast paralyzed: court

  A local court has ruled in favor of a once-promising gymnast who became paralyzed after being injured in an excessive training regime enforced by school trainers, ordering related parties to pay her 1.2 billion won ($1 million) in compensation. The Incheon District Court said Thursday it has handed the 22-year-old plaintiff a partial win in the damage suit filed against Incheon Metropolitan City, the operator of the school she attended, and Incheon School Safety Mutual Aid Association.

Dec. 9, 2021

S. Korea's total population to fall for first time this year: agency

South Korea's total population is expected to record its first decline this year, the statistics agency said Thursday, a grim assessment of its demographic situations amid the country's chronically low birthrate, rapid aging and a decline in incoming foreigners during the pandemic. The country's total population is estimated to have peaked at 51.84 million last year before falling to an estimated 51.75 million this year and an estimated 37.7 million in 2070, according to the latest medium varia

Dec. 9, 2021

Nearly half of newlyweds in S. Korea had no kids: data

Nearly half of recently newlywed couples in South Korea had no children, data showed Thursday, amid the country's chronic low birthrate and changing social norms. Some 44.5 percent of the country's 1.18 million couples, who were legally married in the five years up to November 2020, did not have children, up from 42.5 percent a year earlier, according to the data from Statistics Korea. The newlyweds include first-time and other newly married couples residing in the country. The proportion of

Dec. 9, 2021

Govt. ordered to compensate COVID-19 patients barred from teacher qualification test

A Seoul court on Thursday ordered the government to pay 10 million won ($8,520) in compensation each to 44 people who were barred from the national teacher qualification exam last year due to their COVID-19 infections. The ruling by the Seoul Central District Court came after the Ministry of Education forbade those who had COVID-19 from taking the primary qualification test for would-be elementary and middle school teachers in late 2020. The complainants had initially sought compensation of 15

Dec. 9, 2021

New infections above 7,000 for 2nd day; critical patients hit all-time high

South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed above 7,000 for the second consecutive day Thursday and the number of critically ill patients hit an all time-high amid waning immunity and colder weather. The country confirmed 7,102 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total caseload to 496,584, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The daily tally was slightly down from a daily record-high of 7,175 reported a day earlier, the KDCA said. The number of critically ill C

Dec. 9, 2021

Amid omicron fears, S. Korea expands entry ban to 2 additional African countries

South Korea expanded its entry ban to two additional African countries Wednesday amid growing concerns over the fast-spreading omicron coronavirus variant.    From Friday to next Thursday, short-term foreign arrivals from Ghana and Zambia will be banned. South Korean nationals and long-term foreign arrivals from these countries will face a mandatory 10-day quarantine, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status.    Effective Nov. 28, South Korea had earlier banned fore

Dec. 8, 2021

[Herald Interview] As pandemic takes grim turn, drug minister says Korea to be better armed against COVID-19

OSONG, North Chungcheong Province -- South Korea’s Minister of Food and Drug Safety Kim Ganglip says his 30 years of office in public health has prepared him to serve the country during an unprecedented public health crisis. As the third pandemic year dawns and omicron darkens prospects, the minister said fresh weapons against the pandemic are coming. The Korea Herald spoke with Kim on Monday afternoon at his office in Osong, North Chungcheong Province, about some of the mo

Dec. 8, 2021

KLES extends overseas outreach with specialty in labor and employment

It has been more than 10 years since South Korea entered the OECD Development Assistance Committee, which shifted the country’s status to a key donor from a onetime recipient of foreign aid. The total volume of South Korea’s official development assistance now reaches some $2.25 billion, marking around a threefold increase over the past decade. As the amount of assistance grows, the need to improve the quality of assistance has also grown in the past years, said the Korea Labor an

Dec. 8, 2021

KLES to step up support for firms operating in overseas countries, help them improve ESG performance

United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai last month met with South Korea Minister of Employment and Labor An Kyung-duk to share the Biden administration’s worker-centered trade policy and to discuss the importance of worker rights, which has become increasingly important amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the “fourth industrial revolution” that has been much-hailed during the crisis. The pandemic has not only accelerated the fourth industrial revolution, but also sparks n

Dec. 8, 2021

Lunch will be free for all Seoul kindergartners from March

Free lunch will be served to all kindergartners in Seoul starting in March, completing the city's universal free meal program up to high school, officials said Wednesday. Seoul's education office, city government and council of ward offices signed an agreement to provide funds for the program to all 790 public and private kindergartens, according to officials. A total of 71,876 kindergartners were enrolled in Seoul as of April. About 69.9 billion won ($59.4 million) will be necessary a year

Dec. 8, 2021

Korea crashes headlong into worst crisis yet in pandemic

South Korea’s daily COVID-19 cases reached an all-time high Wednesday, surpassing 7,000 for the first time since the virus crisis began nearly two years ago. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said 7,175 cases were registered in the preceding 24 hours to Tuesday midnight, exceeding the 7,000 mark for the first time, a week after staying in the 5,000 range since Dec. 1. The latest tally puts the country’s total caseload at 489,484. The number of patients in serious

Dec. 8, 2021

Seoul's average apartment price jumps twofold under Moon govt.: civic group

The average price of Seoul apartments has soared more than twofold in about five years under the current Moon Jae-in administration, according to a civic group analysis Wednesday. According to the analysis by the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice (CCEJ), an apartment in Seoul fetched 43.09 million won ($36,590) per pyeong, or 3.3 square meters, on average as of November, up 109 percent compared to May 2017 when Moon was sworn into office. The average price of 99.1-square-meter apartment

Dec. 8, 2021

Nearly 1 in 3 households in S. Korea consists of one person last year

Nearly one in three households in South Korea consists of one person last year, data showed Wednesday, as the number of single-member families has risen amid a delay in marriage and rapid aging. One-person families accounted for 31.7 percent of the total last year, up from 30.2 percent the previous year, according to the data from Statistics Korea. Households consisting of a single member totaled 6.64 million in 2020, up from 6.15 million a year earlier, the statistics agency said. The propor

Dec. 8, 2021

A 77-year-old rescued after being locked up in bathroom for 15 days

A 77-year-old man was rescued after being locked in a bathroom for 15 days at his home in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, local police said Wednesday. He lives alone in an apartment unit there. According to local media reports and the Iksan police, the man was found lying on the floor of the bathroom by a rescue team sent to check on him, following a police report field by an acquaintance that the man had been out of contact for nearly three weeks. When found, the man could barely move or t

Dec. 8, 2021

Civic groups file petition with rights commission against teen vaccine pass

Civic groups opposing the government's plan to expand the COVID-19 vaccine pass program to adolescents filed a petition with the state human rights commission on Wednesday, arguing that the scheme would violate the learning rights of students. The decision to require teens aged 12 to 18 to present vaccine certificates at multiuse facilities, most notably public study rooms and cram schools, starting February has been met with wide opposition among parents, arguing the measure amounts to forcing

Dec. 8, 2021