New cases fall below 5,000; 4-week toughened virus rules go into effect

South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell below 5,000 for the first time in three days Monday as the country reimposed toughened social distancing rules amid concerns over the spread of the omicron variant. The country added 4,325 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total caseload to 477,358, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Daily infections soared to a record high of 5,352 cases on Saturday before falling to 5,127 on Sunday. On Monday, the government began

Dec. 6, 2021

[Newsmaker] Vaccine Pass: What foreign residents vaccinated abroad have to go through in Korea

From Monday, restaurants, cafes, cinemas and other public places in Korea will ask for proof of vaccination or a negative test for entry, as South Korea brings back stricter social distancing rules in the face of growing daily cases and the new omicron variant.  This means foreign nationals vaccinated overseas are highly likely to be denied access to such venues.  Currently, the country’s vaccination verification system, the Health Ministry-run mobile app COOV, does not recogni

Dec. 5, 2021

Korea puts reopening plans into reverse as cases soar, omicron spreads

South Korea moved to tighten limits on gatherings again and expanded the use of mandatory vaccine passes, as new COVID-19 cases in Korea have hovered around the 5,000 mark for several days. According to health authorities, 5,128 new cases were tallied as of midnight Saturday, pushing the cumulative total to over 473,034. Although the latest figure was down 224 from the previous day, it is the highest the country has recorded for a Saturday, when figures typically drop due to the smaller numbe

Dec. 5, 2021

New infections in 5,000s for 2nd day amid omicron concerns

South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed above 5,000 for the second straight day Sunday after hitting an all-time high a day earlier amid concerns over the spread of the omicron variant. The country added 5,128 new COVID-19 infections, including 5,104 local infections, raising the total caseload to 473,034, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Daily infections soared to a record high of 5,352 cases on Saturday, one day after health authorities announced stric

Dec. 5, 2021

S. Korea reports suspected cases of highly pathogenic bird flu at egg farm

South Korea on Saturday reported suspected cases of highly pathogenic bird flu at a local egg farm.    The suspected cases of the avian influenza were discovered at an egg farm in Cheonan, 92 kilometers south of Seoul, according to the government's avian influenza response headquarters.    Tests for the avian influenza are currently under way, and the results will be announced in up to three days, the headquarters said.    Highly pathogenic avian influenza is

Dec. 4, 2021

[Photo News] School cooks go on strike

The National School Non-Regular Workers’ Solidarity, consisting of non-regular school workers, went on a one-day general strike Thursday, demanding higher pay and an end to discrimination against non-regular workers. Without the workers to provide the usual cooked meals on plates, schools gave students prepacked lunches.  Elementary students at Ahyeon Elementary School sat down to lunches of bread, milk, chips and other processed foods, according to Yonhap News. More than 400 non-r

Dec. 4, 2021

Minor quake hits off Baengnyeong Island, no damage reported

A 2.3 magnitude earthquake occurred at 12:33 a.m. on Saturday in waters 16 kilometers northwest of Baengnyeong Island near the inter-Korean western border.    There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage to properties, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).    The epicenter was located at a latitude of 38.02 degrees north and a longitude of 124.52 degrees east, while its depth was an estimated 20 km. (Yonhap)

Dec. 4, 2021

Military reports 12 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military reported 12 additional COVID-19 cases Saturday amid growing concerns over the new omicron variant, raising the total caseload among military personnel to 2,488.    The new cases were reported from the Army, the South Korea-US Combined Forces and units under the direct control of the Ministry of National Defense, according to the ministry.    Eleven of the 12 patients were fully vaccinated, bringing the total number of such breakthrough infections in

Dec. 4, 2021

Seoul's daily COVID-19 cases hit new record

Seoul's new daily coronavirus cases hit an all-time high again Saturday amid growing concerns of the new omicron variant.    The capital city reported a record high 2,273 new daily cases -- 2,266 local infections and seven from overseas -- bringing the total caseload to 163,146, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).    The daily caseload, counted Friday, marks the highest amount since the country reported its first COVID-19 case in January la

Dec. 4, 2021

New daily cases hit new high of 5,352; 3 additional omicron cases reported

South Korea's daily coronavirus cases recorded an all-time high of 5,352 on Saturday, a day after the country announced tough restrictions for four weeks to control the spread of the omicron variant.    New cases of critically ill patients and deaths also hit record highs while an additional three confirmed cases of the omicron variant were reported to bring the total cases in the country to nine.    The daily new COVID-19 cases included 5,327 local infections, raising t

Dec. 4, 2021

After short-lived freedom, Korea rolls back social distancing

South Korea on Friday said it would reinstate some of the mitigation measures that ended a month ago in line with the plans for a phased return to normal, as a record rise in infections is straining hospitals. Korea counted 4,944 new daily cases after two consecutive days of over-5,000 -- the two highest amounts recorded in a day. The intensive care bed occupancy rate neared 80 percent nationwide by Thursday afternoon, while 902 patients were waiting to be assigned a bed for more than 24 hour

Dec. 3, 2021

Inbound travelers upset by 10-day mandatory quarantine

Travelers returning home Friday from short-term overseas trips were embarrassed to learn that they must self-isolate at home for 10 days under the government's emergency quarantine rule announced only two days earlier to stem the spread of the omicron COVID-19 variant. The 10-day mandatory quarantine for all inbound travelers was suddenly made public Wednesday, when South Korea confirmed its first five cases of the omicron variant. The new rule started at the beginning of Friday and will last t

Dec. 3, 2021

Korea’s first national administrative legislation committee launched

The National Administrative Legislation Committee has been launched as an advisory body on the administrative legal system at the national level, officials said Friday. The joint public-private committee, which belongs to the Ministry of Government Legislation, will be jointly chaired by Minister Lee Kang-seop and private chairperson Hong Jung-sun, a former professor at Yonsei University. It has a total of 38 members. Members from the private sector include various administrative law expert

Dec. 3, 2021

Critically ill COVID-19 cases hit record high amid growing omicron fears

South Korea's daily coronavirus cases fell below 5,000 on Friday, but the number of critically ill patients hit yet another record high as the country prepares to limit private gatherings amid growing concerns over the new omicron variant. The country reported 4,944 new COVID-19 cases, including 4,923 local infections, raising the total caseload to 462,555, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The number of critically ill patients came to 736, up from the previo

Dec. 3, 2021

S. Korea to limit private gatherings to 6 in capital area, 8 elsewhere: PM

South Korea will limit private gatherings to six people in the capital area and eight in other regions for four weeks starting next week, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Friday, reversing an easing of distancing rules adopted under the "living with COVID-19" scheme last month. Kim announced the new measure during a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters amid a surge in COVID-19 infections in the country and heightened fears of the more contagious omicr

Dec. 3, 2021

S. Korea reports additional omicron variant infection, total now at 6

A teenage boy tested positive for the omicron variant of coronavirus on Thursday, bringing the total caseload of the heavily mutated variant in South Korea to six, health authorities said Thursday. The boy, residing in Incheon, west of Seoul, tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday and had been tested for the variant, after his parents were confirmed to have been infected with the variant on Wednesday following their visit to Nigeria last month, according to the Korea Disease Control and Preve

Dec. 2, 2021

Omicron throws travel plans into doubt, as post-travel quarantine returns

Residents in Korea and South Korean nationals abroad are scrambling to reschedule their Christmas travel plans after the government announced on Wednesday evening that a mandatory 10-day quarantine is back for all international arrivals starting Friday. Since early May, those fully vaccinated in Korea had been able to bypass quarantine when they returned. But after the first cases of the omicron variant were found the country, the government introduced stricter COVID-19 measures. The new measur

Dec. 2, 2021

Korea’s push for bringing normal life back marred by omicron, soaring cases

Korea’s three-month plan for exiting pandemic restrictions is being threatened by a record surge in infections and the likely community spread of the omicron variant. On Thursday, Korea’s new cases reach a new record high of 5,266 -- topping 5,000 for the second day in a row -- while intensive care beds for COVID-19 patients at Seoul hospitals were more than 90 percent full. For the past month since the country abandoned the majority of its mitigation efforts in line with a new

Dec. 2, 2021

Seoul reports record high of 2,268 daily COVID-19 cases

The number of Seoul's daily COVID-19 cases has hit a record high of 2,268, surpassing 2,000 for two straight days, health authorities said Thursday. Of the cases reported Wednesday, 2,262 were local infections, and six were from overseas, according to the Central Disease Control Headquarters. The new high was up 46 from the previous high of 2,222 recorded Tuesday and up 508 from 1,760 tallied a week ago. The number of new daily coronavirus cases in Seoul topped 1,000 for the first time on Sep

Dec. 2, 2021

Omicron woes dash growing hopes for overseas travel

Fears over the omicron coronavirus variant are dashing hopes for the resumption of overseas travel, forcing many to cancel or postpone travel plans, including honeymoons, only a month after the country's "living with COVID-19" policy revived expectations for a return to normal. South Korea confirmed five omicron infections a day earlier, the first local cases of the fast-spreading COVID-19 variant, forcing authorities to tighten passenger screening and other antivirus quarantine measu

Dec. 2, 2021