[News Focus] Employment index in steady improvement in 2021

SEJONG - South Korean hiring is showing signs of recovery, though it is hard to say that the uncertainty has been lifted amid the ongoing pandemic situation. A small rebound in the employment index could be seen in recent figures for the portion of “unemployed plus underemployed” of the economically active population. According to the Supplementary Index III for Employment, compiled by Statistics Korea, the portion of unemployed or underemployed -- known as the “de facto&rdqu

Oct. 11, 2021

[Us and Them] Migrant workers’ struggles in Korea continue despite better awareness

Discrimination against foreigners and migrant workers is apparent in how they are treated here, which hasn’t changed much from the past despite more people being aware of the problem. In many cases, migrant workers are deprived of their rightful wages, subjected to poor living conditions. In December, a Cambodian female worker at a farm in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, was found dead in a greenhouse made of plastic after temperatures fell to minus 18 degrees Celsius. According to a Labor

Oct. 11, 2021

New cases under 2,000 for 3rd day on fewer tests; potential upticks still worrisome

South Korea's daily new COVID-19 cases stayed below 2,000 for a third straight day Monday as health authorities brace for potential upticks after another extended weekend. The country added 1,297 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,284 local infections, raising the total caseload to 332,816, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). This is the first time since Aug. 2 that daily cases were counted in the 1,200s. The country added eight more deaths from COVID-19, raisin

Oct. 11, 2021

[Photo News] Safety drill for students

Early Thursday morning, elementary school students in Gwangju participated in a safety drill to learn how to evacuate in the case of heavy rain at the Bitgoeul National Safety Experience Center.  The safety training center has 23 experience facilities and is set to officially open Oct. 19 to provide safety education services for all. The Bitgoeul National Safety Experience Center is to run programs teaching students how to respond when natural disasters or accidents, such as heavy rain, a

Oct. 10, 2021

Callers impersonate government officials in 8 out of 10 phone scams

Recent data shows that 8 out of 10 communication fraud reports filed with the financial authorities this year concerned criminals impersonating government officials. A report published by Rep. Min Hyung-bae on Oct. 7 revealed that voice phishing cases in which criminals falsely offer to lend money to their victims are becoming less common, with the figure dropping every year. In contrast, impersonation of government officials has increased in recent years, accounting for 11,732 of the 14,065 c

Oct. 10, 2021

Korea adds period disorders to list of reportable COVID-19 vaccine side effects

South Korea will add menstrual disorders to its list of reportable adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination, according to a Thursday parliamentary audit report of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The national health agency said in response to Rep. Kang Sun-woo of the National Assembly’s health and welfare committee that it would create a separate category for menstrual disorders within its vaccine adverse event reporting system. But this addition does not mean tha

Oct. 10, 2021

S. Korea to form govt.-private panel for move toward 'living with COVID-19'

South Korea said Sunday it will set up a committee this week for a strategy on the "New Normal" of "living with COVID-19," with the vaccination campaign picking up speed. The government plans to hold the inaugural meeting of the committee later this week, presided over by Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, according to health authorities. Private sector experts are expected to participate in the meeting with government officials to discuss ways to carry out the envisioned tran

Oct. 10, 2021

New infections under 2,000 for 2nd day amid concerns over spread during holidays

South Korea's daily new COVID-19 cases remained below 2,000 for a second straight day Sunday amid concerns over the spread of the virus during and after another extended weekend. The country added 1,594 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,560 local infections, raising the total caseload to 331,519, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Daily infections fell below the 2,000 mark Saturday after reporting more than 2,000 cases per day from Wednesday to Friday. The daily figu

Oct. 10, 2021

Seoul city govt. bans labor group's planned street rallies this month

The Seoul city government has prohibited South Korea's major umbrella labor group from staging street rallies this month in accordance with a law on preventing the spread of infectious diseases, an official said Sunday. The measure came in response to a formal report submitted by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions on its plan to hold outdoor rallies in some areas of the capital on Oct. 20. The KCTU stated it will carry out a general strike on the day. City authorities, however, sent an o

Oct. 10, 2021

South Korea grants asylum to Angolan family

　 The Ministry of Justice has granted refugee status to an Angolan family with a Congolese background, citing the likelihood of persecution should they return home, officials said Saturday. 　The Refugee Council approved the application from Nkuka Lulendo and his family, who were in the media spotlight in 2019 for being stuck at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, for nine months after they were denied a chance to file for refugee status. 　“The possibility of them being perse

Oct. 9, 2021

New cases under 2,000, authorities vigilant over autumn travelers

South Korea‘s daily new coronavirus cases fell below 2,000 on Saturday, with health authorities still keeping a watchful eye on a possible increase of infections over the extended weekend. 　The country added 1,953 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,924 local infections, raising the total caseload to 329,925, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). 　After falling to 1,575 on Tuesday, the daily figure again rebounded to over 2,000 on Wednesday. 　The country ad

Oct. 9, 2021

More than 30m people fully vaccinated in S. Korea

The number of fully vaccinated people in South Korea has surpassed 30 million, data showed Saturday, as the country speeds up inoculations and seeks to gradually roll out the “living with COVID-19” scheme. 　Around 30.3 million people, or 59.1 percent of the total population, have been fully inoculated since the country launched its vaccination program in February, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). 　The KDCA said nearly 1.1 million people recei

Oct. 9, 2021

Busan's Haeundae Beach loses over 20% of white sand from erosion: data

South Korea's best-known Haeundae Beach in the southeastern city of Busan lost nearly a quarter of its white sand area between 2016 and 2020 due to acceleration of coastal erosion, government data showed Friday. According to a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries report submitted to Rep. Kim Tae-heum of the main opposition People Power Party, the beach lost 41,954 square meters, or 22.7 percent, of its white sand area over the five years. By volume, 66,224 cubic meters of white sand, or 17.2 perce

Oct. 8, 2021

Seoul raises emissions reduction target

The government raised its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030, the presidential carbon neutrality committee said Friday. The previous goal was to decrease the level of greenhouse gas emissions by 26.3 percent from 2018 output. The country produced 727.6 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2018. The goal now is to reduce the figure to 436.6 million tons. The move is a follow-up to the carbon neutrality act that was legislated last month, the committee said, a

Oct. 8, 2021

Seoul announces incentives for vaccinated overstayers

Illegal stayers who want to leave South Korea voluntarily after completing COVID-19 vaccination will be given various incentives, including exemption from fines, the Ministry of Justice said Friday. The government will waive fines and suspend reentry restrictions for fully vaccinated illegal stayers choosing to voluntarily depart from South Korea between next Tuesday and Dec. 31 this year, the ministry said. The latest measure is part of the Seoul government's efforts to boost the COVID-19 vacci

Oct. 8, 2021

[Newsmaker] Prosecutors seek 15-year prison term for airman over death of sexual harassment victim

Military prosecutors on Friday sought a 15-year prison sentence for a noncommissioned Air Force officer for the alleged sexual abuse of a female colleague that led to her death by suicide, officials said. The master sergeant, surnamed Jang, is suspected of sexually harassing the victim of the same rank inside a car on their way back to their base in the western city of Seosan after a private gathering in March. Following the military's poor initial responses to the case, she took her own life in

Oct. 8, 2021

S. Korea aims to forge deeper partnerships with EU vaccine firms

South Korea said Friday it plans to forge deeper ties with biotechnology firms from the European Union as it seeks to emerge as a global production hub of vaccines by 2025. Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo is set to meet Thierry Breton, the EU commissioner for internal market, during the Korea-EU Global Vaccine Business Round Table in Brussels later in the day, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Officials from 14 major biotechnology businesses from both regions, including SK Bios

Oct. 8, 2021

New cases in 2,000s for 3rd day; resurgence in wider Seoul worrisome

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases remained in the 2,000s for a third straight day Friday, following a long weekend, amid concerns over the spread of the pandemic ahead of another extended weekend. The country added 2,176 more COVID-19 cases, including 2,145 local infections, raising the total caseload to 327,976, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Daily infections rebounded to over 2,000 on Wednesday after falling below the 2,000 mark Monday and Tuesday

Oct. 8, 2021

S. Korea raises level of greenhouse gas reduction goal from 26% to 40%

South Korea on Friday drastically raised the level of its greenhouse gas reduction goal from 26.3 percent to 40 percent by 2030, as part of its broader aim to slowly phase out conventional resources and go carbon neutral by 2050. The revised aim in national greenhouse gas reduction, or nationally determined contribution (NDC), by 2030 was reached in a meeting of the presidential committee on carbon neutrality and related government ministries. The goal calls for the reduction in greenhouse gas e

Oct. 8, 2021

The many thorny questions of COVID-19 vaccine pass

South Korea says that proof of COVID-19 vaccination may soon be necessary for people to enjoy more freedoms as it journeys toward normal. The digitized vaccine passport would help minimize the disease circulating among the unvaccinated, the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s spokesperson Son Young-rae told reporters Tuesday, “which will determine the success of our ability to contain the pandemic as vaccination rates rise.” The pass, meant to first and foremost incentivize v

Oct. 7, 2021