Fewer tests send S. Korea's new infections below 2,000s

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases fell below the 2,000s on Monday as fewer people took virus tests over the weekend amid fears over the wide spread of the virus. The country added 1,673 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,653 local infections, raising the total caseload to 319,777, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Health authorities remained on alert over another surge in new cases as two back-to-back extended weekends are likely to prompt more people t

Oct. 4, 2021

Petition asks NO:EL’s father to be stripped of lawmaker post over his son’s crime

Calls are growing for Rep. Chang Je-won of the main opposition People Power Party to step down from his lawmaker post after critics accuse him responsible for his son driving without a license and assaulting a police officer. An open petition to the Blue House asked Rep. Chang to be stripped of his lawmaker post as his son Chang Yong-jun, better known by his stage name NO:EL is under police investigation on charges of unlicensed driving and assaulting a police officer on Sept. 18 in Seoul. Acc

Oct. 3, 2021

New virus cases in 2,000s for 8th day; holiday-tied virus surge concerning

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases stayed in the 2,000s for the eighth straight day Sunday, with health authorities remaining on alert over the spread of the virus after an extended weekend. The country added 2,086 more COVID-19 cases, including 2,058 local infections, raising the total caseload to 318,105, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Sunday's tally was down from 2,248 on Saturday and 2,486 on Friday. The decline was largely attributable to less

Oct. 3, 2021

Incheon airport's daily passenger number drops below 10,000 in Sept.

The number of daily passengers at Incheon International Airport, South Korea's main gateway, dropped below 10,000 last month, data showed Saturday, apparently due to fewer-than-usual travelers during the Chuseok holiday, the Korean autumn harvest celebration. A daily average of 9,583 passengers used the Incheon airport last month, the airport said, compared with the daily average of 10,927 passengers in August -- the first time the number had surpassed the 10,000 mark since March last year. Th

Oct. 2, 2021

S. Korea’s hope for normalization boosted with positive trial results from Merck

South Korea’s plan to step into a phased recovery back to normal life in November is gaining support with positive clinical test results of an experimental COVID-19 oral medication overseas. Leading global drugmaker Merck & Co announced Friday that its experimental antiviral pill dubbed molnupiravir was shown to halve the chances of hospitalization or death for those infected with COVID-19. Merck and its partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics reported that 7.3 percent of patients who rece

Oct. 2, 2021

Seoul mayor grilled by prosecutors over allegations of election law violation

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon was summoned by prosecutors on Saturday for questioning about allegations that he spread false information during his mayoral by-election campaign in April. Oh arrived at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office around 10 a.m. before being grilled as a suspect about his remarks on a scandal-plagued development project called Pi-City in southern Seoul. "I'm very sorry to the people for being investigated like this. I'll make statements confidently and wait for t

Oct. 2, 2021

New virus cases remain in 2,000s despite beefed-up vigilance

South Korea's daily coronavirus cases stayed in the 2,000s Saturday, though authorities kept tight vigilance with the extension of stringent virus curbs ahead of back-to-back extended weekends later this month. The country reported 2,248 new COVID-19 cases, including 2,221 local infections, bringing the total caseload to 316,020, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. There were seven more deaths from COVID-19, raising the death toll to 2,504. The latest tally was down f

Oct. 2, 2021

South Korea to maintain current distancing rules for another 2 weeks: PM

South Korea has decided to maintain the current social distancing rules for two weeks from Monday. “Considering risk factors for quarantine, such as the stronger spread of coronavirus after the Chuseok holiday, and the two holidays starting this weekend, the government has decided to maintain the current distancing stage for the next two weeks,” Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Friday. “The limit on the number of people at private gatherings will be the same as now.”&n

Oct. 1, 2021

Air Force launches new investigation unit following sexual abuse case

The Air Force on Friday launched a new probe unit under the direct control of its headquarters to better guarantee the independence of investigators, the military said, following a sexual abuse case that led the victim to take her own life in May. Previously, military police at each Air Force unit had the authority to conduct an investigation, drawing criticism that such probes could not be free of influence from their unit commanders. With the launch of the new investigation team, military poli

Oct. 1, 2021

New virus cases in 2,000s for 6th day, COVID-19 curbs extended

South Korea's daily coronavirus cases remained in the 2,000s for the sixth consecutive day Friday, prompting authorities to maintain the current level of virus restrictions for another two weeks ahead of back-to-back extended weekends this month. The country reported 2,486 new COVID-19 cases, including 2,451 local infections, bringing the total caseload to 313,773, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). There were 16 more deaths from COVID-19, raising the death toll

Oct. 1, 2021

S. Korea to extend toughened social distancing rules for 2 weeks: PM

South Korea will maintain toughened social distancing rules across the nation for two more weeks, the prime minister said Friday, as the country is bracing for a potential surge in new COVID-19 cases ahead of back-to-back extended weekends. Under the renewed plan that will go into effect Monday, the greater Seoul area will remain under the toughest social distancing of Level 4, while the rest of the country will be under Level 3, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said during an interagency meeting on

Oct. 1, 2021

[Exclusive] Why Korea is not in a rush to vaccinate kids

South Korea is not urging that all children get vaccinated against COVID-19, a stance that contrasts with the one the country is taking for adults. Internal evaluations within the government present net benefits to society, rather than health benefits for the children themselves, as the rationale for vaccinations for those aged 12 to 17. An internal government report obtained exclusively by The Korea Herald suggested that the expected health benefits of COVID-19 vaccination in minors und

Sept. 30, 2021

South Korea aims to raise pet registration rate to 70%

South Korea seeks to raise pet registration rates and neuter outdoor dogs to minimize the number of lost and abandoned animals. It is also considering introducing a pet acquisition system for owners who are unable to keep their pets, officials said Thursday. In a meeting presided by Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, the government has confirmed a measure to improve a management system for abandoned pets. It was attended by the Office for Government Policy Coordination and officials from 14 related

Sept. 30, 2021

Korea CEO Summit holds Dokdo forum in Ulleung Island

The Korea CEO Summit is holding a three-day forum to discuss the meaning and importance of Dokdo on the easternmost islets of Ulleungdo and Dokdo from Thursday. According to the Korea CEO Summit, the forum is taking place as part of the Summit Club, which invites CEOs to speak on business innovation and entrepreneurship while travelling to famous spots in and out of the country. The participants will visit Dokdo and meet the Dokdo Security Police on Friday. Later in the day, they will partic

Sept. 30, 2021

New virus cases in 2,000s for 5th day, distancing measures likely to be extended again

South Korea's daily coronavirus cases remained in the 2,000s for the fifth day in a row Thursday in the aftermath of last week's extended holiday that has fueled a nationwide resurgence in virus infections. Health authorities will likely extend the current distancing rules, the toughest that have been in place for more than two months, for another couple of weeks. The country reported 2,564 new COVID-19 cases, including 2,539 local infections, bringing the total caseload to 311,289, according

Sept. 30, 2021

Daejeon bus drivers go on strike for 1st time in 14 years

DAEJEON -- Unionized city bus drivers in the central city of Daejeon went on strike for the first time in 14 years Thursday, demanding an extension of the retirement age and hikes of pay and other allowances. The strike came after representatives of bus companies and drivers declared a final breakup of their last-minute negotiations at 2 a.m. The unionized city bus drivers in Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul, have demanded their retirement age be extended by three years to 63, their wage

Sept. 30, 2021

Breakthrough cases near 8,000, most frequent among those in 30s

South Korea has reported nearly 8,000 coronavirus infections involving people who tested positive for COVID-19 after being fully vaccinated, health authorities said Wednesday. Out of more than 17.75 million people who have received the full-dose vaccine regimen, there were 7,772 breakthrough cases, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Since its nationwide inoculation campaign began in late February, a total of 38.76 million people, or 75.5 percent of the country's populat

Sept. 29, 2021

South Korea reviews ‘vaccine pass’

As infections continue to soar among those unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, the South Korean government is reviewing a “vaccine pass” that benefits only vaccinated people in accessing multiuse facilities. Health and Welfare Minister Kwon Deok-cheol hinted Tuesday at the possibility of introducing such a system in Korea. “We are considering ways to ease distancing rules for private gatherings and multiuse facilities centering on those who have been vaccinated,”

Sept. 29, 2021

Afghan refugees begin social adaptation program

Afghan evacuees in Korea started a new chapter of their lives Wednesday, as the government kicked off a basic social adaptation program to help the refugees settle in the country. The Ministry of Justice started the Korea Immigration and Integration Program for the adults to help them understand and learn Korean culture and the language. There are six levels in the program, the ministry said, and it aims to have the Afghans get through the first three levels, which would require at least 215 h

Sept. 29, 2021

S. Korea's childbirths at fresh low in July

The number of babies born in South Korea dropped to a record low in July, data showed Wednesday, in the latest sign that underscores the country's gloomy demographic situation with the chronically low birth rate. A total of 22,352 babies were born in July, down 2.8 percent from the previous year, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea. In the first seven months of this year, the number of newborns reached an all-time low of 159,269, down 3.4 percent from the previous year. South Kore

Sept. 29, 2021