Gatherings limited to four people nationwide

As the fourth wave of COVID-19 infections raged in Greater Seoul and spread nationwide, the government announced plans Sunday to tighten restrictions on private gatherings across the country to the same level as the capital region. “From tomorrow, we will apply the same permissions for private gatherings outside the Greater Seoul area,” Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Sunday. The government said the new measure is to unify restrictions on private gatherings to minimize travel bet

July 18, 2021

[News Focus] Number of short-term foreign visitors falls to 63-month low

SEJONG -- The number of short-term foreign visitors to South Korea has fallen to its lowest in more than five years in the aftermath of the novel coronavirus, data from a state-run agency showed. This refers to foreign nationals, including ethnic Koreans, with permission to stay in Korea for no more than 90 days for sightseeing, business or other purposes. According to the Korea Immigration Service, the number of short-term visitors recorded 416,817 in May, as compared with 417,883 a month ea

July 18, 2021

New virus infections stay in 1,400s for 2nd day on fewer tests

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases remained in the mid-1,400s for the second day in a row Sunday on fewer tests over the weekend amid concerns about increased cases in non-capital areas, the imminent summer holiday season and the prevalence of the delta variant from India. The country added 1,454 COVID-19 cases, an all-time high for a Sunday, including 1,402 local infections, raising the total caseload to 177,951, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The

July 18, 2021

Experts say 2-year-old anti-bullying law has limitations, loopholes

Two years have passed since the so-called anti-bullying law went into effect at domestic workplaces, but there are still many loopholes in the application of the law depending on the business size or type of employment, labor experts said Sunday. Under the revision of the Labor Standards Act that took effect in July 2019, if workplace harassment is reported, employers should launch an immediate probe and take proper action. Employers could face a maximum three-year jail term and a fine of up to

July 18, 2021

40% of professors unaware of research misconduct or how it is investigated, study shows

Only about 6 in 10 university faculty members, including professors and graduate students, are aware of what research misconduct is and the process of investigating it, according to a report by the National Research Foundation of Korea. Titled “2021 Study on the Level of Research Ethics Recognition of University Faculty Members,” the report conducted a nationwide survey on 2,292 professors and graduate students who had participated in NRF research projects in the past two years.

July 16, 2021

Social distancing rules could be strengthened beyond greater Seoul area, prime minister says

South Korea could extend the ban on private gatherings of five or more people under effect in greater Seoul area to the rest of the country, as the country looks to overcome its worst-ever COVID-19 wave to date. Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Friday that strengthening social distancing rules and other virus control measures should be reviewed to minimize confusion and minimize infection among those who travel during the summer holiday season. While most of the cases today are reported from S

July 16, 2021

New cases tick down to 1,500s, nationwide resurgence still worrying

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases fell slightly to the 1,500s on Friday, but new infections are highly likely to increase as summer vacation season nears amid a pileup of cases in the greater Seoul area and other regions. The country added 1,536 new COVID-19 cases, including 1,476 local infections, raising the total caseload to 175,046, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). On Thursday, the country reported 1,600 cases, which was just below the daily reco

July 16, 2021

Remains of another Korean War soldier identified

The remains of a soldier killed in the 1950-53 Korean War have been identified through DNA analysis, five years after they were recovered from a former battle site, the defense ministry said Friday. The identification of the remains of Sfc. Park Boo-keun was possible as his 82-year-old younger sister registered her DNA sample with the government, according to the ministry. Park's remains were excavated at Mount Baekseok in Yanggu, around 175 kilometers northeast of Seoul, in 2016. The mountai

July 16, 2021

Can Korea move past ‘semi-lockdown’ on July 25?

South Korea is closer than ever to a lockdown in its second pandemic summer, as record-setting days of new COVID-19 cases continue for nearly a week on end. Korea counted 1,600 more cases Thursday, down slightly from the record high of 1,615 cases set the previous day. Nearly 70 percent of the freshly logged cases were traced to Seoul and its surrounding areas. For two weeks starting Monday, the wider Seoul area was under the strictest restrictions available under the country&rsqu

July 15, 2021

[News Focus] NK defectors’ debt growth far outstrips national average

SEJONG -- The debt held by refugees from North Korea is catching up with the average for South Korean households, data for last year shows. According to the Korea Hana Foundation and Statistics Korea, households that include at least one North Korean refugee saw their outstanding debt reach an all-time high of 72.06 million won ($62,660) on average in 2020, compared to 61.56 million won a year earlier. Compared to 2017, when the nation started compiling the relevant figures, their debts have

July 15, 2021

Nearly half of adults support abolition of gender ministry

Nearly half of South Korean adults are in favor of some opposition lawmakers' proposals to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, a poll showed Thursday. In the poll of 1,016 people nationwide over the age of 18, 48 percent said they agree with the proposed dissolution of the gender ministry. Another 41 percent said they oppose the abolition of the gender ministry, while the remaining 11 percent said they do not know the issue well or refused to answer. Notably, the proposed abol

July 15, 2021

International Youth Fellowship invites students from 90 countries for online world camp

Under the theme “The World Connected,” the International Youth Fellowship’s 2021 online world camp kicked off its five-day journey on Monday evening. Back for its 24th edition, the IYF world camp invited university students from 90 countries across the world for the online event. Before moving online due to the coronavirus pandemic, the camp used to be held across the country every year. As this year’s event is streamed live via the IYF’s YouTube channel in six d

July 15, 2021

Boryeong Mud Festival scaled back amid COVID-19 spikes

BORYEONG -- This year's Boryeong Mud Festival, one of the nation's most celebrated summer events, will scale down in-person programs due to recent spikes in COVID-19 cases, organizers said Thursday. The 24th annual mud extravaganza is scheduled to be held from July 23 to Aug. 1 on Daecheon Beach in the central city of Boryeong, 190 kilometers south of Seoul. It will take place in a hybrid format with 11 online and eight offline programs. The organizing committee under the municipal government

July 15, 2021

Influx of vacationers to beaches, mountains feared to fuel spread of COVID-19

Local governments in charge of antivirus measures at popular summer vacation destinations are on high alert for a massive influx of vacationers from the greater Seoul area and other regions hit by a surge of COVID-19 cases. South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases have been in excess of 1,500 in recent days, with the capital area accounting for approximately three-fourths of the total. Fearing that increased tourist arrivals at famous beaches and mountains nationwide will further fuel the spr

July 15, 2021

[News Focus] Hard-hit small-business owners take to the streets over COVID rules

Hundreds of small-business owners took to the streets Wednesday night, denouncing the government for once again putting their livelihoods at risk in its drive to contain COVID-19 with strict social distancing rules. With limits on private gatherings that continued since last year, coupled with the most recent minimum wage increase, small-business owners are asking the government for monetary support and to relax restrictions on business operations to boost consumption. To make their demands he

July 15, 2021

Biz body vows to challenge next year's minimum wage

A South Korean business lobby said Thursday it will file a complaint with the government against next year's minimum wage, which it says is too high. The move comes days after a national commission composed of nine members each from labor, business and the general public set the new minimum wage at 9,160 won ($7.99) for 2022, up 5.1 percent from this year. "A formal objection will be lodged with the labor ministry," said the Korea Enterprises Federation, which speaks for the business

July 15, 2021

No. of int'l migrants falls at fastest-ever pace in 2020 amid pandemic

The number of South Korean and foreign migrants declined at the sharpest-ever pace last year as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted people's cross-border movements, data showed Thursday. The number of international migrants, referring to those who stay for more than 90 days here, declined 15.9 percent from a year earlier, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea. It marked the fastest on-year decline since the statistics agency began compiling related data in 2000. The data is calculate

July 15, 2021

Hundreds of merchants hold late night drive-through rally against COVID-19 restrictions

More than 750 small business owners held a drive-through rally late Wednesday night to protest the government's strengthened COVID-19 restrictions in light of a recent flare-up of infections, organizers said. The merchants, who united under the banner of a national emergency committee for small business owners, drove around 11 kilometers from Yeouido Park in western Seoul to Daehangno near the city center flashing their hazard lights as a sign of protest. Police stood at checkpoints along the

July 15, 2021

Smuggled drugs more than double in H1 amid pandemic

Drug smuggling caught by South Korea's customs agency more than doubled in the first half of the year as trafficking via non-contact delivery means rose amid the pandemic, data showed Thursday. A total of 214.2 kilograms of drugs were confiscated in the January-June period, up 153 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. Drug smuggling via international mail and cargo sharply increased amid the protracted pandemic, according to the customs office. By

July 15, 2021

Nationwide spread of virus feared as cases continue to spiral

South Korea's daily coronavirus cases continued to spike to just shy of a record high Thursday as the country implements stronger virus curbs in regions outside of the broader Seoul area to slow down the nationwide spread of the virus. The country added 1,600 new COVID-19 cases, including 1,555 local infections, raising the total caseload to 173,511, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The latest figure is the second-highest daily tally after a record 1,615 cas

July 15, 2021