[Newsmaker] Search under way for crew members from capsized fishing boat near Jeju

JEJU ISLAND -- Search operations were under way off the coast of Jeju Island on Tuesday night for the crew members of a capsized fishing boat, authorities said. The coast guard said it received a report that the 39-ton vessel overturned at around 7:44 p.m. in waters some 2.6 kilometers northwest of the Port of Jeju, which is located near the middle of the island's north coast. Seven crew members were presumed to be aboard the vessel. Rescue workers found the vessel at the site and are attempti

Dec. 30, 2020

Packaged meals in convenience stores gain popularity amid pandemic

Park Su-min, who works for a production company in Seoul, starts his day late in the afternoon, grabbing a packaged meal, or “dosirak” in Korean, at a convenience store on his way to work. One reason is to avoid public transportation when it’s most crowded, and the other is to keep up with the toughened social distancing guidelines. “Before the level hit 2.5 in Seoul, I used to hang out with colleagues during lunchtime, often waiting in lines to try out popular restaura

Dec. 29, 2020

Govt. to push for disclosing surveillance video footage of restaurant kitchens

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will launch a pilot project to release closed-circuit television footage from inside the kitchens of restaurant franchises. The project aims to ensure a healthy cooking environment for delivery food as more people order food to eat at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry said Tuesday in a press release. The topic of kitchen hygiene at restaurants has become a hot issue since a customer posted a photo of a living mouse found in delivery food onl

Dec. 29, 2020

‘There is no true exit from pandemic without vaccines’

Politicized narratives surrounding COVID-19 vaccines and treatments must stop, and vaccines -- not treatments -- are the keys to ending the pandemic, experts say. Faced with growing discontent over South Korea’s lag in COVID-19 vaccinations, the government and ruling Democratic Party of Korea have taken to highlighting COVID-19 treatments being developed by local companies, while emphasizing possible adverse effects of vaccines. President Moon Jae-in on Monday again highlighted South

Dec. 29, 2020

Moderna nears deal with Korea to provide 40 million doses

South Korea and Moderna are close to reaching a deal for a supply of 40 million doses, the first of which will be delivered no later than summer next year, according to Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday. Under the agreement, the US pharmaceutical company will be providing the country 20 million doses more than what was initially announced, with their distribution here a few months faster. The negotiations took place during a videoconference between President Moon Jae-in and Moderna Chief Executive Of

Dec. 29, 2020

‘Korea is leader in Asia on migrant integration’: MIPEX

South Korea came in 13th out of 52 countries in this year’s international migrant integration policy index on the level of social integration of migrants. Korea was tied at 13th with the United Kingdom, Iceland and France after receiving 56 out of 100 points on the level of social integration of migrants, higher than the MIPEX average of 50, with the report saying immigrants in Korea facing slightly more opportunities than obstacles for societal integration. Sweden topped the list wit

Dec. 29, 2020

S. Korea reports no further COVID-19 variant infections

South Korea's health authorities said Tuesday the country has not found additional cases of a more transmissible COVID-19 variant after it confirmed its first three cases of the strain in arrivals from the United Kingdom a day earlier. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said 17 people who were found to have been in close contact with the three confirmed patients all tested negative for COVID-19. British analysis suggests the new strain may be up to 70 percent more transmiss

Dec. 29, 2020

Moderna agrees to supply vaccines for 20m to S. Korea from Q2 2021: Cheong Wa Dae

US biotech company Moderna has agreed to supply new coronavirus vaccine doses for 20 million people to South Korea starting in the second quarter of next year, Cheong Wa Dae announced Tuesday. The agreement was reached in a videoconference between President Moon Jae-in and Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel held Monday, according to the South Korean presidential office. The volume is double the amount that the government had initially sought to secure from the American biotech firm through negotiatio

Dec. 29, 2020

S. Korea investigating 3 more suspected cases of highly pathogenic bird flu

South Korea's agricultural ministry said Tuesday it is investigating three additional suspected cases of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza from local farms, with the rising number of infections from wild birds straining the country's antivirus fight. Authorities have found two suspected cases from chicken and ornamental bird farms in Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds the capital city, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Another suspected case was reported at

Dec. 29, 2020

COVID-19 cases tied to Seoul prison reach 762, 1 inmate dies during treatment

The number of new coronavirus cases linked to an outbreak at a detention center in southeastern Seoul has soared to over 700, with one inmate patient having died this week during treatment, according to the government Tuesday. The Dongbu Detention Center found 233 more inmates were infected with the new coronavirus on Monday following its third mass testing, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) and the justice ministry. The testing was conducted Sunday on 1,689 pr

Dec. 29, 2020

S. Korea reports most deaths amid spiking critically ill patients

South Korea on Tuesday reported the most coronavirus deaths in a single day, as critically ill patients continue to pile up amid spiking cases, health authorities said. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said the country reported 40 additional deaths from COVID-19, sharply up from 11 reported a day earlier. The total caseload was increased to 859.The KDCA said the jump in the death toll was also partially due to a delay in reporting. The daily death toll has continued to sh

Dec. 29, 2020

[Newsmaker] S. Korea further ups guard against ASF as cases from wild boars continue to swell

South Korea's agricultural ministry said Tuesday it has further beefed up measures against African swine fever (ASF), including installing more fences, as infections among wild boars could lead to another wave of the pandemic at pig farms. South Korea has so far identified 898 cases of ASF from wild boars from the inter-Korean border areas since October last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs. "Recently, infected wild boars have been found outside of t

Dec. 29, 2020

Daily infections back to over 1,000, death toll hits record high of 40

South Korea's daily coronavirus cases bounced back to over 1,000 on Tuesday after three days despite tougher virus curbs that have been extended for another week, and daily virus deaths hit a fresh record high of 40 amid a looming medical system crisis. The country added 1,046 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,030 local infections, raising the total caseload to 58,725, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The daily infections rebounded again from 808 cases on Mon

Dec. 29, 2020

Inmates infected with COVID-19 at Seoul detention center transferred to prison in southeastern region

Hundreds of inmates of a Seoul detention center infected with the new coronavirus were transferred to a prison in the southeastern region on Monday, the justice ministry said. A total of 528 cases linked to Dongbu Detention Center in eastern Seoul was confirmed as of Sunday, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). They include 488 inmates and 21 prison officials, and none of them have shown serious symptoms. Of the prisoners, some 350 were moved to a correctional f

Dec. 28, 2020

COVID-19 variant from UK puts local authorities on alert

The health authorities are on alert over the first discovery in South Korea of a more transmissible variant of the new coronavirus from Britain, as Korea struggles to overcome its third and deadliest coronavirus wave to date. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, three Korean nationals who arrived here from Britain last week were confirmed Monday morning to have the new coronavirus strain, which is believed to be 70 percent more transmissible than the original. Authorit

Dec. 28, 2020

10 USFK-affiliated people test positive for new coronavirus

Seven American service members and three family members have tested positive for the new coronavirus upon arrival in South Korea from the United States over the past few weeks, US Forces Korea (USFK) said Monday. They arrived on commercial flights at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, between Dec. 10 and 23, according to the US military. Three of them tested positive on their first mandatory COVID-19 test prior to entering quarantine, and the others were confirmed to have been infec

Dec. 28, 2020

New infections under 1,000 for 2nd day amid extended virus curbs

South Korea's daily coronavirus cases stayed below 1,000 for the second straight day on Monday due mainly to less testing over the weekend amid tougher virus curbs that have been extended for another week. The country added 808 more COVID-19 cases, including 787 local infections, raising the total caseload to 57,680, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The daily infections fell from 970 cases on Sunday. In the past week, the nation's daily infections hovered ar

Dec. 28, 2020

COVID-19 phenomenon: Year-end parties go online

As the year draws to a close, many people are navigating rules made necessary by the pandemic as they try to mark the end of a challenging 2020, with restaurants closing early and colleagues working from home. Alarming new daily cases of COVID-19 have dashed hopes that the drastic changes the virus brought to the way people live, work and socialize would get back to normal by the end of this year, resulting in series of cancellation of plans for holiday get-togethers. Seven in 10 South Korean

Dec. 28, 2020

S. Korea investigating new suspected case of highly pathogenic bird flu

South Korea's agricultural ministry said Monday it has identified a new suspected case of highly pathogenic bird flu, amid the growing concerns over the disease further straining the local poultry industry. The new suspected case was reported from a duck farm in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The country has so far reported 29 farm-related avian influenza cases since late November, including an infection from a guest ranch. S

Dec. 28, 2020

S. Korea extends toughened social distancing until Jan. 3

South Korea on Sunday decided to maintain its current social distancing rules until Jan. 3 as the country tries to control COVID-19’s impact on the economy while it faces its third and deadliest wave of infections to date amid the winter holiday season. The country on Sunday announced 970 new coronavirus cases -- 946 locally transmitted and 24 imported from overseas -- raising the total number of cases recorded in Korea to 56,872, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agen

Dec. 27, 2020