S. Korea vetting 2 suspected cases of highly pathogenic bird flu

South Korea's agricultural ministry said Thursday it is investigating two suspected cases of highly pathogenic bird flu from farms amid looming concerns over a nationwide spread of the virus due to migratory birds. After reporting this year's first farm-related bird flu case in late November, the country has so far reported 16 cases of highly pathogenic influenza, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. With the country culling poultry within a 3-kilometer radius of

Dec. 17, 2020

S. Korea inching closer to toughest virus curbs, as daily virus tally tops 1,000 for 2nd day

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases surpassed the 1,000 mark Thursday for the second day in a row as an alarming increase in cluster infections across the country continued, prompting health authorities to seriously consider adopting the toughest virus curbs. The country added 1,014 more COVID-19 cases, including 993 local infections, raising the total caseload to 46,453, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The KDCA said the country reported another daily

Dec. 17, 2020

Foreigner referred to prosecution on disobeying quarantine order

SUNCHEON -- A regional police station has referred a foreign national to the prosecution for potential indictment on charges of disobeying a self-quarantine order issued to contain the spread of COVID-19, the police said Wednesday. The Suncheon Police Station in South Jeolla Province said it has referred the woman, only identified as a 31-year-old, to prosecutors on charges of violating the contagious disease prevention and management act. The woman was ordered to undergo self-quarantine for t

Dec. 16, 2020

Centennial College and Air Canada partner to give Korean students an easier path to Canada

Centennial College and Air Canada signed an agreement on Monday to smooth the pathway to Canada for South Korean students who wish to study at Toronto’s Centennial College. The Canadian college is a designated learning institution, meaning it can host international students, with an approved COVID-19 readiness plan. Students can enroll in online or hybrid programs and can travel to Canada with study permit approval and the college’s support. The partnership with Air Canada -- Canad

Dec. 16, 2020

Once again, Korea’s COVID-19 cases soar to new daily high

Korea recorded a new daily high of 1,078 cases Wednesday, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s situation report, bringing the cumulative number of official cases to 45,442. This is the third time in December that a new daily case record has been set. Korea saw a record number of 950 new cases on Saturday. On Sunday, the number reached 1,030 cases, another record. Twelve more deaths were announced Wednesday. Thirteen deaths, the highest ever in a single day, wer

Dec. 16, 2020

Seoul city to conduct COVID-19 tests on all workers at high-risk facilities

The city government of Seoul said Wednesday it will conduct COVID-19 tests on all workers at facilities with high risks of virus infections, such as courier companies and nursing homes. Seo Jeong-hyup, the acting Seoul mayor, announced the plan during an online press briefing, as South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases hit an all-time high. Under the plan, the city will test all employees at high-risk facilities with crowded working conditions, such as call centers, courier companies, restau

Dec. 16, 2020

S. Korea speeds up culling of poultry to prevent highly pathogenic bird flu

South Korea said Wednesday it is speeding up efforts to cull poultry around farms infected with highly pathogenic bird flu amid growing concerns over the virus spreading nationwide. The country has culled 5.59 million birds as preventive measures since reporting the first farm-related case in late November, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Chickens accounted for 3.5 million, followed by quails with 1.2 million and ducks with 880,000. Local authorities slaughte

Dec. 16, 2020

960 more soldiers mobilized in virus fight as daily new infections hit record high

Nearly 1,000 additional soldiers were dispatched to public health centers Wednesday to help the government cope with the coronavirus pandemic, the Army said, as the country's daily new virus cases hit a new record high. About 960 soldiers from the Capital Defense Command, along with 41 medical staff members, were sent to 160 public health centers in the greater Seoul area to guide citizens visiting the virus test facilities for the next three weeks, according to the military. The move came as

Dec. 16, 2020

[Newsmaker] Virus death toll experiences double-digit rise for 2nd day, hospital bed shortage looms

South Korea's coronavirus death toll continued to rise Wednesday, posting a double-digit increase in virus fatalities for the second straight day as critically ill patients piled up amid spiking virus cases. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said the country reported 12 additional deaths from COVID-19, raising the total to 612. The country reported a daily high of 13 COVID-19 deaths Tuesday. The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 226, sharply

Dec. 16, 2020

Rare COVID-19 cluster of foreign nationals occurs at college dorm

Twenty-one Vietnamese students living in a college dormitory in a central South Korean city have been diagnosed with COVID-19, local officials said Wednesday, reporting a rare coronavirus cluster of foreign nationals here. The nation's latest mass infection occurred at Ajou Motor College in Boryeong, a South Chungcheong Province city about 200 kilometers south of Seoul. The college reported its first confirmed case Monday, when a Vietnamese student residing in its dormitory tested positive for

Dec. 16, 2020

Daily virus caseload hits another high, S. Korea closer to toughest virus curbs

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases hit another new high Wednesday in the face of alarming increases in cluster infections across the country, prompting health authorities to seriously consider adopting the toughest virus curbs. The country added 1,078 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,054 local infections, raising the total caseload to 45,442, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Wednesday's daily caseload is higher than the previous record of 1,030 on Sun

Dec. 16, 2020

Job losses extended to 9th month in Nov. amid pandemic

The number of employed people in South Korea declined for the ninth straight month in November as the new coronavirus outbreak continued to deal a blow to the job market, data showed Wednesday. The number of employed people reached 27.2 million last month, 273,000 fewer than a year earlier, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea. But the pace of the decline eased last month from October, when the number of jobs fell by 421,000, the sharpest on-year decline in six months, as softene

Dec. 16, 2020

S. Korea confirms 3 more cases of bird flu at poultry farms

South Korea on Tuesday confirmed three more cases of highly pathogenic bird flu at poultry farms across the nation, raising the total to 16. Avian influenza of the H5N8 strain was found in samples collected from chicken farms in Gumi, 261 kilometers southeast of Seoul, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Another chicken farm in Imsil County in North Jeolla Province, located 300km south of the capital, reported a suspected bird flu case, which was later confirmed

Dec. 15, 2020

[Herald Interview] 2030 World Expo positions Busan as future gateway

The following is the excerpt of an interview with Busan’s acting Mayor Byun Seong-wan on the 2030 Busan World Expo.　 Why is Korea hosting the 2030 World Expo? Hosting the World Expo will be a chance to enhance the country’s status. Korea’s true worth as a powerhouse of smart innovation is to be presented to people all across the world, and it will serve as momentum for Korea, through K-quarantine, to take a big step as a worldwide leader amid the establishment of a new worl

Dec. 15, 2020

Busan, travel hub to Korea and center for international events

Located in the southeastern region of the Korean Peninsula, Busan is the starting and ending point of the Eurasian railroad system and serves as the southern gateway to Korea. It is geographically close to China, Japan, Taiwan and Southeast Asia, connecting the sea with the continent, and its tourist attractions and infrastructure surpass global standards. Its best-known hot spot is Haeundae, where a beautiful beach lies just a few steps from skyscrapers. In the daytime you can can go swimming

Dec. 15, 2020

Korea marks single-day record for COVID-19 deaths

The third wave of COVID-19 infections pushed Korea past another grim milestone on Tuesday: 13 people died in the 24 hours ending midnight on Monday, marking the highest daily death toll to date. Seventy-four people have died of COVID-19 in the first two weeks of December. The total number of deaths is now 600. Korea on Tuesday confirmed 880 more cases -- 848 locally transmitted and 32 imported -- bringing the cumulative number of official cases to 44,364. As of Tuesday there were 205 severe

Dec. 15, 2020

Season's coldest weather grips S. Korea as mercury dips below minus 20 C

The entire nation came under the grip of a cold wave Tuesday, with temperatures dipping below minus 20 C in mountainous areas of Gangwon Province, east of Seoul. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) issued a cold wave alert or advisory for most parts of South Korea, excluding coastal areas and the southern island of Jeju, as the mercury dropped to the season's record lows of minus 23.5 C in Hongcheon, 100 kilometers east of Seoul, and minus 22.7 C in PyeongChang, a mountain resort town

Dec. 15, 2020

S. Korea to expand child care subsidies to boost low birthrate

South Korea on Tuesday announced a set of measures to expand perks for families and subsidies for children to try to boost the low birthrate that has plagued Asia's fourth-largest economy for more than a decade. The package, drawn up by the Presidential Committee on Aging Society and Population Policy, will be the foundation of the government's demographic policy over the next five years. First, the government will newly provide a 300,000-won ($275) bonus every month to all infants below the a

Dec. 15, 2020

18 Army soldiers, officers test positive for COVID-19

Eighteen Army soldiers and officers have tested positive for the new coronavirus, including 14 from the same unit in the city of Paju, north of Seoul, the defense ministry said Tuesday. More cases could come from the Paju base as testing was still under way for all 400 unit members. The collective infections began after two soldiers first tested positive for COVID-19 upon their return from holiday. One officer and 11 other soldiers were confirmed to have been infected in subsequent virus tests

Dec. 15, 2020

Virus death toll tipped to sharply rise 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 13 additional deaths from COVID-19, raising the total caseload to 600. It marks the first time that the daily death toll hovered above 10. The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 205, sharply up 20 from the previous day

Dec. 15, 2020