S. Korea mulls raising social distancing level in greater Seoul area: PM

Authorities are discussing whether to enforce tougher distancing regulations for the greater Seoul area and the southwestern region, the prime minister said Sunday, as the country fights a resurgence of the new coronavirus. Chung Sye-kyun made the remark during a COVID-19 response government meeting, saying South Korea could face another wave of mass infections if it fails to stem the virus at this point. "We're at a critical juncture of facing a large number of infections nationwide, as

Nov. 22, 2020

[News Focus] Eased regulations on e-scooter spark concerns

Safety concerns are mounting ahead of the implementation of relaxed rules that will enable teenagers to ride electric scooters without a license, among other changes, amid a growing number of accidents caused by the popular new mobility option. Under the current Road Traffic Act, electric scooter riders must be at least 16 years old and have a motorcycle license. When the revised law takes effect Dec. 10, those aged 13 and older will be allowed to ride e-scooters on cycling paths, with no pena

Nov. 22, 2020

10 more service members, civilian employee test positive for COVID-19

Ten more service members and a civilian employee working for the military have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Sunday, as sporadic infections continue at barracks across the country. In the southern city of Jinhae, three Navy officers and an enlistee have tested positive after they came into contact with another officer who was earlier confirmed to have been infected with COVID-19, according to the ministry. In Pocheon, north of Seoul, three Army soldiers and

Nov. 22, 2020

Umbrella union to stage large-scale strike this week

A major South Korean labor union has decided to stage a large-scale strike this week against what it describes as anti-labor law revision, sources said Sunday, amid the country's struggle to curb the new coronavirus. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) plans to conduct the nationwide one-day walkout Wednesday to oppose the government plan to revise the law to ratify key International Labor Organization (ILO) conventions. The conventions are aimed at improving workers' rights here,

Nov. 22, 2020

New virus cases over 300 for 5th day, tougher antivirus curbs to be enforced

The number of daily new coronavirus cases in South Korea exceeded 300 for the fifth straight day Sunday due to sporadic cluster infections across the country as health authorities decided to enforce tougher antivirus curbs to prevent another wave of the pandemic.     The country added 330 more COVID-19 cases, including 302 local infections, raising the total caseload to 30,733, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).     The latest fi

Nov. 22, 2020

About 60,000 take teacher exam despite virus spike

About 60,000 people took a state-run teacher employment examination across the country Saturday despite a new spike in coronavirus cases. The education ministry went ahead with the test to pick new teachers for public middle schools despite a cluster infection at a private institute for aspiring teachers in southeastern Seoul. As of Saturday morning, a total of 67 students at the cram school have been confirmed to be infected with COVID-19. The first case occurred there Wednesday. The exam

Nov. 21, 2020

County raises social distancing to third-highest level

The small southern county of Hadong in South Gyeongsang Province started to enforce the third-highest level of social distancing Saturday to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus. The provincial government said it raised social distancing by one notch to Level 2 under the new five-tier social distancing scheme in the Hadong county, about 360 kilometers south of Seoul, starting at 2 p.m. Saturday. The move came as 29 new cases had been confirmed in the past five days in the count

Nov. 21, 2020

New virus cases exceed 300 for 4th day amid concerns of 3rd wave of infections

The number of daily new coronavirus cases in South Korea exceeded 300 for the fourth consecutive day Saturday due to sporadic cluster infections across the country, casting concerns over a third wave of the pandemic. The country added 386 more COVID-19 cases, including 361 local infections, raising the total caseload to 30,403, according to the Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The daily caseload has stayed in the triple digits since Nov. 8, with the figure exceeding 300 f

Nov. 21, 2020

Prime minister asks Koreans to stay home

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Friday asked Koreans to stay home as rising COVID-19 cases feed concerns of another wave of infections. In what is his sixth address about COVID-19 to the Korean people, Chung asked Koreans to refrain from year-end gatherings and stay home save for essential activities. “Those of you in the age group of over 60, please take good care yourselves during the winter; please stay home and minimize unnecessary gatherings,” the prime minister said. &ldqu

Nov. 20, 2020

Olympic judo silver medalist Wang Ki-chun sentenced to 6 years in prison for sexually assaulting minors

DAEGU -- A court here sentenced on Friday the 2008 Olympic judo silver medalist Wang Ki-chun to six years in prison for sexually assaulting minors. The Daegu District Court also ordered Wang to be banned from working at children-related facilities for eight years and to undergo 40 hours of a therapeutic program for his sexual misconduct. The sentencing was based on the fact that Wang "denied his wrongdoing and pressed his victims to settle, causing them great pains," the court said.

Nov. 20, 2020

Court keeps Chun Doo-hwan’s home off auction block

A local court ruled Friday to partially bar the prosecution from putting former President Chun Doo-hwan’s house up for auction as a means to collect outstanding fines. The Seoul High Court ruled that the prosecution could not take away Chun’s residence in Yeonhui-dong, western Seoul, in collecting fines, as the house cannot be verified as a property purchased with illegal funds. The prosecution will not be allowed put the house and its front garden up for auction. But the court did

Nov. 20, 2020

AI education to begin in high schools next year

Artificial intelligence (AI) will be introduced as a new subject in local high schools next year before being expanded to the curriculums of kindergartens and elementary and middle schools by 2025, the education ministry said Friday, declaring a bid to strengthen AI education in preparation for a digital future. The government's AI education blueprint was announced after Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hae presided over a meeting of social affairs ministers for discussions on adjusting its educat

Nov. 20, 2020

Court orders match organizer to compensate fans for Ronaldo's no-show

A court on Friday ordered a sports agency to compensate fans for Cristiano Ronaldo's no-show at a friendly football match in Seoul last year. The Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of 162 plaintiffs who sued The Fasta, which organized the exhibition game between Italy's Juventus and South Korea's K-League All Star team on July 26, 2019. The company advertised that Ronaldo would play for at least 45 minutes, but he stayed on the bench throughout the game, angering a sellout crowd of

Nov. 20, 2020

At least 26 virus cases tied to cram school in southwestern Seoul

At least 26 people have been infected with the new coronavirus in cases tied to a cram school in southwestern Seoul used for preparation for a state exam to pick public school teachers, the district office said Friday. Two people who attended the private education institute in Noryangjin were confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 early this week and 24 more attendees and staff members contracted the virus, according to the office of Dongjak Ward. Noryangjin is home to a slew of cram schools d

Nov. 20, 2020

Military reports sporadic COVID-19 infections across country

Seven more service members have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Friday, raising concerns over the fast spread of the virus into barracks. One enlisted soldier stationed in the border town of Paju was confirmed to have been infected following two earlier cases this week. "Some 500 members of the unit underwent virus tests, and we found no additional COVID-19 patients," a ministry official said. A service member at a unit located inside the defense

Nov. 20, 2020

[Newsmaker] Virus cases top 30,000 in 10 months, tough battle in store amid resurgence

South Korea's total virus caseload topped 30,000 on Friday, 10 months after its first confirmed case in late January, and its virus fight is facing another potential wave of outbreaks amid the nearing winter season. The country reported 363 new COVID-19 cases Friday, including 320 local infections, raising the total to 30,017, according to health authorities. It marked the third straight day that daily virus cases rose by over 300. Since the first case was reported on Jan. 20, the total number

Nov. 20, 2020

Court rules against state health insurer in damages suit against major tobacco firms

A Seoul court handed down a ruling Friday against the state health insurer in its smoking-related damages suit with three major tobacco companies, citing no direct "legal" links between its increased financial burden and their businesses. The Seoul Central District Court rejected the compensation request filed by the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) against KT&G Corp., a leading South Korean cigarette producer with about a 63 percent market share, and the local units of tw

Nov. 20, 2020

Third wave of COVID-19 infections arrived in Greater Seoul: authorities

The Greater Seoul area, home to half of South Korea’s population, is considered to have entered a third wave of COVID-19 infections, health authorities said Friday, as the country’s new daily coronavirus cases topped 300 for the third consecutive day. The country reported 363 new coronavirus cases -- 320 locally transmitted and 43 imported from overseas -- in the 24 hours ending Thursday at midnight, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.　 “We see that

Nov. 20, 2020

9 USFK service members test positive for COVID-19

Nine American service members have tested positive for the new coronavirus upon their arrival in South Korea, US Forces Korea (USFK) said Thursday. Eight of them arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, on US government-chartered flights, while the other service member arrived here on a commercial flight via Incheon International Airport, west of the capital, according to the US military. All USFK-affiliated individuals arriving in South Korea are required to undergo a virus tes

Nov. 19, 2020

Man apprehended for vandalizing statue of ex-President Chun

CHEONGJU -- A 50-year-old man was apprehended on Thursday for vandalizing a statue of former President Chun Doo-hwan at a local park, police said. The statue, located inside the Cheongnamdae park in Cheongju, 140 kilometers south of Seoul, was found with two-thirds of its neck damaged, according to police. The man is suspected of entering the park with a tourist pass and then switching off nearby closed-circuit TVs before using a wire saw to vandalize the statue. Police said the man identifie

Nov. 19, 2020