[Newsmaker] S. Korea to heighten alert ahead of college entrance exam

The South Korean government on Sunday unveiled a plan to tighten monitoring of cram schools and study facilities ahead of the first national college entrance scheduled to take place during the new coronavirus pandemic. The exam, held annually in November, was postponed as school schedules were affected by the unprecedented virus outbreak. It was eventually scheduled for Dec. 3. Under the plan, the education ministry and provincial governments will inspect whether cram schools and study cafes a

Nov. 15, 2020

PM 'seriously' mulls toughing social distancing amid spike in virus cases

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Sunday that the government is "seriously" considering toughening the social distancing scheme for the greater Seoul area and the eastern province of Gangwon as new coronavirus cases have risen sharply. During a government anti-pandemic meeting, Chung also said that the government has issued a "preliminary warning" for the two regions ahead of enforcing tougher social distancing measures. "Despite the global pandemic shaping up to be t

Nov. 15, 2020

[News Focus] Women’s average age exceeds 45 in 8 of 17 areas in Korea

SEJONG -- South Korean women aged 44.2 on the average as of October, the oldest since the nation compiled the data, according to the Ministry of Interior and Safety. They have become older by about 12 months than two years earlier in October 2018, when the figure was 43.1. Their average age was 43.7 in October 2019. Eight of the 17 major areas in the nation saw the average age of their female residents exceed 45 as women’s lifespans lengthen in particular compared to men and&n

Nov. 15, 2020

S. Korea 'seriously considering' stricter social distancing

South Korea’s new daily COVID-19 case count topped 200 for the second consecutive day on Sunday due to sporadic clusters of infections, prompting health authorities to “seriously” consider tightening antivirus restrictions. 　 Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Sunday that the government issued a “preliminary warning” for the Greater Seoul area and Gangwon Province grappling with surges in coronavirus cases.   　 Korea reported 208 new coronavirus cases -

Nov. 15, 2020

[Newsmaker] 3 missing, 2 rescued in fishing boat capsizing near border island

INCHEON -- A fishing boat capsized in waters near a northwestern border island Saturday, leaving three crew members missing, the Coast Guard said. The 12-ton vessel was overturned in waters 43 kilometers from the border island of Soyeonpyeong at 6:07 p.m., the authorities said. The cause of the capsizing was not immediately known. Three crew members, including the 63-year-old captain, went missing, while two others were rescued. One of the rescued remains unconscious, officials said. Prime Mi

Nov. 15, 2020

[Weekender] Yoga for women, lifting for men?

For women in South Korean society, where many struggle to fit rigid beauty standards, getting skinnier and looking feminine has been a lifelong mission and working out has been mainly for weight loss. 　 But more and more women are challenging the perception that muscles are only for men, turning to strength training and team sports for their health, pleasure and self-satisfaction. 　 On Tuesday evening at a popular franchise gym in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, the weights section was predominan

Nov. 14, 2020

New virus cases in S. Korea exceed 200 as govt. mulls enhancing social distancing

South Korea’s new coronavirus cases exceeded 200 for the first time in 73 days Saturday amid lingering cluster infections across the nation, with health authorities considering raising the social distancing scheme by a notch in the five-tier system. The country added 205 more COVID-19 cases, including 166 local infections, raising the total caseload to 28,338, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The number of new infections stayed in triple digits for the seve

Nov. 14, 2020

[Newsmaker] Unions all over S. Korea to demonstrate against ‘regressive’ labor reforms

Tens of thousands of people are expected to gather across South Korea on Saturday to protest labor reforms and to call for enhanced labor rights protections. Han Sang-jin, the spokesperson for the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, said Saturday’s demonstrations are intended to “highlight unfair labor practices that are perpetuating through the pandemic” as well as to honor the anniversary of labor rights activist Chun Tae-il’s death. “Industrial disaster

Nov. 13, 2020

Bleak coronavirus winter projected as controls ease and cases rise

Health experts once again urged people to continue exercising precaution on Friday as the number of daily new infections marked its highest tally since early September. Korea on Thursday performed 11,639 tests and confirmed 191 more cases -- 162 locally transmitted and 29 imported -- which translates to a positivity rate of 1.64. In the past week, Korea did 10,728 tests and detected 134 cases a day on average. The cumulative number of official cases is 28,133. Seoul continues to claim t

Nov. 13, 2020

Some 13,000 visit royal palaces during festival despite pandemic

Some 13,000 people took part in a monthlong festival highlighting Korean royal palaces despite the new coronavirus pandemic, the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) said Friday. The royal palace festival, which ran from Oct. 10 to Nov. 8 at four palaces in central Seoul -- Gyeongbok, Changdeok, Deoksu and Changgyeong -- as well as Jongmyo Shrine, offered visitors a chance to explore Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) era heritage both online and offline. Around 13,000 people attended 12 programs

Nov. 13, 2020

[Newsmaker] S. Koreans urged to wear masks or face new fine

South Koreans taking the bus or subway to work Friday morning were greeted by public officials warning them of a 100,000 won ($90) fine should they fail to wear a mask in public. In a country that has received widespread praise for its response to the coronavirus pandemic, most people were already wearing a mask and did not need to be told to do so. But for the few who chose not to wear a mask, or did not put it on properly, the officials were there to remind them of a new law that would make

Nov. 13, 2020

11 more military personnel test positive for COVID-19

Three Army officers, an Air Force civilian worker and seven airmen have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Friday. The airmen and the civilian employee in Seosan, 150 kilometers south of Seoul, were confirmed to have been infected with COVID-19 after a guest lecturer who visited their base earlier this week tested positive for the virus, according to the ministry. "The education took place in compliance with anti-virus rules, such as wearing masks and keepi

Nov. 13, 2020

Seoul city offers new ecological programs at Han River parks

New monthly ecological programs for Seoul residents are now available at the capital's Han River parks, Seoul city government said Friday. The city government is accepting visitors for 45 programs that begin in November, including those that offer hands-on experience of nature across 10 river parks in the city, including Ttukseom Han River Park, Amsa Ecological Park and Godeok Riverside Ecological Park. At Yeouido Saetgang Ecological Park, stress-relief sessions, such as recitals and meditatio

Nov. 13, 2020

Remains of 2 Korean independence fighters to be returned home

The remains of two Korean independence fighters will be returned home from the United States this weekend for burial at a national cemetery, the veterans affairs ministry said Friday. Cho Chong-hee and Na Sung-don took part in various movements for the country's independence from the 1910-1945 Japanese colonial rule, according to government data. They were recognized by the state as patriots in 1990. The two had stayed in the US and died there earlier this year. Their remains will arrive at

Nov. 13, 2020

New virus cases spike to over 2-month high, tougher restrictions

South Korea's new coronavirus cases spiked to almost 200 Friday, the highest in 70 days, due to sporadic cluster infections from informal gatherings across the nation, forcing health authorities to consider raising the social distancing scheme. The country added 191 more COVID-19 cases, including 162 local infections, raising the total caseload to 28,133, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The daily caseload was the highest since Sept. 4, marking a triple-dig

Nov. 13, 2020

Shincheonji leader granted bail after three months in detention

A local court granted bail to Lee Man-hee, the leader of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus which was at the center of South Korea’s early coronavirus outbreak in late February through March. The Suwon District Court on Thursday accepted the bail request of Lee, 89, citing his old age, deteriorating health and low risks of him destroying evidence. His bail bond is set at 100 million won, and Lee will be required to wear an electric device for his whereabouts to be tracked real-time. The co

Nov. 12, 2020

'Fact-Check Net' launched to fight disinformation, misinformation

Local journalists, citizens and professionals on Thursday launched a joint fact-checking platform to systematically fight disinformation and misinformation in Korean society. The online platform "Fact-Check Net" (https://www.factchecker.or.kr) was established as a consortium among three media organizations -- the Korea Broadcasting Journalist Association (KBJA), the Journalists Association of Korea and the Korean Producers and Directors Association -- and Parti, a social cooperative t

Nov. 12, 2020

[News Focus] Travel to Korea doubles from April low, but still depleted

SEJONG -- Earlier this year, the number of foreigners going through immigration dropped sharply in the wake of the novel coronavirus. But the figure has continued to rebound after touching the bottom in April. According to the Korea Immigration Service, the number of foreign visitors to South Korea continued to drop -- from 1.32 million in January, 719,449 in February, 90,837 in March and 34,544 in April. The country’s first case of COVID-19 was reported on Jan. 20. Among major visitors

Nov. 12, 2020

S. Korea ‘willing to risk’ prepurchasing potential vaccines

The South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare is holding an initial meeting to work out how the country intends to purchase and supply foreign-made COVID-19 vaccines here, amid buzz surrounding US drug giant Pfizer’s early results. Senior health official Yoon Tae-ho told reporters during a briefing Thursday morning that the ministry was speaking with medical experts behind closed doors later that day. “From what I understand this is the first meeting to be held for planning vacc

Nov. 12, 2020

Dismissal justifiable for teacher who showed film with nudity in class: court

A court ruled in favor of a local education office that dismissed a middle school ethics teacher for showing a film with nudity to students during class. The Gwangju District Court on Thursday dismissed a complaint from Bae-Lee Sang-heun filed against the Gwangju educational authority, which asked for the cancellation of his dismissal from a teaching position. The court said the dismissal is valid, as some students felt sexually offended and disturbed by the screening, and that Bae-Lee did no

Nov. 12, 2020