The National Assembly and its separate Members' Office Building were placed under quarantine at 6 p.m. Monday, after a person infected with COVID-19 was found to have taken part in an event held at the Office Building the previous week. The plenary session was called off and lawmakers who attended the event, including Floor Leader Shim Jae-cheol of the main opposition United Future Party, took COVID-19 tests. Health authorities disinfected the two buildings and sealed them off for the 24-hour

Politics Feb. 24, 2020

A total of six military personnel were confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 as of Sunday, and 1,300 service members were quarantined, the Ministry of National Defense said. All six of the infected individuals, including two officers and one civilian worker, were found to have visited either Daegu or adjacent North Gyeongsang Province. The surge in cases of COVID-19 linked to church services there brought the national tally to 602 as of Sunday afternoon. “More and more soldiers are susp

Defense Feb. 23, 2020

A community center for the elderly in Seoul’s central Jongno District has been identified as another COVID-19 cluster by health authorities, who have been tracing infection routes of several patients in Seoul with what first appeared to be unclear transmission paths. Officials at the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Sunday four out of nine patients confirmed to be infected in Jongno, which has the highest number of patients in Seoul, were believed to have contracted

Social Affairs Feb. 23, 2020

South Korea’s Military Manpower Administration said Thursday that it had decided to suspend physical examinations for conscript candidates in Daegu and adjacent North Gyeongsang Province until March 6. The decision was a response to the recent spike in cases of COVID-19 linked to church services there. Men who have already passed the physical and are waiting to join the military will be asked to delay enlistment, the agency said, adding it is postponing interviews for Navy and Air Force a

Defense Feb. 20, 2020

Gen. Robert Abrams, commander of the US military in South Korea, banned service members from “non-essential travel” to and from Daegu on Wednesday, after a surge in cases of COVID-19 linked to church services there.  The total number of infected people in Korea was at 104 as of Thursday afternoon. The commander of United States Forces Korea said service members who attended church services in Daegu would undergo mandatory self-quarantine. He urged their family members to do th

Defense Feb. 20, 2020

Three conservative parties have formed a unified front to challenge the ruling Democratic Party of Korea in the upcoming general elections, but the latest survey shows their merger has not boosted public support. The governing Democratic Party of Korea still takes the lead with 41.1 percent of support, according to a Realmeter poll Thursday, conducted between Monday and Wednesday, after the launch of the United Future Party, The new party garnered support from 32.7 percent of respondents --

Politics Feb. 20, 2020

Seongnam, which is a satellite city of Seoul and the second-largest city in Korea’s most populous Gyeonggi Province, is home to leading technology startups that have played a major role in introducing technological innovation. Pangyo Techno Valley in Seongnam houses companies that heavily invest in information technology and technology fusion. Seongnam Mayor Eun Soo-mi has made several changes that demonstrate how such technologies could be put to use to improve the lives of residents.

Social Affairs Feb. 19, 2020

North Korea has yet to see its people infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, which has left over 1,800 dead and 72,000 infected in neighboring China, its state-run newspaper reported Tuesday. “So far, we haven't seen a single patient infected with the virus,” the newspaper said quoting a senior official in charge of the matter. The report did not mention whether the country has any suspicious cases or people under quarantine. But, the senior official cautioned that authorit

North Korea Feb. 18, 2020

The newly formed main opposition United Future Party on Tuesday unveiled an election pledge to offer soldiers longer vacations, extended tenures and higher pay. It was the fledging party’s first campaign promise for the April general elections. The conservative group was launched the day before following the merger of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party and two minor parties. On average, conscripted soldiers take vacation every 1 1/2 months and can spend only one night out before re

Politics Feb. 18, 2020

Tips on preventing the spread of the new coronavirus, which causes a respiratory disease now called COVID-19, seem to be helping control influenza in South Korea. According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday, the number of flu patients stood at 16 per 1,000 outpatients in the second week of February. That represents a 67 percent decline from the season’s peak of 49, recorded in the fourth week of December. The number of flu patients had steadily declined,

Social Affairs Feb. 17, 2020

The number of foreign nationals in South Korea reached a record 2.5 million in December, government data shows. According to the Korea Immigration Service on Monday, there were 2.5 million foreign nationals on short- or long-term visas here as of December 2019, up 3.7 percent from a month earlier. From a year ago, the tally increased by 6.6 percent. Foreign citizens now account for 4.9 percent of Korea’s population, which has risen steadily since it hit the 1 million mark in 2007 and r

Social Affairs Feb. 17, 2020

John Kelly, former White House chief of staff for US President Donald Trump, said Wednesday that the two nuclear summits between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un were futile. “I never did think Kim would do anything other than play us for a while, and he did that fairly effectively,” Kelly said at a Drew University event. “He will never give up his nuclear weapons.” Kelly acknowledged that President Trump tried to make the North give up its nuclear arsenal but &

North Korea Feb. 14, 2020

Gen. Terrence O’Shaughnessy, commander of the US Northern Command and of North American Aerospace Defense Command, told members of the US Senate Armed Forces Committee that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could be up for another missile test, in a statement on Thursday. “Recent engine testing suggests North Korea may be prepared to flight-test even more capable ICBM design that could enhance Kim’s ability to threaten our homeland during a crisis or conflict,” he said. I

North Korea Feb. 14, 2020

United States Forces Korea congratulated South Koreans for “Parasite,” directed by Bong Joon-ho, which picked up four Oscars at Sunday’s Academy Awards, including best picture and best director. “What a historic moment! We are so proud to be serving in a country with such great culture and creative people,” USFK wrote on Facebook on Wednesday. On Monday, US Ambassador to Korea Harry Harris congratulated Bong for winning best screenplay and for earning the country&

Social Affairs Feb. 13, 2020

The US is concerned about the well-being of the North Korean people, but will not provide direct humanitarian assistance, the US State Department said Wednesday. “The US government has no plans at this time to provide direct humanitarian assistance to the DPRK,” the State Department told Voice of America, using the North’s official name, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, in response to a UN report asking for international support to aid North Koreans. The North ne

North Korea Feb. 13, 2020