Concerns over the planned reopening of schools are rising with students and teachers being newly confirmed with COVID-19 in connection to the outbreak in Itaewon, Seoul’s nightlife district. The Education Ministry, however, made clear its intention to stick with class resumption schedules, starting with high school seniors on May 20. “For now, we are not considering postponing the reopening of schools, scheduled for next Wednesday for high school seniors,” Vice Education

Social Affairs May 14, 2020

The weekly rally protesting Japan’s wartime sexual enslavement of Korean women was held in Seoul on Wednesday, as it has been on the past 1,438 Wednesdays. The latest one, however, came amid renewed scrutiny from the public and media over the organizing group’s operations and handling of donations. “The Korean Council (for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan) has never misappropriated or illegally run funds, and we have received an a

Social Affairs May 13, 2020

As South Korea appeared to have brought its novel coronavirus epidemic under control, Zeynep Demirezer went out with friends on May 1 for a night of clubbing in Itaewon, a party district in Seoul that is popular among Koreans and foreigners alike. That night, the 21-year-old student from Turkey went to two clubs -- Soho and Thursday Party -- in the multicultural district with five of her friends. She filled in her contact information, used hand sanitizer and wore a mask before going in. Unt

Social Affairs May 12, 2020

The South Korean government announced Monday that the reopening of schools, scheduled to begin Wednesday with high school seniors, would be delayed by another week amid a spike in new infections linked to bars and clubs in Seoul’s popular party district. High school seniors are to return to school first on May 20, a week later than scheduled. Under the new plan, students in the second year of high school, third year of middle school and first two years of elementary school will go back

Social Affairs May 11, 2020

A civic group that advocates for Korean victims of wartime sexual enslavement by Japan on Monday apologized to one of the survivors, who had accused it of not using donations transparently, but denied the accusations. At a press conference Monday, the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan said the donations were used transparently to support the victims and programs and activities to restore their human rights. The civic group, which ha

Social Affairs May 11, 2020

The majority of foreigners living in South Korea are excluded from the government’s efforts to protect people from COVID-19, but they are no less susceptible to the potentially deadly virus, Udaya Rai, head of the Migrants Trade Union, told The Korea Herald in an interview.  From mask rationing to coronavirus relief cash handouts, migrants are largely left out of consideration, he said.  “We are just angry to be discriminated against at such a critical moment,” sai

Social Affairs May 10, 2020

A 29-year-old man living in Yongin tested positive for COVID-19. He went clubbing in Itaewon, a party district in Seoul, when he had no symptoms, exposing at least 1,500 people to the virus. It was the first local infection in four days, triggering fears of further community spread. Another thing that made headlines was that the patient visited “gay clubs.” Human rights activists on Friday denounced some South Korean media outlets for unnecessarily highlighting the main clientele

Social Affairs May 8, 2020

A civic group that advocates for Korean victims of wartime sexual enslavement by Japan is facing controversy, after a victim accused the group of misappropriating donations and exploiting the victims for their cause for nearly 30 years. The Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, which holds weekly rallies demanding an apology and reparations from Japan, denied the allegations, saying donations have been used “transparently” a

Social Affairs May 8, 2020

　South Korea is on alert over the possible further community spread of COVID-19, after a man who visited bars and clubs in Itaewon, a party district in central Seoul, tested positive for the virus. It is the first local infection in four days. The 29-year-old patient, who lives in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, has no known overseas travel history or exposure to someone who had traveled or been infected, raising fears that the virus may be spreading in communities undetected. The case is one of fo

Social Affairs May 7, 2020

A man confirmed to have COVID-19 was found to have visited clubs in Itaewon, one of the popular nightlife districts in Seoul, authorities said Thursday, triggering concerns about the community spread of the virus. The 29-year-old man, who lives in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, has the first domestic infection reported in South Korea in four days. Most new cases over the past week have come from overseas. How and where the patient contracted the virus remain unknown, raising fears that the virus

Social Affairs May 7, 2020

The South Korean government said Wednesday it will issue fines and file criminal complaints against Mercedes-Benz Korea, Nissan Korea and Porsche Korea for manipulating emissions data on their diesel vehicles.   　 The Ministry of Environment said that some 4,381 diesel-powered vehicles of 14 models sold in the country by the three carmakers between 2012 and 2018 were fitted with illicit devices to cheat pollution standards. The certification for the models will be revoked within this mont

Social Affairs May 6, 2020

Thermal cameras, transparent dividers in cafeterias, masks and disinfectants in classrooms: These are some of the changes Korean students are to face in the era of COVID-19 as they return to schools from May 13.   　 With a marked slowdown in new infections and the easing of social distancing nationwide, students will go back to school in phases after 72 days, starting with high school seniors. The spring semester already began in April, though entirely with online classes.   　 &ldqu

Social Affairs May 5, 2020

Schools are getting ready to welcome back students. Public museums and libraries are preparing to reopen and professional baseball and soccer leagues will kick off their long delayed new season this week. 　 Life is South Korea is getting back to normal, as the country’s fight against COVID-19 enters a new phase with a marked slowdown in new cases. 　 “Our war against the coronavirus has yet to end and it will not in the short term,” Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said at meeti

Social Affairs May 4, 2020

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Wednesday directed swift action on undocumented migrants amid concerns that their crowded and substandard living conditions, lack of access to masks and testing could create new clusters of COVID-19 infections, as seen in Singapore. 　 An estimated 380,000 migrants illegally residing in the country should be able to get masks and receive medical treatment without worrying about their status or about being deported, Chung said at the meeting on the government&rsqu

Social Affairs April 29, 2020

Migrant workers staying in cramped accommodations during their mandatory two-week quarantine could pose a risk to South Korea’s efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19, experts and activists said Tuesday. On Monday, some 20 migrant workers from Myanmar, who arrived in Korea on April 23, were caught staying in accommodation inappropriate for quarantine, with shared kitchens and bathrooms, where strict self-quarantine is nearly impossible, according to the Bupyeong-gu Office. “It

Social Affairs April 28, 2020