A new cluster of novel coronavirus infections emerged Friday in Daegu, the city at the heart of Korea’s novel coronavirus outbreak, with 62 people at a mental health hospital confirmed to be infected with the virus. As of noon Friday, 62 people -- 61 inpatients and 1 staff member -- had tested positive for the virus from the mental health hospital, with the number of infections feared to rise, according to the Daegu Metropolitan Government. The mental health hospital, which houses 286

Social Affairs March 27, 2020

South Korea reported 91 new novel coronavirus cases Friday, bringing the total infections to 9,332, as the government began to impose mandatory 14-day self-quarantine on arrivals from the US to contain imported cases from abroad. Under the new quarantine measures, incoming travelers from the US -- citizens and foreign nationals with long-tern visas -- must self-quarantine at their homes or designated facilities for 14 days. They are required to get tested for the virus only if they develop sy

Politics March 27, 2020

The Seoul City government said Thursday that it had launched an English webpage to make it easier for foreign residents in the capital to access key information on the novel coronavirus.  The webpage (http://english.seoul.go.kr) provides updates on the tally of novel coronavirus cases by district, a travel log of confirmed patients, the locations of virus testing facilities, behavioral rules and the government’s quarantine measures for foreign residents, among other information.&nbs

Social Affairs March 26, 2020

South Korea began to operate “walk-through” testing facilities for the novel coronavirus at Incheon International Airport on Thursday to speed up screening amid an alarming rise in the number of cases imported from Europe and the US.  　 Korea reported 104 new cases Thursday, bringing total infections to 9,241, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 　  Of the new cases, 39 cases -- 34 citizens and five foreign nationals -- involved travelers arr

Social Affairs March 26, 2020

South Korea reported 104 new novel coronavirus cases Thursday, bringing total infections to 9,241, as the government scrambles to contain a surge in cases imported from Europe and the US. So far, 4,144 patients of COVID-19, or 44.8 percent, in Korea made full recoveries since the country reported the first case on Jan. 20, with 414 more people having been discharged from isolation Thursday. Of the new cases, 30 were identified during airport quarantine screening, according to the Korea Cent

Social Affairs March 26, 2020

  South Korea will impose a 14-day self-quarantine on citizens and foreigners with long-term stay visas arriving from the United States starting Friday, as part of its efforts to contain a rising number of imported infections. 　 The country reported 100 new novel coronavirus cases Wednesday, bringing the total infections to 9,137. The death toll rose by six to 126, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 　 Of the 51 new cases -- 43 Korean citizens and eight fore

Social Affairs March 25, 2020

South Korea reported 100 new novel coronavirus cases Wednesday, bringing total infections to 9,137, as the government plans to widen stricter quarantine measures on arrivals from the US starting Friday to contain a rising number of imported cases. Of the new cases, 51 cases -- 43 Korean citizens and 8 foreign nationals -- were imported from abroad. Of them, 34 cases -- 28 citizens and 6 foreign nationals -- were identified during airport quarantine screening measures, according to the Korea C

Social Affairs March 25, 2020

Bestselling novelist Lee Oi-soo, 73, is recovering in an intensive care unit after receiving surgery for a brain hemorrhage, local media reported Tuesday. Lee, who lives in the county of Hwacheon, Gangwon Province, collapsed with a brain hemorrhage in his village at around 6 p.m. Sunday. He was taken to Hallym University Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital and underwent surgery, according to news reports. Lee, whose bestselling books include “Haak Haak,” had been active on social me

Social Affairs March 24, 2020

Nearly 3 in 10 new cases of the coronavirus reported in South Korea on Tuesday involved travelers arriving in Korea from abroad, as the government is tightening quarantine efforts to counter the growing number of imported infections.  　 Korea reported 76 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, bringing total infections to 9,037, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The death toll stands at 124. 　 Of the new cases, 22 cases, or 29 percent, involved travelers arriving in

Social Affairs March 24, 2020

South Korea reported the lowest daily increase in coronavirus cases in a month on Monday as the government ramped up measures to contain the number of infections arriving from abroad. 　 Total cases in the country reached 8,961, up 64 from the previous day. Of the new cases, 14, or 21.9 percent, involved travelers arriving from abroad, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It was the lowest daily increase since 35 new cases were found on Feb. 20. 　 As the government

Social Affairs March 23, 2020

South Korea’s novel coronavirus cases climbed by 64 to 8,961 Monday, as the government tightened rules on social distancing and toughened quarantine screening on all arrivals from Europe. The new cases marked the lowest daily increase in a month in the country, continuing a downward trend in new infections from the peak of 909 cases reported on Feb. 29. The death toll rose by seven to 111, with the overall fatality rate standing at 1.24 percent, according to the Korea Centers for Dise

Social Affairs March 23, 2020

A Muslim woman had her hijab forcibly taken off by a stranger on the street. A refugee got laughed at upon visiting a local community center. An ethnic Korean student from China was told she was doing her master’s degree here just to find a husband. These are only a few of the discriminatory acts that foreign residents and North Korean defectors here have experienced, showed a survey conducted by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea. According to the survey of 310 foreign resi

Social Affairs March 20, 2020

Starting Sunday, South Korea is to test everyone entering the country from Europe -- Koreans and foreign nationals alike -- for the novel coronavirus, as the government scrambles to prevent infections coming in from abroad. Returnees and travelers arriving in the country from Europe for a long-term stay will be required to self-quarantine at their homes or at state-run facilities for two weeks, health authorities said Friday. The move comes amid growing public concerns that weekslong domesti

Social Affairs March 20, 2020

Typhoon-like strong winds battered most parts of South Korea on Thursday, causing disruption in the operation of outdoor coronavirus testing stations, fanning mountain fires. 　 Wind gusts of up to 90 kilometers per hour, or 25 meters per second, were forecast to continue into early Friday morning in most parts of the country, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. 　 The heavy winds result from the gap in air pressure between cold low pressure over North Korea and warm high press

Social Affairs March 19, 2020

The Korean government announced Tuesday that day care centers, kindergartens and elementary, middle and high schools in the country will remain closed until early April, amid an all-out fight against the spread of the novel coronavirus. 　 The start of the spring semester at kindergartens and schools nationwide will be pushed back from the current March 23 to April 6 on concerns that crowded classrooms might turn into new clusters of infections and further spread the virus in local communities.

Social Affairs March 17, 2020