South Korea’s fight against the coronavirus outbreak has entered a new phase of local transmission, with Daegu becoming a hot bed of COVID-19 infections with nearly 40 new cases reported in the southern city in just two days. As of 6 p.m. Thursday, the total number of infected people here stood at 104, with 70 of them in Daegu and nearby North Gyeongsang Province. Most of the cases have been traced to a church in the city that a 61-year-old woman, confirmed as the country’s 31st

Social Affairs Feb. 20, 2020

The government said Wednesday that it plans to carry out a full-scale investigation into a church in the southern city of Daegu, which has emerged as the largest cluster of the new coronavirus disease with 14 cases. South Korea reported 20 new cases of COVID-19 the same day, increasing the total to 51. According to the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, of the new cases, 18 were in Daegu, the third-largest city in the country, and nearby North Gyeongsang Province. Fifteen a

Social Affairs Feb. 19, 2020

North Korean defectors living here are pushing to create a political party that protects their rights and interests. On Tuesday, some 200 defectors launched a preparatory committee for establishment of the tentatively named Inter-Korean Reunification Party during a conference of party promoters at the Federation of Korean Industries building. “We are trying to create a political party that can represent the equivalence and difference between South and North Korean people,” the

Politics Feb. 18, 2020

After three years of disarray, conservatives managed to forge a united front to counter the main liberal force of the ruling party, boosting their chances in the upcoming general elections. The question, however, remains. Will the newly formed Party for Future Integration be able to recruit new talent and extend its support base beyond diehard conservative voters? The new bloc was born Monday through the merger of the largest opposition Liberty Korea Party, the New Conservative Party and

Politics Feb. 18, 2020

The heaviest snow so far this winter hit most parts of South Korea on Monday, disrupting road traffic and causing flight cancellations. The Korea Meteorological Administration, or KMA, issued a heavy snow alert or warnings for some parts of Gyeonggi Province and the Chungcheong and Jeolla provinces as well as Jeju Island and Ulleungdo. Snowfall hit record levels in many areas as this winter season saw barely any snow until now. Dokdo and Ulleungdo had the most snow in the country with 34.8

Social Affairs Feb. 17, 2020

The heaviest snow so far this winter hit most parts of South Korea on Monday, disrupting road traffic and causing flight cancellations. At least three people were killed as cars crashed on icy roads, while nearly 40 were injured. Dozens of flights to and from the provinces of Jeju, Gangwon, Jeolla and Gyeongsang have either been canceled or delayed. Around 20 vehicles piled up inside a tunnel on a highway connecting Suncheon and Wanju in North Jeolla Province at 12:23 p.m., leaving three peo

Social Affairs Feb. 17, 2020

Seven hundred people airlifted from China’s coronavirus-hit Wuhan were released from two weeks of isolation over the weekend. On Sunday, 334 people left the quarantine facility in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, after testing negative for COVID-19. They had stayed in solitary units for 14 days -- the virus’s assumed maximum incubation period -- since arriving here Feb. 1 in the second evacuation from the city in Hubei province. Another 366 people, brought here Jan. 31 in the

Social Affairs Feb. 16, 2020

All South Korean patients infected with the new coronavirus are in stable condition, with two or three of them likely to be discharged from hospitals soon, health authorities said Thursday. Korea has 28 cases of the virus, now called COVID-19, with no new case reported Thursday. Of them, seven patients have fully recovered and were declared free of the virus. “Elderly patients or those with underlying diseases need to use anti-virus medicine actively … but young and healthy pat

Social Affairs Feb. 13, 2020

Thae Yong-ho, who was North Korea’s deputy ambassador to the United Kingdom before defecting to South Korea in 2016, is aiming for a parliamentary seat.  　Announcing his run in the April general elections under the conservative Liberty Korea Party, the high-profile defector said Tuesday that his mission is to contribute to the reunification of the two Koreas. 　“I know North Korea better and deeper than anyone else in South Korea. With my knowledge and experience, I hope to

Politics Feb. 11, 2020

Nearly 3,000 people who entered Korea from China’s Wuhan have cleared the two-week monitoring period for possible coronavirus infection, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday. The virus’s incubation period passed as of Monday for 2,991 people, including 1,831 foreigners, who entered Korea from Jan. 13-26 after visiting Wuhan, where the new coronavirus was first detected in December. Since they arrived here, KCDC officials have checked on their condition

Social Affairs Feb. 10, 2020

The main opposition Liberty Korea Party on Monday urged President Moon Jae-in to come clean on allegations involving former and incumbent presidential secretaries in an election-meddling scandal, threatening to launch an impeachment campaign. “As soon as the 21st National Assembly is formed, we will push for a parliamentary probe and special investigation. Should President Moon be found to have been involved in any way, we will push for his impeachment,” the party’s floor l

Politics Feb. 10, 2020

Complaints about suspected illegal profiteering over face masks are skyrocketing after the government opened channels for civil reports in a bid to stamp out those seeking to reap big profits amid concerns over a new coronavirus. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on Wednesday opened a section in its homepage and blog for submission of cases concerning market cornering and price gouging of face masks and hand sanitizers. To offer greater accessibility, the ministry created 21 hotlines, resp

Social Affairs Feb. 6, 2020

General elections are about two months away and South Korea’s political landscape is undergoing a transformation, with party splits, mergers and even the arrival of the nation’s very first “satellite” party. 　The main opposition Liberty Korea Party on Wednesday launched the Future Korea Party, the satellite group created for the sole purpose of securing additional proportionate representative seats in the next parliament. LKP’s four-term lawmaker Han Sun-kyo switc

Politics Feb. 5, 2020

The coronavirus is forcing general election candidates to find ways to reach voters apart from street canvassing, with many turning to social media. 　 Campaign rally events often involve face-to-face conversations, handshakes and canvassing trucks with loudspeakers blaring music at places with a large flow of people and dense crowds. But fears over the contagious disease are driving candidates to run online campaigns. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea has suggested party leaders suspend ele

Politics Feb. 4, 2020

The southern resort island of Jeju is struggling to track down those who came into contact with a Chinese tourist who tested positive for a deadly coronavirus after returning from a trip there. As fears mounted, health authorities said Monday that the Wuhan resident was unlikely to have had symptoms while traveling around the island for five days last month.  “The Chinese health authorities informed us that the patient was quarantined after showing symptoms like a fever on Jan.

Social Affairs Feb. 3, 2020