Korea Times reporter gets award for MERS biosecurity breach report
Jung Min-ho
By Choi Ha-young
Korea Times reporter Jung Min-ho has become the award winner of the month for December from the Korea Science Journalists Association (KSJA) for his article about biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), the association said Monday.
The KSJA said it selected the story titled “Pasteur Institute breaches MERS biosecurity rule,”published on Oct. 6, for raising awareness of the importance of infectious diseases management.
The exclusive story featured a virologist’s alleged transferring samples of the MERS virus from the Pasteur Institute’s Korea unit to Paris without alerting the health authorities of any country in October 2015 and the institute’s alleged cover-up attempt.
“With more people in the world and more flights connecting everyone, risks of infectious diseases are becoming greater. But the ways to manage such risks are still stuck in the past. I want to point it out with the story,” Jung said. "Above all things, I thank God for the honor."
The KSJA gives outstanding reporters prizes every month to encourage them to uncover facts in science and health sectors.
Jung joined The Korea Times in April 2012 and is working for the city desk.