The Korea Times

Universities extend online lectures 2 more weeks

By Bahk Eun-jiUniversities, which postponed their new spring semester to prevent the spread of COVID-19, have decided to extend online lectures ― replacements of classroom time ― for two more weeks, according to school officials, Friday.Students watch online lectures in a cafe near Hongik University, Seoul, Friday, after schools delayed the start the spring semester due to the COVID-19 outbreak. /YonhapMany schools initially planned to provide online lectures for just the first two weeks until March 27, but they have decided to delay on-campus classes for two more weeks, starting them April 13.Ewha Womans and Chung-Ang universities announced the extension of online lectures on their homepage Thursday, and noted the schedule could be changed again depending on the situation. However, universities should prepare guidelines for specific types of lectures requiring lab sessions or practical training. “We decided to extend the online class period for two more weeks as there is high possibility of group infection during face-to-face classes. For the classes that require experiment pr

Mar 20, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji

Universities extend online lectures 2 more weeks

Health

Concerns over cluster infections linger

Qurantine officials disinfect an area around the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the city of Daegu, Friday, as part of preventive measures against the spread of COVID-19. /YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiThe health authorities remain on high alert over COVID-19 infection clusters as new cases have been confirmed at a nursing hospital in Daegu, the original epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, and in Seoul and its neighboring areas.According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), 87 cases were newly detected Thursday, bringing the nation's total number of infections to 8,652. So far, 94 people, mostly elderly people with underlying illnesses, have died from the highly contagious virus. The country has been showing fewer total cases in recent days. However, the government remains on high alert over the possibility of new infection clusters.At Pureun Nursing Home in Bonghwa, a long-term care facility in North Gyeongsang Province, three more new infections were confirmed Thursday, bringing the total there to 69. The KCDC also said five more cases were newly confirmed at the

Mar 20, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji

Health

Relief supplies from Nanjing

Employees of the Korean Red Cross load boxes of masks and protective gear donated by China's Nanjing City onto a truck at a warehouse in Incheon, west of Seoul, Friday. Nanjing donated 500,000 masks and 3,000 sets of protective gear for the coronavirus-hit Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province. /Yonhap

Mar 20, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji

Society

Schools ordered to delay spring semester for 2 more weeks

Teachers sort out textbooks and presents for would-be first graders at a classroom in Pajang Elementary School in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. The Ministry of Education announced that it was delaying the start of the new school year for the third time in a moves to prevent possible COVID-19 infection clusters at schools. /YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiThe ministry of Education (MOE) ordered all kindergartens, and elementary, middle and high schools to delay the start of their new school year with the spring semester by two more weeks, Tuesday, amid lingering concerns over the spread of COVID-19. The spring semester is now scheduled to begin April 6 as the ministry previously ordered schools to postpone its start by three weeks.The move comes amid lingering concerns over the highly contagious coronavirus spreading among young children, who have more vulnerable immune systems, especially in schools where many of them come into close contact with each other.The government has reported two-digit increases in new infections per day since Sunday after nearly three weeks of registering more tha

Mar 17, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji

Schools ordered to delay spring semester for 2 more weeks

Colleges poorly prepared for online lectures

Society

Colleges poorly prepared for online lectures

A student listens to an online lecture at her home in Seoul, Monday, as schools belatedly opened spring semester due to COVID-19. / YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiUniversities, which delayed their new school year for two weeks due to fear of the coronavirus spreading, began the spring semester with online lectures on Monday as replacements of their classroom lectures. However, many students were unable to access classes due to technical problems.Colleges across the country that postponed their spring semester have opened, but most schools are only providing online lectures for the first two weeks, until March 27, so that students do not have to be in classrooms. However, some schools' online servers were down as a large number of professors and students tried to log in at the same time. Servers at a number of universities, including Seoul National University, Korea University and Chung-Ang University, were down on Monday morning. Many users also went through difficulties to join the classes as many were not accustomed to the online lecture system. Students have been complaining that the schools

Mar 17, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji

Colleges poorly prepared for online lectures

Schools ordered to delay spring semester for 2 more weeks

Health

Endometriosis: an invisible illness with a major impact

A patient gets an ultrasound checkup for her uterus in this file photo. According to government data, 111,214 women were diagnosed with endometriosis in 2017. /Korea Times fileBy Bahk Eun-jiEndometriosis is a common gynecological condition that affects about 60 percent of women in their 20s to 40s, but if the pain is unusually serious, doctors advise them to be checked for lesions in their uterus, ovaries or fallopian tubes. For those with endometriosis, coping with period cramps often requires more than just taking a pain reliever such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.Kim Hye-won, 31, living in Songpa-gu, Seoul, recently felt her period pain becoming more severe. When Kim's younger sister, who had surgery to remove fibroids in her uterus a couple of years ago, said she had similar symptoms, Kim immediately visited her gynecologist and she was diagnosed with endometriosis. “I became accustomed to period cramps to a degree over the years, but this time, the pain was sharp and suddenly became unbearable. I initially thought it was probably because I was under a lot of pressure at wo

Mar 15, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji

Endometriosis: an invisible illness with a major impact

Health

COVID-19 outbreak shows stabilizing sign

Seats at the Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul remained empty, Sunday, as the church replaced its Sunday worship services with online ones to ensure its members' safety amid the spread of COVID-19. /Yonhap By Bahk Eun-jiKorea added 76 new cases on Saturday, with a total number of cases at 8,162, making the first day in nearly three weeks when the number of new cases has fallen below 100, the health authorities said, Sunday. The government reported 76 new COVID-19 infections Saturday, the first time in nearly three weeks for the number to have dropped below 100. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said Sunday that the total number of coronavirus patients had reached 8,162, with 75 fatalities ― most of whom were elderly patients who had been suffering from underlying illnesses. Those recovering from the infection and being released from quarantine now number 834; while nearly 270,000 tests have been carried out so far. This is the first time in

Mar 15, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji

COVID-19 outbreak shows stabilizing sign

Society

'Fukushima's radioactive water discharge is important to Koreans'

Greenpeace nuclear campaigner Shaun Burnie in front of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, five years after the accident. The environmental organization has launched an underwater investigation into the marine impacts of radioactive contamination on the Pacific Ocean resulting from the 2011 nuclear disaster. / Courtesy of GreenpeaceBy Bahk Eun-jiShaun Burnie, a senior nuclear specialist at Greenpeace Germany, has been working in Fukushima since 1997 to stop the operation of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, with much of his time based in Japan. Among a number of nuclear experts around the world who have been condemning the Japanese government's plan to discharge radioactive water from the destroyed Fukushima power plant into the Pacific Ocean, Burnie claims this issue is clearly important to Koreans as they understand the risks of nuclear energy and care about the environment.“Fukushima is a defining issue of this time as it continues to pose a threat to the environment not just of Japan but the Asia Pacific region. This is a nuclear disaster with no end and Koreans r

Mar 15, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji

'Fukushima's radioactive water discharge is important to Koreans'

Health

Gov't complex partially shut after officials contract coronavirus

A notice informs people that a cafeteria in the building housing the oceans and fisheries ministry at the Government Complex in Sejong, is temporarily closed so the interior can be disinfected, Thursday. The closure comes after 16 civil servants at the complex tested positive for COVID-19. /YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiThe Government Complex in Sejong was thrown into panic Thursday after 14 more civil servants tested positive for the new coronavirus, raising concerns over an increasing administrative vacuum.According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) and the Ministry of Interior and Safety, 13 new COVID-19 cases were reported at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries located in the main government building in the administrative city of Sejong. One more worker at the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs was confirmed to have contracted the virus, raising the number of cases at the complex to 31. Concerns are growing over a possible infection cluster at government buildings as this could significantly disrupt administrative operations. The Sejong Government

Mar 12, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji

Gov't complex partially shut after officials contract coronavirus

Health

KBS main building temporarily closes after cleaner tests positive for COVID-19

KBS / Courtesy of KBSBy Bahk Eun-jiKorea's largest broadcaster KBS temporarily closed its main building in Seoul Tuesday after a cleaner who works there tested positive for COVID-19.The employee of KBS Business, the company's subsidiary, was confirmed Monday to have been infected with the coronavirus. KBS said 11 people, who had been in close contact with her, have quarantined themselves since.A source, who refused to be named, said KBS temporarily closed its two buildings, including the main one, for 24 hours for disinfection and told the staff there to work in their homes.“Shutting down the building was unavoidable because the woman was responsible for cleaning the buildings. More staff members are waiting for test results,” the source said.

Mar 10, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji

Bahk Eun-ji

Read more

Universities extend online lectures 2 more weeks

Concerns over cluster infections linger

Relief supplies from Nanjing

Schools ordered to delay spring semester for 2 more weeks

Colleges poorly prepared for online lectures

Endometriosis: an invisible illness with a major impact

COVID-19 outbreak shows stabilizing sign

'Fukushima's radioactive water discharge is important to Koreans'

Gov't complex partially shut after officials contract coronavirus

KBS main building temporarily closes after cleaner tests positive for COVID-19

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